title: Norfolk Hospital Agrees to Pay Civil Penalty for Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances Act

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Inc. (CHKD), located in Norfolk, agreed to pay $68,400 to settle civil penalty claims for alleged record-keeping violations associated with controlled substances. The government alleged that CHKD failed to comply with various recordkeeping requirements under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that are mandated for DEA registrants who handle controlled substances. The government alleged that between March 29, 2021, and December 22, 2021, CHKD had packages of compounded prescription drugs delivered to its receiving warehouse, a location not registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This allegedly includes a delivery of 200 one-milliliter fentanyl syringes (10mcg/ml) that CHKD cannot show was delivered to its registered pharmacy location or otherwise account for. The recordkeeping requirements under the CSA are designed to protect the health and safety of the public from dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances, such as opioids, being diverted into the illicit market, while also ensuring that patients have access to pharmaceutical controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes. In a separate agreement with the DEA Diversion Group, CHKD agreed to take measures to prevent such conduct from occurring in the future. The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DEA, Washington Division, Norfolk District Office. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Wuerker. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia . The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Fourteen Defendants Indicted in $5 Million California State Unemployment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 16, 2023 SAN DIEGO – An indictment partially unsealed today charges 14 defendants with fraud and money laundering offenses for a scheme centered around fraudulent unemployment applications submitted to the California Employment Development Department during the pandemic. The indictment alleges the fraud netted the defendants almost $5.2 million in funds from the state of California. According to the indictment, David Constantin and Constantin Bobi Sandu, who was arrested and charged separately in March 2023, helped hundreds of applicants apply for EDD benefits using fraudulent documents. Constantin and Sandu recruited potential applicants through Facebook and met applicants at parks throughout Southern California to complete the application process. Applicants paid Constantin or Sandu a partial fee up front for assisting with fraudulent applications and another fee after applicants received EDD payments. The indictment alleges that from July 2020 to August 2022, Constantin transmitted more than $128,000 in fraud proceeds to associates in Romania. Another defendant who fraudulently obtained EDD benefits with Constantin’s help, Eduard Buse, transmitted almost $129,000 to Romania in the same period. Buse also purchased a 2020 BMW X6 with over $105,000 in cash fraud proceeds in December 2022 and shipped the vehicle to Romania. Several other defendants also transmitted fraud proceeds to accounts in Romania. David Constantin was arrested in Romania at the request of the United States on November 13 th by Romanian authorities who also served search warrants and seized, among other things, the BMW with California license plates. The Department of Justice will seek Constantin’s extradition to the United States. Buse and defendants Leonard Miclescu, Constantin Iosif Constantin and Florentina Sima were arrested in California and Texas. Nine other defendants remain at large. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Adeline Schulberg and Valerie Chu with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, FBI's Legal Attaché in Bucharest, and Romanian authorities including the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DCCO) Service for Countering of Organized Criminal Groups, Brigade for Combating Organized Crime (BCCO) – Pitești, County Service for Countering Organized Crime – Teleorman, Romanian Gendarmerie Battalion, Romanian Ministry of Justice, and Romanian Criminal Investigative Directorate - Fugitive Unit. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23CR2090-LAB David Constantin Age: 27 Arges County, Romania aka Vlad Alexandru Eduard Buse Age: 30 Transient, Romanian Leonard Miclescu Age: 49 Transient, Romanian Constantin Iosif Constantin Age: 30 Transient, Romanian Florentina Sima Age: 29 Transient, Romanian *Additional defendants are not in custody and their names are redacted SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 18, U.S.C. § 1349 — Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Title 18, U.S.C. § 1343 — Wire Fraud Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, $1 million fine Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) — Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(A) — Laundering of Monetary Instruments Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(B)(i) — Laundering of Monetary Instruments Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the transportation, transmission, or transfer, whichever is greater AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Police Department Economic Crimes Unit IRS Criminal Investigation California Employment Development Department Investigative Division Department of Labor Office of Inspector General U.S. Department of Homeland Security *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Ringleader sentenced for illegal purchases of firearms trafficked to Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Houston resident and felon has been ordered to federal prison for illegal purchase and trafficking of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury convicted Jose Abraham Nicanor May 11 on all 13 counts as charged following a three-day trial. He was also convicted for possessing a firearm after a previous felony for armed robbery. U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Nicanor to serve 60 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that showed Nicanor aggregated the firearms shipment to Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Nicanor’s conduct amounted to more than mistakes, but to a pattern of choices to violate the law. “Stemming the illegal river of firearms into Mexico, a river stained blood red, deprives Mexican cartels of their tools of violence,” said Hamdani. “Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations are a national security threat, and my office, with its fearless prosecutors, will always be committed to aggressively pursuing those who exploit American gun laws so that weapons of war don’t reach violent criminals in Mexico and beyond.” “Firearms trafficking and straw purchasing are not victimless crimes,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Noel Rangel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These acts are illegal and puts firearms in the hands of violent criminals. By focusing on firearms trafficking and straw purchasing, ATF keeps guns out of the hands of criminal trigger pullers, thereby reducing violent crime.” At trial, the jury heard that Nicanor recruited two straw purchasers to buy high-caliber rifles that drug trafficking organizations regularly seek. Testimony and evidence showed that a total of 94 firearms were attributable to Nicanor’s straw purchasing group. Mexican authorities later recovered some of the firearms in the possession of drug trafficking organizations. The jury also heard that Nicanor rented a machine gun at a local gun range and posted a video of himself with the firearm to his social media. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Nicanor was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The straw purchasers – James Paxton Jefferson, 34, Alejandro Garcia, 33, both of Houston – previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. ATF conducted the investigation. Mexican authorities also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Collins and Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.


title: Kilogram Drug Trafficker in Robeson County Sentenced to 25 Years

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Maxton man was sentenced yesterday to 300 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for moving kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico to Robeson County. Antonio Lavonne Locklear pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, and possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin with intent to distribute. “Our ongoing partnership with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has secured this 25-year sentence for a large-scale drug trafficker bringing kilogram quantities of narcotics from Mexico into Robeson County,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Narco-traffickers should be warned. The partnership between local law enforcement and federal agencies has never been stronger or more focused on dismantling drug trafficking organizations.” “The sentencing of Locklear will have a huge positive impact within the Prospect community of Robeson County and beyond,” said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. “The punishment Locklear received should be an eye opener to others that continue to wreak havoc on our county. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF for the partnership as we continue to try and make our county safer.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Locklear, age 38, was identified during a multi-year investigation into a group of Robeson County-based individuals who were trafficking kilograms of controlled substances from Mexico into the Brownsville, Texas, area. Investigators learned that members of this drug trafficking organization would travel to Texas, cross the border to meet with suppliers, and then personally transport kilograms of drugs across the border and ultimately back to Robeson County, where the drugs would be sold. During the investigation Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a March 2020 search warrant at one of Locklear’s stash houses and collected over 400 grams of cocaine. On October 14, 2020, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a rental vehicle occupied by Locklear and two other individuals as they returned from Texas. Investigators located 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.98 kilograms of cocaine, 967.7 grams of heroin, and more than $58,000 in U.S. currency inside the spare tire of the vehicle. In the spring of 2021, investigators began to receive information that members of the drug trafficking organization had resumed traveling to Texas to pick up controlled substances from the same suppliers. Through coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Customs and Border Patrol, co-defendant Jeremiah Eli Lowery was stopped at a border checkpoint near Brownsville, Texas on the way back into the United States from Mexico on April 8, 2021. After a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle, officers recovered 2.8 kilograms of cocaine and 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine from the spare tire. Lowery has previously been sentenced to 252 months imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy . Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-59-D-2.


title: Warwick Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Heroin

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A convicted felon who was found to be in possession of a kilogram of heroin, a loaded firearm, more than $337,000 in cash, three kilo presses and other assorted items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs, and who was found to have two sophisticated hidden compartments in his vehicle commonly used to conceal contraband, including one embedded inside a child’s car seat, was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Jose Manuel Rosario Mella, 55, of Warwick, who had previously been arrested in New York and used multiple names to conceal his true identity, was arrested in August 2020 by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force after an investigation determined that he was conducting a large-scale heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation from his Warwick residence; a home that he shared with his partner and her two young children, age five and fifteen. Rosario Mella pleaded guilty on January 10, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm. “This defendant carried out a large-scale drug trafficking organization with zero concern for either the communities poisoned by his toxic shipments of fentanyl and heroin, or for the safety of his own children- one of whose car seats he used to hide his drug shipments,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “With today’s sentence, a large-scale drug trafficker is out of business and off of Rhode Island streets, and I commend the DEA and our state and local law enforcement partners for their diligent work to make that happen.” “Heroin is causing great damage to our communities and in this case, it’s putting children’s lives in danger. DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison.” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the foundations of our families so every time we take heroin off the streets, lives will be saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” According to charging documents and information presented to the court, in the summer of 2020, members of the DEA Drug Task Force surveilled Rosario Mella’s drug trafficking activities, including controlled purchases of heroin from the defendant by a person assisting law enforcement. On August 12, 2020, shortly after Rosario Mella drove away from his residence, his vehicle was stopped by law enforcement. A Warwick Police Department certified narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of narcotics odors at the vehicle. The vehicle was found to contain after-market hides commonly used to conceal contraband behind the front passenger seat and in a child safety seat. Simultaneously to the defendant’s car being stopped, a court-authorized search of Rosario Mella’s residence resulted in the seizure of a kilogram of heroin found stored among food and other kitchen items in a pantry closet; several containers of cutting agents often mixed with heroin and fentanyl to increase bulk quantities of the drugs stored in a kitchen cabinet; three kilo presses used to package kilograms of drugs; a loaded semi-automatic pistol located inside a storage bin in a bathroom; and $337,660 in cash located in various locations throughout the residence including inside drawers and stashed inside a woman’s sweater. According to information presented to the court, the $337,660 in cash seized represents the sale of approximately thirteen kilograms of heroin. Jose Manuel Rosario Mella was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 108 months in federal prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Additionally, the court ordered the firearm, cash seized by law enforcement, and two vehicles owned by Rosario Mella be forfeited to the government. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Rhode Island State Police; the Cranston, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket, and Amtrak Police Departments. United States Attorney Cunha acknowledges and thanks the Warwick, South Kingstown, and North Kingstown Police Departments for their added assistance in the investigation of this matter. ###


title: Court Enjoins Two Utah Companies from Distributing and Manufacturing Adulterated and Misbranded Dietary Supplements

component: Civil Division

body_text: A federal court on Nov. 15 enjoined two Utah-based companies from distributing and manufacturing adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements, the Justice Department announced. In a complaint filed on Oct. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the United States alleged that Evig LLC and the company’s CEO, David Lex Howard, violated the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by distributing adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements. In a separate complaint filed the same day, the United States alleged that Premium Productions LLC and the company manager's, Ryan Petersen, violated the FDCA by manufacturing adulterated dietary supplements. According to the complaints, the dietary supplements involved are marketed throughout the United States under the brand name Balance of Nature. The complaint against Evig LLC and Howard alleges that the defendants claimed their dietary supplements can cure, treat and prevent a variety of diseases and health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and coronavirus. According to the complaint, the supplements were neither approved by FDA nor exempt from approval, making them unapproved new drugs and misbranded under the terms of the FDCA. The complaint further alleges that FDA inspections showed the defendants had no system in place to handle customer complaints, despite receiving reports asserting that their products may have caused allergic reactions from ingredients not identified on the label. The complaint against Premium Productions LLC and Petersen alleges that the defendants’ operation did not follow required current good manufacturing practices and failed to develop good operating procedures and adequate quality controls, making their products adulterated under the FDCA. FDA sent both companies warning letters in August 2019 explaining that their conduct did not comply with the FDCA. According to the government’s complaints, the defendants failed to take appropriate steps to come into compliance after receiving those letters. “Products intended to treat or cure diseases require FDA approval,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Dietary supplement makers also must abide by federal health and safety requirements. The department will continue to work closely with FDA to stop the distribution of unapproved, adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements.” “This FDA action ensures that dietary supplements distributed to American consumers are appropriately labeled, lawfully manufactured and prevents products that potentially put people’s health at risk with unproven claims to cure, treat or prevent a serious illness,” said Acting Associate Commissioner Michael C. Rogers of the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs. “We previously warned Evig LLC and Premium Production LLC, but they have demonstrated repeated violations of manufacturing requirements, and the public cannot have confidence that their products are what they purport to be. The FDA will continue to protect the U.S. public health by taking appropriate actions when companies violate the law.” In both cases, the defendants agreed to settle the suits and be bound by consent decrees of permanent injunction. The orders entered by the court permanently enjoin the defendants from violating the FDCA and require manufacturing process improvements. Senior Trial Attorney Sarah Williams of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch is handling the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Berndt for the District of Utah and Assistant Chief Counsel Todd Miller of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . The claims resolved by the injunctions announced today are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Premium Production Consent Decree Evig Consent Decree


title: Ninth Defendant Convicted of Federal Conspiracy Against Rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) Offenses for 2020 Washington, D.C., Clinic Invasion and Blockade

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Massachusetts woman was found guilty today of federal civil rights conspiracy and violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act). Paula “Paulette” Harlow, 75, of Kingston, was convicted following a bench trial. All nine defendants have been convicted of federal conspiracy against rights and FACE Act offenses following three separate trials in connection with an Oct. 22, 2020, blockade of a Washington, D.C., area reproductive health clinic. On Aug. 29, a jury convicted defendants Lauren Handy, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, William Goodman and Herb Geraghty. On Sept. 15, a separate jury convicted defendants Jonathan Darnel, Jean Marshall and Joan Bell. On March 1, a tenth defendant, Jay Smith, pleaded guilty to a felony FACE Act offense. “Violence and physical obstructions that interfere with access to reproductive health clinics violate the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The convictions in this case send a strong message that such criminal conduct against reproductive health care providers and patients will not be tolerated, and the perpetrators will be held accountable. The Justice Department stands ready to protect both those who provide and those who seek access to safe and legal reproductive health care.” “Our Constitution and laws protect many rights – to protest, to debate, to advocate for different laws. But no one is entitled to deprive other people of their civil rights. That’s a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “With locks, with chains, with violence, these defendants conspired to prevent fellow citizens from exercising their rights to receive and to provide reproductive health care. As these verdicts show, our city will not tolerate that, and our department will ensure justice is done.” “FACE Act violations such as this one are not taken lightly – these are serious crimes that endanger people’s physical safety and can be traumatizing for patients and staff,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners will always work to protect every American’s access to reproductive health care services.” “The First Amendment protects Americans’ right to peacefully express their opinions — not intimidate, threaten or interfere with those who are exercising their civil rights,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate FACE Act violations to ensure that patients and providers can receive or provide lawful reproductive health care without the threat of violence or intimidation.” Evidence presented at trial established that the defendants executed a clinic blockade planned by the group’s leaders, Handy and Darnel. The defendants used social media, text messages and telephone calls to organize the blockade, and several defendants traveled from northeast and midwestern states to participate in the clinic invasion. Prior to the blockade, the defendants met with other co-conspirators to formulate their tactics, which included making a fake patient appointment to ensure the group’s entry into the clinic, using chains and locks to barricade the facility and passively resisting arrest to prolong the obstruction. The clinic invasion was advertised on social media as an “historic” event and was livestreamed on Facebook. At the outset of the invasion, the defendants forced their way into the clinic, injuring a clinic nurse. The blockade forced one patient to climb through a receptionist window to access the clinic, while another was denied entry as she lay in physical distress in the hallway outside the clinic. On Aug. 7, Smith was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release following his guilty plea. The remaining defendants, including Harlow, who were convicted following the three trials face up to 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000 each. Those sentencing dates are yet to be determined. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.


title: Women Who Bought Firearm for Mexican Cartel Member Sentenced

body_text: Two women who purchased firearms for a member of a Mexican drug cartel have been sentenced to a combined 18 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Cassandra Gonzalez, 51, and Imajah Tierra Cervantes, her 29-year-old daughter, were indicted in March. Ms. Gonzales pleaded guilty in June to false statements during the purchase of a firearm and was sentenced in October to 6 months in federal prison. Ms. Cervantes pleaded guilty in July to straw purchasing of a firearm and was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison. Ms. Cervantes is among the first defendants in the Northern District of Texas to plead guilty to an offense outlined in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act , signed into law by President Biden in June 2022. According to plea papers, Ms. Gonzalez attempted to purchase a rifle from a federally firearm license (FFL) dealer in Lubbock, Texas on Dec. 30, 2022. On ATF Form 4473, Ms. Gonzalez certified that she was purchasing the firearm for herself and stated that she resided in Garland, Texas – an address that did not match her actual current address in Lubbock. ATF agents contacted the FFL and notified them of the address issue. They learned that Ms. Gonzalez planned to return to the store on Jan. 4, 2023, to complete the transaction. On that date, agents observed Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Cervantes enter the FFL. Ms. Gonzalez paid for the firearm and Ms. Cervantes carried it out of the store. Agents intercepted the women, took custody of the rifle, and separated them for questioning. Ms. Gonzalez admitted that the address she used on Form 4473 was not correct, but initially maintained that she purchased the rifle for herself. Ms. Cervantes, however, told agents that a Mexican man living in Dallas provided her with the money to purchase the rifle, and said that she and her mother were going to receive $2,000 for purchasing the firearm and delivering it to the man, who she knew was affiliated with a Mexican drug cartel. She admitted that she’d delivered a gun to him before and that she knew the man intended to use the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Confronted with Ms. Cervantes’ statements, Ms. Gonzalez admitted that she lied on the form, knowing full well that she intended to purchase the firearm not for herself, but on behalf of another person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McLeod prosecuted the case.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced To Federal Prison For Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Harold Lavern Benedict, 73, of Crestview, Florida, was sentenced to 19.5 years in federal prison for receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. In imposing the sentence, the Court cited the need to protect the public when it sentenced the defendant above the required 15-year mandatory minimum. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Protecting innocent children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who work tirelessly to identify these predators and bring them to justice so that they may never exploit a child again. Due to their collective efforts, our community is safer, and this repeat offender is exactly where he belongs – back behind bars.” On June 27, 2022, a father was at Yellow River Park with his children in Milligan, Florida, and purchased gasoline for an older man who was stranded. The older man requested the father’s address and phone number to send him money, and when the father declined, the older man, who claimed to refurbish computers for a living, offered the father a laptop for his children. Upon arriving home, the father vetted the computer prior to giving it to his children, only to discover it contained child pornography. The father immediately contacted the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OSCO) and provided the laptop. Through the investigation, law enforcement was able to link a phone number, provided by the older man, to Harold Lavern Benedict, a local registered sex offender due to prior convictions for Attempted Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12, and Lewd and Lascivious Act. OCSO Investigators interviewed Benedict on September 2, 2022, and he admitted to using foreign internet web browsers to obtain child pornography at least once per month. Law enforcement obtained search warrants for several of Benedict’s electronic devices and determined that Benedict possessed over 700 images of child pornography. Benedict was engaged in such conduct from at least 2019 through 2023. “This is a case where all the pieces fell into place to expose the ongoing disturbing and criminal conduct of this individual,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “Once again, due to the dedication and expertise of our investigators and federal partners with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, another child pornography consumer will be taken off our streets.” “Sexual predators who repeatedly victimize children have no place in our society or in our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Thanks to our outstanding partnership with Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, we were able to stop another pedophile from targeting our children.” Benedict’s prison sentence will be followed by a Lifetime of supervised release. Benedict will continue to be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Deavers admitted that she obtained $176,118.73 through a fraudulent scheme that began with her roommate’s employment with an office cleaning business. According to court documents and statements made in court, Deavers and her roommate, Brittany King, unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of numerous individuals by using King’s access to local business offices as a cleaning service worker. Deavers and King rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims and opened lines of credit and bank accounts and obtained loans and credit cards in their names. From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, Deavers and King stole money and property from individuals, companies, lenders, financial institutions and car dealerships with their scheme. Deavers admitted that she and King submitted a fraudulent change of address form to the United States Postal Service to reroute one victim’s mail to their Bridge Road apartment in Charleston on June 7, 2022. Deavers further admitted that she attempted to purchase a vehicle from a Charleston area car dealership using the personal identification information of another victim on January 15, 2022. Deavers is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Deavers also owes $176,118.73 in restitution. King, 35, of East Bank, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on October 3, 2023, and awaits sentencing. Co-defendant Amy Deavers, 50, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 17, 2023, and awaits sentencing. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Andrew D. Isabell and Jonathan T. Storage are prosecuting the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson provided substantial assistance. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-14. ###


title: Indianapolis Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing Counterfeit Currency

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jacob Seyfried, 47, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to manufacturing counterfeit currency. According to court documents, on November 13, 2021, a Carmel Police Department Officer initiated a traffic stop on a Cadillac with stolen license plates near 96 th street. The driver was Jacob Seyfried. Seyfried stated that he had been released from jail about six days prior and had been staying at the nearby Clarion Hotel. He claimed that he borrowed the Cadillac and just finished shopping at Kohls. The Carmel officer searched the vehicle and found a $100 bill under the console that appeared brighter in color than normal. The officer also found several receipts on the floorboard of the vehicle, a paper shredder in the trunk, and a Kohl’s shopping bag containing a Nike coat and backpack. The officers searched Seyfried’s person and removed a wad of fifty-dollar bills. Seyfried told officers he had about $400 in cash on him at the time. Officers examined the money and noticed that most of the bills had the exact same serial number. Officers recovered a total of $300 in counterfeit $100 and $50 bills. Officers went to Kohl’s and recovered the bills that Seyfried used to pay for his purchases, which were also counterfeit. A $50 bill Seyfried used at Kohls had the same serial number as the counterfeit bills police later found on his person. At the Clarion Hotel, law enforcement officers searched the room Seyfried checked out of that morning. During their search, they located items used to manufacture counterfeit bills, including gel pens, double-sided tape, a water proofer, a printing paper booklet, several articles of ink and paint, and two printers. Officers also recovered eight pages of printed, counterfeit $100 bills, and four pages of printed counterfeit $50 bills. Seyfried has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for forgery, possessing a handgun as a convicted felon, and a prior federal conviction for mail fraud. He was caught with a counterfeit title for a stolen, $50,000 Dodge Charger while on pretrial release in this case. “Undeterred by multiple convictions and jail time, Mr. Seyfried continued to use fraud and deceit to line his pockets,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Creating counterfeit currency is not a victimless crime, it harms everyone in our economy-stealing income from businesses and raising prices for consumers. The serious prison sentence here demonstrates that fraudsters and forgers will face serious punishment for economic crimes. I commend the Carmel Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, along with our federal prosecutor, for their diligent work to ensure that this criminal is held accountable.” “The sentencing in this case is a testament to the outstanding work of the Carmel Police Department,” said Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “We would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Carmel Police Department for their partnership in this investigation.” The Carmel Police Department and U.S. Secret Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Seyfried be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Eakman, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Crow Agency woman sentenced to seven years in prison for role in large-scale, meth trafficking investigation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Crow Agency woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in a large-scale, multi-state drug operation that was centered on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Carly Joy James, 42, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking operation centered on the distribution of meth involving multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one known as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. James was one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. The government further alleged that James was involved in selling meth obtained from Spear Siding and distributing it in the Billings area in 2022. In January, James was pulled over for a traffic violation, and a search of her vehicle revealed a firearm and approximately eight grams of meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Amesbury Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Amesbury man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for child pornography charges. Thomas Cross, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Aug. 18, 2023, Cross pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Cross’ charges stem from the November 2018 search of his home that resulted in the seizure of several electronic devices which contained files depicting child pornography and chats between Cross and a person subsequently identified as Desiree Daigle, in which they exchanged various child pornography files. Some of the images depicted an infant known to Daigle, taken in Daigle’s home. In the chat, the two discussed plans for Cross to meet the child in person so that he and Daigle could sexually abuse the child together. Both Cross and Daigle admitted to exchanging child pornography with each other. Daigle was arrested and charged separately with the sexual exploitation of children. In October 2022 , she was sentenced to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Cross was detained following his arrest in November 2018. He subsequently appealed the order of pretrial detention to the District Court, who released Cross in July 2019 on conditions which, among other things, prohibited him from accessing the internet, possessing pornographic material and possessing internet-accessible devices. However, in June 2020 , Cross was re-arrested after he was found using social media to exchange child pornography and he was found to be in possession of multiple cell phones and an internet-connected gaming console – in violation of his conditions of release. Cross has remained in federal custody since. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Amesbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief 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: Boston Man Sentenced for Securities Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man has been sentenced in federal court for exerting secret control over a Massachusetts-based company, Cannabiz Mobile, Inc., as part of a pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme. Christopher R. Esposito, 57, formerly of Everett, was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to five years of probation, with three months to be served at a halfway house. He was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution. Esposito pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud in April 2023. Between 2012 and 2015, Esposito and co-conspirator, Anthony Jay Pignatello, worked together to conceal their control over Cannabiz Mobile, Inc. and to use backdated promissory notes to fraudulently obtain free-trading shares in the company. Among other steps taken to conceal their control, Esposito caused another individual to be installed as the company’s chairman, president and CEO. In reality, the executive reported to Esposito. Esposito and Pignatello then arranged for a promotional campaign in October 2014 to artificially inflate the value and trading volume of Cannabiz Mobile, Inc’s stock so that they could secretly sell their shares. In total, between September 2014 and February 2015, Esposito personally sold over 1.3 million shares fraudulently obtained as part of the scheme. Esposito was ordered to pay $20,294 in forfeiture in connection with the pump-and-dump of Cannabiz Mobile. He was also ordered to pay $61,693.50 in restitution to investors who lost money in a separate purported business venture that Esposito pitched involving the company Code2Action, Inc. Between August 2019 and February 2020, Esposito represented to investors that he would take Code2Action, Inc. public via a reverse merger and he solicited investments in the company for that purpose. The reverse merger, however, never took place. Pignatello separately pleaded guilty in March 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud for his role in the Cannabiz Mobile scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2023 before U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Newton Man Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Newton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported. Franklin Alcantara-Lorenzo, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On Oct. 16, 2023, Alcantara-Lorenzo pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Alcantara-Lorenzo, a citizen on the Dominican Republic, was deported from the United States in July 2021 after serving a 21-month federal sentence for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. At some point thereafter, Alcantara-Lorenzo returned to the United States and was arrested by immigration authorities in Chestnut Hill in April 2023. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Wilton Contractor Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax 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, today announced that DAVID ANSPACH, 67, of Wilton, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to a tax offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, Anspach operated a construction and remodeling business. During the course of a civil audit of Anspach’s tax return for the 2013 tax year, the IRS discovered that Anspach’s business receipts were underreported. Some of the underreported business receipts were subsequently accounted for as payments to workers, but in an effort to offset further receipts, Anspach provided false documents to a representative who had prepared Anspach’s tax return and was assisting him during the audit. The documents included fabricated letters and invoices intended to establish that Anspach had made payments to vendors beyond those reported on his tax return. Anspach’s representative provided the documents to the IRS. Anspach pleaded guilty to one count of willfully delivering or disclosing to the IRS a false document, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on February 12, 2024. Anspach is released on a $10,000 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: Boston Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking a Minor

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly sex trafficking and transporting a minor to Rhode Island to engage in prostitution. Tramonte Jamier Queen, 23, was indicted on one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of transportation of minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Queen was previously charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 17, 2023 and has been in state custody on related charges since February 2022. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Nov. 30, 2023. According to the charging documents, beginning in January 2022, Queen recruited a 16-year-old girl to engage in prostitution. First, it is alleged that Queen directed the victim to take photos of herself – including photos depicting the victim nude and posing provocatively. Shortly thereafter, Queen allegedly directed the victim to earn money for him by engaging in commercial sex. It is alleged that Queen communicated with sex buyers and arranged for the victim to engage in commercial sex in the basement of his mother’s residence in Dorchester as well as at hotels and took all of the proceeds for himself. Queen allegedly used threats and violence to maintain control over the victim. It is further alleged that Queen drove the victim to a hotel in Warwick, R.I., where he caused her to perform sex acts for his financial benefit. Hours after this trip to Rhode Island, police stopped Queen as he was returning to Boston with victim. The charge of sex trafficking of a child provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity count provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Browning man sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting corrections officer at Bureau of Indian Affairs jail

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to trying to put a federal corrections officer in a chokehold while incarcerated at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ jail on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Joseph Ernest Potts, 33, pleaded guilty in June to assault on a federal officer. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 15, 2021, Potts was an inmate at the Browning jail, which is a federal correctional facility operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A corrections officer, identified as John Doe, was supervising male inmates as they returned to their cells from the dayroom. Doe saw Potts pacing back and forth between his cell and a cell across the hallway. As Doe began closing Potts’ cell, Potts grabbed Doe around the neck and began struggling with him, attempting to put the officer in a chokehold. Other inmates pulled Potts off the officer. The officer reported pain and discomfort for more than a week after the assault. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Former Potosi Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking, Other Charges

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former Potosi, Missouri police officer on Thursday admitted providing cash, vape cartridges and other items to three male minors for nude pictures or after performing sex acts on the victims. Matthew N. Skaggs, 40, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to three felony charges: sex trafficking, solicitation of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. In Thursday’s plea hearing, Skaggs admitted that between Jan. 1, 2022 and Aug. 10, 2022, he provided vape cartridges, alcohol, CBD and THC to a 13-year-old boy in exchange for nude pictures of the boy. Skaggs also gave the victim vape cartridges after groping him in a police vehicle at a kindergarten center while Skaggs was wearing his police uniform. Skaggs also gave the boy vape cartridges in a middle school boys’ bathroom. Skaggs repeatedly offered money to another boy when he was between the ages of 14 and 16 for sex, and asked for a received a picture of the boys’ genitals, his plea agreement says. Skaggs also admitted performing a sex act on a third victim, aged 17, twice, and then providing money and alcohol to the minor. Between June 13, 202 and July 14, 2022, Skaggs paid the boy amounts ranging from $5 to $75 via Cash App. Skaggs also gave the boy cigarettes and vape pods. At the time of his arrest, Skaggs was attending training to become a school resource officer. Skaggs is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 14, 2024. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 300 months in prison. The sex trafficking and coercion charges are each punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. The solicitation of child pornography charge carries a minimum five-year term and a maximum of life in prison. All also are punishable by a fine of up to $250,000. Skaggs has also agreed to forfeit electronic devices including an iPad, two cell phones and storage devices. The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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: Stroudsburg Woman Charged With Heroin And Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Melissa Mangione, age 29, of Stroudsburg, PA, was indicted on November 14, 2023, by a federal grand jury for heroin and fentanyl trafficking. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from approximately February 2018 until October 27, 2021, Mangione conspired with others to distribute and did distribute heroin and fentanyl at locations in Monroe County, PA. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: San Diego Businessman Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Covid-Related Fraud

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 16, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Thomas Zolezzi of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he committed fraud to obtain almost $3 million intended to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In his plea agreement, Zolezzi admitted he submitted five loan applications containing false statements to trick lenders into providing the relief funds. He used the borrowed funds to pay his personal expenses. As part of his guilty plea, Zolezzi agreed to pay restitution of $700,884.75 to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and $2,238,910.24 to Capital Plus Financial. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted on March 27, 2020, to provide over $2 trillion of economic relief to workers, families, small businesses, industry sectors and other levels of government that were hit hard by the public health crisis created by COVID-19. The CARES Act authorized the SBA to temporarily guarantee loans under a new loan program titled the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Under the PPP, financial institutions made loans to qualified borrowers, and the SBA backed the loans. Borrowers agreed to use the PPP loans to cover payroll costs and certain eligible nonpayroll costs. In some cases, the borrower could apply for forgiveness of the loan. If approved for forgiveness, the SBA paid the loan for the borrower. The CARES Act also authorized the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”). Borrowers agreed to use EIDL funds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the disaster. Working capital expenses included payroll expenses, sick leave, production costs, and ordinary business obligations, like debts, rent, and mortgage payments. According to court records, Zolezzi applied for and received three PPP loans and two EIDLs. Zolezzi’s loan applications, which started in May 2020, falsely overstated the number of his employees, his payroll amount, and his annual revenue to fraudulently obtain $2,939,794.99 in loans. Sentencing is scheduled for February 5, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Alexander. DEFENDANT Case Number 23-cr-02352 -AJB Thomas Zolezzi Age: 61 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Wire Fraud, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000 AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Lancaster County Woman Convicted Of Conspiracy To Distribute Cocaine

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Moniqua Ramirez, age 44, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine following a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson that concluded on November 15, 2023. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ramirez conspired with others to smuggle kilograms of cocaine into Central Pennsylvania through the U.S. Mail. The cocaine was shipped in Puerto Rico and mailed to various drop locations in Lancaster, where the parcels were retrieved by conspirators for further distribution. They also engaged in street level drug trafficking, including selling heroin and fentanyl to customers. The conspirators transported cash back to Puerto Rico in furtherance of the trafficking. Ramirez’s coconspirators, Ricardo Soto, Jonathan Lopez Arizmendi, Ricky Sanchez, Angel Leon-Rivera, Omar Carmenaty Morales, and Lucas Doel Gonzalez-Alvarado, pleaded guilty. On January 19, 2023, Ricardo Soto was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Jonathan Arizmendi, Ricky Sanchez, Angel Leon-Rivera, Omar Carmenaty Morales, and Lucas Doel Gonzalez-Alvarado are awaiting sentencing. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Lancaster County Drug Task Force and York County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Consiglio and Christian Haugsby are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Pine Bush Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Distribution And Receipt Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ZACHARY HUEBSCH was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for distribution and receipt of child pornography. The sentencing today followed HUEBSCH’s guilty plea on May 24, 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendant’s conduct was abhorrent and illustrates the danger that online predators pose to vulnerable members of our community, our children. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, we will use all of the law enforcement tools available to us to prosecute and punish those who exploit children.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings: HUEBSCH communicated on Discord, a social media application, with a 12-year-old minor (“Victim-1”) in July and August of 2021. Using the Discord username “yourdarkmaster2,” HUEBSCH instructed Victim-1 to engage in various sexual acts and to perform those acts on live-streaming video. HUEBSCH preserved sexually explicit images of Victim-1 from those live-streaming sessions. HUEBSCH also discussed meeting with Victim-1 in person to engage in sexual activity, and he sent her a screenshot of a map of a park near Victim-1’s house with a suggested location at which to meet. The investigation concerning HUEBSCH began following a report from Victim-1’s mother concerning the mother’s discovery of communications on Victim-1’s phone that concerned her. * * * In addition to the prison term, HEUBSCH, 25, of Pine Bush, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Crawford Police Department, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in connection with this investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Browning man sentenced to more than five years for shooting, wounding another man during argument

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to shooting and wounding another man during an argument in Browning on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Johnathan Charles Gifford Oldchief, 24, pleaded guilty in June to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on April 7, Oldchief spent the evening drinking with others at a residence in Browning. Shortly after midnight, five persons left the house in a vehicle driven by Oldchief. After driving less than two blocks, Oldchief and the victim, identified as John Doe, got into a verbal argument. Oldchief stopped driving and another person intervened. Oldchief ordered Doe out of the vehicle and Doe complied. After driving a short distance, Oldchief stopped the car, grabbed his 9mm pistol from the center console and got out. Oldchief approached Doe and shot him point blank in the abdomen. Oldchief returned to his car and left the scene. Emergency services responded and Doe was flown to a hospital in Great Falls where he underwent lifesaving surgery. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Luzerne County Man Indicted On Drug Trafficking And Firearms Charges

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Essameddin Birry, age 41, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 14, 2023, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between May 31, 2023, and July 27, 2023, Birry distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions in Luzerne County. The indictment further alleges that on September 11, 2023, Birry possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessed a handgun during and in relation to drug trafficking when he was a person prohibited from possessing a firearm. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling from Missouri Company

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a man who embezzled about $280,000 from his employer to buy a boat and make other personal purchases to a year and a day in prison. Matthew Olinger, 40, of Florida, pleaded guilty to a felony wire fraud charge in July and admitted embezzling from his employer in two ways. Olinger worked for a seed company as an area business manager, managing field sales representatives and occasionally purchasing agricultural equipment for the seedsmen, employees who sold seeds to regional customers. Olinger fraudulently misused his company credit card to make at least $180,000 worth of personal purchases on hundreds of occasions, including family meals, vacations, clothing, boating expenses and personal entertainment, his plea agreement says. Olinger covered up the personal purchases by submitting fake or altered receipts to the company. Olinger also stole company funds to help a seedman buy a 2022 Cobalt R35 boat and a trailer. Olinger authorized an employee to sign a contract with a seedman that would have misappropriated $75,000 in company funds each year for a decade, or a total of $750,000, to buy the Cobalt boat and the trailer and pay associated boating expenses. Olinger stole $100,000 in company funds by submitting three fraudulent funding requests to his employer for a “seed tender” and “seed equipment” before his scheme was discovered by the company. The money has been repaid to the company. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.


title: Romanian citizen indicted for illegally crossing into the U.S. from Canada with six other Romanian nationals in the car

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 48-year-old citizen of Romania, who has no legal status in the U.S., was indicted this week for thirteen federal crimes for his attempt to smuggle six other Romanian nationals into the U.S., announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ionel Niculae, aka Adrian Dumitrescu, was taken into custody near Lynden, Washington, at an accident scene where the car he was driving flipped over, badly injuring three passengers. “We are responding to an increase in dangerous smuggling events on our northern border,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This case illustrates how these illegal smuggling efforts endanger not only those being smuggled into the U.S., but also others traveling near the border. The driver who was hit by the fleeing SUV was injured and is still recovering from the crash.” “We have seen an uptick in the number of human smuggling events here in Washington State along our northern border with Canada,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI will continue to prioritize investigations into these organizations using dangerous tactics that jeopardize not only the lives of the individuals being smuggled, but also the lives of those in our communities who may be in danger by this reckless behavior.” The indictment charges Niculae with one count of improper entry by an undocumented individual, three counts of bringing an undocumented individual into the United States at a place other than a designated Port of Entry and causing serious bodily injury, three counts of bringing an undocumented individual into the United States at a place other than a designated Port of Entry, and six counts of aiding and abetting the improper entry of an undocumented individual. According to the criminal complaint, the Jeep Niculae was driving was seen crossing into Canada illegally three days before the September 17, 2023, accident. On the day of the crash, Canadian Border officers obtained images of the Jeep traveling near the Canada/U.S. Border and, moments later, a camera on the U.S. side picked up images of the Jeep crossing the border via some agricultural fields near Lynden. Border Patrol agents set out to find the Jeep and were quickly alerted by the Sumas Police Department that the Jeep was involved in a crash with another SUV. The Jeep had flipped and three of the six passengers in the car had broken bones – two had broken pelvises and one had a broken leg. Niculae was not injured. “Due to the exceptional vigilance and response of our Border Patrol Agents, Blaine Sector agents were able to assist with the accident scene and link the accident to a recent vehicle that illegally crossed the border smuggling several Romanian citizens. Events like this highlight the disregard smugglers have for human life,” said Chief Rosario Vasquez, Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent. None of the people in the Jeep were legally present in the United States. Niculae possessed drivers licenses for both Washington and California and appears to have been residing in Southern California. He has been detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since being charged by criminal complaint on September 20, 2023. Bringing an undocumented individual into the U.S. at a place other than a designated Port of Entry resulting in serious bodily injury is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Bringing an undocumented individual into the U.S. at a place other than a designated Port of Entry is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Aiding and abetting improper entry by an undocumented individual is punishable by up to six months in prison. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Border Patrol with assistance from the Washington State Patrol and Sumas Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi.


title: Women who led troubled Tacoma bakery pleads guilty to wire fraud in connection with COVID-19 loan funds

body_text: Tacoma – A woman who was part owner and CEO of Tacoma Baking Co. pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud in connection with nearly $350,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jessica Heinlein, aka Jessica DeVisser, obtained three loans using fraudulent information. The largest, some $309,972, was obtained on behalf of Tacoma Baking Company. But much of the information in the applications was fraudulent, and the money was not used exclusively for payroll as required. Heinlein will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on February 12, 2024. According to the plea agreement, Heinlein made the first loan application on behalf of Tacoma Baking Company in April 2020. In the application she claimed two of the company’s eight owners were “sole owners” of the company. Heinlein created email accounts in the names of the two people she designated as “sole owners” so that she could respond to any questions from financial institutions. Heinlein forged the signatures of the two people and provided copies of their drivers licenses without their permission. The loan funds were deposited in Heinlein’s personal account, and she used some of the money for her personal expenses. In addition to the loan funds, the Small Business Administration (SBA) also paid nearly $25,000 in interest and processing fees on the loan. Heinlein sought PPP loans twice more. In January 2021 she applied for a PPP loan under “Jessica DeVisser Consulting,” claiming she was an independent contractor and had a monthly payroll obligation of $7,189. In fact, she was not an independent contractor and had no payroll obligation. She submitted altered financial records to support the application. The $17,900 loan was approved, but before Heinlein could access the money her bank froze the funds and returned them to the lender. In April 2021, Heinlein tried a second time for a loan for “Jessica DeVisser Consulting.” In this case, she claimed the monthly payroll was $20,833. She received $20,833 in loan funds even though she was not an independent contractor and had no payroll. The funds were used for improper purposes. Heinlein has agreed to pay restitution to the Small Business Administration of $360,881. The amount includes the loan amounts as well as fees and interest paid by the SBA. At sentencing, prosecutors will recommend a sentence at the low end of the guidelines range. Judge Settle is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence up to the maximum of twenty years in prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.


title: Providence Man Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who was found to be in possession of nearly three kilograms of fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder when members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force executed a court-authorized search of his residence in June 2021, pleaded guilty today in federal court to a charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. According to information presented to the court, during an investigation into the trafficking of narcotics in Providence, members of the DEA Drug Task Force learned that Giovanny Toro Gallego, 47, was associated with a known drug trafficker. On June 24, 2023, members of the DEA Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Toro Gallego’s residence and seized approximately 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl in the form of pills and powder; two pill presses, designed to manufacture pills containing fentanyl; and punch die for marking pills. Toro Gallego is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Rhode Island State Police; the Cranston, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket, and Amtrak Police Departments. ###


title: Federal Charges Filed After Southern Oregon Traffic Stop Nets More than 100 Pounds of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A suspected drug trafficker is facing federal charges after he was caught by southern Oregon law enforcement transporting more than 100 pounds of fentanyl on U.S. Route 97 near Collier Memorial State Park. Jothan Paul Barrios-Chable, 20, of Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on November 8, 2023, investigators from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE) and Homeland Security Investigations, Medford, located Barrios-Chable traveling north on Highway 97 through Klamath Falls, Oregon, and a Medford Police Department canine officer stopped his vehicle just south of Collier Memorial State Park. Detectives searched Barrios-Chable’s vehicle and located two suitcases, a backpack, and a small satchel. Each suitcase contained approximately twenty heat-sealed kilogram bricks of a narcotic later confirmed to be fentanyl. The backpack contained seven additional kilogram bricks of fentanyl and the satchel contained a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Further analysis determined that together the heat-sealed bricks contained approximately 117 pounds of fentanyl, including packaging. Barrios-Chable made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was investigated by MADGE, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Oregon State Police (OSP). It is being prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. MADGE is a gang and narcotics enforcement team comprised of local, state, and federal investigators that work together to dismantle drug trafficking and other criminal organizations operating in and around Jackson County, Oregon. MADGE member agencies include the Medford Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, Jackson County Community Corrections, HSI, and FBI. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Criminal Defense Attorney Pleads Guilty To Decade-Long Federal Court Bribery Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that TELESFORO DEL VALLE, JR., a/k/a “Ted,” a criminal defense attorney who has appeared in cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY District Court”) and elsewhere for more than 20 years, pled guilty to charges of conspiracy, bribery, paying illegal compensation to a court employee, and making material false statements to law enforcement to conceal his crimes. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Practicing law, particularly criminal law, demands integrity and honesty. The public relies on attorneys and court employees to maintain and validate its faith in our criminal justice system. As he admitted today, Del Valle Jr. betrayed that trust by engaging in a scheme that spanned more than a decade and corrupted the fair administration of justice for personal gain. My Office will always pursue corrupt actors without fear or favor. The people in our District and this country deserve nothing less.” According to the allegations in the Indictment: [1] DEL VALLE is a private attorney who has appeared in numerous federal criminal cases pending before the SDNY District Court. DIONISIO FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Dionicio,” a clerk in the SDNY Magistrate Clerk’s Office since in or about 2002, was responsible for performing duties that included, among other things, making data entries regarding official case events in criminal cases, making summary entries of documents and proceedings on case dockets, and performing inquiries and furnishing information, either in person or by correspondence, regarding the status of cases. FIGUEROA also played a role with respect to the intake of criminal cases, including by preparing appearance bonds, advising defendants and their family members about the conditions of the bonds, and ensuring that appearance bonds were signed by all parties prior to a defendant’s release. SDNY District Court personnel policies prohibited FIGUEROA from, among other things, having outside employment that would pose a conflict of interest; receiving payments, gifts, or other benefits from persons having business before the District Court; and recommending particular attorneys to members of the public. FIGUEROA was also subject to the U. S. Courts’ Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees (the “Code of Conduct”), which cautioned judicial employees that “[a] number of criminal statutes of general applicability govern federal employees’ performance of official duties. These include: 18 U.S.C. § 201 (bribery of public officials and witnesses) . . .” The Code of Conduct likewise admonished, among other things, that “[a] judicial employee should never influence or attempt to influence the assignment of cases, or perform any discretionary or ministerial function of the court in a manner that improperly favors any litigant or attorney, nor should a judicial employee imply that he or she is in a position to do so.” Between at least 2011 and 2022, DEL VALLE and FIGUEROA engaged in a scheme whereby FIGUEROA used his position as an employee of the SDNY District Court to encourage criminal defendants to retain DEL VALLE to represent them in pending criminal cases. In return, DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA a portion of the fees referred clients paid to DEL VALLE. Over the course of more than a decade, FIGUEROA referred at least 45 SDNY criminal defendants to DEL VALLE, and DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA tens of thousands of dollars in referral fees. DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA directly and through an intermediary who would pick up envelopes of cash for FIGUEROA from DEL VALLE’s law office. Many of the clients who ended up retaining and paying DEL VALLE previously had been assigned court-appointed counsel at no cost to them. In November 2022, federal law enforcement agents separately interviewed both DEL VALLE and FIGUEROA after advising each that lying to federal law enforcement agents is a federal crime. DEL VALLE and FIGUEROA each made materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations in response to the agents’ questions. In particular, DEL VALLE, upon being served with a federal grand jury subpoena requiring the production of records from his law firm, falsely denied having any records reflecting client referrals from or payments to FIGUEROA or anyone else. FIGUEROA falsely denied making any referrals to DEL VALLE, except on a small number of occasions concerning close relations or friends, and further falsely denied ever having received payments from DEL VALLE for referrals. * * * DEL VALLE, 65, of Leonia, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to bribe a federal employee and pay illegal compensation to a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; one count of bribery of a federal employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of paying illegal compensation to a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of making material false statements, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2024, before the Hon. Mae A. D’Agostino, U. S. District Judge for the Northern District of New York, sitting by designation. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. FIGUEROA has pled not guilty to the charges contained in the Indictment, which are merely accusations, and the trial in his case is scheduled to begin on December 4, 2023. FIGUEROA is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Jarrod L. Schaeffer, and Stephanie Simon have charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Doctor and Clinic Owner Sentenced for $5M Pill Mill Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A doctor and a clinic owner were sentenced yesterday for their roles in a pill mill scheme. Jonathan Rosenfield, M.D., 40, of Atlanta, and Elmer Taylor, 44, of Houston, were sentenced to 10 and 12 years in prison, respectively, following their guilty pleas to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. According to court documents, Rosenfield owned, operated, and was a physician at the two Sunnyside Medical pill-mill clinics, which did business as Sunnyside Wellness, and Elmer Taylor co-owned and co-operated the clinics. Rosenfield, Taylor, and their co-conspirators issued prescriptions for opioids, including approximately 752,000 pills of oxycodone and 419,000 pills of hydrocodone, under Rosenfield’s name, outside the usual course of professional practice, and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The prescriptions often were issued to individuals paid by drug dealers to pose as patients, and the pills ultimately were diverted to the illegal market. From May 2018 to August 2019, the Sunnyside Medical clinics grossed approximately $5,478,000 from the sale of these prescription drugs. Co-defendants Sokari “Momma” Bobmanuel and Alantha Stewart were previously sentenced to 14 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement. The DEA Houston Division and FBI Houston Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Monica Cooper, Ariel Glasner, and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Emily Petro, formerly of the Fraud Section and currently an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24.7 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Arizona Prison System Resolving Discrimination Against Incarcerated People with Vision Disabilities

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) has agreed to adopt systemwide reforms to correct and prevent discrimination against incarcerated people with vision disabilities. The agreement resolves the Justice Department’s findings that ADCRR violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against incarcerated individuals with vision disabilities, including those who are blind or have low vision. The department found that ADCRR failed to reasonably modify its policies or provide auxiliary aids and services, such as Braille materials and displays, audio recordings and screen reader software, to ensure that people with vision disabilities could communicate effectively while incarcerated. ADCRR failed to provide accessible processes to request accommodations or file disability-related complaints. ADCRR also over-relied on other incarcerated people to help individuals with vision disabilities without properly training or supervising those providing help. “People with vision disabilities held in jails and prisons should not be subjected to a higher risk of harm or exposed to greater restrictions than their sighted peers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “They should not be denied trained aides, or accessible technology and materials that allow them to participate in work, education and recreation programs. This agreement embodies the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that prisons and jails throughout the country, respect and protect the rights of all people detained inside these facilities, including those with vision disabilities.” “This agreement is a critical step towards giving Arizonans with vision disabilities an equal chance to benefit from prison programs and to successfully reenter society,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “We appreciate Director Thornell’s leadership and ADCRR’s willingness to proactively work with the Justice Department to address our concerns. We look forward to continuing to collaborate to make the Arizona prison system more just, more equal and more genuinely rehabilitative for Arizonans with disabilities.” Under the three-year agreement, ADCRR will retain an expert third-party consultant to help revise its policies and practices, train its personnel and provide necessary modifications, aids and services and assistive technology to people with vision disabilities in ADCRR custody. ADCRR will regularly report to the department and adopt robust screening and documentation procedures to ensure people with vision disabilities are provided with any aids and services they need throughout their incarceration. ADCRR will also designate a systemwide ADA Administrator and facility ADA coordinators to ensure consistent implementation of the agreement across all state facilities. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section handled this matter in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities, including people who are incarcerated. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov .