title: Luxury Handbag Company, Founder and Co-Conspirator Sentenced for Smuggling Handbags Made from Caiman and Python Skin

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Luxury handbag company Gzuniga Ltd., its founder Nancy Teresa Gonzalez de Barberi and Gonzalez’s associate Mauricio Giraldo were sentenced to prison today for illegally importing merchandise from Colombia to the United States that was made from protected wildlife. All had previously pleaded guilty . Gzuniga was ordered to forfeit all handbags and other previously seized product, banned for three years from any activities involving commercial trade in wildlife and sentenced to serve three years of probation. Gonzalez was sentenced to 18 months in prison with credit for time served, a supervised release of three years and to pay a special assessment. Giraldo was sentenced to time served, approximately 22 months based on incarceration in Colombia and the United States since his extradition, a year of supervised release and to pay a special assessment. Another co-conspirator, John Camilo Aguilar Jaramillo, pleaded guilty on April 8 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27. Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo are Colombian citizens and were extradited to the United States to face the charges brought against them. Photo is of handbags designed by Nancy Gonzalez and displayed in the Gzuniga Ltd. showroom. Photo is from Exhibit 3 to the government’s reply to objections to presentence report and sentencing memorandum in United States v. Gzuniga Ltd., et al., case number 22-CR-20170. The caiman and python species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which both the United States and Colombia are signatories. “The United States signed on to CITES in an effort to help protect threatened and endangered species here and abroad from trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will not tolerate illegal smuggling. We appreciate the efforts of our many federal and international partners who have helped with the investigation, extradition and prosecution of this case.” “The United States, in company with the international community, has established a system for overseeing the trafficking in protected species of wildlife. That system relies on a system of permits and oversight by many agencies and demands strict compliance by all those engaged in such trade,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The press of business, production deadlines or other economic factors are not justification for anyone to knowingly flout the system and attempt to write their own exceptions to wildlife trafficking laws. In cooperation with our international partners, our Office will continue to require strict adherence to laws that protect our endangered species.” “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is deeply committed to combatting wildlife trafficking in all its forms. The Gonzalez case underscores the importance of robust collaboration with federal and international partners to disrupt illegal wildlife trade networks,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement. “This investigation uncovered a multi-year scheme that involved paid couriers smuggling undeclared handbags made of CITES-protected reptile skins into the U.S. to be sold for thousands of dollars. The Service will continue to seek justice for protected species exploited for profit, and we will hold accountable those who seek to circumvent international controls meant to regulate their sustainable trade.” An indictment charged Gzuniga, Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo with one count of conspiracy and two counts of smuggling for illegally importing designer handbags made from caiman and python skin from February 2016 to April 2019. The conspirators brought hundreds of designer purses, handbags and totes into the United States by enlisting friends, relatives and even employees of Gonzalez’s manufacturing company in Colombia to wear the designer handbags or put them in their luggage while traveling on passenger airlines. Once in the United States, the bags were delivered or shipped to the Gzuniga showroom New York to be displayed and sold. The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Valley Stream, New York, investigated the case, with the assistance of the Miami Resident Agent in Charge Office of USFWS. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia, provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations were instrumental in supporting the case. The United States also thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance and close collaboration and partnership. Senior Trial Attorney R.J. Powers of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Luxury handbag company Gzuniga Ltd., its founder Nancy Teresa Gonzalez de Barberi and Gonzalez’s associate Mauricio Giraldo were sentenced to prison today for illegally importing merchandise from Colombia to the United States that was made from protected wildlife. All had previously pleaded guilty . Gzuniga was ordered to forfeit all handbags and other previously seized product, banned for three years from any activities involving commercial trade in wildlife and sentenced to serve three years of probation. Gonzalez was sentenced to 18 months in prison with credit for time served, a supervised release of three years and to pay a special assessment. Giraldo was sentenced to time served, approximately 22 months based on incarceration in Colombia and the United States since his extradition, a year of supervised release and to pay a special assessment. Another co-conspirator, John Camilo Aguilar Jaramillo, pleaded guilty on April 8 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27. Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo are Colombian citizens and were extradited to the United States to face the charges brought against them. Photo is of handbags designed by Nancy Gonzalez and displayed in the Gzuniga Ltd. showroom. Photo is from Exhibit 3 to the government’s reply to objections to presentence report and sentencing memorandum in United States v. Gzuniga Ltd., et al., case number 22-CR-20170 . The caiman and python species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which both the United States and Colombia are signatories. “The United States, in company with the international community, has established a system for overseeing the trafficking in protected species of wildlife. That system relies on a system of permits and oversight by many agencies and demands strict compliance by all those engaged in such trade,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The press of business, production deadlines or other economic factors are not justification for anyone to knowingly flout the system and attempt to write their own exceptions to wildlife trafficking laws. In cooperation with our international partners, our Office will continue to require strict adherence to laws that protect our endangered species.” “The United States signed on to CITES in an effort to help protect threatened and endangered species here and abroad from trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will not tolerate illegal smuggling. We appreciate the efforts of our many federal and international partners who have helped with the investigation, extradition and prosecution of this case.” “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is deeply committed to combatting wildlife trafficking in all its forms. The Gonzalez case underscores the importance of robust collaboration with federal and international partners to disrupt illegal wildlife trade networks,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement. “This investigation uncovered a multi-year scheme that involved paid couriers smuggling undeclared handbags made of CITES-protected reptile skins into the U.S. to be sold for thousands of dollars. The Service will continue to seek justice for protected species exploited for profit, and we will hold accountable those who seek to circumvent international controls meant to regulate their sustainable trade.” An indictment charged Gzuniga, Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo with one count of conspiracy and two counts of smuggling for illegally importing designer handbags made from caiman and python skin from February 2016 to April 2019. The conspirators brought hundreds of designer purses, handbags and totes into the United States by enlisting friends, relatives and even employees of Gonzalez’s manufacturing company in Colombia to wear the designer handbags or put them in their luggage while traveling on passenger airlines. Once in the United States, the bags were delivered or shipped to the Gzuniga showroom New York to be displayed and sold. The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Valley Stream, New York, investigated the case, with the assistance of the Miami Resident Agent in Charge Office of USFWS. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia, provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations were instrumental in supporting the case. The United States also thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance and close collaboration and partnership. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney R.J. Powers of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-CR-20170. ###


title: Albuquerque Woman Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 63 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court documents, on October 17, 2017, law enforcement intercepted two vehicles transporting methamphetamine to Farmington, New Mexico. Melissa Redfearn-Martinez was driving one of them. Law enforcement officers conducted a K9 sniff and search both vehicles. Inside Redfearn ’s vehicle, officers found 776.2 grams of methamphetamine. After completing her term of imprisonment, Martinez will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case. # # # 24-153


title: Northern Virginia Businessman Pleads Guilty in Federal Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Northern Virginia businessman, who paid a $25,000 cash bribe to then-Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins’ reelection campaign, pled guilty today to federal bribery charges. Rick Rahim, 60, of Great Falls, Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and honest services mail fraud and one count of honest services mail fraud. Rahim is the third Northern Virginia businessman to plead guilty as part of the bribery scheme. In March 2024, James Metcalf of Manassas, Va., pled guilty to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Fairfax Attorney Frederic Gumbinner pled guilty in November 2023 to an identical charge. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates how seriously the Justice Department takes public corruption and the bribery of public officials,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “The badges and guns worn by the men and women who swear an oath to protect and serve the Commonwealth of Virginia is not for sale and those who attempt to buy that honor will be held to account.” According to court documents, Rahim owned and operated several businesses, including BV Management LLC and Food Truck Company LLC. Rahim had no law-enforcement of military experience and was disqualified from owning a firearm due to a prior state felony conviction. In 2003 or 2004, Rahim met a businessman residing in Prince William County, Virginia who was also an Auxiliary Deputy with the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office. In late 2019, the businessman asked Rahim if he wanted to “support” Jenkins. At that time, Rahim understood support to mean give money. The businessman told Rahim that Jenkins would probably agree to make Rahim an Auxiliary Deputy in exchange for his support. Rahim agreed. On July 31, 2019, Rahim, the businessman, and Jenkins met at the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office. During the meeting, they discussed Rahim’s previous felony record and his desire to get his firearms rights restored. Jenkins claimed he could use his official position to ensure that Rahim’s petition to restore his firearms rights would be granted. Jenkins and Rahim agreed that Rahim would provide things of value to Jenkins in exchange for Jenkins’ use of his official position to get Rahim’s rights restore and to appoint him an Auxiliary Deputy with the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office. On two occasions, Rahim gave Jenkins manila envelopes filled with cash- once with $15,000 and a second time with $10,000. In addition to the $25,000 in cash, Rahim also made in-kind donations to Jenkins’ campaign, including a campaign billboard and approximately 200 customized knifes. In addition, Rahim loaned Jenkins $17,500 towards a new home Jenkins was building. Rahim never requested repayment because he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Jenkins. On May 27, 2020, the Circuit Court Clerk of Culpeper County swore Rahim in as an Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office issued him a deputy badge and identification card. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith of the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeremy Michael Benner, 40, of San Diego, was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for unlawfully dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between September 2022 and August 2023, Benner sold firearms to a confidential informant on four separate occasions in Vallejo. One of the firearms had previously been reported stolen, and three of them came with extended magazines. Benner did not have a license as a firearms dealer, and as a previously convicted felon would not be qualified to obtain a license. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . The Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force is one of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Each strike force is led by designated U.S. Attorneys, who collaborate with the ATF and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate. The strike forces use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes, and are an important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy.


title: Clinic owner sent to prison for orchestrating $15M Medicare fraud and kickback scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – The owner of a Houston-area mental health clinic has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gwendolyn Gibbs, 72, pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2021. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Gibbs to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Gibbs fraudulently billed Medicare for services provided to vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities who did not require mental health services. In addition, Gibbs was ordered to pay $8,680,380.42 in restitution to Medicare. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Gibbs’ role as leader, the length of the fraud scheme and her long history in the medical field as evidence she knew what she was doing was wrong. “Gwendolyn Gibbs exploited vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities and residents of group homes in order to defraud Medicare of millions of dollars,” said Hamdani. “Public resources for mental health services should go to the patients that actually need them, not to enrich criminal actors like Gibbs.” Gibbs was the owner of Daybreak Rehabilitation Center. From 2007 until 2016, she submitted fraudulent claims for partial hospitalization program (PHP) services to Medicare that were not provided or not medically necessary. A PHP is a form of intensive outpatient treatment for severe mental illness. Daybreak patients, including individuals with intellectual disabilities, did not need PHP services. Gibbs admitted to falsifying medical records to make it appear that patients were sicker than they actually were. Gibbs also paid kickbacks to owners of group homes and patient recruiters in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries to Daybreak. The owners of the group homes required their residents to attend Daybreak and, in exchange, Gibbs and her co-conspirators provided transportation, supervision and meals to the group home residents. Charles Guidry Jr., 70, Houston, a manager at Daybreak and Gibbs’ ex-husband, was previously sentenced to 70 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Gibbs will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Railroad Retirement Board-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Michael Day prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute in Bakersfield

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 54, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in January 2022, Beltran recruited his brother Jose Beltran-Chaidez, 66, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, to deliver approximately 2 pounds of heroin to Jorge Calderon-Campos, 43, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, for distribution to Calderon-Campos’s customers. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Jose Beltran-Chaidez retrieved it from Calderon-Campos and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a law enforcement officer for a traffic violation. Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Beltran faces a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Calderon-Campos, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, and two other co-defendants are currently scheduled for a status conference on May 13, 2024. They are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the CHP, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Albuquerque Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Jemez Pueblo

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay restitution to the Pueblo of Jemez for stealing almost $400,000.00 to fund her gambling habit. According to court documents, Beverly Scott , 48 worked as an Accounts Payable Clerk for the Pueblo of Jemez between 2014 and 2020. Part of Scott ’s job was to generate checks to pay vendors for legitimate services rendered. Scott realized that she could go into the accounting system and change the name and address of any vendor with an outstanding invoice to her own name and address. She would then go back into the accounting system and change back the name and address of the vendor after a check had been issued. In August 2020, a vendor called to inquire about an unpaid invoice while Scott was on leave. The invoice was investigated, and financial personnel discovered that a payment for that invoice had been issued, but that it had been made payable to Scott . Jemez Pueblo hired a forensic audit firm which identified 116 checks issued to Scott between June 2016 and July 2020 totaling $389,977.84. The firm also determined that a significant portion of the fraudulent payments came from the Indian Health Service funds. Jemez Pueblo provided the audit reports to the FBI. During the subsequent federal investigation, agents interviewed Scott , who admitted to issuing the checks to herself and claimed that she had lost all the money at the Santa Ana Pueblo Casino and other area casinos. Scott pled guilty to one count of federal program fraud on January 26, 2023. After completing her term of imprisonment, Scott will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sean J. Sullivan prosecuted the case. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and Law Enforcement Partners Announce  Carjacking Task Force in Jackson

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Todd Gee announced the establishment of a carjacking task force in the Jackson, Mississippi metro area to focus efforts and resources on this important public safety threat. “The threat of being carjacked creates fear in people’s daily lives, whether in their driveway or when loading groceries at the store," said U.S. Attorney Gee. "The Department of Justice will work together with federal, state, and local law enforcement in the Jackson metro area to leverage all of our resources to investigate and prosecute carjackings.” In keeping with the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime , the task force represents a strategic enforcement priority for the department, focusing federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. “Our team of ATF special agents will work tirelessly with our partners in the Jackson carjacking task force to seek justice and prevent these dangerous crimes,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Carjacking is not only a deadly dangerous crime, it is a serious federal offense, carrying lengthy federal prison sentences, even for first-time offenders.” “The Jackson Police Department will work together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners as a part of the carjacking task force in Jackson,” said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. “We are witnessing on a regular basis the benefits of working collaboratively in order to combat crime.” "I am proud of the collaborative effort among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and our ability to tackle crime and uphold public safety, demonstrating the power of unity and coordination in law enforcement,” said Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey. “We will utilize all branches of our law enforcement resources to ensure that every avenue of accountability is pursued, and these criminals are held accountable.” Carjacking and other violent crime task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on significant crime drivers and taking violent offenders off the streets of our communities. The newly formed task force will be led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with state, local and other law enforcement partners, including the Jackson Police Department and the Capitol Police. Task force members will share and act promptly on information related to car thefts, carjackings and the recovery of stolen or suspect vehicles. The task forces will also collaborate on how to use federal sentencing enhancements for cases where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings, as well as working with state and local authorities to ensure the appropriate handling of juvenile suspects. The task forces will also assist state and local officials who wish to seek Justice Department grant funding for juvenile intervention and diversion resources.


title: University City Felon Admits Possessing Gun

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from University City, Missouri on Monday admitted being caught with a gun after a shooting in 2022. Sheltkeem Brown, 31, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on June 25, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers heard gun shots coming from the area of North Garrison Avenue and Magazine Street, in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. At that location, officers saw a maroon Chevrolet Traverse, which sped off. The officers activated their lights and siren, but the Traverse’s driver continued to drive recklessly until he crashed into a parked vehicle at North Sarah Street and Cottage Avenue. Brown fled on foot but was caught and arrested with fentanyl capsules in his rear pocket. The Traverse had been stolen. Inside the Traverse was a loaded Glock 22 .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number. Brown is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that John W. Rice, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 19, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rice to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Rice’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. From May 4, 2020 until December 28, 2021, John Rice conspired with at least two other individuals to distribute meth in Nebraska. During that time, Rice purchased or was fronted meth in ounce to half-pound quantities to resell to others, and Rice sold meth in quantities ranging from 1.75 grams to 2 ounces to at least five others. In all, Rice purchased and distributed more than 500 grams of meth from May of 2020 until December 28, 2021. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.


title: Operators of Florida Labor Staffing Companies Sentenced to More than Three Years in Prison for Tax and Immigration Charges

component: Tax Division

body_text: Two operators of several Key West, Florida, labor staffing companies – including PSEB Services Inc., E.S.F. Services Inc. and Expert Services F.S. Inc. – were each sentenced to over three years in prison today for tax and immigration-related crimes. According to court documents and statements made in court, at various times between January 2014 and October 2019, Zdenek Strnad, Vasil Khatiashvili and others helped run a series of labor staffing companies that facilitated the employment in hotels, bars and restaurants in Key West and elsewhere of non-resident aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States. These labor staffing companies did not withhold federal income taxes or Social Security and Medicare taxes from these workers’ wages and did not report the wages to the IRS. U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Strnad to 44 months in prison and Khatiashvili to 38 months in prison. In addition to their prison sentences, Judge Martinez ordered Strnad and Khatiashvili to both serve three years of supervised release and to pay $1,836,960.68 in restitution to the United States. Khatiashvili and Strnad’s co-defendant, Petr Sutka, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on March 18. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement. HSI and IRS-CI investigated the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Jessica A. Kraft, Nicholas J. Schilling Jr., Matthew C. Hicks and Wilson Rae Stamm of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Daniel Polyansky, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced April 22, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Polyansky to 90 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Polyansky’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender. Polyansky was also ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution to the victims in this case. In September of 2022, investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol were conducting an online investigation for offenders sharing child pornography. Through investigative techniques, an IP address subscribed to by Polyansky was identified as providing videos of children being sexually abused to others to view and download. A search warrant was obtained for Polyansky’s address and Polyansky was contacted in the parking lot of the apartment building. In an interview with investigators, Polyansky was noncommittal about whether there was child pornography on his devices or whether he had viewed such images. Polyansky consented to allowing investigators to look at his cell phone, but denied consent to have it forensically downloaded. The phone was seized at that time. Polyansky was told he could leave while officers searched his apartment. After ending his contact with Polyansky, investigators entered the apartment and observed a child pornography video playing on Polyansky’s laptop. Polyansky was recontacted outside and arrested on state charges. The laptop and cell phone were later searched and 398 videos and 456 images of child pornography were found. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Wyoming Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Clifton D. Reinoehl, 44, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced April 22, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for production and possession of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Reinoehl to a total of 264 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Reinoehl’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender. Reinoehl was also ordered to pay $54,000 to the victims. In February of 2023, the manager of a hotel in Schuyler, Nebraska called law enforcement to report a suspicious male guest who was seen with a very young girl. The two had left the hotel together. While law enforcement was speaking with hotel staff on scene, the male returned and was identified as Clifton Reinoehl from Sheridan, Wyoming. Reinoehl advised he had rented a vehicle and driven to Schuyler to meet an “online friend” he identified as an underage girl. Reinoehl confirmed he knew that the victim was a minor from their online conversations and further confirmed his knowledge of her age by relating to law enforcement various facts about the victim, including her birthdate. Reinoehl was taken to the police department and interviewed. He advised his phone would have child pornography on it and signed a written consent to have his phone searched. When his property was inventoried in preparation for jail, a SD card was located that he advised would also have child pornography images. Reinoehl also advised he had a laptop at his residence in Wyoming would contain additional images of child pornography. Officers with the Schuyler Police Department were able to work with their counterparts in Sheridan, Wyoming to secure a search warrant for the laptop Reinoehl identified. That computer contained 2,689 child pornography files and another 14,278 that were classified as child erotica. Further investigation revealed that Reinoehl would actively communicate with children online, and manipulate and groom them to send him sexually explicit images of themselves to him. In pronouncing his sentence, Senior Judge Gerrard commended the bravery and courage of the victim for coming forward and for cooperating with law enforcement. He also noted Reinoehl appeared to have a “significant lack of insight into the damage” he had inflicted on multiple children. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Schuyler Police Department, Sheridan, Wyoming Police Department the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office gives special thanks to the victim in this case for stepping forward to protect other children, for her family for supporting her, and to Sgt. Ryan Andel with the Schuyler Police Department and Juana Hanson with the Colfax County Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the case.


title: Armed Special Police Officer Sentenced  for Shooting Woman in Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Chanel Clinton, 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, plus an additional 24 months of suspended jail time, for the January 2024 shooting of a woman at a convenience store in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Clinton pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon on February 7, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Clinton to serve five years of probation. According to court documents, on January 18, 2024, Clinton was working as an armed Special Police Officer assigned to the 7-Eleven at 4854 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. She and the victim, a former acquaintance of Clinton’s, got into an argument when the victim videoed Clinton in a taunting manner. The two continued their verbal altercation in the parking lot. An off-duty MPD Sergeant happened to be paying for his purchases inside the 7-Eleven when he heard the argument in the parking lot. The sergeant, who was in full uniform, walked outside as Clinton grabbed the victim in the face, and Clinton and the victim began to fight. The sergeant briefly separated the two women. Suddenly, Clinton pulled out her service weapon and fired once, hitting the victim in the shoulder just above the collarbone. The sergeant, who had ordered Clinton to drop her weapon before she fired, immediately placed Clinton under arrest. The victim was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. Investigators recovered a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol at the scene. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence, who prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced in Death of Inmate

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen C. Crawford, age 45, an inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazelton, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for the death of a fellow inmate. Crawford was found guilty by a jury of assault of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm in December 2023. According to court documents and statements made in court, Crawford used a handmade weapon to stab another inmate multiple times. The inmate later died of his injuries. Crawford will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. ###


title: Rochester Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man has been indicted for production and possession of child pornography and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2023, Mathew Richard Adamson, 45, produced child pornography involving 12 and 13-year-old minor girls, including surreptitiously recorded videos. Adamson also possessed sexually explicit images and videos of minors and coerced a minor girl to engage in sexual conduct with him. The complaint charges Adamson with three counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of coercion and enticement. Adamson was arraigned today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Department, the FBI, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Kline is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Firearms Charges

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tyler Jordan Sands, age 23, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for fentanyl and firearms offenses. Sands pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm in November 2023. According to court documents and statements made in court, Sands was under investigation for traveling from Akron to sell drugs in the Clarksburg area. A search warrant was executed on a home being used by Sands in Clarksburg, along with his vehicle and hotel room. Officers found 500 fentanyl pills, powdered fentanyl, cash, and a semi-automatic pistol. Because of a prior conviction, Sands is prohibited from having firearms. Sands will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. ###


title: Red Oak Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Ann Sulsberger, 49, from Red Oak, Iowa, pled guilty April 18, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that between April 2023 and May 2023 Sulsberger and others conspired to distribute over a pound of methamphetamine in the Woodbury and Monona County areas. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sulsberger remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sulsberger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs, DEA Laboratory, Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4002. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Ten Charged and One Arrested in Connection with Sanctions Evasion Scheme

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging 10 defendants with conspiring to violate the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) for their roles in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, in January 2019. One of the defendants, George Clemente Semerene Quintero, 60, was arrested on April 19, 2024, upon arrival at the Miami International Airport. As alleged in the indictment, between January 2019 and December 2021, after learning of the sanctions imposed on PDVSA, the defendants devised a scheme to illegally procure aircraft parts, including Honeywell Turbofan Engines, from the United States to service PDVSA’s aircraft fleet in Venezuela, in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls. To carry out this scheme, the defendants concealed from U.S. companies that the goods were destined for Venezuela and PDVSA by exporting them to third parties in other countries, including Novax Group SA (Novax), a Costa Rican company, and Aerofalcon SL (Aerofalco), a Spanish company. The Department of Commerce added Novax and Aerofalcon to its Entity List in November 2023. According to court documents, the defendants include: Four individuals associated with PDVSA: Gilberto Ramon Araujo Prieto, 54, a PDVSA air transport manager and colonel in the Venezuelan military; Guillermo Ysrael Marval Rivero, 62, and Fernando Jose Blequett Landaeta, 52, both PDVSA air transport managers and logistics analysts responsible for procurement; and Semerene, PDVSA’s head of logistics, procurement and warehousing. Four individuals associated with Novax: Luis Alberto Duque Carvajal, 63, of San Jose, Costa Rica, the owner of Novax; Melvin Aleman Espinoza, 39, Novax’s director of operations; Mikhail Largin, 60, Novax’s director of special projects; and Pedro Elias Sucre Salazar, 58, a Novax employee located in Venezuela. Two individuals associated with Aerofalcon: Juan Carlos Gonzalez Perez, 60, the owner of Aerofalcon; and Juan David Guerra Viera, 54, a director for Aerofalcon. The defendants are charged with conspiring to violate IEEPA, and if convicted, face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Defendants Duque, Aleman, Sucre, Gonzalez, and Guerra Viera are additionally charged with submitting false or misleading export information and smuggling of goods, which respectively carry maximum penalties of five and 10 years in prison. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement. BIS is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Stratton for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) are prosecuting the case. CES Deputy Chief Matthew McKenzie provided valuable assistance during the investigation. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment


title: Ringleader Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Case

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derrell Cashawn Massey, also known as “Rell,” and “Fat Rell,” 34, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Massey admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Massey distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Ninth Street residence in Huntington where Massey was living. The confidential informant had called Massey beforehand to arrange the transaction, agreeing to pay $2,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine. Massey admitted to the transaction and further admitted to participating in the DTO from at least November 2022 through November 2023. Massey’s participation included arranging for quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to be transported from Detroit and other areas to Huntington for distribution. Massey also distributed at least 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a specific customer in Nitro, West Virginia, and directed other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers. Massey admitted that he aided and abetted the distribution of a total of 8.6 pounds of methamphetamine on 10 separate occasions between February 27, 2023, and September 7, 2023. Massey and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence in Huntington. On September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers seized six 9mm semiautomatic pistols at Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence. Massey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Massey is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Massey is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. 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. 3:23-cr-180. ###


title: TopBuild Abandons Proposed Acquisition of SPI After Antitrust Division Concerns

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: TopBuild Corp. announced its decision today to abandon its proposed $960 million acquisition of its rival, SPI Parent Holding Company (SPI). The abandonment comes after the department’s competition concerns. The Justice Department issued the following statement from Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Antitrust Division: “TopBuild’s proposed acquisition of SPI would have harmed competition across the United States by combining two of the largest providers of important building insulation products and eliminating fierce head-to-head competition between them. I am grateful for the tireless efforts of the Antitrust Division’s lawyers, economists, paralegals and professional staff who made this result possible.”


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to 2023 Robbery Spree

body_text: WASHINGTON – Stephon Lee, 22, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty April 19, 2024, to committing a string of six robberies that targeted local businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Lee pleaded guilty before the Honorable Judge Robert Salerno in Superior Court to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, and one count of second-degree theft. Lee remains held without bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for June 28, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, beginning in April 2023 and ending with his arrest in July 2023, Lee robbed a a dry cleaner, fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, and two local convenience stores. Lee targeted stores throughout the city, striking when there were few or no customers. In each instance, Lee attempted to steal money from the cash register. But when he could not easily take the money, Lee fought his victims. On two occasions, Lee was armed with a knife, and one occasion he grabbed a nearby pair of scissors. On April 5, 2023, Lee went to a dry cleaner on Alabama Avenue SE under the auspices of drycleaning his jacket. As Lee asked the victim how much the drycleaning would cost, he suddenly walked behind the counter, grabbed the victim by the back of the neck, and demanded that she open the register. When the victim did not comply quickly enough, the two struggled. Lee grabbed a pair of scissors from under the counter, put them to the victim’s neck, and threatened to stab her if she refused to open the register. She opened the register and Lee took cash before fleeing. On June 18, 2023, Lee ordered a sandwich at a fast-food franchise on Riggs Road NE, and then left abruptly, saying that he would come back to pay. About 30 minutes later, Lee returned and stood behind a customer who was checking out. Once the employee opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter, grabbed the money tray, and fled the store. On June 23, 2023, Lee was armed with a knife when he entered a pharmacy on Ingraham Street NE. When the victim, a store employee, was alone, Lee went behind the counter, pulled out a knife, and demanded money from the register. When the victim could not open the register quickly enough, Lee pressed his knife against the victim’s side. The victim opened the register, and Lee took the cash and ran out of the store. On June 26, 2023, Lee went to a convenience store on First Street NW. As the cashier stood at the register, Lee walked behind the counter, opened the register, took the cash, and fled. On July 10, 2023, Lee entered a food market on Fourth Street NW. He took an item and attempted to leave the store when a store employee pepper sprayed him. Lee threw the item at the victim, pulled out a knife, and waived it at her. He then grabbed the cash register from the counter and, while still holding the knife, repeatedly slammed the register on the ground until it opened. He took cash from the register and fled. On July 10, 2023, Lee went to a fast-food restaurant on Marion Barry Avenue SE and milled around as other customers ordered. One customer, with her infant in a stroller next to her, ordered a meal and started to pay with cash. When the restaurant cashier opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter and grabbed cash from the register before fleeing. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Will Lawrence. ##


title: Sex Traffickers Sentenced in Maine

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Ricardo Middleton, 32, of Boston, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release after a jury found Middleton guilty in December 2023 of sex trafficking a young woman through force, fraud and coercion and obstruction in Maine. Middleton’s co-defendant, Sherry Jones, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 80 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jones had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking on May 23, 2023. “This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s exploitation of the victim over three days. He used drugs, threats, physical force and rape to force her to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These acts were odious and intolerable. They denied the victim’s basic humanity. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.” “Commercial sex trafficking traumatizes its victims and strips them of their freedom and dignity,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “Addressing this serious crime is a priority to my office. I commend the commitment of the law enforcement team that diligently worked this important case for years, always keeping the safety and recovery of Middleton’s vulnerable victim as the main priority.” “The horrific violence inflicted upon women by Middleton and his co-conspirators is difficult to comprehend,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “He targeted someone battling substance use issues and used this as a lever to control, making it even harder for her to escape the nightmare she found herself in. We hope that today’s sentence marks and end to this traumatic experience as he faces a lengthy federal sentence and a beginning for those he victimized to look forward and work towards a life of dignity and self-determination.” The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Middleton exploited a 25-year-old Maine woman who was suffering with substance abuse disorder and compelled her to engage in commercial sex, using drugs, lies, intimidation, physical violence and rape as means to control her. Testimony provided details of the three days in November 2015, in which Middleton, along with Jones and co-defendant Mathew Thatcher, of Scarborough, Maine, transported the victim to several locations in Maine and Massachusetts. Along the way, Middleton berated the victim, abused her and humiliated her, including raping her and saying he was “going to make a lot of money off” her. The evidence further detailed how Middleton, while detained pending trial, instructed a co-defendant not to cooperate with the government or incriminate him. On March 22, Thatcher was sentenced to 44 months in prison and three years of supervised released. Thatcher pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2023, to interstate transportation in aid of racketeering and contempt of court. Neither of Middleton’s co-defendants testified at the December trial. The HSI New England Field Office, Portland Resident Agent in Charge Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI, Biddeford Police Department, Portland Police Department, South Portland Police Department, Topsham Police Department and Saco Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Joyce for the District of Maine and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash and Deputy Director William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Dewayne Miller, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller participated in the conspiracy from in or about October 2022 to in or about January 2023. Miller is responsible for over 2 and a half pounds of methamphetamine due to this involvement in the conspiracy. Miller distributed quantities of methamphetamine supplied by co-defendant Alexandria Jasmine Estep, who acquired pound-level quantities of methamphetamine from co-conspirator Jasper Wemh. Estep would check with Miller to see if the methamphetamine had been sold and Estep would collect the proceeds of such sales from Miller. Occasionally, Estep would receive methamphetamine back from Miller for the purpose of selling it. Miller, Estep and Wemh are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. Estep, 22, of Charleston, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Wemh, 39, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on March 30, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and awaits sentencing. Miller, Estep and Wemh are among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. 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-33. ###


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Frank W. Basenback, 37, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2023, Basenback sold approximately 56 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on the 3300 block of Harvey Road in Huntington in exchange for $1,000. Basenback admitted to the transaction and further admitted that he had agreed beforehand to sell heroin to the confidential informant. Basenback also admitted to selling a total of approximately 243 grams of fentanyl to confidential informants at the same location for a total of $4,000 during separate occasions on August 23, 2023, and September 4, 2023. On September 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant a Basenback’s Haynie Road residence. Officers found approximately $42,892 in the residence and approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl in a truck parked outside. Officers also found $711 on Basenback’s person. Basenback admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl, and further admitted that the seized cash and $14,608.69 in his bank account were drug proceeds from selling fentanyl. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. 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. 3:23-cr-155. ###


title: Milford Man Who Threatened Federal Law Enforcement Officer Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HAMILTON CLARK SMITH, 59, of Milford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to an offense related to his threatening a federal law enforcement officer. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 10 and 11, 2023, Smith sent a series of threatening text messages to a Deputy U.S. Marshal, including threats to harm and kill the Deputy U.S. Marshal, and to harm the Deputy U.S. Marshal’s family. In addition, on January 11, 2023, Smith called the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center in Virginia and made a statement threatening to kill the Deputy U.S. Marshal. Smith was arrested on January 12, 2023. Smith pleaded guilty to making repeated harassing communications, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for July 16. Smith is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.


title: Life Sentence for Sexual Assault on 5-Year-Old

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Delaware County man was sentenced today for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country and Sexual Exploitation of a Child, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Glenn David Nickols, 41, to life imprisonment. If released, Nickols will be required to register as a sex offender and will also be placed on supervised release. “Project Safe Childhood is our commitment to have our children grow up without fear of exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This life sentence holds Nickols accountable for his predatory actions and puts him in prison where he cannot exploit another child.” According to court records, from March 2020 through August 2020, Nickols knowingly engaged in repetitive and sadistic sexual acts with a 5-year-old child, whom he tied to a bed with restraints and filmed himself sexually assaulting on multiple occasions. Nickols previously received a 10-year sentence in Delaware County for Aggravated Possession of Child Pornography and Distributing Obscene Material, relating to possessing additional images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of other children. The 5-year-old victim is a tribal member. Nickols will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Dwayne Moore, also known as “B,” 47, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 4, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Moore’s Huntington apartment and seized approximately 32 grams of crack, 132 grams of fentanyl, and a Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Moore admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Moore further admitted that he possessed the seized firearm. Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. 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. 3:24-cr-19. ###


title: Rasta, Court Therapy Dog, Honored for Service to Children

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore presents the annual Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award to Rasta, a courtroom therapy dog, and the golden retriever’s handler and owner, Jennifer Vernon. KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Teresa Moore, United State Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, presented the annual Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award today to Rasta, a courtroom therapy dog, and the golden retriever’s handler and owner, Jennifer Vernon. The award, presented annually during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 21 to 27), honors the memories of Ali Kemp and Crystal Kipper, both of whom were fatal victims of tragic crimes. This is the 20th year for the award, which recognizes the outstanding work of an individual or organization in recognition of a valued contribution to preventing and responding to the exploitation of children. “Every dog lover has had the experience of being comforted by their devoted canine friend,” Moore said. “This year we are recognizing Rasta’s invaluable contribution of a calming influence for traumatized children during stressful, sometimes intimidating, legal proceedings. By helping to reduce the anxiety of these vulnerable victims, Rasta contributes to our goal of achieving justice for them. And by presenting Rasta with this award, we hope to encourage the use of court therapy dogs in more settings.” Tina Sutter, a victim-witness coordinator with the U.S. Attorney's Office, treats Rasta to a cupcake following the award presentation. Rasta provides emotional support to help young victims and witnesses speak up to describe truthfully and accurately what happened to them. The scientific evidence for the physical and mental calming effects of appropriately bred and trained dogs is overwhelming, according to the Courthouse Dogs Foundation, and includes both physical and psychological effects. Rasta, a trained therapy dog, originally worked in hospice as well as working alongside Vernon, the Director of Child, Youth and Family Clinical Services at Synergy Services, Inc. Rasta has provided comfort to children at Synergy who experienced trauma, to homeless and traumatized teens, and even to the adult staff at Synergy. In 2019, following some additional training, Rasta went into the courtroom for the first time. He sat in the witness box with a teen abuse survivor during his first trial experience in Platte County Circuit Court. Since then, said Vernon, Rasta has worked at more trials, depositions, and other hearings. Sometimes he is present to provide comfort to survivors before and after testimony. Moore presented the Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Award alongside Anna Kipper Rea, the mother of Crystal Kipper, and Jill and Bob Leiker of the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, an organization founded by the late Roger Kemp, the father of Ali Kemp. The theme for the 2024 Crime Victims’ Rights week is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.” There is a focus on creating safe environments for crime victims to share what happened to them and offer support, options for life-saving services, and most importantly, hope. The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award This is the 20th year for the award to be presented in memory of Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp, two young women who were both fatal victims of tragic crimes. Crystal Kipper was an 18-year-old Gladstone, Mo., resident who was murdered after her car ran out of gas on Interstate 29, just north of Platte City, on Feb. 24, 1997. Ali Kemp was a 19-year-old Blue Valley North High School graduate who was murdered on June 18, 2002, while she worked at the Foxborough neighborhood swimming pool in Leawood, Kan. U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore (center) with Rasta and Jennifer Vernon following the presentation of the annual Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award. Moore presented the award alongside Anna Kipper Rea (with her husband, Mark), the mother of Crystal Kipper, and Jill and Bob Leiker of the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, an organization founded by the late Roger Kemp, the father of Ali Kemp, whose son Tyler Kemp is also pictured.


title: Domincan Republic and Venezuelan Dual Citizen Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Dominican Republic and Venezuelan dual citizen was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jordge Luis Rodriguez Tejada, 38, previously pleaded guilty before former U.S. District Judge John Michael Vasquez to an information charging one count of possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On July 5, 2022, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of a vehicle driven by an individual with Rodriguez Tejada in the front passenger seat. After a drug detection canine alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle, law enforcement searched the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a box containing approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine. In addition to the prison term, Judge Bibas sentenced Rodriguez Tejada to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operating in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/ Narcotics Unit in Newark.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Joins in Recognizing 43rd Annual National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 21-27, 2024

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— Every April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) to honor crime victims, promote their rights and recognize victim advocates. This year’s observance, the 43 rd annual commemoration, takes place April 21-27, 2024, with the theme: Options, services, and hope for crime survivors. The U.S. Attorney’s Office joins its federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners in taking this opportunity to highlight the importance of providing necessary services at the earliest possible stage of victimization and litigation. Early intervention helps prevent further victimization and encourages victim involvement in the criminal justice system, mitigating the cycle of violence and restoring hope for the future. “Through the work of our victim services team, our new special victims unit, and all our staff who work on victim cases, seeking justice on behalf crime victims is central to our mission and continues to be a top priority for our office,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local, and tribal agencies host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. OVC and U.S. Attorney’s Offices encourage widespread participation in the week’s events and in other victim-related observances throughout the year. For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov . For ongoing updates from OVC and ideas for how you can support crime victims throughout the year, please subscribe to OVC’s email notifications at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/subscribe/ . If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you believe you have been the target or victim of a crime, please contact your local law enforcement agency or your nearest FBI field office immediately. The FBI Portland Field Office can be reached at (503) 224-4181 or by submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov .


title: New Haven Pharmacy and Owner Agree to Pay $120,000 to Settle Controlled Substances Act Allegations

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that Cornerstone Pharmacy, Inc. (doing business as “Whalley Drug”), and its owner, Yong Kwon, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and paid $120,000 to resolve allegations that they violated civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). On June 22, 2021, the DEA served an Administrative Inspection Warrant on Whalley Drug, a retail pharmacy located in New Haven, owned by Kwon, a pharmacist. During execution of the warrant, the DEA interviewed Kwon concerning patients who overdosed after filling prescriptions at Whalley Drug prescribed by certain area practitioners, and Kwon’s practices in filling prescriptions for controlled substances prescribed by area practitioners. The DEA also audited Whalley Drug for its compliance with CSA recordkeeping requirements, which the government alleges revealed recordkeeping discrepancies for several controlled substances. The government alleges that, between September 2017 and June 2021, Kwon and Whalley Drug filled prescriptions for controlled substances that had been issued without a legitimate medical purpose, in violation of the pharmacist’s corresponding responsibility to ensure that only valid prescriptions are dispensed. The invalid prescriptions included prescriptions for controlled substances to individuals displaying red flags of abuse and addiction; prescriptions to individuals who received dangerous combinations of controlled substances, including the high-risk “holy trinity” drug combination of at least one opioid, benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant; excessive and unsafe amounts of benzodiazepines, including for extended periods of time; and one dosage unit of a controlled substance to an individual who was already concurrently receiving two additional dosage units of the same controlled substance from a different provider. On June 22, 2021, Kwon agreed to voluntarily surrender the DEA license for Whalley Drug, which no longer operates as a retail pharmacy. This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control and the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber.


title: Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing fentanyl to distribute and several firearms following two instances in which he fled from law enforcement officers. Tonikko Fewell, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two counts of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Aug. 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Fewell’s residence. Fewell drove by his residence while officers were executing the search warrant. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Fewell dropped off a female passenger and quickly sped away at speeds over 100 miles per hour. Officers discontinued the pursuit over public safety concerns. Officers searched Fewell’s residence and found approximately 588 grams of fentanyl, $3,420 in cash, and an Anderson .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which had been reported stolen, with a fully loaded 40-round magazine. Officers also found a Jimenez Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen and a Walther 9mm semi-automatic pistol in a vehicle parked at the residence. On Dec. 8, 2021, a Springfield, Mo., police detective attempted to conduct a traffic stop of an orange Cadillac Fewell was driving. The detective did not pursue the vehicle, but shortly afterward saw the vehicle had been involved in a three-car accident at the intersection of Commercial Street and National Avenue. The detective searched the vehicle and found 54 grams of fentanyl and $4,232 in cash. Fewell, a passenger, and their 2-year-old daughter were transported to the hospital for treatment. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fewell has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon. Under federal statutes, Fewell is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Republic, Mo., Police Department, and the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Owner, captains of crab fishing vessels charged with illegally transporting crab from Alaska

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging the owner and captains of two crab catcher vessels with illegally transporting crab from Alaska, in violation of the Lacey Act. According to court documents, Corey Potter is the owner of the two crab catching vessels, and Justin Welch and Kyle Potter are the captains of the vessels. In February and March 2024, the vessels harvested over 7,000 pounds of Tanner and golden king crab in Southeast Alaska. Corey Potter allegedly directed Kyle Potter and Justin Welch to take the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska. Neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska and the harvest was never recorded on a fish ticket, which is a requirement under state law. The crab was allegedly taken through Canadian and Washington waters. Upon arrival in Washington, a large portion of the king crab was deceased and unmarketable. Corey Potter allegedly acknowledged that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease that is fatal to crustaceans. Over 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab were destroyed due to the risk of BCS infection. Court documents allege that had the crab been properly landed in Alaska, the harvest would have been inspected and infected crab would have been sorted out and disposed of before leaving Alaska. Corey Potter is charged with two counts of unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in violation of 16 U.S.C. 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(B), and Justin Welch and Kyle Potter are both charged with one count of the same violation. The defendants will make their initial court appearance on May 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $20,000 fine per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Assistant Director Benjamin Cheeseman with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal jury finds California drug supplier guilty of distribution in relation to fatal fentanyl overdose of Fairbanks man

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal jury convicted a California drug dealer late Friday for his connection to the fatal fentanyl overdose of a Fairbanks man. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Junior Gafatasi Tulali, 48, was the original source of fentanyl pills that were sold to a Fairbanks man who died of a fentanyl overdose in October 2020. Around Oct. 13, 2020, Tulali agreed to sell 500 Oxycodone M30 pills to a dealer in Fairbanks, when in fact, they were counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl. The pills were shipped from California and arrived in Fairbanks on Oct. 17, 2020. The individual who retrieved the shipment distributed the counterfeit pills to several other dealers in the area. On Oct. 26, 2020, the victim purchased two pills from the shipment and was found dead in his home on Oct. 28, 2020. Medical examiners determined cause of death was acute toxic effects of fentanyl. Evidence presented at trial connected two additional non-fatal fentanyl overdoses to Tulali’s shipment of counterfeit pills. Both of the dealers in Fairbanks who were involved in selling the fentanyl pills to the victim were convicted for their role in this offense in 2022. “Fentanyl is poison and has killed too many Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “The successful conviction of Mr. Tulali highlights my office’s vow to prioritize working with law enforcement to keep fentanyl out of our communities and prosecute those who cause irreparable damage by trafficking it to our state from Outside.” “Mr. Tulali’s actions clearly demonstrated the grievous threat that fentanyl traffickers pose to our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers have caused the deaths of far too many Alaskans and hopefully the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in achieving this conviction will slow the deadly fentanyl trade in our community.” “I am very proud of the role that Fairbanks Police officers played in helping the victims in this case find justice. The impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies to hold this criminal accountable proves that we will do whatever is necessary to prevent criminal enterprises from gaining a foothold in our community,” said Chief Ron Dupee of the Fairbanks Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Fairbanks Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Rochester man arrested, charged with threatening to murder members of federal law enforcement

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eric Anthony, 27, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder federal law enforcement officers with intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with such law enforcement officers while engaged in the performance of official duties, or with intent to retaliate against such law enforcement officers on account of the performance of their official duties. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everardo A. Rodriguez, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 18, 2024, Anthony sent an email to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, criticizing federal gun laws and the actions of multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, FBI, HSI, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Rochester Police Department. The email also included threats to murder law enforcement officers. The email stated that if anything happened to Anthony or his family, “then I am left no choice to impose my ‘hellish strategic move.’” The complaint further states that Anthony followed up his email with a fax to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The fax included much of the same information that was included in the ATF email. “Any and all threats to harm or injure any member of our law enforcement community are taken seriously,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “I commend the collaboration and teamwork that went into locating and arresting this defendant, who was prepared to act on the threats he made, which could have resulted in deadly consequences for the men and women whose mission it is to protect our communities and its citizens.” “This recent arrest serves as a reminder that serious threats of violence will not be tolerated,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller. “The suspect was found to be illegally stockpiling weapons capable of carrying out the repeated threats of violence he had made against law enforcement. Thanks to the decisive actions of the ATF NY Rochester Violent Crime Task Force, this individual is now being held accountable for his actions. We commend the efforts of the Rochester Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of NY for their collaboration in bringing this individual to justice.” “Federal task forces augment local agencies with specialized investigative resources and open pathways for federal prosecution,” said Matthew Miraglia, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “Thanks to these efforts and partnerships with the U.S. Attorneys’ Office, ATF, and other federal, state, and local agencies, the FBI continues to be successful in combatting potential threats and protecting our communities.” “At a time when individuals are violently attacking law enforcement, costing us so dearly just this past week, this person posed a targeted threat to those serving,” said Sheriff Todd K. Baxter. “The diligent teamwork of these law enforcement partners in preempting any harm and safely taking him into custody, is to be commended.” “This is another example of the partnerships that exist in Rochester law enforcement that work towards keeping our city safe,” state Rochester Police Chief David Smith. “The work of the violent crime task force to safely take this dangerous individual into custody is truly remarkable.” Anthony made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held pending a detention hearing on April 23, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Bryan Miller, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office under the direction of Sherriff Todd Baxter, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #