title: Chattanooga Man Sentenced For Firearm And Explosives Violations

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On November 1, 2024, Anthony Christopher Lively, 41, of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 54 months in prison by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following imprisonment, Lively will be on supervised release for three years. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Lively agreed to plead guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm silencer and unregistered destructive devices, in violation of the National Firearms Act (“NFA”), 26 U.S.C. §§ 5841. 5861(d), and 5871. According to filed court documents, in August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lively’s Chattanooga home. Investigators located and seized a Grand Power Stribog, Model SP9A1, 9-millimter, short-barrel rifle (8-inch barrel length) equipped with a foldable stock and a fully loaded magazine; multiple firearm magazines; multiple lists detailing explosive components and parts; and assorted ammunition. Further investigation revealed that prior to the execution of the warrant, Lively enlisted a family member to remove contraband from his home. From that family member’s home, law enforcement located and seized a firearm silencer; improvised explosive devices, commonly referred to as “pipe bombs” and “Molotov cocktails”, an improvised incendiary device, commonly referred to as a “Molotov cocktail”, and various fuzes, initiators, and other explosives-related components. Lively later admitted to purchasing and modifying the short-barrel rifle and firearm silencer and constructing the pipe bombs and Molotov cocktail. He also admitted that he directed his family member to remove the items from his home. The firearms and devices were not registered, to Lively or otherwise, in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by the NFA. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations-Chattanooga Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chattanooga Police Department Bomb Squad and Special Victims Unit; and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Assistant United States Attorney Kevin T. Brown represented the United States. 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: Repeat Offender to Spend 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who received child pornography over the internet while in a residential facility for a prior child pornography charge was sentenced October 31, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison. Brady David Salow, age 27, from Vinton, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 25, 2024 guilty plea to one count of receiving child pornography. In a plea agreement, Salow admitted that he was convicted of four counts of possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act in Dubuque County in 2019. As a condition of his sentence in that case, he was residing at a residential facility in Vinton in 2023. Per the rules of the facility, Salow was not permitted to have access to a phone or a computer. Beginning in the summer of 2023, however, Salow repeatedly persuaded an employee at the facility to loan him her cellular phone under the pretense that he was going to use it for either looking up photos of celebrities or to listen to music. By at least August 2023, Salow began receiving and downloading child pornography to the employee’s phone without the employee’s knowledge, saving downloaded images to a hidden folder on the phone. In October 2023, a fellow resident alerted staff that Salow had been using a phone, and the staff member turned over her phone for examination. A forensic examination of the phone revealed child pornography, and Salow admitted that he had downloaded child pornography to the phone. Information presented at the sentencing hearing showed that authorities seized multiple notebooks authored by Salow containing lists of what he termed “sex jobs,” “child sex locations,” and “kid sex opportunities.” At the sentencing hearing, the Judge noted that Salow was “highly likely to reoffend” based on his history of possessing child pornography, his history of sexually abusing another individual, and the “clever” and “calculated” manner in which he committed this crime. Salow was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Salow was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $9,000 in restitution. He must also serve a 35-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Salow is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑00089. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Brooksville Woman Who Lied To ATF Agents In Connection With Murder Of High School Student Is Sentenced To One Year In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Janet Williams (44, Brooksville) to one year in federal prison for lying to federal agents. Williams entered a guilty plea in June 2024. According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, Williams’ son, Sheldon Robinson, was arrested in connection with the murder of I.S., a 17-year-old Hernando County High School student. Immediately after his arrest, Williams found approximately $6,000 that Robinson had hidden in two difference places in her home, money Robinson had been paid to murder I.S. On August 9, 2023, Williams was interviewed by ATF special agents and detectives from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. Williams repeatedly denied finding any money that belonged to Robinson in her home. The following week, Robinson spoke to Williams. During this call, Williams told Robinson about ATF’s visit, telling him; “Feds came to the house. They took over the case.” At one point, she says, “They were asking me…did you come into a whole bunch of money? I said No. But you did come into a whole bunch of money.” On September 20, 2023, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Williams’ residence, Williams again told federal agents that she had not found any money belonging to Robinson in her home. Williams also denied ever seeing Robinson with a firearm or knowing he possessed one. Agents also executed a search warrant on Williams’ phone which contained numerous photos of Robinson routinely possessing firearms, including possessing them in her own home. During the execution of the search warrant at Williams’ home, agents recovered a firearm partially buried in her backyard. A forensic examination confirmed the firearm was used to murder I.S. This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kevin McWilliams, age 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced October 30, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced McWilliams to 130 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McWilliams’s release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. On March 14, 2023, Omaha police stopped a vehicle in which McWilliams was the front seat passenger. The driver consented to a search of the vehicle. As McWilliams exited the vehicle, he was clutching his waistband area. When asked why, McWilliams presented a half-empty 200 ml bottle of liqueur. Officers began a search of McWilliams and felt a large bulge near his crotch. The bulge turned out to be a gallon size Ziplock bag with meth weighing approximately 265 grams. Lab testing confirmed 258.6 grams (0.569 pounds) of a substance containing meth. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to a Total of 82 Years for Third Conviction for Sex Crimes Against a Child

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Jarrod Sanford, 43 , was sentenced to 82 years’ imprisonment after a federal jury convicted him of production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and committing a felony sex offense against a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today. This is Sanford’s third conviction for sex offenses against children. He had previously been convicted of sexual battery in Crockett County, TN, for his participation in the rape of a fifteen-year-old child and of transporting an individual for prostitution in federal court in the Central District of Illinois for the sex trafficking of another fifteen-year-old child. Because of those earlier convictions, Sanford was required to register as a sex offender in the State of Tennessee and to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). In addition, Sanford was placed on lifetime federal supervised release. Sanford committed these new crimes despite those protections. According to information presented during Sanford’s July trial, on November 19, 2023, deputies with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report that Sanford had raped a 13-year-old child. Sanford’s DNA matched DNA samples taken from the child victim. While investigating the rape, TCSO deputies recovered a phone from Sanford’s residence. Agents with the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force were able to bypass the phone’s encryption and discovered photographs that Sanford had taken between July and November of 2023 showing himself raping the same child. A federal grand jury indicted Sanford for the child pornography and registry offenses in February 2024. On July 25, after a four-day trial, federal jurors convicted Sanford as charged. On October 31, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Sanford to 70 years for the child pornography offenses, a mandatory consecutive ten years for the SORNA violation, and an additional two years for violation of his supervised release, for a total of 82 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren said, “Jarrod Sanford is a sexual predator whose monstrous crimes caused immeasurable harm to the girls upon whom he preyed. We must all come together to combat this kind of abuse that plagues the very foundation of our society. This prosecution, achieved through the collaborative work between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and multiple law enforcement partners, is essential to bringing justice to the survivor of his depraved acts and holding Sanford accountable for his actions. Today’s sentence should send a message to child predators everywhere: Our children deserve better, and you will suffer severe consequences if you harm them.” “The victimization of children tears at the fabric of our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Tennessee, Memphis Resident Agency. “This sentence will protect other children from harm by this predator and should serve as a warning to like-minded individuals who are considering engaging in similar reprehensible behavior. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target, catch, and bring to justice those who victimize our most vulnerable.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Probation Office for the Western District of Tennessee, and the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum and Lauren Delery, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Justice Department to Monitor Polls in 27 States for Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election. The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. For the general election, the department will monitor for compliance with federal voting rights laws on Election Day in 86 jurisdictions, including: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include personnel from the Civil Rights Division, other department divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Throughout Election Day, division personnel will maintain contact with state and local election officials. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov . Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section .


title: El Departamento de Justicia monitoreará los lugares de votación en 27 estados para asegurar el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de derechos electorales

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que monitoreará el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de derechos electorales en 86 jurisdicciones en 27 estados en las elecciones generales del 5 de noviembre. El Departamento de Justicia hace cumplir las leyes federales de derechos electorales que protegen el derecho de acceso a las urnas de todos los ciudadanos. El Departamento envía personal del departamento periódicamente a monitorear elecciones en comunidades a través de todo el país. Para las elecciones generales, el Departamento monitoreará el cumplimiento de las leyes federales de derechos electorales el Día de las Elecciones en 86 jurisdicciones, incluyendo: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia coordinará este esfuerzo conjunto. Los monitores incluirán a personal de la División de Derechos Civiles, otras divisiones del Departamento, las Oficinas de los Fiscales Federales y observadores federales de la Oficina de Administración de Personal de EE. UU. Durante todo el Día de las Elecciones, el personal de la División se mantendrá en contacto con los oficiales electorales estatales y locales. La Sección de Votación de la División de Derechos Civiles hace cumplir las leyes federales civiles que protegen el derecho al voto, incluyendo la Ley del Derecho al Voto, la Ley Nacional de Inscripción de Votantes, la Ley Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar, la Ley de Votación para los Uniformados y los Ciudadanos en el Extranjero y la Ley de Derechos Civiles. La Sección de Derechos en Razón de Discapacidad de la División hace cumplir la Ley para Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés) para asegurar que las personas con discapacidades tengan igualdad de oportunidades de votar plenamente. La Sección Penal de la División hace cumplir las leyes federales penales que prohíben la intimidación de votantes y la supresión del voto por razón de raza, color, origen nacional o religión. Personal de la División de Derechos Civiles estará disponible durante todo el Día de las Elecciones para recibir preguntas y quejas del público relacionadas a posibles vulneraciones de las leyes federales de derechos electorales. Estos reportes podrán presentarse mediante la página web del Departamento en www.civilrights.justice.gov o por teléfono al número gratuito (800) 253-3931 (disponible en español). Las personas que tengan preguntas o quejas relacionadas a la ADA pueden llamar a la línea directa de información sobre la ADA al (800) 514-0301 o (833) 610-1264 (TTY) o someter su queja a través del enlace en la página web del Departamento sobre la ADA en www.ada.gov . Denuncias relacionadas a disturbios en un lugar de votación siempre deben reportarse a los oficiales electorales locales (incluyendo a los funcionarios con sede en ese lugar de votación). Denuncias relacionadas a violencia, amenazas de violencia o intimidación en un lugar de votación deben reportarse inmediatamente a la policía local llamando al 911. Estas denuncias deben reportarse al Departamento una vez se hayan puesto en contacto con las autoridades locales. Información adicional sobre la votación y las elecciones, incluyendo documentos guías y otros recursos, está disponible en Voting | Voting and Elections . Aprenda más sobre la Ley del Derecho al Voto y otras leyes federales electorales en Civil Rights Division | Sección de votación | United States Department of Justice .


title: न्याय विभाग द्वारा संघीय मतदान अधिकार कानूनों के अनुपालन के लिए 27 राज्यों में मतदान की निगरानी

body_text: न्याय विभाग ने आज घोषणा की है कि वे 5 नवंबर को होने वाले आम चुनाव के लिए 27 राज्यों के 86 अधिकार-क्षेत्रों में संघीय मतदान अधिकार कानूनों के अनुपालन की निगरानी करने की योजना बना रहे हैं। न्याय विभाग वे संघीय मतदान अधिकार कानून लागू करता है जो सभी योग्य नागरिकों के मतपत्र तक पहुँच के अधिकारों की रक्षा करते हैं। विभाग नियमित रूप से देश भर के समुदायों में चुनावों में संघीय नागरिक अधिकार कानूनों के अनुपालन की निगरानी के लिए अपने स्टाफ को तैनात करता है। आम चुनाव के लिए, विभाग चुनाव के दिन 86 अधिकार-क्षेत्रों में संघीय मतदान अधिकार कानूनों के अनुपालन की निगरानी करेगा, जिनमें शामिल हैं: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; न्याय विभाग का नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग इस प्रयास का संयोजन करेगा। मॉनिटरों में नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग, अन्य विभागीय प्रभागों, अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी कार्यालयों के कर्मचारी और कार्मिक प्रबंधन कार्यालय से संघीय पर्यवेक्षक शामिल होंगे। चुनाव के पूरे दिन, प्रभाग के कर्मचारी राज्य और स्थानीय चुनाव अधिकारियों के साथ संपर्क बनाए रखेंगे। नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग का मतदान अनुभाग संघीय कानूनों के उन नागरिक प्रावधानों को लागू करता है जो मतदान के अधिकार की रक्षा करते हैं, जिनमें मतदान अधिकार अधिनियम, राष्ट्रीय मतदाता पंजीकरण अधिनियम, मतदान करने में अमेरिका की मदद करें अधिनियम, वर्दीधारी और विदेशी नागरिक अनुपस्थित मतदान अधिनियम और नागरिक अधिकार अधिनियम शामिल हैं। प्रभाग का विकलांगता अधिकार अनुभाग यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए विकलांग अमेरिकी अधिनियम (Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA) को लागू करता है कि विकलांग व्यक्तियों को वोट देने का पूर्ण और समान अवसर मिले। प्रभाग का आपराधिक अनुभाग संघीय आपराधिक कानूनों को लागू करता है जो जाति, रंग, राष्ट्रीय मूल या धर्म के आधार पर मतदाताओं को डराने-धमकाने और मतदाताओं का दमन करने पर रोक लगाते हैं। चुनाव के दिन, नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग के कर्मचारी संघीय मतदान अधिकार कानूनों के संभावित उल्लंघनों से संबंधित जनता के प्रश्न और शिकायतें प्राप्त करने के लिए पूरे दिन उपलब्ध रहेंगे। रिपोर्ट्स विभाग की वेबसाइट www.civilrights.justice.gov के माध्यम से या 800-253-3931 टोल-फ्री नंबर पर कॉल करके बनाई जा सकती हैं। ADA से संबंधित प्रश्नों या शिकायतों वाले व्यक्ति 800-514-0301 या 833-610-1264 (TTY) पर विभाग की टोल-फ्री ADA सूचना हॉटलाइन पर कॉल कर सकते हैं या www.ada.gov पर विभाग की ADA वेबसाइट पर एक लिंक के माध्यम से शिकायत दर्ज कर सकते हैं। मतदान स्थल पर किसी भी व्यवधान से संबंधित शिकायतें हमेशा स्थानीय चुनाव अधिकारियों (जिनमें मतदान स्थल पर स्थित अधिकारी शामिल हैं) को दी जानी चाहिए। मतदान स्थल पर हिंसा, हिंसा की धमकियों या डराने-धमकाने से संबंधित शिकायतें, 911 पर कॉल करके स्थानीय पुलिस अधिकारियों को तुरंत रिपोर्ट की जानी चाहिए। स्थानीय अधिकारियों से संपर्क करने के बाद ये शिकायतें विभाग को भी तुरंत रिपोर्ट की जानी चाहिए। मतदान और चुनाव के बारे में अधिक जानकारी, जिसमें मार्गदर्शन दस्तावेज़ और अन्य संसाधन शामिल हैं, www.justice.gov/voting पर उपलब्ध है। मतदान अधिकार अधिनियम और अन्य संघीय मतदान कानूनों के बारे में अधिक जानकारी के लिए www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section पर जाएं।


title: 법무부, 연방 투표권법 준수를 위한 27개 주 투표 모니터링

body_text: 법무부는 11월 5일 총선 시 27개 주 86개 관할 구역에서 연방 투표권법 준수를 모니터링하기 위한 계획을 오늘 발표했습니다. 법무부는 모든 자격 대상 시민의 투표권을 보호하는 연방 투표권법을 시행합니다. 법무부는 전국 지역사회 선거 시 연방 투표권법의 준수를 모니터링하기 위해 정기적으로 직원을 투입합니다. 총선의 경우 법무부에서는 다음을 포함하여 86개 관할 구역에서 선거일 연방 투표권법 준수를 모니터링하게 됩니다: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; 법무부 민권과에서는 해당 활동을 편성하게 됩니다. 모니터 요원으로는 민권과, 다른 부서 분과, 미국 검찰청 직원과 함께 인사청의 연방 참관인이 포함됩니다. 선거일 내내 분과 직원들은 주 및 지역 선거 공무원들과 연락을 유지합니다. 민권과의 선거 부서에서는 투표권법, 전국 유권자 등록법, 미국 투표 지원법, 군인 및 해외 시민 부재자 투표권 및 민권법 등 투표권을 보호하는 연방 법령의 시민 조항을 집행합니다. 민권과의 장애인 권리 부서에서는 장애인이 완전하고 평등한 투표권을 가질 수 있도록 미국 장애인법(Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA)을 집행합니다. 민권과의 형사 부서에서는 인종, 피부색, 국적 또는 종교에 따른 유권자 협박 및 유권자 억압을 금지하는 연방 형사법을 집행합니다. 민권과 직원들은 연방 투표권법의 잠재적 위반과 관련된 대중의 질문과 불만을 접수하고자 선거일 내내 근무합니다. 신고는 법무부 웹사이트, www.civilrights.justice.gov 또는 무료 전화, 800-253-3931로 하실 수 있습니다. ADA 관련 질문이나 불만이 있는 개인은 무료 전화로 운영되는 법무부 ADA 정보 핫라인, 800-514-0301이나 833-610-1264(TTY)로 전화하거나 법무부 ADA 웹사이트, www.ada.gov 링크를 통해 불만을 제출하시기 바랍니다. 투표소에서 발생하는 모든 방해 행위와 관련된 불만은 지역 선거 공무원(투표소에 기반을 둔 공무원 포함)에게 보고해야 합니다. 투표소에서의 폭력, 폭력에 대한 위협, 협박과 관련된 불만은 911로 전화하여 지역 경찰 당국에 즉시 보고해야 합니다. 이러한 불만은 지역 당국에 연락한 뒤 법무부에도 보고해야 합니다. 지침 문서 및 기타 자원을 포함하여 투표와 선거에 관한 더 자세한 정보는 www.justice.gov/voting 에서 이용하실 수 있습니다. www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section 에서 투표권법 및 기타 연방 투표 법률에 대해 더 알아보세요.


title: Susubaybayan ng Kagawaran ng Hustisya ang mga Botohan sa 27 mga Estado para sa Pagsunod sa mga Pederal na Batas sa Karapatang Bumoto

body_text: Ipinahayag ngayon ng Kagawaran ng Hustisya na pinaplano nitong subaybayan ang pagsunod sa mga pederal na batas sa karapatang bumoto sa 86 mga hurisdiksyon sa 27 mga estado para sa pangkalahatang halalan sa Nob. 5. Ipinatutupad ng Kagawaran ng Hustisya ang mga pederal na batas sa karapatang bumoto na nagbibigay-proteksiyon sa karapatan ng lahat ng karapat-dapat na mga mamamayang makakuha ng balota. Regular na ipinapadala ng departamento ng mga kawani nito sa mga lugar na kinakailangan upang masubaybayan ang pagsunod sa mga pederal na batas sa karapatang sibil sa mga halalan sa mga komunidad sa buong bansa. Para sa pangkalahatang halalan, susubaybayan ng departamento ang 86 mga hurisdiksyon para sa pagsunod sa mga pederal na batas sa karapatang bumoto sa Araw ng Halalan, kabilang ang: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; Pangangasiwaan ng Dibisyon ng mga Karapatang Sibil ng Kagawaran ng Hustisya ang aktibidad. Kabilang sa mga sumusubaybay ang mga tauhan mula sa Dibisyon ng mga Karapatang Sibil, iba pang mga dibisyon ng departamento, mga Opisina ng Abogado ng Estados Unidos at mga pederal na nagmamasid mula sa Opisina ng Pangangasiwa ng mga Tauhan. Sa buong Araw ng Halalan, ang mga tauhan ng dibisyon ay mananatiling nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga opisyal ng estado at lokal na halalan. Ipinatutupad ng Seksiyon ng Pagboboto ng Dibisyon ng mga Karapatang Sibil ang mga sibil na probisyon ng mga pederal na batas na nagbibigay-proteksiyon sa karapatang bumoto, kabilang ang Batas sa Karapatang Bumoto, Batas sa Pambansang Pagpaparehistro ng Botante, Batas upang Matulungan ang Amerika na Makaboto, Batas sa Pagboboto ng mga Wala sa Lugar ng Botohan na mga Naka-uniporme at mga Mamamayan na nasa Ibang Bansa at ang mga Batas sa Karapatang Sibil. Ipinatutupad ng Seksiyon ng mga Karapatan ng mga May Kapansanan ng dibisyon ang Batas na May Kinalaman sa mga Amerikanong May Kapansanan (Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA) upang masiguro na ang mga taong may kapansanan ay mayroong kumpleto at kapantay na pagkakataong makaboto. Ipinatutupad ng Kriminal na Seksiyon ng dibisyon ang mga pederal na kriminal na batas na kung saan ipinagbabawal ang pananankot ng mga bumoboto at pagpigil ng pagboboto batay sa lahi, kulay, bansang pinanggalingan o relihiyon. Sa Araw ng Halalan, ang mga tauhan ng Dibisyon ng mga Karapatang Sibil ay buong araw na nakahandang tumanggap ng mga tanong at reklamo mula sa publiko na nauugnay sa mga posibleng paglabag ng mga pederal na batas sa karapatang bumoto. Ang mga pag-uulat ay maaaring gawin sa pamamagitan ng pagpunta sa website ng departamento sa www.civilrights.justice.gov o sa pamamagitan ng pagtawag nang toll-free sa 800-253-3931. Ang mga indibidwal na may mga tanong o reklamong may kaugnayan sa ADA ay maaaring tumawag sa toll-free na hotline ng impormasyon ng ADA sa 800-514-0301 o sa 833-610-1264 (TTY) o magsumite ng reklamo sa pamamagitan ng pagpunta sa link ng departamento sa website ng ADA sa www.ada.gov . Ang mga reklamong may kaugnayan sa anumang pagkagambala sa isang lugar ng botohan ay dapat na palaging iulat sa mga opisyal ng lokal na halalan (kabilang ang mga opisyal na naka-base sa lugar ng botohan). Ang mga reklamong kaugnay sa karahasan, mga pagbabanta ng karahasan o pananakot sa isang lugar ng botohan ay dapat na iulat kaagad-agad sa lokal na mga pulis na awtoridad sa pamamagitan ng pagtawag sa 911. Ang mga reklamong ito ay dapat ding iulat sa departamento pagkatapos na makipag-ugnayan sa mga lokal na awtoridad. Maaaring makakuha ng karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa pagboboto at halalan, kabilang ang mga documentong nagbibigay-gabay at iba pang mga mapagkukunan sa www.justice.gov/voting . Alamin ang higit pa tungkol sa Batas sa Karapatang Bumoto at iba pang mga pederal na batas sa pagboboto sa www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section .


title: Bộ Tư Pháp sẽ Giám Sát Các Cuộc Bỏ Phiếu ở 27 Tiểu Bang nhằm Tuân Thủ Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu Liên Bang

body_text: Hôm nay, Bộ Tư Pháp thông báo rằng Bộ đang lên kế hoạch giám sát việc tuân thủ luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang tại 86 khu vực pháp lý ở 27 tiểu bang cho cuộc tổng tuyển cử diễn ra vào ngày 5 tháng 11. Bộ Tư Pháp thực thi luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang trong đó bảo vệ quyền của tất cả công dân đủ điều kiện trong việc tiếp cận lá phiếu. Bộ thường xuyên điều động nhân viên giám sát việc tuân thủ luật dân quyền liên bang trong hoạt động bầu cử ở các cộng đồng trên toàn quốc. Đối với cuộc tổng tuyển cử, bộ sẽ giám sát việc tuân thủ luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang vào Ngày Bầu Cử tại 86 khu vực pháp lý, bao gồm: Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; Phòng Dân Quyền của Bộ Tư Pháp sẽ điều phối nỗ lực này. Đội ngũ giám sát viên sẽ bao gồm nhân sự từ Phòng Dân Quyền, các phòng khác trực thuộc bộ, Văn Phòng Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ và các cán bộ quan sát liên bang từ Văn Phòng Quản Lý Nhân Sự. Xuyên suốt Ngày Bầu Cử, nhân sự của phòng sẽ giữ liên hệ với các quan chức bầu cử của tiểu bang và địa phương. Ban Bỏ Phiếu của Phòng Dân Quyền thực thi các điều khoản dân sự của quy chế liên bang bảo vệ quyền bỏ phiếu, bao gồm Đạo Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu, Đạo Luật Đăng Ký Cử Tri Quốc Gia, Đạo Luật Giúp Người Mỹ Bỏ Phiếu, Đạo Luật Bỏ Phiếu Khiếm Diện cho Công Dân Cư Trú Ở Nước Ngoài và Quân Nhân cũng như Đạo Luật Dân Quyền. Ban Quyền của Người Khuyết Tật của phòng thực thi Đạo Luật Người Mỹ Khuyết Tật (Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA) để đảm bảo rằng người khuyết tật có cơ hội bỏ phiếu đầy đủ và bình đẳng. Ban Hình Sự của phòng thực thi các quy chế hình sự liên bang trong đó cấm hành vi hăm dọa và đàn áp cử tri dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da, nguồn gốc quốc gia hoặc tôn giáo. Vào Ngày Bầu Cử, nhân sự của Phòng Dân Quyền sẽ sẵn sàng hoạt động cả ngày để tiếp nhận những thắc mắc và khiếu nại từ công chúng có liên quan đến hành vi vi phạm luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang có thể xảy ra. Quý vị có thể báo cáo thông qua trang web của bộ tại địa chỉ www.civilrights.justice.gov hoặc bằng cách gọi số điện thoại miễn phí 800-253-3931. Những cá nhân có thắc mắc hoặc khiếu nại liên quan đến ADA có thể gọi đến đường dây nóng cung cấp thông tin ADA miễn phí của bộ theo số 800-514-0301 hoặc 833-610-1264 (TTY) hoặc gửi khiếu nại thông qua liên kết có trên trang web về ADA của bộ tại địa chỉ www.ada.gov . Phải luôn báo cáo các khiếu nại liên quan đến bất kỳ hành vi gây rối nào tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu cho các quan chức bầu cử địa phương (bao gồm cả các quan chức có trụ sở làm việc tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu). Phải báo cáo ngay các khiếu nại liên quan đến nạn bạo lực, đe dọa bạo lực hoặc hăm dọa tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu cho các cơ quan cảnh sát địa phương bằng cách gọi số 911. Ngoài ra, cũng phải báo cáo các khiếu nại này cho bộ sau khi đã liên hệ với các cơ quan tại địa phương. Thông tin bổ sung về bỏ phiếu và bầu cử, bao gồm tài liệu hướng dẫn và các nguồn lực khác, đều có sẵn tại địa chỉ www.justice.gov/voting . Tìm hiểu thêm về Đạo Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu và các luật bỏ phiếu khác của liên bang tại địa chỉ www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section .


title: 司法部将监督 27 个州的投票是否遵守联邦投票权利法

body_text: 司法部今日宣布，将于 11 月 5 日大选期间监督27 个州 86 个选区的选举过程，以确保其遵守联邦投票权利法。 司法部负责执行联邦投票权利法，保障所有合格选民的投票权利。该部门定期派遣工作人员，对全国范围内社区的选举过程是否遵守联邦民权法律进行监督。 针对本次大选，司法部将在选举日对 86 个选区的联邦投票权利法遵守情况进行监督，其中包括： Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; 司法部民权司将负责协调此次监督工作。监督团队由民权司人员、司法部其他部门人员、美国检察官办公室人员以及联邦人事管理局的联邦观察员组成。在选举日当天，民权司的工作人员将与州和地方选举官员保持沟通。 民权司投票科将负责执行以下联邦法律中关于保护投票权利的民事条款：《投票权利法案》、《全国选民登记法案》、《协助美国投票法案》、《服役及海外公民缺席投票法案》以及《民权法案》。民权司残疾人士权利科将负责执行《残疾美国人士法案》(Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA)，保障残疾人士享有平等的投票机会。民权司刑事科将负责执行禁止因种族、肤色、国籍或宗教原因恐吓和压制选民行为的联邦刑事法律。 选举日当天，民权司工作人员将全天候受理公众关于可能违反联邦投票权利法的问题和投诉。公众可通过访问司法部网站 www.civilrights.justice.gov 或拨打免费电话 800-253-3931 进行检举。 如果对于 ADA 有任何疑问或想要提出投诉，可致电司法部的免费 ADA 信息热线 800-514-0301 或 833-610-1264 (TTY)，或访问司法部的 ADA 网站 www.ada.gov 提出投诉。 若在投票站遭遇任何干扰，请向当地选举官员（包括投票站内的工作人员）检举。若在投票站遭遇暴力、暴力威胁或恐吓，请立即致电 911 向当地警方检举。在与地方当局取得联系后，请同时将此类事件报告给司法部。 有关投票和选举的更多信息，包括指导文件和其他资源，请访问 www.justice.gov/voting 。如需了解有关《投票权利法案》和其他联邦投票法的更多信息，请访问 www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section 。


title: 司法部將監督 27 個州的投票是否遵守聯邦投票權利法

body_text: 司法部今日宣布，將於 11 月 5 日大選期間監督27 個州 86 個選區的選舉過程，以確保其遵守聯邦投票權利法。 司法部負責執行聯邦投票權利法，保障所有合格選民的投票權利。該部門定期派遣工作人員，對全國範圍內社區的選舉過程是否遵守聯邦民權法律進行監督。 針對本次大選，司法部將在選舉日對 86 個選區的聯邦投票權利法遵守情況進行監督，其中包括： Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; North Slope Borough, Alaska; Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska; Apache County, Arizona; Maricopa County, Arizona; Pima County, Arizona; Yuma County, Arizona; San Joaquin County, California; Broward County, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Orange County, Florida; Osceola County, Florida; Cobb County, Georgia; DeKalb County, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; Gwinnett County, Georgia; Macon-Bibb County, Georgia; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; City of Everett, Massachusetts; City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; City of Leominster, Massachusetts; City of Lowell, Massachusetts; City of Malden, Massachusetts; City of Methuen, Massachusetts; City of Quincy, Massachusetts; City of Salem, Massachusetts; Prince George’s County, Maryland; City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; City of Detroit, Michigan; City of Flint, Michigan; City of Grand Rapids, Michigan; City of Hamtramck, Michigan; City of Warren, Michigan; Hennepin County, Minnesota; City of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ramsey County, Minnesota; Covington County, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; Warren County, Mississippi; City of St. Louis, Missouri; Blaine County, Montana; Alamance County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; Wake County, North Carolina; Bergen County, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; Union County, New Jersey; Bernalillo County, New Mexico; Cibola County, New Mexico; Clark County, Nevada; Queens, New York; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Portage County, Ohio; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; City of Providence, Rhode Island; City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Charleston County, South Carolina; Bennett County, South Dakota; Jackson County, South Dakota; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota; Atascosa County, Texas; Bexar County, Texas; Dallas County, Texas; Frio County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Hays County, Texas; Palo Pinto County, Texas; Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Hanover County, Virginia; Henrico County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; City of Manassas, Virginia; City of Manassas Park, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia; Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin; City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and City of Wausau, Wisconsin; 司法部民權司將負責協調此次監督工作。監督團隊由民權司人員、司法部其他部門人員、美國檢察官辦公室人員以及聯邦人事管理局的聯邦觀察員組成。 在選舉日當天，民權司工作人員將與州和地方選舉官員保持溝通。 民權司投票科將負責執行以下聯邦法律中關於保護投票權利的民事條款：《投票權利法案》、《全國選民登記法案》、《協助美國投票法案》、《服役及海外公民缺席投票法案》以及《民權法案》。民權司殘障人士權利科將負責執行《殘障美國人士法案》(Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA)，保障殘障人士享有平等的投票機會。民權司刑事科將負責執行禁止因種族、膚色、國籍或宗教原因恐嚇和壓制選民行為的聯邦刑事法律。 選舉日當天，民權司工作人員將全天候受理公眾關於可能違反聯邦投票權利法的問題和投訴。公眾可透過造訪司法部網站 www.civilrights.justice.gov 或撥打免費電話 800-253-3931 進行檢舉。 如果對于 ADA 有任何疑問或想要提出投訴，可致電司法部的免費 ADA 資訊熱線 800-514-0301 或 833-610-1264 (TTY)，或造訪司法部的 ADA 網站 www.ada.gov 提出投訴。 若在投票站遭遇任何干擾，請向當地選舉官員（包括投票站內的工作人員）檢舉。若在投票站遭遇暴力、暴力威脅或恫嚇，請立即致電 911 向當地警方檢舉。在聯絡地方當局後，請同時將這些投訴報告給司法部。 有關投票和選舉的詳細資訊，包括指導文件和其他資源，請造訪 www.justice.gov/voting 。慾了解有關《投票權利法案》及其他聯邦投票法的詳細資訊，請造訪 ww.justice.gov/crt/voting-section 。


title: Former Maryland Police Officer Convicted of Obstruction of Justice Related to Sex with Teen in Custody

body_text: A federal judge this week convicted a former Fairmount Heights, Maryland, police officer on one count of obstructing justice by writing a false police report. U.S. District Court Judge Deborah Boardman for the District of Maryland found Martique Vanderpool guilty following a 3-day bench trial that ended on Oct. 24. The judge found that former officer Vanderpool falsified a police report with intent to impede an investigation into an incident on Sept. 6-7, 2019, during which he and another officer arrested a 19-year-old woman and took her in handcuffs to the locked and otherwise-empty Fairmount Heights police station, where the officers uncuffed her and Vanderpool told her to “make this right” before having sex with her while she was in custody. “Martique Vanderpool obstructed justice to cover up his own serious police misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This former officer’s conduct is a betrayal both of the young woman who was in his care and of the entire law enforcement profession. With this verdict comes accountability for his crime.” “When those sworn to uphold the law choose instead to violate it, it undermines the very foundation of our society,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Martique Vanderpool abused his power and violated his oath as a police officer. He betrayed the community that put their trust in him and will now face the consequences of his actions.” According to evidence at trial and findings of fact made by the judge, Vanderpool and his partner, former Officer Phillip Dupree arrested the young woman for speeding and learned that she was rushing to get to her young son, who had been injured in an accident. Upon learning that the young woman had only a learner’s permit, Dupree asked her to get out of the car, at which point the young woman had a panic attack and Dupree took her to the ground and handcuffed her. In “an apparent state of mental distress,” the handcuffed young woman ran into the street and then banged her head on the side of the car she had been driving. The officers had the car towed from the scene and transported the young woman to the Fairmount Heights police station, even though the station had no holding cell or booking facilities and officers were not supposed to take prisoners there. The officers took the young woman inside, in handcuffs, and then removed the cuffs. Vanderpool told her “We gotta make this right,” and then had sex with her on a couch in the main room of the station. Afterward, the officers drove the young woman to a tow lot where the car, which was registered to someone else, was returned to her. According to the judge’s findings, Vanderpool then falsified an incident report to create a misleading impression that the officers and the young woman never left the scene of the traffic stop and that the car was returned to the registered owner. The report purposely omitted that the officers took the young woman from the scene to the police station; that Vanderpool had sex with her; and that the officers caused the car to be towed and later coordinated the release of the car to her. The report also purposely misstated that the car was returned to the registered owner. The judge, in finding that the false report was intended to interfere with an investigation that was within the jurisdiction of the FBI, noted that the young woman was a teenager, was slight of build, was in a state of panic, was forced to the ground by an officer, had her car towed, said that she needed to get to her son, was taken in handcuffs to the police station and was told to “make this right.” A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2025. Vanderpool faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Vanderpool’s partner, Phillip Dupree, was recently convicted in an unrelated case of committing a federal criminal civil rights violation by using unreasonable force during an unrelated arrest. The FBI Baltimore Field Office investigated the case. Deputy Chief Bobbi Bernstein and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Betsy Hutson of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.


title: Lafayette Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled  Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TERRY REED (“REED”) , age 54, a resident of Lafayette Parish, pled guilty on October 29, 2024, to violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts before United States District Judge Brandon Long. Specifically, REED pled guilty to possession, with intent to distribute, fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) (Count 1); felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (Count 2); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (Count 3). On Count 1, REED faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release. On Count 2, REED faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. On Count 3, REED faces a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release. As to each individual count, REED also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on or about February 3, 2024, REED intentionally possessed, with the intent to distribute, (50) grams or more of methamphetamine. Additionally, he possessed a Ruger Model LC9, nine-millimeter pistol, despite being previously convicted of a felony, a fact that prohibits his possession of a firearm. REED used the illegally possessed firearm to further a drug trafficking crime. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.


title: NDTX Implements New Voluntary Self-Disclosure (VSD) Policy

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announces its implementation of a newly revised national policy detailing the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to the USAO, announced U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. The Department-wide USAO VSD policy, which was initially announced in February 2023 —but was expanded with the addition of the M&A Safe Harbor provisions in March 2024 —aims to provide transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate. The goal of the policy is to standardize how voluntary self-disclosures are defined and credited by USAOs nationwide. It is also intended to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, to expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and to cooperate fully with the government in corporate criminal investigations. Under the policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it discloses misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the government. [1] A company must also disclose all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to the USAO in a timely fashion and before any imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. [2] A company that voluntarily self-discloses, as defined in the policy, and fully meets the other requirements of the policy by fully cooperating, timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct, and paying appropriate penalties will receive significant benefits. These include that the USAO may choose not to seek a guilty plea, not to impose any criminal penalty and/or not to impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range, and not to seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program. The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea, even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met. These include if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required. Instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy. The USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% reduction, and up to a 75% reduction, off the low end of the USSG fine range and will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program. As noted in the March 7, 2024 revisions to the USAO VSD policy, the policy applies to misconduct uncovered in the context of M&A pre- and post-acquisition due diligence. See also JM 9-28.900 (the M&A Policy). An acquiring company that voluntarily discloses misconduct to the USAO pursuant to the M&A Policy and otherwise satisfies the requirements of the USAO VSD policy by fully cooperating, timely and appropriately remediating, and paying any applicable disgorgement/forfeiture and/or victim compensation payments/restitution will receive a presumption of a declination, even if aggravating factors existed as to the acquired company. In cases where the USAO and another DOJ component are jointly prosecuting a company and/or jointly investigating the misconduct the company voluntarily self-reports pursuant to the VSD, the USAO will coordinate with or, if necessary, obtain approval from the DOJ component responsible—including, as appropriate, taking into consideration the VSD policy specific to that DOJ component—in considering a potential resolution. Consistent with longstanding DOJ policy, the USAO will evaluate disclosures submitted pursuant to this policy to determine whether or to what extent coordination between the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the USAO is appropriate. See JM 1-12.000. To the extent a disclosure submitted pursuant to the USAO VSD policy involves misconduct that could serve as the basis for False Claims Act (“FCA”) liability, the disclosure will be reviewed in accordance with the Guidelines for Taking Disclosure, Cooperation, and Remediation into Account in False Claims Matters issued by the Fraud Section of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. See JM 4-4.112. Since September 2023, the USAO-NDTX has resolved three matters involving potential violations of the False Claims Act based on conduct self-reported to the government. [3] In each of these matters, the government executed a settlement agreement releasing the reporting company from liability under the FCA and crediting the company for self-reporting the conduct consistent with section 4-4.112 of the Justice Manual. Companies wishing to make a self-disclosure to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas may do so by email to: USATXN.CORPVSD@USDOJ.GOV . [1] Regardless of whether a disclosure meets the standards of a VSD, prosecutors will continue to consider a corporation’s pre-indictment conduct, e.g., voluntary disclosure or cooperation, in determining whether to seek an indictment. JM § 9-28.400. Separate from this formal VSD Program, the Department continues to encourage corporations, as part of their compliance programs, to conduct internal investigations and to disclose the relevant facts to the appropriate authorities. See JM § 9-28.900. A corporation’s timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing is among the factors prosecutors should consider in reaching a decision as to the proper treatment of a corporate target in conducting an investigation, determining whether to bring charges, and negotiating plea or other agreements. See JM § 9-28.300. Prosecutors may also consider a corporation’s timely and voluntary disclosure, as an independent factor in evaluating the company’s overall cooperation and the adequacy of the corporation’s compliance program and its management’s commitment to the compliance program. See JM § 9-28.900. [2] Consistent with the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot program, companies that voluntarily self-report within 120 days of receiving an internal whistleblower report may still be eligible for benefits under this VSD policy provided the company self-reports prior to the Department of Justice contacting the company. [3] See Dermatology Management Company to Pay $8.9 Million to Resolve Self-Reported False Claims Act Liability, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/dermatology-management-company-pay-89-million-resolve-self-reported-false-claims-act (Sept. 13, 2023); Consolidated Nuclear Security Agrees to Pay $18.4 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Timecard Fraud, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/consolidated-nuclear-security-agrees-pay-184-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations (Apr. 23, 2024); North Texas Medical Center Pays $14.2 Million to Resolve Potential False Claims Act Liability for Self-Reported Violations of Medicare Regs, Stark Law, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/north-texas-medical-center-pays-142-million-resolve-potential-false-claims-act (Nov. 4, 2024).


title: Compound Ingredient Supplier Medisca Inc., to Pay $21.75M to Resolve Allegations of False and Inflated Average Wholesale Prices for Ingredients Used in Compounded Prescriptions

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Medisca Inc. (Medisca), has agreed to pay $21.75 million to resolve allegations concerning the establishment of false and inflated Average Wholesale Prices (AWPs) for two ingredients used in compound prescriptions. Medisca’s pricing scheme allegedly caused pharmacies that purchased those ingredients to submit false prescription claims to the Defense Health Agency, which administers the TRICARE Program for the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (federal health care programs). “We will not tolerate fraudulent pricing schemes targeting health care programs that support veterans and other federal beneficiaries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement demonstrates, we will hold accountable not just those who submit false claims, but all who participate in schemes designed to defraud the American taxpayers.” Compounding pharmacies purchase ingredients or chemicals from ingredient suppliers, such as Medisca, to prepare and fill compound prescriptions for patients who require a specially made prescription that is not generally available in the marketplace. Medisca knew that compound prescription reimbursement under federal health care programs was based in part on the AWPs it reported to various price listing agencies. The United States alleged that Medisca knowingly inflated the AWPs for resveratrol (NDC No. 38779-2863) and mometasone furoate (NDC No. 38779-2413) in order to increase the reimbursement that its pharmacy customers received from the federal healthcare programs for using those Medisca ingredients. Medisca acquired resveratrol from manufacturers for approximately $0.37 per gram. It repackaged and sold resveratrol for under $2 per gram. Medisca reported an AWP for resveratrol at $777 per gram, creating a spread of over $775 for each gram of resveratrol used by a pharmacy customer in a compound prescription reimbursed by the federal healthcare programs. Medisca acquired mometasone furoate from manufacturers for under $8 per gram. It repackaged and sold that ingredient to compound pharmacies for over $1,000 per gram. Medisca reported an AWP for mometasone furoate at over $7,300 per gram, thereby creating a spread of approximately $6,300 for each gram of the ingredient used by a pharmacy customer in a compound prescription reimbursed by the federal healthcare programs. Medisca allegedly used the high AWPs it reported and the resulting profit potential it created for its customers as an inducement to its compound pharmacy customers to purchase those ingredients. Medisca’s alleged fraudulent pricing scheme enabled its pharmacy customers to bill federal healthcare programs inflated amounts – often thousands of dollars per prescription – for compound formulations containing those ingredients. “The systems establishing federal reimbursements for compounded pharmaceuticals should not be viewed by companies as an opportunity to artificially inflate reimbursements from federal payors such as TRICARE,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “When companies seek to manipulate the system for their own gain, the Eastern District of Texas will hold them accountable.” “When federal healthcare programs are defrauded it hurts all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My office is committed to using the False Claims Act (FCA) to hold individuals and companies accountable for the impact their actions have on our critical programs. Taxpayers deserve honest pricing and assurances that the government is never overcharged.” “This settlement sends a clear message about the unwavering commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS) to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the Department of Defense’s health care benefit program which serves our U.S. military, their family members, and military retirees,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “Health care providers who use fraudulent means to seek financial gain at the expense of TRICARE and the taxpayer will be diligently investigated and held accountable.” The settlement resolves claims brought under the whistleblower or qui tam provisions of the FCA by Doug McMakin against Medisca. Mr. McMakin is a pharmacist who owned and operated a compounding pharmacy that dispensed compounded prescriptions. Under the FCA, private parties may sue on behalf of the government for false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. Mr. McMakin will receive $3,425,625 from the proceeds of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. McMakin v. Medisca Inc. (EDTX). The resolution of these matters was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Texas, with investigative support from the DCIS, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) and the Department of Labor. The investigation and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Senior Trial Counsel Sanjay Bhambhani and Trial Attorney John Deck of the Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kruger for the Western District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter, with investigative assistance from Special Agents Nicholas Koechig of DCIS and Timothy Jones of USPS OIG. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Waterloo Cocaine Dealer and  Fraudster Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A Waterloo man who distributed a significant amount of cocaine and obtained a fraudulent loan was sentenced October 30, 2024, to twenty years in federal prison. Parrish Austin, age 40, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 13, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of wire fraud. Information disclosed at Austin’s sentencing hearing and previous related hearings showed that, beginning in late 2019 or early 2020, and continuing until October 5, 2022, Austin began distributing kilograms of cocaine every few months to Justin Cole in Waterloo. Cole then worked with Tavarious Glasper, Chris Roby, and others to redistribute the cocaine. In total, Austin was responsible for distributing at least ten kilograms of cocaine. Information disclosed at Austin’s plea and sentencing hearings also showed that, in May 2021, Austin fraudulently obtained into his bank account a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in the amount of $18,322 after a false and fraudulent PPP loan application was submitted with Austin’s signature. In October 2021, after Austin had received the fraudulent PPP loan into his bank account, Austin applied for and obtained forgiveness of the PPP loan. Austin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Austin was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, and he was ordered to pay $18,322 in restitution. He must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Twelve other individuals from Waterloo previously pled guilty to their involvement in the drug trafficking organization and/or PPP fraud: Kiesha Ann Morman was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $19,835 in restitution on March 6, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Tavarious Glasper was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment on March 11, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Chris Lee Roby was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment on March 12, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Justin A. Cole was sentenced to 195 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on March 13, 2024, after he had pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Sheila Renee Cole was sentenced to 2 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $19,583 in restitution on April 10, 2024, after she plead guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Shalla Scherrice Cole was sentenced to 7 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,415 in restitution on April 19, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Tia Lynette Cole‑Sykes was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $19,790 in restitution on May 1, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Orenthal James Jones was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on May 13, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Allure Shapree Roby was sentenced to 2 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on June 20, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Ida Made Roby was sentenced to 3 years’ probation and ordered to pay $20,833 in restitution on July 2, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Stacy Antwanette Cole was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $20,332 in restitution on July 19, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Reid Jonathan Geerts was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $19,166 in restitution on September 3, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud. Austin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Iowa State Patrol. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑02057‑CJW. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Foreign National Charged with Multiple Drug Crimes

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a foreign national living in Utah with multiple drug crimes after he was arrested for allegedly possessing narcotics. Luis Refugio Brindas Guzman, 27, of Salt Lake County, was initially charged by complaint on October 4, 2024, in the District of Utah. According to court documents, in July 2024, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, began a criminal investigation of Guzman and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. In October 2024, undercover officers arranged to purchase a large quantity of methamphetamine. Guzman arrived at the site of the purchase in a Nissan Rogue. During the search of the Nissan Rogue, agents seized approximately 6,682 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine, two grams of field-tested positive heroin, and a marijuana roach (the end of a joint). Guzman was arrested. Agents then executed a search warrant at Guzman’s residence and seized approximately 7,145 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 1,215 grams of field-tested positive heroin, 3,587 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl, and a 9mm handgun. The fentanyl was estimated at approximately 35,000 fentanyl pills. Guzman is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment was October 31, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . 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: 15 Charged in Lorain County Drug Trafficking Ring That Distributed More Than 42,000 Fentanyl Pills

body_text: CLEVELAND - Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials have unsealed an indictment that charged 15 members of a Drug Trafficking Operation (DTO) based in Lorain County, Ohio. According to court documents, the DTO was allegedly trafficking fentanyl in counterfeit pill form in the cities of Elyria and Lorain and the surrounding Northeast Ohio areas. This announcement was made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko , DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen, and Lorain Police Department Chief James P. McCann. The investigation that led to the indictment took place over the last year and a half. Agents apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized large quantities of fentanyl that included thousands of fentanyl pills made to look like legitimate prescription medications. Agents also discovered cash and several illegally possessed firearms during the investigation. “Given its extreme potency, fentanyl is extraordinarily dangerous—it has poisoned and killed over 3,500 Ohioans in 2023 alone. Distributing it disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as the indictment alleges the defendants did here, is particularly condemnable because it heightens the overdose danger for those who ingest it,” said United States Attorney Lutzko. “I commend the incredible cooperation among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to take thousands of these deadly pills off the streets. Their dedication and hard work led to a successful disruption of this organization, helping to make our neighborhoods safer and free from the criminals who peddle these poisons on our streets.” The following defendants were charged in the 19-count indictment: Ronald Whittaker, 31, Cleveland, Ohio Tyvez McCullum, 30, Elyria, Ohio Ivan Barrios, 45, Lorain, Ohio Tavon Martin, 28, Lorain, Ohio Jaivon Wint, 27, Lorain, Ohio Katlynn Caudill, 22, Lorain, Ohio Nicholas Thomson, 47, Elyria, Ohio Max Kennedy, 19, Wellington, Ohio Jordan Johnson, 29, Elyria, Ohio Angela Shuck, 35, Lorain, Ohio Stacey Thomson, 48, Elyria, Ohio Tyrone Phillips, 25, Elyria, Ohio Joseph Kushner, 32, Berea, Ohio Nicholas Burkholder, 29, Elyria, Ohio Aubrey Brown, 29, Elyria, Ohio According to the indictment, from about May 2023 to October 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, mixtures and substances containing amounts of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. It is alleged that McCullum and Whittaker led the conspiracy. After receiving pill supplies from Whittaker, McCullum would redistribute the fentanyl pills to the others listed in the indictment. Those individuals would, in turn, further distribute the fentanyl pills to their own networks throughout the Elyria and Lorain region. The named defendants are allegedly responsible for the distribution of at least 4,406.25 estimated grams of fentanyl and/or 42,793 blue fentanyl pills. “We will continue leveraging every available resource to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Drug Trafficking Organizations spreading deadly poisons in Ohio. Our collaboration with local, state and federal partners is not just about enforcement, but it’s about safeguarding the future of our communities and ensuring they remain safe and drug-free,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene. “Illegal drugs are devastating lives and corrupting communities all across northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “This indictment underscores the commitment not only of the FBI, but our multi-agency partners who work collaboratively to identify local drug traffickers and disrupt and dismantle their drug trafficking networks. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, each defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the DEA, FBI Cleveland Division, HSI, City of Lorain Police Department, City of Elyria Police Department, Lorain County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Paul Hanna for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Former Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A woman who stole over $450,000 from a family‑owned business was sentenced October 30, 2024, to two years in federal prison. Leann Marie Rouse, age 51, from Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 31, 2024 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. Evidence disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Rouse was hired as a bookkeeper in July 2011 for a trucking company in Traer, Iowa . As bookkeeper, Rouse had access to, and control of, the trucking company’s financial accounting software and she handled payroll. From January 2015, through August 20, 2020, Rouse issued approximately 242 unauthorized checks to herself from the trucking company, stealing at least $453,672.68. Rouse hid her fraud by using the trucking company’s financial accounting software to change the entries in the software to reflect that the unauthorized funds were business expenditures related to various entities that did business with the trucking company. Rouse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Leonard T. Strand. Rouse was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, and she was ordered to make $453,672.68 in restitution to the trucking company. She must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Rouse was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Devra Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-00023-LTS. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement Agreement with Colorado to Ensure Opportunities for People with Physical Disabilities to Live at Home

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement to resolve its lawsuit alleging that Colorado violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C . by unnecessarily segregating adults with physical disabilities, including older adults, in nursing facilities. The ADA and the Olmstead decision require state and local governments to administer their services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Today’s agreement gives thousands of Coloradans with physical disabilities the opportunity to move out of nursing facilities into the community — or avoid unnecessary nursing facility admission altogether — and receive the services they need at home. Community-based services that can help people live at home include assistance with bathing, dressing, managing medications and preparing meals. “People with disabilities should not have to give up their lives in the community and be isolated in nursing facilities to get the services they need,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement sends the message that people with disabilities deserve the same kinds of lives as others, and makes clear that our family members, friends, and neighbors with disabilities add value to our lives and strengthen our communities when they can receive the services they need right inside their own home.” “Today’s resolution will give thousands of Coloradans with physical disabilities the information, resources, and opportunity to live in communities rather than being needlessly isolated. The agreement will also save taxpayer money by reducing state-funded institutionalization,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “We commend our Civil Rights Division colleagues for their dedication and focus on this important issue, and we acknowledge the commitments made by the State of Colorado in this agreement.” The department sued Colorado in September 2023, following a multi-year investigation. The lawsuit alleged that the state failed to provide adults with physical disabilities with the services they need to live at home or avoid moving into a nursing facility. In Colorado, most nursing facility residents and their families are unaware that they can receive services like nursing, personal care and housing assistance in the community. As a result, many move into, or remain in, nursing facilities even though they would prefer to live at home. To increase community integration for adults with physical disabilities, the state has made significant commitments in this agreement to: Help thousands of nursing facility residents move back to the community; Identify people at risk of unnecessary nursing facility admission to help them stay in their homes with the services they need; Provide people with the information they need to make an informed choice about whether to live in a nursing facility or receive the services they need at home; Connect people more quickly to Medicaid long-term care services in the community; Increase opportunities for people with disabilities to hire and supervise their own caregivers; Support family caregivers; Facilitate prompt transitions to the community for interested nursing facility residents, by reducing administrative bottlenecks and problem-solving common transition barriers; and Expand and improve services that help people find and keep affordable, accessible housing in the community. The parties have agreed that the federal district court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement and that an independent monitor will evaluate the state’s compliance. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Members of the public can report possible civil right violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov .


title: Spa Owner Arrested for Allegedly Performing Thousands of Illegal Counterfeit Injections on Clients for Over Three Years

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Stoughton woman has been arrested and charged in connection with smuggling goods into the United States and selling/dispensing counterfeit drugs and devices. Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of illegally importing merchandise contrary to law, one count of selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug, and one count of selling or dispensing a counterfeit device. Fadanelli was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Worcester at 1 p.m. this afternoon. According to the charging documents , since March 2021, Fadanelli, the owner of Skin Beaute Med Spa with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass., has been importing counterfeit Botox, Sculptra and Juvederm from China and Brazil and performing thousands of injections of counterfeit drugs and devices for which she received over $900,000 in client payments. It is alleged that Fadanelli consistently represented to clients and employees that she is a nurse; in fact, Fadanelli is an aesthetician and is not licensed nor certified to dispense or administer prescription drugs or devices. According to payment records, from approximately March 2021 through March 2024, Fadanelli completed approximately 1,631 Botox appointments, totaling $522,869 in client payments, and 1,085 filler appointments, totaling $410,545 in client payments. “For years, Ms. Fadanelli allegedly put unsuspecting patients at risk by representing herself to be a nurse and then administering thousands of illegal, counterfeit injections. Protecting the people of Massachusetts covers a wide range of conduct and here it involves an individual who ignored safety regulations against bringing unapproved, counterfeit drugs and devices into our country and endangered the health of hundreds of her clients. The type of deception alleged here is illegal, reckless and potentially life-threatening,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Today’s arrest underscores our commitment to protecting the public from fraudulent and dangerous practices in the medical and cosmetic fields." “Individuals who dispense and administer counterfeit injectable cosmetic drugs or medical devices, such as Botox or Juvederm, put the health of unsuspecting American consumers at significant risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug and device regulatory regime and supply chain and jeopardize the public health.” “Every day, our frontline CBP officers and agriculture specialists work tirelessly to protect the American public from illegal and harmful counterfeit products being smuggled into the United States. This case is a prime example of the collaborative efforts that are taken by our law enforcement community to bring these violators to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Boston. The charge of importing merchandise contrary to law provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of knowingly selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug or counterfeit device each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. If you or a family member believe you received services involving a counterfeit drug or counterfeit device from Fadanelli and/or Skin Beaute Med Spa between 2021 through and including to the present date, please complete the questionnaire located on the FDA’s website at https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/criminal-investigations/oci-vw-assistance . Information about the status of the case is located on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-rebecca-fadanelli . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FDA OCI SAC McMillan and CBP Field Operations Director De La O made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.