title: Wilmington Gang Member Armed with “Ghost Gun” Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Trafficking Meth

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Shamar Keaton, also known as “Sleeze” and “Sleeze Ru Gambino,” 32, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking. According to law enforcement, Keaton was a member of the United Blood Nation in Wilmington. According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on December 15, 2021, an individual working at the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased more than 20 grams of methamphetamine from Keaton. Keaton was wearing an ankle monitor that he had been ordered to wear by the North Carolina State Court system. Keaton had a prior state conviction for possession of a stolen firearm. On March 5, 2022, the same individual made another controlled purchase, this time for approximately two ounces of pure methamphetamine. During the deal, Keaton said that he had a 9mm “ghost gun” (a term for a privately manufactured firearm without serial numbers or other identifying marks that cannot be traced by law enforcement). Keaton said that he had a source for ghost guns. Keaton explained that it would cost $600 to get all the parts and then his source charges $200 to assemble the gun. Keaton was arrested by ATF on March 16, 2022. This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Duplin, New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00049-FL-001.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 14 was: Matthew Raymond Schroeder, 47, of Lakewood, Colorado, on charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schroeder faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Schroeder was remanded pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-150. Appearing on March 13 was: Keegan Tait Roll, 28, Camille Ann Rounds, 46, and Deborah Lynn Renenger, 32, all transients, on charges of possession to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. All of the defendants were remanded pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-41. Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 13 was: Kayla Denise Smith, 25, of Great Falls, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Smith faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Smith was detained pending further proceedings. The Great Falls Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-102. Ryan Mark Jensen, 43, of Bremerton, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jensen faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Jensen was detained pending further proceedings. The Great Falls Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-22. Ryan Creighton Doak, 48, of Everett, Washington, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Doak faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge and five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release, on the crime of possessing a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Doak was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-16. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on March 13 was: Lindsay Ann Rumph, 34, of Butte, and Eric Anthony Navarro, 32, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Navarro faces an additional charge of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge and five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Rumph and Navarro were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, FBI and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-17. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Whitley County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Murder Charge

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky . - A Woodbine, Ky., man, Daniel Scott Nantz, 33, entered a guilty plea on Thursday, before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier, to the intentional murder of a federal witness, Geri D. Johnson. According to the investigation and plea agreement, Nantz was engaged in methamphetamine trafficking throughout Whitley County from March of 2017 through March of 2019. In the Spring of 2019, some of Nantz’s methamphetamine sources of supply and co-conspirators were indicted by a federal grand jury. One of these co-conspirators was Johnson, who was pregnant, and with whom Nantz had a romantic relationship. Prior to the murder, Nantz learned that Johnson had provided a statement to law enforcement and had been offered the opportunity to cooperate against him. Nantz discussed the fact he was a target of the federal methamphetamine trafficking investigation with Johnson. A handwritten note, written by Nantz, was recovered from the murder scene, which read “Funeral/fed’s pulled geri out asking questions.” Nantz had grown increasingly concerned that he too would be indicted for methamphetamine trafficking and that Johnson would cooperate against him. He also sent text massages to Johnson in the days leading up to the murder. On March 13, 2019, Nantz texted Johnson “I’ll kill you [expletive].” And on March 14, 2019, Nantz texted Johnson, “Your very dangerous for me. Very very dangerous.” Then, on March 16, 2019, Johnson was home, with Nantz’s minor children, at Nantz’s trailer in Woodbine. Nantz arrived, ordered his children into their bedroom, and followed Johnson outside the residence. Nantz then shot the victim twice with a .38 revolver. One round struck the victim in the back right shoulder and the other pierced the victim’s neck. The autopsy revealed the round through the victim’s neck ultimately caused her to asphyxiate on her blood. After the shooting, Nantz drove Johnson to the hospital in Corbin, Kentucky, where she was pronounced dead. Johnson’s daughter was born, via emergency Cesarean section, at seven months gestation. The child died several days later, due to the damage she suffered from the loss of oxygen and blood caused by her mother’s injuries. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn S. Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna E. Reed. Nantz is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2023. Nantz faces a mandatory minimum of Life in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. – END –


title: Operator of Human Smuggling Stash House Sentenced to Combined Term of 67 Months

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Macario Ulises Barragan-Cisneros, 45, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 57 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release, consecutive to 10 months’ imprisonment for violation of supervised release due to a prior conviction. Barragan-Cisneros pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit. Co-defendant Gustavo Bueno De-Haro was sentenced to 12 months and one day by Judge Rash on May 26, 2022. On September 21, 2021, after several days of surveillance, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered 30 undocumented non-citizens (UNCs) inside a trailer unit located in the Camino Vista Mobile Home Park, in Phoenix, Arizona. A ledger revealing human smuggling operations was located inside the trailer. Barragan-Cisneros was identified as a human smuggler coordinator, in addition to having recruited co-conspirator De-Haro to transport and conceal UNCs. This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. HSI – Nogales Office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02672-TUC-SHR-MSA RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-037_Barragan-Cisneros # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: North Philadelphia Man Sentenced to nearly 10  Years as Maker of Illegal M-1000 Style Devices

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that David Perez 37, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $75,218.40 in restitution to the Philadelphia School District and $43,500 in restitution to Wells Fargo Bank by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson for engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive devices, possession of explosives by a convicted felon, malicious damage to a building/institution receiving federal financial assistance, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of phencyclidine (PCP), and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Perez previously pled guilty to manufacturing illegal explosive devices for several years prior to his arrest in June 2021. Devices consistent with those made by Perez were found at numerous post-blast scenes, including at multiple scenes where explosive devices were used to attempt to access ATMs in the summer and fall of 2020. Perez admitted to using some of his homemade illegal explosive devices on July 4, 2020 in the courtyard of the Honorable Luis Munoz-Marin Elementary School in Philadelphia. Use of these devices caused extensive damage to property inside and outside the school, and resulted in damage to numerous windows. Repairs to the school cost more than $75,000. Upon arrest Perez was found in possession of multiple firearms and distribution-level quantities of PCP in his home. He also participated in a bank fraud conspiracy, which led to a loss of $43,500 to Wells Fargo Bank. "Perez's Sentencing today should serve as a cautionary tale to others considering producing, possessing, or selling an illegal explosive device," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Detonating powerful explosive devices on the grounds of an elementary school, and possession of firearms and distribution-quantity PCP, all by a convicted felon, is the very definition of a threat to public safety. The U.S. Attorney's office, with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue these cases relentlessly, and David Perez will spend nearly ten years in federal prison." The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.


title: Bristol Man Arrested for Defrauding Customers

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that David Conrad, 42, of Bristol, Vermont was arrested yesterday following his indictment for conducting a wire fraud scheme between approximately January of 2022 and February 28, 2023. Conrad will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. According to court records, David Conrad operated a custom woodworking business operating under the names “Old Camp Woodworking” and “Vermont Custom Designs.” Conrad was the sole employee of the business, which he operated out of the two-car garage attached to his residence in Bristol, Vermont. Conrad advertised his businesses on Facebook, and had stand-alone websites which allowed customers to place orders for custom wood items, such as dining tables, dressers, bedroom sets, desks, and other items. Parts of these websites were plagiarized from other woodworking websites, and some of the photographs on the websites were not original photographs of custom pieces crafted by Conrad, but rather copies of photographs from elsewhere on the internet. Conrad’s websites displayed strict cancelation and refund policies, listing a 25% processing fee for orders canceled within 24 hours; a 75% processing fee for orders canceled within 30 days; and no refunds for orders canceled after 30 days. Between January 2022 and February 2023, Conrad accepted approximately $165,500 through various payment methods for over 100 different items ordered by customers in Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire. As part of the scheme to defraud, Conrad accepted payment for items he knew he could not complete within the 12-to-16-week timeframe he quoted customers. Conrad made numerous false statements to customers regarding the status of their orders and regarding why orders had not been completed (including false claims of having had a heart attack and cutting off a portion of his finger). Conrad used his strict refund policy as a reason to retain funds from customers, despite not having begun work on their orders. Conrad used funds obtained from customers to pay for his and his family’s personal expenses, while knowing that he would be unable to complete the custom-made wood item ordered by the customer from whom the funds were obtained. The grand jury’s indictment alleges five specific fraudulent transactions that involved interstate wires. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Indictment contains allegations only and that Conrad remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Conrad faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the victims, on each alleged count. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Vergennes Police Department, and Vermont State Police and also thanks the Vermont Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program for its assistance in compiling consumer complaints and their collaborative work on this investigation. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Conrad is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Clovis Man Arrested with Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Reyes Quinonez Jr., 42, of Clovis, charging him with possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute those controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in February 2023, Quinonez was on parole for a prior felony offense. Law enforcement officers conducted parole-compliance searches of Quinonez, his residence, and a car. They found a firearm, ammunition, over a pound of methamphetamine, and over half a pound of fentanyl. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Quinonez faces a statutory penalty of between five and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Fresno Man Indicted for Escape from Federal Custody

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Gabriel Mata, 29, of Fresno, charging him with escape from federal custody, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, On May 24, 2021, Mata was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was transferred to the Turning Point Residential Reentry Center in Fresno. On Dec. 28, 2021, Mata was discovered to be missing when a routine count was done at the facility. Mata did not have permission to leave the Turning Point facility and remained at large until his arrest. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Mata faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Banks in Rockford and Belvidere

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to a total of 10 years in federal prison for robbing banks in Rockford and Belvidere in 2021, and for violating his terms of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence on Thursday after a hearing in federal court in Rockford. DEMONTRION DESHAN PHILLIPS, 29, was convicted after a jury trial in November 2022 of stealing $5,930 in a robbery of Midland States Bank, 1700 N. Alpine Rd. in Rockford, on Apr. 7, 2021, and $4,408 in a robbery of Midland States Bank, 600 S. State St. in Belvidere, on May 3, 2021. Phillips committed the robberies while on court-supervised release following a prior federal conviction for robbing two banks in Rockford in 2017. Phillips received an additional 24-month sentence for committing the robberies while on court-supervised release for his prior bank robbery conviction. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.; Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department; and Shane Woody, Chief of the Belvidere Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Talia Bucci and Vincenza L. Tomlinson.


title: Exton, Pennsylvania Lab Agrees to Pay $125,000 to Resolve  Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Frontage Laboratories, Inc. (Frontage) has agreed to pay $125,000.00 to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances and failing to keep one controlled substance secured. The United States’ investigation involved Frontage’s facility located 75 E. Uwchlan Ave., Exton, PA 19341. As part of the settlement, Frontage has entered into a two-year extension of its Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which includes additional responsibilities regarding the handling of controlled substances. The MOA imposes compliance obligations significantly more stringent than those in the applicable laws and regulations. Frontage is registered with the DEA as a Manufacturer of schedule I-V controlled substances. Based on an investigation, Frontage entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA on July 21, 2021. On May 9, 2022, a reinspection was completed on Frontage’s manufacturer registration. The investigators found record-keeping violations, including failure to separate Schedule I-II biennial inventory from Schedule III-V inventory, failure to document the correct amount of certain controlled substances on-hand, failure to record the date and quantity received on four receiving records, record the address and registration number of their own manufacturer and analytical lab on six transfers of controlled substances, and storing one controlled substance in a cabinet, rather than an approved safe. Frontage acknowledged the seriousness of the issues, corrected the problems, hired new oversight staff, and accepted the extended MOA and the need to pay a penalty. “Manufacturers who fail to maintain proper records of controlled substances create conditions ripe for diversion,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Companies have a responsibility to ensure that all controlled substances are tracked through the distribution chain. Our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the Controlled Substances Act, and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.” Congress enacted the CSA to deter the illegal importation, manufacture, distribution, possession, and improper use of controlled substances, including prescription medications, and requires individuals and entities registered with the DEA to maintain complete and accurate records of all controlled substances and security systems so that controlled substances are not lost, stolen, or inappropriately dispensed. The government’s pursuit of this matter demonstrates its commitment to combating diversion of controlled substances. The recordkeeping and other regulations applicable to DEA registrants, including manufacturers, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion. The investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Philadelphia Field Division, Diversion Regulatory Group 1 and the investigation and settlement was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Kittrell Man Sentenced To More Than 15 Years For Multiple Armed Bank Robberies

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Cameron Evans, 27, of Kittrell was sentenced today to 185 months in prison for charges related to two bank robberies in Raleigh and Greenville. According to court records and other information presented in court, On December 6, 2019, the SunTrust bank located at 7320 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, was robbed at gunpoint by four men. The men left the bank with approximately $11,578.00 and witnesses saw them fleeing the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. On December 30, 2019, around 4:30 p.m., the Branch Bank & Trust (BB&T) located 2475 Stantonsburg Road in Greenville was robbed at gunpoint by three men. They left the bank with $72,853 and witnesses saw them flee the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. Law enforcement was able to obtain the registration number from the vehicle which enabled them to find Evans and his codefendants. In an interview with law enforcement, Evans would admit to committing the SunTrust and BB&T bank robberies. The codefendants in this case were Clifton Harris, Stanley Kearney Jr. and Joshua Bailey. All three have pled guilty. Harris was sentenced to 81 months and Kearney was sentenced to 190 months. Bailey is awaiting sentencing. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Raleigh, Greenville and Mebane Police Departments, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00071-M .


title: Indy Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking “Glock Switch” Devices That Turn Semiautomatic Pistols into Machine guns

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Zaiveon Perry, 24, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, in April of 2021, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were contacted by Indiana State Police regarding Zaiveon Perry’s drug and firearm dealing in Indianapolis, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois. Agents discovered Perry’s social media accounts, where he was publicly advertising fully automatic Glocks for sale. On July 28, 2021, ATF Special Agents and ISP Troopers observed Perry sell a Glock pistol with a “Glock switch” conversion device attached for $3,250.00. The transaction took place in Perry’s black BMW. On January 6, 2022, investigators arrested Perry. Perry admitted to selling at least seven Glock firearms with switches attached. Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Doug Carter, Superintendent of Indiana State Police made the announcement. “Criminals who put illegal machine guns onto our streets add fuel to the fire of gun violence already devastating far too many of our families,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Possession and sale of these extremely dangerous devices is a serious crime which can result in years in federal prison. Our office will continue to work with the ATF, ISP, and all our partners in law enforcement to get illegal machine guns out of our communities and hold gun traffickers accountable.” “Unfortunately, we are seeing more of these deadly conversion devices showing up on the streets,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Perry be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from prison and be subject to a $500 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results ###


title: Brittany Busby Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl at Northern Lights Transitional House

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Brittany Busby, 31, formerly of Washington, Vermont, was sentenced on March 15, 2023 in United States District Court in Rutland to 28 months of imprisonment following her guilty plea to distributing fentanyl. U.S. Chief District Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Busby serve three years of supervised released and pay restitution in the amount of $250 to the family of a victim. On September 26, 2022, Busby pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with distributing fentanyl. According to court records and proceedings, Busby was a resident of Northern Lights, a transitional housing program for women located in Burlington, Vermont. Before it was closed on June 30, 2021, Northern Lights was intended to provide a sober living environment, as well as vocational training, substance abuse treatment, medical care, and other programming for women to successfully reenter the community. On the evening of January 11, 2021, while at Northern Lights, Busby knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to at least one other Northern Lights resident. On January 12, 2021, Burlington Police responded to Northern Lights and found that two Northern Lights residents had fatally overdosed after using fentanyl and other controlled substances. “The Burlington Police Department is very grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office for helping us investigate this crime,” said acting Chief of Police Jon Murad, “and to the Drug Enforcement Administration for all its assistance. We also want to thank all those who work tirelessly to treat people experiencing substance use disorder. And I want to personally applaud Detective Kratochvil’s work. This terrible epidemic continues to claim victims. Police are called to respond to deaths like these too often. Each represents a life cut short; each leaves grief in its wake. Our ultimate goal is to prevent any such deaths.” “Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take fentanyl off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in Vermont and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” “Fentanyl distribution continues to be a significant problem affecting our Vermont communities,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest. “The investigation of Brittany Busby and the two overdose deaths at Northern Lights demonstrates why those who choose to distribute fentanyl must be held accountable for their actions. It also demonstrates why Vermont needs more robust, substance-free transitional housing. Thanks to the dedication and thorough work of the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration this sad chapter at Northern Lights has now come to a close.” The case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Busby was represented by Heather E. Ross, Esq., of Sheehey, Furlong & Behm, P.C. The prosecutors were Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Ang and John J. Boscia.


title: Large-Scale Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Pedro Villot-Santiago, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023. Villot-Santiago was indicted in July 2020 along with 17 others, including his brother and co-conspirator Jonathan Villot. Following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in the Fitchburg area. Beginning in July 2019, court authorized interceptions of wire and electronic communications between members of the DTO and its suppliers revealed Villot-Santiago as a large-scale cocaine supplier. Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine were seized, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000. On the day of his arrest in July 2023, Villot-Santiago was found in possession of a stolen, loaded handgun, as well as over $252,000 in cash. Villot-Santiago is the last of all 18 defendants to be convicted in this case – either by guilty plea or jury conviction following trial. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments and U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted 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.


title: South L.A. Man Sentenced to Nearly 6½ Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Half a Dozen Businesses Within Two-Week Crime Spree

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison for committing six armed robberies of local businesses, mostly 7-Eleven stores, during a two-week crime spree in late 2021. Colin Powell Lacey, 29, of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong. Lacey pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). From November 13, 2021, to November 29, 2021, Lacey participated in the robbery of six businesses – five of which were 7-Eleven convenience stores. During the robberies, Lacey typically entered the stores, pointed a handgun at the store’s cashier and stole money – usually hundreds of dollars in cash belonging to the business. For example, on November 29, 2021, Lacey and his co-conspirator, Kyle Richard Williams, 26, of Inglewood, traveled together to a smoke shop located in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles. Williams entered the store, pointed a handgun at the cashier and stole $442 while Lacey waited outside the store before fleeing with Williams. That same night, Lacey and Williams robbed 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood and Mid-City, with Lacey pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Hollywood store and Williams pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Mid-City business, making off with $600 and $100, respectively. Lacey and Williams then fled in Lacey’s Hyundai. On December 30, 2021, Lacey and Williams attempted to rob a 7-Eleven in El Segundo. Williams pointed a handgun at the store employee and demanded money. Lacey and Williams fled together after the employee showed Williams that the cash register was empty. In total, Lacey participated in the armed robbery of six stores, including two other 7-Elevens in Hollywood and one 7-Eleven in West Hollywood. Lacey and Williams netted a total of $2,859 from the robberies. Lacey and Williams have been in federal custody since March 2022. Williams pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery. In December 2022, Judge Frimpong sentenced Williams to six years in federal prison. The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremiah M. Levine of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, prosecuted this case.


title: New Bedford Man Sentenced for Firearm Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. David Acosta, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Acosta pleaded guilty to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Oct. 22, 2020, Acosta was found in possession of a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol and 10 rounds of assorted .45 caliber ammunition. Co-defendant, Marquise Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to three years of supervised release on Nov. 15, 2022. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Stealing Items from the Mail She Was Entrusted to Handle

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS –KEISHAN WILSON , age 38, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on March 16, 2023, by the Honorable Eldon E. Fallon, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, for stealing items from the mail she was entrusted to handle as a postal employee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, KEISHAN WILSON was employed by the United States Postal Service as a mail processor in New Orleans when she was apprehended stealing items from the mail that she was entrusted to handle. The defendant was sentenced to (5) five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. The restitution hearing is set for June 8, 2023. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Department of State Employee Sentenced for Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Minors in the Philippines

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Department of State employee was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. According to court documents, Dean Edward Cheves, 63, served at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines from 2017 to 2021. From December 2020 to March 2021, Cheves used a messaging application installed on his cell phone to chat with a 15- to 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he paid to create and send to him sexually explicit images of the minor. Additionally, in February 2021, Cheves engaged in sex acts on two separate occasions with another 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he met online. Cheves used his government-issued cell phone to film the sex acts on at least one of those occasions. The child sex abuse material that Cheves produced was found on the phone after it was seized from Cheves’ embassy residence in the Philippines. Cheves knew the ages of both minors at the time he engaged in the conduct. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Office of Special Investigations investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the DSS Regional Security Office, Homeland Security Investigations Attaché’s Office in the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Pomerantz Halper and Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-177.


title: Federal Firearms Licensee and Boston Man Indicted for Firearm Trafficking and Straw Purchasing Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) and a Boston man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms. Cory Daigle, 29, of Revere, and Gustavo Rodriguez, 20 of Boston, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. Shakim Grant, 21, of Boston, was charged by Information with the same offenses. Daigle was also indicted on one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. In January 2023 , Daigle, Grant and Rodriguez were charged by criminal complaint. According to the indictment, from in or about August 2022 through November 2022, Daigle and Rodriguez conspired to create false entries in records required to be maintained by Daigle, an FFL, in order to conceal the illegal sale of multiple firearms via Grant to Rodriguez, who could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms. Specifically, it is alleged that Daigle and Grant made and signed false representations on required forms to disguise Rodriguez’s identity as the true firearm purchaser. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. It is further alleged that the defendants attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. “Straw purchases are serious crimes that can result in deadly firearms getting into the hands of people the law strictly prohibits from possessing them. Frequently, we find that gun violence, including shootings and murders, is committed with an illegally obtained firearm by prohibited individuals, whether they are unlicensed, underage or precluded due to criminal history. In fact, that is exactly what is alleged to have happened here. Mr. Rodriguez does not have a license to legally possess or carry firearms and is banned from having a firearm in Massachusetts based on his age. Through excellent investigative work, authorities were led to an alleged straw purchaser, Grant, and Daigle, a Federal Firearms Licensee and gun vendor at a mill in Littleton, Massachusetts which has been publicly reported to be the largest congregation of gun vendors at a single address in the country. We allege that these individuals circumvented the law to knowingly engage in a straw purchase,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This criminal conspiracy came to light in the wake of a violent shooting in Boston. These types of crimes can have real and life altering consequences. We pledge to aggressively combat the illegal trafficking of firearms in our Commonwealth and to hold all participants – not just the buyers – in straw purchases accountable.” “When you buy a gun for someone who is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, you could be buying yourself time in federal prison,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “The surge of gun violence in our cities is being fueled by individuals who circumvent the law and put firearms in the wrong hands. Our mission is clear and we will continue working with our partners to stop the flow of illegal firearm transfers that fuel the cycles of violence.” The charge of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of illegal possession of a machine gun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm provides 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. U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF Boston SAC Ferguson and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment for  Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun Crimes

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NICHOLAS WEBER , age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 16, 2023, to 120 months imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on March 29, 2022, FBI New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department seized 143.5 grams of fentanyl, two fully loaded handguns, and $16,200 in cash from WEBER pursuant to a federal search warrant. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and Louisiana State Police as part of NOPD’s Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team (“VCAIT”). The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit and Alexandra Giavotella, Asset Forfeiture Coordinator of the Public Integrity/Monetary Penalty and Recovery Unit.


title: Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Masselam Strachan Named 2023 Most Outstanding Assistant U.S. Attorney by National Committee

body_text: BOSTON – Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Amanda P. Masselam Strachan, Co-Chief of United States Attorney Rollins’ Criminal Division, has been selected by the National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA) as the recipient of its 2023 J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Assistant United States Attorney. Each year, the distinguished J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award is awarded to one AUSA in the nation in recognition of outstanding performance. The recipient is selected for their remarkable handling of a significant investigation and prosecution(s) that has had a significant impact and merits special recognition. AUSA Strachan is the sixth woman to be awarded this honor since its inception in 1999. “AUSA Strachan is an outstanding lawyer, a fierce advocate on behalf of victims, and a leader among leaders in our District and the legal community. Her acumen, compassion and dedication are evident in every case she has prosecuted over the course of her 16-year career as an AUSA, but her decade-long role in pursuing justice for the 793 victims of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) fungal meningitis outbreak makes her uniquely deserving of this exceptional honor,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. In the fall of 2012, a nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis infected patients in 20 states. The CDC and FDA traced the fungal infections to contaminated steroid injections (MPA) produced by NECC, a compounding pharmacy then located in Massachusetts. NECC had sold and shipped more than 17,000 vials of contaminated MPA to medical facilities throughout the nation. The CDC identified staggering amounts of contamination within these supposedly sterile vials of MPA, which doctors injected into patients’ bodies to treat back and joint pain. NECC’s contaminated drugs infected at least 793 individuals and caused more than 100 of them to die. The fungal meningitis outbreak is the largest public health crisis ever caused by a compounded drug. AUSA Strachan and her team conducted a thorough investigation which uncovered evidence of widespread systemic fraud at NECC and a shocking disregard for patients’ lives. The investigation discovered dangerously unsafe production practices and unsanitary conditions inside NECC’s facility. In December 2014, 14 NECC owners, employees and executives were indicted on numerous counts, including RICO, RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the FDA, mail fraud, structuring, and FDCA violations. Between 2017-2019, AUSA Strachan led four trials against the defendants (totaling 24 weeks), and four other defendants pleaded guilty. In total, 13 defendants were convicted of 168 counts. Additionally, AUSA Strachan won four affirmative appeals in this case before the First Circuit to ensure full accountability for the defendants and complete recognition for all 793 victims. AUSA Strachan’s tireless advocacy on the victims’ behalf went beyond the courtroom; she successfully lobbied the Office of Victims of Crime to recognize the fungal meningitis victims as crime victims and helped secure for them a $40 million federal contribution to the Victims of Violent Crimes Compensation Fund. In the face of this unprecedented national tragedy, AUSA Strachan’s steadfast commitment to holding the wrongdoers accountable secured a measure of justice for the victims and their families and shined a light on the abuses of the compounding pharmacy industry. “As brilliant and tenacious as she is as a lawyer, AUSA Strachan also has demonstrated that she is an exceptional leader. She inspired and empowered a team of AUSAs, legal assistants, victim specialists, and other professionals to do their best work on behalf of these victims. Her impressive mentoring and management skills led me to promote her to Co-Chief of our Criminal Division, making her only the second woman ever appointed to lead the Criminal Division,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. AUSA Strachan is a two-time recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2013, 2019) and received EOUSA’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team in 2020. In 2019, AUSA Strachan was named a Top Woman of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly .


title: Federal Jury Convicts Northern Minnesota Felon for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found an Onamia man guilty of illegally possessing a firearm following a domestic assault, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Following a four-day trial before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis, Justin Lyle Cutbank, 36, was convicted on one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, on November 19, 2020, Leech Lake Tribal Police were dispatched to a residence following a report that Cutbank had physically assaulted a woman, held her at gunpoint, threatened to kill her, and then fled the residence into the woods. Shortly after officers arrived at the residence and took the victim’s statement, a neighbor reported that Cutbank was in their garage and refused to leave. Officers from multiple agencies responded to the location and found Cutbank barricaded in the garage. Several hours of negotiations followed with Cutbank retreating into the attic of the garage and refusing to surrender. Ultimately, officers were able to apprehend Cutbank, who continued to actively resist arrest. The following day, officers searched the wooded area where Cutbank had fled and found a Marlin Model 100 .22 caliber rifle with no serial number, a knife, and the victim’s cell phone. Because Cutbank has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Ruth S. Shnider are prosecuting the case.


title: El Dorado County Couple Found Guilty of Tax Fraud

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After an 8-day trial, a federal jury found El Dorado Hills couple Brian Beland, 39, and Denae Beland, 40, guilty in an effort to circumvent paying federal income taxes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. “When the IRS began a civil audit of Brian and Danae Beland’s taxes, the defendants tried to hide their crimes through false expenses, telling falsehoods to the civil examiner, and obstructing the IRS audit,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This trial is an example of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to investigate and prosecute those who fail to comply with their federal tax obligations.” “Falsifying documents and filing fraudulent tax returns is a crime,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “We should not forget that the ultimate victims in tax fraud cases are the people of the United States – those honest taxpayers who diligently and truthfully file tax returns each year. IRS-CI will continue to focus our investigative efforts on individuals and businesses who cheat on their taxes and do not comply with the law. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the dedication of our agents that resulted in Mr. and Mrs. Beland’s guilty verdict by the jury.” For filing false tax returns that illegally claimed both personal expenses and fabricated expenses as tax deductions, Brian Beland has been found guilty of three counts of a filing false tax return for tax years 2011, 2012, and 2013. Brian Beland and Denae Beland were both found guilty of corruptly impeding their tax audit. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Beland was a mortgage broker for Wells Fargo and then Bank of America from 2011 through 2013. He claimed business expenses in excess of $800,000 for all three years, effectively paying only a 2% tax on the more than $1.1 million he earned. Denae Beland is an attorney licensed by the California State Bar. When the IRS began a civil audit of their taxes, Brian and Denae Beland tried to hide their crimes by falsely claiming that personal expenses were business expenses, telling falsehoods to the civil examiner, and obstructing the IRS audit by not providing requested documents. For the IRS audit, the Belands, claiming their business records had been shredded or lost, recreated spreadsheets of their business expenses that listed various items as business expenses that were actually personal expenses, including travel to Europe, the Eiffel Tower, Hawaii and Cancun; wine racks and a personalized wine bottle in their wine cellar; a California king bed; patio furniture; automated tiki torches; birthday party and baby shower expenses; home gym exercise flooring; and other items. In June 2016, the IRS executed a search warrant at their house in El Dorado Hills. In addition to finding many pieces of furniture and household goods that had been claimed as business expenses, agents also found tax records and receipts, despite the Belands’ claims that all records and receipts had been destroyed. This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Lee S. Bickley are prosecuting the case. Brian and Danae Beland are scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Brian Beland faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for each count of filing a false tax return. Brian and Denae Beland each face a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 for corruptly endeavoring to impede the tax audit. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Atlantic City Councilman Charged with Submitting False Voter Registrations, Making False Statements, and Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment Benefits

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man has been charged with falsifying voter registrations, making false statements to the FBI about interactions with prospective voters, and submitting false unemployment benefits claims with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. MD Hossain Morshed, 49, a councilman elected to Atlantic City’s Fourth Ward, is charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today with one count of fraudulent procurement and submission of voter registration applications, one count of making false statements, and one count of wire fraud. Morshed made his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Falsification of Voter Forms In April 2019, in advance of the June 2019 primary election, Morshed gave a prospective voter a New Jersey voter registration application that had already been filled out and which falsely asserted that the prospective voter had a residential address in the Fourth Ward in Atlantic City. Even though the address written on the form was not where the voter actually lived, Morshed urged the prospective voter to sign the application. Subsequently, Morshed visited the prospective voter at the voter’s actual residence (which was not in the Fourth Ward) and presented the prospective voter with a vote-by-mail application to sign which included the same false Fourth Ward Atlantic City address that was on the voter registration application and listed yet another false Atlantic City address for where the mail-in ballot should be sent to the voter. The Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections subsequently received the falsified voter registration application that Morshed had the prospective voter sign and thereafter, the Atlantic County Board of Elections received the prospective voter’s completed mail-in ballot, and that ballot was counted towards the June 2019 primary election. The prospective voter later admitted not receiving, completing or returning the mail-in ballot. During lawfully recorded conversations between this voter and Morshed concerning possible questioning by law enforcement, Morshed directed the voter, if questioned by law enforcement, to make false representations about where the voter lived and who filled out the voter forms that Morshed had given to the voter. When Morshed was subsequently approached and questioned by FBI agents about his provision of voter registration and vote-by-mail applications to New Jersey residents, he made materially false statements, including that he had never provided any voter documents to any prospective voter, never assisted any prospective voter in filling out such documents, and never collected any such documents from any prospective voter. Morshed also falsely stated that he had never asked residents of municipalities outside of Atlantic City to register to vote in Atlantic City’s Fourth Ward. Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment Benefits From April 2020 through September 2021, Morshed also defrauded the NJDOL of $39,208 in unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled. Morshed applied for and was approved to receive various unemployment benefits related to New Jersey’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program even though he was earning compensation for his employment as an Atlantic City Councilperson, and additional income as a driver. The false voter registration submission and false statements counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. The wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; the FBI’s Newark, Atlantic City Resident Agency’s Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Chief James A. Sarkos; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and the postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the General Crimes Unit, under the supervision of the Special Prosecutions Division. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. morshed.complaint.pdf


title: Clackamas Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges Three Months After Release from Federal Custody

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Clackamas, Oregon man appeared in federal court today after he was arrested on child pornography charges less than three months after completing a federal prison sentence for similar conduct. Nicholas James Stacy, 29, has been charged by criminal complaint with transporting and possessing child pornography. According to the complaint, in March 2023, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were contacted by Portland Police Bureau detectives investigating multiple CyberTipline reports they had received regarding Stacy’s alleged use of Facebook, Dropbox, and other web services to possess and distribute child pornography. Stacy was released from federal custody in December 2022 after serving a 60-month sentence on a previous child pornography conviction. While on post-prison supervision, Stacy was prohibited from possessing a computer or other electronic devices or accessing the internet for any reason without permission from his probation officer. On March 16, 2023, investigators executed federal search warrants on Stacy’s person, residence, and his mother’s residence. Agents seized multiple electronic devices Stacy possessed in violation of his terms of supervision and placed him under arrest. Stacy made his first appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was investigated by HSI, the Portland Police Bureau, and U.S. Probation Office. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org. Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty To Making Internet Threats And Firearms Possession

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gabygayl Cruz, 21, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that on the evening of June 7, 2021, on Facebook Live, Cruz threatened to shoot a man, stating at the end of the video, “Tune-in in five minutes.” Later that night, Cruz and another person went to an area of Rochester where Cruz knew the person she threatened spent time. In a second Facebook Live video, a black screen appeared but 11 gunshots could be heard followed by the sounds of Cruz running and giggling. In a third video, Cruz recounted the earlier shooting, imitated shooting a gun and continued to issue threats to others. On July 1, 2021, Cruz again used Facebook Live to threaten to shoot a woman, displaying a .45 caliber firearm, while issuing the threat. Cruz then went to a Columbia Avenue address in Rochester to confront the woman, but she was not there. While leaving the area, Cruz struck a parked car and fired a shot in the air. Cruz was arrested the next day when she was stopped driving a car in which officers found a loaded .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, which was the same firearm she displayed in one of the videos. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito. Sentencing is scheduled for July 6, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa. # # # #


title: Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian Country

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jaydyn Diamond Lester made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with an intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner in Indian Country. Lester, 18, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 4, 2022, Lester allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, by shooting at her and hitting her on the head with the butt of a BB gun. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Jane Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lester faces up to 10 years in prison. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-54


body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joshua Davis made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 facing a charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Davis, 40, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the criminal complaint, in May of 2022, Davis allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as John Doe, in Otero County, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to John Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dennis faces up to 10 years in prison. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-55


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Mass-Mailing Elder Fraud Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for operating a mass-mailing scheme that victimized older Americans. According to court documents, Ryan Young, 40, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, operated a mail fraud scheme in which he mailed out letters falsely notifying recipients that they were entitled to receive unclaimed funds worth millions of dollars, a portion of a multi-million-dollar legal settlement, or a prize, in exchange for payment of a small fee of $30 to $40. The solicitation letters stated that they were sent by an organization tasked with providing notice and facilitating delivery of the funds or prize. Young did not deliver funds to any of the victims who sent payments in response to these letters. Instead, Young sent a booklet providing publicly available information regarding government Unclaimed Property Divisions in various states; a booklet providing publicly available information regarding a few class action settlements; or a flyer regarding online restaurant coupons. According to court documents, Young fraudulently obtained more than $1.6 million from victims of the scheme between March 2019 and May 2022. The court documents further allege that Young operated this scheme while he was on pretrial release awaiting sentencing in a separate criminal case, in which he was charged with operating a similar fraud scheme. On Feb. 13, 2018, Young pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for his role in a large-scale international mail fraud scheme that took $50 million from victims between 2011 and 2016. As part of that scheme, Young sent fraudulent prize notification letters to victims in the United States and numerous other countries. The letters falsely claimed recipients had won money or valuable prizes, such as luxury cars. Victims were instructed to send small processing fees – typically $20 or $25 – to claim the prizes. Many victims received nothing; others received only a cheap piece of jewelry or a report listing unrelated sweepstakes. “The defendant in this case operated multiple fraud schemes, collectively depriving vulnerable Americans out of more than $50 million,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who target vulnerable American consumers for financial gain.” “Mass marketing scams frequently target elderly or vulnerable citizens. Fraudsters may think they can anonymously siphon money from their victims but today’s guilty plea tells a different story,” said Inspector in Charge Chris Nielsen of United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Philadelphia Division. “Through the efforts of Postal Inspectors in Newark, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.; DOJ prosecutors; and the Fort Lee, New Jersey Police Department, we have successfully unraveled a complex mail fraud operation.” Young will be sentenced on July 19 before U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack in Central Islip, New York. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. The USPIS investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ann Entwistle and Assistant Director John W. Burke of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne for the Eastern District of New York is handling asset forfeiture. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch .


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 102 Months for Firearm & Drug Trafficking Crimes

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sylvester Ray Gavins, Jr., 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 102 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug crime. Gavins pleaded guilty to these charges on December 6, 2022. On March 26, 2021, law enforcement agents arrested Gavins on state warrants as he was walking out of a hotel in Monona. Gavins was carrying two backpacks that contained 135 grams of a cocaine-fentanyl mixture, 26 grams of a heroin-fentanyl mixture, 659 grams of marijuana, $5,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Agents also seized and searched his cell phone, finding evidence that he was selling drugs. At the time of this offense, Gavins was on supervision after being released from prison for a 2012 Wisconsin heroin trafficking conviction. Gavins’ criminal history dates back to 2007 when he was 17 years old and includes another 2012 heroin conviction in Indiana. At sentencing, Judge Conley questioned how Gavins was able to rationalize selling drugs when he and his family had suffered from drug use and addiction. Noting Gavins’ criminal history, Judge Conley said that after he was released from prison that Gavins was smart enough to not use the stronger drugs that he still sold to others. Judge Conley also noted the “scourge of fentanyl” affecting the community. The conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carried a mandatory minimum penalty of five years to be served consecutive to the 42-month sentence on the drug charge. The charges against Gavins were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Leader of Southwest Baltimore “NFL” Gang Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murder and a Drug Distribution Conspiracy

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced NFL gang leader Gregory Butler, a/k/a “Gotti,” “Sags,” and “Little Dick,” age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his activities in the NFL gang, which operated in the Edmondson Village area in Southwest Baltimore. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department. According to his guilty plea, from 2016 to March 2020, Butler was a leader of the NFL enterprise and participated in its illegal activities with other members, including the NFL drug trafficking organization (“DTO”). The term “NFL” stands for Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon, three adjacent streets that run through the Edmondson Village in Baltimore. Members of NFL have social and familial ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood in southwest Baltimore. During the conspiracy, NFL members distributed large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine to drug customers and re-distributors from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Butler admitted that he obtained narcotics from multiple sources of supply and stored the narcotics in stash houses that he controlled. Over the course of the charged conspiracy, Butler and his co-conspirators distributed over one kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Butler admitted that the NFL enterprise sold heroin and fentanyl to multiple drug customers who subsequently overdosed and died. Butler agreed that these fatal overdoses were reasonably foreseeable to him, in light of his direct oversight of the enterprise’s drug trafficking activities. For example, on about August 16, 2016, Butler coordinated the sale of heroin to customer in Rockville, Maryland, who, later that day, used the heroin and died. In addition, Butler paid members and associates of the NFL enterprise to commit multiple murders on behalf of the enterprise and at least one of those murders was carried out by members of the NFL gang. More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty. Including Butler, 29 of the defendants have been sentenced to between 30 years and time served. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, DEA, DPSCS, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Frederick County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office and the Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner and Robert I. Goldaris who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest Of Yonkers Man For Threatening To Kill Yonkers Police Officers

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Christopher Sapienza, Commissioner of the City of Yonkers Police Department (“YPD”), announced that RIDON KOLA was arrested today based on a criminal Complaint filed in White Plains federal court charging KOLA with making threatening interstate communications, in which KOLA threatened to kill officers of the YPD and the Mayor of Yonkers. KOLA will be presented in White Plains federal court later today before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Ridon Kola posted threats on social media against law enforcement, stating his support for ISIS and his intention to murder numerous police officers. Undeterred after questioning from law enforcement, Kola’s conduct escalated, as he continued to assure police his threats would be carried out. Threatening violence against police or to undermine public safety will not be tolerated, as Kola now stands charged and faces prison time for his threats against our dedicated law enforcement partners tasked with keeping us safe.” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As we allege today, Kola, who has demonstrated support for radical Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks, made a series of threats to the lives of law enforcement and others, and now he will be forced to face the consequences of his actions. Counterterrorism remains the FBI’s top priority, and through our NY JTTF, we remain committed to keeping all New Yorkers safe from acts of terror.” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “The NYPD remains steadfast in its commitment to fight against the grave threat of violence and hate in every form. This arrest reinforces our work to protect people and ensure consequences for those who are charged with threatening our way of life. I want to thank the members of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and everyone else who worked to interdict and stop this threat.” YPD Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said: “The safety of our residents, our community, and the members of our Police Department is paramount; every threat is investigated to the fullest extent possible. Thankfully, due to the outstanding collaborative efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and our Yonkers Police Intelligence Division, our City will enjoy a safe Saint Patrick’s Day parade tomorrow free from intimidation by bad actors.” As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today: [1] KOLA has engaged in escalating threats of violence against, among others, law enforcement, culminating in recent online threats against the YPD in connection with the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day parade scheduled for Saturday, March 18. KOLA’s posts demonstrate support for radical Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks. In a recent threatening post, KOLA displayed himself with an axe. On November 19, 2021, KOLA posted to a YPD official social media account a message in Albanian that translated to the following: “I am going to slaughter you little girls.” On December 5, 2021, KOLA posted to the same YPD social media account a message stating that: “Starting tomorrow I will start killing your officers just so u know who is doing it, Ridon Kola Albanian blood,” and that he would also kill the Mayor of Yonkers. Following those threats, in December 2021, YPD detectives interviewed KOLA at his residence. KOLA admitted to making the threatening posts but claimed he had no plans to harm YPD officers or the Mayor. Based on his demeanor, YPD subsequently issued a warning to officers to exercise diligence and caution in any encounters with KOLA. Beginning in early 2023, and continuing in the days leading up to the planned St. Patrick’s Day parade, KOLA has escalated his threats against the YPD and other government officials and has expressed his support for violent Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks. In January 2023, KOLA posted multiple statements expressing support for “jihad,” or “to war against non-Muslims,” and the establishment of a “caliphate,” and depicting the raised index finger gesture used by jihadist groups, including the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”). On March 6, 2023, appearing to reference YPD’s prior interview of KOLA, KOLA sent a direct message to the YPD social media account stating: “I’m looking for that officer that came to my house and threatened me and my family to kill us. I’m going to burn the world until I find him Vallahi [by God], no matter what happens to me there will never be peace in this country anymore! Allahu Ekberr.” The phrase “Allahu Ekberr” is one form of an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great,” which radical Islamic extremists have proclaimed in connection with the commission of terrorist attacks. The next day, March 7, 2023, KOLA posted a statement praising Sayfullo Saipov, the recently convicted perpetrator of a terrorist attack for ISIS in which Saipov used a truck on Halloween in 2017 to murder eight victims and injure many more on a bike bath in lower Manhattan. KOLA referred to Saipov as “my BROTHER.” As of March 9, 2023, KOLA’s social media account profile included the statement, “Now is personal America and the world!!!” and a threat to burn “cia fbi nsa police jud[g]es alive w their families too!” Also on March 9, KOLA sent two direct messages to the YPD social media account stating: “First people to be crucified will be the Yonkers rats Vallahi. Allahu Ekberr”; and “I will crucify Yonkers cops and their bosses all along McLean ave. It will be a horror scene . . . Allahu Ekberr.” McLean Avenue in Yonkers is part of the route for the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade taking place on March 18, and numerous YPD officers will be posted to the parade route along that street. KOLA’s residence is in the area of the parade route. Three days later, on March 12, 2023, KOLA posted to his social media feed a photograph of himself holding an axe with a statement in Albanian, translated to the following: “Come on Judas, I’m waiting for you.” * * * KOLA, 32, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with making threatening interstate communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Williams also thanked the YPD and the Yonkers Police Intelligence Division for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Sullivan is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.