title: Omaha Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a Minor and Production of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that Rolando E. Midder, 43, was found guilty on June 9, 2023, following a four-day jury trial in federal court for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Producing Child Pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert Rossiter scheduled Midder’s sentencing for September 1, 2023, at 2p.m. Midder faces up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of fifteen years. The evidence at trial showed that Midder began living with a minor female in February of 2022. Midder advertised the minor girl as being available for commercial sex acts, communicated with individuals who expressed interest in the postings, and coordinated days, times, and locations for the commercial sex acts to occur. These advertisements continued until Midder’s arrest on June 27, 2022. After being recovered by law enforcement, the minor female was observed to be extremely malnourished and had numerous bruises, burns, and scars on her. She expressed fear that Midder would kill her if he learned she had spoken with law enforcement. Upon Midder’s arrest, a search warrant for his phone was obtained. Law enforcement located videos he had filmed, showing himself forcing the minor to engage in a sex act with him. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the FBI Omaha’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.


title: United States Issues Advisory to Industry on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activity Connected to Iran

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: The Departments of Justice, Commerce, State and Treasury today issued an advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public to the threat posed by Iran’s procurement, development and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The advisory informs private industry of key components Iran seeks to develop its UAV program and entities involved in the procurement, production, and proliferation of Iranian UAVs. The advisory also provides recommendations to exporters, manufacturers, distributors, and financial institutions on implementing effective due diligence and internal controls – specifically, relevant to Iran’s UAV-related activities – to ensure compliance with legal requirements across the entire supply chain and to avoid unintentionally contributing to Iran’s UAV programs. Today’s announcement complements ongoing work by the Justice Department, including its Task Force KleptoCapture and the Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Launched in March 2022, Task Force KleptoCapture enforces the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and other economic countermeasures imposed on Russia for its unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, in order to disrupt the Russian war machine and hold its enablers accountable – including the transfer of UAVs from Iran being used against the Ukrainian people. Additionally, in February, the Justice Department and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) created the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency effort focused on investigating and prosecuting the illicit transfer of sensitive technologies to foreign state adversaries, including Iran. To encourage corporate disclosures of potential criminal violations of national security laws, including sanctions and export laws, the National Security Division updated its voluntary self-disclosure policy this past March. The Justice Department has also announced the hiring of 25 new prosecutors in the National Security Division to investigate and prosecute sanctions evasion, export control violations, and similar economic crimes. It is critical the private sector be vigilant in meeting its compliance obligations due to the threat posed by the extensive overseas network of procurement agents, front companies, suppliers, and intermediaries Iran uses to obtain UAV components – all of which employ a variety of methods to evade export controls and sanctions. The advisory is available here .


title: District Man Arraigned on Two Counts of  Second Degree Sexual Abuse of a Patient or Client

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dyrell Muhammad, also known as Dyrell Gamble, 56, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on two counts of second degree sexual abuse arising from events that occurred in August 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department. On May 25, 2023, Muhammad was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of second degree sexual abuse of a patient or client. He faces a maximum of five years on each count if convicted of the charges. According to the government’s evidence, in August 2021, Muhammad was working at RAP, Inc., a residential substance use and mental health treatment program located in Washington, D.C. On or about August 4, 2021, Muhammad approached a program client in an elevator. He grasped the client’s hand and placed her hand on his penis through his clothing. Muhammad then exposed his penis and placed the client’s hand on his naked, exposed penis. The indictment also charges that Muhammad sexually abused a second client, on or about August 9, 2021. On August 25, 2022, Muhammad was arrested in connection with this case and was subsequently released pending trial. In August 2001, Muhammad was convicted of first degree murder while armed and associated firearms charges for a murder he committed in October 1998. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment totaling 35 years to life. In October 2020, after serving 22 years of that sentence, Muhammad was released by a Superior Court judge, pursuant to the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, and placed on five years’ supervised probation. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. They acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins; Paralegal Specialists Garcia Clarke, ReShawn Johnson, Cynthia Muhammad, and Michelle Wicker; and Special Agent Sean Ricardi. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Lee, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Sourbeer, who is investigating and prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney Ross Hosts AGAC Subcommittee Meeting In Buffalo

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – This week, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, a member of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) and Chair of the Law Enforcement Coordination, Victim Assistance and Community Relations Subcommittee (LEVC), hosted the LEVC meeting in the Western District of New York, which brought U.S. Attorneys from across the country to the Buffalo area for two days. The meeting included presentations and discussions on several issues: Members participated in detailed presentations from members of law enforcement and victim witness personnel regarding the May 14 th tragedy. They also heard from Tops President John Persons and visited the Tops store on Jefferson Avenue. Members went to the Merriweather Library and spoke with community leaders who work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on community outreach efforts. Members spoke with representatives of the business community, who work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on multiple issues, including fraud and cybercrime. Members met with federal law enforcement who work on the front lines of international border issues. “I was honored to host the LEVC meeting in Buffalo, which allowed my U.S. Attorney colleagues to spend time in this wonderful community and learn from our experiences. Over these two days, my colleagues from across the country were able to witness firsthand how our District works with law enforcement, the community and crime victims,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “In addition, these U.S. Attorneys witnessed the resiliency of our Buffalo community in the aftermath of the May 14th shooting and experienced the progress that the community has made.” Members of the AGAC advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The LEVC is a subcommittee of the AGAC. # # # #


title: NEW YORK WOMAN SENTENCED ON STOLEN CELL PHONES CONVICTION

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: St. Thomas , VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Keyla Mateo of New York was sentenced to four years probation by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy on her conviction of conspiracy to transport stolen iPhones. According to court documents, from May through July of 2018, Mateo and three co-conspirators stole and later transported iPhones from St. Thomas to Bronx, NY, where the phones were sold. As part of the conspiracy, one of Mateo’s co-conspirators contacted cell phone carriers, including Sprint and AT&T, impersonating legitimate customers by adding cell phones to the legitimate customers’ accounts without their knowledge or consent. Mateo’s co-conspirators also arranged for the iPhones to be mailed to another member of the conspiracy to a post office box located in St. Thomas. Mateo would then arrange for the stolen iPhones to be ship from St. Thomas to her address in New York. After arriving in New York, the stolen iPhone were sold by Mateo. The criminal scheme involved a total of 59 stolen cell phones valued at approximately $1,000.00 each. All defendants pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and Mateo’s co-conspirators are awaiting trial. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Postal Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye prosecuted the case.


title: Firearms Trafficker, Drug Dealer Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Maryland man who sold seven silencers and 800 counterfeit prescription pills to undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), was sentenced yesterday to 72 months in federal prison. Milford Thomas Washington, 57, pleaded guilty in January 2023 to transporting an unregistered silencer in interstate commerce. “The silencers involved in this case are specifically designed to mask violent, criminal behavior, and pose a direct threat to public safety,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am thankful to ATF and our local and state partners who worked on this matter for keeping these dangerous items off our streets.” “The illegal possession of handgun diversion devices and distribution of deadly narcotics are significant threats to our community and remain a top priority for ATF. The leverage of our resources and valuable assets were instrumental throughout this investigation. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of ATF and our valued law enforcement partners; we were able to remove another violent criminal from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai “We will continue to do our part in combating violent crime through intelligence led strategies.” According to court documents, between July 2021 and February 2022, Washington sold at least seven silencers to undercover ATF agents. At the time of his arrest in April 2022, Washington was prepared to illegally ship an additional 13 silencers. The National Firearms Act, in part, makes it unlawful to possess and transfer certain firearms, including silencers, without proper registration. Washington, however, was also prohibited from engaging in the sale of silencers because he had previously been convicted of a felony. In addition to trafficking silencers, in 2022, Washington sold approximately 800 counterfeit Percocet pills to the ATF. An analysis of some of these pills, which are designed to look like authentic prescription drugs, revealed the presence of fentanyl. The ATF, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case. The Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department also contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case. During the investigation, he received assistance and support from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. 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: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Unauthorized Aliens

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on June 7, 2023, Rodolfo Arzola-Carrillo, age 39, Mexican National residing in Tifton, Georgia, pled guilty in Federal Court, Fargo, ND, before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, to the offense of Conspiracy to Transport Unauthorized Aliens. Chief Judge Welte imposed the sentence of 18 months in Federal Prison, one-year supervised release and $100.00 Special Assessment. An investigation determined that Rodolfo Arzola-Carrillo conspired, coordinated, and partially carried out the smuggling of a group of seven undocumented noncitizens from Mexico, including two minor children, across the United States - Canada border into North Dakota and down to Georgia in November 2022. The plan fell apart when weather conditions deteriorated, putting lives at risk. The harsh temperature, snow, and wind caused the group to seek assistance from the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office, who responded to aid all nine individuals and then alerted U.S. Border Patrol. Arzola-Carrillo’s co-defendant, Ernesto Falcon Jr., is set for a change-of-plea and sentence hearing on August 21, 2023. “As this case and others have shown, attempting to smuggle human beings across the northern border is not just illegal and exploitative, it is also a threat to human life,” Schneider said. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue working with the U.S. Border Patrol and our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold smugglers accountable, maintain the rule of law, and keep people safe.” “The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case was outstanding. This incident is a testament to our long-standing partnership with the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office. Human smuggling can be very dangerous and I’m glad that this came to a successful law enforcement resolution. As a reminder, anyone who puts their lives in the hands of a smuggler, is putting their life, and the lives of their family at risk.” Chief Patrol Agent Scott D. Garrett said. This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, with assistance from the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker. # # #


title: Convicted Felon Who Illegally Possessed Ghost Guns, Ammunition, and Silencers Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A West Greenwich man who was previously convicted and incarcerated on state felony firearm charges and who was later found by federal agents to be illegally in possession of firearms and parts to make – and stockpile – a collection of un-serialized, privately made firearms, also known as “ghost guns,” along with silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition, was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Walter Garbecki, 38, previously admitted to a federal judge that, between March and July 2022, when he was unable to lawfully purchase firearms and ammunition from federally licensed firearms dealers due to previous felony convictions, he used various websites to purchase, firearm triggers and so-called “lower parts kits” to construct Glock-style pistols. Garbecki also ordered 2,480 rounds of ammunition, including 800 rounds of hollow point ammunition; firearm magazines and pistol holsters; and firearm maintenance supplies from the websites. “Whether they are purchased, stolen, or manufactured at home from an internet-ordered kit, federal law is clear: firearms do not belong in the hands of felons, and we will work tirelessly to take them, and the criminals who carry them, off of our streets,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “I commend our federal partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their superb investigative efforts to keep Rhode Island communities safe.” Garbecki pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on March 2, 2023, to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of firearm mufflers or silencers. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to thirty-six months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. At the government’s request, items seized from Garbecki’s home on September 20, 2022, by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, including four fully functioning ghost guns and two in various stage of assembly; three silencers; approximately 1,500 rounds of ammunition; and various parts and kits used to assemble “Ghost Guns,” have been forfeited to the government, and will be destroyed. “When individuals illegally manufacture firearms because they are unable to purchase them legally, ATF will continue to pour our resources into stopping these crimes in their tracks,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson. “Walter Garbecki’s three-year sentence should serve as a warning to those who intend to misuse the U.S. Mail for this type of criminal activity,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The collaborative efforts and dedication of the Postal Inspectors, Special Agents of the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in bringing Garbecki to justice. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains vigilant, pursuing criminals like Garbecki to ensure the public's trust in a safe and secure mail system.” According to state court records Garbecki was convicted in 2019 in Rhode Island state court on charges of sale or possession of silencers; unlawful devices attached to a semi-automatic weapon allowing automatic fire; possession of a firearm while delivering or manufacturing a controlled substance; and drug trafficking. In that matter, law enforcement seized, among other items, an AR-15 style rifle that Garbecki modified to allow it to fire automatically; a Taurus .40 caliber handgun; three shotguns; seven rifles; a homemade firearm silencer; and cocaine and drug trafficking paraphernalia. The current federal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. ###


title: 21 Plead Guilty To Federal Charges In Maury & Lewis County Drug Distribution Conspiracies

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NASHVILLE – 21 individuals charged with distributing substantial amounts of controlled substances in and around Maury County and Lewis County, Tennessee, have pleaded guilty to federal drug distribution charges, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. An indictment returned in December 2021 charged the following 14 individuals with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine, between March 2018 and September 2019: Julio Esparza, aka Beto, 46; Freddy Quinones, 49; and Jesus Silva, aka Barbas, 41, all of McAllen, Texas; Brandon Dailey, aka Willie Earl, 40; Henry Davis, aka Hank, 43; Vincent Conner, aka Roe, 38; Derrick Nixon, aka Chewy, 55; Shanika Odom, aka Butterball, 32; Terry Strayhorn, aka Goldie Mac, 42; and Samuel Abernathy, 45, all of Mount Pleasant, Tenn.; Brent Burns, aka Smiley, 39; and Tristen Tisby, aka Jolly, 31, both of Columbia, Tenn.; and Tory Hardison, 28; and Carson Lunn, 26, both of Pulaski, Tenn. In another indictment, the following seven individuals were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone, between October 2017 and November 2020: Michael Sowell, aka Mac Black, 38; Frank Sparkman, aka Chucky, 42; Antonio Sowell, aka Premo, 38; Tanasha Vaughn, aka Nesha, 24, all of Hohenwald, Tenn.; Charles Lowe-Kelley, aka White Chaz, 31, of Columbia, Tenn.; and Darron Weakley, aka Snype Lucas, 37; and Antonio Laster, aka Lil Memphis, 33, both of Nashville, Tenn. Michael Sowell and Antonio Sowell were also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A third indictment charged Keadrick Duke, aka Kebe, 41, of Columbia, Tenn., with distribution of crack cocaine in November 2018. Every defendant charged across these three indictments has now pleaded guilty, except for Brandon Dailey, who died while awaiting trial. Many of these defendants face mandatory minimum prison terms of five, ten, or fifteen years, and up to life in prison when they are sentenced later this year. This case is the result of a multi-agency investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani Gilkerson are prosecuting these cases. # # # # #


title: Central Texas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: WACO, Texas – A Gatesville man was sentenced in a federal court in Waco on Wednesday to 240 months in prison for possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors. According to court documents, Christopher Dallas Nelson, 43, possessed and uploaded images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct to various social media platforms. “The defendant in this case was dealt a significant and warranted prison sentence for his heinous actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Let this serve as a reminder and a warning to others that our society will not tolerate such vile abuse of vulnerable, innocent children. Sexual predators like Nelson will face the full force of the law and the consequences will be severe.” "The FBI is committed to protecting children from abuse and exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division “Thanks to the hard work of the Southern Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the assistance our law enforcement partners, this individual is now off the streets." The FBI and Temple Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Massachusetts Man Arrested for Knowingly Concealing the Source of Material Support or Resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Wakefield, Mass. man was arrested today for knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources that he intended to go to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Mateo Ventura, 18, was charged today in a criminal complaint with one count of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Ventura will appear in federal court in Worcester at 12:30 p.m. today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. According to the charging documents, Ventura provided multiple gift cards to an individual he believed was an ISIS supporter, with the intention that the gift cards be sold on the dark web for a little less than face value and resulting profits be used to support ISIS. Ventura allegedly stated that he wanted the proceeds to go to ISIS “for war on kuffar,” (disbelievers). In total, it is alleged that between January and May 2023, Ventura donated $705 intended to support ISIS. The charge of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and Wakefield Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura J. Kaplan of Levy’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by Trial Attorneys Charles Kovats and Andrea Broach of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Crownpoint Woman Ordered to Pay Over Half a Million in Restitution to the Social Security Administration

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Marylynn Harry was sentenced to 5 years unsupervised probation and ordered to pay $551,436.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Harry, 63, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2023, to Social Security fraud, a felony offense under federal law. According to the plea agreement and other court records, Harry’s father, Alfred Becenti, passed away in October of 1996. At the time of his death, Becenti was receiving Retirement Insurance Benefits payments from SSA. Following her father’s death, Harry made herself the co-owner of the bank account the payments were deposited into and obtained numerous debit cards linked to account. She concealed and did not notify SSA or the bank of her father’s death and continually made use of the deposited funds. Over the course of twenty-five years, Harry fraudulently collected $551,436.00. When agents from SSA Office of the Inspector General confronted her, Harry quickly admitted wrongdoing. The SSA Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick E. Cordova prosecuted the case. # # # 23-125


title: Grand Jury Issues Superseding Indictment in $2.9 million dollar Paycheck Protection Program Fraud and Clean Air Act Conspiracy

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury has issued a superseding indictment charging Christopher Lee Carroll with multiple counts of bank fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, violations of the Clean Air Act, and witness tampering. The federal grand jury also indicted the company run by Carroll, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, with twenty-one counts of violating the Clean Air Act. The superseding indictment charges Carroll with three counts of bank fraud, six counts of money laundering, and three counts of making false statements of a financial institution in connection with Carroll’s company, Square One Group’s, receipt of two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, one in the amount of more than $1.2 million, and the second loan in the amount of more than $1.6 million. The superseding indictment alleges that Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, submitted PPP loan applications in their spouses’ names, rather than their own names, to misrepresent and conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. It is further alleged, that Carroll and Reed did not use the funds to compensate their employees, but instead, used the funds to start a trucking company called Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, and to fund $660,000 in payments to themselves. The superseding indictment further alleges that the company suspended their employees’ pay and health insurance coverage after applying for PPP funds. The superseding indictment further alleges that Carroll and his company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, violated the Clean Air Act by unlawfully removing the emissions control systems from more than 30 diesel-fueled trucks, which caused the trucks to release between 30 and 300 more pollutants into the atmosphere. The superseding indictment also alleges that Carroll asked his employees to take the fall for the Clean Air Act violations, and when one of the employees indicated that he was going to talk to federal investigators, Carroll threatened not to pay for the employee’s attorney. "Square One Group received nearly $3,000,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds intended to sustain their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis" said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker. "Instead, company owners Chris Carroll and George Reed allegedly used those funds to start new businesses and compensate themselves all while laying off the very staff for whom those funds were intended.” “The defendants violated the Clean Air Act by removing devices designed specifically to reduce pollution on more than 20 heavy-duty diesel trucks,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal investigation program in Missouri. “Diesel exhaust not only worsens air quality, but harms people’s health, in particular people with respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD, so when these illegal trucks travel through neighborhoods they are creating serious health problems for residents.” Charges set forth in the superseding indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Matthew Drake are handling the case.


title: Four Arizona Swindlers Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Four Arizona residents were sentenced to significant prison terms in connection with their schemes to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, a federal loan initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. All four defendants, Willie Mitchell, Sean Swaringer, Kimberly Coleman, and Jason Coleman pleaded guilty to Bank Fraud. They were each sentenced as follows: Willie Mitchell, aka Blu Mitchell, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on February 6, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 97 months in prison. Sean Swaringer, 57, of Peoria, Arizona, was sentenced on April 4, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 121 months in prison. Kimberly Coleman, 39, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, by Judge Logan to 120 months in prison. Jason Coleman, 41, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on May 15, 2023, by Judge Logan to 60 months in prison. In addition to their respective prison terms, all four defendants also were ordered to serve five years of supervised release. Mitchell, working with others, fraudulently obtained seven PPP loans totaling $9,470,900. He purchased a vehicle, multiple properties, and vacations with the PPP funds. Swaringer obtained four fraudulent PPP loans totaling more than $1.5 million on behalf of two entities: Cryotherapy for Veterans and Cryoworld Therapy, LLC. In addition to his own loans, Swaringer also recruited more than 10 individuals to apply for fraudulent PPP loans. He assisted in preparing and submitting their PPP applications in exchange for kickbacks from their PPP loan proceeds. Swaringer was ordered to pay more than $3.8 million in restitution for his own loans and the kickbacks from at least 15 other PPP loans. Swaringer purchased jewelry, vehicles, vacations, and real estate with the fraudulent funds. Kimberly Coleman and her husband, Jason Coleman, collectively prepared and submitted approximately two dozen fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to receive more than $30 million in PPP funds. They were successful in at least 10 of those submissions and fraudulently obtained more than $13 million in PPP funds. The Colemans’ purchases included luxury vehicles and real estate properties, personal property from several high-end retail outlets, vacation, and jewelry. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in these cases, with significant assistance from Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions. CASE NUMBERS: CR21-00977-001-PHX-GMS CR21-00981-001-PHX-SPL CR21-00975-002-PHX-SPL CR21-00975-001-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-088_Mitchell-Swaringer-Coleman # # # 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: Rhode Island Beef Slaughterhouse, Owner Admit to Violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Johnston, RI, beef slaughterhouse and an owner of the company have admitted to a federal judge that they committed fraud when they claimed that product they processed and suppled to customers had been federally inspected and passed as required under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) when, in fact, it had not, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Rhode Island Beef and Veal and one of its owners, Michael A. Quattrucci, pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding customers by claiming that beef had been inspected under the FMIA, as well as by preparing beef without complying with inspection requirements of the FMIA. Rhode Island Beef and Veal also pleaded guilty to a charge of defrauding customers by use of an official inspection mark of the Secretary of Agriculture without authorization. According to information presented to the court, on August 20, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service served RI Beef and Veal with a notice of suspension and withdrew its inspector. Eight days after the suspension was imposed and the inspector was withdrawn, a USDA supervisor visited the plant and found employees packing various cuts of meat and applying USDA marks of inspections to the meat. Additionally, packaged meat with USDA stickers attached was found stored in five bins. No inspector was present, as is required by law for these marks to be applied. A day later, a USDA investigator visited the slaughterhouse and took photos of the illegally marked packages of beef that had been retained from the day before; he also noted 224 pounds of unmarked ground beef and a 594-pound half carcass of beef that had been freshly cut into primal parts for delivery to a customer in Connecticut who supplies meat products to restaurants. Michael Quattrucci is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2023; Rhode Island Beef and Veal is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zechariah Chafee and Dulce Donovan.. The matter was investigated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. ###


title: Registered Sex Offender from Harwich Indicted for Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Harwich man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston on child pornography offenses. Jonathan Fleischmann, 35, was indicted today on one count of possession of child pornography. Fleischmann was previously arrested and charged on May 16, 2023 and remains in federal custody. According to the charging documents, Fleischmann’s co-workers reported to law enforcement that, between March 17 and March 18, 2023, Fleischmann’s cellphone was allegedly observed downloading suspected child pornography media files while his phone was left open and charging on a counter at their workplace. During a subsequent search of Fleischmann’s cellphone allegedly identified approximately 255 image files and 55 video files that contained suspected child pornography. Fleischmann is currently facing separate state charges in Barnstable Superior Court for allegedly invading a Yarmouth home and forcibly taking a 16-year-old female at gunpoint into her house as she arrived home from school in 2020. That investigation allegedly revealed that Fleishmann had accessed a dark web hidden service on his cellphone dedicated to the trafficking of child pornography. The case remains pending. Fleishmann is a Level 3 sex offender due to prior convictions in Barnstable District Court of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14 in 2006 and Open and Gross Lewdness in 2017. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ten Charged With Violent Kidnapping Of A Minor In The Bronx And Related Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging ADONYS CASTILLO, a/k/a “Candela,” GERARD VALENTINE FRIAS, a/k/a “Monkey,” JADEL ARAUJO, a/k/a “Negro,” a/k/a “Negromoneymaker,” HENRY MARCANO, a/k/a “KC,” JOSHUA TORRES, EDWIN RAMIREZ, RANDY BAUTISTA, JARYLIZ ORTEGA, ELVIO TORIBIO, and CLAUDY BRATINI, a/k/a “Cilantro,” with conspiring to kidnap a minor in the Bronx, New York. The defendants have been charged in the violent abduction of a 16-year-old victim (the “Victim”). The Indictment is assigned to United States District Judge Laura Taylor Swain. CASTILLO, FRIAS, MARCANO, TORRES, BAUTISTA, ORTEGA, AND TORIBIO were arrested last night and this morning and are expected to be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. ARAUJO, who is currently in federal custody in connection with a separate firearms offense, and BRATINI, who was previously in state custody and has been transferred to federal custody, will also be presented later today. RAMIREZ is a fugitive. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, a 16-year-old child was beaten and kidnapped over the course of 19 hours before he was dumped on a desolate street under an overpass. The charges announced today hold the perpetrators responsible for their reprehensible crimes.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today and statements previously made on the record in this case and related matters: [1] In the early morning hours of April 26, 2022, the Victim, along with two others, robbed a location where marijuana was sold. The defendants immediately gave chase, including EDWIN RAMIREZ and JOSHUA TORRES, who discharged a firearm as they pursued the Victim and his friends who had just stolen bags of marijuana from the drug-selling location. The defendants were able to capture the Victim. The defendants then held the Victim against his will for approximately 19 hours. During this time, the Victim was severely beaten and transported from one building in the Bronx to another before being dropped off under an overpass. The Victim was found by a bystander the next morning on April 27, 2022, after having been left on the street, hog-tied and drifting in and out of consciousness, the night before. According to a doctor who treated the 16-year-old Victim, the Victim suffered from lacerations to his brain. All 10 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to kidnap a minor, and RAMIREZ and TORRES have been charged with the use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. * * * A chart containing the names and ages of the defendants who were charged today, the charges, and the minimum and maximum penalties they face is attached. All of the defendants are residents of the Bronx, New York. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ni Qian and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendant Age Charges Minimum and Maximum Penalties ADONYS CASTILLO 27 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison GERARD VALENTINE FRIAS 28 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison JADEL ARAUJO 23 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison HENRY MARCANO 27 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison JOSHUA TORRES 27 Kidnapping conspiracy; use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime Mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison; maximum of life in prison EDWIN RAMIREZ 28 Kidnapping conspiracy; use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime Mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison; maximum of life in prison RANDY BAUTISTA 21 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison JARYLIZ ORTEGA 28 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison ELVIO TORIBIO 27 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison CLAUDY BRATINI 27 Kidnapping conspiracy Mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; maximum of life in prison [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Castillo et al Indictment


title: Louisville Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced today for possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, United Stated Marshal Gary B. Burman of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Danny Lee Maupin, 39, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Maupin was found in possession of a firearm on September 21, 2021, when he was arrested by the United States Marshals Service Western Kentucky Regional Task Force pursuant to a Jefferson Circuit Court warrant for his failure to appear for charges of complicity to attempted arson in the second degree. The case was investigated by the USMS, the ATF, and the LMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Shannon 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: Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Louisville Man for Fentanyl Distribution Charges

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 6, 2023, charging a Louisville man with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement. According to the indictment, beginning in October 2022, and continuing through May 24, 2023, Markus Stillwell, 34, conspired to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, to include 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Additionally, on May 24, 2023, Stillwell possessed with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Stillwell was previously charged by federal complaint and remains in federal custody. Yesterday, he made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by HSI Louisville and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding California Car Dealership

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Uziewe, 63, of Grayson, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud related to an online scheme that defrauded a business owner in California and a second business owner in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Uziewe owned a purported business named God’s Word Christian Book Store. In March 2020, the first victim, an owner of a classic car dealership in Irvine, began communicating with a purported seller of two transmissions. At the seller’s direction, the victim sent more than $13,000 to the God’s Word business account that Uziewe controlled at Ameris Bank. The victim never received the transmissions. Also, in April 2020, the second victim, an owner of a nail salon in Jersey City, New Jersey, sent more than $100,000 to Uziewe’s Ameris Bank account. She sent the funds to assist the return to the United States of an individual who claimed he was a surgeon working for the United Nations in Yemen and needed money to pay for costs associated with traveling to the United States. When Uziewe attempted to withdraw the funds from the God’s Word account, he falsely claimed that they were proceeds of book sales. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta is scheduled to sentence Uziewe on Sept. 14, 2023. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Insurance Broker Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $1.2 Million from Clients’ Investment Accounts Through Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Bruce Ford, 50, of Centerpoint, Indiana has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. According to court documents, Ford was licensed as an insurance broker in Indiana beginning in 2008. From January 1, 2013, through December of 2018, Ford stole approximately $1.2 million from at least ten victims through a fraudulent investment and Ponzi scheme. On April 5, 2012, Ford created Ford Financial and Insurance Services. Through his company, Ford promoted investment services to current and former insurance clients and others despite the fact that he had not register himself or his company with the Indiana Securities Division, as required by law. As part of his scheme and in order to induce his current and former insurance clients to invest with his company, Ford falsely held himself out to be a financial advisor and promised clients through false and misleading claims and omissions that he could provide higher returns on their investments than they would otherwise yield from their traditional and long-term investment products such as Individual Retirement Accounts and 401ks. Ford induced his clients to cash out their retirement and other investment accounts and transfer the funds to Self-Directed Individual Retirement Accounts (SDIRA). Rather than invest the funds in real estate and business ventures as promised, Ford transferred the victims’ investment money out of their SDIRAs to his own personal bank accounts, and used the stolen money for his own purposes, including to pay his personal credit cards, and to purchase goods, services, a mobile-home, land, and a recreational vehicle. Some of Fords’ victims were already retired or were approaching retirement and were left to suffer substantial financial hardship. Ford concealed his scheme for five years through Ponzi-scheme type payments—using funds wrongfully taken from some investors to pay purported returns to others. In total, Ford fraudulently obtained $1,264,208.13 from his victims. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement. “This defendant took advantage of the trust of Hoosier workers and retirees to steal the hard-earned savings intended to provide for the retirements they’d planned,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Crooks operating Ponzi schemes under the guise of providing financial services must be identified and held accountable for their crimes. The sentence imposed today is the result of our commitment—together with the FBI, Indiana’s Securities Division and all of our law enforcement partners—to protect investors from fraud.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana Secretary of State Securities Division investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Ford be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. Ford was also ordered to pay $1,089,708.13 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Social Worker Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Defrauding Program for Developmentally Delayed Children

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, social worker Enock Mensah was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 42 months’ imprisonment for health care fraud and theft of federal funds after a jury found him guilty of defrauding the New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP), a public program designed to provide remedial services to developmentally delayed children. Mensah was also ordered to pay over $177,000 in restitution. Mensah was convicted in December 2019 following a one-week trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the sentence. “Mensah shamefully enriched himself at the expense of the children who the Early Intervention Program is meant to benefit,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With today’s sentence, the defendant paid the price for abusing the trust placed in him as a social worker for vulnerable families. This case should deter others who would attempt to defraud public benefit programs.” “With today's sentence, Mr. Mensah will face the consequences of taking advantage of a program designed to assist those in need of specialized care. For all those willing to exploit the public benefit system for their own self interest, let this case serve as a warning. The FBI and our partners are committed to eradicating abuse and fraud in these systems,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “This defendant’s reprehensible scheme deprived children with special needs of assistance they required and deserved; today he faces the serious consequences of his illegal conduct,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber. “DOI is proud to work with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI to protect the public funds that support critical services for New York’s children and families.” Between August 2013 and October 2018, Mensah fraudulently billed Medicaid and EIP for more than 1,700 therapy sessions that never occurred, resulting in the theft of more than $145,000 in Medicaid funds and more than $29,000 in New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene funds. At the trial, several parents of special needs children testified that Mensah did not provide therapy sessions to which their families were entitled under the program, despite documents showing that Mensah claimed to have done so and submitted claims forms for payment to the health care agencies. One parent testified that she was in the Dominican Republic with her autistic child when Mensah billed for two purported therapy sessions with them. Mensah fabricated more than one thousand session notes in order to receive payment for work he had not done. In some cases, he forged the parents’ signatures on these claims forms; in others, he persuaded them to sign blank forms, which he later filled with falsified information and used to justify payment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Harris, Anthony Bagnuola, and Oren Gleich are in charge of the prosecution with assistance of Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett. The Defendant : ENOCK MENSAH Age: 62 Franklin Park, New Jersey E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-60 (S-1) (AMD)


title: Repeat Domestic Abuser Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms During Domestic Assault

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Harold Sanders, 34, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm. According to court documents, on June 13, 2022, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers received a 9-1-1 phone call from Sanders’ girlfriend who was screaming for help as Sanders was assaulting her. During the phone call, Sanders was heard asking where his other pistol was and making verbal threats. Officers responded to the residence and found the girlfriend with visible injuries. She told officers that Sanders had struck her in the head seven times with a firearm. A search of the residence yielded one loaded .380 caliber handgun under a bedroom mattress, and another one loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine inside the microwave. The girlfriend’s blood was found on the 9mm firearm. Sanders is prohibited under federal law from ever possessing a firearm again because of his prior felony convictions for Assault by Means Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury, Infliction of Corporal Injury on a Spouse, and First Degree Criminal Domestic Violence. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement. “Again and again, we see armed domestic abusers inflict injury and death on those closest to them,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “We must interrupt the cycle of violence through aggressive federal prosecution of the worst offenders, like the defendant here. Through our L.E.A.T.H. initiative, we will continue working alongside IMPD and ATF to protect victims by sending these dangerous offenders to federal prison, where they belong.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Sanders be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Abhi Kambli, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Roberts man accused of kidnapping woman

body_text: BILLINGS — A Roberts man accused of kidnapping a woman in Wyoming and holding her at his residence until she escaped appeared today in federal court on a kidnapping charge, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Adolfo Vargas Lepe, 59, had an initial appearance on a criminal complaint charging him with kidnapping. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lepe faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Lepe was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that from April to May 29, Lepe kidnapped a woman, identified as Victim #1, from a residence in Lander, Wyoming, and took her to his residence in Roberts, where the victim was not free to leave. Lepe is accused of repeatedly assaulting and mentally abusing the victim. The victim escaped on May 29 and called 911 for help. A criminal complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Billings Police Department and Lander, Wyoming, Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-100. 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: Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Committed at McDonald's Drive-Thru

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez sentenced Bushawn Shelton to 37 years’ imprisonment for his leadership role in the October 4, 2018 killing of 71-year-old Sylvester Zottola and the July 11, 2018 attempted murder of Salvatore Zottola. The defendant pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy on August 22, 2022. Co-defendants Anthony Zottola and Himen Ross were sentenced to life imprisonment following their convictions at trial . Co-defendants Herman Blanco, Arthur Codner, Jason Cummings, and Branden Peterson previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment that ranged from 16 to 22 years. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “For more than a year, the defendant led the charge in stalking, beating, stabbing, and eventually shooting an elderly man purely for money,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The lengthy sentence meted out brings an end to the brutality of this violent group. The community is safer as a result.” As proven at the trial of Shelton’s co-conspirators, Anthony Zottola, Sr., hired Bushawn Shelton to kill Zottola’s father, Sylvester, and his brother, Salvatore. Shelton recruited numerous others to commit the murders, and together they engaged in a year-long conspiracy to carry out a series of violent attacks against Sylvester and Salvatore Zottola. Among other attempts, on November 26, 2017, Sylvester Zottola was menaced at gunpoint by a masked individual. On December 27, 2017, three men invaded Sylvester Zottola’s residence, struck him on the head with a gun, stabbed him multiple times, and slashed his throat. Zottola survived the attack. On July 11, 2018, a gunman shot Salvatore Zottola in the head, chest, and hand in front of his residence. Zottola survived the shooting. Shelton arranged for the placement of a tracking device on Sylvester Zottola’s car, allowing co-defendant Himen Ross, a fellow Bloods gang member, to track Sylvester Zottola to a McDonald’s restaurant on Webster Avenue. There, while Zottola waited at the drive-through to pick up a cup of coffee, Ross fatally shot him multiple times. Ross and Shelton exchanged texts immediately after the hit, and then Shelton and Anthony Zottola exchanged texts, in which Anthony was informed that his father had just been murdered. Shelton texted Anthony Zottola: “Can we party today or tomorrow?” Anthony Zottola assured Shelton that he would have Shelton’s payment for carrying out the murder ready soon: “I have the cases of water in a day or so.” A photograph later recovered from one of Shelton’s cellular telephones depicts a cardboard box of bottled water, as well as over $200,000 in banded currency. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla C. Bensing, Emily J. Dean, Devon Lash, and Andrew M. Roddin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Brittany Wissel. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris assisted with forfeiture matters. The Defendant : BUSHAWN SHELTON (also known as “Shellz”) Age: 39 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-609 (S-3) (HG)


title: Framingham Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms and Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A Framingham man was indicted today for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Edwin Alago, 42, was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Alago was previously arrested on related state charges and will appear in federal court at a later date. According to the indictment, in May 2021, Alago possessed a SCCY .9mm CPX-2 semi-automatic pistol bearing a defaced serial number and seven rounds of .9mm ammunition. It is further alleged that, in November 2022, Alago possessed a Colt, automatic, .25mm pistol and six rounds of .25 caliber ammunition. Due to multiple previous felony convictions for drug distribution and possession and assault with a dangerous weapon, Alago is considered an armed career criminal and is prohibited from possessing firearms. The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Due to Alago’s status as an armed career criminal, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. 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. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Four Defendants Charged In Connection With Extensive Prostitution Enterprise

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that four individuals were indicted on charges related to a prostitution enterprise called XO Companions, or XOC. The four defendants are Anton Panin, age 40, of Hollywood, Florida, Jennie Lawson, age 37, of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, Tracey Lawson, age 57, of Thomasville, Pennsylvania, and Viktoriia Zakirova, age 32, of Miami, Florida. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges each defendant with conspiring to transport women in interstate and foreign commerce with intent that the women engage in prostitution and conspiring to persuade women to travel to engage in prostitution. The indictment further charges Panin and the Lawsons with money laundering. The indictment explains that Panin and Zakirova recruited women in Russia and other Eastern European countries to travel to the United States to work as prostitutes for XO Companions. Once in the United States, XO Companions workers traveled throughout the country to meet with clients in major cities. XO Companions workers typically sent cash prostitution proceeds to the Lawsons, who in turn transported the money to Panin in Florida. Additionally, the defendants operated a password-protected website through which clients could view schedules, view services offered, reserve time, and provide reviews. “The indictment in this case has dismantled an extensive and long-running commercial sex enterprise that exploited countless women and repeatedly violated U.S. laws,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “We commend the law enforcement agents who coordinated across multiple agencies and worked tirelessly in the investigation that led to these charges.” “As the lead agency in this investigation, the Diplomatic Security Service demonstrated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of U.S. travel documents and the rights of visitors to the United States,” said the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Andrew Wroblewski. “Our strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania continues to be essential in pursuing those who profit from exploiting U.S. visa systems.” “Tracing money obtained as the result of criminal acts is the specialty of IRS Criminal Investigation agents,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who attempt to hide their criminal involvement will be held accountable.” "As alleged, Anton Panin, Viktoriia Zakirova, Jennie Lawson and Tracey Lawson operated an illicit prostitution ring over the span of many years in cities across the United States. To date, the investigation has identified hundreds of individuals linked to the criminal enterprise, some of whom are suspected of being victims of human trafficking,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “We would like to thank HSI Miami’s Fort Lauderdale office and HSI Philadelphia’s Harrisburg office for their significant contributions to this multi-year investigation. HSI is committed to working with law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions to protect potential victims from being exploited for personal profit. I commend the collaboration of our agents and our law enforcement partners whose investigative efforts over the past five years were instrumental in apprehending these suspected sex traffickers.” "The defendants preyed upon vulnerable women hoping for a better life in the United States, and they now will be held accountable for their heinous actions. Today's indictment sends a message to would be traffickers that the FBI and its partners are committed to protecting victims and bringing their predators to justice," said Philadelphia Division FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.” If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 866-347-2423 or SexTrafficking_Outreach@hsi.dhs.gov . The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment for the prostitution-related conspiracy and 20 years of imprisonment for money laundering, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Michael Wayne Lee Sentenced For Drug Offenses Related To An Overdose Death

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 8, 2023, Michael Wayne Lee, 45 of Blaine, Tennessee, was sentenced to 87 months in prison by the Honorable Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for three years. Following a 4-day trial, ending on January 27, 2023, Lee was convicted by the jury of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); Abetting the Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(c), and 18 U.S.C. § 2; and Using a Communication Facility to Conspire to Distribute Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 843(b) and (d)(1). According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on May 15, 2020, two inmates at the former Northeast Correctional Complex, Carter County Annex (NECX) of the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) were transported to a local hospital for treatment related to a fentanyl overdose; one inmate died. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and TDOC investigators responded to the facility to investigate the incident. During the investigation, they learned that Lee, an inmate at NECX, used a contraband cell phone to communicate with a co-defendant, Debra Kathleen Vekasi. Vekasi would acquire narcotics and transport them to Carter County. She would hide the narcotics in tennis balls, which were thrown over a security fence and into the recreation yard. Inmates would collect the narcotics-filled tennis balls for Lee, who would distribute the drugs throughout NECX. On May 15, 2020, the narcotics that Vekasi provided to the inmate in NECX included 30 fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. A search of Vekasi’s cell phone included text messages between her and Lee that discussed the receipt and distribution of narcotics, as well as the receipt and payment of money for the narcotics. On May 25, 2023, Vekasi, 70, of Knoxville, Tennessee, who was also convicted at trial, was sentenced by the Honorable Clifton Corker to time served (28 months) and three years of supervised release, for her role in the conspiracy. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the TBI and TDOC’s Office of Inspection and Compliance. The investigation was led by Special Agent Jason Roark of TBI. Assistant United States Attorneys B. Todd Martin and Mac D. Heavener represented the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Wynde Collins Sentenced To 121 Months For Expansive Loan Fraud Scheme

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 8, 2023, Wynde Collins, 56, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 121 months by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following a 12-day jury trial, which concluded on October 20, 2022, Collins was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, six counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 2, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1956(h). Following her imprisonment, Collins will be on supervised release for three years. Collins was ordered to pay $855,374.21 in restitution to the victims’ financial institutions in this case and was further ordered to forfeit $100,000 of the fraud proceeds she personally obtained. According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, investigators uncovered evidence of a fraudulent loan scheme during an investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization. From June 2014 through December 2019, Collins directed the scheme to defraud financial institutions by falsifying employment, income, and collateral information on auto loan and mortgage loan applications with credit unions and banks. Once the financial institutions funded the loans, Collins directed others, including co-conspirators to launder the loan proceeds. In total, over two million in fraudulent loans were funded. Co-defendant Alvin Johnson, an automobile broker who conspired with Collins, entered into a plea agreement with the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2023. “Collins’ fraud scheme caused financial hardship to individuals and exploited the loan practices of credit unions, all while the defendant enriched herself,” stated U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Francis M. Hamilton III. “It is critical that such fraudsters be stopped, and our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target criminal fraudulent activity.” “Illegal activity involving fraudulent loans has brought financial hardship to banks, credit unions and individual borrowers, “stated Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Special Agent in Charge, Charlotte Field Office, Donald “Trey” Eakins III. “IRS Criminal investigation is committed to using our accounting skills to help unravel complex fraud and money laundering schemes. We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who attempt to enrich themselves by fraudulent means, and to help put a stop to this and other types of white-collar crime.” This case was the result of an investigation by the IRS– Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The investigation was led by IRS Special Agent Meredith Louden and DEA Task Force Office Nathan Stinnett. Assistant United States Attorneys Anne-Marie Svolto and Jennifer Kolman represented the United States. ###


title: Johnstown Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison and 4 Years of Supervised Release for Conspiring to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, and Fentanyl

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Johnstown, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Amber Lingafelt, age 40, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. According to information presented to the court, from on or about April 2019 to on or about July 2021, Lingafelt did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, a quantity of heroin, and a quantity of fentanyl. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Mr. Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Lingafelt. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Elias Nick Costianes, age 44, formerly of Nottingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms and ammunition by an unlawful user of any controlled substance. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to his plea agreement, on February 12, 2021, the FBI executed search warrants at Costianes’s residence, his vehicle, and on his cellphone. Costianes was taken into custody pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Costianes was advised of his Miranda rights and voluntarily agreed to be interviewed. Costianes told agents that he kept four firearms in cases in the basement. Law enforcement searched the basement and recovered the four firearms described by Costianes: a 9mm pistol; a M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle; a .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a 12-gauge shotgun, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition, including 9mm, .22 caliber, .223 caliber, and shotgun cartridges. A box containing 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition was also found in the trunk of Costianes’ vehicle. Two of the firearms were semiautomatic and capable of accepting a large-capacity magazine. As detailed in his plea agreement, during the search, law enforcement also recovered marijuana and four vials containing either testosterone enanthate or testosterone cypionate, both controlled substances. The electronic evidence from Costianes’ phone, including photographs and text message conversations, revealed that Costianes illegally used cocaine, testosterone, and marijuana and that his use of each substance was consistent, prolonged, and recent. Constianes admitted that not only did he purchase cocaine and testosterone for his personal use, but that he also conspired to distribute, and did distribute, cocaine and testosterone to others. Costianes and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, the government will recommend that Costianes not be sentenced to more than 37 months in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2023, at 10 a.m. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the federal case. Mr. Barron also thanked Paralegals Andrew Branigan, Mark Phares, Matthew Kerrigan, and Derek Harwerth, and Intelligence Research Specialist Angelina Thompson for their assistance. 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: New Hampshire Man Who Shipped Kilos Of Fentanyl In The Mail, To Grand Rapids And Across The Country, Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Craig Warme, 24, of New Hampshire was sentenced to 156 months in the Bureau of Prisons after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Jane M. Beckering also ordered that when Warme is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for three years. “Foolishly, Mr. Warme thought he could illegally operate an online store on the dark web trafficking poison across our state and country,” said U.S Attorney Totten . “My office will hold traffickers peddling drugs accountable.” From June 2022 through December 2022, Warme operated an online store on the dark web under the username “DopeKingUSA.” Warme advertised various forms of heroin for sale on the site and mailed drug orders across the country, including to several customers and undercover investigators in Grand Rapids, using the United States Postal Service. Investigators determined that the drugs that Warme provided were actually fentanyl, not heroin, as advertised. Warme received a total of $417,355 in gross sales in the seven months his dark web store was operational. The Court found that he was responsible for trafficking more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl during that time. “Postal inspectors work every day to prevent the flow of illicit drugs through the U.S. mail and to ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division . “This investigation and resulting sentence imposed today on Craig Warme is a testament to the commitment postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners have to identifying and seeking prosecution of individuals who are deliberately distributing deadly fentanyl into our communities. The Postal Inspection Service is committed to combatting the opioid and fentanyl epidemic by pursuing drug traffickers who attempt to exploit the distribution channels of the Postal Service while wrongly believing the dark web allows them to engage in criminal activity with anonymity.” “This investigation clearly demonstrates the dark web does not provide a safe haven from which criminals can anonymously distribute fentanyl and other illicit drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene . “DEA and our partners will relentlessly pursue individuals like Mr. Warme, no matter where they operate or the means by which they distribute their illicit and deadly products.” This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Michigan State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Team and the New Hampshire State Police. ###


title: Four Michigan Pharmacies Settle Alleged Controlled Substances Act Violations

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT –Four Michigan pharmacies have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division. In 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating HealthPlus Pharmacy of Ann Arbor, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Brighton, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Howell, and All Care Pharmacy in Allen Park (collectively, Health Plus Pharmacies) for potential violations of the CSA. The DEA’s investigation revealed that Health Plus Pharmacies committed several significant recordkeeping violations, including failing to maintain a complete and accurate record of all Schedule II controlled substances dispensed by the pharmacies. The DEA also determined that Health Plus Pharmacies failed to maintain effective controls to guard against the diversion of controlled substances. As a result, DEA concluded that Health Plus Pharmacies could not properly account for more than 30,000 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills over an approximate 18-month period. As part of the settlement agreement, Health Plus Pharmacies will collectively pay civil penalties of $180,000. Health Plus Pharmacies has also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA requiring, among other things, that the pharmacies hire an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of highly abused controlled substances over the next two years and to institute a broad-based educational program for its employees that focuses on prevention of drug diversion in the workplace. “Our Office is committed to combatting the opioid crisis and will seek to hold accountable participants at every level of the distribution chain who fail to comply with their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Pharmacies play a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion, and this settlement helps ensure these four pharmacies comply with the law.” “The failure to adhere to regulations by medical professionals adds fuel to the inferno that is the opioid crisis. We will protect our community by vigorously pursuing pharmacies and pharmacists that fail to follow proper procedures as they relate to controlled substances," said Special Agent in Charge Greene. Congress passed the CSA to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with strict inventory and documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances. This matter was investigated by Diversion Investigators from DEA’s Detroit Field Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Coal Company and Agent Sentenced for Submitting False Coal Dust Sampling

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Black Diamond Coal Company, LLC and Walter Perkins, a certified dust examiner, were sentenced on Thursday for violating the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) regulations requiring accurate respirable coal-dust-sampling in underground coal mines. Black Diamond was sentenced for submitting false samples and Perkins was further sentenced for lying to MSHA special investigators. Respirable coal dust causes pneumoconiosis or “black lung” disease in coal workers. Black lung is a progressive and irreversible disease leading to lung failure and death. However, it is preventable, by reducing the levels of respirable coal dust miners are exposed to while in the mines. According to court documents, on October 6 and 7, 2020, Black Diamond Coal submitted dust-sampling results to MSHA for its required quarterly sampling. Those results were abnormally low and led to inquiries from the MSHA Barbourville District Office. On October 8, 2020, MSHA inspectors and investigators visited the Black Diamond Number 1 mine in Floyd County. There, they found the company’s continuous personal dust monitor (CPDM) running on the surface, in a first aid trailer. The CPDM should be worn by a miner underground, as he worked his normal shift, to accurately sample the coal dust underground. A forensic analysis of the CPDM confirmed that it had not moved in days, despite Black Diamond submitting dust samples claiming it was conducting its required sampling underground, in accordance with MSHA’s mandatory health and safety regulations. Perkins was employed by Black Diamond and was certified by MSHA as a dust-examiner. As part of his certification, he was trained by MSHA on how to properly conduct the required dust-sampling. When confronted with the CPDM running in the first aid trailer, Perkins claimed that he had given the CPDM to miner operating the continuous mining machine, but the operator had returned it to him stating that the CPDM had stopped working because of a fault. That was false and Perkins later admitted that he never gave the CPDM to the miner operator and the device never experienced a fault. “Enforcement of mandatory health standards is a top priority for me and this Administration,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “The Mine Safety and Health Administration can only protect miners from the risk of developing black lung disease if it has accurate sampling results. Given the troubling spike in black lung cases in Appalachia, we must hold accountable those who choose not to comply with the law and put miners’ health and lives at risk.” Black Diamond was sentenced to pay a fine of $200,000 and to two years of probation. Further, because there is no immediate way of knowing whether any miners may develop black lung because of dust overexposure, Black Diamond was ordered to pay restitution of $400 to any miner who is no longer employed in the mining industry – meaning they no longer have access to free black lung screenings – to obtain their own screenings. This restitution for miners exposed to unknown respirable dust levels, after a company falsified the dust-sampling, is the first of its kind. Perkins, 45 of Harlan County, was sentenced to a 12-month split sentence, with 6 months to be served in prison and 6 months to be served in home detention, followed by one year of supervised release to follow. “The purpose of these safety regulations is to prevent a progressive and irreversible disease,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “If employers falsify the dust sampling, not only are they are violating the law they are dramatically reducing the safety of their employees. That is simply unacceptable, and compelled us to prosecute this case.” “Mine operators bear the responsibility for the safety and health of the miners they employ, and when operators avoid their legal obligation, the U.S. Department of Labor will use its enforcement powers to hold them accountable,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “We thank the United States Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to enforce critical health regulations designed to prevent black lung.” The investigation of the case was conducted by MSHA’s Barbourville District Office. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Greenfield and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grover, from the Department of Labor, represented the United States. – END –