title: Justice Department Launches Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach Program

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS – The Department of Justice today announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. “This new program mobilizes the Justice Department’s resources to combat the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, which has shattered the lives of victims, their families, and entire Tribal communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with Tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families.” “These new positions represent the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis with urgency and all of the tools at our disposal,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “MMIP prosecutors and coordinators will work with partners across jurisdictions and alongside the Tribal communities who have been most devastated by this epidemic.” U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell stated, “Year after year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District South Dakota dedicates a significant portion of its resources to combatting crime and promoting public safety in Indian country. We are honored to have been selected as one of five districts to receive additional funding to hire an AUSA who will be specifically dedicated to MMIP matters. Given the urgency of the issue, we wasted no time in selecting an experienced attorney to serve in this capacity—Troy Morley, the District’s Tribal Liaison, will be the MMIP AUSA for the Great Plains Region.” The MMIP regional program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People , and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022. The program will dedicate five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators to provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions, and MMIP personnel will be located within host United States Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Eastern Washington, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Western Michigan. Programmatic support will be provided by the MMIP Regional Outreach Program Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA). “The Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the United States Attorney community are committed to preventing and responding to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. To that end, we will work together with all relevant federal, Tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners to locate missing persons and solve crimes where they have occurred,” said EOUSA Director Monty Wilkinson. “This new program will allow the Department to build upon the work done by individual United States Attorneys’ offices and ensure continued support to those offices by coordinating outreach regionally on MMIP matters.” More broadly, this MMIP Program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voice of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP Program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP.


title: Justice Department Launches Missing Or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach Program

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Program will place 10 new personnel in Five Regions, including the Great Lakes Region GRAND RAPIDS – The Department of Justice today announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. “My office is committed to strengthening the federal response to missing or murdered indigenous people and the many victims of violence in our tribal communities and the families that are affected,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “The Justice Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort that takes many forms. This new outreach program is another critical tool to help address the MMIP crisis by promoting and bettering communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state partners on a regional basis.” “This new program mobilizes the Justice Department’s resources to combat the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, which has shattered the lives of victims, their families, and entire Tribal communities.” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland . “The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with Tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families.” The program will dedicate five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators to provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions, and MMIP personnel will be located within host United States Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Eastern Washington, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Western Michigan. Programmatic support will be provided by the MMIP Regional Outreach Program Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys. The MMIP Coordinator hosted by the Western District of Michigan will work with the MMIP AUSA assigned to the District of Minnesota. “These new positions represent the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis with urgency and all of the tools at our disposal,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco . “MMIP prosecutors and coordinators will work with partners across jurisdictions and alongside the Tribal communities who have been most devastated by this epidemic.” The MMIP regional program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to United States Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People , and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022. “The Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the United States Attorney community are committed to preventing and responding to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. To that end, we will work together with all relevant federal, Tribal, state and local law enforcement partners to locate missing persons and solve crimes where they have occurred,” said Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson . “This new program will allow the Department to build upon the work done by individual United States Attorneys’ offices and ensure continued support to those offices by coordinating outreach regionally on MMIP matters. More broadly, this MMIP Program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voice of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP Program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP. # # #


title: California Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a California man on a drug trafficking charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Blackburn sentenced Esteban Roberto Ortiz, 43, to 300 months in prison. Ortiz was convicted in February of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. The jury also returned a special verdict that the offense involved more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Evidence at trial proved that Ortiz conspired with others to transport approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana from California to Alabama. Ortiz coordinated couriers to travel to Alabama in a vehicle containing an after-market hidden compartment where the methamphetamine and marijuana were stored. After the couriers were stopped in Oklahoma, agents from DEA Oklahoma City and DEA Birmingham coordinated a controlled delivery of this car to Alabaster, Alabama, to meet Ortiz, where he was taken into custody. Evidence at trial further showed that, ahead of the vehicle’s arrival, Ortiz was planning for the distribution of these drugs to a network of drug associates in Alabama. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case.


title: Use of a Phone to Facilitate Cocaine Distribution on Menominee Indian Reservation Leads to Prison Sentence for Keshena Woman

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Candice A. Sanapaw (age: 42), of Keshena on the Menominee Indian Reservation, received a sentence of 12 months in federal prison following a conviction for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug offense. The sentence, imposed on June 26, 2023, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of a guilty plea entered by the defendant on March 14, 2023. Sanapaw will also face one year of supervised release once she completes her sentence. According to court records, an investigation revealed that on June 3, 2021, law enforcement responded to an address on 1st Avenue in Neopit, Wisconsin, on report of an unconscious female who was not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts by officers and first responders, the woman was declared deceased. A subsequent autopsy revealed the presence of cocaine metabolites and fentanyl, and the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the woman’s cause of death to be Acute Mixed Drug Intoxication. Examination of the deceased’s phone and interviews with her associates led to the identification of Sanapaw as the source of the cocaine that led to the woman’s death. The investigation further revealed that the deceased had purchased cocaine from Sanapaw on four prior occasions. In sentencing the defendant, Judge Griesbach noted the seriousness of the crime the defendant committed and remarked upon the need to deter those who might consider similar actions to protect the community from the destructive effects of the abuse of controlled substances. The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted in United States District Court. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Billings rancher sentenced for defrauding Bureau of Land Management in grazing fee scheme

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLILNGS — A Billings cattle rancher who admitted defrauding the Bureau of Land Management of fees in a grazing scheme in which he lied about the ownership and number of cattle he was grazing was sentenced today to four years of probation, fined $35,000 and ordered to pay $143,714 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Gene John Klamert, 71, pleaded guilty in January to mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that between 2017 and 2020, Klamert held a BLM grazing permit that allowed him to graze his cattle on public land near Winnett. The permit authorized Klamert to graze cattle he owned for a low monthly base rate, compared to private grazing fees, which are typically 10 times higher or more. Klamert’s BLM permit also authorized him to graze other people’s cattle, but he was required to report them and pay a surcharge for every head of cattle he grazed that he did not personally own. BLM first discovered Klamert underreporting cattle in 2017. When confronted, Klamert admitted grazing 100 cattle that did not belong to him and that he did not report. Klamert actually grazed at least 620 cattle that he failed to report and thereby, avoided paying the required surcharge. Before the next grazing season, BLM reminded Klamert that he must report other people’s cattle he intended to graze and pay a surcharge for each. Klamert, however, ignored these warnings and continued misreporting cattle for the next three seasons. To hide the cattle and avoid the surcharge, Klamert submitted to the BLM fake bills of sale purporting to have purchased 1,515 head of cattle between 2018 and 2020 that he in fact did not own and never purchased. The fraudulent bills of sale enabled Klamert to avoid paying $65,612 in surcharge fees. Klamert also defrauded the BLM by continuing to graze other people’s cattle that he simply never reported. In total, Klamert grazed more than 2,000 cattle that he chose not to report, avoiding an additional $78,884 in surcharges to the BLM. Klamert defrauded BLM of a total of $144,497. He paid back $782 after his reprimand in 2017, bringing the fraud loss to $143,714. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Hargrove and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case. The BLM conducted the investigation. XXX


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced in Armed  Bank Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery Case

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On June 27, 2023, New Orleans resident, DEVIN CHANEY ( “ CHANEY ” ) , age 33, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 188 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. CHANEY had previously pled guilty to one count of Armed Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a) and (d) (Count 9); and one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a) (Count 3). Judge Guidry also ordered CHANEY to pay restitution in the amount of $4,706.00, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.00. CHANEY had been charged with committing five armed robberies in New Orleans during December 2021. He was also charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. CHANEY admitted that on Christmas Eve 2021, he entered the Capital One Bank in New Orleans, presented a demand note to a teller and received money but was disappointed in the amount. CHANEY then approached a second teller, pointing a firearm, and received additional money before leaving the bank. In total, CHANEY robbed the Capital One Bank of approximately $2,506.00. Additionally, on December 12, 2021, CHANEY entered a Subway sandwich shop in New Orleans, pointed a firearm at the cashier, demanding money and received approximately $600.00. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Long of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Louisiana Man Charged with Using Chat Program to Entice Minor

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Louisiana man was charged with using an internet-based chat application to entice an adolescent to engage in prohibited sexual activity, interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor, and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Spencer W. Caudle, 34, of Prairieville, Louisiana, is charged by complaint with one count each of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a minor through a facility of interstate commerce into prohibited sexual activity; interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor; and possession of child pornography. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on June 27, 2023, and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In April 2023, Caudle began interacting on online social media applications with the victim. Caudle’s communications with the victim were sexual in nature despite the victim informing Caudle the victim’s minor status. Caudle even expressed nervousness about being on the television show “To Catch a Predator,” but continued informing the victim of his desire to have sex with the victim. On May 26, 2023, Caudle drove from Louisiana to meet and have sex with the victim in Toms River, New Jersey. On May 27, 2023, Caudle, in fact, committed sexual acts on the victim. Later that night, Caudle left New Jersey to drive back to Louisiana. Local law enforcement became aware of Caudle’s prohibited sexual activity with the victim and began an investigation. In June 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer assumed the victim’s online and cellular presence and communicated with Caudle. During these conversations, Caudle confirmed his prior sexual acts with the victim and expressed a desire for further sexual activity. While communicating with the undercover officer, Caudle made plans to fly to New Jersey on June 16, 2023, to commit additional sexual acts on the victim. On June 16, 2023, Caudle flew from New Orleans, Louisiana to Newark Liberty International Airport. Law enforcement arrested Caudle in the airport. A search of a laptop Caudle brought to New Jersey revealed at least 10 images and five videos of child sexual abuse. The charge of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a minor into prohibited sexual activity through an internet-based chat application carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Atlantic City, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; and the Toms River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Mitchell A. Little, with the investigation leading to the complaint. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. caudle.complaint.pdf


title: Evadale Little League Coach Guilty of Federal Child Exploitation Violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas - A Lumberton man has pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Adam Dale Isaacks, 40, pleaded guilty to four counts of transporting a minor for purposes of sexual activity today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. According to information presented in court, on Dec. 13, 2021, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office responded to an Evadale home in reference to a report of several sexual assaults. As the investigation progressed, Isaacks was identified as the assailant. Isaacks, a youth baseball coach and president of the Evadale Little League Baseball organization and a trusted member of the community, was reported to have sexually assaulted eight minor members of his baseball team. The boys were between 9 and 11 years old the time of the offenses. The investigation revealed instances where several minor victims were transported by Isaacks from the Eastern District of Texas outside the state. While outside the State of Texas, Isaacks engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victims. The trips were verified with records from airlines, credit card information, photos, and witnesses. Under federal statutes, Isaacks faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. 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 Attorneys’ 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 is being investigated by the FBI, the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove. ###


title: East Hartford Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RIVERA, also known as “Chepo,” 43, last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 71 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for narcotics and firearm offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Department made controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Rivera and his associate, Elvin Gonzalez, also known as “Peewee.” Rivera and Gonzalez were arrested on June 25, 2021. On that date, a search of Rivera’s East Hartford residence revealed approximately 162 grams of loose fentanyl, 300 dose bags of fentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a handgun and a loaded magazine, and more than $19,000 in cash. A search of Gonzalez’s Hartford residence revealed approximately 4,000 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately 139 grams of crack, approximately 18 grams of cocaine, two loaded handguns, a loaded rifle, and additional rounds of ammunition. At the time of his arrest, Rivera was on parole after having served approximately 20 years in prison for committing a gang-related murder and a separate non-fatal shooting in 1997. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. On January 5, 2023, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to the same charges on November 10, 2021. On February 1, 2023, he was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment. The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming. This prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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: Six People Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury today indicted six people on fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. A 10-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Ionut Iamandita , 28, Milena Iamandita , 25, Elena Matei , 18, Florin Matei , 27, Larisa Iordache , 28, and Marius Iordache , 29, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Ionut Iamandita , Milena Iamandita , Elena Matei , Florin Matei , and Larisa Iordache were also charged with aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, from February 2023 to June 2023, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that used skimming devices and covert video cameras to steal Listerhill Credit Union and Avadian Credit Union customers’ account information. Conspirators then withdrew funds from ATMs using stolen account information. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud is 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison. The FBI and United States Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Lauderdale County’s Sherriff’s Office, Tuscaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, Hoover Police Department, and Vestavia Hills Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Elkhart Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Charles Ray Smith, 52 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Smith was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $315,020 in restitution to the victims of the offense. According to documents in the case, from November 2016 to October 2021, Smith represented to several people that if they invested money with him, they would receive large returns on their investments. Induced by Smith’s representations, certain individuals gave him money. Smith did not invest the money as promised, but instead used it for his own personal benefit including purchasing his 3,500-square-foot residence. As a result of this scheme, Smith fraudulently obtained over $300,000.00. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Participation in Coordinated National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe announced criminal charges against fourteen defendants in connection with over $1.9 billion in fraud prosecuted in the Southern District of Florida, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges stem from various schemes to defraud government and private health care benefit programs by submitting false claims for items and services that were not needed and, in many instances, never provided as well as a scheme to unlawfully distribute adulterated and misbranded prescription medications. “The results of this nationwide coordinated law enforcement effort that we announce today exemplify our office’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting health care fraud-related schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to hold accountable those who exploit health care programs for personal profit in South Florida.” “These enforcement actions, including against one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department, represent our intensified efforts to combat fraud and prosecute the individuals who profit from it,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.” “This nationwide enforcement action demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to fighting health care fraud and opioid abuse by prosecuting those who allegedly exploit patients and health care benefit programs for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement includes some of the largest and most complex cases that the Department has prosecuted, and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to seeking justice for those at all levels of the healthcare industry who put profits above patient care, from professionals in doctors’ offices to executives in corporate boardrooms.” The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Lapointe are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 78 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.5 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and, in some cases, used the proceeds of the schemes to purchase luxury items, including exotic automobiles and yachts. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Strike Forces in Brooklyn, Dallas, Detroit, the Gulf Coast, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, and Tampa; the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response Strike Force; the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Ohio, District of South Carolina, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Washington, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and the State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the department’s website at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2023-national-hcf-court-documents . The Southern District of Florida, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Region; FBI, Miami Field Office; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Atlanta Region; the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD OIG), Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Southeast Field Office; IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office; and the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG). “Federal health care programs are designed to provide access to high quality care to patients nationwide. When bad actors attempt to exploit those measures for illicit financial gain, they put greed before the needs and safety of their patients, and take valuable resources away from their intended recipients,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “As today’s enforcement action illustrates, HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to defending the federal health care system against fraud.” “These cases serve to highlight the magnitude of health care fraud in South Florida, but unfortunately are only the tip of the iceberg,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Our health care system is under constant attack by fraudsters who are driven by greed. They pilfer billions of dollars from Medicare and other health care benefit programs. The FBI, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the Department of Justice devote considerable resources to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these criminals. We will not relent. But, we need the public’s assistance. Please report suspicious activity, inform your insurance company if you see charges on your explanation of benefits for services you did not receive and protect your insurance cards and other personally identifiable information.” “The cases described in today's announcement reflect the FDIC OIG’s commitment to investigating allegations of fraud, including health care fraud schemes, that threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banking system,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon R. Richmond of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). “We will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to investigate such schemes, and are pleased to join them in announcing today’s enforcement action." “This indictment is an important step in protecting federal health care programs from fraudulent billing and ensuring patients receive uncompromised care through the Department of Defense’s TRICARE Program,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold health care fraudsters accountable and to protect patient health and safety.” The following defendants have been charged in the Southern District of Florida: In United States v. Rubier , Case No. 23-cr-80105, Yosbel Roque Rubier, 43, of Miami, Florida, was charged by indictment with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare of approximately $900,000 for durable medical equipment (“DME”) that was never supplied to Medicare beneficiaries. As alleged in the indictment, Rubier was the owner and operator of FCM Supply LLC (“FCM”), a clinic in Greenacres, Florida, that purported to provide DME to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. In a four-month period, FCM submitted approximately $900,000 in allegedly fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for DME that FCM never provided, and that Medicare beneficiaries never requested or needed. To support these fraudulent claims, Rubier used stolen means of identification of medical providers. As a result, Medicare paid approximately $443,000 to FCM. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Shaw is prosecuting it. In United States v. Cesar , Case No. 23-cr-20259, Tania Cesar, 55, of Hialeah, Florida, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud health care plans managed by Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”). As alleged in the Indictment, Cesar was a licensed physical therapist assistant at Elite Therapy Group, Inc (“Elite Therapy”), a physical therapy clinic in Miami, Florida. Cesar signed patient therapy records misrepresenting that she had provided physical therapy to insurance beneficiaries, when in fact she had not. Cesar’s co-conspirators at Elite Therapy, who were convicted for the Elite Therapy conspiracy in United States v. Wated et al., Case No. 21-cr-20110-MGC, submitted millions of dollars in claims to BCBS for physical therapy that Cesar purported to provide, but never did. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Bernal , Case No. 23-cr-20246, Arian Bernal, 43, of Hialeah, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud health care plans managed by Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”). As alleged in the information, Bernal paid kickbacks to beneficiaries to recruit them to visit several Miami clinics so that his co-conspirators could submit claims to those beneficiaries’ ASO insurance plans managed by BCBS. Those claims fraudulently represented that various health care benefits and services were medically necessary and provided to patients. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Perez , Case No. 23-cr-20269, Silvana Perez, 44, of Miami, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud health care plans managed by Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”). As alleged in the information, Perez paid kickbacks to beneficiaries to recruit them to visit a sleep study clinic so that her co-conspirators could submit claims to those beneficiaries’ ASO insurance plans managed by BCBS. Those claims fraudulently represented that various health care benefits and services were medically necessary and provided to patients. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Gonzalez, et al. , Case No. 23-20248, Ariel Gonzalez, 54, of Naples, Florida, and Linda Taylor, 55, of Miami, Florida, were charged for their roles in an alleged health care fraudulent billing scheme, along with several others who were previously charged in a separate Indictment and have since pleaded guilty. According to the Indictment, Gonzalez was one of the owners of Phoenix Rehab Center Corp., a physical therapy clinic based in Miami, that offered and paid kickbacks to patient recruiters, including Taylor, in exchange for referring beneficiaries of Administrative Services Only corporate insurance plans held by employers JetBlue Airways and AT&T Inc. and administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield to Phoenix Rehab for various forms of physical therapy treatments that they did not need and in many cases never received. The indictment further alleges that Gonzalez provided funding to Phoenix Rehab to further the fraud, including by taking out a loan to obtain sufficient cash to pay kickbacks to patient recruiters and beneficiaries. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Gomez , Case No. 23-cr-20249, Carlos Jose Martin Gomez, 36, of Miami, Florida, was charged for his role in an alleged health care fraudulent billing conspiracy in conjunction with Arisleidys Fernandez Delmas, 32, of Miami, Florida and several others who were previously charged in separate indictments. The scheme involved several fraudulent physical therapy clinics that targeted Administrative Services Only corporate insurance plans held by employers JetBlue Airways, AT&T Inc., and TJX Companies Inc. and administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield. Martin Gomez was also charged with five substantive counts of health care fraud related to five clinics involved in the larger conspiracy. According to the indictment, Martin Gomez offered and paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters for referring beneficiaries to the clinics and directly to beneficiaries of these insurance plans in exchange for allowing the clinics to bill these plans for various forms of physical therapy treatments purportedly provided to these beneficiaries that they did not need and in many cases never received. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Lazo , Case No. 23-cr-20250, Adrian Lazo, 45, of Miami, Florida, was charged with laundering health care fraud proceeds by depositing a $3,303,974 check from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to YG Medical Supplies Inc. in October 2021. The indictment alleges that Lazo conspired with others to deposit the check for the purpose of concealing, among other things, the nature, source, and ownership of those funds. HHS-OIG Miami, DOD-OIG, Southeast Field Office, FDIC-OIG, Atlanta Region, and HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Moreno , Case No. 23-cr-20266, Jesus Enrique Moreno, 48, of Miami, Florida, was charged by information with unlicensed money transmitting for transmitting health care fraud proceeds between December 2020 and February 2021. HHS-OIG Miami and FDIC-OIG, Atlanta Region, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Abraham is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Blackman, et al. , Case No. 23-cr-20271, Brett Blackman, 39, of Johnson County, Kansas, Gary Cox, 77, of Maricopa County, Arizona, and Gregory Schreck, 49, of Johnson County, Kansas, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements, in connection with the submission of $1.9 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers for orthotic braces, prescription skin creams, and other items that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. As alleged in the indictment, Blackman, Cox, and Schreck owned, controlled, or operated DMERx, which was an internet-based platform that the defendants programmed to generate false and fraudulent doctors’ orders in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. Cox was the CEO of the company that operated DMERx prior to a corporate acquisition, and Blackman was the CEO and Schreck a Vice President of the company that operated it after the acquisition. The defendants are alleged to have offered to connect pharmacies, durable medical equipment (“DME”) suppliers, and marketers to telemedicine companies who would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for orders that were transmitted using the DMERx platform. The defendants allegedly received payments for coordinating these illegal kickback transactions and referring the completed doctors’ orders to the DME suppliers, pharmacies, and telemarketers that paid for them. The fraudulent orders and prescriptions generated by DMERx falsely represented that doctors had examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when in reality, purported telemedicine companies paid doctors to sign these orders and prescriptions without regard to medical necessity and based on a brief telephone call with the beneficiary or sometimes no interaction with the beneficiary at all. In order to conceal and disguise the scheme, and obstruct investigations by Medicare and its contractors, the defendants allegedly removed references to telemedicine in the orders. The DME supply companies and pharmacies that paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for these orders and prescriptions generated through DMERx billed Medicare more than $1,963,000,000 in false and fraudulent claims. HHS-OIG Miami, FBI Miami, VA-OIG, Southeast Field Office, IRS-CI Miami, HSI Miami, OPM-OIG, DOD OIG, Southeast Field Office, investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Andrea Savdie of the Miami Strike Force are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Herrera , Case No. 23-cr-20264, Armando Herrera, 42, of Miami, Florida, was charged by information with one count of conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded drugs into interstate commerce in connection with a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute adulterated and misbranded prescription medications, including HIV medications, valued at more than $16.7 million. As alleged in the information, Herrera and his co-conspirators illegally acquired these prescription medications through fraud or from individual patients for whom the prescription medications had been prescribed. The information alleges that these medications were then repackaged and resold with false labeling and documentation to conceal their true origin. It further alleges that, in some instances, the prescription medications Herrera distributed contained the wrong medication. HHS-OIG Miami and FDIC-OIG, Atlanta Region, investigated the case. Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Miami Strike Force is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture. In United States v. Vines , Case No. 23-cr-80107, Reginal N. Vines, 47, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and receiving health care kickbacks, in connection with his role in selling doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary genetic tests to several laboratories. Vines obtained the orders by paying kickbacks and bribes to a doctor in exchange for the doctor signing prescriptions for genetic tests, without ever meeting or treating the Medicare beneficiaries for whom the tests were orders. In some instances, Vines allegedly forged the doctor’s signature on the prescriptions. The indictment alleges that the laboratories billed Medicare approximately $10 million for medically unnecessary genetic tests, of which Medicare paid $2.9 million. HHS-OIG Miami and FBI Miami investigated the case. Trial Attorney Reginald Cuyler Jr. of the Miami Strike Force is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture. In addition to the above defendants charged in the Southern District of Florida, a defendant was sentenced earlier this month to 15 years in federal prison in connection with a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute diverted, adulterated, and misbranded medications, including HIV drugs: In United States v. Hernandez , Case No. 22-cr-60129, Lazaro Hernandez, 52, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced on June 15 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to introduce into interstate commerce adulterated and misbranded drugs and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in connection with a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute more than $230 million in diverted, adulterated, and misbranded medications, including HIV drugs. According to court documents, Hernandez and his co-conspirators illegally acquired large quantities of prescription drugs from patients for whom the drugs had been prescribed but intentionally not consumed. Hernandez and his co-conspirators then sold the diverted drugs to pharmacies across the country. The diverted drugs were accompanied by false pedigrees to conceal their true origin. In at least several instances, the diverted HIV medication that Hernandez sold consisted of bottles containing the wrong medication, broken pills, and even pebbles, leading to complaints by pharmacies. Hernandez and his co-conspirators then laundered the proceeds of these illegal sales. Hernandez also used his share of the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, including a $280,000 Lamborghini, a $220,000 Mercedes, and three boats. HHS-OIG Miami and FDIC-OIG, Atlanta Region, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Abraham and Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Miami Strike Force prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture. The Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System to provide victims with case information and updates related to cases charged by the Fraud Section in the National Enforcement Action. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . Victims with questions about the cases charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office may contact usafls.news@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-steven-diamantstein . A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) and MMIP Coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people and provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. The Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office received three AUSA positions and one Regional MMIP Coordinator. These AUSAs will prosecute violations of federal criminal law that occur in Indian country and help foster and improve relationships among federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. In addition, these AUSAs may participate in special district programs and initiatives designed to partner with and assist federally recognized Tribes in combatting emerging public safety issues. “Our office is committed to combating violence in Alaska Native communities across the state and reducing the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking in these communities. These resources are an essential part of that effort” said U.S. Attorney Lane Tucker. The Alaska positions were allocated as part of the Justice Department’s effort to promote public safety in Indian Country. U.S. Attorney’s Offices with Indian Country were allocated a total of 39 AUSAs and 5 MMIP Coordinators dedicated to enhancing the capacity of U.S. Attorney’s office to promote public safety in Tribal communities and prioritize crime reduction. “This new program mobilizes the Justice Department’s resources to combat the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, which has shattered the lives of victims, their families, and entire Tribal communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with Tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families.” “These new positions represent the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis with urgency and all of the tools at our disposal,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “MMIP prosecutors and coordinators will work with partners across jurisdictions and alongside the Tribal communities who have been most devastated by this epidemic.” More broadly, this MMIP Program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voice of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP Program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP.


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Fentanyl Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS ROBLES, also known as “Lou,” 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fentanyl distribution and gun possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, including Jose Tirado, also known as “Joselito” and “Leet,” and also to individuals in New York and Maine. Tirado further distributed fentanyl to Robles, who sold the drug to customers in Hartford’s North End, including the SANA apartment complex located on Main Street in Hartford, which is commonly referred to as the “Sands,” where Robles lived. Robles was arrested on March 9, 2022. On that date, a court-authorized search of his residence revealed approximately 850 wax sleeves of fentanyl, 12 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately 15 grams of crack cocaine, assorted drug paraphernalia, a loaded 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen in December 2020, a loaded .357 magnum revolver with an obliterated serial number, a loaded .22 caliber pistol, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. On June 8, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Robles, Feliciano, Tirado, and 13 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. On January 31, 2023, Robles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Robles has been detained since his arrest. Feliciano and Tirado have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff. through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Fentanyl Death of Hillsboro Man

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland area drug dealer was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a Hillsboro, Oregon man. David Weaver, 40, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on February 3, 2021, a 25-year-old man was found deceased by his parents at their home in Hillsboro after he consumed a counterfeit Oxycodone pill containing fentanyl. In less than three weeks, law enforcement uncovered a four-person drug distribution chain whose illicit actions led to the young man’s death. Investigators identified Weaver as the person who purchased the deadly counterfeit pills from a drug trafficker who transported them from California to Oregon. Weaver resold the pills to others, including the individuals who supplied the pills to the Hillsboro overdose victim. On February 18, 2021, using a seized cell phone, investigators arranged to purchase 100 fentanyl pills from Weaver who they arrested en route to a meeting location. A search of Weaver’s car and home led to the discovery and seizure of more than 900 fentanyl pills, approximately three and half pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin, a 9mm handgun, a shotgun with an obliterated serial number, and $22,483 in cash. Five days later, on February 23, 2021, investigators located and arrested Weaver’s supplier, Gerardo Corrales-Aragon, 30, whose place of residence is unknown, as he was leaving a Portland hotel. On March 16, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count indictment charging Weaver, Corrales-Aragon and three others with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and other related offenses. On August 31, 2022, Weaver pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Weaver agreed to a sentencing enhancement that his fentanyl distribution resulted in the death of the Hillsboro victim. On March 6, 2023, Corrales-Aragon pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and agreed to the same sentencing enhancement as Weaver. On June 9, 2023, Corrales-Aragon was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hillsboro Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.


title: MediaMuv L.L.C. Principal Guilty of Stealing Millions in Music Royalties Sentenced to 70 Months

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Teran, 38, of Scottsdale, Arizona was sentenced on June 26, 2023, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 70 months in prison for his part in one of the largest music-royalty frauds ever perpetrated. Teran pleaded guilty to Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, and Transactional Money Laundering on February 3, 2023. Teran’s plea followed a November 6, 2021, indictment in which a federal grand jury charged him and his co-conspirator, Webster Batista, with 30 felony counts involving Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Transactional Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity Theft. In pleading guilty, Teran admitted to conspiring with Batista to monetize music on Y.T., which he had no lawful rights to monetize or otherwise control. Teran further admitted that he and Batista created the entity MediaMuv L.L.C. for the purpose of stealing royalty proceeds. In particular, Teran admitted that he and Batista falsely claimed to own, and thereby stole the royalty proceeds from, more than 50,000 song titles. In total, Teran and Batista received approximately $23,400,000 from their fraudulent scheme. Batista pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and Wire Fraud in April 2022. He will be sentenced in August 2023. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Seth T. Goertz, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution. If you believe you were defrauded by the defendants in this case, and would like further information, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/programs/victim-notifications/US-v-Webster-Batista-Fernandez-et-al . CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0955-PHX-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-101_Teran # # # 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: Drug Trafficker Faces Federal Charges After Portland Overdose Death

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—An area drug trafficker is facing federal charges Wednesday after his supply of illicit fentanyl was linked to a fatal overdose in Portland. Efrain Roberto Diaz-Rangel, 34, a Mexican National residing in Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. According to court documents, in April 2023, the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) began investigating a suspected fentanyl overdose of an adult victim in Portland. Investigators identified multiple people involved in a distribution chain responsible for selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills manufactured with fentanyl, some of which were determined to have caused the Portland victim’s overdose death. In May 2023, WIN requested investigative assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Together, WIN and HSI obtained evidence that Diaz-Rangel was involved in the fentanyl distribution chain previously identified. On June 27, 2023, HSI special agents arrested Diaz-Rangel. At the time of his arrest, Diaz-Rangel possessed approximately 1,000 counterfeit pills and a small quantity of heroin. Inside Diaz-Rangel’s residence, the agents located an additional 30,000 counterfeit pills, several additional pounds of heroin, and more than $10,000 in cash. Diaz-Rangel made his first appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was jointly investigated by WIN and HSI with assistance from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT) and Portland Police Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Child Predator Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years Following Son’s Tip

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Granbury man whose son reported him to law enforcement was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment plus 10 years for child sexual exploitation, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. In February, after three days of trial and just 45 minutes of deliberation, a federal jury found David Earl Boyd, 64, guilty of two counts of producing child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. Mr. Boyd was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means. “This sentence ensures Mr. Boyd will never again exploit a little child,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “I want to again thank Mr. Boyd’s son for reporting his father’s behavior to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It cannot have been easy, but it likely prevented further harm. We hope the families of the children already victimized will rest a little easier knowing Mr. Boyd will remain behind bars for the rest of his life.” “This defendant’s actions were exceptionally disturbing given the severity of the life-altering abuse these children experienced,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “HSI stands ready with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who prey on the most precious members of our society, our children.” According to evidence presented at trial, in the spring of 2022, Mr. Boyd, already a registered sex offender, took sexually explicit images of two young children, aged 6 and 3. Mr. Boyd’s son discovered nude images of the children in his father’s trash folder. He took a screenshot of the trash gallery and submitted a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children , which forwarded the tip to law enforcement. Shortly thereafter, officers arrested Mr. Boyd and seized his Samsung smartphone. During an extraction of the phone, forensic examiners discovered thousands of child pornography images in a directory associated with an application designed to conceal images and videos. (Although Mr. Boyd had previously deleted the app, the directory retained the images and videos.) Previously, Mr. Boyd was convicted of possession of child pornography in Taylor County. In 2003, the state sentenced him to three years and required to register as a sex offender. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, the Hood County District Attorney’s Office, and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis. U.S. District Judge Terry Means oversaw the trial.


title: Convicted Felon in Custody After Allegedly Attempting to Sell a Shotgun via Social Media

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City , Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a convicted felon with allegedly attempting to sell a firearm to an undercover officer and for possessing multiple firearms. According to court documents, on June 20, 2023, Eric Donald Johnson, 25, of Layton, Utah, communicated via social media with an undercover officer assigned to the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), that he had multiple firearms available for purchase. The undercover officer arranged to purchase a shotgun from Johnson, who told the undercover officer to meet him at his home in Layton to complete the transaction. Upon arrival, the undercover officer and other agents saw Johnson exit his home and walk towards the undercover officer with a Citadel Shotgun in his hand. Johnson was detained and agents also located a .357 Magnum revolver in his pocket. During the execution of a search warrant at Johnson’s residence, agents located multiple additional firearms including a Bul Armory .45 caliber 1911 handgun, a Zastava arms AK-47 rifle, a Riley Defense AK-47 rifle, a .357 Magnum revolver, a FAP F.lli Pietta .357 revolver, a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun, a Scorpion .22 caliber handgun, a Glock 19 Trump edition handgun, and a Ruger AR-15 rifle, all of which were in and affecting commerce. Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force Johnson is charged with Felon in Possession of Firearms. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on the indictment June 29, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. An Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah 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. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Costco Carjacker Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Tuesday June 27, 2023, TYRESE HARRIS , age 20, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 45 years imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $500 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to a five-count superseding indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. In Count 1, HARRIS is charged with conspiracy to commit carjackings, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Count 2 and Count 4 charged HARRIS with committing and attempting to commit a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count 3 charged HARRIS with using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2. Count 5 charged HARRIS with committing a carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(2) and 2. From August 19, 2021 to February 1, 2022, HARRIS conspired to commit carjackings. On August 19, 2021, HARRIS committed a carjacking in the 600 block of Washington Avenue in New Orleans, LA. During that incident, HARRIS and two of his co-conspirators used a firearm to threaten the victim and take the vehicle. Two days later the victim’s stolen vehicle was located in New Orleans east with HARRIS and three other occupants inside. HARRIS fled, leading police on a high-speed chase that ended with the victim’s vehicle crashing into a ditch. HARRIS and the vehicle’s three other occupants were eventually apprehended. On January 18, 2022, HARRIS and his co-conspirators attempted to carjack another vehicle at a Howard Avenue gas station. During this attempted carjacking, HARRIS fired his weapon at the victim and the victim’s vehicle. Finally, on February 1, 2022, HARRIS and his co-conspirators carjacked another vehicle belonging to a victim who was pumping gas at a Costco on S. Carrollton Avenue. During the carjacking, the victim was dragged by the car, resulting in serious bodily injury. “Thanks to AUSA Inga Petrovich and the entire law enforcement team for bringing this prosecution home,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “ TYRESE HARRIS is now off to federal prison for the next forty-five (45) years. His six-month reign of terror, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, is now at an end. Rest assured that when violent crime affects our citizens or businesses, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will diligently work to bring the offenders to justice.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.


title: Denver Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for 10 Armed Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Jerome Bravo, age 39, of Denver, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to ten counts of bank robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the plea agreement, the defendant and his codefendant robbed ten banks in Denver, Aurora, and Arvada between January 6, 2021, and March 31, 2021. The two were nicknamed the “Brazen Bandits” for their risky tactics during the commission of the robberies. In the January 6th robbery, the defendant was armed with a black handgun, pointed it at a teller, and stated, "Don't move, I'm going to shoot you." After taking money from the drawer, he jumped back over the counter and left the bank. On February 4, 2021, the defendant and his codefendant ran into a bank yelling while waving and pointing their handguns at people in the bank. The defendant demanded the teller open her drawer as he vaulted over the counter. Out of fear, the teller complied and removed money from her drawer and gave it to the defendant and his codefendant. In the second of two bank robberies on February 8, 2021, the defendant and codefendant ran into a bank brandishing handguns, vaulted the counter, and demanded money from the teller. The teller was in fear for her life and safety and gave the robbers the money in her drawer and from the machine. After obtaining the money, the defendant and codefendant vaulted the counters and ran out of the bank. On February 18, 2021, the defendant and codefendant entered a bank brandishing handguns, yelling “get down,” and warning that they weren’t “playing.” The defendant and codefendant also threatened to shoot the occupants of the bank. The defendant vaulted over the counter and emptied out several teller drawers, actually physically taking the drawer units. The defendant and his codefendant also robbed five other banks before being apprehended. Judge Daniel D. Domenico sentenced the defendant on June 27, 2023. Codefendant Jonathan Gullette has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023. “We are grateful for the collaboration between the FBI and all the law enforcement agencies that worked to end this series of armed bank robberies,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “The sentence handed down by the court serves as a reminder that such criminal behavior will not be tolerated and that there are serious consequences for this type of criminal conduct.” “This is a criminal who terrorized employees and customers at 10 banks across metro Denver in just three months,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This case is an example of why the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods are so important in our work to keep communities safe. We will continue partner with local law enforcement to get violent criminals off the streets and reduce gun crimes.” This was investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, and Arvada Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn. 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. CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-226


title: Eugene Man Faces Federal Charges for Unlawfully Possessing Machine Guns and a Silencer

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court Wednesday charging a local man with illegally possessing two firearms converted into fully-automatic machine guns and a silencer. Joshua Allen Lampe, 35, a Eugene resident, has been charged with unlawfully possessing two machine guns and a silencer. The National Firearms Act makes it illegal to possess and transfer certain firearms, including machine guns and silencers, without proper registration. According to court documents, in an August 2022 search of Lampe’s Eugene residence, investigators located and seized dozens of firearms, knives, ammunition, firearm accessories and parts, scopes, laser sights, packaging materials, tactical gear, and other types of armaments. In December 2022, investigators sought and obtained a warrant to search Lampe’s home for a second time in just four months. They discovered Lampe had quickly amassed hand tools, a rifle, firearm parts, machine gun switches, a 3D printer used to make switches, several ghost guns, a silencer, and packaging materials as well as methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl pills. Analysis and testing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) later confirmed two pistols seized from Lampe’s residence were operative machine guns having been converted with switches. An analysis also confirmed the silencer seized was an operative device. Machine gun switches, sometimes referred to as “Glock switches,” are small attachments used to convert firearms from semi-automatic to fully-automatic. Lampe made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on September 5, 2023. Illegally possessing a machine gun and a silencer are punishable by up to ten years in federal prison per count of conviction. This case was investigated by ATF and the Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by the William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on a Charge Relating to Social Security Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge relating to Social Security Fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Susan Mentser, age 70, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, from in and around June 2018, through in and around March 2020, Mentser stole and converted approximately $21,483.00 in Supplemental Security Income benefits, which had been deposited into her deceased mother’s bank account, to which Mentser knew she was not entitled. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: National Enforcement Action Results in 78 Individuals Charged for $2.5B in Health Care Fraud

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, the Department of Justice, together with federal and state law enforcement partners, today announced a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 78 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that included over $2.5 billion in alleged fraud. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and, in some cases, used the proceeds of the schemes to purchase luxury items, including exotic automobiles, jewelry, and yachts. In connection with the enforcement action, the Department seized or restrained millions of dollars in cash, automobiles, and real estate. “These enforcement actions, including against one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department, represent our intensified efforts to combat fraud and prosecute the individuals who profit from it,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.” “This nationwide enforcement action demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to fighting health care fraud and opioid abuse by prosecuting those who allegedly exploit patients and health care benefit programs for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement includes some of the largest and most complex cases that the Department has prosecuted, and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to seeking justice for those at all levels of the healthcare industry who put profits above patient care, from professionals in doctors’ offices to executives in corporate boardrooms.” “Health care fraud is a complex and ever-evolving threat that negatively impacts the American people,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s nationwide coordinated law enforcement action is a testament to the tenacity of the FBI and our partners, as well as our combined efforts to pursue anyone who conspires to exploit our health care system for financial gain.” In the Eastern District of Louisiana, Craig Lovelace, the owner and President of Advanced Medical Equipment Inc. (AME), a corporation doing business in Kenner, Louisiana, was charged on June 15, 2023 by bill of information with Health Care Fraud. AME operated as a durable medical equipment (DME) supply company that submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for DME supplied to beneficiaries. From approximately January 2016, and continuing through approximately 2022, Lovelace, through AME, allegedly executed a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting, false and fraudulent claims for certain health care items purportedly supplied to beneficiaries. Such items, including DME, were alleged to be medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. Lovelace, in turn, used the fraudulent proceeds generated from this scheme for the benefit of himself and others. Telemedicine Fraud The enforcement action included charges against 11 defendants in connection with the submission of over $2 billion in fraudulent claims resulting from telemedicine schemes. In a case involving the alleged organizers of one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted, an indictment in the Southern District of Florida alleges that the chief executive officer (CEO), former CEO, and Vice President of Business Development of purported software and services companies conspired to generate and sell templated doctors’ orders for orthotic braces and pain creams in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. The conspiracy allegedly resulted in the submission of $1.9 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers for orthotic braces, prescription skin creams, and other items that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. As part of the alleged conspiracy, individuals in a massive telemarketing operation, located in the United States and abroad, targeted the elderly and disabled with direct mail, television advertisements, and other forms of advertising to induce them to contact offshore boiler-rooms staffed by individuals who “up-sold” the elderly and disabled on unnecessary medical equipment and prescriptions. According to the indictment, the software platform that the defendants allegedly operated was actually a conduit for these telemarketers to coordinate the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain doctors’ orders for Medicare beneficiaries. The defendants allegedly programmed the software platform to generate false and fraudulent orders for telemedicine practitioners to sign and obstruct Medicare investigations by concealing that the interactions with beneficiaries had occurred remotely using telemedicine. The program-generated orders falsified certifications that the telemedicine doctors had examined the beneficiaries in person, and falsified diagnostic testing that Medicare required for brace orders. After the original CEO sold the company in a corporate acquisition, the new corporate leadership allegedly chose to continue the pre-existing fraud scheme. In another telemedicine fraud case, in the Eastern District of Washington, a licensed physician was charged for signing more than 2800 fraudulent orders for orthotic braces, including for patients whose limbs had already been amputated. As alleged, the physician took less than 40 seconds to review and sign each order. The cases announced today build on earlier telemedicine enforcement actions involving over $10.1 billion in fraud. The April 2019 Operation Brace Yourself Telemedicine and Durable Medical Equipment Takedown alone resulted in an estimated cost avoidance of more than $1.9 billion in the amount Medicare paid for orthotic braces in the 20 months following that enforcement action, preserving the Medicare trust fund for necessary medical care. “Patients trust federal health care programs to provide high quality care. When bad actors steal from these programs, they hurt patients,” said Inspector General Christi A. Grimm of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting federal health care programs and putting patients first. Thank you to our law enforcement partners, especially the Medicaid Fraud Control Units, that participated in this effort.” Pharmaceutical Fraud The enforcement action also included charges against 10 defendants in connection with the submission of over $370 million in fraudulent claims submitted in connection with prescription drugs. In one case announced today, the owner and corporate officer of a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution company was charged for an alleged $150 million fraud scheme in which the company purchased illegally diverted prescription HIV medication, and then marketed and resold the medication by falsely representing that the company acquired it through legitimate channels. The defendant allegedly purchased the diverted medication at a substantial discount from individuals who obtained the drugs primarily through illegal “buyback” schemes in which they paid HIV patients cash for their expensive HIV medication and repackaged those pills for resale. To cover up their scheme, the defendant and others falsified labeling and product tracing documentation to make it appear legitimate. Pharmacies purchased the misbranded medications, dispensed them to patients, and billed them to health care benefit programs, all while the defendants reaped substantial illegal profits. In a related case, on June 15, an individual in the Southern District of Florida was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in this nationwide scheme. According to court documents, the defendant illegally acquired large quantities of prescription drugs from patients for whom the drugs had been prescribed but not yet consumed. The defendant and others then repackaged the drugs and sold them to wholesale companies. In some instances, the medication that the defendant sold contained the wrong medication, broken pills, and even pebbles, leading to complaints by pharmacies. The defendant used his share of the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, including a $280,000 Lamborghini, a $220,000 Mercedes, and three boats. Opioid Distribution and Other Types of Health Care Fraud The charges also targeted over $150 million in false billings submitted in connection with other types of health care fraud, including the illegal distribution of opioids and clinical laboratory testing fraud. Today’s enforcement action includes charges against 24 physicians and other licensed medical professionals who lined their own pockets, including doctors who allegedly put their patients at risk by illegally providing them with opioids they did not need. The charges also include cases where healthcare companies, physicians, and other providers paid cash kickbacks to patient recruiters and beneficiaries in return for patient information, so that the providers could submit fraudulent bills for Medicare reimbursement. “At DEA, we are committed to protecting the safety and health of all Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “When individuals divert addictive opioid medications for personal gain, they are knowingly putting Americans at risk, all too often causing harm and even death. DEA is committed to taking decisive action to hold accountable anyone who participates in these dangerous schemes.” “CHAMPVA provides community health care to family members of our nation’s disabled or deceased veterans, and the defendants’ alleged criminal actions resulted in a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme that puts those benefits at risk and pilfers significant taxpayer funds,” said Inspector General Michael J. Missal of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “The VA-OIG’s continued oversight of VA’s multiple healthcare programs, including CHAMPVA, is one of the agency’s highest priorities. We thank our outstanding law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.” The Center for Program Integrity of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CPI/CMS) separately announced today that it took adverse administrative actions in the last six months against 90 medical providers for their alleged involvement in health care fraud. Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster and Acting Assistant Chief Rebecca Yuan of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section led and coordinated today’s enforcement action. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Strike Forces in Brooklyn, Dallas, Detroit, the Gulf Coast, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, and Tampa; the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response Strike Force; the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Ohio, District of South Carolina, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Washington, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and the State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting these cases, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of cases involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2023-national-hcf-court-documents . In addition to the FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and CMS/CPI, State Medicaid Fraud Control Units, HSI, FDA, IRS-CI, VA-OIG, USPS-OIG, FDIC-OIG, OPM-OIG, Amtrak-OIG, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies participated in the operation. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . The Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas , and for further information for victims about new federal charges in connection with the HIV scheme, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-steven-diamantstein . A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Money Laundering

body_text: DENVER -- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Carlos Quijano-Ruiz, age 54, of Mexico, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering. According to the plea agreement, in 2019, the defendant went to a money remitter in Colorado and remitted, in two separate transactions, money that was from the sale of drugs to a fictitious name in Mexico. That money would ultimately go to a co-defendant and was transferred or distributed to disguise the nature of the proceeds of unlawful activity. Additionally, in furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendant placed a bag of narcotics in his car that was parked in front of his residence. On August 12, 2019, another co-defendant and an unindicted co-conspirator went to the defendant’s car, where they picked up a quarter pound of methamphetamine and left money in the car. The defendant’s residence was also used as a stash house for a time during the conspiracy. “Our office prosecutes illegal narcotics trafficking, working investigations to their sources in other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We commend the work of our law enforcement partners in advancing this and other important transnational narcotics investigations.” “By targeting the transactions drug traffickers use to finance their illegal operations, IRS-CI Special Agents are able to disrupt and dismantle these organizations,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office to eliminate this threat to our communities. This sentence should send a clear message to others who engage in money laundering associated with narcotics, you will be caught and you will be prosecuted.” “Drug traffickers value money and little else,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky of the Rocky Mountain Field Division. “In this case, investigators not only pursued the drugs but also followed the money. As a result of everyone’s efforts, Quijano-Ruiz is no longer distributing poison in our communities. We value our state, local and federal partners who were relentless in seeing this case through to the end. DEA will continue to target criminal networks at every level, and every angle, because we know American lives depend on it.” United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing on June 27, 2023. IRS-CI, the DEA, the Montrose Police Department, the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, the Seventh Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan, Susan (Zeke) Knox, and Zachary Phillips handled the prosecution. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Case Number 19-cr-535