title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Federal Jury Finds Jackson County Man Guilty of Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Mark Leslie Lively, 57, of Kenna, of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Evidence at trial proved that Lively participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area from about November 2022 to in or about March 2023. Members of the DTO conspiracy commonly obtained their controlled substances on consignment, paying their suppliers with proceeds from distributing them to customers. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers intercepted a series of phone calls between Lively and co-conspirator Karl Lamont Funderburk, during which the two discussed money that Lively owed Funderburk and arranged for Lively to obtain a quantity of methamphetamine from Funderburk. Funderburk and Lively met later that day at in an alley near Washington Street West in Charleston, where Funderburk provided approximately 138 grams of methamphetamine to Lively. Funderburk received $900 from Lively, including $400 that Lively owed for a prior drug transaction that the two discussed during the intercepted phone calls. As Lively drove away from the meeting place, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of Lively’s vehicle and requested the assistance of a police K-9 unit. The police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. The officer searched Lively’s vehicle and seized the methamphetamine hidden underneath the dashboard. The officer issued a citation to Lively for simple possession and allowed him to leave. Law enforcement intercepted a phone call Lively made to Funderburk following the traffic stop, relaying the details of the traffic stop and the seizure of the methamphetamine. The evidence at trial established that Lively intended to distribute the methamphetamine that he received from Funderburk. Lively is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Funderburk, 38, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on December 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Funderburk awaits sentencing. Lively and Funderburk are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. Funderburk is also among 29 of the defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “I commend Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Joshua Hanks and our trial team for securing guilty verdicts on both counts against Lively in this case, which is the result of tremendous investigative work by a dedicated array of our law enforcement partners,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the jury trial. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31. ###


title: Russian International Money Launderer Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use, Military Grade Microelectronics for Russian Entities

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Maxim Marchenko, 52, was sentenced today to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in procuring dual-use, military grade OLED micro-displays for Russian end users. “Today’s sentence holds Mr. Marchenko accountable for his role in a procurement syndicate that funneled U.S.-manufactured military-grade microelectronics to end users in Russia, illegally delivering controlled technologies worth hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department remains relentlessly focused on dismantling illicit procurement networks led by individuals like the defendant, who use their business skills and connections to advance the Russian war agenda.” “The transshipment of military-grade microelectronics through Hong Kong to Russia helps fuel the engine of Russia’s war machine,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matthew S. Axelrod for Export Enforcement. “Today’s sentencing is just the latest example of our unceasing efforts to target and disrupt illegal Russian procurement networks.” “This office will stop at nothing to hold accountable those who seek to circumvent our laws to gain access to some of our most sensitive technologies,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s sentence should be a reminder that no number of shell companies or obfuscation will stop this office in its pursuit of those who seek to illicitly gain access to controlled technologies.” “Marchenko and his co-conspirators operated an international smuggling network of sensitive microelectronics used in military gear and other weapons systems,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s resolve in doing our part to protect national security and prevent American military technology from being diverted to foreign adversaries and hostile nation states.” According to court documents, Marchenko is a Russian national who resides in Hong Kong and operates several Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components Co. Ltd. (Alice Components), Neway Technologies Limited (Neway) and RG Solutions Limited (RG Solutions). Marchenko and two co-conspirators, who are also Russian nationals, operate an illicit procurement network in Russia, Hong Kong and elsewhere overseas. This procurement network has fraudulently obtained from U.S. distributors large quantities of dual-use, military grade microelectronics, specifically OLED micro-displays, on behalf of Russia-based end users. To carry out this scheme, Marchenko and his co-conspirators used shell companies based in Hong Kong and other deceptive means to conceal from U.S. government agencies and U.S. distributors that the OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia. The technology that Marchenko and his co-conspirators fraudulently procured have significant military applications, such as in rifle scopes, night vision goggles, thermal optics and other weapon systems. To perpetrate the scheme, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy acquired the dual-use OLED micro-displays from U.S.-based distributors using Marchenko’s Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components, Neway and RG Solutions. Members of the conspiracy, including Marchenko, procured these sensitive microelectronics by falsely representing to the U.S. distributors (who, in turn, are required to report to U.S. agencies) that Alice Components was sending the shipments to end users located in China, Hong Kong and other countries outside of Russia for use in electron microscopes for medical research or hunting rifles. In reality, the OLED micro-displays were destined for end users in Russia. Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy concealed the true final destination (Russia) from U.S. distributors for the purpose of causing false statements to the U.S. agencies. To conceal the fact that these OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy worked together to transship the illicitly procured OLED micro-displays by using pass-through entities principally operated by Marchenko in third countries, such as Hong Kong. Marchenko then caused the OLED micro-displays to be shipped to the ultimate destination in Russia using, among other entities, a freight forwarder known to provide freight forwarding services to Russia. In addition, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy used Hong Kong-based shell companies, principally operated by Marchenko, to conceal the fact that payments for the OLED micro-displays were coming from Russia. In total, between in or about May 2022 and in or about August 2023, Marchenko’s shell companies funneled more than $1.6 million to the United States in support of the procurement network’s efforts to smuggle the OLED micro-displays to Russia. The FBI, Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security and Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong and Shiva H. Logarajah for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.


title: Former Mobile Pain Management Doctors Xiulu Ruan And John Patrick  Couch Resentenced

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Xiulu Ruan and John Patrick Couch, both formerly pain management doctors practicing in Mobile, Alabama, were resentenced to 252 months and 240 months, respectively. In 2017, a jury convicted Ruan and Couch of numerous offenses connected to their former medical practice, Physicians Pain Specialists of Alabama, and their related pharmacy C&R Pharmacy. The jury found that Ruan and Couch committed numerous drug and fraud offenses connected primarily to the unlawful prescribing of powerful opioid medications including fentanyl, and also convicted Ruan of money laundering offenses related to the schemes. Following the trial, U.S. District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced Ruan and Couch to 252 and 240 months, respectively, and ordered the defendants to pay full restitution of nearly $14 million to the victims. In addition, the United States forfeited millions of dollars in property, vehicles, and cash that Ruan and Couch obtained from their crimes. The case was returned to Judge Granade for resentencing after the completion of appeals before the Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Although the Eleventh Circuit vacated several of the convictions, the appellate courts affirmed the most substantial charges connected to the fraudulent scheme. On resentencing, Judge Granade again sentenced Ruan and Couch to 252 and 240 months in prison, respectively. All restitution and forfeiture aspects of the sentence were reimposed as well. The Eleventh Circuit proceedings on remand from the Supreme Court were handled by AUSA Scott Gray, and the resentencing hearing was handled by AUSAs Scott Gray and Christopher Bodnar, both of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced For Threatening Communications

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Jeffrey Stevens, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to transmission of a threat in interstate commerce, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Stevens was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in November 2023, Stevens utilized a social media platform to transmit a message to the Fort Wayne Police Department. The message contained a threat to kill individuals of Jewish faith with the suggestion that there was nothing the local police could do about it. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

body_text: Benjamin Carpenter, also known as Abu Hamza, 34, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in connection with providing translation services to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. “For years, this defendant led a global digital media operation to distribute pro-ISIS propaganda, promoting the group’s radical message of terror and pushing it to every corner of the world,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of this defendant’s conduct and the Justice Department’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who would provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations.” “Combating terrorism and keeping our communities safe are the highest priorities of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “This case deals a serious blow to the expansion of ISIS and its broken message of hatred and senseless violence.” “With today’s sentencing, Carpenter is being held accountable for betraying his country and helping ISIS terrorists,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch. “He led a propaganda machine which called for war against U.S. and allied forces through suicide bombings and other means. The FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice terrorists who devote their lives to hurting American citizens.” According to court documents, on Oct. 19, 2023, following an eight-day trial in U.S. District Court, a jury convicted Carpenter of attempting to provide material support to ISIS. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Carpenter served as the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization of pro-ISIS “munasirin” (i.e., supporters), dedicated to translating, producing and distributing ISIS propaganda throughout the world. For years, Carpenter, using his alias Abu Hamza, published a large body of ISIS media, including his weekly newsletter entitled From Dabiq to Rome , a periodical that celebrated the deaths of American soldiers, glorified suicide bombers and called for open war against the United States and its Western allies, among other pro-ISIS propaganda themes. In 2020 and 2021, Carpenter contacted an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS’ central media bureau and provided translation services for a project intended to relaunch Al-Hayat Media Center, ISIS’ official foreign-language media arm. Unbeknownst to him, that individual was an FBI undercover employee who had infiltrated Carpenter’s group. The FBI Knoxville Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Field Offices from across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle J. Wilson and Casey T. Arrowood for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Charles J. Kovats Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced In Cyber Fraud Case

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Charles Boyd, age 28, of Chicago, IL was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a cyber fraud scheme known as a business e-mail compromise. According to court documents filed in connection with Boyd’s guilty plea, unknown co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to the e-mail account of a Spanish Fort, Alabama mortgage company in 2019. After gaining access, the conspirators were able to read the mortgage company’s e-mails and, therefore, knew when buyers were expecting wiring instructions to complete real estate transactions. When a sale was near completion, co-conspirators sent the buyer a spoofed e-mail that appeared to come from the mortgage company. These e-mails contained wiring instructions supposedly for the completing of the real estate purchase. However, when the buyer followed the instructions in the e-mail, their money was unwittingly sent to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators. Boyd’s role in the conspiracy was to set up the bank accounts into which the buyers unwittingly wired the money. Specifically, during July and August 2019, Boyd opened multiple bank accounts using documents that purported to be passports issued by the governments of Sierra Leone and the Gambia. These documents contained Boyd’s picture along with alias names and identifiers. Accounts set up by Boyd with these fraudulent documents received over $400,000 from real estate purchasers who were victimized by this scheme, including victims in the Southern District of Alabama. Boyd is currently serving an 18-month sentence for a separate financial fraud scheme in Wisconsin. Once that sentence is complete, Boyd will begin serving his 33-month sentence in this case. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bodnar and Marjorie Vincent-Tripp prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: “No Rats Allowed” Crew Member Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of an Illegal Firearm While on Supervised Release

body_text: WASHINGTON – Keith Jones, 27, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 74 months in prison for participating in a long-running drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Jones pleaded guilty March 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols to conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. At the time of the trafficking offenses, Jones was on supervised probation for a robbery conviction out of Maryland. Jones’ plea followed a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU), FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Nichols ordered Jones to serve four years of supervised release. According to court documents, the law enforcement partnership identified a crew of young men operating within on the 200 block of K Street, Southwest, with firearms, large amounts of U.S. currency, and illegal narcotics. The members of the group wore matching insignia on clothing printed with “NO RATS ALLOWED” or “N.R.A.” Jones, aka “Chief,” and other members of the N.R.A. crew used several townhouses on the block as stash locations or “trap houses” for narcotics and firearms. Many of Jones’ N.R.A. associates have been arrested and successfully prosecuted for firearms offenses and the possession and distribution of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. From October 2021 to October 2023, Jones relied heavily on social media to both make connections with other drug dealers to conduct sales of illegal substances to individual customers and N.R.A. crew members. On his Instagram account and cell phone, investigators found evidence showing Jones’ trafficking of crack cocaine, promethazine, and wholesale quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and marijuana. Furthermore, the digital evidence showed that Jones was aware that at least some of the counterfeit pills he sold contained fentanyl and was warned by another drug dealer that certain pills he was selling might contain lethal amounts of fentanyl. MPD officers arrested Jones on October 28, 2023, following a foot chase, during which he discarded a 40 caliber Smith and Wesson in the lobby of the Capitol Park Plaza Apartments in Washington D.C. That firearm discharged as he tossed it and the bullet struck a glass window in the lobby of the apartment building, narrowly missing two security guards that were feet away from him. Jones previously was convicted in January 2020 of a robbery in Prince George’s County for which he was sentenced to 10 years, but the sentence was suspended to all but six days followed by three years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin F. Song. 23cr0397


title: Spree of Gunpoint Pharmacy Robberies in Va. and Md. Nets District Man a 157-Month Prison Sentence

body_text: WASHINGTON – Floyd Neal, 31, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to more than 13 years in prison for his role in a rash of 2021 gunpoint robberies of pharmacies in Maryland and Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Neal pleaded guilty on March 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting (also known as Hobbs Act robbery). He also pleaded guilty to using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 157-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Neal to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, on February 14, 2021, Neal and two co-conspirators traveled from the District to a pharmacy in Henrico, Virginia. Neal approached the pharmacy counter, brandished a firearm, and ordered the pharmacist to hand over codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone. Neal held one employee at gunpoint while a co-conspirator demanded the pharmacist open the prescription safe. After grabbing prescription narcotics and amphetamines, they fled in a red SUV driven by another co-conspirator. On March 25, 2021, Neal and a co-conspirator traveled from the District to a pharmacy in Alexandria, Virginia. They entered the store wearing yellow construction vests and posed as customers by grabbing beer. Then the co-conspirator shouted: “Give me all the money,” and indicted that he had a firearm. The men then ordered two employees into the store’s office before taking between $7,000 to $10,000 from the safe. The men fled in a 2005 silver sedan. On March 31, 2021, Neal and two co-conspirators drove to a pharmacy in Beltsville, Maryland. A co-conspirator went behind the counter, grabbed a store employee, and demanded the code to the store’s safe. While the robbery was in progress, the store’s manager entered the store. Neal’s co-conspirator forced the store’s manager into the back office where Neal was watching the other employee. The co-conspirator forced the manager to open the safe and then stole the contents. Neal remained at the front of the store to empty the contents of the cash registers. The trio then fled in a dark sedan with silver trim. On April 1, 2021, Neal and a co-conspirator traveled to a pharmacy in Manassas, Virginia. One employee locked herself in the back office. Another employee ran to the front where the co-conspirator grabbed them by the neck. Threatening the employees, Neal ordered them to give him “percocets and oxys” or else he would hurt them. Neal also ordered an employee to open the cash registers. Police arrested Neal and the co-conspirator after they fled the pharmacy. A search revealed a loaded 9mm Hipoint C9 firearm in the vicinity of the pharmacy. Each of the pharmacies robbed by Neal is part of a national chain of retailers and the robberies impacted interstate commerce. This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force with valuable assistance from local law enforcement in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Cameron Tepfer of the District of Columbia. 23cr190


title: Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Operation That Victimized Three Minors and Two Adults

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MACEO ROBERTS (“ROBERTS”) , age 25, from Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors and others by force, fraud, and coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1594(c), 1591(a)(1), 1591(a)(2), 1591(b)(1), and 1591(b)(2). According to court documents, in about Summer 2020, ROBERTS told his co-conspirators, Dominique Peeples and Jeremy Talbert, that he was making a lot of money acting as a pimp and offered to teach them how to be pimps, as well. After Peeples and Talbert agreed, ROBERTS “gave” Minor Victim 2, a minor female born in 2003 who had previously performed commercial sex acts under ROBERTS’s direction, to Peeples. Thereafter, Minor Victim 2 introduced Talbert to Minor Victim 3, a minor female born in 2003, who began performing commercial sex acts under Talbert’s direction. During Summer 2020, ROBERTS , Peeples, and Talbert travelled throughout the southern United States, including the New Orleans area, with multiple females, including Minor Victim 2, Minor Victim 3, and Adult Victim 1, for the purpose of having the females engage in commercial sex acts. ROBERTS taught Peeples and Talbert techniques to oversee and advertise a prostitution operation, including the amount to charge. ROBERTS also reminded them to keep all of the proceeds. During this time period, including while in New Orleans, Adult Victim 1 performed numerous commercial sex acts at the direction and supervision of ROBERTS ; Minor Victim 2 performed numerous commercial sex acts at the direction and supervision of Peeples; and Minor Victim 3 performed numerous commercial sex acts at the direction and supervision of Talbert. In about October 2020, ROBERTS assumed control over Minor Victim 3, and required her to work approximately fifteen hours per day performing commercial sex acts and to give him all the money she earned. ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 in front of Minor Victim 3 to show Minor Victim 3 what would happen if she did not follow his instructions. ROBERTS also provided drugs and alcohol to Minor Victim 3 and Adult Victim 1 to control their behavior. In about October 2020, Talbert recruited Minor Victim 1, who was a fourteen-year-old female, to engage in commercial sex acts under his direction. In about late October 2020, ROBERTS , Peeples, Talbert, Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 1, and Minor Victim 2 travelled to New Orleans, where they stayed for several months. During this time, ROBERTS , Peeples, and Talbert supervised the commercial sex work of Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 2, and Minor Victim 1, respectively. Additionally, ROBERTS imposed rules and quotas that Adult Victim 1 had to follow and, when she did not meet those quotas or expressed reluctance, ROBERTS threatened to beat and shoot her. In at least January 2021, ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 so badly that she requited hospitalization in a New Orleans area facility. After Adult Victim 1’s hospital discharge, ROBERTS and Peeples told Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 that they would bring them home to Memphis. Instead, ROBERTS and Peeples drove them to Houston and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts until they finally escaped. ROBERTS and Peeples then returned to Memphis, found Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2, and beat and threatened them. Additionally, in about late January 2021, ROBERTS met and began recruiting Adult Victim 2 to perform commercial sex acts under his direction. Adult Victim 2 did so until about April 2022. During that time, she performed numerous commercial sex acts at ROBERTS’s direction in multiple locations, including New Orleans, Memphis, Houston, Dallas, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Biloxi. Adult Victim 2 gave all, or most, of the money she received from the commercial sex acts she performed to ROBERTS . ROBERTS repeatedly beat, threatened, and victimized Adult Victim 2, including in November 2021 at a New Orleans area hotel, an event that was captured on a telephone recording. In about April 2022, shortly before his arrest, ROBERTS punched Adult Victim 2 so hard that he shattered her front teeth. ROBERTS faces up to life imprisonment, supervised release after his term of imprisonment of between five years and life, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. ROBERTS will also be required to participate in the sex offender registration and notification program and be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses. Sentencing before Judge Morgan has been scheduled for October 8, 2024. Talbert and Peeples previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking crimes. Talbert’s sentencing before Judge Africk is set for October 2, 2024 and Peeples’s sentencing is set for October 30, 2024 before Judge Vance. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: ‘PDS’ Street Crew Leader Pleads Guilty to Numerous Offenses Related to Drug Trafficking, Machine Guns, and Other Firearms

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Eugene Tracy Hill, 31, of Washington D.C., who utilized the street nicknames “Geno,” Cheese,” or “Doe,” pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; conspiracy to use, carry, and possess machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking, and two counts of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The plea was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent Craig B. Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson set a sentencing date for October 18, 2024. According to court documents, Hill, who was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) Street Crew which held territory in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C., conspired with other crew members to distribute both marijuana and oxycodone within their territory. As part of his plea agreement, Hill admitted to holding a leadership role within the conspiracy, and further admitted that the co-conspirators distributed more than 100 kilograms of marijuana during the course of their conspiracy. For his part, Hill admitted that he sold marijuana and oxycodone in bulk transactions to other drug dealers, and also sold in street level transactions out of “trap houses” maintained by the crew. According to court documents, the co-conspirators also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.” As part of his plea agreement, Hill admitted that, as part of the conspiracy one of his co-conspirators assembled fully automatic AR-Pistol machineguns which were then distributed within the crew for use in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy. Hill admitted that he purchased and possessed machineguns during his part in the conspiracy. Hill was arrested on September 15, 2022, shortly before the FBI executed a search warrant at a “trap house” he and his co-conspirators maintained on Fourth Street, Southeast. FBI agents recovered two Glock handguns, approximately 100 rounds of ammunition, 1.8 pounds of marijuana, two digital scales, a money counter, and approximately $15,000 from that residence. Hill has been detained since his arrest. This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ATF with assistance from both officers and detectives from the MPD as part of a joint investigation which has resulted in the seizure of two vehicles, 13 handguns, five machineguns, and several hundred rounds of ammunition, as well as almost 40 pounds of marijuana, dozens of oxycodone pills, and more than $300,000 in cash. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song with valuable assistance from Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli and Melissa Macechko. 22cr303


title: Virginia Man Indicted for Producing Sexually Explicit Videos of a Minor and Exploiting a Minor Online

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Virginia man has been indicted for using social media to contact and coerce a minor to create sexually explicit material, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between November 2023 and February 2024, Raymond Jung Woo Choi, 41, of Centreville, Virginia, used Instagram and other social media apps to engage in sexually-focused conversations with a 13–14-year-old girl. Choi, using the alias “Jason Lee,” knowingly enticed and coerced the minor victim to send him sexually explicit images and videos on Instagram. Choi also groomed and enticed the minor victim by providing gifts, which he sent via Amazon or mailed directly via the U.S. Postal Service. According to court documents, on February 17, 2024, Choi flew from Virginia to Minnesota to attempt to meet the minor victim in person. Because of family and law enforcement intervention, Choi was unsuccessful in his meeting attempt and flew back to Virginia. On July 13, 2024, Choi was arrested in Fairfax City, Virginia. On July 15, 2024, Choi made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia before Magistrate Judge Lindsey R. Vaala. On July 17, 2024, Choi was ordered detained and will remain in custody pending further proceedings in the District of Minnesota. The indictment charges Choi with one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.justice.gov/psc . This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Rancho Cordova Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison for Drug Importation and Money Laundering Offenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Adan Navarro, 30, of Rancho Cordova, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to import heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl pills, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl pills, and conspiracy to launder money to Mexico, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 2, 2020, Navarro coordinated and received a $20,000 cash payment on behalf of a Mexico-based drug trafficker in order to pay down a multi-kilogram heroin debt and to facilitate future larger shipments of heroin. On July 24, 2020, U.S. border agents seized a drug load that Navarro partially owned and coordinated. The load was seized immediately after it crossed from Mexico into the United States and contained approximately 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 2 kilograms of heroin, and 977 fentanyl-laced counterfeit prescription pills. Following this seizure, Navarro and an associate arranged to send additional money to a Mexico-based source of supply to coordinate a new shipment of drugs. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Rancho Cordova Police Department, the Citrus Heights Police Department, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. Co-defendant Lionel Chavez pled guilty on March 21, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2024. This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.


title: West Sacramento Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Fentanyl Pill and Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: SACRAMENTO , Calif. — Christian Anthony Romero, 28, of West Sacramento, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 10 years in prison for conspiracy distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl pills and cocaine, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Romero distributed thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone M-30 pills and cocaine on behalf of a Sacramento-based drug trafficking organization. From at least May 2019 through January 2021, the organization imported fentanyl M-30 pills from Mexico and distributed them, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine, throughout northern California and in Nevada. The organization was led by Jose Lopez-Zamora in Sacramento and his Mexico-based brother and drug trafficking partner, Luis Lopez Zamora. On Sept. 4, 2020, Romero sold approximately 1,000 fentanyl M-30 pills to an undercover officer for $9,000. During October through December 2020, evidence obtained during court-ordered wiretaps of Jose Lopez-Zamora and Luis Lopez Zamora’s cellphones revealed that Romero stored fentanyl pills and cocaine at his residence in West Sacramento and sold thousands of fentanyl pills on behalf of the organization. Evidence from the wiretap investigation also revealed that Romero contributed money to, and was kept apprised of, large loads of fentanyl M-30 pills that the organization imported from Mexico, including two loads that were seized by law enforcement on Nov. 26, 2020, (about 11,000 pills) and Dec. 5, 2020, (7,727 pills). On Jan. 13, 2021, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Romero’s West Sacramento residence, where he lived with his girlfriend and two young children. During the search, agents found more than 1,000 fentanyl M-30 pills in the same room as a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol, and 7.62 caliber rifle, and a .223 caliber rifle. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5), the California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. Seven other defendants have pleaded guilty: Rudi Jean Carlos pleaded guilty and, on Oct. 11, 2022, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison. Jason Lamar Lee pleaded guilty and, on Oct. 11, 2022, was sentenced to eight years and seven months in prison. Javier Hernandez pleaded guilty and, on Nov. 8, 2022, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. Christopher Kegan Williams pleaded guilty, and on Dec. 14, 2021, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Baudelio Vizcarra Jr., pleaded guilty, and on Jan. 24, 2023, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Mateo Elias Guerrero-Gonzales pleaded guilty and, on Oct. 11, 2022, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. Alejandro Tello pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2024. Charges are pending against the following defendants: Jose Guadalupe Lopez-Zamora, Luis Lopez Zamora, Leonardo Flores Beltran, Joaquin Alberto Sotelo Valdez, Erika Gabriela Zamora Rojo, Jose Luis Aguilar Saucedo, Rosario Zamora Rojo, and Sandro Escobedo. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Luis Lopez Zamora was extradited from Mexico to the United States on April 17, 2024, following his arrest by Mexican authorities on a warrant based on a U.S. extradition request. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Former spouse of deceased U.S. Army veteran indicted for improperly claiming military benefits

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: The divorced spouse of a deceased U.S. Army veteran has been indicted on federal charges for fraudulently claiming the veteran’s benefits. Miranda Rachel Briggs, a/k/a “Miranda Rachel Fisher,” 33, of Rincon, Georgia, was indicted by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury on charges of Wire Fraud and Theft of Government Money, Property, or Records, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charges carries a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties. The indictment sets out a timeline of key events beginning in November 2015 when Briggs married G.B., a U.S. Army veteran, keeping her maiden name “Fisher.” Less than a year later, Briggs filed for divorce. Two weeks after the divorce was final, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs granted G.B.’s request to remove Briggs as a recipient of G.B.’s benefits. Briggs filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January 2018, certifying that she and G.B. were divorced. After G.B. died about two weeks later, Briggs filed for VA benefits, claiming to be G.B.’s surviving spouse. In April 2018 she also claimed to be G.B.’s spouse when applying for benefits from the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, receiving approximately $49,000 for medical care, and she received approximately $80,000 in benefits from the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program by claiming to be an eligible survivor of a qualifying veteran. After the VA’s initial decision to deny her claim to G.B.’s VA survivor benefits, Briggs submitted additional paperwork claiming she and G.B. were married until his death in 2018. Based on this claim, the VA granted her the benefits. She then filed a petition in Chatham County Superior Court, changing her name from Miranda Rachel Fisher to Miranda Rachel Briggs. In April 2021, Briggs was named administrator of G.B.’s estate after claiming in Chatham County Probate Court to be G.B.’s surviving spouse. In March 2023, the Chatham County Probate Court removed Briggs as administrator after finding she was divorced from G.B. at the time of his death and not eligible to act as an administrator of his estate. Briggs is scheduled for an initial appearance in Magistrate Court in Brunswick on July 26. Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Z. Spitulnik.


title: CEO of “Smart Ring” Wearable Tech Company Arrested on Securities Fraud Charges

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Boca Raton woman was arrested today on charges alleging she lied to investors to obtain over $2 million for her company ESOS Rings, Inc., which she then used for personal expenses and Ponzi payments to keep the scheme going. Michelle Bisnoff, also known as “Michelle Angeline Silverstein” and “Shelly Silverstein,” 57, previously of Pacific Palisades and Santa Barbara and currently living in Boca Raton, Florida, is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud. Bisnoff was released on bond and ordered to appear for further proceedings in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles on August 7. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Bisnoff is the founder and CEO of ESOS. Allegedly, from 2017 through the end of 2023, Bisnoff fraudulently solicited investments in ESOS by falsely representing ESOS's business activities and profitability, and the returns that the investors would receive on their investments. Bisnoff allegedly told prospective investors that ESOS owned patents for "smart rings,” a wearable device encoded with financial information, which could be used to make contactless payments. Bisnoff allegedly said ESOS earned transaction fees each time a ring was used, generating profits for ESOS. Bisnoff also allegedly told prospective investors that ESOS was already manufacturing and selling these smart rings, and that ESOS would soon be bought by Apple or another suitor, resulting in a buy back of the investors’ shares at prices significantly above the share price she was offering to the investors. According to the affidavit, neither Bisnoff nor ESOS owned the patents at issue; the majority of investor funds raised were used to allegedly make Ponzi payments to earlier investors and to benefit Bisnoff personally; the prospective acquirors of ESOS had no knowledge of ESOS and/or no plan to provide capital for it; and ESOS had virtually no business operations, let alone profits. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of both charges, Bisnoff faces a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Bisnoff and ESOS for allegedly fraudulently raising $1.95 million from ESOS investors. On September 19, 2023, United States District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall imposed a judgment finding Bisnoff and ESOS jointly and severally liable for disgorgement of $566,483, representing net profits from the fraud, as well as $46,836 in pre-judgment interest and a civil penalty of $223,229, with the total amount due—$836,548—to be paid to the SEC within 30 days. According to the affidavit, to date neither Bisnoff nor ESOS has paid any of the amounts due. The FBI is investigating this matter. Substantial assistance was provided by the SEC and the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Florida Man Charged with Six Felonies for Mail-Order Pharmacy and Healthcare Kickback Scheme

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 16, 2024, against Franz (aka “Frank”) Peter Suess, 77, of Wellington, Florida, for running a long-standing conspiracy related to his operation of a network of mail-order pharmacies and payment of illegal healthcare kickbacks in order to procure prescriptions for his pharmacies. The charges include one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and healthcare fraud, four counts involving healthcare kickback payments or offers to pay kickbacks, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. The indictment alleges that starting as early as March 2014, and continuing until at least October 2023, Suess owned a network of pharmacies and business entities that were involved in their management. Suess purchased multiple small retail pharmacies throughout the country with the intent of converting the vast majority of the businesses from in-person pharmacies to mail-order businesses. Suess would typically put the ownership of the pharmacies into the names of third parties despite the fact that he provided the funding for the purchase, received a significant share of the profits, and maintained control of the pharmacy network through his other companies. After purchasing a pharmacy, Suess made fraudulent submissions to various healthcare entities. In these submissions, Suess hid his ownership and control of the pharmacies, failed to disclose that the pharmacy was being converted to a mail-order pharmacy, and falsely claimed that he was in compliance with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Through these false claims, Suess and his co-conspirators defrauded and intended to defraud private and public health insurance providers including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Suess’s scheme included his July 2017 purchase of McHugh Drug Store, located in Carthage, Illinois, which is within the Central District of Illinois. Suess not only concealed his ownership, but also paid illegal kickbacks for prescriptions that were filled by McHugh. If convicted, Suess shall forfeit any property that is derived, either directly or indirectly, from gross proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses. The property includes, but is not limited to, a money judgment. A summons was issued for Suess to appear in federal court before Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley on August 23, 2024, in the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and healthcare fraud; up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the four kickback counts; and up to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Each count carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain/loss, and each count may be followed by up to a three-year term of supervised release. Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.


title: Two Men Plead Guilty to Assaulting Correctional Officer at United States Penitentiary Atwater

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Higgins, 39, of Morro Bay, California, and Austin Noblitt, 35, of Portland, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to Assault on a Federal Officer or Employee, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Higgins and Noblitt assaulted a Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer at United States Penitentiary (USP) Atwater in Merced County. As a result of the assault, the Correctional Officer suffered multiple lacerations to the face and was transported to the local hospital for treatment. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Chan Hee Chu and Jeffrey A. Spivak are prosecuting the case. Higgins and Noblitt are scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2024. Higgins and Noblitt face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $1.49 Million from his Employer in Nearly Decade Long Scheme

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 46, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud for defrauding his employer out of over $1.49 million, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from 2004 to 2020, Ruiz De Chavez worked as an operations manager. Between 2012 and 2019, Ruiz De Chavez used his position to generate fake invoices purportedly created by genuine vendors for goods and services. He presented these fake invoices and corresponding checks made out to the real vendors to his employer for signature, and would then deposit the checks into his own personal bank account. Ruiz De Chavez used the funds to pay for personal expenses including credit card payments, cash withdrawals, mortgage payments, vacations, and car loans. He was able to continue the scheme without notice because of the trusted position he held at the company. Between 2012 and 2019, Ruiz De Chavez created over 600 fake invoices and checks, causing at least $1,491,000 to be transferred into his account from his employer. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case. Ruiz De Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Los Angeles County Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft Offenses Committed While in Federal Prison

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Sean Lamont Wyatt, 46, of Los Angeles County, pleaded guilty today to identity theft and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in June 2021, 27 pages of victims’ personally identifiable information were found in Wyatt’s assigned inmate bunk at the federal prison in Atwater. Investigation revealed that while Wyatt was incarcerated, he used a contraband phone to call victims’ banks and creditors. In the phone calls, Wyatt used the victims’ names, dates of birth, addresses, and social security numbers to falsely identity himself and to add himself as an authorized user on the victims’ accounts. Wyatt did this to boost his own credit. Wyatt then used his boosted credit to apply for new credit lines. This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. Wyatt is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2024. Wyatt faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for identity theft and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Fresno Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. —Emmanuelle Padilla, 28, was sentenced to 63 months in custody today for being a felon in possession of ammunition and a probation violation, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Padilla was found in possession of ammunition on Oct. 24, 2022. He has prior felony convictions for possessing controlled substances while armed and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Arin C. Heinz prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Area Pharmacy Agrees to Resolve Civil Allegations of Improper Dispensing of Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Professional Pharmacy & Convalescent Products, Ltd., a pharmacy that was based in Pottstown, PA, agreed to resolve allegations that it had improperly dispensed opioids and other controlled substances to individuals, and submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for those illegally dispensed controlled substances. The settlement resolves the case for a payment of $150,000 and comes after the pharmacy surrendered its DEA registration. Under the Controlled Substances Act, pharmacies like Professional that are registered with the DEA are permitted to dispense controlled substances only to patients based on a valid prescription. A prescription is valid only when issued for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice. That legal obligation applies to controlled substances broadly and includes drugs like the opioid oxycodone. The settlement between the United States and Professional resolves allegations that, from June 1, 2018, through March 4, 2024, Professional illegally dispensed controlled substances like oxycodone without satisfying these important legal obligations, and illegally submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for the drugs. The settlement agreement covers liability under the Controlled Substances Act, which imposes civil penalties for illegal controlled substance prescriptions, and the False Claims Act, which imposes civil damages and penalties for false claims to the federal government. “Federal law imposes obligations on pharmacies like Professional to only dispense controlled substances when appropriate,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The law is critical in protecting our community from the dangers of the opioid epidemic. This settlement provides yet another example of my office’s commitment to pursuing misconduct at every level in the opioid supply chain.” “Professional Pharmacy exhibited a continued disregard of their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act by illegally dispensing powerful controlled substances like oxycodone over a several year period,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Pharmacies are entrusted with properly dispensing controlled substances in their care.” “Pharmacies are responsible for all claims they submit to Medicare and Medicaid,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG, DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will work together to ensure opioids are dispensed properly and that taxpayer dollars are only spent on bona fide pharmacy claims.” The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Field Division of the DEA and HHS-OIG. The civil investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano and Auditors Denis Cooke and Dawn Wiggins. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Note: Professional Pharmacy of Pottstown, PA, has no affiliation with Pottstown Pharmacy.


title: Man Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tesluach Gatkuoth, 27, of Grand Island, NE, was sentenced July 17, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Gatkuoth to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gatkuoth’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On April 8, 2022, Omaha Police Department officers were on routine patrol in a marked patrol vehicle when they observed a gray 2003 Lexus driving eastbound on Lake Street approaching north 26th Street. The vehicle turned south onto north 25th Street and did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign at the intersection of north 25th and Grant Street. The Lexus continued through the intersection of Patrick Avenue and north 25th Street where it violated a second stop sign by failing to come a complete stop. As the vehicle turned onto Patrick Avenue, officers attempted to stop the vehicle by initiating their patrol vehicle’s overhead lights and sirens. These emergency signals remained active as the Lexus turned southbound and sped away. The Lexus eventually stopped near 26th and Blondo Street, at which time the driver of the vehicle, Gatkuoth, fled on foot. Gatkuoth fled across the front yard of a residence at the 26th block of Blondo Street before forcing his way through the home’s front door. As Gatkuoth entered the residence, he closed the door on the officer before continuing down into the basement and entering a room. Once inside the room, Gatkuoth closed the door behind him and remained concealed within. An officer maintained a position on the stairway and yelled commands for Gatkuoth to reveal himself. Moments later Gatkuoth opened the door, yelled at the officer, and then casually began to go to the ground per officer commands. Gatkuoth was eventually secured in handcuffs and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle. A protective sweep of the basement was performed, and an adolescent child exited the room where Gatkuoth had entered and barricaded himself. Officers subsequently found a fully loaded 9mm handgun with high-capacity magazine and obliterated serial number hidden in the child’s clothes hamper. A criminal history check revealed that Gatkuoth had been previously convicted of felony offenses, including robbery for which he served several years in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services beginning in 2015. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Patrick Hoshor, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 16, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hoshor to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hoshor’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On April 1, 2023, an individual died from an overdose in an Omaha residence. Officers were able to get into the victim’s phone. There were messages about him getting “30’s” from Hoshor on March 31, 2023, at a MegaSaver in Omaha. Officers went to that location and were able to get store video. Officers saw two people meet and one of them arriving in a car belonging to Hoshor. On April 5, 2023, officers used the victim’s phone and set up another meet with Hoshor. Hoshor, not knowing the victim died, showed up and was arrested. He was interviewed and admitted to selling M30s to the victim. Lab analysis revealed the M30 pill contained fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ashanti Joyner Jackson, 26, Charlotte, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on July 2, 2022, CMPD officers observed a vehicle that had been reported stolen drive into a Quick Trip gas station in Charlotte. CMPD officers arrived at the gas station and apprehended Jackson, who had been driving the vehicle, as he was walking out of the store. CMPD officers approached the parked vehicle and observed a firearm on the driver seat in plain view. The officers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered that the firearm was a semi-automatic pistol, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and a magazine containing 12 rounds. In addition, CMPD officers found several baggies containing narcotics and a digital scale. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Jackson has prior convictions for, among other offenses, Common Law Robbery, Larceny of a Motor Vehicle, and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Accordingly, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On April 12, 2023, Jackson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kenney and Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 222 Months in Federal Prison on Transportation of Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced Thursday, July 11, 2024 to 222 months in federal prison for Transportation of Child Pornography and revocation of his federal supervised release. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, David Ponce, 53, a registered sex offender, was found to have a prohibited cell phone while under federal supervised release, had not formally registered with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, and admitted to using the prohibited cell phone to access child pornography. During the investigation, Ponce was found accountable for more than 600 visual depictions of child pornography. At sentencing, the Court also found Ponce had violated the terms of his federal supervised release for a prior conviction for attempted enticement of a minor and he was ordered to serve a 30-month term of imprisonment, for a total of 222 months in federal prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ponce will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . / For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Grant County Man Sentenced for Firearms, Drug Offenses

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacob Glen Vance, age 34, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possession of a machine gun and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, as a part of another investigation, West Virginia State Police searched Vance’s home and storage unit, finding several firearms, including an unregistered machine gun, methamphetamine, and cash. Vance will report for three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Middletown Man Admits Trafficking Meth

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that JASON FABEL, 46, of Middletown, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2022, Fabel was arrested after the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a court-authorized search of his Middletown residence and seized approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of ketamine, narcotics paraphernalia, and a loaded 9mm handgun. On April 27, 2023, while Fabel was released on bond and awaiting trial, he was arrested for violating conditions of his pretrial release. At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine, six grams of ketamine, and 10 grams of MDMA (“ecstasy”). At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Fabel faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. He has been detained since April 27, 2023. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.


title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. “As illegally possessed firearms proliferate in our community, our office continues to hold accountable those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend the efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in investigating these criminal activities.” The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. Those indicted during the July term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Cordell Cobb , 23, of Midville, Ga., charged with 10 counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and eight counts of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The indictment alleges Cobb robbed convenience stores, a restaurant, and a Dollar General between January to June, 2023, in Bulloch, Burke, Emanuel, Chatham, Ware, Glascock, and Jenkins counties. Corinthian Lamar Colonel , 26, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Tommy Lee Porter , 55, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of Methamphetamine; Stanley Hall , 22, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Ronald Milton , 72, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Maleak J. Parrish , 24, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and, Darrell DeMarcus Golden , 31, of Lakeland, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Also previously indicted: Rashawn Byrd, 35, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and, Willie Dunbar, 45, of Villa Rica, Ga., charged with Possession of a Machine Gun. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Matthew Lacey , 26, of Savannah, was sentenced to 188 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Lacey on warrants from an April 2023 domestic violence incident and found him in possession of a handgun. Lacey has multiple prior convictions for violent felonies, including assault and illegal gun possession. Kenneth Oliver Riley , 60, of Savannah, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers found a revolver in Riley’s pocket while investigating a shooting. Joe Welcome, 34, of Reidsville, Ga., was sentenced to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Welcome was a passenger in a stolen vehicle stopped by Savannah police officers who determined Welcome was in possession of a pistol. Christopher D. Lovett , 44, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined$1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. During an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, investigators found a pistol in Lovett’s possession. Brian Wesley Dean , 45, of Bloomingdale, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Pooler police officers found a pistol in Dean’s possession during a traffic stop. Daiyuonte Reed , 31, of Oak Bluffs, Mass., was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Reed’s possession while investigating a disturbance at a Savannah restaurant. Perez Staples, 40 , of Glennville, Ga., awaits sentenced after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Long County sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in Staples’ vehicle during a traffic stop. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473


title: Former Banker Charged with Bribing Ghanaian Officials Extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Asante Kwaku Berko, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn today before Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon on an indictment charging him with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering for bribing Ghanaian government officials to secure a power plant deal and laundering the payments through the U.S. financial system. Yesterday, Berko was extradited to the Eastern District of New York from the United Kingdom where he was arrested on November 3, 2022 pursuant to an Interpol Diffusion Notice. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Head of the Criminal Division and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the extradition. “As alleged, the defendant bribed Ghanaian government officials to secure a lucrative development contract relying on the U.S. banking system to execute his scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office is committed to rooting out bribery and other criminal practices that create inequities in the playing field for business both here and abroad and exploit the U.S. banking system.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Government of the United Kingdom, the U.K. National Centre Bureau for INTERPOL, the Embassy of the United States in London, the Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service for providing substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. “For over two years, Asante Berko, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ghana, allegedly bribed Ghanian government officials to monopolize a promising business deal and used United States bank accounts to transfer such kickbacks. Financially influencing decision-makers, including those overseas, jeopardizes the integrity of affected countries while creating an unfair advantage to those promoting the bribery scheme. The FBI will not permit citizens, regardless of their nationality, to obtain corrupt contracts by exploiting foreign countries and utilizing our nation to facilitate the movement of unlawful payments,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis. As set forth in the indictment, between approximately December 2014 and March 2017, Berko conspired with others to bribe Ghanaian government officials in connection with the development and financing of a multi-million-dollar power plant in Ghana. Berko, an Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division of a subsidiary of a U.S. bank, was responsible for securing and managing a deal between its client, a Turkish energy company, and the Republic of Ghana, for the construction and financing of a power plant in Ghana. During the scheme, Berko and his co-conspirators paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes—including to Ghanaian officials—to ensure the Turkish energy company won its bid to build and operate the power plant. For example, in April 2015, bribes were paid to five Ghanaian officials during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to view equipment for the power plant, during which the officials each received $5,000. After the power plant deal was ratified by the Ghanaian parliament in July 2015, Berko and his co-conspirators exchanged detailed emails regarding their bribe payments. In August 2015, they discussed $250,000 in bribe payments paid to various individuals, including $20,000 to the “MoP Girls”—who were with the Ghanaian Ministry of Power and who a co-conspirator described as “vital to our communication and information acquisition.” The emails further detailed tens of thousands of dollars in bribes that Berko had personally paid and for which he was still owed. Payments in furtherance of the bribery scheme were laundered through U.S. and foreign bank accounts, including several in Berko’s name. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Berko faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and five years in prison for each count of violating the FCPA and conspiring to violate the FCPA. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alixandra Smith, Jessica Weigel and Tara McGrath are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Elina Rubin-Smith of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of the United Kingdom, U.K. National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, and U.S. Marshals Service to secure the arrest and extradition of Berko. The Defendant : ASANTE KWAKU BERKO Age: 50 Ghana / United Kingdom E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-328 (DG)


title: U.S. Attorney and FBI Announce Federal Charges Against Zuni Man After Armed Standoff Ends in Shooting at Law Enforcement

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was charged by criminal complaint following an hours-long armed standoff with law enforcement, during which he fired multiple shots at FBI agents and tribal police officers responding to a domestic disturbance call on the Zuni Pueblo reservation. Eric Bowannie , 26, an enrolled member of the Zuni Nation, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the criminal complaint, on July 6, 2024, a family disturbance in Zuni, New Mexico escalated into a standoff between law enforcement and Bowannie . Bowannie allegedly barricaded himself inside a residence and fired upon Zuni Police Department officers outside the home. When more officers responded to the scene, Bowannie reportedly charged at them with an ax before retrieving a shotgun from a nearby bedroom and shooting at the officers. Agents from the FBI responded to the scene and ordered Bowannie to exit the residence with his hands up, but he refused to comply. Throughout the standoff, Bowannie moved between the front door and windows, firing multiple rounds. He was also observed at the back of the residence holding a rifle. Eventually, Bowannie crawled out of the back of the residence and was spotted approximately a quarter mile away attempting to flee. He surrendered when given commands by local law enforcement. A search of the residence recovered 57 .22 caliber casings and 5 spent shotgun shells both inside and outside the home. In a subsequent interview, Bowannie admitted he was not supposed to possess firearms due to active felony warrants. He stated his initial plan was "suicide by cop" but changed his mind after speaking with his "baby mama." Bowannie also admitted to firing shots at FBI agents and considering shooting at a police officer before ultimately deciding to surrender. If convicted of the current charges, Bowannie faces up to 27 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Ry Ellison and Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: University of Maryland, College Park Agrees to Pay $500,000 to Resolve Allegations That It Failed to Disclose Foreign Research Support in Federal Grant Proposals

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to disclose current and pending support from foreign sources for faculty members who were principal investigators (PI) or co-PIs of federal research grant proposals. The settlement relates to research grant support UMD received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of the Army between 2015 and 2020. These agencies require grant applicants to disclose all current and pending support received by the institution, its PIs, and co-PIs. Current and pending support is defined as all resources from whatever source — including foreign government sources — that are made available to researchers in support of and/or related to their research endeavors. The agencies rely on the accuracy of these disclosures, in part, to avoid funding duplicative research projects and to ensure their highly competitive grants are awarded only to PIs who demonstrate they have the time and ability to perform the planned work. Non-disclosure of required information can result in missed opportunities for other applicants to receive funding for their own research. This investigation began as a proactive initiative spearheaded by the NSF Office of Inspector General (OIG) to determine if foreign gifts and contracts subject to Section 117 of the Department of Education’s Higher Education Act of 1965 were also being disclosed in federal grant proposals, as required. The United States alleged UMD knowingly failed to disclose current and pending foreign funding that three UMD researchers had sought and received, in five research grant proposals submitted to the NSF and Army. Specifically, the United States alleged UMD failed to disclose to NSF gift funding from Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. to a PI for research in “high energy density FeF3 conversion cathode materials and Li metal anodes.” Additionally, the United States alleged UMD failed to disclose to the NSF and Army grant funding to two other PIs from Taobao (China) Software Co., Ltd. (Alibaba), titled, “Large-Scale Behavior Learning for Dense Crowds”, and “Cyber-Manufacturing of Customized Apparel.” “Complete and accurate disclosures are essential to federal agencies that make decisions on awarding federal grants,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Those individuals and universities that knowingly fail to do so skew the grant awarding process in their favor and will be held accountable.” “NSF plays a major role in the U.S. research enterprise, providing about 25% of all Federal support to America’s colleges and universities for basic research. Lack of institutional oversight of individuals receiving Federal funds poses a serious risk to the success of that enterprise. This investigation was one of NSF OIG’s proactive efforts focused on determining compliance with critical grant terms and conditions, including mandatory disclosures. As this case demonstrated, the failure of institutional oversight can foster noncompliance and present significant challenges to the integrity of the Federal research funding process,” said NSF Inspector General Allison Lerner. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and our investigative partners for their work in protecting federally funded research.” The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, with assistance from the NSF OIG and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas F. Corcoran for the District of Maryland. ##