title: Three Charged in Multi-State Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – Three individuals from Georgia have been charged in federal District Court in Providence, RI, for their alleged roles in a wide-ranging lottery and sweepstakes scam that, according to court documents, defrauded senior citizens in Rhode Island and several other states out of at least one million dollars, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Court documents allege that Patrick Dallas, 36, and Stacey Robinson, 28, of Atlanta, GA, and Owen Demoy Byfield, 32, of Cumming, GA, defrauded individuals through a bogus “Publishers Clearing House” (PCH) or similar sweepstakes scam and laundered the proceeds through entities and bank accounts they controlled. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. As detailed in court filings, it is alleged that seniors were duped into believing that they had won significant sums of money, often times millions of dollars, in a PCH lottery or sweepstakes. These seniors were advised that, in order to collect their winnings, they were required to provide personal identifying information for prize verification purposes, and they were informed that they had to pay upfront fees or taxes. Some of the victims were directed to send money, gift cards, and/or high value items such as Rolex watches and iPhones, purportedly to cover these fees, to various addresses controlled by the defendants. It is alleged that one victim, a 77-year-old Rhode Island man, received what purported to be a notification from PCH, informing him that he had been randomly entered into a raffle and had won $17,500,000. After contacting the “prize representative” listed in the notification as instructed, the victim was contacted multiple times by another person purporting to be from PCH who instructed him to wire transfer $100,000 to an account later determined by law enforcement to be controlled by a member of the conspiracy. Over time, the victim was repeatedly instructed to purchase a total of three Rolex watches valued together at $42,746 and to ship them to addresses later determined to be associated with a member of the conspiracy. The 77-year-old was further instructed to write and send four checks, each written for $30,000, to an address he was provided. When this 77-year-old gentleman attempted to send the checks, a FedEx employee advised him that he was likely being victimized by scammers and that he should contact the Warwick Police Department. The FedEx employee refused to accept the mailing. According to court documents, an investigation by the Warwick Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service determined that seniors in numerous states had fallen prey to similar scenarios on multiple occasions, and that victims provided significant amounts of money to various entities or bank accounts allegedly controlled by members of the conspiracy. It is alleged that the fraudulently obtained funds were often moved around by members of the conspiracy to other entities and bank accounts they controlled. Some of the funds, including the money wired by the Rhode Island victim, were allegedly used to purchase a home. It is alleged that in applying for a mortgage, altered and fraudulent documents were submitted to a mortgage lender. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Warwick Police Department, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, Georgia State Patrol, Forsyth County Sherriff’s Office, Fulton Count Sherriff’s office, the U.S. Marshalls Service, and the East Providence Police Department. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professional who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.[ET]. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, http://www.elderjustice.gov . ### criminal_complaint_affidavit.pdf


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to defrauding lending companies out of millions of dollars with dozens of stolen identities

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Paul Paredes, 53, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that since 2013, Paredes has owned J&E Business Consulting LLC, which provides services to client businesses, including acting as a broker between the credit card processing companies and smaller retail businesses. Small businesses provide J&E with their financial information, such as the owner’s identifying information, including driver’s license, social security number, and email, as well as bank account information. Between April 2019, and August 2023, Paredes submitted hundreds of fraudulent financing applications to dozens of lenders under the identities of his business customers (victims), for goods and services allegedly provided by Paredes, with the funds payable to bank accounts controlled by Paredes. These financing agreements were prepared in the names if victims, using their personal information, and without their knowledge, consent, or authorization. After a financing agreement was approved, money from the victim lender was deposited into one of numerous bank accounts controlled by Paredes, who used the money he obtained from the scheme to fund his personal expenses, pay salaries and operating expenses, or to make payments to victim lenders to avoid detection of the fraudulent loans. By making those payments to the victim lenders, Paredes was able to continue making similar fraudulent financing agreements with multiple victim lenders without discovery. To further avoid detection, on occasions when victims received communications from victim lenders about the fraudulent financing agreements, Paredes misled them about the purpose of the communications and told them he would handle it. Paredes used the identity of at least 63 individuals to defraud at least 23 victim lenders, utilizing at least 12 different bank accounts and moving the money he obtained from the scheme throughout different accounts. Paredes submitted false loan applications from Rochester, NY, to the out-of-state lenders located throughout the country, including in New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota. The total loss amount is at least $3,500,000. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, and the New York State Department of Financial Services-Criminal Investigation Bureau, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris. Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Independence Man Pleads Guilty to $1.4 Million COVID Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive nearly $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the government. Richard Dean Schiele, Jr., 51, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to a federal information that charges him with one count of filing a false claim. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES” Act) provided for an Employee Retention Credit designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll. The Employee Retention Credit is available to eligible employers that paid qualified wages to some or all employees after March 12, 2020, and before Jan. 1, 2022. By pleading guilty today, Schiele admitted he filed nine Employer’s Quarterly Tax Return forms with the IRS on April 22, 2023, for a company he formed the same month called Schiele Family Own Distribution. The returns made a total of $1,392,716 in claims for COVID–19 pandemic era credits against the company’s ostensible employment taxes. In reality, Schiele admitted, the company did not have any employees in 2020 through 2022. Based on these false claims, the IRS issued checks totaling $478,890 to Schiele. The Treasury Department recovered $348,764.91 from Schiele’s bank account. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Schiele must pay $130,125 in restitution to the IRS. Under federal statutes, Schiele is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl, Theft of Government Funds, Aggravated Identity Theft

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: According to information presented to the court, in September 2023, following a two-month investigation into his drug trafficking activities, members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force sought and executed a court authorized search warrant at Nunez Rodriguez’s Providence apartment, where they seized 613 grams of fentanyl and a total of approximately $25,000 in cash. Additionally, task force agents discovered 28 United States Treasury checks addressed to different individuals, 39 federal tax returns in envelopes addressed to the IRS, and personal identifying information belonging to 976 individuals. A follow-up investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation found that 436 tax returns had been fraudulently filed using the Providence address listed. The investigation also determined that Nunez Rodriguez had fraudulently obtained 43 U.S. Treasury checks in amounts ranging from $1,400 to $1,800. Fifteen had been deposited into bank accounts that he controlled; 28 additional checks were found to be in his possession at the time of his arrest. Nunez Rodriquez is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2025. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force and IRS Criminal Investigation. ###


title: Two Men Plead Guilty to Trafficking More Than Two Dozen Illegal Firearms into Boston

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston. Aizavier Roache, 30, of Boston, and Trevon Brunson, 31, of Columbia, S.C., pleaded guilty to one count each of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencings for Feb. 6, 2025 and Feb. 11, 2025, respectively. According to the charging documents, this case arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms. Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, with Roache texting Brunson the pin number for the card during the transaction. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone depicts him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponds with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023. In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Accused Drug Dealer Arrested and Indicted for Allegedly Possessing and Distributing Fentanyl

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A foreign national living in Utah accused of committing drug crimes was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City. Sabino Osvaldo Gomez-Perez, 36, of Salt Lake County, was initially charged by complaint on October 11, 2024, in the District of Utah. According to court documents, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, began a criminal investigation of Gomez-Perez and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On October 9, 2024, agents executed a search warrant for a motel room where Gomez-Perez was staying in Salt Lake County. Agents suspected that Gomez-Perez was using the hotel room to traffic drugs. During the search, agents seized 5,857 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl. Agents estimated the fentanyl at approximately 58,000 fentanyl pills. Gomez-Perez is charged with possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for October 30, 2024, at 2:15 p.m., in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Murderer Found Guilty of Illegally Possessing Multiple Firearms Following Federal Jury Trial

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

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has convicted Salam Abdul Ali, 57, of Indianapolis, of illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon, following a one-day trial. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on January 28, 2024, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers were dispatched to a home for a domestic disturbance call. Upon arrival, a woman who lived at the home with her children reported that her ex-boyfriend, Salam Abdul Ali, owned guns and made threats to kill her, her children, and her brother following an argument the previous night. On February 14, 2024, IMPD investigators conducted a court-authorized search at Ali’s residence. During the search, investigators located five firearms in his bedroom, along with ammunition and firearm accessories. Ali was present and admitted to law enforcement officers, “I got guns, I sure do,” which was captured on body worn camera. During the investigation, officers learned that Ali’s former name was Christopher Butler. Ali changed his name from Butler after he was convicted of murder in Marion County and sentenced to sentenced to 60 years in prison. He was released from state prison in approximately 2013. In 2019, Ali was convicted in federal court for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy and sentenced to federal prison. Ali is permanently prohibited from ever again legally possessing a firearm as a result of his felony convictions. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman presided over the trial and will sentence the defendant at a future hearing. Ali faces up to 15 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pam Domash and Zachary Szilagyi, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Marion Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison

body_text: FORT WAYNE–James Darquan McCreary, 45 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. McCreary was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in March 2020, McCreary possessed more than 500 grams of cocaine that was intended for distribution and illegally possessed firearms as a convicted felon. McCreary was determined to be a career offender based on his prior felony battery and robbery convictions from Grant County, Indiana. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the J.E.A.N. (Joint Effort Against Narcotics) Team Drug Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Marion Police Department, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, the Grant County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.


title: South Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death of Baby and Possession of Firearms as a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Yesterday afternoon, Darnell Mendez, 36, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, by U. S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. Mendez and his girlfriend, Samantha Yi, previously pled guilty to federal offenses resulting from a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) following the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach, Fla. who had ingested fentanyl. Yi is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025, and faces a minimum mandatory sentence of at least twenty years in prison. On March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress. The infant was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach with her mother. On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. On April 5, 2022, the baby died. An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was a homicide. The BBPD conducted a homicide investigation during which law enforcement recovered fentanyl at the baby’s home. The investigation determined that the baby’s mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. The mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence. DEA joined the investigation to identify the drug dealers that were responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl that killed the baby. Through data and information retrieved from the mother’s cellphone, law enforcement was able to identify Yi as the drug dealer. The investigation uncovered months of electronic communications exchanged between Yi and the mother involving drug transactions in which the mother was the customer. The investigation further determined that Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez was also involved in the distribution of fentanyl. Investigators were able to determine that on March 30, 2022, the mother met with Yi in Boynton Beach to purchase fentanyl, and that fentanyl was ingested by the baby resulting in her death. As part of the joint investigation, DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from Yi and Mendez. The undercover operation culminated in the arrests of Yi and Mendez on March 6, at their residence in Lake Worth, where law enforcement discovered 14 firearms. As part of their pleas, Yi and Mendez admitted being felons unlawfully in possession of firearms. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF, Miami Field Division, Chief Joe DeGiulio of BBPD, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of PBSO announced the sentencing. The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15 th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80041. ###


title: Illegal possession of firearm sends Belgrade man to prison for almost three years

body_text: MISSOULA — A federal judge today sentenced a Belgrade man to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Isaac James Cardona, 45, pleaded guilty in June to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in November 2023, agents with the Missouri River Drug Task Force were conducting surveillance in Belgrade in an area known for drug trafficking. Law enforcement stopped Cardona, who had an outstanding state warrant. Cardona was found to be in possession of a loaded gun, two loaded magazines with extra ammunition for the gun, methamphetamine, a digital scale and 49 fentanyl pills. Cardona previously was convicted of a federal methamphetamine distribution crime and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Missouri River Drug Task Force, and Belgrade Police Department conducted the investigation. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Derik Carothers, 29, pleaded guilty to Count Four of the Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about October 20, 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Carothers possessed numerous firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Carothers was previously convicted on November 7, 2013, in the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas of burglary and carrying a firearm without a license, and, on March 20, 2017, of carrying a firearm without a license. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Carothers.


title: Chicago-Area Rap Promotor Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Role in Nationwide Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Chicago-area man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States. Antonio M. Strong, 32, of Orland Park, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 34 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Strong was also ordered to forfeit $2,159,874 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,159,873. In May 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Strong was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap artist Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams and Demario Sorrells Between at least March 2016 and September 2020, Strong conspired with Wright, Sorrells, Williams, and allegedly, others to defraud numerous businesses and individuals by obtaining and using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information to obtain valuable goods and services, including: private jet and yacht charters; luxury car rentals; luxury hotel and vacation rental accommodations; private chef and security guard services; designer puppies; limousine and chauffer services; and commercial airline flights, among other things. During this time, Strong presented himself as a music promoter based in the Chicago area. The stolen payment card account information included the actual cardholders’ names, addresses, payment card account numbers, security codes and account expiration dates. Because Strong and his alleged co-conspirators provided authentic payment card information, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed their transactions and provided the goods and services. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges, which were reversed by the payment card companies. As a result, the transactions were charged back to the businesses and individuals from whom Strong and his co-conspirators defrauded with the unauthorized transactions. To conceal his identity and perpetrate the fraud, Strong used various fictitious names and aliases; provided fake driver’s licenses in the names of both fictitious and real people; used email accounts in the names of fictitious and real businesses; and falsely stated that he was from “Universal Music,” “Sony Music,” “Epic Music,” and other real and fictitious companies. Strong caused a total loss of $2,299,842, which he has agreed to repay. In January 2024 , Wright was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968 after previously pleading guilty. Sorrells pleaded guilty and in August 2024 , was sentenced to three years of probation and oredered to pay $106,000 in restitution and $106,000 in forfeiture. In March 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and in August 2024 was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $155,392 and forfeiture of $102,116. Terrence Bender is scheduled to plead guilty next month. The remaining defendant, Steven Hayes, Jr. is pending trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Gore Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Don Girty, Jr., age 30, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months for illegally possessing a firearm. The Court ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to state sentences Girty received in the District Court of Sequoyah County. The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On May 2, 2024, Girty pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on January 7, 2024, a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Girty in possession of a .22 caliber bolt action rifle. At the time of the stop, Girty had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Girty will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to More than 19 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Christopher Solomon, 30, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2023, Solomon sold approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine and 10 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in the Kanawha City area of Charleston. The Court found that Solomon had participated in at least 16 drug transactions and possessed a firearm multiple times in connection with those transactions. Additionally, Solomon made threats on two occasions to shoot individuals in connection with those transactions. Solomon has a long criminal history that includes two prior federal felony drug convictions. Solomon also committed an armed robbery in 2014 while he was on supervised release as a result of these federal convictions. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which 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. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. 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. 2:24-cr-54. ###


title: Spokane Assistant United States Attorney Recognized at  Spokane Zephyr Game

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Stephanie Van Marter was recognized on the field at the final home game of the Spokane Zephyr on Sunday, October 28. AUSA Van Marter was selected for this honor due to her years of dedicated public service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as her work as a member of the board of the Spokane Alliance for Fentanyl Education (SAFE). Spokane Zephyr FC is a Spokane’s professional women’s soccer team and member of the USL Super League. AUSA Van Marter recorded a message about the word “confidence” that was played for the crowd. She shared, “Confidence grows from wisdom, compassion, grace, respect, sprinkled with a little bit of sass. The advice that I would give would be to find that one thing that does make you passionate, that you believe in, and pursue it. Realize that you are going to fall down but you are going to figure out a way to get back up.” AUSA Van Marter is Deputy Criminal Chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and known for her advocacy skills in the courtroom and excellence in training prosecutors and law enforcement on building complex investigations. As Deputy Criminal Chief, AUSA Van Marter supervises cases that include violent crimes in Indian Country and child exploitation offenses. She prosecutes and oversees some of the most difficult cases in the Eastern District of Washington. AUSA Van Marter has served on the board of SAFE since it was created in 2021. Earlier this month, at the SAFE Fall Leadership Summit, she moderated a panel discussion on the topic of how our community can move from awareness to action in combatting the fentanyl crisis. She also presents to high school health classes and other groups about the opioid epidemic. “Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter is a dedicated public servant who works each day to make our communities safe and strong. Teaming up with law enforcement and community partners, AUSA Van Marter courageously holds offenders accountable and selflessly spends time educating our youth and community leaders about the dangers of fentanyl,” stated United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “I am grateful the Spokane Zephyr recognized Stephanie’s contributions to our community, and I am proud she is a member of our office.”


title: Guatemalan Man Guilty of Kidnapping Child He Helped Smuggle into U.S. Sentenced to 14 Years

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Bernardino de Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez, a/k/a Carlos Mendoza, 35, of Guatemala, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and illegal transportation of an alien. Following two days of trial, Ramirez-Ramirez entered a guilty plea for kidnapping and illegal transportation of an alien. Evidence presented to the court showed Ramirez-Ramirez and the minor victim’s family entered into an agreement for the minor victim to be smuggled into the United States. Months later when the minor victim crossed into the United States, she encountered officers with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. As an unaccompanied minor, Border Patrol provided her with treatment for injuries sustained during her smuggling and transferred her to a residential facility until she could be released to an appropriate custodian within the United States. The U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement reviewed the minor victim’s smuggling case and learned that the minor victim owed a debt to Ramirez-Ramirez, that the minor victim had never met Ramirez-Ramirez, and that she would prefer to reside with a family member in the United States rather than her smuggler Ramirez-Ramirez. Despite Ramirez-Ramirez and the victim’s parents in Guatemala pressing for the release of the minor to Ramirez-Ramirez pursuant to their illegal smuggling agreement, the minor victim was released to an uncle residing in Newberry, South Carolina in March 2023. Less than a week after the minor victim arrived at her uncle’s home in Newberry, Ramirez-Ramirez drove from Kansas City, Missouri to the uncle’s home. The minor victim was told she would be deported if she stayed with her uncle and that the smuggling debt would increase if she did not leave with Ramirez-Ramirez. Under these pressures, the minor victim left with Ramirez-Ramirez who drove her across the country to his home in Kansas City. When the uncle returned home from work and learned that the minor victim was missing, he notified local law enforcement. Within 24 hours of the kidnapping, the Newberry Police Department and SLED had tracked Ramirez-Ramirez from Newberry to Kansas City and identified a home associated with Ramirez-Ramirez. The Kansas City Police Department responded to the home, recovered the minor victim, and arrested Ramirez-Ramirez. “Kidnapping, especially the kidnapping of vulnerable children, is a monstrous offense,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The quick collaborative response of law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions saved this child from additional harm and trauma.” United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Ramirez-Ramirez to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by a five-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Newberry Police Department, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Fisher Sherard and Kathleen Stoughton are prosecuting the case. ###


title: KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in the deaths of three persons. Luis Manuel Morales, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. On May 8, 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Morales admitted that he was a source of supply of fentanyl pills for co-defendant Tiger Dean Draggoo, 24, of Kansas City, Mo. On occasion, Draggoo also served as a source of supply of fentanyl pills for Morales. Morales also introduced Draggoo to additional sources of fentanyl pills. Morales sold at least 1,764 pills to Draggoo over 15 separate transactions from Jan. 17 to Oct. 29, 2022, for which he was paid $2,320 through Cash App and an additional amount in cash. Morales also purchased at least 100 fentanyl pills from Draggoo during this time period, for which he paid $750. In total, those 1,864 pills contained approximately 205 grams of fentanyl. Morales and Draggoo conspired to conceal and disguise the nature of the transfer of funds through Cash App by referring to the payments as “rent,” “food clothes,” “clothes,” “food and beer,” “food,” “apt rent,” “reimbursement for mechanic,” and “reimbursement car payment.” Morales was on probation at the time that he was supplying Dragoo with fentanyl pills, following his guilty plea in state court to attempted armed robbery after he and another person robbed a victim at gunpoint. Morales is the first defendant in this case to be sentenced. On Oct. 16, 2024, Draggoo pleaded guilty to his role in the fentanyl conspiracy and to three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Five additional defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.


title: Two Defendants Charged in Connection with Vandalism Targeting Jewish Property in Pittsburgh

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Residents of Coraopolis and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have been charged by criminal complaint in Pittsburgh with damaging religious property and conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count complaint named Mohamad Hamad, 23, of Coraopolis, and Talya A. Lubit, 24, of Pittsburgh. The complaint charges that, from in and around July 2024 through on or about July 29, 2024, Hamad and Lubit conspired with each other to commit an offense against the United States—specifically, a civil rights violation involving damage to religious real property. Hamad and Lubit are further charged with defacing the religious real property of Chabad of Squirrel Hill (Chabad), which occupies a synagogue building, because of the racial and ethnic characteristics of the Jewish individuals associated with Chabad, in violation of federal law. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, which was unsealed today following Hamad’s and Lubit’s arrests, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police initiated a criminal investigation on July 29, 2024, after receiving reports from Chabad and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (the Jewish Federation) of overnight vandalism at their respective properties. Chabad, a center for Jewish educational programming, which occupies a building for Jewish religious services in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, reported that an exterior wall at the front of the property had been defaced with graffiti. Specifically, the words “Jews 4 Palestine” with an inverted triangle were spray-painted onto the exterior of the building with red paint. The inverted triangle, according to the affidavit, first appeared in videos posted online by Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, of the current fighting in Gaza where it was used to mark an Israeli target about to be attacked by Hamas fighters. The investigation also revealed, according to the affidavit, that shortly after the vandalism occurred at the Chabad building, another message was spray-painted on an exterior sign for the Jewish Federation, a non-profit organization that serves as the central fundraising and community relations arm of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. “Defacing religious property is not protected speech—it is a crime,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Members of our communities should be able to practice their faith without fear of being targeted for their religious affiliation, including, as alleged here, with a symbol associated with a terrorist organization. Protecting the civil rights of the people of Western Pennsylvania is of paramount importance to this office and our partners in law enforcement, and we are dedicated to pursuing justice on behalf of the victims of these crimes.” In connection with the investigation, search warrants were executed in August and September 2024 at both defendants’ residences. Hamad’s and Lubit’s cell phones were seized, and a review of the contents revealed, among other things, messages during the month of July 2024 between Hamad and Lubit during which they planned their vandalism activities and specifically discussed selecting Jewish targets. Review of Hamad’s phone also revealed that in the weeks leading up to the vandalism on July 29, Hamad referred to himself as a “Hamas operative,” sent a picture of himself wearing a headband with the Hamas logo to another associate, and exchanged messages with another individual regarding building an explosive device, including a video of a test detonation in early July 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of two years in prison, a fine of $200,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police are conducting the investigation that led to the charges against Hamad and Lubit. A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Oakdale Woman Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering for Misuse of Economic Injury Disaster Loan Funds

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The four-count Indictment named Stephanie L. Bonincontro, 43, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Bonincontro impermissibly used a $500,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) received by her company, Sidelines Tree Service, in 2020 for her personal expenses and credit card debt. EIDLs are administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to help businesses recover from the economic impacts of disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indictment alleges that Bonincontro transferred approximately $250,000 of the EIDL money into a personal investment account that she used to launder the funds. The Indictment also charges her with impermissibly using $225,000 of the EIDL funds for another company she owned called Chartiers Valley Enterprises, where some of those funds were used to pay debts on a personal credit card. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Farrell Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Tylon Cousin, 38, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine on February 3, 2023, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for February 26, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $2,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cousin. 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 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: Previously Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Ammunition

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Matthew Lowe, 33, of Shelby, N.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Gerald Childress of the Kings Mountain Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on August 12, 2023, at approximately 1:45 a.m., officers with the Kings Mountain Police Department were dispatched to a Comfort Inn in the area for a service call for an assault. Upon entering the hotel lobby, an officer encountered a female, identified in court documents as L.T., and the defendant. L.T. told the officers that Lowe had hit her, and she could not see out of her eye. At that point, Lowe fled toward the back of the hotel. Officers chased after Lowe and ultimately Lowe was taken into custody. As part of the investigation, law enforcement obtained CCTV footage from the hotel that depicted Lowe possessing a firearm during his assault of L.T. Specifically, the footage depicted L.T. and Lowe having an altercation, L.T. running away from the hotel room, and Lowe following her. Lowe then removed a firearm from his pants and struck L.T. in the side of her head. This caused the firearm’s magazine to break and ammunition along with several firearm parts fell to the floor. The defendant then struck L.T. several more times with a closed fist, causing L.T. to fall to the ground. Lowe then left the scene. Law enforcement recovered the firearms parts from the scene and 15 rounds of mixed ammunition. Court records indicate that Lowe has prior criminal convictions, including a federal conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity – RICO conspiracy. Because of the criminal convictions, Lowe is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Lowe is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Kings Mountain Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. * * * According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence , 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon. The presence of a gun in a domestic situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%. To understand more about domestic violence, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#dv . If you require immediate help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) or Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483.


title: Winston County man sentenced to over 15 years for possessing  methamphetamine with intent to distribute

body_text: GREENVILLE, Miss. – Dennis Vernandale Phillips, 42, was sentenced today to over 15 years in prison for his possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the controlled substance. The investigation began when law enforcement purchased over 30 grams of methamphetamine from Phillips using a confidential informant. During a subsequent search of Phillips’ residence in Preston, Mississippi, officers located methamphetamine, two firearms, and other narcotics. In total, Phillips’ conduct involved over a kilogram of methamphetamine that impacted the Choctaw Indian Reservation in Winston, Kemper, and Neshoba counties. On October 30, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Phillips to 188 months imprisonment followed by a 48-month term of supervised release for possessing the methamphetamine with intent to distribute. “Meth indiscriminately kills children, men and women and it ravages our communities, including the Choctaw Indian Reservation,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This prosecution and sentence are the result of outstanding cooperation between our federal law enforcement partners and the tribal police to achieve a straightforward goal – to reduce the supply of illicit drugs while seeing to it that those who poison communities with narcotics are held to account.” Phillips' drug distribution was a threat to the community,” said Whitney Woodruff, Regional Agent in Charge of the Southeast Region for the Division of Drug Enforcement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “He was poisoning Indian Country for his personal gain and now he will pay the price. I am proud of our partnerships with the other law enforcement agencies involved." The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case in partnership with the Choctaw Police Criminal Investigations Division, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison 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: West Lafayette Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison

body_text: HAMMOND- Markith Williams, age 39, of West Lafayette, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after a jury found him guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a two-day jury trial, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Williams was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on January 13, 2022, a traffic stop of Williams’ vehicle in Jasper County, Indiana, led to the recovery of a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Williams’ criminal history revealed that he had 3 prior Illinois felony convictions which included being a felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and delivery of cocaine, any one of which prohibited him from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hammond Police Department, and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Grindlay and Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski. 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: Felon Who Arranged Gun Sales from Jail Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis County man who was caught arranging for his illegally-possessed guns to be sold to 63 months in prison. The sentence for James C. Street, 47, will run consecutive to pending probation violation cases in St. Louis and Jefferson counties. Street pleaded guilty in July to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that while a convicted felon and barred from possessing firearms, he possessed three pistols and an AR-style rifle. The investigation began after the St. Louis County Police Department learned that Street, who was in jail at the time, was discussing the sale of his firearms. Police then contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Street sold a .357 magnum revolver through an intermediary, which was later recovered by law enforcement. Investigators learned Street was planning more sales. A court-approved search of the intermediary’s home recovered the remaining guns, as well as ammunition and large capacity magazines. At the time, Street was on probation for multiple felony domestic offenses. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke 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: Duncansville Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Duncansville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of narcotics trafficking related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Douglas Hillegass, 62, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Hillegass was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained approximately six ounces of methamphetamine from Jason Lynn, a large-scale narcotics distributor. Hillegass then redistributed the methamphetamine to other individuals. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for Hillegass for February 26, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Columbus man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug & gun crimes

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man known as “Philly” was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 130 months in prison for narcotics and firearms crimes. Bernard Clark McMillon, 32, conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine. McMillon also possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, from fall of 2022 through February 2023, McMillon and a co-defendant used a series of different houses in central Ohio to traffic fentanyl, crack cocaine and methamphetamine. Their stash houses included residences on South Terrace, Doren, Columbian, Floral and Springmont avenues and McCarley Drive West. McMillon and the co-defendant took advantage of people with addictions who were using the defendants’ residences to make drug sales on their behalf. Law enforcement seized two pistols and a 12-gauge shotgun as part of this investigation. A federal grand jury indicted McMillon in February 2023 and he pleaded guilty in June 2024. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Micheal H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: McKeesport Felon Charged for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Richard L. Edwards Jr., 49, as the sole defendant. Edwards was arrested on August 9, 2024, by the City of McKeesport Police Department related to this charge. According to the Indictment, on or about August 9, 2024, Edwards, who was previously convicted of a felony, was found to be in possession of a Ruger Security-9 semi-automatic pistol, a Smith and Wesson SD40 VE semi-automatic pistol, a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver, and one Winchester 1300 20-gauge shotgun, as well as 20-gauge ammunition, .357 Magnum ammunition, 38 Special ammunition, and 40 caliber ammunition. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Westmoreland County Adult Probation, the City of McKeesport Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: United States Attorney Leigha Simonton Announces NDTX Election Day Program

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Weybrecht will lead the efforts of the in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Weybrecht has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Texas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Simonton said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Simonton stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Matt Weybrecht will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 817-252-5221.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office can be reached by the public at 972-559-5000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Simonton said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. ###


title: Five Men Arrested for Conspiring to Distribute Over 150 Kilograms of Cocaine

body_text: MIAMI – On Oct. 29, five men, Carlos Manuel Velazquez Gomez, 43, David Martinez, 53, Juan Antonio Rivera Velasquez, 45, Onasis Lisandro Garcia, 49, and Richard John Sydney-Smith, 62, had their initial appearances on their respective federal criminal complaints which charge the defendants with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over 150 kilograms of cocaine. On Oct. 27, Sydney-Smith and Garcia were traveling on a boat 2 miles east of Port Everglades, when they were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard and found to be transporting over 150 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation further yielded the arrests of Rivera Velasquez, Velazquez Gomez, and Martinez on Oct. 28, who were waiting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for the cocaine delivery. Pre-trial detention hearings have been scheduled in these matters for Nov. 1 and Nov. 4. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement. HSI Miami investigated this case with invaluable assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Air and Marine Units. Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya C. Brown is prosecuting it. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case numbers 24-mj-6500, 24-mj-6501, 24-mj-6502, 24-mj-6504, and 24-mj-6505. ###


title: Bank Robber Sentenced to Three-and-a-Half Years in Prison

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Justin Eric Lindsay, 29, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On June 27, 2024, Lindsay pleaded guilty to two counts of Bank Robbery. Between August 2023 and January 2024, Lindsay robbed six banks before he was arrested by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During two of the robberies, Lindsay falsely claimed he had a firearm. This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Tempe Police Department, Mesa Police Department, and Task Force Officers from the Peoria Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00147-PHX-DGC RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-148_Lindsay # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Manchester, NH Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Wire Fraud, Identity Theft

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Manchester, New Hampshire man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Dominic Barbosa (aka Christopher Barnhart) , 29, to 12 months imprisonment on the wire fraud charge and 24 months on the aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutively, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $51,804.40 in restitution. Barbosa pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024. According to court records, from at least March 2019 through March 2022, Barbosa obtained the identifications of individuals without their knowledge or consent. Barbosa stole mail in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, including bank account statements, tax returns, and other documents containing others’ means of identification. He kept records of that information to use in the scheme. As part of the scheme, Barbosa would apply for duplicate licenses for others, often changing the address, and then use the stolen identification information and duplicate driver’s licenses to open bank accounts, credit card accounts and lines of credit in others’ names. He also used the stolen identifications to make purchases or enter into contracts. When questioned by a U.S. Postal Inspector, Barbosa stated he had a cloud database with stolen identities, and investigators in Massachusetts found bins of mail and photocopies of identifying information in a storage unit Barbosa rented. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, South Berwick Police Department, Litchfield Police Department (NH), North Reading Police Department (MA), Salem Police Department (NH), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. ###


title: Waterville Woman Pleads Guilty to Directing Another to Illegally Purchase a Firearm for Her

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to aiding and abetting another individual in making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. According to court records, after a Glock pistol was recovered following a July 2022 arrest in Salem, Massachusetts, an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed the firearm had been purchased at a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL) in Fairfield, Maine the prior month. ATF contacted the dealer who provided a copy of the ATF Form 4473 associated with the purchase. The FFL also provided ATF with a 4473 associated with another firearm purchase on June 16, 2022. Further investigation revealed that a second individual, Nikeshia Knight , 25, was involved in this purchase. When interviewed, Knight admitted that she had used a straw purchaser to acquire the firearm because she would not pass a background check, providing the individual with money for the purchase and with fentanyl after it was successfully made. Text messages between Knight and the proxy purchaser confirmed that Knight directed the purchase. Knight faces a maximum of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The ATF investigated the case. STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. ###


title: Former Officer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $30,000 from DC Department of Corrections Union

body_text: WASHINGTON – Andra Parker, 65, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a D.C. Department of Corrections Labor Union. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Parker, a former D.C. Corrections officer, served as Chairman of the Labor Committee, an organization that represents all members of the D.C. Department of Corrections, from June 2018 through approximately April 2019. As Chairman, Parker had full access to the Labor Committee’s bank accounts to carry out his official duties and was issued a debit card. As part of his guilty plea, Parker admitted that he misappropriated more than $30,000 of union funds to pay for unofficial travel, lodging, and entertainment for him and his friends. For example, he spent more than $7,000 on a trip to New York city for his friends and him, including $4,000 on rooms and expenses at a Times Square hotel, more than $370 on tickets to a New York Knicks game, and an additional $616 on tickets to Summer: The Donna Summer Musical . He also spent more than $2,000 in union funds to purchase four tickets to a Diana Ross concert in North Bethesda, Maryland. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras, who accepted Parker’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2025. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the DOL-OIG. Assistance was also provided by the DOL - Office of Labor-Management Standards. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Kondi Kleinman of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sonalika Chaturvedi. 23cr0186


title: Independence Man Sentenced for Child Pornography

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today after being identified in two separate federal investigations sharing videos and images of child pornography online. Joseph L. Schutz, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 13 years and four months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Schutz to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. Schutz will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On Oct. 24, 2023, Schutz pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography. An FBI task force officer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, posing undercover as an adult female, was conducting an investigation utilizing the Kik Messenger application in May 2020. The undercover officer joined multiple private groups dedicated to individuals interested in child pornography and whose members openly shared such material within the group. Schutz admitted that he received multiple videos and images of child pornography within one of these Kik groups, and also shared multiple videos and images of child pornography within the group. On May 14, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Schutz’s residence. Investigators found 18 images of child erotica and eight images of child pornography on Schutz’s cell phone. In July and August 2022, an FBI investigator in Texas communicated online with Schutz while conducting an undercover investigation. The undercover investigator posed as a 13-year-old female. Between July 28 and Aug. 1, 2022, Schutz invited the undercover investigator into a Kik group dedicated to the exchange of child pornography. During that time, Schutz admitted, he shared multiple videos of child pornography within the group. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood 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."


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Ammunition

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 19, 2024, AVERY JULIEN (“JULIEN”) , age 28, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). JULIEN faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. According to court records, on September 14, 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and New Orleans Police Department officers executed a search warrant at JULIEN’s New Orleans residence after learning that JULIEN may have committed a carjacking in Jefferson Parish. During the search of his residence, two firearms, a Sig Sauer Model P229, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Sig Sauer Model P250, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, were located in JULIEN’s bedroom. Federal law prohibits convicted felons, such as JULIEN , from possessing firearms. In 2018, JULIEN was convicted of felonies in two separate cases in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. JULIEN knew he had been convicted of these felonies at the time that he possessed the ammunition. United States District Judge, Brandon S. Long, will sentence JULIEN on February 4, 2025. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.


title: Minneapolis Man Sentenced to Prison for Insider Trading Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and 320 hours of community service for an insider trading conspiracy involving nonpublic negotiations for the acquisition of a medical device company valued at $1.6 billion, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in January 2018 through at least August 2020, Doron “Ron” Tavlin, 69, of Minneapolis, and Afshin “Alex” Farahan, 58, of Los Angeles, engaged in an insider trading conspiracy. The conspiracy involved nonpublic information about the acquisition of Mazor Robotics, an Israeli-based company that specialized in robotics for spinal procedures, by Medtronic, Inc., an Ireland-based medical device company that primarily operated from its executive headquarters in Minneapolis. Tavlin, while working as vice president of business development at Mazor Robotics, learned material, nonpublic information about Medtronic’s impending acquisition of his company. In violation of federal law and his duty to his former employer, Mazor Robotics, Tavlin tipped this information about the acquisition to his friend, Farahan, and instructed him to buy shares in the company. Tavlin and Farahan knew that Medtronic’s imminent acquisition of Mazor would likely result in an increase in Mazor’s stock price. Farahan used the nonpublic information tipped by Tavlin to quickly buy more than $1 million of Mazor stock throughout August and September 2018. The morning after the secret acquisition was publicly announced, Farahan immediately sold all the stock he had purchased over the preceding weeks based on Tavlin’s illegal tip, which resulted in a profit of over $246,000. According to evidence presented at trial, after the acquisition occurred, Tavlin learned that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) was investigating certain trades of Mazor securities that occurred prior to the publicly announced acquisition. As part of its inquiry, FINRA asked Tavlin, and other insiders who knew about the secret acquisition negotiations, whether he knew any of the parties who traded in Mazor securities leading up to the public announcement. In January 2019, Tavlin responded to FINRA’s inquiry by falsely denying that he recognized any names on a list of persons and entities that purchased Mazor securities, which included Farahan. According to evidence presented at trial, the insider trading conspiracy included an agreement between Tavlin and Farahan that Farahan would pay money to Tavlin in exchange for the material, nonpublic information. On February 16, 2024, Tavlin was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading and ten counts of securities fraud and aiding and abetting securities fraud following a nine-day trial. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank. Farahan pleaded guilty on August 4, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to engage in insider trading. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Robert M. Lewis, and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.


title: Defendant pleads guilty to throwing incendiary device, causing fire in local grocery store

body_text: CINCINNATI – A local man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to damaging a Spring Grove Village grocery store with an incendiary device in the style of a Molotov cocktail. Donald Donatelli, 28, currently of Batavia, admitted to causing malicious damage and destruction of a building in interstate commerce. The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 66 months in prison. According to court documents, at approximately 10pm on Nov. 26, 2023, Donatelli threw the incendiary device into the store while the store’s owner and his wife were inside. The store was open at the time of the fire. Donatelli had traveled to the grocery store on Gwinnet Drive with a co-defendant. Donatelli approached the front glass doors of the grocery store and had a bottle of gasoline with a rag inside. He lit the rag and threw the bottle inside the front doors while the co-defendant filmed a Snapchat video of the crime. A federal grand jury indicted Donatelli and the co-defendant in April 2024. Charges remain pending against Angela Schweitzer, 35. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge McCormick acknowledged the assistance of the Cincinnati Fire Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Union Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney Painter is representing the United States in this case. # # #