title: Lancaster, Texas, Man Found Guilty Of Being A Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—After a two-day trial, a Texas man has been convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Tuesday, a federal jury found Kaeron Washington, 33, Lancaster, Texas, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, the sole count in the Indictment. Washington has previous convictions for aggravated robbery and drug possession. After deliberating less than two hours, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky presided over the trial and will sentence Washington at a later date. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. On February 18, 2022, physical surveillance was conducted at 7212 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, Arkansas. Law enforcement observed a group of individuals parked in front of a closed business on Geyer Springs at approximately 9:00 p.m. The occupants of the vehicle were observed smoking and passing items back and forth between vehicles for approximately 30 minutes. As investigators approached the vehicle, they activated their emergency lights and could smell an overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from the vehicles. Contact was made with Kaeron Washington, the driver of a white Mercedes. As investigators approached the vehicle, Washington was observed opening the driver's door of the vehicle and throwing an item towards the rear of the vehicle. A bag of suspected marijuana was later located in the area. The passenger in Washington’s vehicle advised law enforcement officials that he had a gun at his feet. After the passenger was taken out of Washington’s vehicle, law enforcement seized the gun that was observed on the floorboard. An officer observed a small bag of suspected marijuana in the seat when the passenger exited the vehicle. During a further search of Washington’s vehicle, officers located a Glock pistol in the center console next to the driver’s seat. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Little Rock Police Department, and the GET Rock Task Force. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Statement from U.S. Attorney’s Office on Passage of Secure DC

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia applauds the Council’s passage of the Secure DC legislative package. The provisions in this bill will provide crucial tools to police and to prosecutors as we collectively work together to hold those who commit crimes in our community accountable. And we are particularly grateful that the Council listened to our arguments related to DNA collection and developed a compromise position that allows for the earlier collection of DNA. This provision will both help solve violent crimes and prevent future crimes by removing these dangerous people from our community.


title: Two Men Charged with Murdering Witnesses and Burying Their Remains to Thwart Investigation of Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 5, 2024 SAN DIEGO – A superseding indictment was partially unsealed in the Southern District of California today charging Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta, an alleged drug trafficker, with murdering two people to prevent them from testifying in drug trafficking prosecutions that were pending in federal court in San Diego. The victims were identified as Cesar Armando Murillo, 44, and Maira Sofia Hernandez, 33, residents of Yakima, Washington. Court filings indicate Hernandez was six-months pregnant when she was killed, and the superseding indictment includes a separate count charging Madrigal-Birrueta with the death of her in utero child. “These executions were an assault on our justice system, designed to silence witnesses and instill fear,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The obligation to protect witnesses is paramount and the United States will fully prosecute intimidation and violence designed to interfere with the justice system.” “The cartels and drug trafficking organizations have reached beyond our borders, bringing their criminality to every city and small town in our interior,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “The murder of witnesses is an afront to our rule of law but HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, have the resources to uncover these horrible crimes and the dedication to dismantle the organizations harming our population, wherever they may be located.” “HSI continues to tirelessly investigate criminal organizations who traffic dangerous drugs across our border and into the interior of the United States. In this pursuit we will ensure that anyone who is responsible for causing harm to a witness in one of our investigations is held accountable for these actions,” said HSI San Diego SAC Chad Plantz. “Fear or harm caused to those who report a crime or testify diminishes the public’s trust in the criminal justice system and erodes the foundation of the rule of law. HSI and its partners are committed to ensuring that anyone who tampers with witnesses or breaks the laws in place to protect them are brought to justice.” The superseding indictment also charges Ricardo Orizaba with being an accessory after the fact to murder. Court filings indicate both victims were buried in a remote high-desert location near Yakima and that these charges follow a year-long search culminating in the discovery of their remains in September 2023. Hernandez is survived by her three minor children and Murillo is survived by two minor children. The superseding indictment alleges Defendant Madrigal-Birrueta was a leader in a criminal enterprise that committed a series of felony violations of federal drug laws. According to court filings, the investigation originated with the seizure of drugs from vehicles using San Diego area ports of entry between August and October of 2021. The organization used late model stolen vehicles to smuggle drugs. The superseding indictment alleges that Madrigal-Birrueta is responsible for the importation of those drugs. According to court filings, by August of 2022, the investigation led agents to a group of individuals operating out of Yakima. Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Murillo and Hernandez, and within days of those interviews, Murillo and Hernandez were murdered and their bodies were buried in the high desert. Court filings describe how these charges follow an exhaustive, year-long investigation that employed geophysicists, ground penetrating radar, aircraft, laser imaging, chemical testing of the soil, numerous cadaver dogs, and other law enforcement techniques to search for the victims’ remains. HSI Special Agents successfully recovered the remains on September 13, 2023, aided by a Washington State Police Crime Scene Investigations team. Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations working with Washington State Police to exhume remains on September 13, 2023. Court filings further indicate that, based on autopsy reports, both victims died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head. During the investigation agents seized methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, multiple firearms — including a machine gun — and body armor from Madrigal-Birrueta’s drug trafficking organization. In addition to the homicides, the superseding indictment charges Madrigal-Birrueta with possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal courts in California and Washington state have ordered that Madrigal-Birrueta and Orizaba be detained pending trial, and both are in custody. Weapons seized during the investigation on September 8, 2022. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. Wong and Alicia P. Williams. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23cr1684-RBM Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta Age: 22 Yakima, WA Ricardo Orizaba Age: 21 Yakima, WA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 1 : Continuing Criminal Enterprise – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 848(a) and (b)(2) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum twenty years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine Count 2 : Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine Count 3 : Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960 and 963 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine Count 4 : Murder of Cesar Armando Murillo in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years and up to life, or death Count 5 : Murder of Maira Sophia Hernandez in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum twenty years and up to life, or death Count 6 : Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (2)(A), (3)(A), (c), (k), and 1111 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death, $250,000 fine Count 7 : Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder of Cesar Armando Murillo – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (3)(A), (c), (3)(A), and 1111 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death, $250,000 fine Count 8 : Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder of Maira Sophia Hernandez – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (3)(A), (c), (3)(A), and 1111 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum life in prison or death, $250,000 fine Count 9 : Causing the Death of a Child in Utero – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1841 and 1111. Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum life in prison or death, $250,000 fine Count 10 : Witness Tampering: Threat of Force – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(2)(A), (C), (3)(A), and 1111 Maximum penalty: Up to twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine Count 11 : Accessory After the Fact to Murder – Title 18 United States Code, Sections 3 and 1512(a)(1)(A) and Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e), $250,000 fine Count 12 : Possession, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine Count 13 : Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine Count 14 : Possession, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine Count 15 : Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine Count 16 : Possession of a Machine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i), (B)(ii), and 2 and Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845(b), $250,000 fine Count 17 : Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering – Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (h), $250,000 fine AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington State Police California Highway Patrol Yakima Police Department Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Visalia Police Department Fresno Sheriff’s Office Fresno Police Department *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Prison for Evading TSA Security  at Philadelphia International Airport

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Hugh James, 52, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, two years’ supervised release, a fine of $1,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $200 for attempting to board an international flight with undeclared currency that had not passed through airport security. United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond also ordered James to forfeit the sum of $62,000. On October 9, 2020, James attempted to board a flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Montego Bay, Jamaica. When questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers during boarding, James initially denied having cash in his carry-on luggage. However, a search of his luggage revealed $62,000 in undeclared cash, including $42,000 in $100 bills inside sealed toothpaste boxes. Subsequent investigation revealed that James, an employee with access to the secure area of the airport, arranged to have the cash smuggled around Transportation Security Administration screening. On November 16, 2023, James pleaded guilty to one count of evading airport security and one count of failure to declare currency. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Four Times

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported four times was sentenced today to one year in federal prison. Pedro Guzman-Matom, age 30, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 8, 2023, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. At the guilty plea, Guzman-Matom admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Guzman-Matom was previously deported in November 2012, March 2013, February 2017, and August 2019. On September 18, 2023, immigration officials learned Guzman-Matom had illegally returned to the United States and found Guzman-Matom at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges. Guzman-Matom was previously convicted in February 2017 in the Northern District of Iowa of illegally reentering the United States, served 98 days and was deported. He was convicted in March 2018 in the Western District of Texas of illegally reentering the United States and sentenced to 13 months in prison along with an additional 10 months for violating his Northern District of Iowa supervised release by returning to the United States without permission. Guzman-Matom was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Guzman-Matom was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day of imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Guzman-Matom is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-1025. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $6,638,788.11 from Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii collected $6,638,788.11 from criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $6,360,465.69 was collected in criminal actions and $278,322.42 was collected in civil actions. The Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s Office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $425,476.84 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices. “The imposition of financial penalties and restitution obligations are critical to achieving justice for violations of our criminal and civil laws,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Obtaining money in satisfaction of a criminal sentence or civil judgment is particularly important and remains one of our foremost objectives.” In 2023, the District of Hawaii recovered over $3.2 million through a bankruptcy proceeding involving George Lindell, who in May 2015, was convicted after a 27-day trial of operating an extensive Ponzi scheme in which 166 individuals were induced to invest over $26 million dollars. During 2023, the United States also recovered over $109,000 through the sentence imposed on Garrett Okubo, a physical therapist convicted in 2019 of submitting false claims to obtain payment for physical therapy services to TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMSA. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. as well as criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Hawaii, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,000,765 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Assaulting Intimate Partner

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Buster Leo Garrett, age 57, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for an assault on an intimate partner which resulted in substantial bodily injury. The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On February 17, 2023, Garrett pleaded guilty to one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner in Indian Country. According to investigators, on June 25, 2021, Garrett assaulted an intimate and dating partner while boating on Lake Eufaula. The attack resulted in substantial bodily injury to the victim. The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Garrett was remanded to 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 United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Joseph Daniel White Sentenced To 276 Months For Methamphetamine and Firearms Convictions

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On March 4, 2024, Joseph Daniel White, 39, currently of Kingsport, Tennessee, was sentenced to 276 months by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, White agreed to plead guilty to Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). Following his incarceration, White will be on eight years of supervised release. White forfeited $23,668 in cash, as well as seven firearms and ammunition. According to the plea agreement and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, officers with the Bristol Tennessee Police Department responded to The Pinnacle shopping area on December 23, 2021. Upon arrival, officers encountered White, who appeared intoxicated and smelled of marijuana. During a search of White and his vehicle, officers located three bags containing 309 grams of methamphetamine, four loaded firearms, $13,861 in cash, drug paraphernalia, psilocybin mushrooms, and various narcotic pills. On January 10, 2022, law enforcement received a tip that White, who had outstanding arrest warrants, was at a convenience store in Blountville, TN. When law enforcement went to arrest White, he displayed a firearm. Officers were able to grab the firearm and White was arrested. Officers recovered $9,807 in cash, three firearms, heroin, marijuana, and 352 grams of methamphetamine from the defendant. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Bristol Tennessee Police Department and the ATF. This investigation was led by ATF Special Agent Jamie Jenkins. Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crimes face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face. ###


title: Air National Guardsman Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Disclosing Classified National Defense Information

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Jack Douglas Teixeira, a member of the United States Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today to retaining and transmitting classified National Defense Information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April 2023. Teixeira, 22, of North Dighton, Mass., pleaded guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who deferred acceptance of the plea until sentencing on Sept. 27, 2024. If the court accepts the plea, Teixeira faces 132 to 200 months in prison. Teixeira was arrested in April 2023 and charged by criminal complaint with retention and transmission of National Defense Information (NDI) and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in June 2023 . He has remained in federal custody since his arrest. “Mr. Teixeira exploited his Top-Secret security clearance to share our nation’s secrets on a social media platform. He violated his oath to preserve, protect and defend and, in doing so, he undermined our national security and risked the safety of Americans serving overseas and our allies,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Every instance of mishandling classified information weakens our defense and compromises our ability to thwart potential threats. We cannot afford to underestimate the gravity of this conduct; it has far-reaching consequences that transcend individual interests.” “Today, Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira admitted to endangering our national security by unlawfully disclosing classified national defense information. In doing so, he betrayed his oath to defend his country. His actions are a stark contrast to the pledge he made in 2019 to uphold the Air Force’s core values: integrity first, service over self, and excellence in all we do. Instead, he chose integrity last, himself over service, and failed to uphold the finest standards of this military branch,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI takes all breaches of classified information seriously and we will use all the resources at our disposal to identify and apprehend those who jeopardize the safety of this country and its citizens.” “By knowingly and improperly posting classified national defense information on a social media platform, Mr. Teixeira callously disregarded the national security of the United States and betrayed the trust of the American people he swore to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With today’s plea, the Department of Justice holds Mr. Teixeira accountable for his actions and makes clear the gravity of the responsibility to protect classified information and our national security.” “Retaining and transmitting classified information is a crime – and U.S. government employees are trusted to secure and protect that information,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office. “To get to where we are today took the work of dozens of FBI employees, including special agents, intelligence analysts, and computer forensic examiners, who combed through and analyzed hundreds of documents and evidentiary items. The FBI and our partners across the globe are committed to identify and bring to justice those who make the choice to put our country at risk by publicly and recklessly disclosing classified information.” Teixeira enlisted in the USANG in September 2019 and held a Top-Secret security clearance since 2021. Beginning in or around January 2022, Teixeira unlawfully retained and transmitted NDI classified as “TOP SECRET” or “SECRET” and/or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), onto the social media platform Discord to persons not authorized to receive such information. According to the charging documents, Teixeira used secured workstation at the Otis USANG Base to conduct hundreds of searches for classified documents containing NDI that were unrelated to his duties as an Information Technology specialist. On two separate occasions, Teixeira was warned by his superiors to no longer take notes on classified intelligence information and to stop conducting “deep dives” into classified intelligence information. However, Teixeira purposefully removed classified information and documents containing NDI without authorization and subsequently transmitted the information in written paragraphs to other users on Discord. Teixeira also posted images of classified documents to Discord, which bore standard classification markings – including “SECRET,” “TOP SECRET” and SCI designations – indicating that they contained highly classified United States government information. Among the classified information Teixeira unlawfully transmitted was descriptions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including troop movements on a particular date based on sensitive U.S. intelligence, gathered through classified sources and methods and contains national defense information. The charges of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information each provide for a sentence of up to 10 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 U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; AAG Olsen; and AD Sundberg made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Jared C. Dolan and Jason A. Casey of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Thomas Janes, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 29, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing child pornography. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Jane to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Janes release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Janes was on supervised release following his release from prison for a previous child pornography possession offense when his probation officer developed suspicion Janes was using an unapproved internet connected device. A search was executed at his home and his electronic devices were later forensically searched, revealing Janes was in possession of child pornography. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Naples Man Sentenced To More Than Six Years For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images And Videos

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Gavin Michael Harold (23, Naples) to six years and six months in federal prison for possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Harold was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Harold had entered a plea of guilty on November 29, 2023. According to court documents, between December 2022 through January 2023, an FBI Task Force Agent using a peer-to-peer file sharing program connected to Harold’s computer and downloaded files depicting a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On March 20, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Harold’s residence in Naples, Florida, and seized Harold’s laptop computer. A subsequent forensic examination of Harold’s laptop computer revealed in excess of 8,500 images and 450 videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. On March 20, 2023, during an interview with agents, Harold admitted that he had been downloading child pornography for a while. Harold told the agents that he did not let anyone use his laptop and told agents where he stored his collection on his laptop. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office which assisted with this investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.


title: Justice Department Statements on JetBlue Terminating Acquisition of Spirit Airlines

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) announced today that it has abandoned its $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines Inc. (Spirit). In January, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts blocked the transaction because it violated “the core principle of antitrust law: to protect the United States’ markets – and its market participants – from anticompetitive harm.” “Today’s decision by JetBlue is yet another victory for the Justice Department’s work on behalf of American consumers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department proved in court that a merger between JetBlue and Spirit would have caused tens of millions of travelers to face higher fares and fewer choices. We will continue to vigorously enforce the nation’s antitrust laws.” “Our win in court is a victory for U.S. travelers who deserve lower prices and better choices,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We fought this case to protect consumers who, as the court recognized, ‘otherwise would have no voice.’ I am incredibly proud of the Antitrust Division’s team and our state law enforcement partners’ tireless advocacy.” The District Court blocked the acquisition after a 17-day trial that began in October 2023. In March 2023, the Justice Department, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New, Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia sued to stop the merger under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The Department alleged that if the acquisition was allowed to proceed, prices would increase on routes where the two airlines currently compete as JetBlue sought to acquire and eliminate its main ultra-low-cost competitor, depriving travelers of choice.


title: Joplin Man Charged with Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with receiving and distributing child pornography. Reagan Elijah Alexa Garcia, also known as Elijah Hicklin, 22, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield on Thursday, Feb. 29, with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Garcia remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, March 5. According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, an FBI task force officer on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force in Washington, D.C., entered a private Kik group known as a place where people meet, discuss, and trade original images and videos of children. On Jan. 13, 2024, a user later identified as Garcia entered the group and engaged the undercover officer in a private chat. Garcia told the undercover officer that he had pornographic images he produced himself, the affidavit says, including images of a 3-year-old child victim that he sent to the undercover officer. Garcia also sent an image of child pornography to the undercover officer that he claimed was produced by giving the child sleeping pills. On Feb. 21, 2024, Garcia allegedly sent multiple files of child pornography to the undercover officer. According to the affidavit, a child in one of those images is depicted with various restraint devices. In the text conversation, Garcia told the undercover officer that he had sexually assaulted a female child within the past couple of days. On Feb. 28, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Garcia’s residence. When an FBI agent began patting down Garcia, he began actively resisting. Garcia refused to put his hands behind his back and was taken to the ground, with his hands and arms underneath him. He repeatedly refused to obey commands to put his arms behind his back. Multiple law enforcement officers assisted to force Garcia’s hands and arms behind his back and place him in handcuffs. Multiple broken pieces of a microSD card, which Garcia later admitted to destroying, were found in the area where the struggle with Garcia occurred. The FBI is asking for the public’s assistance regarding the ongoing investigation into Garcia. If you have any concerns or information you believe relevant to this investigation, please email GarciaInvestigation@fbi.gov . Additionally, if you know of someone else who has relevant information, please encourage them to contact the FBI via the link provided. Any information provided is voluntary but would be useful in the federal investigation. The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Wan. It was investigated by the FBI. 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: Defendant Posed as a Police Officer to stop the Victims and then Carjacked and Assaulted Victims to Rob the Victims or their Employers

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Davonne Tramont Dorsey, age 30, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024, to carjacking and to using, carrying and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. Dorsey also admitted that he and other conspirators kidnapped victims and attempted to rob them, using force and threats of force. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey. According to his plea agreement, in May and August 2021, Dorsey and other conspirators planned to impersonate police officers to stop vehicles, carjack and abduct victims, and use force and threats of force to steal cash Dorsey and other conspirators posed as police officers, using police vests, badges, and a law enforcement-type light bar, to stop the victims and their vehicles, and brandished firearms and a blow torch during the kidnappings. As detailed in the plea agreement, on May 15, 2021, driving a Ford Fusion with police-style lights, Dorsey and other members of the conspiracy drove to Edgewood, Maryland to abduct and rob J.H. Dorsey and the others were wearing police-style vests with “police” written on them, masks, and gloves. Around midnight on May 15-16, 2021, J.H. left Edgewood, driving a 2022 Toyota Camry. The members of the conspiracy used the police-style lights to stop J.H’s vehicle. Dorsey and the conspirators, armed with firearms, approached J.H.’s car and identified themselves as police. The conspirators told J.H. that he had an outstanding warrant, and that he was under arrest. The conspirators put J.H. in handcuffs, put duct tape over his eyes and mouth, bound his feet, and put him in the back of their vehicle. J.H. was then driven away in the Ford Fusion with two of the conspirators while two other members of the conspiracy followed in J.H.’s Camry. While JH was in the Ford Fusion, the conspirators demanded $10,000, told J.H. that they knew where he lived and that they would kill his parents if he did not cooperate. One of the conspirators used a blow torch to burn J.H.’s chest multiple times when J.H. did not answer questions. The conspirators took J.H.’s necklace, wallet, phone, and car keys. After more than 5 hours of driving and demanding money, the conspirators released J.H. in Baltimore City at approximately 5:20 a.m. Further, Dorsey admitted that on August 2, 2021, he and two co-conspirators approached victim A.K. as she left the check cashing business where she worked. The conspirators, wearing police vests and badges, brandished firearms to kidnap victim A.K. and placed her into the rear of one of their vehicles equipped with law enforcement-type lights. The driver was holding a blowtorch with a blue fuel canister, and A.K. observed a bottle of bleach on the floor in the back of the car. After A.K. entered the vehicle, the men bound A.K.’s wrists behind her back with zip-ties and used black duct tape to affix a blindfold over her eyes. One of the men stated to A.K., “We don’t burn sisters.” According to the plea agreement, while in the vehicle, the men took A.K.’s wallet, phone, and keys, which included the keys to the check cashing business. The men demanded that A.K. provide access to the check cashing business, including demanding the A.K. provide the men with access codes, safe codes, and the amount of money in the safe at the business. The men demanded information from A.K. for nearly 6 hours, then released A.K. in Edmonson Village in Baltimore City at approximately 1:00 a.m. Before they drove away, the men instructed A.K. not to remove her face covering until they had driven away. Dorsey and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the guilty plea, a sentence of 15 years in federal prison is the appropriate disposition of the case. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Spencer Todd, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Santa Fe Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Mario Guizar-Anchondo pled guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Guizar-Anchondo 21, of Santa Fe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. A federal grand jury indicted Guizar-Anchondo and his co-defendant, Werni Lopez-Perez, 27, of Santa Fe, on Jan. 11, 2022. According to publicly available court documents, at around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 30, 2021, an officer from the Santa Fe Police Department conducted a routine traffic patrol on a vehicle driven by Guizar-Anchondo for driving without illuminated taillights. At the time, Lopez-Perez was in the passenger seat. Based on observations made during and after the traffic stop, the officer sealed the truck and the FBI sought and obtained a federal search warrant for the truck. The truck was searched later that day at the FBI office in Albuquerque. Inside, agents found approximately 32,000 fentanyl pills, 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, five firearms, and $5,563 in cash. The investigation also uncovered evidence that both Guizar-Anchondo and Lopez-Perez were using Facebook to advertise and sell fentanyl and methamphetamine. In his plea agreement, Guizar-Anchondo admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl pills to others, and that he possessed the firearms in the truck to protect himself, his drug supplies, and his drug proceeds. At sentencing, Guizar-Anchondo is facing not less than 5 years and not more than life in prison. Lopez-Perez remains in custody pending trial which is currently scheduled for April 1, 2024. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Washington, D.C. Man Convicted for the Armed Robberies of Two Phone Stores in Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – On Friday, March 1, 2024, after less than an hour of deliberation, a federal jury convicted Donte Antwaun Herring, age 24, of Washington, D.C., for the armed robberies of two phone stores in December 2020. The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department. According to the evidence presented at his eight-day trial, on December 17 and December 23, 2020, Herring and his co-conspirators robbed phone stores in Halethorpe and Owings Mills, Maryland, respectively. In each robbery, Herring and his co-conspirators brandished firearms. Specifically, according to trial testimony, on December 17, 2020, at shortly after 7:15 p.m., Herring and a co-conspirator entered a phone store in the 3900 block of Washington Boulevard, in Halethorpe, Maryland. After initially posing as customers browsing for cell phones, the co-conspirator and Herring announced a robbery and brandished firearms—pointing them in the direction of the victim employee. Trial evidence proved that Herring ordered the victim employee to take him and the co-conspirator to the store’s safe, then ordered the victim to open the safe. After the victim opened the safe, Herring and the co-conspirator removed various electronic devices from the safe, including multiple boxes of Apple cellular telephones, watches and iPads, along with cash from the store’s register. They then fled in a maroon minivan. Witnesses testified that in the robbery on December 23, 2020, co-defendant Rico Dashiell entered a telephone store in the 10000 block of Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, Maryland and acted like a customer. Herring and another co-conspirator then entered the store brandishing firearms and Dashiell pointed a gun at a victim employee. Witnesses testified that Herring and the co-conspirator pointed their guns at a victim customer and other employees and ordered them to get down on the floor. The victim customer was also ordered to empty his pockets and Herring and the co-conspirator took the victim’s wallet (containing his driver’s license and credit cards), along with his car keys, which were on an orange lanyard, and an Apple iPhone 8S plus, valued at approximately $350. Herring and the co-conspirator went to the back room and Dashiell escorted a victim employee to the back room at gunpoint and ordered the victim to open the store safe. The victim complied and Herring and the co-conspirator removed nearly all of the electronic devices from the safe—including Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices (76 devices total)—and placed them in large garbage bags they had brought with them. When Herring and the co-conspirator finished emptying the safe, they ordered the three victims from the main floor of the store to the room in the back of the store where the safe was kept. According to trial testimony, as Herring and the co-conspirator left the room, the co-conspirator sprayed pepper spray at the victims’ faces. In the meantime, Dashiell directed a victim employee to open the store’s cash register and stole $322 from the register. Herring and his co-conspirators then fled in a vehicle that had been stolen earlier in the day and that had tags stolen from another vehicle. According to trial evidence, law enforcement was able to track the vehicle to a home in Catonsville, Maryland, where aviation units were able to film Herring, Dashiell and the co-conspirator unloading the stolen merchandise from the car and taking it into the residence. As detailed in trial testimony, law enforcement officers arrived at the residence and attempted for hours to make contact with the suspects and any other occupants of the residence. After two young children who lived at the residence (who had no relation to the robbers) came out of the house, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the residence and arrested the robbers, who had been hiding in the attic. During a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement seized, among other things, $622.16 from the co-conspirator ($322 of which was proceeds from the robbery), along with a round of ammunition. According to trial evidence, during their search of the residence, law enforcement also recovered, among other things, the clothing, gloves, and headwear worn by the robbers during the robbery; the 76 devices stolen during the robbery; the canister of pepper spray used to spray the victims during the robbery; the stolen wallet belonging to one of the victims of the robbery; and the three firearms used by Herring, Dashiell and the co-conspirator during the robbery; as well as a Polymer 80 Gray Grip with a black slide 9mm semi-automatic pistol, with no serial number, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” which was also loaded. Electronic evidence presented at trial included multiple text messages in which Herring discussed his planning of the December 23, 2020 robbery. It likewise included photographs from a co-conspirator’s iCloud account that showed Herring holding large amounts of cash within hours of the robbery on December 17, 2020. Co-defendant Rico Dashiell, age 25, of Fort Washington, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Herring faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and a mandatory minimum of seven years, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in federal prison for each of two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Michael Aubin, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: US Attorney Tessa Gorman joins HSI for a roundtable on organized retail crime

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle- US Attorney Tessa M. Gorman and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer hosted an organized retail crime roundtable discussion on Thursday, February 29 th . US Attorney Tessa Gorman and HSI Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer gave opening remarks to retailers to discuss their work in investigating, disrupting, and prosecuting organized retail crime. Representatives from Walmart, Lowe’s, Ulta, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Safeway, Fred Meyer, and Target were among the attendees at the roundtable. “We have seen organized retail crime become more and more common in the country, and in Western Washington,” said US Attorney Tessa Gorman. “Retail theft impacts retailers of all sizes and communities across our District. It leads to customers feeling unsafe, puts security guards at risks, and causes significant losses to retailers. I am proud to partner with HSI, local law enforcement, and the retailers in Western Washington to put a stop to organized retail crime.” “Organized retail crime does not only impact businesses, it undermines the well-being of our communities while threatening the safety and security of everyday people," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Those who commit these offenses, regardless of if they are a part of a criminal organization or acting individually, will not be allowed to wreak havoc upon our private sector partners unchecked. This meeting is an important step in what I hope is a continued partnership with businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest to catch and prosecute organized theft groups that are conducting, promoting, and profiting off this dangerous activity.” In March of 2023, the United States Attorney’s office indicted a pair for a retail theft scheme, in which both defendants plead guilty to wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, they worked collaboratively to steal more than $800,000 of equipment from a large retailer through the retailer’s rental service. They rented the equipment under false identities, and then sold it on secondhand retail sites like OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. As of Mach 2023, the defendants had rented equipment from over 190 different store locations in 23 states under 150 names. This case was investigated by HSI.


title: U.S. Attorney Graves Announces New Affirmative Civil Rights and Environmental Justice Unit in the District of Columbia

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves announced today the formation of an Affirmative Civil Rights and Environmental Justice Unit (the Unit) in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia. The new civil unit will focus on investigating and enforcing federal civil rights and environmental laws within the District, as well as conducting regular community outreach regarding civil rights and environmental justice concerns. “Protecting civil rights within our district is a high priority for both the Department and our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We recognize that communities of color and low-income communities too often feel the greatest effects of environmental contamination and pollution, so we are also committed to addressing those issues as part of this new unit, and we generally want to hear from our fellow community members when they believe their rights have been violated and legal action is needed.” The unit will work to enforce federal civil rights laws regarding discrimination, housing, disability access, environmental justice, sexual harassment, and other matters. Coordinating the activities of the unit will be Deputy Civil Chiefs John Truong, the division’s Civil Rights Coordinator, and Diana Valdivia, the office’s Environmental Justice Coordinator. The unit will primarily be staffed with three Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Carlos Andino, Christopher Hair, and Sean Tepe. The unit will work closely with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Environmental and Natural Resources Division and coordinate its activities with other Justice Department components and local, state, and federal agencies as appropriate. The creation of the unit is part of the Justice Department’s initiative to confront discrimination through modern, comprehensive methods, prioritize community outreach, and make better use of civil enforcement mechanisms. Advancing environmental justice is also a priority for the Justice Department, which recently created the Office of Environmental Justice within the Environmental and Natural Resources Division with a mandate to engage all Justice Department bureaus, components, and offices in the collective pursuit of environmental justice. These efforts will promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty for all District residents by working to ensure that they live and work in environmentally safe conditions and enjoy their full panoply of civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. The Office’s Civil Division welcomes information from the public regarding possible civil rights violations and concerns related to environmental, health, and climate impacts on individuals and communities in the district. You may submit information or concerns to USADC_CivilRights@usdoj.gov , and learn more at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/affirmative-civil-rights-and-environmental-justice .


title: Former Venezuelan Military Official Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering and Bribery Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former Venezuelan National Guard major pleaded guilty today to a money laundering scheme involving bribes to foreign officials and defrauding foreign financial institutions. According to court documents, Nepmar Jesus Escalona Enriquez, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and formerly of Venezuela, participated in an illegal scheme, facilitated by bribery and false pretenses, that involved knowingly submitting fraudulent applications to the Venezuelan currency regulation authority, also known as CADIVI, to deceive Banesco Bank, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and the Venezuelan customs authorities into releasing U.S. dollars to Escalona and his co-conspirators outside of Venezuela. The fraudulent applications were submitted to purportedly finance food imports into Venezuela but in reality, were an artifice to enrich the conspirators. This conduct resulted in the transfer of nearly $1.7 million in U.S. dollars from Banesco Bank into an account controlled by the conspirators. Escalona further admitted that in at least one instance, the co-conspirators arranged for a series of bribes to be paid to officials in Venezuela to prevent the detection of their fraudulent scheme. Escalona also admitted in another instance to instructing a co-conspirator to wire transfer proceeds of the fraud, as well as funds constituting bribes, to four financial institutions in the United States. The five illicit wire transfers totaled approximately $420,847. Escalona pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Miami Field Division made the announcement. The DEA’s Miami Field Division is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Emily Cohen and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Goldbarg for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Participation In Justice Department's Nationwide Election Day Program

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Mac Heavener will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming March 5, 2024, primary election. AUSA Heavener has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the Office’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. The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating 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). 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 Heavener will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (423) 823-5009 or (423) 218-6652. 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 local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (865) 544-0751. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate, stated U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “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: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Narcotics and Firearm Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TORY DUNCAN (“DUNCAN”) , age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 28, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, to 144 months incarceration after previously pleading guilty to Counts 4 and 5 of a superseding indictment. Judge Milazzo also ordered that DUNCAN be placed on supervised release for five years following release from imprisonment and a pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court records, on March 24, 2022, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) responded to an anonymous tip of a man carrying a firearm in the River Garden neighborhood. Upon arrival at the 1900 block of St. Thomas Street, officers observed DUNCAN who then fled. DUNCAN jumped a fence with a black semi-automatic firearm in hand and ran to a nearby parking lot where he was caught and arrested by police. The officers recovered the firearm, a Glock Model 29, 10-millimeter pistol; $2,029 in U.S. currency; and a vehicle key fob from DUNCAN . The vehicle key fob corresponded to a gray Infiniti sedan in the parking lot where officers initially encountered DUNCAN . After searching the Infiniti, the officers discovered and seized 78.66 grams of fentanyl, 1002 multi-colored pills found to contain methamphetamine, 35 pills of Oxycodone, a digital scale, razor blades, loose plastic bags, and paperwork bearing DUNCAN’s name. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Recidivist Pittsburgh Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale Cocaine Distribution Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Kevin Rucker, 53, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Rucker was responsible for distributing large quantities of cocaine in the Pittsburgh area, having distributed between 15 and 50 kilograms of the drug between July 2022 and June 2023. Rucker was previously convicted in 2015 in federal court in Pittsburgh of conspiring to distribute heroin. Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for July 2, 2024. As a result of Rucker’s criminal history, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 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 of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that the defendant remain detained. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Agency, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rucker. 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: Federal Jury Convicts Mescalero Man of Domestic Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Theodore Ian Chavez, IV for assault of an intimate partner by strangling. Chavez, 26, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, was detained pending sentencing which has been set for June 12, 2024. A federal grand jury issued an indictment against Chavez on Nov. 15, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, in the early morning hours of August 6, 2023, Chavez strangled and assaulted his intimate partner, Jane Doe, multiple times, resulting in the loss of consciousness and visible bruises. He also shoved Jane Doe into a door, resulting in bruises and a head injury. After the assault, Jane Doe sought medical attention. When interviewed by law enforcement officers, Chavez confirmed that he and Jane Doe had been intimate partners for several years. Although he initially denied and downplayed the incident which resulted in the assault, he eventually admitted that he had physically restrained Jane Doe following an argument. Chavez admitted that he likely caused the bruising on Jane Doe’s body, including the bruising on Jane Doe’s neck, while attempting to restrain Jane Doe. Chavez stated he was attempting to restrain Jane Doe with a forearm across the chest, but that his forearm slipped and was on Jane Doe’s throat, impeding her ability to breathe. When asked about the signs of manual strangulation, Chavez conceded that he put his hands on Jane Doe’s throat but denied any intention or occurrence of strangulation. At sentencing, Chavez faces 10 years in prison. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joni Stahl and J. Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case. # # # 24-93


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Mailing Threatening Communication

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 29, 2024, SHAUN CHAPMAN (“ CHAPMAN ”), age 38, was sentenced by the United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to forty (40) months imprisonment. CHAPMAN previously pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communications, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876(c). According to court documents, CHAPMAN mailed a letter to the Robert Nixon Federal Courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that contained threats to the President and Vice-President of the United States, Supreme Court justices, and Department of Justice employees. A U.S. Secret Service investigation revealed that the letter was mailed from the Orleans Justice Center where CHAPMAN was incarcerated on unrelated charges. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.


title: Former Antelope Valley Doctor Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Issuing Prescriptions During Telehealth Sessions

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Antelope Valley physician was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for illegally dispensing prescriptions for often-abused controlled substances – including opioid-based medications – during telemedicine sessions with “patients” from across the United States. Raphael Tomas Malikian, 39, who resides in Llano and Palmdale, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $20,000. Malikian pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of aiding and abetting the acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud and one count of distribution of oxycodone. The Medical Board of California suspended Malikian’s medical license in November 2021. His license expired in November 2022. From at least December 2019 to August 2021, Malikian was a licensed physician in California and, in this role, was authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe medication. Malikian also owned and operated Happy Family Medicine, a medical clinic that was advertised as being in a co-working space in the Hollywood, but primarily offered telehealth services via telephone or text message communications. Malikian issued prescriptions for controlled substances to customers without first obtaining the person’s full medical history, conducting a physical examination, requiring medical testing, or utilizing diagnostic tools. Malikian did not verify his customers’ identities before prescribing controlled substances, and he allowed customers to obtain prescriptions in the names of others. He also worked with two co-conspirators, who provided Malikian with false names, addresses, dates of birth, and Malikian issued controlled substance prescriptions accordingly, which the co-conspirators then filled and re-sold on the black market. Many of Malikian’s fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions contained notes on the prescriptions or accompanying documentation that falsely urged pharmacies not to verify such prescriptions because medications were emergently needed and the failure to dispense could be life threatening because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Malikian issued hundreds of false prescriptions for liquid promethazine with codeine during this period – including to people he knew were fictitious patients and which totaled more than 82 liters – and directed them to be sent to various pharmacies across the nation for co-conspirators to obtain. From April to July of 2020, Malikian prescribed to a buyer 702 pills of 10 milligrams oxycodone and 240 milliliters of promethazine with codeine. The customer, in fact, was an undercover law enforcement officer. Malikian issued each prescription to this buyer without conducting proper medical evaluations or verifying the buyer’s identity and was performed outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. In addition, from May to July of 2020, Malikian prescribed to a customer – who also was an undercover law enforcement officer – 234 pills of the painkiller Norco, which contained a total of 2,340 milligrams of the opioid hydrocodone, and 180 pills of alprazolam, an anxiety medication sold under the brand name Xanax. Once again, Malikian issued each prescription to this buyer without conducting proper medical evaluations or verifying the buyer’s identity and was performed outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. “Considering the nature and circumstances of these offenses, there is no question that [Malikian’s] criminal conduct is serious and that the scope of [his] diversion scheme was expansive,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “The amount of drugs that [Malikian] prescribed without any medical justification is substantial and contributed to this country’s opioid crisis.” The DEA investigated this matter. The California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Brittney M. Harris of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case.


title: Michigan Business Owner Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Money Laundering and Obstructing the IRS

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Michigan man was sentenced to three years in prison today for money laundering and obstructing the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2008 through 2017, Matthew D. Adams, of Grosse Point Park, sold illegal narcotics to Individual A. Individual A was the president of Company A. Individual A paid Adams for the illegal narcotics with funds embezzled from Company A. Adams and Individual A agreed to make the payments for illegal narcotics appear like they were payments from Company A to Adams’ company, MDA Property Services, for legitimate work performed by Adams’ business. From 2013 through 2017, Adams was paid more than $10 million by checks from Company A for illegal narcotics he sold to Individual A. Adams did not report the millions of dollars in income he received from selling illegal narcotics on his 2013 to 2016 income tax returns and failed to file a 2017 income tax return. Adams deposited some of the checks into his personal and business bank accounts, and cashed the remainder, totaling approximately $5.3 million, at a local liquor store. Adams told his tax preparer about the deposits in just one of the bank accounts, which caused the preparer to file returns that did not report all of Adams’ income from his illegal narcotics sales. In 2017, Adams and MDA came under audit by the IRS. During the audit, Adams lied to the IRS revenue agent multiple times, including by telling the agent that 90% of the money MDA Property Services was paid by Company A was for legitimate work, when the true figure was 3%. Adams withdrew more than $1 million in cash of his illegal narcotics proceeds from his business bank accounts and used the funds to acquire real estate. He also spent over $1.25 million on personal expenses such as private flights, golfing, jewelry, gambling, court-ordered child support, hotels and to purchase a firearm. Adams purchased vehicles including a Cadillac Escalade, a Hummer and multiple classic cars. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Leitman for the Eastern District of Michigan sentenced Adams to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3,354,973 in restitution to the IRS. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Jeffrey McLellan of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Luis Zambrano, 40, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from October 2016 to January 2017, Zambrano sold a pound of methamphetamine and nearly 12 ounces of heroin in four separate transactions involving a confidential source. A federal wiretap also revealed that Zambrano was the source of supply for Manuel Teodoro Aros, 49, of Santa Maria, from whom law enforcement seized another 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine in March 2017. In addition, the wiretap led to the seizure in June 2017 of another 4 ounces of heroin and nearly 6 pounds of methamphetamine intended for Zambrano. Zambrano was brought to federal court pursuant to a writ following his conviction in May 2022 in Kern County Superior Court for solicitation to commit murder. Aros previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in conspiring with Zambrano and was sentenced to 13 years and eight months in prison. Zambrano is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on June 17, 2024. Zambrano faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, and a $10 million 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. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. 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 OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derek Romel Glaze, also known as “Zeke,” 32, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 1, 2022, Glaze sold approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a vehicle on the 800 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington. Glaze admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand. Glaze further admitted to selling approximately 11 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on November 30, 2022, and approximately 29.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on January 17, 2023. Law enforcement officers arrested Glaze on February 7, 2023. Glaze admitted that he told investigators that he received methamphetamine and fentanyl on consignment and distributed it in the Huntington area. Glaze further admitted that he distributed at least 20 pounds of methamphetamine during the preceding six months. Glaze is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting 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. 3:23-cr-20. ###


title: Queens Man Convicted of Murdering and Dismembering Woman in Fraudulent Scheme to Collect Life Insurance Benefits

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Cory Martin on all counts of a superseding indictment charging him with murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identify theft and fraudulent use of identification relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain life insurance policies in the name of a woman, murder her and collect the insurance proceeds. The verdict followed a two-week trial before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. When sentenced, Martin faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict. “It is fitting that that Martin faces a mandatory sentence to spend the rest of his life in prison for this ghastly, cold-blooded crime that was motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Martin saw the victim as a moneymaker, trafficking her for commercial sex, then after killing her with his bare hands, tossing out her slaughtered body parts like trash so he could profit from her death. Brandy Odom suffered an unthinkable death at the defendant’s hands, but her life mattered and I hope that this verdict holding the defendant responsible brings some measure of closure to her family.” “Today’s guilty verdict is a message to anyone who, without fear of being held accountable, commits heinous acts of criminality in New York City,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “The NYPD will continue to collaborate with the FBI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York to conduct meticulous investigations that lead to successful prosecutions, and ultimately deliver justice to victims.” As proved at trial, Martin resided at a house in Rosedale, Queens, with the then-26-year-old victim, Brandy Odom, and a co-conspirator who were engaged in commercial sex work for the defendant who operated as their pimp. In March and December 2017, Martin and the co-conspirator fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in Odom’s name. They made premium payments to the life insurance companies by Western Union money orders and by using a debit card in Odom’s name. At trial, Martin’s co-conspirator testified that prior to Odom’s murder, she and the defendant watched “The First 48,” a true-crime TV show about police tactics and they discussed “what not to do, and what things to do to avoid being caught by the police.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin also watched “Dexter,” a TV show about a serial killer who dismembered his victims, because the defendant was “looking for ways to commit the crime when he got rid of Brandy.” In early April 2018, Martin strangled Odom in her bedroom. Martin and the co-conspirator then purchased cleaning supplies and a vacuum— to clean up the murder scene—at the Green Acres Mall on Long Island. On April 6, 2018, Martin searched Home Depot’s website for a “Dewalt 12-Amp Corded Reciprocating Saw,” described as featuring a “powerful 12 Amp motor designed for heavy-duty applications.” Later that evening, Martin searched YouTube for “how to insert blade for reciprocating saw” and “using reciprocating saw.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin used an electric saw to dismember the victim’s corpse in the bathtub after covering every surface in the bathroom with heavy-duty, black garbage bags to eliminate evidence of the killing. In the early morning of April 8 and April 9, 2018, Martin disposed of Odom’s body parts in Canarsie Park with the assistance of his co-conspirator. On April 10, 2018, Martin conducted dozens of Internet searches for news articles, including “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.” Martin also accessed a Twitter post titled “Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park.” The following day on April 11, 2018, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park.” After Odom’s murder, at Martin’s direction, his co-conspirator made several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom’s life insurance policies. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Emily Dean and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader. The Defendant : CORY MARTIN Age: 36 Rosedale, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-549(S-1) (AMD)


title: Air Force Police Officer Convicted of over $150,000 in Unemployment Insurance Fraud During the Covid-19 Pandemic

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Trevon Miller, 31, a former Air Force Police Officer at Edwards Air Force Base, pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges today for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between April 2020 and June 2020, Miller submitted fraudulent claims in several states using his former name of Trevon Rodney. Miller told the state agencies that administer the unemployment insurance system that he was unemployed when he was an active-duty Air Force Police Officer the whole time. The claims were worth more than $150,000 and the money was put onto debit cards that were mailed to Miller. This case is the product of an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Miller faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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. This case is part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, which is one of the interagency COVID-19 fraud strike forces established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, and focuses on large-scale, multistate, and egregious pandemic relief fraud. The strike force uses prosecutor-led, and data analyst-driven, teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief money.


component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A former Venezuelan National Guard major pleaded guilty today to a money laundering scheme involving bribes to foreign officials and defrauding foreign financial institutions. According to court documents, Nepmar Jesus Escalona Enriquez, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and formerly of Venezuela, participated in an illegal scheme, facilitated by bribery and false pretenses, that involved knowingly submitting fraudulent applications to the Venezuelan currency regulation authority, also known as CADIVI, to deceive Banesco Bank, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and the Venezuelan customs authorities into releasing U.S. dollars to Escalona and his co-conspirators outside of Venezuela. The fraudulent applications were submitted to purportedly finance food imports into Venezuela but in reality, were an artifice to enrich the conspirators. This conduct resulted in the transfer of nearly $1.7 million in U.S. dollars from Banesco Bank into an account controlled by the conspirators. Escalona further admitted that in at least one instance, the co-conspirators arranged for a series of bribes to be paid to officials in Venezuela to prevent the detection of their fraudulent scheme. Escalona also admitted in another instance to instructing a co-conspirator to wire transfer proceeds of the fraud, as well as funds constituting bribes, to four financial institutions in the United States. The five illicit wire transfers totaled approximately $420,847. Escalona pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Miami Field Division made the announcement. The DEA’s Miami Field Division is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Goldbarg for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily Cohen and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section 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 No. 22-CR-20423. ###


title: Antisemitic Threats To Kill Yield Prison Sentence

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Sean Pietila, 20, of Pickford, Michigan was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for making a series of violent threats on June 1-2, 2023, to kill Jewish people. At the time he communicated those threats, Pietila was living in Lansing, Michigan. Evidence recovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicated that Pietila had identified a Jewish synagogue in East Lansing and a specific date in March 2024, and made a wish list of firearms and other weapons. “Today and every day we will take swift action to detect and disrupt hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “No Michigander should live in fear because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other protected status. I’m incredibly grateful to FBI Michigan and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence and dedication.” In November 2023, Pietila pleaded guilty to sending numerous messages containing threats to kill others to an Instagram user located outside of Michigan. Those messages, which included references to Adolf Hitler and antisemitic language, talked of Pietila’s desire and plans to engage in a mass shooting in a manner similar to a specific past mass shooter. During execution of a federal search warrant in June 2023, the FBI found typed notes in Pietila’s cell phone that indicated plans to engage in a mass shooting and to commit suicide. For his actions, United States District Judge Robert Jonker sentenced Pietila to serve 12 months and one day in prison, 3 years of supervised release following incarceration, and pay $10,648 in restitution. “I am incredibly proud of the work of our office and appreciative of the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners in bringing the defendant to justice,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “There is absolutely no tolerance for threats of violence and intimidation in the state of Michigan and in our society. The FBI will vigorously pursue those who commit these actions.” The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, TRI-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET), and Michigan State Police Emergency Services Team. Assistant United States Attorney Chris O’Connor prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. ###


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Stephen Dwayne Jackson, also known as “Stacks,” 38, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 18, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Donald Avenue residence in Huntington. Officers encountered Jackson and seized a loaded Kel-Tech P-11 9mm pistol inside the residence. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jackson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 22, 2011. Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting 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. 3:23-cr-178. ###