title: Pensacola Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison For Producing Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Joseph T. Holbert, 54, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to producing multiple images and videos of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Crimes against our children are among the most sinister types of offenses and deserving of the most significant sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Those who produce child pornography facilitate the abuse of children, robbing them of their innocence. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.” In February 2023, Holbert was caught using hidden cameras to film two minor females in various stages of undressing, and using an outdoor shower to clean themselves, in order to capture images and videos of them without clothes. The victims were 8 and 9 years old. Law enforcement was alerted to this behavior and seized hidden cameras and Holbert’s cellular telephone. A forensic review of the seized items revealed the child pornography Holbert produced for his own pleasure. “This sentencing confirms the FBI’s commitment to seek justice for our kids,” said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Jacksonville. “Together with our partners, we have ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community, and we will continue to dedicate every available resource to identifying and stopping those who exploit our children.” Holbert’s prison sentence will be followed by lifetime of federal supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: BATON ROUGE MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT TO DRUG AND GUN CHARGES

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Mitchell Robinson, Jr., age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, heroin, and tramadol, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to admissions made during his plea, on May 11, 2022, EBRSO deputies executed a “knock” search warrant at Robinson’s residence in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In the kitchen, deputies found 2.17 grams of fentanyl, 218.3 grams of methamphetamine, 22.89 grams of methamphetamine, 56 suboxone 8mg/2mg prescription strips, manitol (narcotics cutting agent), 390 tramadol pills, a digital scale, a Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun modified to be fully automatic, a Glock style 9mm handgun, a Glock style 30 round magazine, 9mm ammunition, and 4.01 pounds of marijuana. In the attic, deputies found 884.1 grams of methamphetamine, 439.7 grams of methamphetamine, 194.46 grams of fentanyl, 3.12 pounds of marijuana, $25,960.00, and 55.59 grams of heroin. Prior to Robinson’s possession of the Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun, he had been convicted of simple burglary and carnal knowledge of a juvenile in September 2010 in East Baton Rouge Parish, and burglary of a dwelling and aggravated burglary in January 2011 in Ascension Parish. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.


title: Serial Child Predator Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Coercion and Enticement of Children as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Isaiah Austin, 21, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of two minors while required to register as a sex offender, and illegally possessing a firearm. On December 3, 2020, Isaiah Austin was convicted in state court of the criminal confinement and sexual battery of a minor. He was sentenced to a total of five years in prison, with the time he served in pretrial detention executed, just less than a year, and the remaining four years to be served on probation. He was released from custody on the same day and was required by Indiana law to register as a sex offender. In February 2021, Marion County probation officers conducted a compliance visit on Austin at his home. During their search, officers located a cell phone which contained multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, as well as images of Austin holding firearms. Officers also uncovered text and Snapchat messages between Austin and a 14-year-old girl, beginning in early January 2021, less than a month after he was released from custody. In these text and Snapchat messages, Austin detailed sexual acts he wanted to engage in with the child and instructed her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. On November 10, 2021, Austin engaged in a Facebook chat in which he agreed to sell a handgun. On November 17, 2021, Lawrence Police Department officers went to an address where Austin had been staying for the past week. Austin fled the residence by running out of the house and jumping the fence as police arrived. The homeowner and their partner turned Austin’s 9mm handgun over to officers, which was the same make and model as the gun Austin agreed to sell. On January 14, 2022, Austin was arrested on federal charges resulting from his exploitation of the 14-year-old girl. While detained in pretrial custody, Austin began sexually exploiting a second minor victim using the jail’s phone and messaging systems. Beginning in March 2022 and continuing through September 2022, Austin directed the second minor to engage in sex acts with an adult male relative of Austin’s and send videos of the conduct to Austin. Over the next few months, Austin attempted to coerce and entice the second minor into engaging in commercial sex acts, instructing her to “Look up this (adult pornography) website please we need to start making money. Please, for me.” Austin arranged for an adult male to meet up with the second minor for sex and told her that he would get her name tattooed on his face if she recorded the sexually explicit conduct. Austin can be heard on recorded jail calls directing the adult and the minor to engage in sex acts and confirm that they were being recorded. “This serial sexual predator engaged in years of heinous sexual abuse and exploitation of children, undeterred even while he was on probation and in custody,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He exploited vulnerable, underage girls for his own sick gratification with utter disregard for the dignity or safety of his child victims. Together with the U.S. Secret Service, IMPD, and Indiana’s outstanding Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, our federal prosecutors are committed to identifying and prosecuting these dangerous criminals. The sentence imposed here will ensure that our children are protected from this defendant for decades to come.” The case was investigated by U.S. Secret Service and IMPD as part of Indiana’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Lawrence Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Austin be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years following his release from federal prison and pay $5,000 in restitution to each victim. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton, who prosecuted this case. This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/ to learn more about their efforts. 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Columbia Sex Offender Sentenced for Obscenity

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for uploading an obscene bestiality video to his online Google account. Brian Joe Gravatt, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Wednesday, Oct. 18, to five years in federal prison without parole. Gravatt was required to register as a sex offender due to his prior convictions of statutory rape and statutory sodomy against 14- and 15-year-old victims He was on probation at the time of this offense for failing to register as a sex offender. On April 4, 2023, Gravatt pleaded guilty to one count of transporting obscene material. Gravatt admitted that on Oct. 28, 2020, he uploaded a 33-minute video to his Google Photos account that depicts an adult woman performing a series of graphic sex acts with a large dog. Gravatt acknowledged the video is intended to appeal to prurient interests and that, judged by contemporary, adult, community standards of the community, depicts sex acts in a patently offensive way and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, and scientific value. The video was discovered by law enforcement while investigating a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a complaint of suspected child pornography stored in Gravatt’s Google Photos account. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.


title: Friend Of Pfizer Employee Pleads Guilty To Insider Trading Based On Non-Public Drug Trial Results For COVID-19 Treatment

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea today of ATUL BHIWAPURKAR in connection with an insider trading scheme to reap illicit profits from inside information about the results of clinical trials of Paxlovid, a medicine used to treat COVID-19. BHIWAPURKAR was arrested in June 2023 and pled guilty to securities fraud based on insider trading before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Bhiwapurkar admitted in court that he received sensitive, non-public information about a confidential drug trial from his friend, an employee at Pfizer, so he could profit on that information. The prosecution of those who steal and misuse confidential information to profit at the expense of other market participants continues to be a top priority of our Office, and people who engage in insider trading will be caught and held accountable.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made during court proceedings: In November 2021, BHIWAPURKAR participated in an insider trading scheme to reap illicit profits from options trading based on inside information about the results of clinical trials of Paxlovid, a medicine used to treat COVID-19. BHIWAPURKAR was provided material, non-public information about the Paxlovid trial by an employee of Pfizer who assisted in managing the data analysis in certain clinical drug trials. On November 4, 2021, prior to the public announcement that a Pfizer trial of the drug Paxlovid, a medicine designed to treat mild to severe COVID‑19 infection, had produced positive results, BHIWAPURKAR received a tip from a Pfizer insider with confidential information about the positive results and the timing of the upcoming press release. On that same day, BHIWAPURKAR purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options that expired days and weeks later. BHIWAPURKAR also tipped another friend (“Individual-1”), who similarly purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options that expired approximately three weeks later. The following day, on November 5, 2021, and before the market opened, Pfizer publicly released results of its Paxlovid study. That same day, following the publication of the positive results, Pfizer’s stock price increased substantially, opening — and eventually closing — more than 10% higher than the prior day’s closing price. In the following weeks, BHIWAPURKAR and Individual-1 sold their Pfizer call options at significant profits. * * * BHIWAPURKAR, 45, of Milpitas, California, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. BHIWAPURKAR will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller and Justin Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Preliminary Injunction Entered in Justice Department Suit to Stop Fraudulent Debt Collection Scheme that Harmed Veterans

body_text: TULSA, Okla. - The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma has issued a preliminary injunction enjoining three individuals and two companies from continuing their fraudulent debt collection scheme. The order was issued after the department filed a civil complaint against Assured Collections LLC, Assured Financial LLC, Christopher Parks, Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller. According to the complaint, Christopher Parks, 62, who is currently incarcerated in Cushing, Oklahoma, his son, Christopher Noah Parks, 29, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Stephen Miller, 39, also of Broken Arrow, operate Assured Collections LLC and Assured Financial LLC. The defendants, according to the complaint, used those companies to distribute thousands of fraudulent debt collection notices to consumers across the country. These notices falsely stated that consumers owed money, often thousands of dollars, for durable medical equipment. In fact, defendants had no authority to contact consumers to attempt to collect any debt. Many of the notices were sent to older adults and veterans. “No consumer should have to panic at the thought of needing to pay thousands of dollars they do not in fact need to pay,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department and its partners remain steadfast in our resolve to protect consumers from companies and individuals responsible for sending fraudulent debt collection notices.” “The defendants in this case victimized individuals who were already traumatized by illness and were struggling emotionally, physically and financially,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “This fraudulent billing scheme caused additional harm and eroded the public’s trust in the medical industry. I’m thankful for the collaborative effort of all the investigative agencies that worked together in pursuit of justice for the victims.” “The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to protecting the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for our military members,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Michael C. Mentavlos of DCIS’s Southwest Field Office. “This action is the result of strong partnerships across the law enforcement community, and demonstrates the DCIS’s ongoing commitment to investigating and prosecuting companies and individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our military members, their families and the American taxpayer.” “This action sends a clear message that the VA Office of Inspector General makes it a priority to investigate those who would seek to exploit our nation’s most vulnerable veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG is grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.” According to the complaint, Christopher Parks (who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison), Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller knew that debt notices were fraudulent. Despite that knowledge, defendants continued to contact consumers attempting to collect. Anyone who believes that they are a victim of the unlawful debt collection activity is encouraged to report to the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ . The VA-OIG, DCIS, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Runkle of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle for the Northern District of Oklahoma filed the case. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-ndok .


title: United States Files Civil Lawsuit Against Waterloo Woman for Alleged Wire Fraud

component: Civil Division

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against a Waterloo woman after she allegedly continued to move money for scammers following warnings to stop from federal law enforcement officers. Janice M. Augustine, 74, is facing a civil lawsuit for her alleged involvement as a money mule. She was recruited to participate in the scheme by an individual claiming to be an American working abroad who was in search of a romantic relationship. “Criminals scour online dating and social media websites looking for lonely or vulnerable people to exploit. Oftentimes, criminals exploit elderly or vulnerable victims by tricking them into believing they are interested in a romantic relationship. But other times, the criminals persuade elderly or vulnerable people into helping them launder the money they receive by defrauding others,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Southern Illinois is not immune to these scams. Residents should be wary of anyone who asks them to receive and transfer money for them.” The civil complaint alleges Augustine knowingly accepted money obtained via fraud schemes. The money was sent via wire transfers and electronic deposits into her personal bank accounts. Augustine then transferred the funds to the perpetrators who had committed the fraud. “Acting as a money mule is illegal and punishable even if you aren’t aware you’re committing a crime,” said FBI Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. “According to the FBI’s 2022 Internet Crime Report, Illinois residents lost $17.8 million to romance scams. Romance scams manifest in a variety of forms, all for the purpose of manipulating victims to do their bidding. And fraudsters won’t stop pursuing a victim until the victim breaks off communication or contacts law enforcement.” The federal complaint alleges that a perpetrator convinced Augustine he was involved in a romantic relationship with her in summer 2022. He then persuaded her to transmit fraud proceeds. In January 2023, an FBI agent interviewed Augustine about her suspicious bank activity. FBI warned Augustine of this reality and encouraged her to end the relationship. Undeterred, Augustine registered a limited liability company with the Illinois Secretary of State and opened a new bank account in April 2023 in the LLC’s name. In May 2023, special agents with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) visited Augustine at her Waterloo residence to discuss her unusual financial activity and again explained how her actions were illegal. “Developing romantic attachments to bad characters can lead to financial ruin, or as in this case, involvement in money laundering schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Sadly, some seniors continue to fall for the tricks of criminals. CI is proud to partner with other law enforcement agencies to help raise awareness in the senior community to protect them from even greater consequences.” According to court documents, the defendant is accused of moving nearly $400,000 in fraud proceeds even after receiving multiple warnings by federal law enforcement officers. She has continued to execute fraudulent financial transactions, thus acting as a money mule for a criminal organization. The term “money mule” refers to individuals who receive funds and send the money on to the criminals who conduct the schemes. The United States is seeking a permanent injunction against Augustine which would prohibit her from participating in money transmitting activities in the future. FBI and IRS CI agents handled the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hanna is prosecuting the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman. If you believe you are participating in a money mule scheme, contact FBI Springfield immediately. As part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, federal prosecutors visit senior communities throughout the Southern District of Illinois to give presentations on scams targeting older residents. To schedule a visit or learn more information, email Lauren Barry at Lauren.Barry@usdoj.gov .


title: Undocumented Man Who Shot Seminole Police Officer Sentenced to 180 Months for Firearm Crime

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

body_text: A Mexican man who shot a police officer in Seminole, Texas was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jose Ramon Castillo-Lopez, 28, was charged via criminal complaint in October 2022 and indicted later that same month. He pleaded guilty in May 2023 to illegal alien in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Mr. Castillo-Lopez, a Mexican national in the United States illegally, admitted he was pulled over by a Seminole Police Department officer for traffic violations on Oct. 1, 2022. As the officer approached Mr. Castillo-Lopez’s vehicle, he began firing at the officer with a handgun. The officer was struck but moved to a defensive position and returned fire. Mr. Castillo-Lopez exited his vehicle and fled, dropping a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol as he did so. The officer was able to radio in a description of the defendant, and he was apprehended a few blocks away shortly thereafter. In an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Castillo-Lopez admitted he had been previously deported and was currently in the county illegally. He also admitted to firing the pistol, which he said he purchased from an unknown individual at a traffic light in Midland, Texas for $200. The victim officer’s body armor prevented serious injury, and he returned to duty shortly thereafter. Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Seminole Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McLeod prosecuted the case.


title: “Used Car King of New York” sentenced for nationwide scheme to sell hundreds of thousands of fake Texas paper vehicle tags

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 52-year-old man who advertised himself as the “Used Car King of New York” has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Octavian Ocasio pleaded guilty Oct. 18, 2022, to conspiring with others residing in the Southern District of Texas to buy and sell thousands of fraudulent Texas-issued temporary buyer tags for cars outside of Texas without a legitimate vehicle purchase. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Ocasio to serve 53 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Ocasio and others engaged in a widespread fraud to use fictitious car dealerships to generate and sell Texas temporary buyer tags without actually selling cars, all while also making false promises and assurances that it was legal. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Ocasio committed the offense utilizing mass marketing and sophisticated means. The court also ordered Ocasio to pay restitution to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in the amount of $324,600. “If it seems like there are more cars driving around the streets of Houston with temporary paper plates, you would be correct, in part thanks to the hundreds of thousands fake paper plates Ocasio sold to Texas drivers,” said Hamdani. “Ocasio’s fake plates would come back to a car that was never sold or sold to drivers who never should have been issued plates in the first place. Because of this, Texas recently changed the way paper plates are issued, and because of his decision to produce and sell fake plates, Ocasio will now spend several years inside of a real jail cell.” “It’s not every day that one of our cases leads to changes in the law, so I’m extremely proud of our FBI Houston agents and our partners who maneuvered through the complexities and scale of this investigation in the name of justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI. “Ocasio was one of several who, for too-long, allowed thousands of drivers across the country to ride around with fraudulent paper license plates- all just to save a few dollars. Now, he’ll have to park himself inside a federal prison to pay for his crimes. Ocasio and his co-conspirators pocketed more than $200 million from their illegal activity which exploited not just the state of Texas but allowed unsafe vehicles on our streets with uninsured and unlicensed drivers at the wheel.” Ocasio and co-conspirators used the internet to buy and sell the fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and exchange proceeds from the illegal tag sales. At the time of his plea, Ocasio acknowledged he and his co-conspirators communicated through accounts on Gmail, Instagram and Facebook to receive and deliver fraudulent buyer tags to purchasers all over the United States, including New York, Florida and Washington, D.C. He also admitted he and his co-conspirators advertised the state-issued buyer tags on social media platforms and received and shared fraud proceeds via electronic payment services such as Cash App and Zelle. Ocasio will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera is still a fugitive in this case. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone providing information that directly leads to his arrest. Those with information about the fugitive’s location should call 1-800-CALL-FBI or email www.TIPS.FBI.GOV The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Travis County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman prosecuted the case.


title: Four Members of Queens-Based Family Prostitution Business Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Other Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury in Brooklyn today returned guilty verdicts on all counts of an indictment charging Luz Elvira Cardona, Roberto Cesar Cid Dominguez, Blanca Hernandez Morales, and Jose Facundo Zarate Morales, who were members of the Queens-based Cid-Hernandez Sex Trafficking Organization, with transportation of minors, sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion, promotion of prostitution, use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and related conspiracy counts. The verdict followed a four-week, trial before United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. When sentenced, the defendants each face up to life in prison, except for Cid Dominguez, who faces up to 40 years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the verdict. “Today’s verdict is a milestone in the dismantling of a sex trafficking organization that exploited young women and minors, it is justice for the vulnerable victims who suffered so much pain and suffering, and it is a reckoning for the perpetrators who will soon learn the consequences for their deplorable crimes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “It is my hope that the convictions bring some measure of solace to the victims on their paths to healing.” Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, New York, the New York City Police Department, and the Putnam County Sherriff’s Office for their outstanding work on the case. As proven at trial, since approximately 2002, the defendants, all of whom are related by blood or common-law marriage, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to cause young women and minor girls from Mexico to engage in prostitution in the United States. Members of the organization pressured the victims, including two minor victims, to travel to the United States with false promises of employment and a better life. When the young girls arrived in New York, they were forced by the defendants to work in prostitution. During the trial, a victim testified that she was 15 years-old and living in Mexico in 2007 when Cardona, her aunt, offered to pay travel expenses to New York City where the teen could work as a cleaner. The victim did not know that Cardona, along with her partner Zarate Morales, his mother Hernandez Morales, and her partner Cid Dominguez, were operating a prostitution business. After the victim arrived in Queens, Cardona and Zarate Morales brokered a deal with a client to sell her virginity and thereafter she was forced to engage in commercial sex with 20 or more men daily. Although the Cid-Hernandez Sex Trafficking Organization was based in Queens, young women and minor girls were transported to prostitution clients throughout New York State and Connecticut. The organization controlled “routes,” which were comprised of contact lists of potential clients in specific areas and employed individuals who served as drivers. Cid Dominguez also bribed Village of Brewster Police Officer Wayne Peiffer with free sexual services to ensure the organization’s protection from law enforcement in his jurisdiction. Peiffer pleaded guilty in April 2022 to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery. Peiffer is awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Elbert, Gillian Kassner, Rachel A. Bennek and Nicholas Moscow are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Ryan Costley. The Defendants : LUZ ELVIRA CARDONA (also known as “Lucy”) Age: 35 Queens, New York ROBERTO CESAR CID DOMINGUEZ Age: 60 Queens, New York BLANCA HERNANDEZ MORALES (also known as “Nancy,” “Maria Elena,” and “Malena”) Age: 53 Queens, New York JOSE FACUNDO ZARATE MORALES (also known as “El Guero”) Age: 34 Queens, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-622 (LDH)


title: Bronx Man Pleads Guilty To Distribution Of Fentanyl In Connection With Death Of 19-Year-Old Victim And Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VIRGIL WARDLOW pled guilty today to one count of distributing fentanyl. In connection with his guilty plea, WARDLOW stipulated that he paid for commercial sex with a minor using fentanyl-laced pills that caused the death of a 19-year-old victim. WARDLOW pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The consequences of the defendant’s conduct are heart-wrenching: The defendant paid for sex with a 16-year-old victim using fentanyl-laced pills, which the victim’s 19-year-old friend then ingested, poisoning her and causing her death. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that this Office will seek justice for families facing the horrific tragedy of losing a loved one to fentanyl poisoning and for victims of child sexual exploitation.” According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings: WARDLOW engaged in a pattern of paying for commercial sex with black market pills that contained fentanyl. On or about March 25, 2023, at a hotel room in the Bronx, New York, WARDLOW provided two of those pills to a 16-year-old female (“Victim-1”) in exchange for sex with Victim-1. After Victim-1 had sex with WARDLOW and WARDLOW left the hotel room, Victim-1 and her 19-year-old female friend (“Victim-2”) ingested the pills provided by WARDLOW. Thereafter, Victim-1 became ill, and Victim-2 became unconscious and died of a drug poisoning. Between at least on or about February 8, 2023, and on or about April 7, 2023, WARDLOW exchanged several messages with other individuals in which WARDLOW offered to provide pills in exchange for sex or money. WARDLOW sent these messages using an anonymized cellphone number that masked his identity from his intended victims. * * * WARDLOW, 31, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and oxycodone, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Four South Carolina Prosecutors Receive Awards for Excellence from the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA – United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Adair F. Boroughs, recognized four South Carolina Prosecutors for their distinguished achievements during the opening night of the 2023 South Carolina Solicitors’ Annual Conference, which took place in October 8-11, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. U.S. Attorney Boroughs presented four categories of awards: the 2023 General Sessions Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Eleventh Circuit Deputy Solicitor Rhonda W. Patterson ; the 2023 South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Senior Assistant Attorney General Tracy Meyers ; the 2023 Family Court Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Twelfth Circuit Assistant Solicitor Stephen Hill ; and the 2023 John R. Justice Community Leadership Award to Fifth Circuit Assistant Solicitor, and the late Prosecutor John R. Justice’s daughter, Ivy Justice . The Ernest F. Hollings Awards for Excellence in State Prosecution were conceived in 1996 and begun in 1997 as a means for federal prosecutors to take the lead in publicly recognizing their state court colleagues who generally have to do much more with much less. As Chairman of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, then United States Attorney J. René Josey enlisted the support of United States Senator Ernest F. Hollings to make the awards a reality. As a former Charleston prosecutor and longtime legislative supporter of law enforcement, Senator Hollings was more than willing to lend his aid. The Senator Hollings awards are presented annually to recognize an Assistant Solicitor in each of the following categories: (1) excellence in prosecution in the Court of General Sessions; and/or (2) excellence in prosecution in the Family Courts. In 2006, a third category was added to recognize an Assistant Attorney General. Established in 2012, the John R. Justice Community Leadership Award is presented annually by the U.S. Attorney. Nominations are received from the U.S. Attorney, elected Solicitors, the Executive Director of the S.C. Commission on Prosecution Coordination, past elected Solicitors, or past recipients of the award. The award is presented at the annual Solicitor’s conference to an Assistant Solicitor who has exhibited exemplary citizenship and/or implementation of innovative solutions to advance public safety and improve the quality of the lives of members of his or her community. The award was named for Solicitor John R. Justice who over a period of decades honored and served both the criminal justice system and his community. The John R. Justice Community Leadership Award recognizes that community involvement, citizenship, and innovative ideas serve to advance public safety and the criminal justice system. ###


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced yesterday for the illegal possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Chief Sue Mudd of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement. According to court document, Javier Michael Vega, 30, was sentenced to 4 years in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On June 29, 2021, in Washington County, Kentucky, Vega kidnapped a woman at gunpoint and ordered her into his vehicle by threatening to shoot her. At some point while Vega and the victim were driving around in Vega’s vehicle, Vega became angry and fired a round from one of the firearms. The Springfield Police Department, who had been given a description of Vega’s vehicle, initiated a traffic stop. During a search of the vehicle, police recovered two handguns. Vega was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Springfield Police Department and with assistance from the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Union County Man Admits Role in Interstate Car Theft Ring

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a conspiracy to steal and transport across state lines luxury cars stolen from towns in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced. Malik Baker, 29, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to transport stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and one count of receiving a stolen vehicle that had crossed state lines after being stolen. Baker’s conspirators – Hakeem Smith, Nafique Goodwyn, and Bilal Cureton – previously pleaded guilty to related charges. Smith was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to 41 months in prison. Sentencing is pending for Goodwyn and Cureton. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since as early as July 2019, the defendants and others stole and conspired to steal at least 10 luxury cars from towns in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and hid those cars at a location in Irvington, New Jersey. The cars include a 2019 BMW X4 M40i, stolen from Greenwich, Connecticut, on July 19, 2019; a 2017 BMW Alpina, stolen from Hewlett Bay Park, New York, on July 22, 2019; a 2017 Maserati GranTurismo, stolen from Manalapan, New Jersey, on Aug. 5, 2019; a 2018 Range Rover and a 2019 Porsche Cayenne, stolen from New City, New York, on Aug. 6, 2019; a 2017 Mercedes S550 and a 2019 Rolls Royce, stolen from Hewlett Bay Park, New York, on Aug. 13, 2019; a 2019 Land Rover, stolen from Kensington, New York, on Aug. 22, 2019; a 2019 Mercedes Maybach, stolen from Quogue, New York, on Aug. 29, 2019; a 2014 Lexus GS, stolen from West Long Branch, New Jersey, on Aug. 29, 2019; a 2017 BMW M4, stolen from Marlton, New Jersey, on Sept. 7, 2019; and a 2017 Mercedes AMG S63, stolen from Orangeburg, New York, in September 2019. The defendants often used the stolen cars to steal more cars, and, in one instance, they used a Maserati GranTurisimo they stole from Manalapan to steal a Range Rover and a Porsche Cayenne. When law enforcement attempted to conduct a stop of the Maserati, the Maserati accelerated and crashed head-on into a police vehicle before the suspects fled the scene in another stolen vehicle. Law enforcement recovered one of the stolen cars in a shipping container at the port in Newark en route to Ghana, Africa. The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. The charge of receiving stolen vehicles is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Both charges are punishable by a fine up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé. He also thanked officers with the Irvington Township Police Department, under the direction of Director Tracy Bowers; the Clarkstown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeffrey Wanamaker; the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran; the Marlboro Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Pezzullo; the Tewksbury Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Tim Barlow; the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson. He also thanked officers with Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; and the Department of Commerce-Office of Export Enforcement, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson in New York, with the investigation leading to the charges. This investigation is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Board of Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Amore, Chief of the General Crimes Unit. baker.information.pdf


title: U.S. Postal Worker Is Indicted For Stealing Business Checks Worth Over $1.9 Million From Ballantyne Post Office

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed today in federal court, charging Dontavis Romario Truesdale, 27, of Charlotte, with conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, from November 2022 to April 2023, Truesdale worked as a processing clerk at the Ballantyne Post Office in Charlotte. The indictment alleges that Truesdale used his position as mail processing clerk to steal hundreds of checks of businesses that maintained post office boxes at the Ballantyne Post Office. The indictment further alleges that Truesdale sold the stolen checks to other co-conspirators who committed bank fraud, by depositing the stolen checks into bank accounts they controlled, and then quickly removed the funds before the banks detected the fraud. As alleged in the indictment, over the course of the scheme, Truesdale stole more than 200 checks with a total face value of over $1.9 million. Truesdale was released on bond following his initial appearance in court. The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of theft by a postal employee has a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the five counts charged in the indictment. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked USPS-OIG, USPIS and CMPD for their investigation which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.


title: Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Multiple Armed Carjackings After High-Speed Police Chases

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 250 months in prison for multiple carjackings and for using a firearm while committing the carjackings. According to court documents, on November 3, 2020, in Chesapeake, Bryant Marcus Wilkerson, 30, approached an individual who was sitting in the driver seat of their vehicle after having just left their work. Wilkerson told the driver of the vehicle to get out of the car or he would shoot the driver. Before the driver could close the door, Wilkerson stood in between the door and the driver’s seat and once again told the driver that he would shoot the driver if he did not get out of the vehicle. Wilkerson then produced a firearm and hit the driver in the face with it. The driver then got out of the vehicle and Wilkerson drove it away. The vehicle was found abandoned the next day. On November 9, 2020, Wilkerson approached another individual who was sitting in the driver seat of their vehicle in Currituck, North Carolina. Wilkerson opened the passenger side door, pointed a firearm at the driver, and ordered the driver to get out of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle, but Wilkerson was unable to start the car because the driver still had the key fob. Wilkerson then got into another vehicle that was unoccupied with the engine running and fled the scene. Deputies from the Currituck County Police Department attempted to stop Wilkerson, but he led them on a high-speed chase where Wilkerson drove into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed and ran other vehicles off the road. Wilkerson later exited that vehicle and, after a foot pursuit, jumped on the hood of another vehicle, pointed a firearm at the driver, and told the driver to get out. Wilkerson then fired a shot into the dash and pointed the firearm at the driver again. The driver got out of the vehicle and Wilkerson drove it away. Wilkerson led law enforcement officers on another high-speed chase, this time traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour while driving in the wrong direction on an expressway. Law enforcement officers were able to flatten Wilkerson’s tires using spike strips, which forced him to finally stop. Wilkerson fled on foot again, robbed another citizen, and ultimately broke into yet another locked vehicle. Officers found Wilkerson hiding in the vehicle with a firearm and took him into custody. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jason Miyares, Virginia Attorney General; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Significant assistance was provided by the Currituck County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc West prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-152.


title: Steel Manufacturer Enters Agreement Solidifying Its Commitment to Spend More Than $100 Million to Reduce Emissions from Its Dearborn, Michigan, Facility

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a modification to a 2015 consent decree between the United States and state of Michigan and the Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corporation (formerly AK Steel) to resolve Clean Air Act violations at the company’s Dearborn, Michigan, steel manufacturing plant. The decree required the Dearborn plant to implement certain measures to address visible air emissions from the plant. Because these measures failed to bring the plant into full Clean Air Act compliance, the modification requires Cleveland-Cliffs to undertake additional extensive measures at a cost of over $100 million, which are expected to reduce visible emissions from the plant, as well as curtail emissions of manganese and lead. Inhalation of lead and manganese can cause various, negative health effects, including impacts to the central nervous system. In addition, inhalation of lead has been linked to impacts to kidney function, and to the immune, cardiovascular, reproductive and developmental systems in humans. In anticipation of the agreement, Cleveland-Cliffs has already performed much of the required work. “The agreement will ensure that Cleveland-Cliffs’ steel manufacturing plant in Dearborn operates in compliance with federal and state air pollution requirements,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This modification will result in better air quality for Dearborn residents around the plant, who have been disproportionately burdened by pollution.” “Today’s announcement shows that EPA and the Department of Justice are committed to achieving cleaner air for communities across the country,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The changes that Cleveland Cliffs will make at its Dearborn facility will reduce harmful air pollution and improve air quality for local residents.” The modification lodged today requires replacement of the plant’s electrostatic precipitator (ESP) that removes particulate matter from exhaust gases that stem from the plant’s operations and thereby controls visible emissions. It also requires routine testing of the new ESP to assure compliance with applicable emission limits, certain operational parameters and regular monitoring for visible emissions. The company will also pay a civil penalty of $81,380 to the state of Michigan for violating the state permit’s opacity, lead and manganese limits. Additionally, Cleveland-Cliffs will implement a state-law supplemental environmental project in which nearby residents will receive home air purifiers, at an estimated cost of $244,000. The facility is located in an area with environmental justice concerns according to data from EPA’s EJSCREEN tool. For more information on the original settlement, click here . Attorneys from ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the modification. There will be a 30-day public comment period on the proposed modification. The modification and instructions on how to submit a public comment is available on the on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Bribing Mail Carriers to Steal Postal Arrow Keys

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in a scheme to bribe mail carriers to steal postal arrow keys used to unlock mail receptacles and to use stolen items from the mail to fraudulently obtain funds from banks, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Amin C. Jones, 29, of Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count each of bribery of U.S. Postal Service mail carriers and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Jones schemed to bribe mail carriers in East Orange and Newark, New Jersey, by offering them cash, typically $5,000, in exchange for the mail carriers giving Jones a postal arrow key, which could be used to access a variety of postal service mail receptacles. Jones and others sought USPS arrow keys so that they could steal mail. From June to July 2021, Jones and another individual drove to various locations in East Orange and Newark, where they stopped over four different mail carriers, including an undercover postal inspector, who Jones believed was a mail carrier, and handed them a note indicating they would give $5,000 to the mail carrier in exchange for an arrow key. From January to July 2021, Jones conspired with others to obtain funds fraudulently from banks by stealing mail and using stolen checks and bank cards to draw funds from bank accounts linked to the stolen items and using the identification of others to fraudulently obtain funds. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Jones to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $6,361. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.


title: St. Joseph Woman Sentenced for Using Prison Inmates’ Identities in Covid Fraud Scheme

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for using the stolen identities of prison inmates to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Brooke Stewart, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to two years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Stewart to pay $139,663 in restitution to the Missouri Dept of Employment Security and a $50 fine. On May 18, 2023, Stewart pleaded guilty to one count of stealing government funds. Stewart admitted that she facilitated the filing of false claims for unemployment benefits by using the stolen identity information of five individuals who were incarcerated in state or federal prison and therefore not eligible to receive Missouri and enhanced unemployment benefits. Stewart also fraudulently received federal unemployment benefits in her own name and another person. As a result of her fraud scheme, Stewart stole at least $139,663 in benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided additional federal pandemic unemployment compensation to eligible individuals receiving other unemployment benefits under state laws. These funds were intended to assist persons who were unemployed because of the pandemic. None of the inmates whose identity information was stolen actually received any of the fraudulently obtained benefits. Among those individuals whose stolen identity information was used to obtain benefits from May 2020 to June 2021 were federal defendants Garland Nelson and Brooke Beckley. Nelson is serving a 32-year federal prison sentence for a cattle fraud scheme that led to two murders in Braymer, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm, as well as two life sentences in a separate state case for the murders. Beckley is serving a 40-year prison sentence for her role in the murder of a Mexican national who was executed to help her avoid paying a debt owed in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in the Springfield, Mo., area. Stewart was on supervision from a 2019 state court conviction for trafficking in stolen identities, which resulted in a 10-year suspended sentence, at the time of this federal offense. A revocation hearing has been ordered in that case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.


title: New York Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Credit Card Fraud

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars using credit cards he fraudulently opened using the identities of others, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Robert Lourenco, 52, of Queens, New York, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to one count of an indictment charging him with access device fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: During 2015, Lourenco opened 23 credit cards using the identities of three victims he had befriended, two of whom were senior citizens. Lourenco’s victims did not know he was using their identities to obtain the credit cards, nor did they authorize Lourenco to obtain the credit cards. Lourenco used the 23 credit cards to make more than $423,000 in unauthorized purchases. He also used the debit card for a joint bank account belonging to two of the victims to make an additional $57,000 in unauthorized charges. Lourenco admitted that he knew at least one of his victims was a vulnerable victim when he used the victim’s identity to commit his crime. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Lourenco to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $36,849 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office for its role in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.


title: South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Interstate Domestic Violence Resulting in Death

body_text: GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Lawrence Joseph Florentine, 56, of Rock Hill, pleaded guilty in federal court to interstate domestic violence resulting in death, use of a firearm during a crime of violence to cause death, obstruction of justice, and use of fire during the commission of a felony. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Florentine married Nicole Zahnd Florentine in 2018. Video and audio recordings and the personal observations of Nicole’s family show the relationship was volatile. Beginning in December 2019, law enforcement in York County, where the couple resided, responded to multiple calls made by Nicole for emergency assistance. She reported that Florentine physically abused her and threatened to kill her, burn her, and bury her. Florentine was arrested twice on domestic violence charges – one of which was dismissed, at least in part, at Nicole’s request before her death. On May 23, 2020, the couple’s Rock Hill home was destroyed by fire. Text messages and photographs Florentine sent to Nicole during the fire show that he intentionally burned her belongings and intentionally set the property on fire. Florentine is charged with arson in state court in connection with the fire. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that Nicole and Florentine were traveling by car together in North and South Carolina at least from June 2 to on or around June 11, 2020. Nicole and Florentine were last known to be together in Piedmont, South Carolina, from June 7 to on or about June 10, 2020. No calls to police or for emergency assistance were made by Florentine during this time. Before the road trip, Nicole regularly communicated with her grandmother. When her grandmother stopped hearing from Nicole, she filed a missing person report. On June 13, 2020, a groundskeeper for Hill Cemetery in Fredonia, Kentucky, discovered what appeared to him to be a makeshift grave. Officers with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police responded and recovered a partially charred female body from the shallow grave. A gas can was recovered from behind a tree near the burial site. No identification, cell phone, or other personal belongings were found. An autopsy identified the body as that of Nicole, that the manner of death was homicide, and the cause of death was a .22 caliber bullet wound to the head. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a car matching the description of Florentine’s car around the cemetery before the body was discovered on June 13. A local hardware store clerk identified sale transactions on June 11, 2020, for a shovel and a gas can identical to the can found at the cemetery by a customer who matched Florentine’s description. Surveillance camera footage from a nearby gas station shows Florentine filling the gas can a short time later. Gasoline is commonly used as a fire accelerant. No firearm was found; however, police recovered a lighter and .22 caliber cartridges in the center console and located Nicole’s blood on the rear exterior of Florentine’s abandoned car. Sometime after June 11, 2020, Florentine fled Kentucky and arrived in Denver, Colorado. On June 23, 2020, he surrendered to the Denver Police. This plea comes during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Although domestic violence is primarily a matter of state and local jurisdiction, federal laws provide tools for prosecuting domestic violence offenders in certain situations involving firearms and interstate travel or activity. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors. The US Attorney’s Office encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out for help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. “Domestic violence affects our community in a deep and enduring way,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for South Carolina have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice. May we honor Nicole’s memory as we work to address and prevent future domestic violence.” Florentine faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and eight years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Florentine after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office. The case was investigated by the Kentucky State Police, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, York County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Hill Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leesa Washington and Benjamin Garner are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Middlesex County Man Admits Online Enticement of Minor

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man today admitted inducing a minor to engage in sexually activity over an online messenger service, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Sunil Vaid, 51, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of online enticement of a minor. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Aug. 3, 2020, to Aug. 6, 2020, Vaid used an online messaging service to communicate with a minor victim, including requesting that the minor victim pose nude so he could take sexually explicit images. Vaid knowingly misrepresented his identity to induce the minor to engage in the sexual activity. The charge of online enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the North Brunswick Police for their assistance with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. vaid.information.pdf


title: U.S. District Court Maryland Enjoins Former Frostburg-Based Dentist from Prescribing Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today approved the United States’ consent decree with Jordan R. Hobel, formerly a Frostburg-based dentist, resolving the United States’ civil allegations that Hobel violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in illegally prescribing opioids. The consent decree was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division. “Without exception, all prescribers—including dentists—are subject to the CSA.” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “As our Office’s recent consent decrees have shown, we intend to hold accountable all medical professionals who contribute to Maryland’s opioid epidemic by overprescribing opioids, regardless of their title or the letters that follow their name.” “As our nation battles a surge of opioid overdoses and poisonings, it is more important than ever that healthcare providers prescribe medications in a safe and responsible manner. We know that pharmaceutical abuse has led to a worsening of the opioid crisis as people turn to the streets to find pills which we know most often contain a lethal dose of fentanyl,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division. We encourage prescribers to remain vigilant and responsive to any signs of controlled substance misuse or diversion, for through our collective efforts, we can create a healthier and safer society for all.” The Government alleges that, between 2017 and 2021, Hobel, who owned and practiced dentistry at Mountain City Dental in Frostburg, Maryland, issued at least several dozen prescriptions for dangerous controlled substances that had no legitimate medical purpose and fell outside the usual course of professional medical or dental practice. More specifically, Hobel fraudulently utilized the DEA registration numbers of other dentists in his practice to prescribe himself controlled substances, including oxycodone. Further, Hobel prescribed controlled substances to various friends and family—some who were not his patients—and, for at least some of these prescriptions, Hobel received some of the pills from the intended recipient for his own use. Hobel denies the Government’s allegations. Under the consent decree, Hobel agrees to not apply for or seek the reinstatement of his DEA registration, which is required for a medical professional to prescribe controlled substances, and which Hobel voluntarily surrendered for cause in 2022. The Court’s approval of this consent decree should remind all medical practitioners that the Department of Justice intends to use all tools at its disposal—both criminal and civil—to combat the opioid epidemic which continues to plague Maryland and Marylanders. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington Division, Hagerstown Resident Office for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled 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 . # # #


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Racially-Motivated Attack Against Six Black Men Near 1923 Rosewood Massacre Site

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced today in federal court for his racially-motivated attack on a group of Black men who were surveying land along a public road in Rosewood, Florida. David Emanuel, 63, of Cedar Key, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for his bias-motivated attack on six men who were surveying land owned by one of the victims at the time of the offenses. “Racially-motivated hate crimes run contrary to our values as Americans and simply have no place in our society today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant violently and callously sought to strike a group of Black men with his truck because of their race. As we mark 100 years since the horrific 1923 Rosewood Massacre, the Justice Department stands resolute in its commitment to holding accountable those who commit violent racially-motivated hate crimes in our country.” “This sentencing sends a clear message that committing hate crimes has serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Despicable, hate-fueled crimes such as these have no place in our state or country. The violence directed toward these victims, based solely on their race, is abhorrent and will not be tolerated. With the dedicated assistance of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute civil rights violations to ensure justice for those victimized by hate.” “There is no place for hate and racism in this community,” said Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. “No one should ever fear they could be targeted in an act of violence based on how they look, where they’re from or any part of their identity. Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim; they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community, and because of their wide-ranging impact, investigating hate crimes is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for victims and their communities.” On July 26, after a two-day trial, a jury in Gainesville convicted Emanuel for driving his truck toward the group of six elderly or adult Black men because of their race, and because they were using a public road. Evidence at trial proved that on Sept. 6, 2022, Emanuel found the victims surveying land adjacent to a public roadway near the location of the 1923 Rosewood Massacre. When the defendant came upon the victims, who were on the public roadway, he shouted racial slurs and expletives at them, including “[racial slur] get out of these woods” before driving a pickup truck directly at the group, nearly striking one of them. At trial, one witness testified that Emanuel admitted that he “came at those [expletives],” and that he “would have [expletive]d up all those Black [expletive].” Video evidence showed that after he was arrested, Emanuel complained that he was “getting treated like this [expletive] over a [expletive] [racial slur].” One witness testified that the defendant came “within inches” of striking one of the victims and that one victim, “nearly lost his life that day.” No victims suffered physical injury as a result of the Emanuel’s racially-motivated attack. The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and Gainesville Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Weiss and Frank Williams for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Arrest Made in Central California Bio-Lab Investigation

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jia Bei Zhu, aka Jesse Zhu, aka Qiang He, aka David He, 62, a citizen of China who formerly resided in Clovis, was arrested today on a criminal complaint for manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and for making false statements to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. “As part of his scheme, the defendant changed his name, the names of his companies, and their locations,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “The disarray at the Reedley lab led to the glare of publicity he was trying to avoid, and the ensuing investigation unraveled his efforts to circumvent the requirements that are designed to ensure that medical devices are safe and effective.” “Providing materially false information to FDA inspectors regarding medical device manufacturing and distribution impedes the agency’s ability to protect public health, especially when those false statements relate to unauthorized and misbranded COVID-19 tests. Consumers who unknowingly use these misbranded COVID tests run the risk of incorrect results about their COVID status, which can lead to further spread of the virus,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who jeopardize the health of U.S. consumers.” According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Zhu and others manufactured, imported, sold, and distributed hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 test kits, in addition to test kits for HIV, pregnancy, clinical urinalysis, and other conditions in the United States and China. They did so through the companies Universal Meditech Incorporated (UMI) and Prestige Biotech Incorporated (PBI), which were based in Fresno and Reedley. UMI and PBI did not obtain the required authorizations to manufacture and distribute the test kits and mislabeled some of the test kits. When questioned by FDA officials, Zhu made false statements about his identity, his ownership and control of UMI and PBI, and the activities of UMI and PBI. According to the criminal complaint, Reedley Code Enforcement officials received a complaint regarding a warehouse in Reedley for using non-permitted plumbing that was visible from outside the warehouse. When code enforcement officials went to the warehouse the next day, they saw various types of in vitro diagnostic test kits, related manufacturing equipment, and shipping supplies. Further investigation found that UMI first registered as a medical device manufacturer with the FDA in November 2015 in Tulare and moved to Fresno in 2018. FDA records show that its registration lapsed in 2022, and it is no longer permitted to manufacture or import any in vitro diagnostic test kits in the United States. Any test kits that the company manufactured or imported after that date are considered misbranded medical devices. To manufacture, import, and distribute COVID-19 test kits in the United States during the pandemic, a company must have applied for, and ultimately received, an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA. According to FDA records, UMI applied for an EUA for its COVID-19 test kits, but never received it due to major deficiencies in UMI’s test studies. In November 2022, Fresno County officials notified UMI that they were going to inspect UMI’s Fresno facility to ensure everything was up to code following a fire that occurred at the facility. FDA officials then received an email from UMI’s attorney saying that the company had gone out of business and sold its assets to PBI, a company that was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada. PBI was never registered with the FDA to manufacture or import any in vitro diagnostic test kits in the United States, and never received an EUA to manufacture and distribute COVID-19 test kits. Therefore, any such test kits would be misbranded medical devices. According to the criminal complaint, during the investigation, Zhu made several false statements to FDA officials, including that his name was Qiang “David” He; that he was hired by UMI as a COVID-19 consultant in 2021; that he was hired by PBI just a couple of weeks ago to communicate with government agencies and dispose of property at the warehouse as requested by those agencies; that he did not know anything about the manufacturing or distribution histories for UMI or PBI; and that he knew nothing about an Amazon webpage showing PBI‑branded pregnancy test kits for sale or a shipment of 47,500 pregnancy test kits from China to UMI at an address in Las Vegas. This case is the product of an investigation by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Public Health – Food and Drug Branch. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton, Arelis M. Clemente, and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting this case. If convicted, Zhu faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison for the misbranding of medical devices charge, and five more years in prison for the false statements charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. zhu_criminal_complaint.pdf


title: Medford Contractor Sentenced for Tax Evasion and Filing False Loan Applications

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a local excavation and plowing company was sentenced today in connection with a multi-year scheme to underreport income on his tax returns and to obtain loans based on false loan applications. Peter Tufts, 55, of Medford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to two years of supervised release and 240 hours of community service. Tufts was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, forfeiture of $450,000 and restitution of $551,941. On July 13, 2023, Tufts pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and two counts of submitting false loan applications. Tufts is the owner of Tufts Construction, Inc., a construction company in Everett. For tax years 2015 through 2021, Tufts cashed check payments from customers and did not report the income from those checks in his tax filings, resulting in an income tax loss of more than $465,000. Instead, Tufts used the proceeds of his income tax evasion scheme to fund an off-the-books, under-the-table cash payroll that he used to avoid employment taxes, causing a payroll tax loss of more than $539,000. Additionally, while perpetrating his tax evasion scheme, Tufts obtained loans from a local community bank and from the Small Business Administration (SBA) based on false loan applications. In his loan applications, and associated loan documents, Tufts falsely told the bank and the SBA that he had never declared bankruptcy, owed no back taxes, and was not involved in litigation. In fact, Tufts was involved in ongoing bankruptcy proceedings when he obtained his loans and was engaging in a multi-year income and employment tax evasion scheme. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service in Boston made the announcement today. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General; the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigations Bureau; and the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican Man Residing in Westford Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Pedro Romo-Gonzalez, 42, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns, who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, 2023. Romo-Gonzalez was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023. On at least eight separate occasions between April 1998 and July 2010, Romo-Gonzalez was removed from the United States or voluntarily returned to Mexico. After each removal, he illegally re-entered the United States without obtaining the appropriate permission to reenter. He was first encountered by federal authorities in April 1998 after he entered the United States via California without being admitted by an immigration officer. In December 2009, Romo-Gonzalez was convicted in Arizona state court of solicitation to commit smuggling. Most recently, on June 13, 2023, federal immigration authorities were notified of Romo-Gonzalez presence in Massachusetts after he was arrested on unrelated state charges. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Westford Police Chief Mark Chambers made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Manchester Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Trafficking Cocaine Through the U.S. Postal Service

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced today in federal court for trafficking cocaine through the United States Postal Service (USPS), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Bryam Toribio Frias, age 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 27, 2023, Frias pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, namely, cocaine. “The United States Postal Inspection Service’s proactive work intercepting shipments of narcotics through the mail kept these drugs out of our communities,” United States Attorney Jane E. Young stated. “It is a priority of this office to prevent individuals like the defendant from using USPS as a means to traffic dangerous drugs, and today’s sentence sends a deterrent message that drug traffickers will be apprehended, prosecuted, and incarcerated.” "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners will continue to dedicate the resources necessary to keep drug traffickers out of our communities,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to keeping these and other highly addictive drugs from destroying lives. Combatting illicit drugs in the mail is a top priority and we will continue to prioritize our resources in areas with high levels of illicit drug activity.” On December 15, 2021, the defendant signed for and accepted a Priority Mail package addressed to him, which contained approximately four kilograms of cocaine. The defendant was arrested shortly after he received the package. A later search of the defendant’s phone showed communications he sent about the package, and a search of his residence revealed additional cocaine. The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande prosecuted the case. ###


title: More than $3.6 million in DOJ grants coming to Washington State to support services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Organizations dedicated to supporting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are receiving more than $3.6 million in federal grant funds to enhance their programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The largest award, $750,000, goes to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence to enhance services for survivors in rural areas of the state. The funds support culturally appropriate programs in Skagit and Whatcom counties in Western Washington as well as Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties on the east side of the state. “On this day when we wear purple to show support for the survivors of domestic violence, I am pleased to highlight the DOJ funding coming to Washington for the organizations that work to help and heal those who suffer abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “The Office on Violence Against Women targets these federal dollars where they can do the most good, and it is a tribute to the quality of the programs in Washington that so many organizations successfully competed for these grants.” In addition to the grant to the Washington Coalition against Domestic Violence , the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project received $500,000 to provide services in Adams, Benton, Chelan, Franklin, Grant, Okanogan, and Yakima counties. The five other grant recipients include: The Atlantic Street Center, Seattle - $575,000 – to enhance advocacy and therapeutic services in King and Pierce Counties with specific emphasis on communities of color. YMCA of Clark County, Vancouver, Washington - $500,000 – to provide housing and supportive services for victims of domestic violence. Turning Pointe Survivor Advocacy Center, Shelton, Washington - $500,000 to provide services in Mason County, including advocacy and outreach, training for first responders and language services. Consejo Counseling & Referral Inc., Renton, Washington, - $400,000 to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, and therapeutic services to Hispanic/Latino survivors in King County. The Yarrow Project, Normandy Park, Washington - $385,000 – to provide services to indigenous survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking. October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced for Selling Machine Guns

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. on Thursday sentenced a man from Stoddard County, Missouri to 21 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to sell devices that convert AR-style rifles into fully-automatic weapons. Edward Hardin supplied his co-defendant Sidney Brianne Scowden, also of Stoddard County, with the devices, also known as “lightning links.” Scowden sent a Snapchat message to a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Aug. 3, 2022 offering to sell a lightning link. Eight days later, she sold three of the devices for $1,500 to the informant, saying her source bought a link for $10,000 and made copies. Scowden sold three more devices on Sept. 19, 2022 and another on Oct. 19, 2022. Hardin, 41, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of conspiracy to distribute machine guns. Scowden, 28, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy and three counts of transferring a machine gun. She was sentenced in May to 18 months in prison.. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Good afternoon. In just a few minutes, U.S. Attorney Lapointe and I will meet with the law enforcement officers gathered around this table. I am grateful to each of them for being here, and look forward to our discussion. At the top of our agenda will be our shared efforts to help keep our communities safe from violent crime. As always, but especially right now, that includes remaining vigilant in the face of the potential threats of hate-fueled violence and terrorism. Hamas's terrorist attacks on Israel have created understandable fear among communities across the country. As the FBI has noted, we are seeing an increase in reported threats against faith communities, particularly Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions. Last week, I directed all 94 of our U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the FBI to be in close touch with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in their districts. Yesterday I met with, and today and tomorrow I will continue to meet with, our U.S. Attorneys and federal, state, and local law enforcement officials here in Florida. I have also directed our U.S. Attorneys to reach out to religious and other community leaders in their districts to reaffirm our commitment to them and assess what additional support they may need. Our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement, and with the communities they serve, are at the center of our efforts to keep our country and our communities safe. That strategy also guides our work to attack every aspect of the trafficking of fentanyl, the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced. Earlier this month, we announced charges in the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida against eight chemical companies based in China, and 12 of their executives for crimes related to the production, distribution, and importation of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, methamphetamines, and their precursor chemicals. That same day, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a set of individuals and entities involved in fentanyl trafficking. That included all of the China-based companies charged here in the Southern District of Florida. That case is just one example of how we are going after every link in the cartel-driven fentanyl trafficking networks. That includes the cartels' chemical suppliers often based in China, their clandestine lab operators, their security forces, their weapons suppliers, their drug traffickers, and their money launderers. It also includes the cartels' leaders. Last month, we extradited Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel and one of EI Chapo's sons, from Mexico to the United States. I am proud of the work the extraordinary public servants of this office are doing every single day on multiple fronts - from violent crime, drug trafficking, and human smuggling to hate crimes and the threat of foreign and foreign-incited terrorism acts. Every day, the dedicated men and women of this Office work to fulfill our mission: to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. But we cannot do that work without the law enforcement partners in this room today. The entire Department is grateful for that partnership. I am grateful for that partnership. We are now going to begin our meeting.