title: La Crosse Felon Sentenced to 46 Months for Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kareem Nellem, 30, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Nellem pleaded guilty to this charge on April 12, 2023. On March 30, 2022, the La Crosse Police Department conducted a search of Nellem’s residence in connection to a drug investigation. During the search, officers located a 9mm firearm in a dresser. The investigation revealed that on the same date his residence was searched, Nellem had posted to his publicly accessible Snapchat account a video of himself holding two firearms. The firearm recovered from his residence appeared consistent with one of those firearms. Nellem’s DNA was also later recovered from that firearm. Nellem is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm as a result of a 2012 conviction for armed robbery with a firearm. At sentencing, Judge Peterson stated that an aggravating factor in this case was that Nellem committed the offense while under supervision. Judge Petersen also stated that while the defendant had the potential to succeed, his criminal history also demonstrated a potential for violence. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. The charge against Nellem was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.


title: Businessman Sentenced for Bribery Scheme and Tax Evasion

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The former executive vice president of an Atlanta engineering firm was sentenced today to five years in prison for paying bribes to two City of Atlanta officials in exchange for steering city business worth millions of dollars to his company, paying bribes to a former DeKalb County, Georgia, official in an attempt to obtain county contracts, and evading over $1.5 million in taxes. According to court documents, Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari, 72, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was the executive vice president of PRAD Group, an architectural, design, and construction management firm headquartered in Atlanta that performed services for the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County. Jafari also oversaw PRAD Group’s finances. From January 2003 to February 2017, Adam Smith served as the chief procurement officer (CPO) for the City of Atlanta and supervised the city’s purchasing activities and its expenditure of billions of dollars of public money. From April 2011 to May 2016, Jo Ann Macrina served as the City of Atlanta’s Commissioner of the Department of Watershed Management, a cabinet-level position from which she managed the city’s drinking water and wastewater systems and was responsible for an annual budget exceeding $500 million. Jafari gave Smith and Macrina cash and other items of value to obtain business with the City of Atlanta. In exchange for those payments, Smith and Macrina conspired with Jafari to ensure that PRAD Group received city business worth millions of dollars, including by agreeing to replace two evaluators on the selection team for the city’s Architectural and Engineering contract and re-scoring an evaluation so that the city would award the contract to Jafari’s company. During Smith’s tenure as the CPO, the City of Atlanta awarded contracts worth millions of dollars to PRAD Group and joint venture projects of which PRAD Group was a partner. For years, Jafari met privately with Smith on multiple occasions, frequently at local restaurants. During these meetings, Jafari and Smith discussed City of Atlanta procurement projects, bids, and solicitations. Often at the time of these meetings, Jafari was actively seeking additional work and assistance with ongoing city projects. Jafari paid Smith $1,000 in cash in the bathroom of the restaurant after most of the meetings. In return for these bribe payments, Jafari expected Smith to use his position and power to assist Jafari with contracting and procurement with the City of Atlanta. From at least 2014 to January 2017, Jafari paid Smith more than $40,000 in cash with the intent to influence Smith in his role as the city’s CPO. In February 2017, Jafari became aware of the federal investigation into his bribe payments to Smith and confronted Smith at Atlanta City Hall. Jafari insisted that Smith lie to the FBI by denying that Smith took bribe money from him. From at least 2013 through May 2016, Macrina met with Jafari to discuss City of Atlanta procurement projects, bids, and solicitations. Often when they met, Jafari was actively seeking contracts, projects, and work with the City of Atlanta. To obtain city work, Jafari promised Macrina a lucrative job with PRAD Group and, directly or through a PRAD Group employee, gave Macrina $10,000 in cash, jewelry, a room at a luxury hotel in Dubai, a luxury shopping trip in Dubai, and landscaping work at her home. Shortly after the City of Atlanta fired her, Macrina began working for Jafari and PRAD Group. Between June and September 2016, Jafari and/or PRAD Group paid Macrina $30,000 in four separate payments. In April and August 2014, the FBI conducted two undercover operations using a confidential source. During two secretly recorded meetings, the confidential source met with Jafari at local restaurants, where Jafari sought assistance from the source to obtain work in DeKalb County. After the meetings, Jafari directed the source to the bathroom of the restaurants where Jafari made cash payments of $1,000 and $1,500. In addition, from 2014 to 2016, Jafari neither filed personal tax returns, nor paid any income taxes to the IRS. During those years, Jafari withdrew large amounts of cash from corporate bank accounts and used money from the PRAD Group’s corporate accounts to pay for various personal expenses, including several luxury vehicles. Jafari evaded the payment of at least $1.5 million in taxes. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Atlanta Field Office and IRS-CI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, Trial Attorney Todd Ellinwood of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Davis and Nathan P. Kitchens for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.


title: Former Schenectady Nightclub Owners Admit Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Deborah Budhraj, age 52, and her husband Adesh Budhraj, age 53, of Ballston Lake, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring with each other to defraud loan programs meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Deborah and Adesh Budhraj had co-owned a combination restaurant, bar and nightclub in Schenectady, New York (called “Establishment A” in court documents). In February 2020, they contractually agreed to sell this business to another couple (“Couple A”), and received most of the purchase money – $265,720 – from Couple A the following month. Although the sale was not finalized until August 2021, Couple A became the managers of Establishment A as of about March 2020, and assumed day-to-day responsibility for its payroll and other ordinary expenses, such as lease and utilities payments. In pleading guilty, Deborah and Adesh Budhraj admitted that without Couple A’s knowledge, they applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued by banks and one Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), between April 2020 and June 2021; the loans totaled $558,514 and were meant to support Establishment A and its employees during the pandemic. Deborah and Adesh Budhraj each admitted that they never intended to use the loans for Establishment A’s expenses, and to instead using the loaned funds for impermissible purposes, including on real estate transactions and personal expenses. Deborah also fraudulently obtained forgiveness of the two PPP loans by falsely certifying that the loaned funds were spent in accordance with PPP rules, including on payroll. Deborah and Adesh Budhraj each pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and to wire fraud conspiracy. They face up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy, and up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, when they are sentenced on November 16, 2023 by Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Each defendant has also agreed to pay $558,514 in restitution to the SBA, and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of their crimes. The FBI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Vincent Sarikey, 35, formerly of Herndon, enticed a 15-year-old girl to produce CSAM that he then distributed to other offenders over Telegram, a messaging application. In April 2018, he also attempted to entice a self-identified 12-year-old girl in Argentina to produce CSAM. The minor told Sarikey she was 12 and that he would “go to jail” and refused to make the sexually explicit video he requested. Sarikey then distributed two videos of sexually explicit conduct to the minor to try to entice her into producing a sexually explicit video for him. According to court documents, between October 2015 and July 2017, Sarike conversed freely with a friend about his sexual interest in children. Sarikey talked about his attempts to meet, groom, and abuse children, including a child to whom he had access, as well as blamed his victims for his own criminal conduct. Sarikey’s devices revealed over 20,000 images and 500 videos of CSAM, including 486 known series with identified victims. Sarikey pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and faces additional charges for sexual exploitation of a child in the Southern District of Indiana based on his allegedly sexually abusing a child and using that child to produce CSAM almost 15 years ago. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Texas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. According to court documents, in or around April 2022, Patricia Hart, 24, and her boyfriend, Gregory Massey, were arrested in New Orleans. While Massey was in custody, Hart conspired with Massey on recorded jail calls to engage in sex trafficking, including by locking one victim outside, hitting her, withholding her identity documents, and scaring her with a firearm. Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. As a result of her plea, Hart must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.


title: Businessman Jeff Jafari sentenced to five years in federal prison for bribing City of Atlanta and DeKalb County officials to obtain contracts

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari, the former Executive Vice President of Atlanta engineering firm, PRAD Group, Inc., has been sentenced for paying bribes to two City of Atlanta officials in exchange for steering city business worth millions of dollars to his company, paying bribes to a former DeKalb County, Georgia, official in an attempt to obtain county contracts, and evading over $1.5 million in taxes. “Jeff Jafari paid bribe after bribe to high-ranking government officials in the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County over several years and thereby obtained lucrative city contracts worth tens of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The public paid a heavy price from every project unfairly awarded to Jafari’s companies through corruption, and he then compounded his harm by never paying any tax on his substantial personal income. His greed delivered a hard blow to public trust in honest and fair government, but this sentence underscores our commitment to prosecuting corruption in any form.” "Circumventing the process to hire contractors for the city by accepting bribes to profit personally is one of the highest forms of public corruption," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "As this sentencing shows, the FBI and the City of Atlanta will not tolerate anyone who takes advantage of city funds and abuses their position of trust.” “Residents expect fair and open competition for city contracts,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “City officials who accept bribes undermine the contracting process and diminish trust in the government. IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners will continue investigating and holding those accountable who take the public trust for granted to enrich themselves.” According to the charges and other information presented in court: From 1984 to 2018, PRAD Group was an architectural, design, and construction management firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that performed services for the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County, Georgia. Jafari served as PRAD Group’s Executive Vice President and oversaw PRAD Group’s finances. From January 2003 to February 2017, Adam Smith served as the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the City of Atlanta and supervised the city’s purchasing activities and its expenditure of billions of dollars of public money. From April 2011 to May 2016, Jo Ann Macrina served as the City of Atlanta’s Commissioner of the Department of Watershed Management, a cabinet-level position from which she managed the City’s drinking water and wastewater systems and was responsible for an annual budget exceeding $500 million. Jafari gave Smith and Macrina cash and other items of value to obtain business with the City of Atlanta. In exchange for those payments, Smith and Macrina conspired with Jafari to ensure that PRAD Group received city business worth millions of dollars, including by agreeing to replace two evaluators on the selection team for the city’s Architectural and Engineering contract and to re-score an evaluation so that Jafari’s company would be awarded a contract. During Smith’s tenure as the CPO, the City of Atlanta awarded contracts worth millions of dollars to PRAD Group and joint venture projects of which PRAD Group was a partner. For years, Jafari met privately with Smith on multiple occasions, frequently at local restaurants. During these meetings, Jafari and Smith discussed City of Atlanta procurement projects, bids, and solicitations. Often at the time of these meetings Jafari was actively seeking additional work and/or assistance with ongoing city projects. Jafari paid Smith $1,000 in cash in the bathroom of the restaurant after most of the meetings. In return for these bribe payments, Jafari expected Smith to use his position and power to assist Jafari with contracting and procurement with the City of Atlanta. From at least 2014 to January 2017, Jafari paid Smith more than $40,000 in cash with the intent to influence Smith in his role as the city’s CPO. In February 2017, Jafari became aware of the federal investigation into his bribe payments to Smith and confronted Smith at Atlanta City Hall. Jafari insisted that Smith lie to the FBI by denying that Smith took bribe money from him. From at least 2013 through May 2016, Macrina met with Jafari to discuss City of Atlanta procurement projects, bids, and solicitations. Often at the time of these meetings, Jafari was actively seeking contracts, projects, and work with the City of Atlanta. To obtain city work, Jafari promised Macrina a lucrative job with PRAD Group and, directly or through a PRAD Group employee, gave Macrina $10,000 in cash, jewelry, a room at a luxury hotel in Dubai, a luxury shopping trip in Dubai, and landscaping work at her home. Shortly after the City of Atlanta fired her, Macrina began working for Jafari and PRAD Group. Between June and September 2016, Jafari and/or PRAD Group paid Macrina $30,000 in four separate payments. On April 8 and August 21, 2014, the FBI conducted two undercover operations using a confidential source (who at the time, was a high-ranking DeKalb County official). During two surreptitiously recorded meetings, the confidential source met with Jafari at local restaurants, where Jafari sought assistance from the confidential source to obtain work in DeKalb County. After the meetings, Jafari directed the confidential source to the bathroom of the restaurants where Jafari paid the confidential source cash payments of $1,000 and $1,500. From 2014 to 2016, Jafari neither filed personal tax returns, nor paid any income taxes to the IRS. During those years, Jafari withdrew large amounts of cash from corporate bank accounts and used money from the PRAD Group’s corporate accounts to pay for various personal expenses, including several luxury vehicles. Jafari evaded the payment of at least $1.5 million in taxes. Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari, 72, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $300 special assessment, and $909,674 in restitution. In April 2023, Jafari pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiratorial bribery, substantive bribery, and tax evasion. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Davis and Nathan P. Kitchens, Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, and Trial Attorney Todd Ellinwood of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography That He Shared Across the Internet

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA – A man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Vincent Sarikey, 35, formerly of Herndon, enticed a 15-year-old girl to produce CSAM that he then distributed to other offenders over Telegram, a messaging application. In April 2018, he also attempted to entice a self-identified 12-year-old girl in Argentina to produce CSAM. The minor told Sarikey she was 12 and that he would “go to jail” and refused to make the sexually explicit video he requested. Sarikey then distributed two videos of sexually explicit conduct to the minor to try to entice her into producing a sexually explicit video for him. According to court documents, between October 2015 and July 2017, Sarikey conversed freely with a friend about his sexual interest in children. Sarikey talked about his attempts to meet, groom, and abuse children, including child to whom he had access, as well as blamed his victims for his own criminal conduct. Sarikey’s devices revealed over 20,000 images and 500 videos of CSAM, including 486 known series with identified victims. Sarikey pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and faces additional charges for sexual exploitation of a child in the Southern District of Indiana based on his allegedly sexually abusing a child and using that child to produce CSAM almost 15 years ago. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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. 1:23-CR-56.


title: געוועזענער הויפט פוןיעריגע מיידל כדי זיך צו פארנעמען מיט סעקסועלע מעשים בארא פארק חברה שומרים געבט זיך איין אלס שולדיג פאר׳ן אריבערפירן א 15-

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: יעקב דאסקאל האט זיך איינגעגעבן אלס שולדיג אום יולי 14, 2023 פאר׳ן טראנספארטירן א קינד מיט׳ן כוונה צו באגיין סעקסועלע פארברעכנס. די היינטיגע פראצעדור איז פארגעקומען ביים יונייטעד סטעיטס דיסטריקט ריכטער ניקאלאס דזשי. גאראופיס. אלס טייל פון זיין שולד איינגעבונג, האט דער באשולדיגטער מסכים געווען אויף אן אורטייל פון בערך 14 ביז 17 א האלב יאר אין טורמע. אלס טייל פון דעם שולד איינגעבונג, מוז דאסקאל זיך רעגיסטרירן אלס א סעקס פארברעכער. ברעאן פיעס, יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני פאר׳ן איסטערן דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק האט אויסגעמאלדן דעם שולד איינגעבונג. ״דער באשולדיגטער האט מודה געווען אז ער האט אויסגעניצט אויף בייזן זיין מאכט, צוטרוישאפט און פאזיציע אינערערהאלב דער קאמיוניטי דורך באגיין שענדליכע מעשים קעגן א קינד אין זיין אויפפאסונג,״ האט געזאגט יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני פיעס. ״מיר ווילן אז געליטענע קרבנות איבעראל זאלן הערן דעם שולד הודאה אלס אונזער אפיס׳ס אנגייענדע דעקלעראציע אז קיינער שטייט נישט העכער פונעם געזעץ און מיר וועלן ברענגען צו יוסטיץ די וועלכע בא׳עוולה׳ן אונזערע קינדער.״ מר. פיעס האט אויסגעדרוקט זיין דאנקבארשאפט פאר׳ן פעדעראלער ביורא פון פארשונג (׳פעדעראל ביורא אוו אינוועסטיגעשען׳), ניו יארק פיעלד אפיס, דעם קינגס קאונטי דיסטריקט אטוירני׳ס אפיס און דעם ניו יארק סיטי פאליציי דעפארטמענט. ווי פארגעלייגט אין געריכט דאקומענטן, איז דער באשולדיגטער געווען הויפט פון בארא פארק חברה שומרים (די ״שומרים״), א פריוואטע, ארטאדאקסיש-אידישער שמירה גרופע פארבינדן מיט׳ן ניו יארק פאליציי דעפארטמענט. אין פרילינג 2017, האט דער פארדעכטיגטער, אויסניצנדיג זיין פאזיציע אין שומרים, זיך פארבינדן מיט א 15-יעריגע מיידל, וועם ער האט אריינגעברענגט ביי זיך אינדערהיים און איר איבערגערעדט און גרייט געמאכט פאר סעקס. צווישן אוגוסט און נאוועמבער 2017, איז דער באשולדיגטער, וועלכער איז דאן געווען 58 יאר אלט, באגאנגען סעקסועלע מעשים אויף דעם 15-יעריגן קרבן. דורכאויס דעם זומער 2017, איז פארגעקומען די סעקסועלע געפירעכץ הויפטזעכליך ביי דאסקאל אינדערהיים אין ברוקלין, ניו יארק, און ביי זיין זומער הויז אין סאוט פאלסבורג, ניו יארק. דער באשולדיגטער האט אפט טראנספארטירט דעם קרבן צווישן די צוויי ערטער דורכפארנדיג ניו דזשערזי. אין ענדע אוגוסט, האט זיך דער באשולדיגטער, אינאיינעם מיט זיין פאמיליע, און די געליטענע קרבן, זיך אומגעקערט פול-צייטיג צו זיין הויז אין ברוקלין, וואו דאס בא׳עוולה׳ען איז ווייטער אנגעגאנגען. אזוי ווי דער סקול יאר האט זיך אנגעהויבן, האט דער באשולדיגטער געהאלפן דעם קרבן טרעפן א נייע סקול אין שיקאגא, אילינאי, און אין אקטאבער 2017 האט זי זיך אהינגעצויגן אויף צו גיין אין סקול און צו וואוינען מיט אן אנדערער פאמיליע. בשעת די געליטענע איז געווען אין שיקאגא, האט דער באשולדיגטער קאמוניקירט מיט איר דורך טעקסט מעסעדזשעס און איבער סקייפ ווידעאו טשעט. אום אדער בערך נאוועמבער 5, 2017, איז דער באשולדיגטער געפארן קיין שיקאגא פאר א טאג אויף צו באזוכן די בא׳עוול׳טע. דער באשולדיגטער האט געדינגען א האטעל צימער אין שיקאגא, און געברענגט דעם קרבן צום האטעל פאר סעקסועלע מעשים און אָורעל סעקס. ער איז צוריקגעפלויגן יענעם אוונט קיין ניו יארק. דורכאויס דאס בא׳עוולה׳ען, האט דער באשולדיגטער אנגעזאגט דעם קרבן אויסצומעקן זייערע קאמוניקאציעס און איר געווארנט קיינעם נישט צו דערציילן איבער זייער סעקסועלע באציאונגען. דער באשולדיגטער האט אויך אויסגעניצט זיין פאזיציע אלס א פירנדער מיטגליד פון זייער קאמיוניטי אויף שטיל צו מאכן דעם קרבן, זיך גרויס געהאלטן איבער זיינע פארבינדונגען מיט געזעץ אינפארסירער און איר געווארנט אז עס וועט איר חרוב מאכן דאס לעבן אויב פארציילט זי עמיצן איבער זייערע באציאונגען. די רעגירונג׳ס קעיס ווערט געפירט דורך דעם אפיס׳ס ציווילע רעכטן אפטיילונג. אסיסטענט יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני ערין ריעד און דזשעני נגאי זענען באאויפטראגט מיט׳ן פראקורירן, מיט הילף פון ליטיגאציע אנאליסט רייען קאסטלי.


title: Justice Department Finds that Arizona Prisons Discriminate Against People with Vision Disabilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its finding that the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against individuals with vision disabilities, including those who are blind or have low vision. In a public letter issued to ADCRR, the department detailed its findings following its investigation of multiple complaints by incarcerated individuals and asked ADCRR to work with the department to resolve the civil rights violations identified. The department’s investigation found that ADCRR violated the ADA in several ways. First, ADCRR failed to reasonably modify its policies or provide auxiliary aids and services, such as brailled materials and displays, audio recordings and screen reader software, to ensure that people with vision disabilities could communicate effectively while incarcerated. Second, ADCRR failed to provide accessible processes for people with vision disabilities to request accommodations or file disability-related complaints. Third, ADCRR over relied on other incarcerated people to help individuals with vision disabilities without properly training or supervising those providing help. Based on these findings, the department determined that ADCRR denied individuals with vision disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its services, programs and activities. “People with disabilities do not surrender their civil rights at the prison gate,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities held in jails and prisons, including those with vision impairments, have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from prison programs and to work towards rehabilitation. Ensuring that our jails and prisons are accessible for people with disabilities is part of our overall work to address the conditions of confinement in our country.” “Incarcerated Arizonans with disabilities are entitled to the same rights as all other inmates,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “This is important. Access to services and programming while incarcerated helps one succeed upon reentry into society. We appreciate the dialogue to date with the Arizona Department of Corrections and look forward to collaborative solutions to overcome barriers to equality.” The department’s letter provides ADCRR with written notice of its findings and details the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them. This matter is being handled by the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities, including people who are incarcerated. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . The letter can be viewed here .


title: Paducah Pair Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy and Distribution Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Paducah, Kentucky woman was sentenced this week to 5 years in prison for charges related to methamphetamine conspiracy and distribution offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Samantha Bennett , 30, was sentenced this week to 5 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Previously, on February 23, 2023, co-defendant James Russell Hayden , 51, of Paducah, Kentucky, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Hayden was convicted of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah post of duty and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the ATF and the Kentucky Department of Probation and Parole. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Bozeman man charged with interfering with flight crew, abusive sexual contact on aircraft

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA — A Bozeman man who is accused of interfering with a flight crew and engaging in abusive sexual contact with another person while a passenger on a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman was arraigned on charges on July 18, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Hunter Andrew Dietrich, 42, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with interference with flight crew members and attendants and one count of abusive sexual contact in special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Dietrich faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the interference charge. He faces a maximum of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the abusive sexual contact charge. U.S. District Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Dietrich was released pending further proceedings. As alleged in the indictment, on Feb. 11, while aboard Delta Airlines Flight 3789 from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman, Dietrich assaulted and intimidated flight crew members and attendants, interfered with the performance of their duties and lessened their ability to perform their duties. Additionally, the indictment alleges that while on the flight, Dietrich knowingly engaged in sexual contact with another person without that person’s permission. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bozeman Airport Police conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-55. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl XXX


title: Rochester Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Crimes

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – The owner of a Rochester jewelry business has been sentenced to six months in prison followed by one year of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Bernard James Benavidez, 62, is the sole owner and operator of Master Jewelers, Inc., located in Rochester, Minnesota. Because of its corporate structure, Master Jewelers was responsible for paying its own corporate taxes while Benavidez was independently responsible for reporting any salary, wages, or other compensation that Master Jewelers paid to him personally. But Benavidez regularly and intentionally diverted significant portions of Master Jewelers’ gross sales into his personal bank accounts for the purpose of lowering tax liabilities. Benavidez occasionally directed customers to pay him personally for work he completed on behalf of the business. Master Jewelers also sold significant amounts of scrap metal as part of its business and Benavidez deposited the proceeds into his personal bank account instead of the corporate account to avoid the funds from being captured on tax returns. In total, between 2013 and 2017, Benavidez successfully concealed $432,373.42 in Master Jewelers’ sales, which resulted in unpaid tax liabilities of $147,006.96. “Financial crimes involving the concealment, diversion and manipulation of business funds can be quite difficult to detect,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “The sentencing of this individual underscores the fact that IRS-CI special agents are as meticulous as they are dedicated to bringing to justice business owners who attempt to evade their tax obligations.” Benavidez pleaded guilty on February 3, 2023, to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Benavidez was sentenced yesterday before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. This case was jointly investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing.


title: Livingston County Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: Paducah, KY – Two Livingston County men have been sentenced for their roles in a local drug and firearms investigation. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to court documents, on July 19, 2023, Richard Middleton , 41, of Tiline, Kentucky, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine and possessing firearms after having been convicted of felony offenses. On May 23, 2023, Bobby Copeland , 52, also of Tiline, Kentucky, was sentenced to 6 years and 5 months in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Post of Duty, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Western Kentucky Violent Crimes Task Force, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Penobscot County Man Sentenced to 13+ Years for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Penobscot County man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Matthew Catalano ( aka “Tampa”), 33, to 165 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2022. According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Catalano, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. On February 17, 2021, Catalano was arrested by the Orono Police Department following a traffic stop during which he was found in possession of large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a loaded 9mm handgun and drug paraphernalia. Catalano is the seventh participant involved in the northern Maine conspiracy to be sentenced. To date, eight of the remaining 14 defendants related to the case have pleaded guilty. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. # # #


title: Former Wayne County Employee Pleads Guilty To  Stealing Over $1.7 Million In County Funds

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A former Wayne County Roads Division employee pleaded guilty today to conspiring to steal over $1.7 million in county funds, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced. Ison and Worthy were joined in the announcement by Devin Kowalski, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington. John Gibson, 54, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to defrauding Wayne County out of nearly $2 million in taxpayer funds. Gibson and his supervisor, fellow Wayne County employee Kevin Gunn, 64, of West Bloomfield, engaged in a scheme to use taxpayer dollars to make unauthorized purchases of generators and other power equipment from retailers in southeast Michigan which they sold for personal profit. Gunn pleaded guilty to these charges in January and is awaiting sentence. In March of 2021, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation into the misuse of taxpayer dollars. The Sheriff’s Department then solicited the assistance of the FBI to investigate the criminal actions of Gunn and Gibson. At the beginning of the investigation, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office secured a search warrant which led to the uncovering of the embezzlement scheme. Investigators with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office have played an ongoing and important role in the investigation. The investigation determined that between January 2019 and August 2021, Gunn and Gibson solicited vendors to purchase generators and other power equipment from local retailers on behalf of Wayne County. The vendors then submitted invoices for these items to Wayne County. To conceal the scheme to defraud, Gunn instructed the vendors to falsify the invoices they submitted to the Roads Division by listing items the vendors were authorized to sell to the county under their contracts, rather than the generators and power equipment they were unlawfully acquiring at Gunn’s and Gibson’s direction. Roads Division employees then approved and paid each vendor’s invoice with taxpayer funds. Next, Gibson took possession of the equipment, paid Gunn for the items, and resold the generators and other items for personal profit. A review of invoices from Wayne County vendors revealed that between January 16, 2019 and August 3, 2021, Wayne County vendors purchased 596 generators and a variety of other power equipment including lawnmowers, chainsaws, and backpack blowers. The purchase of these items was not authorized under any vendor contract with Wayne County nor were the items ever provided to or used by Wayne County. The total value of equipment purchased as part of the scheme was approximately $1.7 million. Gibson and Gunn were arrested in May 2022 by FBI agents, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Investigators, and Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputies. Conspiracy to commit federal program theft carries a maximum sentence of up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement, Gibson faces an advisory sentencing guideline range of 18 to 24 months in prison. United States Attorney Dawn Ison said, “Today’s guilty plea is the culmination of months of collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We thank Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy for her uncompromising efforts to seek justice for the hardworking taxpayers of Wayne County as we work together to root out corruption at all levels of government.” “The brazen scheme to defraud Wayne County of nearly $2 million for personal gain is an affront to all Wayne County taxpayers. The guilty plea today represents the combined investigative efforts that involved my office, and the offices of the Wayne County Executive, the Wayne County Sheriff, and the FBI. We can all be proud of the work that we have done to root out corruption and bring justice in this case,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “Public officials are entrusted to use taxpayer money for its intended purpose, not for their personal gain. Today, Mr. Gibson is being held accountable for violating that trust,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “I commend the early work of our partners at the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Wayne County Executive, and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and for their continued commitment to holding Mr. Gibson and his co-conspirators accountable for their federal crimes.” “The alleged actions of these individuals are nothing short of disgraceful,” said Sheriff Raphael Washington. “To brazenly steal from hardworking taxpayers and fraudulently line their own pockets while holding positions of public trust make these crimes all the more deplorable. This case is another example of our strong commitment to working together.” The investigation was conducted by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Public Corruption Task Force which includes the Michigan Attorney General's Office, Detroit Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and his administration have been assisting and cooperating with the investigation since they first learned of fraudulent activity within their organization. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.


title: Gangster Disciples Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A confirmed member of the Gangster Disciples faces up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge; the firearm was linked to a domestic violence assault through ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Megail Thirkield, 33, of Columbus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on July 18. Thirkield potentially faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum sentence of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 26. There is no parole in the federal system. “Law enforcement efforts in Columbus remain focused on reducing crime and holding the most violent repeat offenders accountable for choosing to illegally arm themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case demonstrates the strong collaboration between law enforcement at every level in Columbus by taking advantage of available technology like the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to hold the most violent repeat offenders accountable.” “ATF’s mission and priority are to deny criminals access to firearms and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens. When offenders illegally possess firearms that can be used against our citizens, our children and our community, ATF takes this very seriously,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “Guns, gangs and acts of violence create a combination that yields a bad outcome,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work hand-in-hand with our federal partners to alleviate all threats that may impose any type of harm to the citizens of our county. We will continue to use the proven scientific technology of NIBIN as an investigative tool for crimes involving guns.” According to court documents, a Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office investigator observed Thirkield—who was wanted on domestic violence charges—walking in the middle of Colorado Street in Columbus at approximately 12:30 p.m. on June 9, 2022. Multiple arrest warrants had been issued for Thirkield related to several domestic violence assaults between Feb. 2022 and May 2022. Police reports detail Thirkield stalking and harassing the same victim; he allegedly threatened the victim while brandishing a firearm—including pointing the weapon at her head and firing several shots into the air—and also allegedly violently attacked the victim, sometimes in the presence of the victim’s children. While awaiting backup, the investigator watched Thirkield enter a house. The owner consented to law enforcement entering the residence where they found Thirkield hiding under a pile of clothes in a back bedroom. Thirkield was taken into custody in possession of a semi-automatic Glock pistol with 20 rounds of ammunition. The firearm was linked to the domestic violence incidents through NIBIN. Thirkield is a confirmed member of the Gangster Disciples with a lengthy criminal history to include multiple felony drug distribution convictions, theft by receiving stolen property and illegal possession of a firearm in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is a federal crime for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. NIBIN, run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in the United States, making it possible for local law enforcement to search against evidence from across the country, improving the outcomes of criminal investigations. The NIBIN technology is considered a valuable tool by law enforcement in the effort to reduce gun crimes across the Middle District of Georgia. The case was investigated by the Muscogee Co. Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the government.


title: U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Participates In National Recognition Week For “Do The Write Thing ” Winners In Washington, D.C.

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – This week, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King participated in the National Recognition Week for the winners of the “Do the Write Thing” essay challenge in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Campaign to Stop Violence. The Do the Write Thing (DtWT) challenge is a program of the National Campaign to Stop Violence, which seeks to encourage middle school students to express the impact of violence in their lives through writing, and to empower students to become catalysts for positive change by sharing their ideas on ways to reduce youth violence. U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the DtWT Committee in Asheville. In May, U.S. Attorney King announced the two winners of the essay competition in Asheville, Ace Wilkins from Asheville Middle School, and Hannah-Grace Tweedie from Cane Creek Middle School. U.S. Attorney King also attended the DtWT ceremony in Charlotte, where Aaliyah Williams-Camp from Eastway Middle School, and Michael Tadi from Coulwood STEM Academy were announced as the winners of the essay competition in Charlotte. As overall winners of the essay challenge, the four students were designated as DtWT Student National Ambassadors. As Ambassadors, the students, their parents/guardians and the teachers who submitted their essays were invited to the National Recognition Week, that took place from July 15 to July 19, in the nation’s capital. While there, the Ambassadors participated in a number of events, including a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a meeting with members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, where the students had an opportunity to discuss a number of topics including the problem of youth violence. In addition, the students were honored at an embassy reception hosted by the Ambassador from the State of Kuwait to the United States. A highlight of the week was a visit to the Library of Congress where the National Ambassadors’ essays can be viewed by the public. “I am very proud of our Asheville and Charlotte National Ambassadors for this great accomplishment. I am confident that this experience has fueled their drive to achieve their goals and strive to reach their full potential,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Words have incredible power and can make ideas, hopes, and dreams become a reality. Do the Write Thing is a unique opportunity, as it allows young people to express their experiences through their writings, communicate their insights about the impact of violence in their lives, and learn how they can become agents of change.” For more information on the National “Do the Write Thing Challenge” program please visit http://www.dtwt.org .


title: Driver indicted for possession of a machinegun


title: Dark Web Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Charges  Arising out of a Clandestine Drug Lab in a Detroit Residence

body_text: DETROIT – Carolyn Hernandez-Taylor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute millions of illicit and counterfeit pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit, and Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division. Carolyn Hernandez-Taylor, 29, of Detroit, admitted her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and distribution of counterfeit pills before United States District Judge Linda V. Parker. According to court records, investigators identified a dark web marketplace that went by the name “opiateconnect.” Over a months-long investigation, investigators worked to locate the distribution hub for illicit drugs including cocaine and counterfeit drugs. The counterfeit drugs, made to look like alprazolam, were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption. Investigators determined that “opiateconnect” was operated from a residence in Detroit, Michigan. A subsequent search warrant revealed a clandestine drug lab. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately $1,000,000 in cryptocurrency, more than $300,000 in U.S. currency, multiple firearms, an industrial size pill press, industrial mixer, and controlled substances including cocaine and counterfeit drugs. Hernandez-Taylor pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to three counts: (1) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years; (2) conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and (3) dispensing a counterfeit drug, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. “Counterfeit pills pose a unique danger to this community, especially ones that have the appearance of a drug that is so regularly prescribed, stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “We will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute instances where those counterfeit pills are manufactured illegally and distributed in our district to keep our community safe.” “Drug traffickers will go to any length to sell their poison,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “As their efforts evolve so do ours. The best way that we as law enforcement professionals can continue to dismantle drug trafficking organizations is by working together at the federal, state and local level. I’m incredibly proud of the work of our HSI agents, partners and all the members of the Detroit Dark Web Task Force for their commitment to bring offenders to justice.” “The DEA, in collaboration with HSI, continues our commitment to safeguard communities from individuals who sell fake pills and other illicit substances. This case proves that there is no place to hide in the dark web when it comes to law enforcement’s efforts to protect the people we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Greene. The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Michigan State Police (MSP), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The task force investigates criminal organizations, including drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests and the seizure of proceeds from criminal activity. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Jerome White and John N. O’Brien.


title: Convicted Felon On Federal Supervised Release Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Gun Possession

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermaine Whitaker, 44, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and today’s court proceedings, in 2015, Whitaker was convicted of drug and firearm offenses in the Western District of North Carolina and was ordered to serve 84 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release. In June 2021, CMPD officers executed an arrest warrant for the defendant for violating the terms of his supervised release. While executing the arrest warrant at a residence in Charlotte, CMPD officers located a loaded firearm and ammunition. Law enforcement determined that the firearm belonged to Whitaker and was reported stolen. Court records show that Whitaker paid $80 to purchase the firearm. In announcing today’s sentence U.S. Attorney King said, “Whitaker violated federal gun laws that prohibit convicted felons from possessing firearms. He further broke the law by obtaining a stolen gun from an illegal source. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove illegal firearms from our communities and hold illegal gun possessors accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Possession of a firearm by a felon is illegal and jeopardizes the safety of the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Mims. “Recovering stolen firearms and keeping guns out of the hands of prohibited individuals plays an important role in reducing violent crime and better protecting our neighborhoods.” On June 24, 2022, Whitaker pleaded guilty to possession of firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hess, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, 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: Career Offender Is Sentenced To 12+ Years On Drug And Gun Charges

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Allen Shunte Plowden, 38, of Charlotte, to 151 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release for cocaine distribution and illegal firearm possession, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed documents and court proceedings, in May 2020, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Plowden, after receiving information that the defendant was distributing narcotics in the Charlotte area. On September 27, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Plowden’s residence, seizing cocaine, drug paraphernalia, digital scales, and other items consistent with drug distribution. Law enforcement also seized $40,000 in drug proceeds and 16 illegal firearms, some of which had been reported stolen. On October 25, 2021, Plowden pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At today’s court hearing, Plowden’s sentence was enhanced due to his classification as a “Career Offender” based on multiple prior convictions, including Robbery and Distribution/Manufacture of Cocaine Base and Distribution of a Controlled Substance Near a School. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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: U.S. Attorney’s Office For The Northern District Of Florida Joins Announcement Of Nationwide Initiative To Curtail Illegal Telemarketing Operations

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida joins the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other law enforcement partners, including attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, in announcing a crackdown on telemarketing operations responsible for billions of illegal calls to U.S. consumers. The announcement caps approximately a year of enforcement actions taken by federal and state agencies to combat the scourge of illegal telemarketing, including robocalls and scam calls. In the last year, the Department has pursued approximately 90 cases against illegal telemarketing operations and those who facilitate those illegal calls. This initiative, “Operation Stop Scam Calls,” targets telemarketers, including those who use telephone calls to commit fraud, as well as those who facilitate illegal telephone calls. Enforcement actions targeted lead generators who deceptively collect consumers’ telephone numbers and then provide those telephone numbers to robocallers and others (falsely representing that these consumers have consented to receive calls), as well as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers who facilitate tens of billions of illegal robocalls every year. Significant actions also were taken against individuals and entities who unjustly profited by facilitating the movement of money from scam call victims to fraudsters. "Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly and other vulnerable citizens," said U.S. Attorney Coody. "Florida experiences far too many instances of fraud against unsuspecting, vulnerable citizens. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our citizens." The Department of Justice and its partners urge consumers to be on the lookout for illegal calls, to take steps to minimize the number of illegal calls received, and to report any scam calls to law enforcement. • Callers may pressure you to send money by trying to scare you. They may pretend to be someone you know who is in trouble, a government agency, or a major company. These are fraudsters. Hang up. • Don’t trust your caller ID. It can be faked. • If you answer the telephone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s potentially a robocall trying to sell you something. It is probably illegal and likely a scam. • Only call a telephone number you know is real. • Make sure your number is on the Do Not Call Registry and consider using your telephone’s call blocking options or getting a call blocking app or service. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . To review a list of common transnational elder fraud scams, many facilitated by telephone calls, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/transnational-elder-fraud-strike-force . To learn more about the Department’s elder fraud efforts, visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. For more information on unwanted calls, including steps people can take to avoid robocall scams and to hear examples of illegal calls, visit https://www.ftc.gov/calls , which is also available in Spanish at https://www.ftc.gov/llamadas . 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 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: Southern Oregon Dairy Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—On July 17, 2023, a family-owned dairy located near Grants Pass, Oregon, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court for violating the Clean Water Act by negligently discharging cow manure into a nearby creek and river. Noble Marital Trust dba Noble Family Dairy pleaded guilty to one count of negligently discharging a pollutant in violation of a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. “By disregarding the maximum number of cattle allowed by its waste management permit, the Noble Family Dairy caused significant environmental harm to two waterways shared and enjoyed by countless Rogue Valley residents and visitors,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “Our nation’s environmental laws exist to protect human health and the environment, and we will continue working closely with our partners at EPA to hold accountable anyone who violates them.” “This defendant’s actions caused the discharge of manure into the Applegate River and Caris Creek, causing significantly elevated levels of E. coli in the water,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Carr of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Oregon. “EPA and its partners will continue to protect the waters of the United States from illegal pollution discharges that contribute to serious health problems and put our communities at risk.” According to court documents, Noble Family Dairy is a commercial dairy consisting of a farm and large concentrated animal feeding operation located approximately 13 miles southeast of Grants Pass off Oregon Route 238. In early 2019, the dairy had 130 more head of cattle than it was permitted under its state-issued waste management plan permit causing its manure lagoons to fill more rapidly. As a result, dairy operators applied manure to its fields throughout the rainy season and dug a trench to capture the runoff. In late February 2019, heavy rainfall and flooding caused the dairy’s runoff trench to fail and discharge manure into Caris Creek and, ultimately, the Applegate River. In March 2019, an inspector from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) visited the dairy and observed that the trench had been repaired but had as much as 18 inches of solid manure collecting in places. The inspector further observed what appeared to be islands of solid manure in Caris Creek and manure visibly discharging from the creek into the Applegate River. Despite these illegal discharges and the trench’s recent failure, the dairy continued applying liquid manure to its fields. On April 19, 2023, Noble Family Dairy was charged by criminal information with one count of discharging a pollutant in violation of a NPDES permit, a misdemeanor crime under the Clean Water Act. This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) with assistance from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and ODA. It was prosecuted Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Gwendolyn Russell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Manure and wastewater from dairies and other concentrated animal feeding operations have the potential to contribute pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, sediments, pathogens, hormones and antibiotics to the environment. If you witness an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, please call 9-1-1. After alerting local emergency authorities, please also report incidents to the EPA’s National Response Center by calling 1-800-424-8802.


title: Federal Grand Jury Returns Charges for Covid-19 Fraud

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Ikponmwosa Pero Erhinmwinrose has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The defendant made his initial appearance in front of U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter on July 17, 2023. Three other defendants—Victor Henshaw Tobore, Nyerhovwo Presley Agbure, and Oreoluwa Abdul-Jabbar Elegba—were indicted in the same case and made their initial appearances in federal court earlier in July 2023. According to the information contained in the indictment, Erhinmwinrose and his co-conspirators—referred to as the Fraud Ring—fraudulently obtained more than $7,700,000 in loans and grants under names other than their own from programs authorized by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was intended to provide emergency financial assistance for millions of American small businesses suffering economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs included the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) directly paid EIDLs and grants (EIDGs) to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loan applications were processed by participating lenders. Lenders funded PPP loans using their own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA. The alleged conspiracy involved Erhinmwinrose and other Fraud Ring participants—using the names and identifying information of others—registering fraudulent corporate entities with state governments, obtaining fraudulent employer tax identification numbers from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), creating fraudulent bank accounts at financial institutions, falsifying payroll and employment data, and fabricating tax and bank documents. These actions were taken to mislead lenders so that Fraud Ring participants could then fraudulently obtain loans and grants while hiding their own involvement in the conspiracy and scheme to defraud. After PPP and EIDL fraud funds—as well as fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds from the IRS and benefits from unemployment programs run by states including Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio—were deposited in fraudulent bank accounts, the indictment further alleges that Fraud Ring participants conspired to launder the money. This case is being investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; the SBA Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Fansler. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-00300-CNS


title: Former Venezuelan Official Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios Extradited To The United States On Narco-Terrorism, Firearms, And Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that former Venezuelan official HUGO ARMANDO CARVAJAL BARRIOS, a/k/a “El Pollo,” was extradited today from Spain to the United States based on an Indictment filed in the Southern District of New York charging CARVAJAL BARRIOS with narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and related firearms offenses. CARVAJAL BARRIOS will be presented tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. CARVAJAL BARRIOS was arrested in Spain on September 9, 2021. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “After many years as a fugitive following a more than decade-long criminal career, Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios arrived in the United States today to face justice for his alleged crimes, which were committed with the intent to ‘flood’ the United States with tons of potentially deadly drugs. As alleged, Carvajal Barrios exploited his authority as the director of Venezuela’s military intelligence agency to corrupt Venezuelan institutions, abuse the Venezuelan people, and to import poison to the United States. His alleged leadership of the Cártel de Los Soles inflicted immeasurable pain and suffering on many Venezuelans, Americans, and others who were affected by the cartel’s violence and drug trafficking activities. I commend the prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners for their tireless work on this important case.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Corrupt government officials like Carvajal, who allegedly use their position to accept bribes and further drug trafficking activities, should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. As alleged, Carvajal abandoned his responsibility to the people of Venezuela and exploited his position for personal gain. DEA and our partners stand united to bring to justice anyone, in any position, who endangers the safety and health of the American people.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictments, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings: 1 Beginning in at least 1999, CARVAJAL BARRIOS, a Venezuelan citizen and the former director of Venezuela’s military intelligence agency, which was known as the Dirección de Inteligencia Militar (“DIM”), along with other high-ranking Venezuelan officials, acted as leaders and managers of the Cártel de Los Soles , or “Cartel of the Suns.” The Cartel’s name refers to the sun insignias affixed to the uniforms of high-ranking Venezuelan military officials. CARVAJAL BARRIOS and other Cartel members abused the Venezuelan people and corrupted the legitimate institutions of Venezuela — including parts of the military, intelligence apparatus, legislature, and judiciary — to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. The Cártel de Los Soles sought not only to enrich its members and enhance their power but also to “flood” the United States with cocaine and inflict the drug’s harmful and addictive effects on users in the United States. To accomplish these goals, the leaders of the Cártel de Los Soles partnered with leaders of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”), who controlled cocaine production in vast areas of Colombia and Venezuela. CARVAJAL BARRIOS held multiple positions of public trust in Venezuela that he exploited to benefit the Cártel de Los Soles , including as director of DIM between approximately 2004 and 2011. CARVAJAL BARRIOS took advantage of that position to illegally traffic narcotics and support his drug trafficking partners, the FARC. In or about 2006, for example, CARVAJAL BARRIOS coordinated with other members of the Cártel de Los Soles to dispatch a 5.6-ton cocaine shipment from Venezuela on a private jet bearing a United States registration number. The jet departed Venezuela and landed in Mexico, where Mexican authorities seized the 5.6 tons of cocaine upon arrival. In or about 2008, CARVAJAL BARRIOS attended a meeting with a FARC representative at which it was agreed that the Cártel de Los Soles would provide the FARC with cash and weapons in exchange for increased cocaine production. * * * CARVAJAL BARRIOS, 63, a Venezuelan national, is charged with: (i) participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (iii) using, carrying, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and (iv) conspiring to use, carry, and possess machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, Miami Field Division, and Madrid Country Office; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control; the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and U.S. Embassy Madrid worked with law enforcement partners in Spain, including the Spanish National Police, Spain’s Antidrug Special Prosecutor’s Office, Spain’s Ministry of Justice, and Spain’s Ministry of Interior, to secure the arrest and extradition of CARVAJAL BARRIOS. This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Richman, Kaylan E. Lasky, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Counterterrorism Section. The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Carvajal Barrios Indictments


title: Martha's Vineyard Man Charged With Armed Robbery of Falmouth Bank

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Edgartown, Mass. man has been charged with the April 8, 2023 armed robbery of a bank in Falmouth, Mass. Defendant allegedly zip-tied individuals in the bank; brandished a firearm; placed a purported bomb on the counter; and fled the scene in the vehicle of a bank customer. Petar Petyoshin, 40, was charged with one count of armed bank robbery. Petyoshin was previously arrested on related state charged on May 23, 2023. He remains in state custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, at approximately 8:58 a.m. on April 8, 2023, Petyoshin entered the Rockland Trust Bank in Falmouth wearing a blonde wig, placed an alleged bomb on the teller counter and brandished a firearm. It is alleged that Petyoshin pointed the firearm at the tellers and customers, telling one bank employee, “I’m robbing you,” before having the customers and bank employees zip-tie each other’s hands together. Petyoshin then allegedly had two additional tellers place over $20,000 in cash from the bank into a brown Walmart bag, took a customer’s car keys and fled the scene in the customer’s vehicle. It is alleged that surveillance footage from the surrounding area captured that approximately 30 minutes prior to the robbery, a man matching Petyoshin’s description entered a nearby grocery store parking lot in a grey van, remained in the vehicle for approximately 18 minutes, then exited the van and walked on foot in the direction of the bank. The individual can be seen returning to the vehicle from the direction of the bank approximately 15 minutes after the robbery. Additional surveillance footage captured the van travelling on the highway in the direction of Mashpee, Mass. following the robbery. The investigation later identified that, on the morning of the robbery, a vehicle matching the van’s description departed Martha’s Vineyard aboard a Steamship Authority vessel at 7 a.m. and arrived at Woods Hole in Falmouth, Mass. The van also had a scheduled return trip to Martha’s Vineyard later the same day, at 1:15 p.m. Surveillance footage obtained from the Steamship Authority depict a sole operator in the van who was wearing the same sneakers worn by the bank robber. According to the charging documents, Petyoshin was subsequently identified as the registered owner of the van and cell site information located Petyoshin as being in the area of bank in Falmouth at the time of the robbery. It is further alleged that the Facebook page for Petyoshin’s clothing store, Dapper Martha’s Vineyard, displayed photos of clothing including the same jacket, sunglasses and wig worn by the bank robber. On May 23, 2023, Petyoshin was arrested on state charges in connection with the robbery. According to court documents, a subsequent search of his residence in Edgartown, Mass. resulted in the recovery of thousands of dollars in cash bundled together in Rockland Trust money bands, zip ties and clothing items the suspect was captured wearing on surveillance footage both before and after the robbery. Additionally, 57 firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were seized during the search. It is further alleged that the same jacket worn by the robber inside the Rockland Trust bank was recovered during a search of Petyoshin’s personal locker at the Oak Bluffs Water Department where he is employed. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, up to five 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; John. E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Falmouth and Edgartown Police Departments; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department; and the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.


title: New Jersey Owner of Auto Repair Shop Sentenced to Prison  for Filing a False Corporate Tax Return

component: Tax Division

body_text: A New Jersey man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for filing a false corporate income tax return with the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gabriel Ferrari of Edison, New Jersey, owned and operated Buses and Trucks, Inc., an automotive repair business located in Linden, New Jersey. In 2011, Ferrari used business funds to pay for personal items, including gambling on horse races. Ferrari concealed this diversion of business income by not disclosing it to his return preparer, thus causing the preparation and filing of a false corporate tax return. Furthermore, Ferrari did not pay employment taxes in the amount of $291,600 based on an unreported cash payroll. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler ordered Ferrari to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $87,926 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ann M. Cherry of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombley of the District of New Jersey prosecuted the case.


title: Firearms Trafficker From Chicago Suburb Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for assisting in the illegal sales of two firearms. JEFFREY GREER, 57, of North Aurora, Ill., assisted a relative in selling a shotgun and a revolver to an individual in the fall of 2019. Unbeknownst to Greer, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement. Greer helped negotiate the terms of the deal during a meeting in his relative’s home in North Aurora, Ill., and then transported the guns to the cooperating individual’s truck. Greer pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of dealing firearms without a license. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the sentence after a hearing July 13, 2023, in federal court in Chicago. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Addison, Ill., Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Mott. Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force , the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago Strike Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with FBI, ATF, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. Holding illegal firearm dealers accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods , the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Boston Woman Sentenced for Physical Therapy Clinic Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud multiple insurance providers for physical therapy services that were not provided to patients. Raya Bagardi, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served (one day) and two years of supervised release, with the first year to be spent in home confinement. Bagardi was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,301,645. In March 2023, Bagardi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Bagardi was indicted in February 2021 along with co-defendants Gyulnara Bayryshova, Anna Barenboym and Slava Pride. Bagardi was a licensed physical therapy assistant at Brighton Physical Therapy (BPT), a Brighton-based physical therapy clinic owned by Bayryshova. From October 2018 through June 2020, Bayryshova, Bagardi and their co-defendants conspired to be reimbursed by multiple insurance companies for physical therapy services that were not actually provided and/or were not medically necessary and, in some cases, were provided by individuals not licensed to provide the services. Specifically, Bagardi and her co-defendants falsely billed for services purportedly rendered to patients injured in automobile accidents when the services were not actually provided. Further, BPT paid patients for referrals and referred patients to attorneys to assist with patients’ insurance settlements. All three of Bagardi’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On July 12, 2023, Pride was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Pride was also ordered to pay restitution of $2,301,645. Bayryshova and Barenboym are scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2023 and September 2023, respectively. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.