title: California Lawyer Sentenced To Six Years In Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, And Multiple Conspiracy Counts, Including Mail And Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, And The Illegal Distribution Of $157 Million In Diverted Prescription Drugs

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – David Jess Miller was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison for his role in a variety of crimes stemming from conspiracies involving racketeering, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering, in addition to substantive mail fraud and conspiracy against the United States, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Darren Lian; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Pittsburgh Division Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Special Agent in Charge of the Metro Washington Field Office George A. Scavdis. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge. A jury convicted Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, California, and his company, Minnesota Independent Cooperative (MIC), of all charges on January 26, 2023, following a two-week trial. “Miller and his co-conspirators disregarded the health and safety of thousands of people in need of medication,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. By putting profits over patients, Miller and his criminal enterprise undermined important safeguards designed to ensure the safety of prescription drugs in the United States. This sentence sends the clear message that the diversion of prescription drugs and the intentional circumvention of these critical regulatory requirements will not be tolerated.” “The FDA oversees the prescription drug supply chain; when criminals breach that supply chain, patients can no longer be assured of the safety or effectiveness of the drugs they may take,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA-OCI Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would put the public health at risk through their criminal actions.” “David Miller greedily put the health and well-being of people at risk with the orchestration and implementation of his prescription drug diversion scheme. He attempted to capitalize on his disregard for people’s health by laundering money around the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian, IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Let today’s sentencing be a warning to those who aspire to profit from deception against the U.S. government and innocent taxpayers: IRS Criminal Investigation and partner law enforcement agents will catch you and justice will be served.” The trial was the result of indictments filed in two separate districts—the Northern District of California and the Southern District of Ohio. The convictions included charges handed down in a second superseding indictment by a grand jury in the Northern District of California on February 11, 2016, and by a separate indictment handed down on May 6, 2015, in the Southern District of Ohio. Both indictments involved additional defendants and charges that were not presented at the trial. The evidence at trial established that Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, Calif., was at the center of a vast racketeering enterprise responsible for the fraudulent distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of diverted prescription drugs, including instances in which Miller and his co-conspirators distributed tampered medication that posed a health risk to consumers. The scheme targeted brand-name prescription drugs designed to treat HIV, hepatitis C, mental disorders, and various other serious conditions. Miller and MIC lied to their customers about the nature and sources of the prescription drugs being sold, falsely claiming that the drugs had been maintained in the safe, federally- and state-regulated supply chain. The evidence at trial established that Miller and his company agreed with many others, including Mihran Stepanyan, 37, and Artur Stepanyan, 45, to conduct the affairs of their wide-ranging and long-lasting criminal enterprise. The evidence established that the enterprise, operating primarily out of Southern California and Minnesota, was responsible for distributing diverted prescription drugs to unsuspecting pharmacies throughout the county. In finding Miller guilty, the jury concluded that he played a role in promoting the racketeering conspiracy. For example, as the owner and operator of MIC between 2007 and 2015, Miller bought approximately $157 million of diverted prescription drugs from co-defendants Mihran and Artur Stepanayan. Miller and MIC also knew that the Stepanyans were not licensed to sell prescription drugs and that they procured their drugs from street suppliers. Miller and MIC nevertheless purchased the diverted drugs from the Stepanyans and lied to their customers about the sources and nature of those drugs. Further, the jury concluded Miller engaged in a money laundering conspiracy. The evidence established that Miller and others laundered hundreds of millions of dollars between approximately 2007 and 2015 to promote their criminal activities and to conceal the nature of their scheme. For example, to hide the fact Miller was paying the Stepanyans for the illegally sourced drugs they were distributing, Miller made payments to the Stepanyans’ company GC National Wholesale through companies he controlled in Puerto Rico. As to another supplier, Miller authorized payments to accounts held in the names of various front companies at banks in multiple countries. In this way, Miller and his co-conspirators sought to obscure the illicit sources of MIC drugs and to conceal the true identities of the suppliers. In sum, at the conclusion of the trial, Miller was convicted of one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); ten counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and one count of conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of drugs and making a false statement to the FDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(t), 333(b)(1)(D), 353(e)(2)(A), and 18 U.S.C. § 371. In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered Miller to pay a $250,000 fine, due immediately; to serve three years of supervised release to begin after the prison term is completed; and to pay a $1,400 special assessment. Judge Breyer also ordered MIC, currently a defunct entity, to pay a special assessment of $4,500. Of the 38 defendants charged in the February 2016 second superseding indictment, all have either been convicted or resolved their case, and six remain to be sentenced. Assistant United States Attorneys Claudia Quiroz, Andrew Dawson, and Chris Kaltsas are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.


title: Baton Rouge Tax Preparer Sentenced to 33 Months for Pandemic Benefits Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Pamela Albert, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud. The Court further sentenced Albert to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $223,180 in restitution. Between approximately March and June 2021, Albert submitted false claims for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans in her name and in the names of others. Albert also submitted fraudulent tax documents for her PPP loan claims, that were based on fictitious business profits and losses. Albert maintained various bank accounts in which PPP funds were deposited. Throughout her scheme, Albert obtained the personally identifiable information of others, such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers in order to file her false PPP loan claims. Albert requested that PPP benefits be wired to her bank accounts, totaling over $200,000 in funds to which she and others were not entitled. Upon submitting the claims and receiving the funds, Albert either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept all the funds for herself. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office For The Eastern District Of Tennessee Announces $200,000 In Department Of Justice Programs Grant Funding

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVLLE, Tenn. On October 13, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced $200,000 in Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding for Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act ( LEMHWA ) Program. City of Knoxville - $200,000. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services was created through the passage of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to advance the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information, technical assistance, training, and grant resources. The COPS Office is headed by a Director appointed by the Attorney General, and is organized into directorates, comprising key operational divisions and several functional areas. Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) funds are used to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs. The 2023 LEMHWA program funded projects that develop knowledge, increase awareness of effective mental health and wellness strategies, increase the skills and abilities of law enforcement, and increase the number of law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders using peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs. The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. Additional information about FY23 awards can be found on COPS’s website here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants . For a complete list of the LEMHWA awards, please click on this link: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2023AwardDocs/lemhwa/award_list.pdf . ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of PR Celebrates the Award of Federal Grant Funds in Excess of $28.8 Million to the PR Department of Justice, the Forensic Science Institute, and to Stakeholders in Community Responses to Gender-Based Violence

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office celebrates a comprehensive federal grant funds package awarded to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute, and to Community Response to Gender-Based Violence Stakeholders in excess of $28.8 million. “The Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with our state law enforcement partners and community response stakeholders to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes and provide justice and protection to our victims of crime. Identifying available federal funding and ensuring that these funds are properly and efficiently expended enhances our collaborative law enforcement efforts,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. These recent funding allocations from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are intended to build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies. Among the most significant awards, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $12.6 million for the VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant to enhance victim services in Puerto Rico. Additionally, the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $700,000 to institute a Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) through the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute. That initiative also provides funding for the hiring of a Special Prosecutor, primarily in charge of firearms prosecutions arising from intelligence gathered from the CGIC. Other significant awards are listed below: Date Grant Recipient Amount 9/28/23 OJJDP FY 2023 Title II Formula Grants Program Oficina para el Desarrollo Socioeconómico y Comunitario $590,509 9/28/23 BJA FY 23 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program PR Department of Justice $ 89,310 9/26/23 BJA FY 2023 Invited to Apply- Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reallocation Funds Program PR Department of Justice $136,058 9/26/23 OJJDP Combined FY 2021 and FY 2022 Invited to Apply – Prison Rape Elimination Act Reallocation Funds Oficina para el Desarrollo Socioeconómico y Comunitario $ 27,761 9/25/23 BJA FY 23 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program - Formula Instituto de Ciencias Forenses $312,708 9/25/23 BJA FY 23 Project Safe Neighborhoods Formula Grant Program PR Department of Housing $133,930 9/25/23 OJJDP FY 2023 Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico $972,405 9/22/23 BJA FY 23 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - State Solicitation PR Department of Justice $2,313,909 9/18/23 BJA FY 23 Invited to Apply Sex Offender and Registration Notification Act (SORNA) Reallocation Program PR Department of Justice $272,117 9/8/23 BJA FY 23 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative Instituto de Ciencias Forenses $700,000 9/8/23 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Instituto de Ciencias Forenses $675,188 8/23/23 VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant PR Department of Justice $12,669,225 8/23/23 VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant PR Department of Justice $309,000 8/10/23 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program Municipality of Loíza $279,000 8/10/23 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program Municipality of Vieques $420,000 8/10/23 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program Municipality of Ciales $ 92,000 2/13/23 BJA FY 2022-2023 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation PR Department of Justice $2,274,664 More information about the awards announced can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards . In order to provide support to victims of crime, the Justice Department announced nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $6,496,287 for the District of Puerto Rico to support community responses to gender-based violence. Among those grants are the following: Date Grant Recipient Amount 9/27/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Solicitation Proyecto Matria, Inc. $550,000 9/22/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation Taller Salud, Inc. $450,000 9/22/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation Hogar Ruth, Inc. $575,000 9/22/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation Casa Juana Colón, Apoyo y Orientación a la Mujer, Inc. $400,000 9/22/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Sexual Assault Services Hogar Ruth, Inc. $495,000 9/8/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Legal Assistance for Victims - Solicitation Taller Salud, Inc. $750,000 8/22/23 OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Sexual Assault Services and Formula Program - Solicitation Women’s Advocate Office $858,652 OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw . ###


title: Trempealeau County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children & Extortion

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – In an indictment returned on October 11, 2023 by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin, a Trempealeau County man is charged with child sexual exploitation offenses and extortion. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. The indictment charges Seth W. Fagan, 32, Galesville, Wisconsin, with using and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct, with transmitting threats to injure the reputation of the minor with the intent to extort a thing of value from the minor, and with receiving a visual depiction of a second minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Fagan was arrested today in La Crosse. The time for his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison has not been set. If convicted, Fagan faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison on the charge of producing child pornography, two years on the extortion charge, and a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years on the charge of receiving child pornography. The charges against Fagan are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Onalaska Police Department, and school resource officers at Sparta High School and Onalaska High School. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution. Anyone who believes they have information about this case or believes they may be a victim in this matter should contact Special Agent Maloree Zassenhaus at either ZassenhausMN@doj.state.wi.us or by contacting the Division of Criminal Investigation at 715-839-3830. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.


title: Brothers Sentenced to a Total of 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Using OfferUp

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jessie Dixson, 23, and his brother, Joqeis Dixson, 22 of Indianapolis, Indiana, have been sentenced to a total of 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to commercial robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. According to court documents, on May 14, 2020, Jessie and Joqeis Dixson used OfferUp, an online marketplace, advertise the purported sale of a PlayStation game console. Victim N.B. agreed to purchase the console from the Dixson brothers in the vicinity of 4440 Jamestown Court, in Indianapolis. When N.B. arrived at the agreed location, Jessie Dixson pointed a shotgun in the victim’s face, and Joqeis Dixson took the victim’s cell phone and wallet. Both Dixson brothers fled the scene. Law enforcement officers later obtained a warrant to search Dixson brothers’ residence. During the search, investigators located the gun used during the robbery in Joqeis Dixson’s bedroom. Jessie Dixson was sentenced to 18 years and 7 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of $500. Joqeis Dixson was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Joqeis was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim. “For years, violent criminals have been using online marketplaces like OfferUp to set up armed robberies, sometimes leading to injuries and deaths,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Most local police departments will allow people to use their properties as a safe place to meet when buying and selling online, which can help keep everyone safe during these transactions. You often don’t know who is on the other end of an online communication, or what their intentions might be. I want to thank the FBI and our federal prosecutors for their work to ensure that these armed criminals were identified and held accountable.” This case was investigated by the FBI. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Danbury Postmaster Admits Operating Bribery, Kickback, and Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on October 13, 2023, EPHREM D. NGUYEN , 50, formerly of Brookfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a fraud offense stemming from a bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme he operated while serving as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office. According to court documents and statements made in court, Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office in Danbury, with responsibilities that included supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities, and vehicles assigned to the post office. In November 2020, Nguyen required that all Danbury Post Office vehicle maintenance and repair work be performed by a certain vendor, even though Nguyen knew that another vendor already had a contract for with the Danbury Post Office for those services. Nguyen demanded that the vendor provide free vehicle maintenance and repairs for himself, one of his children, a USPS employee, and employee of Nguyen’s personal business. In 2022, Nguyen solicited and received $90,000 in cash bribes from the vendor. In exchange for these bribes, Nguyen caused the USPS to overpay the vendor for vehicle maintenance and repair, which Nguyen characterized as a “raise.” Between approximately January 2022 and February 2023, Nguyen used USPS credit cards to pay the vendor more than $1 million, or approximately $760,000 more than necessary to pay for legitimate maintenance and repair work. In addition, Nguyen embezzled more than $80,000 from the USPS by using his USPS credit cards to rent vehicles for the personal use of himself and others, and he approved more than $8,000 in fraudulent travel expense reimbursement claims for a co-worker. Through these schemes, Nguyen defrauded the USPS of approximately $874,930.59. “As federal employees, we take an oath to protect the public, including funds that have been allocated for federal services,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “This corrupt employee operated a brazen bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I commend the USPS Office of Inspector General and the FBI for their excellent work in this investigation.” “The public must have confidence that Postal Service employees will conduct their work in an honest manner,” said Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “When employees commit serious offenses, such as taking bribes, they will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for assuring that there is no place for public corruption anywhere within the Postal Service.” “Investigations into the breach of public trust by government employees are a top priority for the FBI, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “We would like to extend our appreciation to the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for the excellent collaboration that led to this individual being brought to justice. We hope the results of this case and similar previous cases will send a clear message to anyone engaging in fraudulent government activities.” Nguyen pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2024. Nguyen who is currently residing in Quincy, Massachusetts, is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis.


title: U.S. Government Reaches Settlement in Class Action Family Separation Case Seeking Injunctive Relief

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: On Oct. 16, the United States reached a settlement in Ms. L., et al. v. ICE, et al. , a class action litigation filed in 2018 seeking injunctive relief relating to the separation of parents and children at the southwest border. The proposed settlement agreement is subject to final approval by the district court after notice to the class and an opportunity to object. “The practice of separating families at the southwest border was shameful,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This agreement will facilitate the reunification of separated families and provide them with critical services to aid in their recovery. I am grateful to Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and the Department’s Civil Division for their work on this matter.” Under the proposed settlement, new standards will be established to limit family separations in the future. The settlement provides for continued family reunifications, immigration relief, and certain support services for separated families, including behavioral health services, targeted legal support related to immigration claims, limited housing assistance, and certain medical coverage. The settlement does not involve the payment of monetary damages. Those who believe they are class members may submit claims of class membership to the Family Reunification Task Force through the Together.gov website . “The separation of families at our southern border was a betrayal of our nation’s values,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “By providing services to these families and implementing polices to prevent future separations, today’s agreement addresses the impacts of those separations and helps ensure that nothing like this happens again.” On Feb. 26, 2018, a plaintiff identified as “Ms. L” filed a complaint in the Southern District of California alleging she had been unlawfully separated from her child. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) later filed an amended complaint to add class action claims contending that the separation of putative class member parents from their children violated procedural and substantive due process, as well as the asylum statute. On June 26, 2018, the district court certified a class of separated parents and issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting future separations except in certain specified circumstances. The court also required the reunification of families previously separated. Since that time, the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have worked with plaintiffs to identify class members and their children, developed plans for reunification, and reunified class members with their children. On Jan. 26, 2021, the Justice Department rescinded the Department’s 2018 zero-tolerance policy for offenses under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a). In Feb. 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order establishing the Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families, comprised of representatives from various federal agencies, including the Justice Department, DHS, and HHS. The parties have worked extensively to reunify families in accordance with the Executive Order and subsequent orders from the district court. The task force has searched through thousands of government records to identify separated families and has thus far reunited more than 750 children with their families and has identified 85 additional children who are currently in the process of being reunited with their families. The task force has also identified more than 290 U.S. citizen children who were separated from their parents during the relevant time frame, is working to confirm that they have been reunified with their families, and will offer them services to support their reunification. Director William C. Peachey, Assistant Director William C. Silvis, Senior Litigation Counsel Sarah B. Fabian, and Trial Attorney Fizza Batool, all of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, are handling the case. Fact Sheet Motion for Settlement Settlement


title: Joint Statements by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office Reinforcing Commitment to Combat Hate Crimes and Potential Threats

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office, issued the following statements, reinforcing a united commitment to combat hate crimes and potential threats: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local FBI partners are focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “There is no justification for terrorism. There is no place for hate, evil acts, or threats against Jews, Muslims, or anyone in our diverse South Florida communities or around the globe. We hold a place in our hearts for anyone impacted by acts of terror and grieve for those who are suffering unspeakable losses. As Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated this weekend ‘We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate.’” “FBI Miami is working closely with our law enforcement partners in South Florida to share information and identify and disrupt any threats that may emerge,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office. “As always, we take seriously any tips or leads we receive regarding potential threats and investigate them rigorously to determine their credibility. The FBI encourages members of the public to remain vigilant and report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” The community is encouraged to report all suspected hate crimes to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324 ) or tips.fbi.gov. ###


title: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. Announces the Passing of Deputy Chief Brian K. Frazier

body_text: Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announces the untimely passing of Deputy Chief Brian K. Frazier. Mr. Frazier has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana since 2018. Before his passing, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Special Matters Unit. Mr. Frazier’s dedicated service to the Department of Justice began in 1993 when he was selected for the Attorney General’s Honors Program. After completing the program, Mr. Frazier clerked for United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham. He then went into the private sector as an associate attorney at prestigious law firms in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Frazier returned to government service at the Southern District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office in January of 2000, where he began his career as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting major crimes with an emphasis on public integrity and national security. He handled approximately thirty federal jury trials and eleven federal appellate arguments as a line prosecutor and began his focus on counterterrorism, where he reviewed actionable charges in the aftermath of the September 11 th attacks. In 2008, Mr. Frazier was appointed Resident Legal Advisor for the United States Embassy, United Arab Emirates and Gulf Region, where he served as the Department of Justice’s legal attaché to eight Middle Eastern countries on money laundering, weapons proliferation, threat finance, and terrorism issues. Mr. Frazier then returned to the Southern District of Florida office where he was tasked with establishing the first National Security Section in the district. As Chief of this section, Mr. Frazier significantly increased counterterrorism prosecutions within the first five years of its establishment and coordinated federal prosecutions for the third largest Joint Terrorism Task Force in the country. He supervised trial teams that convicted ISIS and al-Qaeda extremists and served as the lead prosecutor in cases against al-Shabaab financiers, recruiters, and travelers. He also coordinated the district-wide efforts in prosecuting high-profiled domestic terrorism mass shootings at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Pulse Nightclub. Mr. Frazier led the trial team that successfully prosecuted Jose Padilla, the U.S. citizen and designated enemy combatant who trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Mr. Frazier was a nationally recognized skilled and knowledgeable national security prosecutor both within the Department and with federal and local partner agencies. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe stated the following on the passing of Mr. Frazier, “South Florida is very sad of Brian’s passing. He exemplified true commitment to public service and to excellence, as shown by his many years of service and the robust accomplishments both as a trial lawyer and later in management. Tremendous loss to the Department but I’m glad I got a chance to work with him 20 years ago as line prosecutor in Miami and will remember his very present personality.” During his tenure here in the Middle District, Mr. Frazier served as the Criminal Chief from 2020 until 2022 where he was responsible for supervising Criminal Division prosecutors and staff. He also maintained positive relationships with our federal investigative agencies as he coordinated with them the substantive development and management of all criminal prosecutions in the district. He continued his work with the local Joint Terrorism Task Force by handling national security matters in the district and consulting with critical infrastructures. United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana Ronald Gathe, Jr. stated, “My deepest condolences go out to all of Brian’s family, friends and loved ones. Words cannot express the tremendous impact he’s made in his 25 years of service here at the Department of Justice. He will be deeply missed by many locally and nationally, and his presence will forever be felt at our office and in our hearts.” Mr. Frazier is the recipient of multiple government honors, including the Justice Department’s highest award—The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—for the successful prosecution of Jose Padilla. He was also awarded the National Intelligence Medallion by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Law Enforcement Award for Transnational Security Threats by the Department of Treasury, the National Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Award by the Department of Justice, and Federal Prosecutor of the Year by the Law Enforcement Officers’ Foundation and Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police to name a few. Mr. Frazier obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College. He further obtained a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He concluded his studies at Yale Law School where he obtained his Juris Doctor. The Department of Justice suffers an immeasurable loss due to Mr. Frazier’s countless contributions in pursuing justice. He was an example of a true government servant, and we will honor his legacy within our office by continuing to serve according to the ideals and mission of the Department of Justice.


title: Property Developer Z&L Properties Fined $1 Million After Pleading Guilty To Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Z&L Properties Inc., a Foster City, California-based subsidiary of a Chinese property development company, was ordered to pay a $1 million fine as part of its sentence for bribing a San Francisco official in exchange for favorable treatment on a construction project, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge. According to the plea agreement, Z&L Properties’ executives approved or paid bribes to former San Francisco Department of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, including providing him and another individual with food, drinks, lodging, and transportation during a trip to China in 2018. The purpose of the payments was to influence Nuru to act favorably on Z&L Properties’ requests for city approvals needed to complete construction of a mixed-use property owned by Z&L Properties at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco. Z&L Properties was charged by Information on July 18, 2023, with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. Z&L Properties pleaded guilty to the criminal scheme on August 17, 2023. In addition to the $1 million fine, Judge Orrick ordered Z&L Properties to implement a three-year anti-corruption corporate compliance program. Also charged in the scheme was Zhang Li, 70, of Guangzhou, China. Zhang was the owner and controlling member of Z&L Properties as well as the chairman, co-founder, and chief executive officer of R&F Properties Co. Ltd., a real estate holdings and development company based in Guangzhou, China. R&F Properties does business in the United States through Z&L Properties Ltd. Zhang was charged by Criminal Complaint for his role in bribing Nuru. Zhang was arrested in London in November 2022 on an arrest warrant issued in the Northern District of California. He was required to post a £15 million ($19.1 million) bond and remained under house arrest in London for seven months before being extradited to the United States. Zhang waived extradition in June, returned to the United States, and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States. This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco. Nuru was charged in January 2020 with a long-running honest services fraud scheme. Nuru pleaded guilty to several charges on January 6, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison on August 25, 2022. Another defendant, Wing Lok “Walter” Wong was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru and others. Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s corruption investigations. Judge Orrick has scheduled Wong’s sentencing hearing for January 18, 2024. Assistant United States Attorney David Ward is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.


title: Roanoke Man Sentenced to 12 Years For Meth Distribution

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who trafficked more than four pounds of methamphetamine, was sentenced last week to 12 years in federal prison as part of United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh’s ongoing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. In the Western District of Virginia, PSN resources are focused on neighborhoods in Roanoke, Danville, Lynchburg, and the Charlottesville/Albemarle County/University of Virginia region. Anthony Banks, 32, pled guilty in February 2023 to three counts of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, in 2021, Banks sold approximately four pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in four transactions over the course of five weeks. That methamphetamine was later determined to be more than 96% pure. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Salem Police Department, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson 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: Alexandria Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of failing to register as a sex offender in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Rex Jason Sumner, 52, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 22, 2024. Sumner was charged on July 19, 2023. Sumner is a Tier III sex offender with a duty to register for life. Sumner was released from prison in Oklahoma in 2018 and had been registering with Oklahoma authorities at an address in Oklahoma despite residing in New Hampshire since early 2023. Sumner would return to Oklahoma periodically to update his registration and continued to represent to authorities that he still resided in Oklahoma. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. United States Marshals Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Alexandria Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Meredith Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the New England State Police Information Network, the Garvin County (OK) Sherriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Former California Police Officer and Three Co-Defendants Sentenced for Years Long Operation of Illicit Massage Businesses

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Peter Griffin, 79, a retired San Diego police officer and former vice detective, attorney and private investigator, was sentenced on Friday to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised release for committing various crimes in connection with his operation of five California and Arizona-based illicit massage businesses that profited for years by selling commercial sex under the guise of offering therapeutic massage services. Griffin’s three female co-defendants, Kyung Sook Hernandez, 59, Yu Hong Tan, 57, and Yoo Jin Ott, 46, who managed the different illicit massage businesses in Griffin’s network, were each sentenced to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. According to court documents, Griffin, Hernandez, Tan and Ott owned and operated “Genie Oriental Spa,” “Felicita Spa,” “Blue Green Spa,” “Maple Spa” and “Massage W Spa,” located in the greater San Diego area and in Tempe, Arizona, between 2013 and August 2022. The criminal scheme included incorporating their businesses with state agencies, managing the businesses’ illicit proceeds, advertising commercial sexual services online, recruiting and employing women to perform commercial sex services and benefiting financially from the illegal enterprises. “Defendant Griffin – a former vice detective who once took an oath to uphold our laws – is being held accountable for abusing his position of authority and, with his co-defendants, operating illicit massage businesses and profiting by exploiting women for commercial sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This case is an example of how strong partnerships among law enforcement agencies can combat the illicit massage industry. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who callously prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.” “Peter Griffin used the skills he developed as a vice detective — and his status as a former law enforcement officer — to operate a network of illicit massage businesses and evade law enforcement,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to this multiagency investigation, Griffin has been held accountable for his nearly decade-long criminal scheme. This case underscores the department’s commitment to prosecuting the purveyors of these illicit businesses, who profit from pressuring their employees to engage in commercial sex.” “Illicit massage businesses hide in plain sight in many communities in America, including our district,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath for the Southern District of California. “Operators of these businesses often profit through exploitation. For years, Peter Griffin used his connections as a former police officer for his own criminal profiteering. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting these kinds of offenses, protecting our communities and ensuring that legitimate local businesses are not tarnished by criminal activity.” “Peter Griffin abused and exploited vulnerable women by pressuring them into commercial sex for profit while taking advantage of his status in the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Field Office. “This sentence sends a clear message to those who mistakenly believe they can get away with such repugnant crimes. HSI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work vigorously and bring to justice those who exploit and victimize vulnerable members of our community.” “Law enforcement professionals swear an oath to protect and defend our communities, and the spirit of that oath should live on even when we stop carrying a badge,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “Griffin preyed on people who should have felt safer because of his presence. He and his co-conspirators failed in their attempts to conceal their illicit activities because of our special agents’ unique ability to follow the money and a strong cross-agency effort to find the evidence to bring these predators to justice.” Through this scheme, the defendants exploited the employees, mostly vulnerable women from Korea and China; pressured the employees to perform commercial sex services; and made substantial financial profits from the illegal commercial sexual activity. When one employee initially refused to perform commercial sexual services, one of the defendants instructed her to “leave [her] morals in China” in order to “make the customers happy.” Griffin, who left the department in 2002, previously worked as a detective with the Vice Operations Unit of the San Diego Police Department, a unit tasked with dismantling the very businesses he operated and promoted for personal profit. Throughout the nine-year criminal scheme, Griffin used the experience and skills he acquired through his work as a vice detective – skills honed by his education as an attorney and work as a private investigator – and his reputation as a former police officer to help the businesses evade law enforcement; conceal evidence; pressure employees to engage in commercial sex; maintain a façade of legitimacy; and thwart regulatory inspections, investigations and any official action against the businesses. Griffin repeatedly used his status as a former law enforcement officer to falsely assure local authorities that his businesses would be operated legitimately. On one occasion, Griffin flashed his badge to a local officer responding to a citizen complaint regarding one of his illicit businesses. Additionally, Griffin told an employee that he was a former police officer and instructed her not to “open [her] mouth” about working at the illicit massage business. Griffin’s co-defendants similarly informed employees of Griffin’s law enforcement background and his resulting “connections” and promised he would protect the illegal businesses from law enforcement detection. Griffin also abused resources he had access to by virtue of his private investigator license to obtain information on customers and employees on behalf of the illicit massage businesses. HSI, IRS-CI and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, a regional, multi-agency effort led by the California Justice Department dedicated to supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable, led the investigation. The FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Sherriff’s Office, the Escondido Police Department, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office and the Tempe, Arizona Police Department also supported the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Streja for the Southern District of California, Trial Attorney Caylee Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with assistance from Senior Financial Investigators Sheila Olander and Kathryn Montemorra of the Money Laundering Section’s Special Financial Investigations Unit. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org .


title: Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Child

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man pleaded guilty today to abusive sexual contact with a child. According to court documents, Dayleon Phillips, Sr., 35, engaged in sexual contact with a minor under the age of twelve. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2024, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns are prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Case Concerning Disability-Based Discrimination at Multifamily Housing Complexes in Maryland

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Maryland-based developer Humphrey-Stavrou Associates Inc. (Humphrey-Stavrou) and related entities have agreed to pay $475,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The claims alleged that the defendants failed to build required accessible features for people with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs, at six multi-family housing complexes across Maryland. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the three properties Humphrey-Stavrou still owns and the three properties Humphrey-Stavrou sold to third parties. “When the retrofits required by these settlements are completed, people with disabilities will have equal access to 1,300 more residential units in Maryland,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring that apartment complexes are accessible to people with disabilities.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is dedicated to ensuring that developers who fail to abide by the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “These settlements will help ensure Marylanders with disabilities have fair and equal access to their homes by making these housing complexes more accessible.” Humphrey-Stavrou will deposit a sum of $410,000 in an account to be used to retrofit the three properties it has sold since construction, which are now owned by other entities. The agreement with Humphrey-Stavrou, which must still be approved by the court, also requires the defendants to pay $60,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals who were harmed by the inaccessible conditions and $5,000 to the government in civil penalties to vindicate the public interest. Under the agreement, the defendants will, among other things, replace steeply sloped walkways, widen doorways and modify bathrooms so they are accessible for individuals who use wheelchairs. The agreement also requires the defendants to receive training about the FHA and the ADA, to ensure that their future multi-family housing construction complies with these laws and to provide periodic reports to the Justice Department. The six complexes are: Pin Oak Village, Bowie, Maryland; Woodland Creek Apartments (formerly Henson Creek Manor I and II Apartments), Fort Washington, Maryland; Woodside Village Apartments, Fort Washington, Maryland; Acclaim at Lake Largo (formerly Largo Center Apartments), Largo, Maryland; Randolph Village Senior Apartments, Silver Spring, Maryland; and Vistas at Lake Largo, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The Justice Department previously resolved part of its lawsuit, which was filed in September 2022, with Stavrou Associates Inc. and related entities, which agreed to pay $185,000 to settle claims that they failed to build the required accessibility features in 11 other multi-family housing complexes in Maryland. Stavrou Associates Inc. also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered the parties’ settlement, in the form of a consent order, on Nov. 22, 2022. The 11 complexes built by Stavrou Associates Inc. that are the subject of the previously entered consent decree are: Villages at Belle Hill, Elkton, Maryland; Burgess Mill Station I, Ellicott City, Maryland; Burgess Mill Station II, Ellicott City, Maryland; River Point Apartments, Essex, Maryland; Hammarlee House Apartments, Glen Burnie, Maryland; Overland Gardens, Landover, Maryland; Rainier Manor Phase II Apartments, Mount Rainier, Maryland; Chapel Springs Senior Apartments, Perry Hall, Maryland; Hampshire Village, Silver Spring, Maryland; Windsor Crossing Family Apartments, Suitland, Maryland; and Windsor Crossing Senior Apartments, Suitland, Maryland. The combined 17 properties at issue in the case were built with financial assistance from the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and some of the properties are specifically marketed as housing for seniors. Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties because of the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291, selecting option 1 for English, selecting option 4 for housing accessibility for persons with disabilities and selecting option 4. The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that most multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Enacted in 1990, the ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes constructed after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt . Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov . Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online . humphrey-stavrou_proposed_consent_order_submitted_2023-10-16.pdf


title: Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after been deported. Francisco Araujo Lara, 43, pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2023 to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2024. Araujo Lara, a citizen on the Dominican Republic, was deported from the United States in September 2019, after serving an 18–30-month state sentence for a cocaine distribution conviction. Sometime thereafter, Araujo Lara unlawfully reentered the United States. In 2022, he was arrested in Lawrence for heroin and cocaine distribution. Araujo Lara pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland United States Attorney’s Office Secures Settlement in Case Concerning Disability-Based Discrimination at Multifamily Housing Complexes in Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced today that Maryland-based developer Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. and related entities have agreed to pay $475,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to build six multi-family housing complexes in Maryland with required accessible features for people with disabilities. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the three properties Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. still owns and the three properties Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. sold to third parties. The Justice Department previously resolved part of its lawsuit, which was filed in September 2022, with Maryland-based developer Stavrou Associates, Inc. and related entities, which agreed to pay $185,000 to settle claims that they failed to build 11 multi-family housing complexes in Maryland with required accessible features. Stavrou Associates, Inc. also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered the parties’ settlement, in the form of a consent order, on November 22, 2022. “Developers who fail to abide by the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron. “These settlements will help ensure people with disabilities have fair and equal access to their homes by making these housing complexes more accessible.” “When the retrofits required by these settlements are completed, people with disabilities will have equal access to 1,300 more residential units in Maryland,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring that apartment complexes are accessible to people with disabilities.” Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. will deposit a sum of $410,000 in an interest-bearing escrow account to be used to retrofit the three properties it has sold since construction, which are now owned by other entities. The combined 17 properties at issue in the case were built with financial assistance from the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and some of the properties are specifically marketed as housing for seniors. The settlement with Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc., which must still be approved by the Court, also requires the defendants to pay $60,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals who were harmed by the inaccessible conditions and $5,000 to the government in civil penalties to vindicate the public interest. Under the settlement, the defendants will, among other things, replace steeply-sloped walkways, widen doorways, and modify bathrooms so they are accessible for individuals who use wheelchairs. The settlement also requires the defendants to receive training about the FHA and the ADA, to ensure that their future multi-family housing construction complies with these laws and to provide periodic reports to the Justice Department. The six complexes are: Pin Oak Village, Bowie, Maryland Woodland Creek Apartments (formerly “Henson Creek Manor I and II Apartments”), Fort Washington, Maryland Woodside Village Apartments, Fort Washington, Maryland Acclaim at Lake Largo (formerly “Largo Center Apartments”), Largo, Maryland Randolph Village Senior Apartments, Silver Spring, Maryland Vistas at Lake Largo, Upper Marlboro, Maryland The 11 complexes built by Stavrou Associates, Inc. that are the subject of the previously entered Consent Decree are: Villages at Belle Hill, Elkton, Maryland Burgess Mill Station I, Ellicott City, Maryland Burgess Mill Station II, Ellicott City, Maryland River Point Apartments, Essex, Maryland Hammarlee House Apartments, Glen Burnie, Maryland Overland Gardens, Landover, Maryland Rainier Manor Phase II Apartments, Mount Rainier, Maryland Chapel Springs Senior Apartments, Perry Hall, Maryland Hampshire Village, Silver Spring, Maryland Windsor Crossing Family Apartments, Suitland, Maryland Windsor Crossing Senior Apartments, Suitland, Maryland Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties because of the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291, selecting option 1 for English, selecting option 4 for housing accessibility for persons with disabilities, and selecting option 4 for Stavrou Associates Inc. The United States Attorney’s Office together with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforce the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that most multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Enacted in 1990, the ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes constructed after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Phillips of the District of Maryland and Trial Attorneys Beth Pepper and Jennifer McAllister of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are handling these cases. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-Maryland and https://www.justice.gov/usao-Maryland/civil-rights . # # #


title: RICHARDSON DANGLEBEN, JR. INDICTED FOR SHOOTING DEATH OF VIPD DETECTIVE

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 13-count indictment charging Richardson Dangleben, Jr. with federal and territorial offenses relating to the July 4, 2023 shooting death of Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) Detective Delberth Phipps. “I want to be clear that any act of violence toward our law enforcement officers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Smith said. “Such acts will be met with swift and forceful consequences and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Virgin Islands Attorney General Ariel Smith said: “Officer Phipps bravely responded to a criminal act in progress when his life was taken during the cowardly act of murder. The death of an officer in the line of duty is a loss that affects the entire community, and we expect justice to be served in a manner that reflects the ultimate sacrifice he made. The V.I. Department of Justice (VIDOJ) looks forward to continued collaboration with USDOJ in the pursuit of justice for the Virgin Islands community.” Virgin Islands Police Chief Steven Phillip said: “We stand united as a community in the pursuit of justice for our fallen Police Detective. This indictment is a significant milestone and serves as a testament to the relentless dedication and steadfast commitment of our law enforcement family, who have tirelessly worked to bring this individual to account. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the community for your unwavering support throughout this painful journey, and we assure you that we will spare no effort to ensure that justice is served for Detective Phipps and his grieving family. Together, we will continue to stand strong against violence, as we work towards creating a safer and more peaceful community for all.” “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line daily to serve and protect others,” said Joseph Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, which covers the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. “The FBI will not stand idly by while delinquents display no respect for authority and instill fear in their communities. We will investigate these cases fiercely to bring those responsible to justice. Detective Phipps was a hero, and the FBI will stand by those he left behind in our commitment to curtail violence and bring peace to the communities we serve.” According to court documents, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, VIPD Detective Delberth Phipps and VIPD Officer Shahim Skeete responded to a 911 call that came in at approximately 7:54 a.m. The caller reported observing a shirtless man in the Hospital Ground area of St. Thomas wearing a bulletproof vest and appearing to have a gun in his back pocket. Shortly after Det. Phipps and Officer Skeete arrived on the scene, Dangleben began firing at them. Both Officer Skeete and Det. Phipps returned fire. During the shootout, Det. Phipps suffered a fatal gunshot wound to his torso. Dangleben eventually laid on the ground to surrender. He was subdued and transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center to be treated for the gunshot injuries that he sustained. Det. Phipps was pronounced dead at the Schneider Regional Medical Center at 9:05 a.m. An assault rifle covered in blood was found near Dangleben where he laid on the ground. Officers also recovered the following from Dangleben’s car: (1) two assault rifle magazines; (2) seven boxes of assault-rifle ammunition; (3) a loaded .45 caliber handgun with a serial number that had been obliterated; and (4) over 300 grams of marijuana. The federal indictment charges Dangleben with: one count of first degree murder; two counts of first degree assault; two counts of third degree assault; one count of attempted first degree murder; one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death; two counts of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; one count of receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment, and one count of wearing body armor during the commission of a violent crime. Dangleben has been detained in federal custody since his initial arrest following the July 4 shooting. At the time of the July 4 shooting, Dangleben was on pretrial release for a prior shooting death. He had been previously arrested in connection with a February 24, 2023, homicide and charged in the St. Thomas Superior Court. Dangleben’s release conditions included an order not to possess any firearms or ammunition or any dangerous weapon. U.S. Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and Dangleben is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation was conducted by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government’s case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Conley. ###


title: Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Seizure of More Than Twenty-Four Kilos of Heroin

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man found to be in possession of more than twenty-two kilos of heroin within hours of having sold two kilos while under law enforcement surveillance in November 2018, was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Jose Figueroa Rosales, 50, pleaded guilty on April 17, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin. According to information presented to the court, in November 2018, while being surveilled by members of the Rhode Island Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Task Force, Figueroa sold an individual two kilograms of heroin. Later that same day, agents and officers executed a court-authorized search of Figueroa’s residence and seized more than twenty-two kilograms of heroin, valued at the time in excess of one million dollars. The seizure of more than twenty-four kilos of heroin from Figueroa is among the single largest seizures in Rhode Island by law enforcement. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Figueroa to 84 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Providence Police Department. ###


title: Felon Pleads Guilty to the Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: CONCORD – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to the unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Garrito (“Tony”) Fort, 39, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for January 25, 2024. Fort was charged on August 1, 2022. According to court documents, on the morning of November 1, 2021, Fort believed a man had scratched his car the night before, so he left a residence in Seabrook to confront him. Armed with a Taurus 9 mm pistol, Fort confronted the man for approximately three minutes. During the confrontation, two witnesses tried separating Fort and the man. One of the witnesses also told Fort to “put that gun away.” Fort fired two shots. The first shot seriously injured another man, and the second shot killed the man that Fort thought scratched his car. The shooting was captured on video camera. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Seabrook Police Department, and New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Charles L. Rombeau are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam T. Le also previously worked on this matter. ###


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Violating Federal Child Sexual Exploitation Laws

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of children and attempted online enticement. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service, and Jeffersontown Police Chief Richard W. Sanders made the announcement. According to court documents, Steven B. Earnest, 35, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by a 30-year term of supervised release, for attempted sex trafficking of children and attempted enticement of a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. Earnest used the internet to communicate with an individual to negotiate to pay to engage in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old child. Earnest then traveled to an agreed upon location, with money, to engage in the sexual conduct, where he was arrested. “I commend the work of the Secret Service, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the Jeffersontown Police Department for their outstanding work during the investigation of this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “The protection of our most vulnerable citizens is a top priority of this office. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we will continue to identify, apprehend, and aggressively prosecute those who seek to sexually exploit our children.” This case was the result of a joint federal, state, and local operation called Operation Angel, aimed at making federal arrests of individuals who preyed upon children. The United States Secret Service, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, and the Jeffersontown Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Newton Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Newton man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after being deported. Franklin Alcantara-Lorenzo, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2023. Alcantara-Lorenzo, a citizen on the Dominican Republic, was deported from the United States in July 2021 after serving a 21-month federal sentence for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. At some point thereafter, Alcantara-Lorenzo returned to the United States and was arrested by immigration authorities in Chestnut Hill in April 2023. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Oxon Hill Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Two Machineguns and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Jeffrey Wayne Spencer, age 26, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for illegal possession of two machineguns. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to his guilty plea, in October 2021, law enforcement received information that Spencer, known as “Jefe,” was distributing fentanyl and other controlled substances from an apartment in Oxon Hill, Maryland. To corroborate the tip, law enforcement arranged for a confidential source to make two purchases of fentanyl from Spencer at the residence. On November 4, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant for the apartment. Spencer was the only person in the home at the time and was in the process of cutting and packaging fentanyl on the dining room table. On the dining room table, law enforcement seized 128 individual packaged baggies containing 17.7 grams of fentanyl; unpackaged loose white powdery substance in piles, determined to contain 35.95 grams of fentanyl; a money counter; and a black digital scale. On the living room couch in plain view near the dining room table, law enforcement seized a 9mm handgun with a full automatic switch. The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber ready to be fired and 49 additional rounds of ammunition inside a drum magazine. On the kitchen counter, law enforcement seized an additional 9mm handgun magazine containing approximately 14 rounds of ammunition. From a shoebox in the bedroom closet, law enforcement seized a .40 caliber handgun with a full automatic switch. The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber ready to be fired and a .40 caliber handgun magazine containing approximately 11 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Also located in the shoebox was an extended magazine containing approximately 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition, as well as a tray containing approximately 5 additional rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. From inside a Burberry bag, law enforcement seized a glass jar containing 28 9mm rounds. From inside a green igloo bag, law enforcement seized a heat-sealed bag containing 499.9 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue and $77.50 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also seized $7,765 in cash from the bathroom. An FBI DNA analysis confirmed the presence of Spencer’s DNA on the seized firearms and firearm magazines and Spencer admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the DEA for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Kibbe and Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former California Resident Sentenced to 13 Years of Imprisonment for Violating Federal Narcotics Laws

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Stockton, California has been sentenced in federal court to 13 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws. This conviction is related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Marco Galvez, age 32. According to information presented to the court, Galvez was a narcotics supplier who supplied at least 50 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from California and Nevada to Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Galvez. 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: Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement on a Loan Application to Obtain COVID-19 Funds

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Jeffrey Bearden, age 47, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a loan application relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector (“SBA OIG”), Eastern Region. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program, (“PPP”) administered through the Small Business Administration, through participating financial institutions. According to his plea agreement, Bearden was the Chief Executive Officer of B&D Consulting Inc., a corporation that provided information technology services, including cybersecurity services. As detailed in the plea agreement, on May 1, 2020, Bearden submitted an application for a $734,609 PPP loan for B&D Consulting. As part of the application, Bearden certified that the loan application and supporting documents for his company, B&D Consulting, were accurate and correct. The $734,609 PPP loan was intended to be used primarily for employee salaries, but at the time of the application, the company had no employees, nor reported paying any earnings and wages for any employee to the Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing (DLLR) in 2020. According to court documents, on May 18, 2020, the loan was approved and $734,609 was deposited into B&D’s bank account. That same day, the $734.609 was transferred to a different B&D bank account and a total of approximately $69,848.06 was subsequently transferred to Bearden and three other individuals. The next month, $600,000 was transferred to Bearden’s brokerage account and was used to purchase stocks in a variety of publicly traded companies, including one that produced a vaccine for COVID-19. The purchase of stocks is not an approved use of PPP loan funds by the Small Business Administration. In February 2021, Bearden applied for a second PPP loan in a similar amount, attaching a fraudulent bank statement for B&D Consulting for the month of March 2020 showing the company was paying salaries to at least 19 individuals and that there had been $335,000 in total deposits and $332,017.10 in total withdrawals from the account. In fact, no deposits or withdraws had been made from that account in March 2020 and the account was overdrawn by more than $275. A loan for $734,609 was initially approved but later cancelled after the discovery of the fraudulent March 2020 bank statement and no funds were disbursed. Bearden faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. As part of his guilty plea, Bearden will also be required to pay a money judgment of $734,609 and to forfeit $16,562.15 seized from an investment account during the investigation. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for January 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 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 . United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI and the SBA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the federal case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Nevada Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jamie Lyn Music, 41, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Music was a passenger on Interstate 64 near Huntington, West Virginia. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Music admitted that she possessed and intended to sell the fentanyl. Music is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 or years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102. ###


title: Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Laura Leigh Jones, 32, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 5 2023, Jones sold approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Richmond Street residence. Jones admitted to arranging the transaction beforehand. Jones further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to the informant on two other occasions in May 2023. On May 11, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence and seized quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a Tauris PT22 .22-caliber pistol, and .22-caliber ammunition. Jones admitted to the officers that she had been involved in the distribution of drugs within the Southern District of West Virginia and possessed the seized firearm for protection following the theft of fentanyl from her. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-82. ###


title: High Ranking Gang Member Receives 19.5 Years in Federal Prison for Leadership Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

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

body_text: RALEIGH , N.C. – William Dayshawn Wilson, also known as “Santana,” of New Bern, North Carolina, was sentenced to 234 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and aiding and abetting. On June 3, 2022, Wilson, age 32, pled guilty to the charges. “We are committed to keeping our streets safe from the destructive influence of gang activity and the deadly impact of fentanyl trafficking. Today’s sentencing is a clear message to those who engage in such criminal enterprises will face the full force of the law. We will relentlessly protect our communities and ensure justice is served,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on January 13, 2019, Craven County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a report of shots fired at one of Wilson’s drug stash houses at the Gracie Farms trailer park in Craven County. Law enforcement discovered that Coriana Cox had been killed as individuals shot into the trailer, likely as a part of an attempted robbery. Before law enforcement arrived at the drug stash house, Wilson called someone inside the residence and told them to get rid of the narcotics and firearms that were inside. During the homicide investigation, law enforcement found 46 grams of fentanyl that had not yet been destroyed. The investigation revealed that from 2014 until 2020, Wilson orchestrated drug trips from New Jersey to Eastern North Carolina and oversaw several drug “trap houses” in Craven County. The investigation uncovered that Wilson was involved in the distribution of large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. On April 2, 2019, Wilson was arrested in Greenville, North Carolina for a North Carolina State probation violation. Wilson had attempted to alter his appearance, was in possession of a Florida Driver’s license in the name of “Akiz Jackman,” and had a suitcase that contained more than $30,000. On April 24, 2019, law enforcement observed Shatavia Wilson, William Wilson’s wife, meet someone in a parking lot in Craven County. Following that meeting, that person placed a shoebox in the trunk of Shatavia Wilson’s car. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the car. A K-9 alerted on the car and officers found more than more $42,000 in the shoebox. On May 1, 2019, Wilson used a recorded jail phone to arrange for someone to pick up heroin from New Jersey for distribution in Eastern North Carolina. Detectives were able to confirm that a third party left New Bern and travelled to Newark, New Jersey. On May 3, 2019, members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office stopped the car in Oxford, North Carolina and found 80 grams of heroin. According to law enforcement and other information, Wilson was one of the highest-ranking Blood gang members in Craven County and had a reputation for using fear and intimidation. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Craven and Granville County Sheriffs’ Offices, the New Bern Police Department, Craven County District Attorney Scott Thomas, and the Craven County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Lemmon and Timothy Severo prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-0053-D-1.