title: Hunterdon County Man Charged with $1.5 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Hunterdon County, New Jersey, man has been charged with defrauding a New Jersey-based title insurance company of approximately $1.5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Ralph Divino, 62, of Annandale, New Jersey, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud. He appeared on Oct. 31, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court, entered a plea of not guilty, and was released on unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From October 2018 through November 2018, Divino executed a scheme to defraud a New Jersey-based title insurance company through which he fraudulently obtained a residential property and funds exceeding $900,000. Through Divino’s scheme, the title insurance company lost approximately $1.5 million. Divino advised the title insurance company of his purported intention to purchase two residential properties in Warren, New Jersey, and Annandale, New Jersey. Divino then falsely represented that he had wired $1.5 million for the purchase of both properties when, in fact, he never sent any funds. Divino advised the title insurance company that he no longer wished to purchase the Warren property. Relying on Divino’s false assurances that he had wired $1.5 million to the title insurance company, the title insurance company issued Divino a check for $987,000 as a refund, which Divino cashed and used to purchase personal items, including luxury cars. Divino also closed on and assumed ownership of the Annandale property, still never having provided any funds to title insurance company. In November 2018, after the closing on the Annandale property, the title insurance company discovered that Divino had never wired any money to purchase either property. When representatives from the title insurance company asked Divino about this, Divino provided them with two checks from his purported business account totaling $1.5 million. After the bank refused to honor Divino’s checks, citing insufficient funds, Divino engaged in an email exchange with an employee of the title insurance company in which he falsely assured the employee that the checks could be used to reimburse the title insurance company, or that Divino would otherwise provide the missing funds. In truth, at the time of those communications, the business account from which Divino had issued the checks had a negative balance. Divino never reimbursed the title insurance company for the fraudulently obtained funds. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. divino.indictment.pdf


title: Former Barksdale Air Force Base Civilian Employee Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – Christopher Allen-Shinn , 44, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced on child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Allen-Shinn was sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 210 months (17 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Allen-Shinn pleaded guilty on March 30, 2022, to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography. This charge was the result of an investigation by the Office of Special Investigations (“OSI”) of Barksdale Air Force Base (“BAFB”) into several cyber-tip reports received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) in April 2021. These NCMEC reports indicated that a Dropbox account registered to a BAFB resident was being used to store child pornography on a cloud account. Investigators with the Louisiana State Attorney General’s Office and OSI reviewed 37 of the images forwarded by NCMEC and confirmed that the images contained child pornography. OSI confirmed that the internet service account that was used for the Dropbox account was registered to Christopher Allen-Shinn’s residence on BAFB. He was a civilian employed as a historian at BAFB. A search warrant was executed at Allen-Shinn’s residence on April 16, 2021. During the search, OSI agents conducted an examination of some of Allen-Shinn’s computer devices and storage media. Agents identified multiple images of child pornography. Further examination of his computer revealed that the defendant received images of child pornography from December 2020 to April 2021. These images included sexually explicit images that the defendant solicited online from minor females in exchange for money. During this time period, Allen-Shinn resided at and was a full-time civilian employee at BAFB. Allen-Shinn admitted to downloading the child pornography and to soliciting underage females online for sexually explicit images in exchange for money. The case was investigated by Barksdale Air Force Base’s Office of Special Investigations and Louisiana State Attorney General’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Earl M. Campbell. # # #


title: Three Indicted For Contract Killing Of 17-Year-Old High School Student In Order To Prevent Her Testimony In Court

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Brooksville residents Lenard White (36), a/k/a “Len,” “Mike Williams,” and “Stick,” Sheldon Robinson (21), a/k/a “Poboy,” and Keshawn Woods (22) with conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which caused the death of I.S., and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. White and Robinson were also charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. Janet Williams (44, Brooksville), Robinson’s mother, has been charged with multiple counts of false statements to federal agents. If convicted on all counts, White, Robinson, and Woods each face mandatory life imprisonment, or the federal death penalty. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for each of the three false statement counts. According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, on February 6, 2023, a 17-year-old victim (I.S.) and her mother (L.P.) went to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office to report that I.S. had been sexually assaulted by White. White then contracted with Robinson and Woods to murder I.S. for $10,000 to prevent her from further pursuing criminal charges against him. The following day, Robinson and Woods arrived at I.S. and L.P.’s home and knocked on the door. When the door was opened, a barrage of gunshots were fired at I.S. and L.P. I.S. was shot four times and killed. L.P. was struck by gunfire but survived. As the federal investigation of I.S.’s murder progressed, White, Robinson, and Williams attempted to hinder the investigation by disposing of evidence, tampering with witnesses, obstructing justice, and making false statements to law enforcement. Janet Williams made her initial appearance in federal court on October 26, 2023, and was released on conditions including home detention. Keshawn Woods had his initial appearance in federal court on November 1, 2023, and was ordered detained. White and Robinson are currently in state custody. They are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court on November 9, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.


title: Former Memphis Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights and Conspiracy Charges in Connection with Death of Tyre Nichols

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: MEMPHIS – One of five former Memphis Police Department officers facing federal charges in the tragic killing of Tyre Nichols pled guilty in federal court today. Desmond Mills, Jr., 33, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris today and pled guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges arising out of the January 7 incident. On September 12, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Mills and co-defendants Emmitt Martin III, 31; Tadarrius Bean, 24; Demetrius Haley, 30; and Justin Smith, 28. The charges included using excessive force resulting in the death of Nichols; aiding and abetting each other in using that excessive force; failing to intervene to stop the excessive force; failing to render medical aid; and conspiring or taking action to cover up their misconduct. The remaining four defendants still face a federal trial scheduled for May 6, 2024. In today’s court appearance, Mills pled guilty to counts one and three of the indictment. Count one charged Mills with using excessive force and failing to intervene in the unlawful assault. Count three charged Mills with conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force by omitting material information and by providing false and misleading information to his supervisor and to others. Mills admitted to additional facts that were presented in court in connection with his plea agreement: Mills admitted to repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton and to failing to intervene in other officers’ use of force against Nichols. Mills said he watched another officer repeatedly punch Nichols in the head while two other officers restrained Nichols. Mills admitted that he did not provide any medical aid to Nichols after the beating, though he knew that Nichols had a serious medical need. He did not alert MPD or Memphis Fire Department EMTs that Nichols had been struck in the head and body. In addition, Mills participated in conversations with other officers in which they discussed, using force against Nichols, hitting Nichols to make him fall, and believing they were on the verge of killing Nichols when they saw that Nichols did not fall from the blows. Mills admitted to making false statements in connection with the arrest of Nichols, including telling his supervisor that they had done “everything by the book” and providing false information in his statements to an MPD detective tasked with writing the incident report. Finally, Mills submitted an MPD report that provided a false account of the force used on Nichols, including a claim that Mills saw Nichols “aggressively resisting” officers. Instead of admitting that he had seen an officer repeatedly punch Nichols in the head while Nichols was restrained by two other officers, Mills reported only that “Nichols was eventually put into custody.” Pursuant to the terms of Mills’s plea agreement, the government will recommend a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison. The four remaining defendants face federal charges as set forth in the indictment, which is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement. The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth Rogers, Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert, and Deputy Chief Forrest Christian of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Owner of Indian Marketing Company Admits Role in $11.5 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of a marketing company located in India admitted his role in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today. Chintan Anjaria, of India, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From February 2017 to May 2022, Anjaria participated in a kickback and bribery scheme with orthotic brace supply companies, telemedicine companies, and testing laboratories, resulting in the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Anjaria controlled a marketing company in India through which he and his conspirators identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for orthotic braces and cancer genetic tests (CGX). Employees of the company called beneficiaries and pressured them to agree to accept orthotic braces and/or CGX, regardless of medical necessity. Anjaria and his company paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies to obtain doctor’s orders for the orthotic braces and CGX tests. Anjaria then steered the doctor’s orders to orthotic brace suppliers and testing laboratories located in the U.S., with which Anjaria and his company had additional kickback arrangements. The orthotic brace suppliers and laboratories submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Anjaria and his company as payment for the doctor’s orders generated through the conspiracy. In total, Anjaria and his conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $11.5 million. The conspiracy to commit health care fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and the conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2024. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, New York Regional Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett J. Schuman of the Health Care Fraud Unit, Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, and Trial Attorney Darren Halverson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. anjaria.information.pdf


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Gun Control Act

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL WILLIAMS , age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), before U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion. According to court documents, on January 10, 2023, WILLIAMS and three other individuals were standing near the intersection of North Broad and Hope streets at the edge of the Seventh Ward. When NOPD detectives drove by in an unmarked vehicle, the individuals backed up and clutched at their waistbands, indicating to the detectives that they possessed concealed firearms. Marked NOPD units were called to the area and, upon seeing the police vehicles, WILLIAMS ran down North Broad Street and across St Bernard Avenue. While WILLIAMS was being pursued by an NOPD officer he removed a Glock Model 43 handgun that was concealed on his person and discarded it on the ground. WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and mandatory $100 special assessment fee. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: New York man sentenced to federal prison for sexual enticement of Georgia minor

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: A New York man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to enticing a Georgia minor and persuading her to travel from Georgia to New York with him. Jordan Harris, 25, of Queens, N.Y., was sentenced to 127 months in prison after pleading guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Harris to register as a sex offender and to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “A nightmare scenario for every parent is the prospect of their child being persuaded by a predatory adult to leave home,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The community is safer with Jordan Harris behind bars.” As described in court documents and testimony, a Chatham County woman approached the Garden City Police Department in December 2021 for help in locating her missing minor daughter. A few days later, the mother received information that her daughter was in New York and retrieved her to return to Georgia. Interviews with the victim revealed Harris had used online messaging applications to communicate with the minor for nearly a year before persuading her to leave with him via Greyhound bus to travel back to New York, instructing her along the way to remove the SIM card from her phone to prevent them from being tracked. Harris was arrested in November 2022 when he again traveled to Savannah to make contact with the minor. Investigators seized Harris’ phone and found evidence of at least seven other minors with whom he had similarly communicated. “Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our children from online predators,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of our children. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from those who seek to harm our most vulnerable members.” The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Garden City Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover. Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/ .


title: Bridgeport Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession Charge

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ORTEXIS RAMOS, 34, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 16, 2022, Bridgeport Police encountered Ramos, who was a passenger in an unregistered car that was stopped at the intersection of Ridge Avenue and Walnut Street in Bridgeport. When officers ordered Ramos to exit the vehicle, he attempted to flee. Ramos was apprehended a short distance away, and a search of his person revealed a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm semiautomatic handgun. In 2005, Ramos was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Judge Williams scheduled sentencing for January 29, 2024, at which time Ramos faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Ramos has been detained since his arrest. This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Violent felon sentenced for gun charge

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old Alton man has been ordered to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Juan Manuel Teran Jr., aka El Blunt, pleaded guilty June 22. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Teran to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about Teran’s history of robbery, repeated assaults on women and felony drug possession. In imposing the sentence, Judge Crane adopted findings that Teran was trafficking in narcotics at the time that he possessed the firearms. In January, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in McAllen. The incident resulted in an arrest warrant for Terran for assault on a pregnant person. Upon his arrest, authorities found Terran to be in possession of meth, cocaine, marijuana, Alprazolam, Clonazepam and heroin. He also had two firearms. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Teran was prosecuted as part of a joint Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office initiative known as Operation: Knock Down. It started in 2022 and focuses federal resources on armed and violent offenders in the Rio Grande Valley. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Guerra Jr. prosecuted the case.


title: Former Jackson Lawyer and Former Jackson Lobbyist  Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud Investors

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A former Jackson lawyer and a former Jackson lobbyist were sentenced for conspiracy to defraud investors in a timber deed investment scheme. On October 31, 2023, former lawyer Jon D. Seawright, 51, of Jackson was sentenced to serve twelve months and one day in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Former lobbyist Ted Brent Alexander, 58, of Jackson was sentenced to serve five years of probation, which includes two years of home confinement with electronic monitoring. Seawright and Alexander were ordered to pay restitution joint and severally in the amount of $977,044.53. On separate dates, Alexander and Seawright entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Alexander and Seawright conspired in a scheme to defraud investors by soliciting millions of dollars under false pretenses and by failing to use investor funds as promised. They represented to investors that they were in the business of loaning funds to a “timber broker” to buy timber rights from landowners and then to sell the timber rights to lumber mills at a higher price. Alexander and Seawright promised investors a return of 10% or more over twelve or thirteen months on each unit of invested capital. They led their investors to believe that they were inspecting each tract of land and were vetting each document, deed, and contract in support of their investments, causing investors to believe that their investments were secured by valid assets and that the financial incentives and interests of Alexander and Seawright aligned with those of the investors. In fact, Alexander and Seawright failed to inspect each property related to the timber rights underlying each investment, and they failed to verify each executed lumber mill agreement related to each investment. They made few or no such inquiries, and if they had made such inquiries, they would have discovered that the timber deeds, lumber mill agreements, and related documents had been falsified and were not valid. Alexander and Seawright also represented to their investors that Alexander and Seawright would only profit from each series of the investment if it performed as promised to the investors. This gave the investors the misleading impression that their interests were fully aligned with those of Alexander and Seawright. In fact, in addition to receiving a predetermined percentage of return on the investors’ funds, Alexander and Seawright also received undisclosed payments of approximately 3% for recruiting investments to the timber investment scheme immediately upon transferring the investment funds to the purported timber broker. They did not disclose to the investors: (a) the fact of these payments, (b) the amount of the payments in relation to the investments made, or (c) the timing of the undisclosed payments to Alexander and Seawright before any repayment was made to the investors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Eichner.


component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: One of five former Memphis Police Department officers facing federal charges in the tragic killing of Tyre Nichols pled guilty in federal court today. Desmond Mills Jr., 33, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris today and pled guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges arising out of the Jan. 7 incident. On Sept. 12, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Mills and co-defendants Emmitt Martin III, 31; Tadarrius Bean, 24; Demetrius Haley, 30; and Justin Smith, 28. The charges included using excessive force resulting in the death of Nichols; aiding and abetting each other in using that excessive force; failing to intervene to stop the excessive force; failing to render medical aid; and conspiring or taking action to cover up their misconduct. The remaining four defendants still face a federal trial scheduled for May 6, 2024. In today’s court appearance, Mills pled guilty to counts one and three of the indictment. Count one charged Mills with using excessive force and failing to intervene in the unlawful assault. Count three charged Mills with conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force by omitting material information and by providing false and misleading information to his supervisor and to others. Mills admitted to additional facts that were presented in court in connection with his plea agreement: Mills admitted to repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton and to failing to intervene in other officers’ use of force against Nichols. Mills said he watched another officer repeatedly punch Nichols in the head while two other officers restrained Nichols. Mills admitted that he did not provide any medical aid to Nichols after the beating, though he knew that Nichols had a serious medical need. He did not alert MPD or Memphis Fire Department EMTs that Nichols had been struck in the head and body. In addition, Mills participated in conversations with other officers in which they discussed, using force against Nichols, hitting Nichols to make him fall, and believing they were on the verge of killing Nichols when they saw that Nichols did not fall from the blows. Mills admitted to making false statements in connection with the arrest of Nichols, including telling his supervisor that they had done “everything by the book” and providing false information in his statements to an MPD detective tasked with writing the incident report. Finally, Mills submitted an MPD report that provided a false account of the force used on Nichols, including a claim that Mills saw Nichols “aggressively resisting” officers. Instead of admitting that he had seen an officer repeatedly punch Nichols in the head while Nichols was restrained by two other officers, Mills reported only that “Nichols was eventually put into custody.” Pursuant to the terms of Mills’s plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of no more than 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. The four remaining defendants face federal charges as set forth in the indictment, which is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement. The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth Rogers for the Western District of Tennessee and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Deputy Chief Forrest Christian of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the July 2021 robbery of a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. At the time of the robbery, the defendant was on supervised release for a 2015 federal bank robbery conviction. David A. Frates, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 77 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $20,000 to the Bristol County Savings Bank for the bank robbery. Frates was also sentenced to 33 months in prison for committing the offense while on federal supervised release for a prior bank robbery conviction. The 33-month period is to be served consecutive to the 77 months imprisonment, for a total term of 110 months in prison. On July 21, 2021, Frates was arrested and charged with the July 19, 2021 robbery of the Bristol County Savings Bank, and has remained in custody since that time. He pleaded guilty in March 2022. On July 19, 2021, an individual – later determined to be Frates – entered a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. Frates approached a teller and demanded $20,000. The teller handed Frates money from the bank’s vault and Frates exited the bank. A subsequent investigation identified Frates as the robber and he was arrested on July 21, 2021. At the time of his arrest, Frates was in possession of over $9,000 in cash. Frates was convicted in 2015 of federal bank robbery charges for the armed robbery of a St. Anne’s Credit Union branch in New Bedford and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. In May 2020, that sentence was reduced to 81 months in prison based, in part, on changes in the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Union County Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested for possessing videos depicting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Matthew T. Williams, 43, Westfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court on Nov. 1, 2023, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From February 2023 to November 2023, Williams possessed on devices in his home videos depicting child sexual abuse, which he made available for distribution through a peer-to-peer file-sharing service. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Williams’s home on the morning of Nov. 1, 2023 and discovered software open on a computer downloading child pornography. Williams had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct in New York. The charge of possession of child exploitation material carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or the gross pecuniary harm to victims of the offense. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, Child Exploitation Group under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to the charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. williams.complaint.pdf


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 180 Months Imprisonment for Violations of Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on, October 26, 2023, United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced DEREK NOLAN, a/k/a “Pop,” age 28, a resident of New Orleans, to 180 months imprisonment, following NOLAN’s guilty plea to an eleven-count superseding bill of information. According to court documents, a confidential source working with law enforcement identified NOLAN as a drug distributor. Law enforcement officers used the confidential source to conduct numerous controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from NOLAN. During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at NOLAN’s residence. Two firearms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were recovered. Since NOLAN is a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. In Count 1, NOLAN was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. In Counts 2 and 3, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Counts 4 and 5, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Counts 6, 8, and 9, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, and distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 7, NOLAN was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, that is, distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 10, NOLAN was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). In Count 11, NOLAN was charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offense, that is, conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i). As it relates to Counts 1 through 6, 8, 9, and 10, NOLAN was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment. As to Counts 7 and 11, NOLAN was sentenced to 60 months for each count, to run consecutively with each other, resulting in a 120 month sentence. Additionally, the 60-month sentence imposed for Counts 1 through 6, 8, 9, and 10, was ordered to run consecutive to the 120-month sentence. NOLAN will be placed on supervised release for 3 years following his term of imprisonment. NOLAN must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $1,100.00. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Impersonating Federal Officers in Nationwide Elder Fraud Scheme

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHRISTOPHER L. KEEL , age 53, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced today to 125 months in prison by United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle. KEEL was sentenced for his role in a nationwide elder fraud scheme in which KEEL, and his co-conspirators, falsely represented themselves to be U.S. Department of Treasury agents, in order to defraud victims of their savings. According to court documents, KEEL was arrested on April 4, 2022, by Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies in Hammond, Louisiana, while attempting to defraud a 77-year-old woman identified as “Victim A.” Deputies had received an earlier report from the victim’s son, that his mother had been contacted by people posing as U.S. Department of Treasury agents. These “agents” told Victim A that she should withdraw money from her bank accounts and send it to them for safekeeping because her accounts had been allegedly implicated in fraud or money laundering. Beginning in early March 2022, Victim A transferred approximately $60,000 via Green Dot cards to the “agents.” The “agents” also instructed Victim A to give an additional $60,000 to another “agent” on April 3rd. Victim A complied and handed over this sum to the “agent”, later identified as KEEL , at a mall in Hammond. The next day, the perpetrators called Victim A and instructed her to withdraw the remaining funds from her accounts and hand them over as well. Victim A’s bank contacted her son, who then called the police. While deputies met with Victim A on April 4th, the “agents” called her again and gave her instructions to hand over the rest of her money. Deputies arranged a sting operation and arrested KEEL after he approached Victim A in the mall parking lot. Victim A identified KEEL as the same man she met with the prior day. Deputies seized a cell phone and hotel receipts from KEEL . Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) continued the investigation and learned that KEEL and a co-conspirator, had traveled to New Orleans from Seattle within the past 48 hours using plane tickets purchased with the same credit card. HSI Agents identified another victim (“Victim B”), a 76-year-old woman, who had been defrauded out of $300,000. A search of KEEL’S phone showed that he sent a photograph of a box with Victim B’s name and address on it. Victim B said she used this box to deliver her money to the “agent” she met with in Tukwila, Washington. HSI Agents also identified another victim (“Victim C”), an 80-year-old woman living in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. HSI Agents learned that Victim C had withdrawn $36,000 from her account because purported federal “agents” called and told her that her accounts had been compromised. However, prior to delivering the money, local police were contacted and waited at her home. Police observed a vehicle circle near Victim C’s house then depart. An officer recorded the vehicle’s license plate. Later, HSI Agents obtained rental records showing that the vehicle had been leased by a co-conspirator at the time of the attempted fraud. The search of KEEL’S cell phone revealed his contacts with other co-conspirators, dating back to 2021, and his travel to other states, including Texas and Oklahoma, to further the conspiracy. HSI and Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents determined that, since October 2021, KEEL and his co-conspirators caused approximately $4,498,327 in losses, actual and attempted, to 31 victims located throughout the United States. KEEL previously had pleaded guilty to both counts of the superseding indictment pending in this case. As to Count 1, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Judge Lemelle sentenced KEEL to 125 months in prison and three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States, KEEL was sentenced to 36 months in prison and one year of supervised release, both terms to be served concurrently. KEEL was also ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessment fees. Judge Lemelle ordered that a restitution hearing be set on December 6, 2023. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov. If you need assistance or to report elder abuse, please contact your local adult protective services agency through the Eldercare Locator or by call the helpline at 1-800-677-1116 Monday – Friday 9am - 8pm EST. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm EST. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Field Office, in investigating this matter. U.S. Attorney Evans also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Detroit Field Office,) the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Homeland Security Investigations (Seattle Field Office,) the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, for their assistance in this successful prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne, Senior Litigation Counsel, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigations into Conditions in South Carolina Jails

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has opened two separate civil investigations into the conditions in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina. Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered from stakeholders, the department has found significant justification to open these investigations. The department received credible allegations that incarcerated persons have died from use of force, gross medical neglect or suicide in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. The department also received credible allegations that the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is structurally unsafe and that there have been sexual assaults, homicides and prevalent violence resulting in serious injuries. “People confined in local jails across our country do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching these investigations to determine whether the jail conditions in two of South Carolina’s largest counties comply with basic constitutional standards. We are committed to ensuring that people held inside jails and prisons are not subjected to excessive force, violent conditions, inadequate medical and mental health care, and other dangerous physical conditions while in the custody of their local government.” “Our office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights and ensuring the safety of all people in South Carolina, including those being detained or incarcerated in county detention centers,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We look forward to working with the Civil Rights Division to ensure the safety of those housed in these facilities.” These facilities are both local jails, separately operated and funded by Charleston and Richland Counties. The Sheriff Al Cannon Detention center is operated by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is operated by the County through a Director. The investigation of the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center will examine medical and mental health care, use of isolation and use of force. It will also examine whether the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office discriminates against persons with disabilities inside the Detention Center. At the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the department will examine living conditions and whether the detention center fails to protect incarcerated individuals from violence. Before this announcement, officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina notified Charleston and Richland County officials, and officials in both counties have pledged to cooperate with the investigation. The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. Both investigations will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Al Cannon Detention Center investigation will also be conducted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of people confined to correctional facilities. The department’s work has led to important reforms to protect the rights of people in jails and prisons. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting these investigations jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of South Carolina. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department about the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-3201 or by email at Community.Glenn@usdoj.gov and the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-4059 or by email at Community.Cannon@usdoj.gov . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons .


title: Woonsocket Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Woonsocket man today admitted to a federal judge that he possessed more than one thousand images and videos of child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Appearing in U.S. District Court in Providence, John F. Tracy IV, 40, admitted that he stored images and videos depicting child pornography in a storage-cloud, and on multiple digital storage devices and a cell phone that were seized from his Woonsocket home during a court-authorized search on July 14, 2022. According to information presented to the court, forensic audits of the devices revealed 1,059 images and 24 videos depicting child pornography. Tracy pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dulce Donovan and Julie M. White. The matter, first brought to the attention of law enforcement in a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. ###


title: Leader of Violent Armed Robbery Spree in Hampton Roads Sentenced

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Bloods gang member was sentenced today to 507 months in prison for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, seven counts of interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, Harold Spencer, 33, of Virginia Beach, was the leader of a five-man armed robbery crew with Kareem Ross, 34, of Hampton, Roshaun Griffin, 36, of Virginia Beach, Jon Morgan, 32, of Portsmouth, and Marvin Lockhart, Jr. 32, of Virginia Beach. On March 18, 2022, Spencer led Virginia Beach Police on a high-speed pursuit following an attempted robbery of a Tiger Mart gas station. A pursuing Virginia Beach police cruiser’s dash camera captured the men throwing several loaded weapons from their car. Only after spike strips were deployed multiple times did the car finally come to a stop. Spencer and the other men were apprehended, and police recovered ski masks and gloves from inside their vehicle. The clothing and shoes each of them was wearing matched what could be seen in video surveillance from six prior armed robberies. During the second of six-armed robberies, Spencer shot multiple times at a fleeing customer, nearly killing the customer. Spencer took a “selfie” on his cell phone wearing a ski mask worn in all six robberies—a ski mask, which was recovered after the high-speed pursuit and later was shown to contain his DNA. His cell phone also contained photographs of Ross holding a handgun with a drum magazine, multiple Glock firearms consistent with those thrown from the fleeing vehicle, large sums of cash, and lottery tickets. The armed robbery crew stole cash, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. Investigators from the Virginia Lottery received alerts from convenience stores where attempts were made by Spencer and Ross, to cash the stolen tickets. Investigators pulled the surveillance video from those attempts and identified both men. Additionally, through a shoe impression expert from the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, investigators were able to connect the shoes Spencer was arrested in with a lift of an impression made at the Arrowhead Food Mart he had robbed on March 5, 2022. Those shoes could be seen at all six armed robberies Spencer had committed. Several months before this armed robbery spree, Morgan had recently completed a ten-year prison sentence for a previous armed robbery. Spencer was also previously convicted of an armed robbery. In 2012, Spencer robbed the Golden China restaurant in Norfolk where he struck a victim in the head. He was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court to 10 years incarceration with 8 of the years suspended. Ross was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Griffin was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Morgan will be sentenced on November 17. Lockhart will be sentenced on February 2, 2024. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Paul W. Neudigate, Chief of Police, Virginia Beach Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Depadilla and John F. Butler and prosecuted the case. The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime . Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-106.


title: Federal Contractor Sentenced For False Reporting

body_text: An Abilene man and federal contractor with United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office (USPO) was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jacob William Kinkade, 44, was charged via criminal information on June 20. He pleaded guilty to one count of false and fraudulent claims against the United States and was sentenced today to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered him to pay $5,392 in restitution and a $6,000 fine. According to plea documents, the investigation began in March 2023 when the Federal Bureau of Investigation received information that Mr. Kinkade was billing for individual therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, telephonic therapy sessions, and urinalysis collections that didn’t take place. The investigation revealed several text messages between Kinkade and an individual, Witness 1, who was on supervised release with USPO. Witness 1 was provided counseling services by Kinkade Family Services (KFS), which is owned and operated by Mr. Kinkade. When text messages were compared to supervision records, multiple anomalies were discovered for services rendered that Mr. Kinkade billed to USPO. When interviewed, Mr. Kinkade admitted that for the last three years, starting in 2020, he did not follow USPO’s reporting requirements and billed USPO for services not provided. KFS contract with USPO accounted for 80% of all KFS revenue. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Tusing prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Murder, Drug, Firearm, and  Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracies

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, JULIUS ALEXANDER , a/k/a “Juju,” a/k/a “O’Block,” a/k/a “O,” a/k/a “Baldhead,” a/k/a “topgoon,” pled guilty on November 1, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to Counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of a superseding bill of information charging him with murder, as well as to various violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and Hobbs Act robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2024. Count 1 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride and heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 84l(a)(l), (b)(l )(B), (b)(1)(C), and 846. For this charge, ALEXANDER faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. Count 2 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to use firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). For this charge, ALEXANDER faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. Count 3 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to commit Hobbs Act Robberies, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. ALEXANDER faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. Count 4 charged ALEXANDER with causing death through the use of a firearm, stemming from his role in a murder on January 31, 2020, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j)(1). ALEXANDER faces a sentence of any number of years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward section of New Orleans. As a result, ALEXANDER , and nine others, were indicted for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. ALEXANDER’s plea documents detail his role as a drug trafficker, ALEXANDER often possessed firearms, both as a robber of drug dealers, and as a participant in two murders, that occurred on December 2, 2019 and January 31, 2020. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Mayor of Riverdale, Ill. Indicted on Perjury and Obstruction Charges

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted the mayor of Riverdale, Ill. for allegedly lying under oath in a civil deposition and corruptly obstructing a lawsuit that claimed the mayor retaliated against a former city vendor. LAWRENCE JACKSON, 49, of Riverdale, Ill, is charged with one count of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, according to the indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General, Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Franzblau and Kirsten Moran, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Netols. According to the indictment, Tri-State Disposal Inc., a waste management company in Riverdale, filed a civil lawsuit against Riverdale and Jackson in 2018, alleging that Jackson retaliated against Tri-State by refusing to renew its garbage collection contract with the city. The owners of Tri-State had spoken out publicly against the city’s issuance of a zoning permit that allowed a recycling and waste transfer business to operate in Riverdale. The recycling business was owned by an individual aligned with Jackson who had allegedly assisted the mayor in replacing Tri-State with a different garbage collection company. Tri-State’s lawsuit alleged that Jackson caused the city to give preferential treatment to the recycling business at the expense of Tri-State. Jackson participated in a deposition in the suit on Feb. 25, 2021, and answered questions under oath by an attorney for Tri-State. Jackson’s answers were intended to conceal his relationship with the recycling company’s owner, including the owner’s extensive involvement in the operations of Centennial Holdings, a trucking company that Jackson and his wife owned on paper, but which was effectively operated by the recycling company’s owner for Jackson and his wife’s benefit, the indictment states. In the deposition, Jackson falsely testified that a Riverdale village administrator introduced him to the other garbage collection company and recommended that it replace Tri-State, even though he knew that the recycling company’s owner made the introduction and recommendation, the indictment states. During the deposition, Jackson exchanged text messages with the recycling company’s owner regarding the topics being discussed, the indictment states. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The obstruction charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the perjury charge carries a maximum sentence of five years. Jackson indictment


title: Escape from Federal Custody Results in Prison Sentence

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Waterloo man who escaped from federal custody at the Waterloo Residential Reentry Center was sentenced November 1, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison. Chaston Fox, age 30, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2023 guilty plea to escape from federal custody. In a plea agreement, Fox admitted he was sentenced in May of 2020 to serve 47 months’ imprisonment in federal prison for possession of a firearm. In May 2022, Fox was placed in the Waterloo Residential Reentry Center to complete his federal sentence. On October 1, 2022, Fox escaped from the facility and remained a fugitive until he was arrested in December of 2022. Fox was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Fox was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Fox is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Waterloo Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-02032. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads  Guilty to Federal Drug  Trafficking and Firearms Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On November 1, 2023, TORY DUNCAN , age 28, pled guilty to Counts 4 and 5 of a superseding indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and Oxycodone, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C) (Count 4) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (Count 5), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. As to Count 4, DUNCAN faces a term of imprisonment between five and forty years, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count 5, DUNCAN faces a term of imprisonment between five years and life, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. DUNCAN is set for sentencing on February 28, 2024. According to court records, on March 24, 2022, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) responded to an anonymous tip of a man carrying a firearm in the St. Thomas Housing Development. Upon arrival at the 1900 block of St. Thomas Street, officers observed DUNCAN who, at the sight of the officers, fled. DUNCAN jumped a fence with a black semi-automatic firearm in hand and ran to a nearby parking lot where he was apprehended by police. The officers recovered the firearm, a Glock Model 29, 10 mm caliber pistol; $2,029 in U.S. currency; and a vehicle key fob from DUNCAN . The vehicle key fob corresponded to a gray Infiniti sedan in the parking lot where officers initially encountered DUNCAN . A search of that vehicle led to the seizure of 78.66 grams of fentanyl, 1002 multi-colored pills found to contain methamphetamine, 35 pills of Oxycodone, a digital scale, razor blades, loose plastic bags, and paperwork bearing DUNCAN’s name. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Lutcher Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – TROY MALBROUGH , age 48, of Lutcher, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 1, 2023 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, a quantity of heroin, a quantity of fentanyl, and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration began a drug-trafficking investigation into MALBROUGH's organization in 2019 and uncovered a conspiracy between MALBROUGH and others, to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Additionally, MALBROUGH himself purchased and distributed these controlled substances within the Eastern District of Louisiana. In 2018, MALBROUGH distributed fentanyl to an individual who later died after ingesting that fentanyl. MALBROUGH faces a sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo will sentence MALBROUGH on February 21, 2024. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Three Men Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charge for Allegedly Murdering Man To Increase Positions in Chicago Street Gang

body_text: CHICAGO — Three men have been indicted on a federal racketeering charge for allegedly murdering a man to maintain and increase their positions in a violent Chicago street gang. CAMERON CALLISON, 24, JUAN ALCARAZ, 23, and VICTOR RAMIREZ, 24, all of Chicago, are charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering. Callison, a previously convicted felon, is also charged with illegally possessing a handgun. The indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It accuses the trio of murdering Victor Ochoa on June 17, 2019, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the Ambrose street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violence and trafficked narcotics. Ochoa was fatally shot while riding in a vehicle in the 2900 block of North Broadway in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The defendants were arrested this morning and will make initial appearances in federal court in Chicago this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be seeking to have the defendants detained pending trial. The indictment and arrests were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Nutini and Maureen McCurry. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison, and the death penalty is also possible. The firearm charge against Callison is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Callison et al indictment


title: Meyersdale Man Sentenced to 132 Months in Prison and 5 Years of Supervised Release for Possessing with Intent to Distribute and Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Meyersdale, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 132 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Eric Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Stephen Walter age 54, of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, on November 1, 2023. According to information presented to the court, Walter admitted that on or about May 24, 2022, he possessed with the intent to distribute and did distribute approximately 392 grams of actual, or pure, methamphetamine in Meyersdale, PA. Walter also accepted responsibility for nine criminal cases that are pending against him in the Somerset County Court of Common Pleas involving the possession, possession with intent to deliver, and delivery of controlled substances. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Mr. Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar, and the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Walter.


title: Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced to Prison for International Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

component: Civil Division

body_text: Two Nigerian nationals who were extradited to the United States from Spain were sentenced to 128 and 87 months in prison for their roles in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With today’s sentencing, five defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain in connection with this matter have been sentenced. According to court documents, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, who was sentenced today to 128 months of incarceration, was the lead defendant of a group of fraudsters who sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendant and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then instructed those former victims to forward the fraud proceeds to others. On Oct. 23, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 87 months of imprisonment. Three other co-defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. On June 21, Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel to 82 months in prison; on July 25, Judge Williams sentenced Jerry Chucks Ozor to 87 months in prison; and on August 29, Judge Williams sentenced Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to 90 months in prison, for their roles in the scheme. “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We thank our colleagues at the Spanish National Police and the Ministry of Justice for assisting with the successful investigation and extradition of these defendants. This prosecution is a testament to the critical role of transnational collaboration in tackling transnational crime.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas for the USPIS Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.” “HSI has a long history of aggressively pursuing criminals to ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown for HSI Arizona. “When criminals indiscriminately target the elderly or otherwise vulnerable, the impact and harm is particularly long-lasting. These sentences send a message to those around the world who think they can escape our laws - anyone who engages in or facilitates deceptive practices like these will not go undetected. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to hold those criminals accountable and bring justice to victims.” The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS and HSI are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .


title: Browning man admits sexual abuse, domestic assault charges

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused in two separate cases of sexually abusing a teenager and of domestic assault on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges on Nov. 1, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Merlyn Marceau, 40, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse and to domestic assault by habitual offender. Marceau faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the crime of aggravated sexual abuse, and a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the crime of domestic assault by habitual offender. A plea agreement reached in the cases calls for both matters to be sentenced at the same time and for the sentences in each case to run concurrent to each other. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for March 27, 2024. Marceau was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on June 27, Marceau sexually abused a 13-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, in a shed at a residence. The government also alleged that on June 24, Marceau and a separate victim, also identified as Jane Doe and with whom he had been in a romantic relationship, began arguing. Marceau assaulted Jane Doe by striking her repeatedly. Marceau disclosed the assault to the FBI in an unrelated interview. Marceau had two prior domestic assault convictions from Browning Tribal Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Blackfeet Child Protective Services investigated the sexual abuse case, and the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the domestic assault case. XXX


title: Justice Department Awards Rhode Island Law Enforcement Agencies More Than $3.3 Million in Public Safety Grants

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha joins the Justice Department today in announcing several new commitments as part of the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime . Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide Through this funding, U.S. Attorney Cunha is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded a total of more than $3.3 million to Rhode Island to combat violent crime and maintain public safety. Grant awards to Rhode Island law enforcement agencies include $2.5 million for the Providence Police Department to hire twenty police officers; $400,000 to the South Kingstown Police Department to implement Crisis Intervention Teams; $220,514 to fund a Providence Police Department De-Escalation Program; $67,500 to fund a Tiverton Police Department School Violence Prevention Program; and $132,518 to the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission to enhance existing law enforcement accreditation entities. “Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.” “This Office’s strong and enduring relationships with our state and local law enforcement partners are critical to our work keeping Rhode Islanders safe, taking violent criminals off our streets, and standing up for the victims of crime,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “These grants will help fund innovative approaches that enhance public safety and deepen law enforcement’s connections to the communities we serve.” “For almost 30 years, the COPS Office has worked to reduce crime and increase trust between law enforcement and the community through the many different grant programs that we offer,” said Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. of the COPS Office. “The funding we are announcing today will go a long way toward advancing this very important work.” The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California. Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA. Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here . # # #


title: Former Stockbroker Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Penny-Stock Securities Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A California man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his involvement as the principal stock trader in a sophisticated securities fraud scheme that generated tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits. Joseph A. Padilla, 54, of Carlsbad, Calif. and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 66 months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit $3 million and pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. On Aug. 17, 2023 , Padilla pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, two counts of securities fraud and one count of attempting to cause the production of an identification document without lawful authority. Padilla was charged in March 2023 along with an alleged co-conspirator. Padilla is a former stockbroker who was barred from the securities industry in 2012 by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Between 2020 and 2022, Padilla conspired with others to commit securities fraud by facilitating and participating in market manipulation schemes involving the concealed-control of the shares of penny-stock companies. Specifically, between in or about January and July 2021, Padilla participated in a market manipulation scheme involving the shares of Oncology Pharma, Inc., a thinly traded company that traded on the over-the-counter securities market under the ticker symbol ONPH. As part of the scheme, a co-conspirator allegedly caused nearly all of ONPH’s free-trading shares to be transferred to multiple brokerage accounts for the benefit of Padilla’s clients at the Cayman Islands broker Valor Capital, with which Padilla had a close, unofficial association. Padilla then engaged in manipulative trading in ONPH designed, at least in part, to artificially drive up the company’s stock price. Padilla then began dumping the ONPH shares, which were under common control, to unsuspecting investors in Massachusetts and throughout the United States during a promotional campaign, generating illicit proceeds in the tens of millions of dollars. Additionally, between February 2021 and April 2021, Padilla participated in a similar scheme involving the shares of Charlestowne Premium Beverages Inc., a thinly traded company that traded on the over-the-counter market under the ticker symbol FPWM. As part of the scheme, Padilla orchestrated an effort designed, at least in part, to artificially increase Charlestowne’s stock price. He then facilitated the sale of millions of Charlestowne’s shares during a promotional campaign to unsuspecting investors in Massachusetts and throughout the United States, generating illicit proceeds in the millions of dollars. Padilla was arrested on a criminal complaint in August 2022 and released on pre-trial conditions, which included surrendering his passport and not obtaining another passport. While on pre-trial release, Padilla attempted to acquire a fraudulent Ukrainian passport so that he could flee prosecution. Padilla was arrested in January 2023 for violating his terms of release and his pre-trial release was revoked. If you traded in ONPH and/or FPWM during the time periods indicated above and believe that you may be potential victims of this fraud, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-padilla-et-al . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys James R. Drabick and Ian J. Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: In Celebration of 2nd Anniversary, Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice Publishes Report on Economic Justice Policies that Reduce Reliance on Fines and Fees

component: Office for Access to Justice

body_text: Commemorating the 2nd anniversary of the reestablishment of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ), the office today published Access to Justice Spotlight: Fines & Fees , a report that highlights the most common and innovative approaches taking place across the country to reduce reliance on criminal and civil fines and fees. When fines and fees are assessed without consideration of ability to pay, they can have a devastating impact on a person’s life. Individuals who are unable to pay court-assessed fines and fees can face snowballing financial penalties, extended justice-system involvement, suspended driver’s licenses and unnecessary incarceration. Associate Attorney General Gupta tasked ATJ with preparing the spotlight report to expand upon the principles set forth in the department’s Dear Colleague Letter issued in April that cautioned against practices to assess fines and fees that may be unlawful, unfairly penalize individuals who are unable to pay or otherwise have a discriminatory effect. The report is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers looking to decrease systemic reliance on fines and fees as a source of revenue and to redress the harms fines and fees can cause. It reviews 12 categories of promising practices jurisdictions are employing across the country, from eliminating certain categories of fees altogether, to implementing meaningful ability to pay determinations, regulating debt collection and discharging existing debt. The report also includes a section addressing specific approaches jurisdictions can take to reduce the unintended harms of juvenile fines and fees. “In just two years, the Office for Access to Justice has demonstrated the importance of establishing a stand-alone office dedicated to the mission of access for all,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The office has launched initiatives to expand access to legal assistance; promote access to justice for veterans, those in rural communities, individuals with disabilities, low-income communities, and those who have limited English proficiency; and to promote data, innovation and the integrity of legal systems.” “Over the last two years, our office has worked expeditiously and strategically to onboard a talented professional team and to develop initiatives that promote access to justice for all,” said Director Rachel Rossi of ATJ. “This report demonstrates how collaboration with partners across the country and world can drive this mission forward, to ensure justice belongs to everyone, not only those with wealth or status.” In crafting the report, ATJ conducted listening sessions and solicited feedback from dozens of organizations, policymakers, advocates, academics, law enforcement leaders and court leaders who are pursuing a more just approach to fines and fees. Access to Justice Spotlight: Fines and Fees is part of ATJ’s ongoing efforts to promote economic justice in civil and criminal legal systems. The mission of ATJ is to ensure access to the promises and protections of our civil and criminal legal systems for all communities, regardless of wealth or status. Since it was reestablished in October 2021, the office has launched a number of initiatives, including: Expanding language access by hiring the first department-wide Language Access Coordinator, reconvening the Justice Department’s Language Access Working Group, leading efforts to update the Justice Department’s Language Access Plan for the first time in over a decade, and launching a pilot Translation Initiative, that has supported more than two dozen DOJ offices and 14 United States Attorneys’ Offices by providing technical assistance in translating printed and digital content into over 30 languages; Supporting public defense by co-leading a review of access to counsel in Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) pretrial facilities at the direction of Deputy Attorney General Monaco that culminated in publication of the July 2023 Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Pretrial Facilities , partnering with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to sponsor a report, Gideon at 60: a Snapshot of State Public Defense Systems and Paths to System Reform on public defense system models in state, local, and Tribal jurisdictions, and leading a nation-wide tour to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright , joined by Justice Department senior officials, to meet with public defense leaders and impacted communities across the country; Promoting successful reentry by leading six other federal agencies in the drafting and publication of the Reentry Coordination Council (RCC)’s Report , which sets forth recommendations to Congress to reduce barriers to successful reentry, and working with justice system impacted individuals to host a Reentry Simulation that allowed high level federal officials better understand the many complex barriers people face after being released from incarceration; Directing and staffing the work of the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR), including by publishing Access to Justice in the Age of COVID-19 (2021) , and Access to Justice through Simplification, a Roadmap for People-Centered Simplification of Federal Government Forms, Processes, and Language (2022) , and by hosting annual principal convenings of LAIR’s 28 federal agency leaders; Modernizing the DOJ Pro Bono Program by staffing over 25 different Pro Bono clinics across the country, mobilizing federal attorney volunteers from over 50 participating federal agencies to take on representation in over 200 pro bono matters, and by modernizing and streamlining the Pro Bono Program through the launch of the DOJ Pro Bono Portal; Pursuing access to justice for rural and Tribal communities, Veterans and individuals with disabilities, including through partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to host listening sessions with legal aid providers who are assisting Veterans in the VA administrative process, launching a partnership with the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI) and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) to promote and share resources and host roundtables on federal Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) and Veterans reentry programs with U.S. Attorneys, publishing Advancing Equal Access to Justice for Americans with Disabilities: Moving Towards Closing the Justice Gap on the 33rd Anniversary of the ADA ; and engaging in a series of law school visits across the country to promote legal help in rural and Tribal communities; Assisting the U.S. with implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 16, including by participating in the 31st Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and providing technical assistance during negotiations of the first-ever resolution on access to justice which was adopted by the Commission; Prioritizing people-centered justice and engagement by meeting with and learning from innovative leaders and community members in 24 states where access to justice solutions are being developed, hosting quarterly convenings with the nation-wide state Access to Justice Commissions, and hosting quarterly convenings with the public defense community.