title: Tacoma man sentenced to 5+ years in prison for persistent fentanyl trafficking while illegally possessing firearms

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A Tacoma man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release for dealing fentanyl while armed with a handgun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Peter Darnell King, 24 was arrested in September 2022, following a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Tacoma Police Department (TPD). At today’s sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “Controlled substances, including fentanyl, as in this case, have had a huge impact on the community. Quite literally, they are killing people.” “Peter King contributed to the addiction and violence plaguing the most dangerous street in Tacoma by regularly dealing fentanyl out of his hotel room on Hosmer Street,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “He was arrested three times within 11 days, each time with fentanyl and a gun, and each time he immediately returned to trafficking a deadly drug when he was released from custody.” According to records filed in the case, in May 2022, law enforcement learned of King’s drug dealing activity and began an investigation. ATF conducted undercover buys of fentanyl pills from King at his apparent residence, the Econo Lodge motel on South Hosmer Street. In July 2022, King was arrested by Tacoma Police officers who encountered him in the parking lot of a Home Depot store. He had nearly 1,000 fentanyl pills and a firearm was observed in his vehicle. The following day, after his release from custody, Lakewood Police contacted King at a gas station near the Tacoma Mall because his car appeared to have no license plates. King became agitated and was taken into custody – he had over 100 fentanyl pills and a firearm in his pockets. The third arrest last summer was August 6, 2022, when King was found asleep in his car while a young toddler played unrestrained in the front passenger seat. King had a loaded firearm in his lap and 182 fentanyl pills in a coin purse at his waist. ATF conducted a series of undercover operations at the Econo Lodge in mid-August, during which King was seen numerous times engaging in drug trafficking behavior. The final arrest was on September 7 in a joint operation by ATF and the Tacoma Police Department. Officers executed a search warrant at the Econo Lodge, during which they seized three firearms, body armor, ammunition, and fentanyl. King pleaded guilty in April 2023 to Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. In asking for a nine-year prison sentence Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster wrote to the court, “Firearm possession, particularly in connection with drug trafficking, puts the community at significant risk. Every time King was stopped by police and found with distribution levels of fentanyl in the summer of 2022, he also had a gun. When Tacoma Police took one firearm, he had a new one days later. And King did not just keep a firearm at his hotel room, he carried guns with him and his drug stash as he moved throughout the community. He also kept both fentanyl and firearms in reach of his small child, as seen in August and September of 2022. A substantial prison sentence is necessary to not only punish King but to protect the public.” The case was investigated by ATF and the Tacoma Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster.


title: St. Clair County Felon Sentenced to 51 Months on Gun Charges

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon from Cahokia Heights, Illinois to 51 months in prison for possessing a pistol converted into a machine gun at a St. Louis, Missouri hotel. On Dec. 9, 2021, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers caught Henry Miller with a 9mm Glock pistol that had been modified with a device, sometimes referred to as a Glock “switch,” that converted it into a fully automatic weapon. The Glock had a 29-round extended magazine. A 17-round magazine was also in the satchel. Police had been summoned to the hotel after Miller rented a room using a stranger’s credit card information. Later in the day, police found him in the lobby with a blue satchel containing the Glock and a backpack that contained 300 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, $2,889 in cash and another conversion device. The Glock conversion device alone, even if not attached to a weapon, is a machine gun under federal law. There has been a dangerous increase in the devices being used and found in the St. Louis area and around the country. Miller later admitted knowing that the Glock had been modified and admitted testing it to see if it worked. Miller, 33, pleaded guilty in February to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of one or more machine guns. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: Alabama Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for  Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Bellamy, Alabama man was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court documents, Willie Roger Starks, Jr., 30, was found in possession of a firearm by a Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Deputy on October 27, 2019, during a traffic stop. Starks had a .40 caliber pistol in his car. Starks has a prior felony conviction for Burglary of a Dwelling and was under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections at the time. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Starks to possess any firearm. Starks was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on March 14, 2023 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime .


title: Eight Indicted, Accused of Stealing 19 Rental Cars in Nationwide Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Eight people have been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on charges alleging that they defrauded a national car rental company and stole at least 19 vehicles worth more than $1.1 million. Tyrell A. Oliver, 38, and Steven B. Matthews, 39, both of Atlanta, and New York residents Shawnta B. Fonseca, 32, Reginald M. Glenn, 35, Rashad Holder, 33, James E. McGhaney, 34, Marlique J. McGhaney, 33, and Daquasia M. Robinson, 32, were each indicted on a wire fraud conspiracy charge July 19. Other charges include wire fraud or both aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday as arrests began. The indictment accuses the conspirators of reserving rental cars using stolen credit card information and stolen identities and then picking up and never returning those vehicles. The indictment says Oliver and other co-conspirators obtained stolen credit card information and personally identifying information belonging to multiple identity theft victims in the United States. Oliver then made car rental reservations using the stolen personal information and paid co-conspirators to pick up the vehicles, which were primarily SUVs, the indictment says. The conspirators flew to airports in the eastern United States and Midwest and used fake driver’s licenses and counterfeit credit cards to pick up the vehicles, the indictment says. “This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how criminals use people’s stolen identities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Perpetrators can easily and cheaply buy an endless supply of personal and credit card information. While the company in this case was the direct victim, innocent people were initially accused of theft because their stolen identities were used to commit the fraud.” Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Russian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Russian National has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Anton Vikharev, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Between on or about January 2015 and continuing through March 1, 2018 Vikharev and others engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by filing false and fraudulent federal income tax returns using stolen identities. Tax returns claimed fraudulent refunds, which were deposited into bank accounts defendants controlled. The proceeds from the fraudulent refunds were withdrawn from ATMs in cash, deposited into other bank accounts, and wired to bank accounts in Russia. In this scheme, 7,167 false and fraudulent tax returns were filed for tax years 2011- 2016. The returns claimed $11,178,361 in fraudulent refunds. The Internal Revenue Service paid at least $2,020,569 in fraudulent tax refunds. Conspirators wire transferred at least $1,411,082 to bank accounts in Russia. As part of his plea agreement, Vikharev will be required to pay restitution. Under federal statutes, Vikharev is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-CI.


title: Española Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Jail for Carjacking

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Martin Lopez was sentenced to 9 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Lopez, 38, of Española, New Mexico, on Oct. 14, 2022, of one count each of carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. A federal grand jury indicted Lopez on March 12, 2021. According to court records, on Oct. 31, 2020, the victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who had been dating Lopez, ended the relationship that morning. Later that same day, she and a friend, Jane Doe 2, attempted to deliver Lopez’s belongings to his friend who worked at an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store in Española. As Jane Doe 1 was retrieving Lopez’s belongings from her vehicle, Lopez appeared, threatened both women with a gun, forced his way into the driver’s seat and drove away with the two Jane Does. Lopez struck both victims with his gun as he drove to nearby apartment complex where he pushed Jane Doe 2 out of the moving vehicle. Lopez threatened to kill her if she called the police. Before being pushed out, Jane Doe 2 was able to dial 911. The 911 recording captured the victims’ terrified screams and was played for the jury at trial. Lopez continued to drive Jane Doe 1 to a secondary location for a period of time. Later, New Mexico State Police were able to locate the car, Jane Doe 1, and Lopez. However, when law enforcement arrived, Lopez fled the area in Jane Doe 1’s vehicle. Lopez has prior domestic violence related misdemeanor convictions from 2014, wherein he was given a suspended sentence and his probation was revoked three times. Lopez has been arrested on at least four other occasions for felony charges, none of which resulted in a conviction. Lopez’s sentencing guidelines were calculated at 154 to 177 months. The United States requested a sentence of 177 months. The court imposed a sentence of 108 months (9 years) imprisonment. The United States commends Jane Doe 2 and the other witnesses who testified in this case. Upon his release from prison, Lopez will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Mexico State Police investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaymie L. Roybal and Letitia Carroll Simms are prosecuting the case. Anyone experiencing domestic violence or who knows someone experiencing domestic violence can reach an advocate at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). In New Mexico, the Domestic Violence Resource Center is available by telephone at (505) 843-9123 or online at https://dvrcnm.org/. # # # 23-161


title: Shiprock Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearms Offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Jason E. Begay was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Begay, 42, of Shiprock, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, possessing a firearm in furtherance of such crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court records, on January 23, 2023, Begay admitted that on November 14, 2022, he was found by Navajo Nation Police Department officers in a vehicle with a black handgun, and multiple plastic bags with methamphetamine. The total weight of the plastic bags was 6.8 pounds. Begay admitted to having the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Begay also admitted to being a convicted felon who knew that it was not lawful to possess a firearm or ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Begay will be subject to 5 years of supervised release. FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-162


title: Young man faces life for selling Fentanyl-laced pills causing death

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 21-year-old Corpus Christi man has entered a guilty plea to delivery of Fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios aka Kross acknowledged he possessed and delivered a substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl (a schedule II controlled substance), the use of which resulted in the death of a person. On Dec. 10, 2022, authorities responded to a reported drug overdose and discovered a non-responsive individual pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was acute Fentanyl toxicity. The investigation led to the discovery that the victim had purchased pills from Rios who then delivered them Dec. 9, 2022, to a parking lot where a party was occurring. The victim consumed them during that event. Witnesses described the pills as “press made” hydrocodone pills which may have contained Fentanyl. On Jan. 17, law enforcement encountered Rios at a residence in Corpus Christi in possession of a plastic bag containing “pressed” pills as well as some additional loose powder and partial pills. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the pills and powder in the plastic bag did contain Fentanyl. As part of his plea, Rios admitted to selling counterfeit “pressed” hydrocodone pills similar those found in his possession on Jan. 17 to the victim on the evening of Dec. 9, 2022. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing Oct. 17. At that time, Rios faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison as well as a possible $1 million fine. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the cooperative law enforcement effort targeting Fentanyl with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass and Mathis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. is prosecuting this case.


title: Several convicted in $16 million cartel drug conspiracy

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A total of 22 people in South Texas and Mexico have pleaded guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to transport large quantities of marijuana for Cartel del Noreste (CDN), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Laredoan Joe David aka JD Moreno, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. Throughout the course of the investigation, authorities seized over 35,000 pounds (approximately 17.5 tons) of marijuana valued at approximately $16.4 million. Moreno admitted to purchasing a utility truck used to transport numerous loads of marijuana throughout Laredo. He coordinated several narcotic smuggling transactions, paid co-conspirators for their involvement and reported directly to cartel leaders in Mexico. This investigation revealed a complex conspiracy which began in February 2019 and continued through April 2020. Authorities ultimately apprehended Moreno on March 25, 2022, in Monterrey, Mexico. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno faces up to life in federal prison and possible $10 million maximum fine. A total of 21 other conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in transporting narcotics on behalf of CDN. Moreno has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. National Guard; Webb County District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Constable’s Office Precincts 1 and 4; Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Blue Indigo Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Francisco Rodriguez are prosecuting this case.


title: Anchorage Man Guilty on All Drug and Firearm Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal jury convicted an Anchorage man yesterday on three felony counts, including one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and two firearm related charges, following a trial spanning a week and a half. The charges included one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charles Rashid Malik Lee, aka “Cheese”, 41, had been under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Lee’s residence and vehicle in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 12, 2021. Agents made contact with Lee inside the residence and discovered a total of over 150 grams of methamphetamine, over 100 grams of heroin and over 90 grams of cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, these controlled substances had a total street value of over $54,000. Agents also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers, including digital scales, branded baggies and two loaded handguns, among other findings. It was later determined that one of the digital scales had Lee’s fingerprint on it. Agents also discovered over $165,000 in cash that was hidden in multiple locations around the residence, including a crawl space. Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021. Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for a later date. Lee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years. He will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentence. “Charles Lee’s conviction is yet another step in our joint effort with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to make Alaskan communities safer for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office and partners are committed to using our resources to hold individuals accountable for the destruction their actions have on our communities.” “Those responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities, threatening the health and safety of Alaskans in the process, will continue to face justice in this District,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Unyielding in our pursuit, stopping the flow of deadly drugs into our communities continues to be a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners.” The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Alana Weber prosecuted the case. ###


title: Smoke Shop Owner Who Fled to Brazil in 2014 Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Selling K2

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who sold K2 from a smoke shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and who fled the country in 2014 after being charged with federal drug crimes was sentenced July 25, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison. Mohammad Al Sharairei, age 47, previously from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 12, 2022 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of maintaining a premises for the distribution of controlled substance analogues and one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substance analogues. The evidence at trial showed that in 2012 and 2013, Al Sharairei and his wife owned and operated a smoke shop on First Avenue in Cedar Rapids called Puff N Stuff II. During June 2013, federal agents raided Puff N Stuff II and seized thousands of packets of K2 which were labeled as “novelty items,” “potpourri,” and “incense” and contained a warning that the products were “not for human consumption.” Some names of the “potpourri” products were Bizarro, Grave Digger, Lights Out, and Mega Kush. The substances in the packages were determined to contain synthetic cannabinoids called PB‑22 and 5F‑PB‑22. Trial evidence showed that these synthetic cannabinoid substances are far more potent than marijuana and have been associated with severe psychological and physical effects, including death. Trial evidence showed that, despite labeling the products as “not for human consumption” and having a store policy that customers could not talk about smoking the products, Al Sharairei himself smoked the “incense.” Evidence at sentencing showed that, even after the June 2013 DEA raid of his business, Al Sharairei continued selling synthetic cannabinoids. In August 2013, Al Sharairei and his wife called the police to report a theft of synthetic cannabinoids from a vehicle at their Cedar Rapids residence. When responding police informed Al Sharairei that they would be calling DEA to seize the rest of the synthetic cannabinoid products in the vehicle, Al Sharairei declared that he did not care if they took it, and that he had already ordered another shipment that would be on the way. Trial evidence also showed that after Al Sharairei was charged and appeared in federal court, he fled the country in 2014 prior to a scheduled hearing. He remained a fugitive until he was extradited back to the United States from Brazil. Seized store records from Puff N Stuff II showed that between January 2012 and June 26, 2013, the store had sold over $1.3 million in synthetic cannabinoid products. At sentencing, the judge found that Al Sharairei was responsible for over 78 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids. The sentencing judge commented that Al Sharairei’s actions were “brazen” and that his business selling synthetic cannabinoids in packaging labeled “not for human consumption” was “a total scam.” Al Sharairei was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Al Sharairei was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently. He also was ordered to forfeit $425,000 in drug proceeds. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Al Sharairei is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam Vander Stoep. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 14‑CR‑63‑LTS‑MAR.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced in Relation to  February 2021 Shooting in Marion

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who shot a Marion man eight times in February 2021 was sentenced today to the maximum possible punishment, a decade in federal prison. Anthony Fisher, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 26, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. The evidence at trial showed that, on February 16, 2021, Fisher and two other men broke into a Marion man’s residence with the intent of stealing money and possibly marijuana. Immediately after the three men entered the residence, Fisher shot the Marion man eight times without any apparent provocation. The three men, including Fisher, then fled the scene. Emergency personnel responded quickly and provided aid to the victim, who survived. The victim’s young child was also found near where the victim had been shot. Law enforcement never recovered the firearm Fisher used to shoot the victim; however, the jury found Fisher unlawfully possessed the eight rounds of ammunition used to shoot the victim. At the time of the shooting, Fisher was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as he was a felon. Fisher had previously been convicted of interference with official acts – dangerous weapon, a felony offense, in state court in April 2020. Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Fisher was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment, the highest sentence allowed by statute. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-00013-LTS.


title: Drug User Who Possessed Firearm  Sentenced to 66 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: A man who discharged firearms in December 2021 and May 2022 was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison. Romeo Kuykendall, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 22, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that, in December 2021, Kuykendall shot multiple times in the air and then at an occupied vehicle. Some of the bullets hit a neighboring occupied residence. Part of this shooting was captured on smart doorbell footage taken from the house that was hit. Then, in May 2022, Kuykendall again discharged a firearm, this time in a residence with a sleeping child. Law enforcement received a 911 call based on this incident and later stopped a vehicle that Kuykendall was in. In the vehicle, officers found two firearms that Kuykendall admitted were his. Kuykendall also admitted that he used marijuana multiple times a week and his urine tested positive for marijuana metabolites. Kuykendall was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Kuykendall was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Kuykendall 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 Liz Dupuich and Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake. It was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department. 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-2046. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Utica Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Matthew Brooks, age 37, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 108 months (nine years) in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli. Brooks was also sentenced to a 5-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $3,377.00 in cash, and four firearms. As part of his previous guilty plea in November 2022, which occurred mid-way through his federal jury trial, Brooks admitted that he sold and packaged fentanyl, used his apartment to distribute fentanyl to customers, rented cars for other members of the conspiracy, and possessed firearms at his residence in connection with the drug conspiracy. New York State Troopers and Utica Police Investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on July 30, 2021, seizing 60 bags of fentanyl, $3,377.00 in cash, and four loaded firearms. The search warrant execution followed a complex investigation stretching over several months. Matthew Brooks was the latest of member of the fentanyl distribution conspiracy to be sentenced: Jahari D. Brown, Jr., 23, of Utica, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on April 26, 2023, to serve 216 months (18 years) in federal prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. He also pled guilty in Oneida County Court to Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, and was sentenced to serve a total of 18 years in state prison and 5 years of post-release supervision. The Federal and New York State sentences are to be served concurrently. Chief Assistant District Attorney Todd C. Carville and Oneida County Executive Assistant District Attorney Grant J. Garramone prosecuted Jahari D. Brown, Jr. in Oneida County Court. Kymani K. Minott, 20, of Utica, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on July 14, 2022, to serve 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Daequon D. Perkins, 27, of Utica, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on November 10, 2022, to serve 33 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Mark W. Baker, 45, of Utica, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on May 18, 2023, to serve 110 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Melisa Muminovic, 26 , of Utica, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 1, 2023. The case was investigated by the New York State Police-Special Investigations Unit (NYSP-SIU) and the Utica Police Department (UPD), assisted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the New York State Police-Violent Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew McCrobie and Richard Southwick prosecuted the case.


title: Former D.C. Police Union Vice Chairman Sentenced for Time and Attendance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Medgar Webster Sr., 52, of Washington, D.C., was ordered to pay full restitution to the District of Columbia for defrauding the city and the Metropolitan Police Department of $33,845.59. Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Webster to six months in jail, suspended, 6 months of supervised probation, and 54 months of unsupervised probation. Webster pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, in Superior Court, to one count of first-degree felony fraud for committing time and attendance fraud on the Metropolitan Police Department. According to court documents, Webster, a former MPD officer and Vice Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, engaged in unauthorized outside employment at three Whole Foods Market locations in Washington, D.C. between January 2021 and April 2022, while concurrently employed by MPD. Although employment outside of MPD may be permitted in certain circumstances, Webster never submitted the necessary administrative forms or received the proper authorizations, which are required by MPD, in part, to maintain records of an MPD member’s hours worked throughout the year. Acting unchecked during this period, Webster stole more than $33,845 from MPD after billing MPD for regular, overtime and holiday hours that he never worked. In total, Webster worked more than 1,400 hours of outside employment at Whole Foods, of which 514 hours were worked simultaneously with time he fraudulently reported working for MPD. This double-billed time included submissions by Webster for 246.5 hours in overtime pay, at an adjustable hourly rate of $79.67 per hour. This fraud prosecution is the result of a partnership between the Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, and MPD Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the matter, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayly Leighton, on detail from the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute local fraud and public corruption cases .


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: WASHINGTON – A jury, sitting in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, today found Jonathan Johnson, 35, of Washington, D.C., guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The verdict follows a three-day trial before the Honorable Florence Y. Pan, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 15, 2023. According to the evidence presented at trial, shortly after 6:00 pm, on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, members of the Metropolitan Police Department patrolling on 13th Street SE, Washington, D.C., saw the defendant crouch behind his car and heard a gun dropped on the concrete curb. MPD Officers approached the defendant and found a gun lying where the defendant was previously bent down. Further examination revealed that the gun was modified with a “giggle” or “selector” switch, which turned the semi-automatic gun into a fully automatic machine gun. In addition, the firearm was loaded with 22 bullets in an extended magazine. In announcing the conviction, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Birney, Lauren Renaud, Janani Iyengar, William G. Hart, who investigated the case, and Josh A. Gold and Colin Cloherty who prosecuted the case.


title: Former Oakland Police Chief Sentenced for Misuse of Public Funds

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Terry A. Poland, 34, of Fremont, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 25, 2023, by the Honorable Michael D. Nelson, United States Magistrate Judge, to three years of probation, 60 days of which must be served in jail as a condition of probation. There is no parole in the federal system. Poland pleaded guilty in April 2023 to Misuse of Public Funds. Poland paid $14,631.00 in restitution, agreed to surrender his law enforcement certification, and not to work as a law enforcement officer in the future. During February 2020 to January 2021, Poland purchased about 27 gift cards in four transactions from a sporting goods store operating in Nebraska, using the charge account that the City of Oakland had at the store. Poland was the Oakland Police Chief at the time. The total value of the gift cards that Poland acquired with Oakland’s funds was $14,631.00. Poland used the gift cards to acquire items for the use of himself and family members. Poland purchased among other things women’s and children’s clothing, an ice fishing house, an auger, fishing equipment and a basketball backboard. Poland made most purchases using the gift cards at store locations in Nebraska but made at least one purchase online. An outside auditor questioned the acquisition of the gift cards. At the request of the outside auditor, the Oakland City Clerk requested additional receipts from Poland. Poland stated that all the gift cards were used to purchase ammunition for the Oakland Police Department and provided to the City Clerk five purported receipts, each captioned “Purchase Statement.” Each Purchase Statement was purportedly from the store and reflected the purchase of ammunition on a particular date during August 2020 to January 2021. The Purchase Statements that Poland provided to the City Clerk were phony. They were not issued by the store, and the transactions, item numbers, and item descriptions did not match the store’s records. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 85 Months for Felon in Possession

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Federico Cortez, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Cortez had multiple prior felony convictions out of the State California for gang activity and one for felon in possession of ammunition. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cortez to a term of 85 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Between July 7, 2022 and July 8, 2022, Cortez sold weapons that were stolen from a burglary of a firearms store, Frontier Justice gun club, to an undercover informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”). After Cortez sold the stolen weapons, ATF searched his residence where they recovered another stolen firearm. Cortez argued for a lower sentence, but Judge Buescher found the circumstances of the crime deserved a lengthier sentence and ordered Cortez be immediately remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service. 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.


title: Omaha Woman Convicted of Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Fabiola Diaz, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Diaz to 100 months’ imprisonment. He also ordered her to serve 3 years of supervised release after her release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Between January 2020 and August 13, 2020, Diaz conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Omaha area. On January 14, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the Omaha residence Diaz shared with her boyfriend and co-defendant, Steven Garcia, and seized 22.6 grams of actual methamphetamine. On August 13, 2020, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction against Diaz and purchased 22 grams of actual methamphetamine. On November 17, 2020, law enforcement made another controlled buy against Diaz after which she fled in her vehicle. While fleeing, Diaz struck two police cars, recklessly placing law enforcement in danger before being arrested. Steven Garcia has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 17, 2023. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.


component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jorge R. Lopez, 31, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lopez to 30 months’ imprisonment on the robbery charge and 84 months’ consecutive on the brandishing charge, resulting in 114 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from federal prison, Lopez will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On July 1, 2022, officers responded to a radio call to Ground Floor Guitar in Omaha for an armed robbery. The store owner told officers that two men entered the store separately before displaying a black handgun and robbing the store owner of cash and property, specifically several guitars and at least one amplifier. Various customers were also robbed by being instructed to “hand over their wallets.” Codefendant Marco Lopez instructed all the victims to move down into the basement where he locked them and a dog into a bathroom, telling them not to come out or he would “shoot them,” while displaying a handgun. The victims eventually left the bathroom and called 9-1-1. On July 2, 2022, Omaha Police were responding to a tip related to a residential break-in, which identified codefendant Marco Lopez as a suspect. Marco is cousins with Jorge Lopez. Jorge Lopez was interviewed and admitted that both he and Marco Lopez had robbed the guitar store and that Marco took the cash and guitars with him to Texas when he left after the robbery. Police searched the truck used in the robbery, finding a wallet belonging to one of the victims and other materials linking the truck to the robbery. Marco Lopez was located and arrested in Texas before being extradited to Nebraska. Marco Lopez has pleaded guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Tyler Crawford, 32 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Crawford was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in January 2023 police officers attempted to pull over Crawford’s car, but instead of complying, he fled at a high rate of speed. During the pursuit, Crawford threw bags of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun out of the car. Officers recovered the methamphetamine, which totaled over 150 grams along with the firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Vermont Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Cocaine in New Hampshire

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Vermont man was sentenced in federal court in Concord for unlawfully possessing quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Damien Rousseau, Jr., 31, formerly of Vershire, Vermont was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 10, 2023, Rousseau plead guilty to unlawful possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. “This office is committed to prosecuting drug traffickers who possess firearms and large quantities of narcotics for distribution in New Hampshire, and surrounding states, to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Methamphetamine and cocaine are insidiously dangerous drugs that continue to ravage New Hampshire. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement, the defendant was brought to justice and our communities will be free from his drug dealing.” “DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Poly Drug Trafficking Organizations like this one headed by Mr. Rousseau, who are responsible for distributing drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take these poisons off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” On May 11, 2022, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center security personnel determined that Rousseau was in a patient’s room while in possession of a bag that contained a small quantity of narcotics and a drug ledger. The Lebanon Police Department responded and observed that Rousseau’s BMW vehicle, in the medical center’s parking-lot, had methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. A drug detecting canine also alerted the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. The defendant was arrested and released on bail. The following day, May 12, 2022, the Lebanon Police Department observed Rousseau trespassing in their secure-impound lot. After finding him hidden in the BMW, officers arrested him and executed a search warrant on the vehicle. Law Enforcement seized approximately 436 grams of methamphetamine, 98.66 grams of cocaine, 10.5 grams of fentanyl, three loaded firearms, assorted loose ammunition, $2,179, and 20 assorted silver and gold-colored coins. This matter was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration- Manchester District Office and Burlington Vermont Resident Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lebanon Police Department, and the Vermont State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis. ###


title: Clay County Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Unlawfully Possessing A Sawed-Off Shotgun

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Dylan Milton Jarvis (31, Orange Park) to one year and four months in federal prison for unlawful possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm (sawed-off shotgun). Jarvis was found guilty after a bench trial on April 25, 2023. According to court documents, at approximately 5:30 pm on January 11, 2022, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to calls of shots fired near Blanding Boulevard, a heavily traveled road in Orange Park. Eyewitnesses in the area described an individual, later identified as Jarvis, carrying a shotgun and firing multiple rounds. Upon making contact with Jarvis in a parking lot, the deputies determined that Jarvis had fired three to four shells from a Harrington & Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, then discarded the firearm. The deputies located the shotgun in the immediate vicinity of the parking lot, along with multiple spent shotgun shells. During an interview with CCSO, Jarvis admitted to illegally modifying the shotgun. Further investigation by the CCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that Jarvis previously sawed off the barrel and the stock of the 12-gauge shotgun. A record check confirmed that this sawed-off shotgun was not registered to Jarvis in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Joint Statement from Mexico and the United States on Shared Efforts to Combat Illicit Fentanyl, Disrupt Arms Trafficking, and Humanely Manage Migration

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: On July 24, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and senior Government of Mexico officials hosted a U.S. delegation led by Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo, and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Rich Verma to further the significant cooperation that our countries already have undertaken, including on the global fight against illicit fentanyl and dual-use chemical substances, combatting arms trafficking, managing migration, and modernizing our shared border. This meeting built on previous high-level meetings led by Dr. Sherwood-Randall and Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez. The leaders discussed our commitment to continuing joint efforts under the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities to combat drug traffickers, disrupt the supply of the chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl, prevent trafficking of these deadly narcotics across our shared border, and promote public health services to reduce harm and demand and increase treatment services. Our countries also recognize that discovering, disrupting, and dismantling firearms trafficking networks is critical to our shared efforts to combat illicit fentanyl, and we remain committed to addressing firearms trafficking that contributes to violence and destruction on both sides of our shared border. The leaders also discussed the challenges and progress in cooperation regarding regional migration and committed to continue to forge a region-wide response, guided by the principles in the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. To that end, the United States and Mexico committed to further expand the availability of legal pathways throughout the region, including to Mexico and the United States. Leaders also discussed expanding our joint development work in Central America, and maintaining strong consequences for irregular entry at our shared border. Finally, the United States and Mexico committed to furthering ongoing work to modernize and advance infrastructure projects that support our border communities and benefits both nations and strengthens our bilateral relationship and security.


title: Final Defendant Sentenced in Multi-State Dogfighting Ring

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – Yesterday the final defendant prosecuted as part of an extensive investigation into a dogfighting and drug distribution network was sentenced to 46 months in prison. According to information in the public record, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating several individuals, including Herman Tyrone Washington, 51, of Highland Springs, in connection with a drug investigation. Through court-authorized electronic surveillance of co-conspirator Kenneth Otey’s phone, law enforcement officers analyzed over 400 conversations between the co-conspirators discussing their involvement and participation in dogfighting activities over two months. The ensuing investigation revealed that, between December 2017 and August 2021, the conspirators organized contract matches—an agreed-upon fight negotiated by two parties for dogs of a specific weight and gender to take place on a set date, with an established purse and forfeit— and roll fights—a short fight between two dogs to test the dogs’ fighting abilities, usually for the purpose of sport and entertainment. They also transported dogs in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to participate in dog fights; bred and trained dogs to fight; and at least one of the conspirators killed losing dogs by drowning them in buckets of water. The conspirators used private messaging applications, including Meta and Telegram, to communicate with other people, including to coordinate fights and post videos of fights and training techniques. They collectively sponsored an animal in or attended at least 59 dog fights during the conspiracy. In November and December 2020, law enforcement executed five residential search warrants and seized 93 dogs that were being used in connection with the dogfighting criminal organization. The Court found the animal fighting venture to involve extraordinary cruelty and to be of exceptional scale. “The inhumane treatment of animals, especially ones bred to be companions for humans is not only strictly illegal, but deeply cruel,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We have sought significant sentences in this case because the mistreatment of animals is a serious crime born of malicious intent. These dogs deserved better.” “Dogfighting is not a sport, it’s a brutal crime against animals who rarely escape death unless liberated by law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The lengthy sentences faced by Washington and others who conspired in this dogfighting ring illustrate that those who seek to profit from the suffering of animals face significant prison time.” “Dog-fighting is an extremely violent and abhorrent activity that profits from the abuse and neglect of animals,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office. “With today’s sentence, these criminals will be served justice for profiting from this abuse,” “This successful prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation and a fantastic example of long term, effective cooperation between local, state and federal resources,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. “Dog fighting is a serious, cruel offense that often is connected to additional narcotic and gun crimes. I’m proud of my team’s role and hard work that contributed to justice being served.” Washington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pitbull-type dog for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. As a condition of his supervised release, Washington is prohibited from owning or possessing dogs or their reproductive cells. Washington was the last of seven individuals charged in this conspiracy. Those individuals were collectively sentenced to a total of 534 months imprisonment and each will serve a multi-year period of supervised release. Like Washington, the other defendants are prohibited from owing or possessing dogs during their supervised release. The following co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this prosecution: Kenneth L. Otey, Jr., 48, of Richmond, was sentenced to a total term of 300 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two drug offenses, a firearm offense, and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Connell Samuel Stukes, Sr., 49, of Rembert, South Carolina, was sentenced to a total term of 63 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pit bull-type dog for purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Raymond Johnson, 42, of Richmond, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to a firearm offense and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Jerome Donte Smith, 35, of Richmond, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and sponsoring an animal in an animal fighting venture. At the time of his offense conduct, Smith was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal drug conviction. Antonio Thomas Ruffin, 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to a total term of 36 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to transporting a pit bull-type dog for purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of an animal for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Royal Washington, 51, of Charles City, was sentenced to a term of 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division; and Jason Miyares, Virginia Attorney General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Special thanks to United States Marshal Service, FBI Baltimore Field Office, Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force, Richmond Animal Care and Control, the Henrico County Police Division, Sussex Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore Animal Services and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony and Trial Attorneys Banumathi Rangarajan and William J. Shapiro of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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. 3:22-cr-132.


title: SSNDOB Marketplace Administrator Pleads Guilty To Charges Related To His Operation Of A Series Of Websites That Sold Millions Of Social Security Numbers

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, along with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter for the IRS - Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge David Walker for the FBI - Tampa Division, announces that Vitalii Chychasov (37, Ukraine) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and trafficking in unauthorized access devices relating to his administration of SSNDOB Marketplace, a series of websites that operated for years and were used to sell personal information, including the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers belonging to individuals in the United States. The SSNDOB Marketplace has listed the personal information for millions of individuals in the United States, generating more than $19 million in sales revenue. On June 7, 2022, seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the SSNDOB Marketplace, effectively ceasing the website’s operation. Chychasov faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, and as part of his plea agreement, he has agreed to forfeit the internet domains BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS, which were used to commit the offenses and were part of the series of domains that comprised the “Marketplace.” Chychasov also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $5 million, the proceeds of the access device fraud. Chychasov was arrested in March 2022 while attempting to enter Hungary; and was extradited to the United States in July 2022. A second SSNDOB Marketplace administrator, Sergey Pugach, was arrested in May 2022. According to court records, the SSNDOB administrators created advertisements on dark web criminal forums for the Marketplace’s services, provided customer support functions, and regularly monitored the activities of the sites, including monitoring when purchasers deposited money into their accounts. The administrators also employed various techniques to protect their anonymity and to thwart detection of their activities, including strategically maintaining servers in various countries, and requiring buyers to use digital payment methods. Stolen Social Security numbers can be used to commit a variety of frauds, including United States tax fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, loan fraud, credit card fraud, and the like. Investigators determined that a single buyer from the site used stolen personal identifying information that he purchased to steal and launder nearly $10 million. The U.S. investigation was led by the IRS - Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the FBI – Tampa Division, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices responsible for Latvia and Cyprus, the Latvian Police, and the Cypriot authorities. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones and the asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.


body_text: The final defendant prosecuted as part of an extensive investigation into a dogfighting and drug distribution network was sentenced for his crimes in federal court. Herman Tyrone Washington, 51, of Highland Springs, Virginia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne for the Eastern District of Virginia to serve 46 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Washington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pitbull-type dog for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. As a condition of his supervised release, Washington is prohibited from owning or possessing dogs or their reproductive cells. Washington was the last of seven individuals charged in this conspiracy. Collectively, the individuals were sentenced to a total of 534 months’ imprisonment, and each will serve a multi-year period of supervised release. Like Washington, the other defendants are prohibited from owing or possessing dogs during their supervised release. “Dogfighting is not a sport, it’s a brutal crime against animals who rarely escape death unless liberated by law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The lengthy sentences faced by Washington and others who conspired in this dogfighting ring illustrate that those who seek to profit from the suffering of animals face significant prison time.” “The inhumane treatment of animals, especially ones bred to be companions for humans is not only strictly illegal, but deeply cruel,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We have sought significant sentences in this case because the mistreatment of animals is a serious crime born of malicious intent. These dogs deserved better.” “Dog-fighting is an extremely violent and abhorrent activity that profits from the abuse and neglect of animals. With today’s sentence, these criminals will be served justice for profiting from this abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Richmond Field Office. “This successful prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation and a fantastic example of long term, effective cooperation between local, state and federal resources. Dog fighting is a serious, cruel offense that often is connected to additional narcotic and gun crimes. I’m proud of my team’s role and hard work that contributed to justice being served,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. According to information in the public record, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating several individuals in connection with a drug investigation. Through a court authorized electronic surveillance of co-conspirator’s Kenneth Otey’s phone, law enforcement officers analyzed over 400 conversations between the co-conspirators discussing their involvement and participation in dogfighting activities over two months. The ensuing investigation revealed that between December 2017 and August 2021, the conspirators organized contract matches (an agreed-upon fight negotiated by two parties for dogs of a specific weight and gender to take place on a set date, with an established purse and forfeit) and roll fights (a short fight between two dogs to test the dogs’ fighting abilities, usually for the purpose of sport and entertainment). They also transported dogs in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to participate in dog fights; bred and trained dogs to fight; and at least one of the conspirators killed losing dogs by drowning them in buckets of water. The conspirators used private messaging applications, including Meta and Telegram, to communicate with other people including to coordinate fights and post videos of fights and training techniques. They collectively sponsored an animal in or attended at least 100 dog fights during the conspiracy. In November and December 2020, law enforcement executed six residential search warrants and seized 93 dogs that were being used in connection with the dogfighting criminal organization. The Court found the animal fighting venture to involve extraordinary cruelty and to be of exceptional scale. The following co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this prosecution: Kenneth L. Otey, Jr., 48, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 300 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two drug offenses, a firearm offense, and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Connell Samuel Stukes, Sr., 49, of Rembert, South Carolina, was sentenced to a total term of 63 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pit bull-type dog for purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Raymond Johnson, 42, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to a firearm offense and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Jerome Donte Smith, 35, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and sponsoring an animal in an animal fighting venture. At the time of his offense conduct, Smith was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal drug conviction. Antonio Thomas Ruffin, 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to a total term of 36 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to transporting a pit bull-type dog for purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of an animal for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Royal Washington, 51, of Charles City, Virginia, was sentenced to a term of 15 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. The FBI, DEA, and the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia investigated the case. Special thanks go to United States Marshal Service, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force, Richmond Animal Care and Control, the Henrico County Police Division, Sussex Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore Animal Services and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Trial Attorneys Banumathi Rangarajan and William J. Shapiro of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.


title: Two Members of Austin Fentanyl Distribution Organization Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – Two Austin area men were sentenced Monday in federal court in Austin to more than seven years in prison for their involvement in a fentanyl distribution organization. According to court documents, Christopher Brock, 25, of Pflugerville, and Marcos Roberto Garcia aka “Alex,” 20, of Somerton, Arizona, were arrested with other organization members on Jan. 4, 2022, on charges of distributing fentanyl in the Austin area. Brock served as a courier and retail dealer of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl. Garcia was identified as the main source of the supply, purchasing the pills from Mexico and, with the help of co-conspirators, orchestrating their shipment from Arizona to Austin via the U.S. Postal Service. Agents began investigating the organization in March 2021, in response to fentanyl overdoses in and around Austin. On Monday, Brock was sentenced to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Garcia was sentenced to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release. “The defendants in this case took part in a large enterprise of criminal activity and will now face federal prison time thanks to the united efforts of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The penalties handed down to these young men should serve as examples to anyone who considers getting involved in these dangerous drug trafficking operations.” "This sentence results from coordinated efforts that dissolved an enterprise profiting off our communities through manufacturing and distributing fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. "Fake pills threaten the American people. We caution every person never to take any pharmaceuticals unless prescribed by a licensed physician and dispensed from a licensed pharmacy. DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization bringing these deadly fake pills into our communities." Eight codefendants have been sentenced since January. Adi Martinez Marquez, 21, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was sentenced to 14 months in prison; Ezequiel Azmitia-Jimenez, 20, of Lockhart, was sentenced to 36 months; Fernando Beltran, 22, of Austin, and Oliver Garcia, 21, of Lockhart, each received 180-month prison sentences; Matthew Juan, 20, of Austin, was sentenced to 90 months in prison; Andres Ruben Ramirez, 24, of Austin, was sentenced to 48 months; Daemon Garcia, 20, of San Marcos, was sentenced to 30 months; and Michael Bauman, 19, of Austin, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison. The DEA, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Austin, Cedar Park, San Angelo and San Marcos Police Departments investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall prosecuted the case. ###


title: Thomas Jefferson University to Pay $2.7 Million to Resolve Allegations of Improper Use and Retention of Federal Student Loan Funds

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: Philadelphia, PA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that Thomas Jefferson University will pay $2.7 million to resolve allegations that it misused and improperly retained federal funds intended to be used for student loans. The allegations arise from a loan program established by Congress to address the nation’s shortage of primary care physicians. Under the program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”), the government issues a Primary Care Loan award to a medical school to establish a revolving loan account to provide loans on favorable terms to students willing to commit to practicing in primary care for ten years after completing their medical degree (a “PCL Fund”). Under the terms of the program, participating medical schools must loan monies in the PCL Fund to medical students who meet the program’s qualifications. The school is to add any earnings that accrue on the PCL Fund back into the fund, thereby increasing the monies available to lend and expanding the program’s impact. Any monies in the PCL Fund that exceed a school’s PCL Program lending needs must be returned to HRSA annually so they can be made available to students at other medical schools participating in the program. The settlement resolves allegations that between 2009 and 2016, Jefferson invested nearly all of its PCL Fund with its endowment, and retained the resulting earnings for its own purposes, in violation of loan program terms. Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that Jefferson improperly invested federal monies expressly intended to be loaned to qualified medical students to finance their medical education, and retained all returns gained from that investment. These actions allegedly violated HRSA student loan program requirements that: (1) program monies be used only for loans to students and program-related expenditures; (2) any excess cash in the PCL Fund (any amount of the monies not actively on loan or projected to be in the near future) be kept in federally insured accounts “whenever possible;” (3) all earnings accrued on the PCL Fund be placed into the fund to be used to further the program’s purpose; and (4) any excess funds not needed for student loans, including any earnings accrued on any idle funds, be returned to HRSA annually. Jefferson returned approximately $5.6 million of excess cash in the PCL Fund to HRSA in 2017. The settlement announced today resolves claims relating to the earnings Jefferson is alleged to have gained as a result of its investment of the PCL Fund between 2009 and 2016, and its retention of those earnings, in violation of program terms. “The Federal financial aid money in the Primary Care Loan program must be used for its intended purpose or returned to the program,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “When a medical school wrongfully retains Primary Care Loan program funds that exceed its lending needs, it doesn’t just deprive students at other participating schools the opportunity to use that money to finance their educations. It deprives our communities of the very resource the program was implemented by Congress to provide—primary care physicians to keep them healthy and strong. Our office is dedicated to helping HRSA and our other federal partners maintain the integrity of their programs, and to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used for their intended public good and not private investment income.” “When schools agree to participate in the Primary Care Loan program, they must carefully account for these federal funds to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used for public good. When a school wrongfully keeps these funds from the program, it prevents other recipients from using them to meet the primary care needs of the community,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work with our partners at HRSA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations relating to any misuse—including wrongful retention—of federal funds.” “HRSA takes proper management and oversight of financial assistance seriously,” said Cynthia Baugh, HRSA’s Associate Administrator of the Office of Federal Assistance Management and Chief Grants Management Officer. “We appreciate the collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will continue to actively work with our law enforcement partners when we identify potential misuse of federal funds.” The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. The investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren DeBruicker, Auditor Dawn Wiggins, and Fraud Investigator Jeffrey Braun. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on July 19, 2023, charging a Jefferson County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Jonathan Rivera, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 10, 2023, Rivera possessed a Taurus GC3, 9-millimeter, semi-automatic handgun, and ammunition. Rivera was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On September 14, 2009, in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Rivera was convicted of two counts of burglary in the second degree. The defendant made his initial court appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Charlotte Woman Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges For $1.5 Million COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jeannetta Blackmon, also known as Jeannetta Regan, 48, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering for obtaining more than $1.5 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Relief Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program loans for herself and her customers, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed plea documents, other court filings, and Blackmon’s admissions during the plea hearing, from April 2020 to November 2021, Blackmon executed a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and SBA-backed lenders by obtaining fraudulent COVID-19 disaster relief funds for her businesses, J Renee Enterprises, Jeannetta Renee Girls Talk (JR Girls Talk), and Jrenee Investments (JR Investments). To obtain the relief funds, Blackmon submitted applications and supporting documents that contained false and fraudulent information regarding her businesses’ income, number of employees, gross revenues, and expenses. Blackmon also created and submitted fabricated bank statements and checks, in furtherance of the scheme. As a result of the fraudulent loan applications, Blackmon received more than $319,000 in disaster relief funds. Blackmon also admitted to obtaining more than $300,000 in loan preparation fees from customers who paid Blackmon to prepare and submit on their behalf PPP and EIDL loan applications that contained false information, to include false employment data, inflated business income and expenses, and false tax information. Based on the fraudulent information, Blackmon’s customers received more than $1.2 million in disaster relief funds. To avoid detection, Blackmon directed her customers to pay her fees in checks or peer-to-peer payments. Blackmon was released on bond after her plea hearing. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for the money laundering offense is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley is in charge of the prosecution. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Justice Department Advances Proposed Rule to Strengthen Web and Mobile App Access for People with Disabilities

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department sent to the Federal Register for publication a notice of proposed rulemaking under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that aims to improve web and mobile applications (apps) access for people with disabilities and clarify how public entities – primarily state and local governments – can meet their existing ADA obligations as many of their activities shift online. Across the United States, people routinely rely on web and mobile apps to access a variety of vital public programs and services like employment and educational resources, voting information, health and emergency services, parking, and transit schedules. The proposed rule is particularly significant in the wake of the pandemic, as public entities have significantly increased the scope of essential services and programs offered through the web and mobile apps. It is critical for these technologies to be accessible for people with disabilities. “This marks the first time in the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act that the Justice Department has issued a proposed rule on website accessibility,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This proposed rule seeks to ensure that Americans with disabilities have equal access to the websites and apps that connect them to essential services provided by state and local governments.” “This proposed rule, which is the culmination of years of work and collaboration, is a historic moment for the Justice Department,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “It will help enshrine the right of Americans with disabilities to access critical information needed to lead safe, productive, and prosperous lives.” “This proposed rule marks a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to advance accessibility in the digital sphere,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking moment makes clear our commitment to eradicating the barriers faced by people with disabilities and affording equal access to online government programs and services that people around the country depend on every day. We will continue to use every tool available to ensure that people with disabilities are provided full access to the digital town square.” As state and local governments continue to move more of their programs and activities online – from applying for permits to checking the status of service requests, registering vehicles, and paying taxes and fees – ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to these same services is essential. When websites and mobile apps are not accessible, they can be difficult or even impossible for people with disabilities to use. This can block people with disabilities from readily accessing important government services and programs that others can quickly and easily obtain online. The Department is eager to hear from the public and get input from relevant stakeholders on the regulatory proposal set forth in our forthcoming proposed rule. The proposed rule will soon be available for review on the Federal Register’s website at www.federalregister.gov . A fact sheet that provides information about the proposed rule will soon be available on www.ada.gov . The Department invites the public to submit their comments on the proposed rule once it is published. The comment period will be open for 60 days from the date the proposed rule is published. Public comments can be submitted on www.regulations.gov . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit the Department’s website . For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit the ADA website .