title: Multiple Foreign Nationals Charged in Connection with Trickbot Malware and Conti Ransomware Conspiracies

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON - Three indictments in three different federal jurisdictions have been unsealed charging multiple Russian cybercrime actors involved in the Trickbot malware and Conti ransomware schemes. According to court documents and public reporting, Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants, including Conti. Conti was a ransomware variant used to attack more than 900 victims worldwide, including victims in approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant. “The Justice Department has taken action against individuals we allege developed and deployed a dangerous malware scheme used in cyberattacks on American school districts, local governments, and financial institutions,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Separately, we have also taken action against individuals we allege are behind one of the most prolific ransomware variants used in cyberattacks across the United States, including attacks on local police departments and emergency medical services. These actions should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who target America’s critical infrastructure that they cannot hide from the United States Department of Justice.” “Today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to bringing the most heinous cyber criminals to justice – those who have devoted themselves to inflicting harm on the American public, our hospitals, schools, and businesses,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Cyber criminals know that we will use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify them, tirelessly pursue them, and disrupt their criminal activity. We, alongside our federal and international partners, will continue to impose costs through joint operations no matter where these criminals may attempt to hide.” “The defendants charged in these three indictments across three different jurisdictions allegedly used their cyber knowledge and capabilities to victimize people and businesses around the world without regard for the damage they caused,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments should serve as a reminder that no matter a cybercriminal’s location, we will identify and pursue them by doing everything in our power to ensure they face the consequences of their actions.” “Conti ransomware was used to exploit our financial systems and target hundreds of innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The Secret Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate cybercriminals and bring offenders to justice.” As detailed below, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio returned an indictment charging Maksim Galochkin, aka Bentley; Maksim Rudenskiy, aka Buza; Mikhail Mikhailovich Tsarev, aka Mango; Andrey Yuryevich Zhuykov, aka Defender; Dmitry Putilin, aka Grad and Staff; Sergey Loguntsov, aka Begemot and Zulas; Max Mikhaylov, aka Baget; Valentin Karyagin, aka Globus; and Maksim Khaliullin, aka Maxfax, Maxhax, and Kagas, all Russian nationals, with conspiring to use the Trickbot malware to steal money and personal and confidential information from unsuspecting victims, including businesses and financial institutions located in the United States and around the world, beginning in November 2015. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee returned an indictment charging Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov with conspiring to use Conti ransomware to attack businesses, nonprofits, and governments in the United States beginning in 2020 and continuing through June 2022. A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Galochkin in connection with the Conti ransomware attack on Scripps Health on May 1, 2021. Northern District of Ohio The indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged all nine defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from the malware known as Trickbot. Trickbot was a sophisticated, modular, multi-functional suite of malware tools which (a) infected victims’ computers with malware designed to capture victims’ online banking login credentials; (b) obtained and harvested other personal identification information, including credit cards, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses; (c) infected other computers connected to the victim computer; (d) used the captured login credentials to fraudulently gain unauthorized access to victims’ online bank accounts at financial institutions; (e) stole funds from victims’ bank accounts and laundered those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank accounts provided and controlled by the defendants and co-conspirators; and (f) installed ransomware on victim computers. “As alleged in the indictment, Trickbot infected millions of computers worldwide, including those used by hospitals, schools, and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that these dangerous cybercriminals are not anonymous, as they once believed. The indictments unsealed today show the resolve of the international community to work together to bring cybercriminals to justice. We will continue to use all resources at our disposal to stop cybercrime.” Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the scheme. The indictment also included an enhancement for falsely registering domains. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 62 years in prison. Trickbot malware developers Alla Witte and Vladimir Dunaev were previously indicted and apprehended. Witte, a Latvian national pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to 32 months in June 2023. Dunaev, a Russian national, currently is in custody and pending trial in Cleveland. Middle District of Tennessee The Middle District of Tennessee indictment charges that the individuals behind Conti ransomware, including Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov, conspired to use Conti to attack hundreds of victims. Conti’s victims included hospital systems, local governments, and foreign governments. Conti conspirators allegedly extorted funds from victims in the Middle District of Tennessee and encrypted the computer systems of a local sheriff’s department, a local police department, and local emergency medical services, among others. Ransom notes left on Conti victims’ computer systems typically boasted “if you don’t [know Conti] – just ‘google it.’” “The conspirators who developed and deployed Conti ransomware victimized businesses, governments, and non-profits around the world, including a sheriff’s office and an emergency medical service in Tennessee,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue to use the full power of this office to ensure that hackers can no longer hide behind their computer screens and to hold them accountable.” Galochkin was a “crypter” for Conti, modifying the ransomware so that it would not be detected by anti-virus programs; Rudenskiy was a developer who supervised other Conti developers; Tsarev was a manager of other Conti conspirators; and Zhuykov was a systems administrator who managed users of Conti infrastructure, organized and paid for infrastructure and tools, and assisted in problem solving infrastructure-related issues. Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and one count wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Southern District of California As alleged in the Southern District of California indictment, Galochkin caused the transmission of the Conti malware and impaired the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and care of one or more individuals. Galochkin is charged with three counts of computer hacking. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. “The indictment alleges a callous disregard for the medical care and the personal information of residents of the Southern District of California,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden for the Southern District of California. “This office is committed to protecting victims of cybercrime and holding perpetrators accountable.” The FBI Cleveland Field Office is leading the investigation into Trickbot malware. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Riedl and Duncan Brown for the Northern District of Ohio and Senior Counsel Candina Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Trickbot malware case. The FBI San Diego, Memphis, and El Paso Field Offices, with U.S. Secret Service, are leading the investigation into Conti ransomware. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Shapiro and Kareem Salem for the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Conti ransomware cases. The Justice Department’s National Security Division provided significant assistance in the Conti ransomware and Trickbot malware investigations. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Northern District of Ohio indictment Middle District of Tennessee indictment Southern District of California indictment


title: Wichita Man Facing Child Porn Charges

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with crimes related to child pornography. Eric Caleb Carlson, 43, of Wichita is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Synchronoss Technologies submitted two reports in June 2023 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding uploads of files containing child sexual abuse and exploitation materials to its cloud based backup service.An investigation led law enforcement authorities to identify and arrest Carlson. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . OTHER INDICTMENTS Derek Bell, 32, of Wichita was indicted on one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case. John Ray Gaffney, 45, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Wichita Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Andrusak and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case. Johnny Lee Ivory III, 37, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. Craig E. Jones, 48, of Sedgwick was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Wichita Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Andrusak and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Alleged Cognitive Enhancement Drug into the United States from China

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy to smuggle tianeptine, a drug that claims to enhance mood and cognitive functioning, into the United States from China. Ryan M. Stabile, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of introduction of misbranded drugs with intent to defraud and mislead. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2024. Stabile was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2019. Stabile smuggled tianeptine, a misbranded drug, from China into the United States and then resold the tianeptine to American consumers on the internet through his company, Supplements for Work. Stabile falsely represented that he was selling tianeptine for research purposes only, even though he sold tianeptine to individuals for personal use. Stabile, through his company, marketed tianeptine as a mood enhancer and claimed that it improved cognitive functioning. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of introduction of misbranded drugs provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Half a Kilogram of Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to methamphetamine charges and possessing of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Ravouth Chhoy, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Dec. 7, 2023. Chhoy was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022. Chhoy agreed to distribute more than 5,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine to a confidential source. Before Chhoy could complete this transaction, law enforcement intercepted Chhoy and recovered more than 6,000 pills – weighing approximately 1.85 kilograms. Additionally, a search of Chhoy’s residence resulted in the recovery of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substances containing a detectible amount of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charge of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department provided critical assistance in the investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Merrimack Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $100,000 from Confluence Medical

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Merrimack man pleaded guilty today in federal court to charges in connection with his theft of funds from his previous employer, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Scott Dulac, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of federal wire fraud charges. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for December 14, 2023. Defendant was indicted on March 7, 2022. Dulac worked as the manager of Confluence Medical, a radiologist staffing and recruiting company. He had access to and signatory authority on the company’s bank accounts in order to manage payroll, pay company bills, and arrange for payments to contracted radiologists. On numerous occasions, between early 2019 and early 2020, Dulac made unauthorized fund transfers and cash withdrawals for his own personal benefit in excess of $100,000. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000. The plea agreement additionally requires Dulac to pay restitution in the amount of $135,000 to the victim company. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Holly Ridge Man Who Sliced Witness’ Throat Sentenced to 20 Years for Firearm Possession

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A Holly Ridge man who sliced a witness’ throat and stabbed a child, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Avery Ray Brinson, age 29, pled guilty to the charges on March 24, 2023. Brinson is a convicted felon and has three or more prior convictions for violent felonies making him subject to the penalties of the Armed Career Criminal Act. According to court documents and other information presented in court Brinson was investigated by the Holly Ridge Police Department in May and July 2021 for firearm related offenses. On May 30, 2021, Brinson was at a friend’s house and learned the friend kept a firearm in his living room. Brinson stole the firearm and left the house. When the friend discovered his firearm was missing, he watched the surveillance video from his home security system and saw Brinson steal the firearm. The following day he confronted Brinson about the theft. Brinson denied knowing anything about the missing firearm until the victim told Brinson about the home security footage capturing the theft. Brinson then acknowledged he stole the firearm and returned it. The friend did not call law enforcement, thinking the matter had been handled. The next day, June 1, 2021, Brinson broke into the friend’s house and stole multiple items, including a different firearm. Brinson disabled the home security system by cutting the power to the entire residence. The investigation revealed that after Brinson stole the firearm, law enforcement was approached by a man who said Brinson ran into his house and stashed something under the master bed. Law enforcement went to the residence and retrieved a .308 Savage Rifle from under the bed. The friend and victim of the breaking and entering confirmed it was his firearm. The female resident of the home where Brinson stashed the gun gave a statement implicating Brinson to law enforcement on July 21, 2021, about the breaking and entering and the firearm being found in her home. On June 22, 2021, Brinson went to the female’s house and attacked her, slicing her throat and stabbing her multiple times. When a juvenile, who was also at the house, tried to protect the female resident, he was stabbed seven times. Both underwent immediate medical attention and survived the attack. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The Holly Ridge Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-21-FL ###


title: San Antonio Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Fatal Fentanyl Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in the death of 20-year-old Isabella Render. According to court documents, Patrick James Hall, 29, met Render on Oct. 28, 2020, in a San Antonio hotel room located off I-10, where he had been selling the drug in the form of small round blue pills disguised as oxycodone. Render had been unconscious in Hall’s hotel room for an extended period when Hall returned a missed call to Render’s friend. Hall notified the friend that she needed to pick up Render from the hotel because she had overdosed. He then left the location without calling for emergency services. Render’s friend, however, did alert emergency services who pronounced Render dead upon their arrival. She had been deceased for some time. A toxicology report showed that Render had an amount of fentanyl in her blood that exceeded 24 times a fatal dose. Hall was arrested on Nov. 19, 2020 on State charges. Text messages sent from his phone confirmed that he had been selling the pills to multiple individuals at the time of the Render’s death, and that he himself had overdosed on the pills earlier in the month. Hall was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts related to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. “Fentanyl has proven to be a very deadly drug that is being used to poison our communities and this sentence reinforces our position that those who traffic it will be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My hope is that families of fentanyl victims—in this case, Isabella’s family—can see these sentences as progress and that they can find some measure of relief through our justice system. I also thank our law enforcement partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Antonio Police Department for their successful investigative work in this case.” “Today's sentencing of Patrick Hall represents the culmination of hard work by our local law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux for the DEA’s Houston Division. “I want to provide my most sincere condolences to the Bove family. While we realize nothing eliminates the pain and grief they have endured, we hope the knowledge that Hall is being held accountable for the death of their daughter, Isabella Render, and his inability to harm others will bring them some comfort.” The DEA and SAPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail prosecuted the case. ###


title: Fraud Charges Added Against  Health Care Staffing Executive in Las Vegas

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a health care staffing executive with conspiring to fix the wages of Las Vegas nurses — and then fraudulently concealing that conspiracy and the government’s investigation so that he could sell his company for over $10 million. According to the six-count felony indictment, Eduardo Lopez, of Las Vegas, held executive positions at three different home health agencies. For each company, Lopez oversaw recruitment, hiring, retention and assignments of nurses and other health care staff. Count one of the superseding indictment charges Lopez and other unnamed co-conspirators with agreeing to suppress and eliminate competition for the services of nurses between March 2016 and May 2019. Counts two through six of the superseding indictment charge Lopez with wire fraud. According to the indictment, in December 2021, Lopez sold his health care staffing company for over $10 million and falsely represented to the buyer of his company that federal law enforcement was not investigating him or his company. But, according to court documents, Lopez knew that was false. FBI special agents had questioned Lopez, served Lopez with a grand jury subpoena addressed to his company and seized his cell phone pursuant to a search warrant. “Wage fixing hurts workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will aggressively investigate and prosecute wage-fixing conspiracies and any fraudulent conduct aimed at keeping the illicit profits of such conspiracies.” “Today’s superseding indictment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enforce federal antitrust laws and to ensure workers have an opportunity to compete for employment in a fair marketplace,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to work with the Antitrust Division and our law enforcement partners to protect the right of workers to earn a fair wage, and to root out wrongdoers who commit unlawful anticompetitive conduct.” “The FBI and its partners will not tolerate the illicit practice of fixing wages,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “As today’s indictment shows, we will continue to pursue anyone engaging in fraudulent activity and combat any attempts made to evade the consequences of those actions.” A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. The charges in this case were brought in connection with the Antitrust Division’s ongoing commitment to prosecute anticompetitive conduct affecting American labor markets. Anyone with information on market allocation or price fixing by employers should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html . An indictment i s merely a n allegation . All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Following Significant Policing Reform Progress, Federal Judge Terminates Most Consent Decree Provisions for City of Seattle and Seattle Police Department

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: In response to a joint motion filed in March by the Justice Department and the City of Seattle, a federal judge terminated most provisions of a consent decree that led to significant policing reform. The court’s order recognizes the city’s consistent compliance with the core requirements of a 2012 consent decree regarding the Seattle Police Department (SPD). The order details the additional obligations that the city must take to continue the reform process. According to the order, “SPD has made tremendous improvements in its policies, methods of operation and leadership with respect to the areas of use of force, stops and detentions and crisis intervention.” The court found that “the city has achieved sustained full and effective compliance, for at least two years, with the commitments set forth in the consent decree regarding crisis intervention, stops and detentions, bias-free policing, supervision and the Office of Police Accountability and terminate[d] the parties’ obligations” under those areas of the consent decree. For example: After making changes to SPD’s policies and training on the use of force, SPD has reduced the use of serious force by 60%, and force is now used in less than one-quarter of one percent of all events to which officers respond. To better respond to people experiencing behavioral health crises, SPD developed an advanced crisis intervention program in which civilian mental health professionals and non-police mobile crisis teams respond to behavioral health crisis incidents. SPD developed policies and training to secure people’s rights during police investigative stops. The court monitor found that officers complied with legal and policy requirements in almost all instances it assessed. “This ruling acknowledges the significant reforms implemented by the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department to ensure effective and nondiscriminatory policing for the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The court’s order gives the city and police department the ability to focus on the areas that need additional attention. We commend the city, police department and the community for continuing to collaborate on constitutional and non-discriminatory policing which benefits all residents in the City of Seattle.” “I commend the personnel of the Seattle Police Department whose dedication has transformed policing in Seattle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “Hard work remains in how our police confront crowd control and disciplinary action for misconduct. We look forward to working with the department, the city accountability partners, the Community Police Commission and the citizens of Seattle to achieve these remaining reforms required by the consent decree. The court order requires continued work related to use of force in the crowd management context, accountability and racial disparities. For example: SPD must develop new crowd management policies, which must be approved by the court and independent monitor. An independent monitor must review of the city’s accountability systems and provide a plan to identify and mitigate racial disparities in stops, detentions and the use of force. The city must continue to measure whether the reforms required by the consent decree remain effective. The Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s for the Western District of Washington’s Civil Division handled this matter. The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize constitutional policing and currently has pending investigations into police departments across the country, including in Memphis, Phoenix, New York City and Louisiana. The consent decree, proposed agreement, as well as additional information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . seattle_public_order.pdf


title: Drug Conspiracy Leader Gets 262-Months Imprisonment for Distributing Methamphetamine in Southern Illinois

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a California man to 262-months imprisonment after he admitted to leading a drug conspiracy ring targeting communities in southern Illinois. Thomas Hines, 33, of Los Angeles, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering conspiracy. In addition to the prison sentence, Hines will serve five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. “The defendant led an operation responsible for distributing a significant amount of methamphetamine in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Pushing pound quantities of drugs exhibits a lack of respect for the law and safety of the community, and the defendant will have years to reconsider his actions in federal prison.” "Taking out this methamphetamine trafficking organization is a prime example of DEA's key mission," said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Rehg, head of Drug Enforcement Administration enforcement operations in southern Illinois. "We investigate the criminal networks causing the most damage to our communities, and meth is particularly prominent in the Midwest, damaging lives in every community. Significant time behind bars for defendants like Thomas Hines is a fine reward to our investigators for their diligent work." According to court documents, the conspiracy operated from at least January 2020 until January 2021 and trafficked more than an estimated 20 pounds of methamphetamine to southern Illinois. Hines was the source of supply of methamphetamine for the drug trafficking organization. Seven additional individuals were charged in the indictment and pleaded guilty for their involvement in the conspiracy: Nyeshia Anderson, 32, of North Las Vegas, Nevada; Corey Hendriex, 39, of Granite City, Illinois; Amy Lynch, 42, of Granite City, Illinois; Tamara Peoples, 66, of Granite City, Illinois; Richard Stark, 53, of Hazelwood, Missouri; Terrence Thompson, 36, of St. Louis, Missouri; and Terrell Winston, 37, of Florissant, Missouri. In one instance, Hines and Anderson delivered a suitcase holding nearly 11 kilograms of methamphetamine to Thompson in November 2020. Law enforcement recovered the suitcase while executing a search warrant on Thompson’s residence. To finance the illegal narcotic operation, conspirators utilized CashApp, cashier’s checks, bank transfers and postal money orders—thus resulting in money laundering. Sentencing hearings for Lynch and Winston are scheduled for November 2023. The remaining conspirators have received federal prison sentences. DEA led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karelia Rajagopal prosecuted the case. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.


title: Readout of Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force Deputies Meeting

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo convened deputies of the REPO Task Force to enhance sanctions enforcement efforts and bolster ongoing oligarch asset forfeiture initiatives. Participants from Australia, Canada, the European Commission, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States discussed ongoing sanctions enforcement initiatives and noted the need to counter Russian elites and their proxy networks that continue to enable and profit from Putin’s war economy. Deputies emphasized that those profiting from Russia’s war should not be able to live lives of luxury, and that task force members will continue to identify and disrupt proxy networks that attempt to use global financial centers to store and access wealth. Deputies also discussed ongoing efforts to counter sanctions evasion and disrupt Russian efforts to acquire critical dual-use technologies that fuel the Russian war machine. Following the G7 leaders’ commitment in May, the REPO Task Force has completed its initial effort to map and account for Russian sovereign assets that are immobilized and held in REPO member jurisdictions. REPO members committed to taking steps to fully map these holdings and ensure that, consistent with their respective legal systems, Russia’s sovereign assets held in REPO member jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. The total value of assets in this mapping exercise is estimated at around $280 billion, the majority of which is held in the European Union. Given the complexity of this exercise, task force members expect to refine the asset mapping through the end of the year, leveraging new reporting requirements and enhanced information sharing arrangements.


component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: WASHINGTON – In response to a joint motion filed in March by the Justice Department and the City of Seattle, a federal judge terminated most provisions of a consent decree that led to significant policing reform. The court’s order recognizes the city’s consistent compliance with the core requirements of a 2012 consent decree regarding the Seattle Police Department (SPD). The order details the additional obligations that the city must take to continue the reform process. According to the order, “SPD has made tremendous improvements in its policies, methods of operation and leadership with respect to the areas of use of force, stops and detentions and crisis intervention.” The court found that “the city has achieved sustained full and effective compliance, for at least two years, with the commitments set forth in the consent decree regarding crisis intervention, stops and detentions, bias-free policing, supervision and the Office of Police Accountability and terminate[d] the parties’ obligations” under those areas of the consent decree. For example: After making changes to SPD’s policies and training on the use of force, SPD has reduced the use of serious force by 60%, and force is now used in less than one-quarter of one percent of all events to which officers respond. To better respond to people experiencing behavioral health crises, SPD developed an advanced crisis intervention program in which civilian mental health professionals and non-police mobile crisis teams respond to behavioral health crisis incidents. SPD developed policies and training to secure people’s rights during police investigative stops. The court monitor found that officers complied with legal and policy requirements in almost all instances it assessed. “This ruling acknowledges the significant reforms implemented by the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department to ensure effective and nondiscriminatory policing for the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The court’s order gives the city and police department the ability to focus on the areas that need additional attention. We commend the city, police department and the community for continuing to collaborate on constitutional and non-discriminatory policing which benefits all residents in the City of Seattle.” “I commend the personnel of the Seattle Police Department whose dedication has transformed policing in Seattle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “Hard work remains in how our police confront crowd control and disciplinary action for misconduct. We look forward to working with the department, the city accountability partners, the Community Police Commission and the citizens of Seattle to achieve these remaining reforms required by the consent decree. The court order requires continued work related to use of force in the crowd management context, accountability and racial disparities. For example: SPD must develop new crowd management policies, which must be approved by the court and independent monitor. An independent monitor must review of the city’s accountability systems and provide a plan to identify and mitigate racial disparities in stops, detentions and the use of force. The city must continue to measure whether the reforms required by the consent decree remain effective. The Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s for the Western District of Washington’s Civil Division handled this matter. The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize constitutional policing and currently has pending investigations into police departments across the country, including in Memphis, Phoenix, New York City and Louisiana. The consent decree, proposed agreement, as well as additional information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . ###


title: Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: POCATELLO – Che Tayen Miles, 39, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to federal prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Miles to 136 months in federal prison followed by 8 years of supervised release. According to court records, between July and September of 2022, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force found that Nathan Mark Law, 49, of Idaho Falls, had downloaded thousands of images of child pornography also known as, “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) over the internet. Investigators executed a search warrant of Law’s residence where they discovered CSAM on Law’s electronic devices. Law admitted he downloaded and uploaded images of CSAM and shared CSAM images with Miles. On December 21, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Miles’s residence and seized his electronic devices. Miles admitted he downloaded CSAM and that he received CSAM from Law. Upon searching Miles’s electronic devices investigators discovered thousands of CSAM images that Miles downloaded from the internet as well as CSAM images that Miles received from Law. On June 26, 2023, Law pleaded guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor child. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief Judge Nye on October 8, 2023, and faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release. “We are grateful that justice will be served in these cases. But our collaborative work to guard Idaho’s children continues,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, my office is committed to tracking down and aggressively pursue anyone in Idaho who creates, possesses, or shares child pornography.” “This sentence is appropriate for someone who perpetuated child victimization by downloading and sharing thousands of images of exploited children,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI partnerships with the ICAC Taskforce and Idaho law enforcement are integral in keeping our communities safe from child predators.” These cases were investigated by the Idaho ICAC Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett is prosecuting these cases. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Five Men Charged with Using New York Diamond District Companies as Fronts to Illegally Move More Than $600 Million

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, NJ. – Five men who work in New York City’s Diamond District were arrested today and charged with illegally processing more than $600 million through unlicensed money transmitting businesses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Raj Vaidya, 26; Rakesh Vaidya, 51; Shrey Vaidya, 23; and Neel Patel, 26, all of Edison, New Jersey; and Youssef Janfar, aka “Joe Rodeo,” 57, of Great Neck, New York, are each charged by complaint with one count of operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. The defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court and were released on unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since 2019, Raj Vaidya, Rakesh Vaidya, Shrey Vaidya, and Patel have operated numerous purported diamond, gold, and jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District, including Arya Diamond Jewellery USA Inc., d/b/a “Karats & Carats,” Diamspark LGD LLC, Royal Diamonds LLC, Raj Gold and Diamond LLC, Royal Arya Jewellery Inc, and Raj Gold and Diamond Inc. Janfar also purportedly operated companies in the Diamond District, including Rodeo of NY, d/b/a “Sarah Jewels.” The defendants used these and other entities as fronts to conduct hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal financial transactions for customers – including converting cash to checks or wire transfers – in exchange for substantial fees. At times, they moved millions of dollars in cash in a single day. None of their companies were registered as money transmitting businesses with New York, New Jersey, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The charge of operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an illegal money transmitting business carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, the Morristown Police Department, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Pesce of the Economic Crimes Unit, Olta Bejleri of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Angelica Sinopole of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. vaidya.complaint.pdf


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathon Dewayne Eads, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2022, Eads sold a half-pound of methamphetamine for $1,500 to a confidential informant at a Garrison Avenue residence in Charleston. Eads is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney J.C. MacCallum is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-115. ###


title: Albany Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Unemployment Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Taliek Lanier, age 23, of Albany, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for engaging in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $110,000 in unemployment insurance benefits under the names of three other people, including benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG). As part of his previously entered guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, Lanier admitted that he provided Jamie Johnson with the personal identifying information of three other people, which Johnson used to file false claims online with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). Lanier further admitted that as a result of the fraudulent applications submitted by Johnson, the NYSDOL paid out $113,936 in unemployment insurance benefits. Johnson previously pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining $701,441 in unemployment insurance benefits as part of the scheme. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after Lanier is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $113,936 in restitution to the State of New York. This case was investigated by the New York State Inspector General’s Office, HSI, USPIS, and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations, the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, and the Albany County Department of Social Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Reedsburg Attorney Sentenced to 45 Months for Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kristin Lein, 61, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 45 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. Lein pleaded guilty to these charges on June 14, 2023. The government’s investigation revealed that Lein, a licensed attorney in Wisconsin, engaged in a fraud scheme in which she stole $1,643,818 from a client’s trust accounts. In June 2019, Lein began transferring money from several accounts belonging to the client’s trust to her own personal bank account. During a telephone call on February 2, 2022, Lein and the beneficiary of the trust discussed financial matters. During the telephone call, Lein told the beneficiary that the trust balance was over $1,800,000. However, Lein knew that the actual amount of money held in the trust was significantly less due to her embezzlement of funds. Lein continued to embezzle money from the trust accounts until the funds were depleted in September 2022. The investigation revealed that Lein used the embezzled funds to pay personal expenses, including improvements to her residence in Reedsburg and to purchase multiple vehicles, including a 2019 F-250 pickup truck, a 2017 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, and a 2020 Mahinda tractor. Lein also admitted that she failed to report the income she obtained from the embezzlement on her 2019 personal tax return. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley stated that it was hard to overstate the level of betrayal the defendant’s client endured as a result of the embezzlement scheme. Judge Conley noted that Lein violated her ethical obligations as an attorney in “stunning ways.” Judge Conley stated that the evidence showed that the defendant had lost her moral compass and the result was an “unspeakable loss” for the client. The charges against Lein were a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.


title: Repeat offender who triggered neighborhood lock-down pleads guilty to drug and gun crimes

body_text: Seattle – A 42-year-old Seattle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Pedro Fernandez Kent will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez on December 8. 2023. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than ten years in prison, but Judge Martinez is free to impose any sentence allowed by law. According to records filed in the case, on January 15, 2023, Seattle Police were responding to a domestic violence report in North Seattle when they spotted the distinctive car driven by the suspect, Pedro Kent. Kent attempted to flee from police crashing his car into two curbs, rupturing the tires. Kent abandoned the car and ran into the yards of neighboring homes. Video from area cameras show Kent with a handgun in his hand as he ran into a back yard. Police converged on the area, alerting residents to stay in their homes with the doors locked. One couple called police reporting that the defendant appeared to be hiding in their backyard. A K-9 officer helped take Kent into custody. In addition to the gun Kent carried when he ran from the car, police located a carbine rifle in the car as well as distribution amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Kent also had a hatchet and a dagger in the car as well as scales and plastic baggies for drug distribution. Kent was prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous King County convictions for burglary, theft, assault, and trafficking in stolen property. The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). 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: Onondaga County Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Possession of Crack Cocaine for Distribution

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ernest B. Shaw, Jr., age 26, of Nedrow, New York, was sentenced today to serve 68 months in federal prison for his convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division. As part of his previous guilty plea, Shaw admitted that on September 25, 2019, he possessed 14 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine) for distribution and a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun at his residence in Nedrow, New York. DEA Special Agents assisted by other law enforcement agencies executed a federal search warrant and seized the cocaine base and the loaded handgun from the defendant’s bedroom, along with digital scales and plastic bags. Federal Agents searched the residence as part of a long-term drug investigation that involved the defendant’s father, Ernest B. Shaw, Sr, and others. [1] This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Syracuse Resident Office, which includes Task Force Officers from the City of Auburn Police Department, the City of Syracuse Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Other Agencies that assisted in this investigation included the New York State Police, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe. [1] Ernest B. Shaw Sr. was convicted after trial in federal court in September 2021, and is serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison for his conviction for participating in a federal drug conspiracy.


title: West Virginia Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Sending Obscene Matter to a Minor

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Darrin Alonzo Miller, 41, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for transfer of obscene material to a minor under the age of 16. Miller must also register as a sex offender. A federal jury convicted Miller after a one-day trial on June 13, 2023. Evidence at trial proved that on June 22, 2020, Miller sent a letter through the United States mail to a 14-year-old girl while he was an inmate at the Parkersburg Correctional Center. In the letter, Miller described in graphic detail he and the minor female engaging in sexual intercourse upon his release from incarceration. “Darrin Alonzo Miller engaged in reprehensible conduct, seeking to pressure a minor to have sex with him, and this sentence serves to protect his victim as well as the public,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the West Virginia State Police for investigating this case, and I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Francesca C. Rollo and our trial team for securing the guilty verdict.” United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-261. ###


title: Prince George’s County Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Toumani Thomas, age 46, of Accokeek, Maryland, to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a drug distribution conspiracy, and for violating his supervised release for a previous conviction for an attempted armed commercial robbery. Judge Chasanow ordered that Thomas must forfeit firearms and ammunition seized during the investigation, $18,004 in cash that was proceeds of drug trafficking, and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, the Yamaha R1 motorcycle, and the Audi S8 that Thomas used to facilitate drug trafficking and/or obtained with proceeds of such activity. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) - Washington Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to his guilty plea, in October 2022, DEA agents received a tip that Thomas was involved in drug trafficking. Investigation connected Thomas to a storage unit in Temple Hills, Maryland. A subsequent search warrant executed at the storage unit recovered a duffel bag containing eleven shrink-wrapped bricks of cocaine with a total weight of 12.8 kilograms and a single plastic cup. Surveillance footage and storage facility access records obtained after the search showed Thomas accessing the unit several times since it was rented by another individual on October 6, 2022. Video showed that Thomas had traveled to the facility using his Yamaha R1 motorcycle, his Mercedes Benz AMG GT, and his Audi S8 at different times in furtherance of Thomas’s drug trafficking. The day after the seizure of the cocaine, Thomas arrived at the facility with a large, empty plastic tub and attempted to retrieve some or all of the cocaine from the storage unit when he discovered it had been seized. After officers discovered the 12.8 kilograms of cocaine, they learned that Thomas had an active account at another storage facility in Brentwood, Maryland. On December 6, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at that storage unit and found items belonging to Thomas. From a backpack located inside the unit, officers recovered a 7.62x39mm semiautomatic rifle; a 100 round high-capacity drum-style magazine containing 97 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition; a 30-round high-capacity magazine containing 20 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition; and a pistol magazine containing 5 rounds of ammunition. The 7.62 mm firearm had been reported stolen in Virginia in June 2022. Thomas admitted that the firearm, magazines and ammunition recovered from the Brentwood storage unit were used, or intended to be used, to facilitate his drug trafficking. Thomas also admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition that as a result of his previous federal conviction. A search warrant was also executed at Thomas’s residence and agents recovered a money counting machine, an empty handgun container, a large roll of shrink-wrap plastic, rubber bands, and a large container of automotive grease, which is frequently used to attempt to mask drug scents from detection dogs. The Mercedes Benz AMG GT and the Yamaha R1 motorcycle were also found in the home’s garage. Law enforcement seized $18,004 in cash at Thomas’s arrest on December 16, 2022. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn M. Ellison, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Pay Child Support

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jancent M. Powell, 39, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to failure to pay child support obligations. Powell admitted that he owes over $10,000 in court-ordered child support. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 18, 2013, the Family Court of Wood County, West Virginia, ordered Powell to pay $361 a month in child support for his twin daughters. Powell admitted that made only six of the monthly payments, all in 2014. Powell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. Powell also owes restitution for the over $10,000 in unpaid child support, which includes interest. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-100. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Buying Stolen Catalytic Converters

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted buying thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen catalytic converters. Asmir Jasarevic, 33, of Lakeshire, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods. He admitted posting a solicitation on Facebook on June 9, 2021 falsely claiming to be a licensed dealer who wanted to purchase catalytic converters. Jasarevic made a “significant” number of purchases when he had direct knowledge that the catalytic converters were stolen, he admitted in his plea. He had no place of business and bought converters at his apartment or public places such as parking lots or gas stations. He kept no records, offered no receipts and paid only in cash, offering well below market value. He conducted business at night and often conducted multiple transactions with individuals who obviously didn’t have the resources to own multiple vehicles, his plea says. After purchasing the converters, Jasarevic took them to a recycling company in Illinois. He sold just under $50,000 worth of converters to the recycling company, $20,000 of which came from stolen property, Jasarevic admitted in his plea. Catalytic converters contain trace amounts of precious metals and have been cut off vehicles around the country by thieves. Jasarevic is scheduled to be sentenced December 6. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EMANUEL ROSS , age 24, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 6, 2023 before United States District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and Possession of a Machinegun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl charge carries a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years supervised release. The Possession of a Machinegun charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each offense also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Judge Lemelle ordered a pre-sentence report and scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2023. ROSS will remain detained without bond. Court documents reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department began an investigation of ROSS in mid-2022 and discovered an online video of him firing a pistol that had been converted into a machine gun through the use of a device known as a “switch.” A search warrant of ROSS ’ s home was executed on January 27, 2023, and law enforcement officials found cocaine, fentanyl and various weapons including the machine gun seen on the online video. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Violent Crime Unit is assigned the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking Charge

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOHN CRAWFORD , age 39, a New Orleans resident, pleaded guilty on September 6, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a superseding bill of information charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department started investigating CRAWFORD for his involvement in a drug distribution operation in September 2020. The investigation involved numerous controlled purchases of narcotics from CRAWFORD and DONALD MYLES, a/k/a “D-Ray.” The investigation revealed that CRAWFORD conspired with MYLES, KEVIN JOHNSON, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, ERNEST GREEN, and others known and unknown, to distribute heroin and cocaine. CRAWFORD faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Dominican Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogue Intended for Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican woman pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing seven kilograms of fentanyl and one kilogram of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue intended for distribution. Ana Checo, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of valeryl fentanyl, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Dec. 7, 2023. Checo was arrested and charged in May 2021. In 2019, Checo delivered $58,510 in drug proceeds to an undercover officer for laundering. In July 2019, a search warrant at Checo’s residence resulted in the recovery of eight kilograms of fentanyl, one of which also contained valeryl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Four kilograms of tramadol, one kilogram of “2C-B,” a schedule I controlled substance and $18,325 were also seized. In addition, Checo possessed approximately 55 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and several thousand dollars at the time of her arrest. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Defendant who stole and sold $100,000+ in medical supplies sentenced to probationary sentence

body_text: Seattle – A Matthews, North Carolina, man who previously worked at hospitals in Washington State, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three years of probation for Wire Fraud for his theft and sales of medical equipment, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Denis Tkachuk, 28, previously worked at hospitals in the Tri-Cities, Seattle, and Olympia and evidence indicates he began stealing and selling medical equipment on eBay as early as 2016. Tkachuk was dismissed from Olympia’s Providence Hospital in September 2019 when hospital staff discovered the theft of hundreds of thermometers, probes, finger sensors and otoscope heads. The equipment from that hospital alone was valued at more than $108,000. “FDA regulates the manufacturing and distribution of medical products like these medical devices to help ensure the safety of American patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s announcement should serve as a reminder of the FDA’s continued focus on individuals and companies that attempt to profit from risking the health of American consumers.” Tkachuk was a Biomedical Technician and in that capacity was authorized to make purchases of non-capital items worth less than $5,000. In August 2019, a hospital inventory determined a great deal of the equipment Tkachuk purchased was missing and did not appear to have been used at the Olympia hospital or within the Providence healthcare group. The hospital staff made a police report and Tkachuk was fired. The investigation by the Food and Drug Administration Office of the Inspector General revealed that Tkachuk had sold the products primarily to a coconspirator in Detroit, as well as five other buyers. The photos of the equipment that Tkachuk posted for sale on eBay indicated the items were stolen from Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Kadlec Hospital in Richland and from Providence in Olympia. Describing the harm of the theft, Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart wrote to the court, “These were devices intended for use by patients, physicians, and nurses to treat illness and remedy severe injuries. This offense caused loss to the hospitals, excess work for the individuals responsible for maintaining the stock, and the unavailability of vital medical devices when needed by physicians.” Tkachuk pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May 2023. His Detroit coconspirator was also sentenced to a probationary sentence. Tkachuk was ordered to pay $169,806 in restitution to the hospitals. The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Olympia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Illegally Trafficking at Least 30 Firearms

body_text: BOSTON – A Tennessee man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking at least 30 firearms in the Boston area. John Pierre, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 17, 2022, Pierre pleaded guilty to an Indictment. In March 2022, Pierre was arrested at South Station in Boston carrying a bag containing 11 firearms, large capacity magazines and numerous rounds of ammunition. A subsequent investigation revealed that Pierre had moved from Massachusetts to Tennessee where he legally purchase firearms. Additionally, Pierre travelled back and forth from Tennessee to Massachusetts on numerous occasions with at least 30 firearms that he illegally sold in the Boston area as part of his gun trafficking operation. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley Jr. of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Stockton Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Sophondara Hun, 27, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a report of a prowler at an apartment complex. The reporting party stated a man was inside of her apartment after gaining entry through a window. When officers arrived at the apartment, they discovered an open window and observed Hun sleeping on a bed in the apartment. Officers entered the front of the apartment after being let in by the resident and arrested Hun. During his arrest, law enforcement searched Hun and found multiple .22 caliber bullets in his possession. At the time of the search, Hun was on parole for a prior felony offense. Hun is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he has multiple prior state felony convictions, including assault on a person with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon with force–possible great bodily injury, vandalism, and evading law enforcement in a vehicle. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Hun faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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: Former White House Advisor Convicted of Contempt of Congress

body_text: WASHINGTON – Former White House advisor Peter K. Navarro, 72, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a U.S. District Court jury of two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 9, 2022, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Navarro. The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee on Feb. 23, 2022, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee on March 2, 2022. Navarro refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena. In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that Navarro had information relevant to its investigation. Navarro, formerly an advisor to the President on various trade and manufacturing policies, has been a private citizen since departing the White House on Jan. 20, 2021. He was indicted June 2, 2022. Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and John Crabb Jr., supported by Paralegal Specialist Sonalika Chaturvedi.


title: District Man Indicted on Armed Carjacking and Other Charges in String of Armed Robberies at Convenience Stores and Gas Stations

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – An 18-count indictment, filed today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, charges Shamell Naquan Joyner, 35, of the District of Columbia, with offenses arising out of an armed carjacking and six armed Hobbs Act robberies allegedly committed between April 12 and May 2, 2023. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to the indictment, on April 12, 2023, Joyner committed an armed Hobbs Act robbery at the Falcon Fuel gas station and convenience store, located at 1301 13th Street Northwest, stealing money and personal property from the business and two employees while holding them at gunpoint. Joyner also is alleged to have discharged his firearm at two store employees during this robbery, neither of whom was wounded. (The government’s evidence connects this armed robbery to an April 17 armed robbery of an Alexandria, Virginia, 7-Eleven, in which Joyner is also alleged to have discharged his firearm. A store employee working at the time of the Alexandria robbery sustained a non–life threatening gunshot wound to his leg.) One day after the Falcon Fuel robbery, on April 13, Joyner is alleged to have carjacked a man at gunpoint in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood. Joyner allegedly stole the man’s Honda HR-V and drove it across state lines into Virginia. The government’s evidence shows that Joyner used that car to commit subsequent armed robbery offenses, including an April 15, 2023, armed robbery of the 7-Eleven store at 1100 Vermont Avenue Northwest, in which an employee was held at gunpoint. On April 30, 2023, Joyner is alleged to have robbed the 7-Eleven store at 7401 Georgia Avenue Northwest and an employee, again at gunpoint. Joyner allegedly robbed another two stores at gunpoint the next day, including the 7‑Eleven store at 1325 2nd Street Northeast and the 721 Shop & Run and an employee at 721 H Street Northeast. Finally, on May 2, 2023, Joyner is alleged to have robbed the 7-Eleven store at 1645 Connecticut Avenue Northwest and an employee, also at gunpoint. Joyner then allegedly committed additional armed robberies in Maryland, including a 7-Eleven store in Montgomery County and an Exxon gas station and employee in Anne Arundel County. During the Exxon robbery, Joyner is alleged to have held the Exxon employee at gunpoint and robbed him of the keys to his Toyota RAV4, which Joyner then stole and drove across state lines into the District of Columbia. Later that day, in the 400 block of Condon Terrace SE, the Metropolitan Police Department found Joyner in the stolen RAV4’s driver’s seat and arrested him without incident. At the time of his arrest, Joyner was in possession of the firearm used in the armed robberies committed between April 30 and May 2, as well as unique clothing and other evidence that tied him to numerous offenses. Joyner has been detained since his May 2, 2023, arrest. “These alleged crimes left numerous victims, store employees, and witnesses terrorized,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Those who are driving these pattern and spree robberies in our community need to know that they will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The indictment charges Joyner with 18 counts: six counts of interference with commerce by robbery (also known as “Hobbs Act” robbery), which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison; one count of carjacking, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; seven related counts of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; two counts of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and/or ammunition, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Under the indictment, Joyner faces a mandatory minimum of 52 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering applicable sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Alexandria City, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Justin F. Song of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The investigation into these offenses and potentially related armed robberies of commercial establishments located in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: District Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Year Prison Term  For Assaulting Homeless Man with a Tire Iron and Assaulting Elderly Tourist on the Metro

body_text: Defendant Committed a String of Crimes in One Day WASHINGTON – Roscoe Rosborough, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for two separate assaults that took place on the same day in Northeast and Northwest DC, in February of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Rosborough pleaded guilty in June 9, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault with significant bodily injury. According to the government’s evidence, on February 17, 2023, at approximately 4:55 a.m., the defendant entered a homeless shelter, though he was not a resident, and demanded to use the bathroom. After being refused, he continued into the shelter and ran into a resident walking to the cafeteria for breakfast. The defendant pulled out a tire iron from inside his clothing and struck the resident multiple times to the head, causing a laceration to the head that required nine staples. At approximately 3:30 p.m. that same day, the defendant was on a metro train headed for the Gallery Place – Chinatown station. He approached an elderly couple with their three minor grandchildren visiting from out of town. He got into their faces, unprovoked, and began yelling profanities at them. The 78-year-old grandfather put his hand on the defendant’s arm and said, “back off pal.” The defendant then assaulted the man, punching him, pulling him to the floor, and kicking him. This assault caused the victim to require multiple knee-drains and eventually surgery to his knee. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Jacobs, and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, specifically Special Agent Deborah Frye, Special Agent John Perren, and Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who assisted with the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal and Victim/Witness Advocates Lakeisha McFall, Jennifer Clark, and Paola Molina. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Sessa and Katrenia Shelly, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: District Man Charged in a July 2023 killing at Marie Reed Recreation Center

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: Defendant allegedly shot the victim in the head during a recreational soccer match WASHINGTON – Pedro Funes, 33, of Washington, D.C., was charged in Superior Court today on a count of first degree murder while armed in the homicide of 30-year-old Around Solis on July 26, 2023, in the city's Adams Morgan neighborhood, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department announced. Funes was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Judith Pipe and entered a plea of not guilty. The court found probable cause to believe that Funes committed the slaying. The court held Funes without bond pending a preliminary hearing to be held on October 4, 2023, before Judge Robert Okun. An arrest on a complaint is merely a formally charged allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. In announcing the charge, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Florida man admits to using fake debit cards

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 34-year-old resident of Miami, Florida, has been convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Claude Casimir admitted that in April-May 2019, he and others conspired together in the scheme that targeted the Houston area. The investigation began in early 2019 after a local bank discovered numerous fraudulent transactions. They found that individuals had used the PINs of actual bank customers and withdrew money via counterfeit cards. As part of his plea, Casmir admitted he rented a vehicle to access several ATMs in the Houston area and withdrew cash using counterfeit debit cards. He also drove another individual around the Houston area using the rented vehicle to do the same. Additionally, he admitted that on May 8, 2019, he used a debit card of another individual without that person’s knowledge or consent. In this single transaction, Casmir attempted to take $2,000. U.S. District Judge Eskridge will impose sentencing Dec. 28. At that time, Casimir faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine for the conspiracy. He will also receive a mandatory two years for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case.