title: Albion Man Pleads Guilty to Guns for Drugs Scheme

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Albion man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for knowingly making false statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) while purchasing firearms. According to court records, between June and August 2022, Jason Palmer , 42, obtained five pistols in five separate transactions with an FFL located in Fairfield. In each of those transactions, Palmer completed the required Form 4473 and misrepresented that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact purchasing it for another individual. He also falsely indicated on the form that he was not an unlawful user of any controlled substances. In an interview with law enforcement, Palmer admitted that he had been offered heroin/fentanyl in exchange for purchasing the firearms. Palmer faces up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterville Police Department investigated the case. STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. ###


title: North Hills Man Charged in Indictment Alleging He Fraudulently Obtained Millions of Dollars by Identity Theft via Mail Theft

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was charged today in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he fraudulently obtained approximately $2.6 million by stealing Beverly Hills residents’ identities – often by stealing mail and packages from their homes – then using that information to open fraudulent bank accounts to which he unlawfully transferred money from the victims’ bank accounts. Oren David Sela, 35, of North Hills, was charged in an eight-count indictment that a federal grand jury returned today. The grand jury charged Sela with three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, one count of unlawful possession of at least five identity documents, and two counts of possession of stolen mail. Sela’s arraignment is scheduled for October 30. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on October 10. A federal magistrate judge has ordered him jailed without bond. According to the indictment returned today and other court documents, from November 2021 to October 2023, Sela stole the mail of Beverly Hills residents to obtain debit cards, bank account numbers, credit cards, telephone numbers, and other personal identifying information (PII). Sela allegedly used the PII he obtained to gain unauthorized access to the victims’ bank accounts. Sometimes, to defeat two-factor authentication on a victim’s account, Sela would engage in “SIM swapping” of the victim’s telephone number to a SIM card that he would control. “SIM swapping” is the process of fraudulently inducing a carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization. This allows the fraudster to take control of the victim’s various accounts through two-step authentication text messages sent to a victim’s cell phone. After gaining access to a victim’s bank account, Sela allegedly would open additional fraudulent accounts in the victim’s name and transfer funds from the victim’s bank account into those accounts. Sela allegedly would then withdraw funds from the fraudulent accounts or use the fraudulent accounts to make unauthorized purchases or transfers. Sometimes, Sela caused debit cards and credit cards linked to a victim’s account to be sent directly to him, and he then allegedly used those cards to make fraudulent unauthorized purchases. In December 2022, Sela was arrested for allegedly driving a car reported as stolen, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case. On Sela’s person at the time of his arrest, law enforcement found six debit and credit cards in the names of four different victims. Subsequent to this arrest, during a search of Sela’s then-residence in West Hollywood, law enforcement uncovered extensive stolen mail containing victims’ PII; bank statements and account information relating to at least 18 different victim accounts; five California driver’s licenses belonging to five confirmed victims of identity theft; seven debit and credit cards belonging to confirmed fraud victims; and checks and receipts for expensive retail items, including a watch worth nearly $17,000, that had been fraudulently obtained using victims’ money, the affidavit alleges. Sela was found with approximately 33 pieces of stolen mail in December 2022 and at least 118 pieces of stolen mail on October 10, the indictment alleges. The losses incurred by four victims are approximately $2,590,836, according to court documents, and at least 20 additional victims have been identified. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of all charges, Sela would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each bank fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the possession of unauthorized access devices count and for the unlawful possession of identity documents count, a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each possession of stolen mail count, and for the aggravated identity theft count, a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to the rest of his sentence. The Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron B. Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Western Washington cities, county, and three tribes awarded nearly $6 million for drug treatment and family recovery programs

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs has awarded more than $5.9 million in federal grants to improve drug treatment and family recovery programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The funding is going to Mason County, the cities of Kirkland and Olympia, the Quinault Indian Nation, Tulalip Tribes, and the Puyallup Tribe. “On this Red Ribbon Week when we celebrate living drug free, I am excited to see new programs aimed at ending drug addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Each of these entities has identified ways to improve their services and help those struggling with addiction and mental health challenges. Justice Department funding will help identify best practices that can be replicated elsewhere.” The City of Kirkland, Washington, was awarded $1,286,400 to implement an opioid and substance abuse screening and treatment program in their jail. The program will include medication assisted treatment options both in custody and for those transitioning into the community. The City of Olympia, Washington was awarded $1,000,000 to support training for first responders and to expand the capacity and the hours of operation for a diversion program. The grant will further support the creation of an adult mental health program. A research team from Washington State University will evaluate the project’s success. Mason County’s Family Recovery Court was awarded $890,675 to enhance its support programs. The improvements are aimed at increased parent engagement, reduced substance use, and reduced mental health issues among parents. Both the Quinault and Puyallup tribes are receiving about a million dollars to enhance drug treatment services for tribal members. The Quinault Adult and Family Healing to Wellness court will use $1 million to expand services to assist families in recovery. The three-year initiative will provide stabilizing services for those with drug use disorders. Similarly, the Puyallup Tribal community was awarded $999,324 to reduce barriers to treatment services and increase the length of time a person is supported in treatment. Grant funds will also be used to strengthen family education and engagement in recovery. The Tulalip Tribes were awarded $749,828 to expand the capacity of its Health and Wellness Court program by hiring additional staff and creating an alumni support network for those who have completed treatment. To learn more about Red Ribbon week visit: https://www.redribbon.org/about


title: Former Reality Show Cast Member and St. Louis DJ Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Multiple Frauds

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a former “Basketball Wives” reality show cast member and St. Louis, Missouri area radio personality to four years in prison for committing $564,000 worth of frauds, including tax fraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud and three separate pandemic fraud schemes. Brittish Cierrah Williams, 33, pleaded guilty in May to 15 felonies: five counts of misuse of a Social Security number, four counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to the IRS and three counts of wire fraud. Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke called Williams’ conduct part of a roughly decade-long series of frauds during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. Her crimes continued after she was initially contacted and interviewed by federal agents and even after she was indicted, Klocke said. Judge Autrey told Williams, “You knew what you were doing. You knew it was wrong and you did it anyway.” Williams will be on supervised release for five years after her release from prison and Judge Autrey ordered her to pay $564,069 in restitution. “The defendant launched a scheme that led to a variety of financial crimes including tax fraud, bank fraud, COVID loan fraud and identity theft,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “Ms. Williams displayed a blatant disregard for the victims of her deceit. Financial crimes of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.” “Brittish Williams was getting paid to portray her celebrity lifestyle on “Basketball Wives” when in fact she was a typical fraudster,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “After today’s sentencing, her reality is now a life of a felon.” “This sentence demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable those who intentionally misuse Social Security numbers for their own personal gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “Ms. Williams’ criminal actions brought financial harm upon individuals, businesses, and government programs, damages the integrity of Social Security numbers. I thank the FBI and the IRS-CI for their investigative efforts, and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke for prosecuting this case.” In her plea agreement, Williams admitted under-reporting her income on tax returns for 2017-2019 and falsely claiming a niece and nephew as dependents, thereby avoiding $29,366 in tax. She fraudulently used Social Security numbers not assigned to her to open accounts with credit card companies and banks. When she failed to pay on the accounts, victim companies lost $28,537. Williams also used those Social Security numbers to open bank accounts and commit bank fraud. She deposited thousands of dollars’ worth of checks taken from other peoples’ accounts without their knowledge and then withdrew the money, causing another $23,850 in losses. Williams admitted submitting nine applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, intended to help struggling business during the pandemic. The applications contained false information about business income and payroll, as well as her criminal history. She used the $144,400 that resulted from two of the applications to fund her personal lifestyle, her plea agreement says. Williams also received $52,647 from four Paycheck Protection Program loans. After her indictment, Williams on Jan. 3, 2022, applied for the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program, falsely claiming that she was a state resident with a total annual household income of $50,000 and that she couldn’t pay her rent due to a “Reduction in hours of work” due to the pandemic, her plea agreement says. She received $27,801. She had stopped paying rent in July of 2021 and she failed to disclose that her $3,803 rent was more than reimbursed by a $4,000 payment from the network that produces “Basketball Wives LA.” Her work hours and pay were not reduced by the pandemic. Williams submitted fake medical bills to at least one insurance company, resulting in $139,479.92 paid to her, co-conspirators or both. Finally, Williams has not filed annual tax returns since her indictment in October of 2021. She listed herself as “exempt” on a form with her radio station employer resulting in no taxes being withheld from her $90,000 salary, her plea says. Williams is no longer employed by the station. The total known actual and intended losses from all the frauds and schemes, including the relevant conduct listed in the plea agreement, is $564,069. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and the FBI. Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke is handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.


title: Los Angeles County Trio Arrested on Complaint Alleging They Committed 10 Armed Robberies of Pharmacies in Six-Week Spree

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Two South Bay men and one Harbor-area woman are expected to appear today in federal court after being charged in a complaint with allegedly committing 10 armed robberies of chain pharmacy stores over a six-week span, sometimes assaulting and injuring their victims. The following defendants have been charged via a criminal complaint filed on October 6 with Hobbs Act robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during an in relation to a crime of violence: Makai Yusef Sanders, 22, of Hawthorne; Kenyatta Kamar Jones, 22, of Hawthorne; and Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 22, of Carson. The defendants are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants committed 10 armed robberies from August 9 to September 19 of Rite Aid and Walgreens stores in Long Beach, Bellflower, South Los Angeles, Pasadena, Whittier, Lakewood, Monterey Park, Burbank, and Glendale. Mouton allegedly served as the driver while Sanders and Jones allegedly robbed the stores, typically one hour before closing, used handguns, stole victims’ cellphones, then went to the stores’ staffing offices and took money from their safes. Specifically, on September 19, two armed men believed to be Sanders and Jones – one wearing a black balaclava mask and the other wearing a black mask with a red logo – robbed a Walgreens store in Glendale. The suspects robbed a store customer who was at a register attempting to purchase some items, held the victim at gunpoint, and stole the victim’s iPhone. One of the defendants allegedly then robbed a store employee, pointing a handgun at her back, telling her to take him to the store’s safe and using the barrel of the gun to push her to get her to move faster. In fear for her life, the employee began walking to the back of the store where the safe was located. Once at the back of the store, the employee noticed the robber was distracted talking to the other robber. The employee then locked herself inside the store’s staffing office and called 911. In total, the robbers stole approximately $776 from the Walgreens cash registers, along with four iPhones belonging to the victims. The suspects then exited the store and drove away in a white Honda Civic, which law enforcement later discovered had been booked via a peer-to-peer carsharing company, and allegedly was driven by Mouton. Using phone records and GPS data, law enforcement tracked the defendants down and arrested them on September 26. At the time of their arrests, Jones and Sanders allegedly possessed handguns consistent with the firearms used in the Walgreens robbery. Law enforcement also found clothing – including the black mask with a red logo – consistent with what one of the suspects wore during that robbery. The defendants were in state custody until being transferred to federal custody today. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of both charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery count and up to life in federal prison for the firearm count. The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Glendale Police Department are investigating this matter. The Long Beach Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, and the Whittier Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Convicted Ponzi schemer arrested in Florida after failing to show up for sentencing

body_text: Seattle – A federally convicted Ponzi schemer was arrested today in South Florida following an hours-long stand-off with FBI Miami, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. In December 2022, Volodimyr Pigida, a Miami area resident who previously resided in Bellevue, Washington, was found guilty by a jury in the Western District of Washington of 26 felony counts , including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, among other crimes. In his $11 million Ponzi scheme Pigida defrauded thousands of victims. Pigida and his wife operated a ‘work-at-home’ email scheme named Trend Sound Promoter that ultimately crashed – but not before the two raided the company’s accounts to purchase homes, expensive cars, and a yacht. On August 4, 2023, Pigida failed to appear at his sentencing hearing before the district court in Seattle. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Pigida is a naturalized U.S. Citizen who was born in Ukraine. Pigida will appear in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale tomorrow. Prosecutors will ask that he be detained and transferred to the Western District of Washington by the U.S. Marshals Service. The FBI wanted poster is here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/volodimyr-pigida The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski.


title: Guilty On All Counts, Jury Convicts Utah Woman in Online Romance Scam that Cost Victims Over $6M

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY – A federal jury convicted the final defendant involved in an online romance scheme that cost dozens of victims more than $6 million. On Oct. 19, 2023, a Utah County woman, was found guilty of one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Nelly Idowu, 39, of Provo, Utah, participated in an online romance scheme from 2017 to 2019 that involved creating fake online dating profiles to befriend and romance victims. These victims were primarily single women over 65-years-old who were led to believe the fake persona they were engaging with had an urgent financial need. Some of the bogus financial needs included helping family members with emergency medical costs, helping a United States military member stranded overseas, or claims of unique investment opportunities. None of these financial needs were legitimate. Victims sent money to Idowu and her codefendants for these false purposes. Idowu and her codefendants then sent a significant amount of the victim funds to overseas accounts in China and Nigeria. At trial, the United States presented evidence that Idowu’s personal and business accounts received more than $1 million from 2017 to 2019, and that additional amounts were received by Idowu’s coconspirators. Victims testified they were victims of scams involving fictitious online romance partners. They testified they sent the money to Idowu or her coconspirators as a result of the scam involving fictitious online romance partners. Idowu’s sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge, Ted Stewart at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Codefendants Emmanuel Osaigbovo Adesotu, Nnamdi Joel Chukwu, and Julius Omene Fredrick were each previously convicted by guilty plea to a money laundering conspiracy. Adesotu was sentenced to a term of 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $6.3 million in restitution jointly with codefendants. Fredrick was sentenced to a term of 46 months’ imprisonment. Chukwu’s sentencing is set for January 16, 2024. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Carl LeSueur and Mark Woolf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah presented the case at trial. The FBI encourages those engaged in online relationships to review and become familiar with information about romance scams on its website FBI.gov. Additionally, if you or someone you know has been a victim of elder fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 833-FRAUD-11 or 833-372-8311 and online at the Office for Victims of Crime.


title: Billings man accused of threatening to murder U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man accused of threating to murder U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy appeared today for arraignment on an indictment, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Richard Lee Rogers, 44, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with threats to injure and murder a member of the United States Congress and with harassing telephone calls. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rogers faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Rogers was released pending further proceedings. The indictment alleges that on Feb. 3, near Shepherd, Rogers threatened to assault and murder Kevin McCarthy, who is a member of the U.S. Congress and was the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, with the intent to retaliate against him for the performance of his official duties. The indictment further alleges that on Feb. 3, Rogers made repeated interstate phone calls to harass a person at the called number. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Capitol Police. PACER case reference. 23-112. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl XXX


title: New Orleans Business Owner Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud  First NBC Bank

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KENNETH CHARITY (“CHARITY”) , age 58, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 18, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Lance Africk to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud First NBC Bank (FNBC), the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017. According to court documents, from February 2007 through April 2017, CHARITY had a banking relationship with FNBC. During that time, FNBC President, Ashton Ryan, acted as the loan officer for CHARITY and certain of CHARITY ’s entities. By the time FNBC failed, the balances on the loans issued to CHARITY and the entities, totaled more than $16 million. CHARITY , Ryan, and others, knowingly conspired to defraud FNBC by disguising and misrepresenting the true financial status of CHARITY and his entities, as well as the purpose of the loans issued to them. CHARITY admitted that he, Ryan, and others carried out the conspiracy by repeatedly lying in bank loan documents about the purpose of loans that Ryan approved for CHARITY . Specifically, Ryan approved loans for CHARITY and his entities that appeared to be for legitimate business purposes. In reality, CHARITY spent loan proceeds on personal expenses, and Ryan was aware that CHARITY did not spend the loan proceeds consistent with the loans’stated purposes. For example, from in or around August 2014 through in or around December 2016, Ryan caused three loans to be disbursed to one of CHARITY ’s entities for the purpose of, in part, enclosing a patio at a beignet shop. CHARITY never built the patio. Instead, the loan proceeds were used to pay CHARITY ’s overdrafts, including personal expenses, and to make loan payments. Ryan was convicted at trial in February 2023, for bank fraud and other offenses related to the CHARITY loans. In addition to prison, Judge Africk sentenced CHARITY to three years of supervised release. Judge Africk also ordered CHARITY to pay $16,502,831.55 in restitution to the FDIC, along with a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the agencies that conducted this years-long investigation: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office; and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit , Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, J. Ryan McLaren of the Appellate Unit , and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Pensacola Man Sentenced To Thirty-Five Years In Federal Prison For Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcus D. Flintroy, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to thirty-five years in federal prison after previously having been found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Each of these deaths is a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute those who distribute these addictive, controlled substances. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our resolve to hold them accountable.” Between December 8, 2022, and January 5, 2023, Flintroy distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 200 grams of fentanyl in Pensacola. The evidence against Flintroy culminated with a traffic stop conducted by law enforcement, which Flintroy tried to evade by ramming his vehicle into multiple undercover law enforcement vehicles. Flintroy then ran on foot when his vehicle became disabled, but he was caught by law enforcement officers. In his vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 100 grams of fentanyl, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over 180 rounds of ammunition. “Illicit fentanyl is the most dangerous drug threat facing our county, and Florida is not immune to its devastating effects. We need to be doing all we can to keep our Florida communities safe and healthy, including holding those who bring this poison into our communities accountable for their actions,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA, in collaboration with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who distribute these deadly drugs.” Flintroy had prior state felony convictions for offenses including aggravated assault with a firearm; sell, manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance; and others. Flintroy had just been released from state prison in late 2021 before engaging in the new federal offenses. Flintroy’s imprisonment will be followed by 8-years of supervised release. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Putnam County Man Sentenced for Making False Declaration in Bankruptcy Case

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – William Howard Gregory, 73, of Scott Depot, was sentenced today to 30 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, including five months on home detention, and ordered to pay $24,662.56 in restitution for knowingly and fraudulently making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 1, 2018, Gregory filed false documents in his bankruptcy case that failed to disclose the existence of five life insurance policies with the collective surrender value of approximately $235,000. Gregory admitted that he knew he was required to disclose the existence of his policies and chose not to disclose them. The United States Trustee learned that Gregory also failed to disclose the sale of his 50 percent ownership in a hardware store for $400,000, cash deposits of $124,900 in his personal checking account on the day he filed for bankruptcy, $193,000 in accounts receivable owed to him, and a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-95. ###


title: Harrah Man Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession Following High-Speed Chase

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, HUNTER EUGENE BERRY , 23, of Harrah, was sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On March 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Berry, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possessing a stolen firearm. On May 17, 2023, Berry pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On January 5, 2023, public records reflect that law enforcement responded to reports of a reckless driver in northeast Oklahoma County. After Berry refused to stop the vehicle, he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Helicopters with the Oklahoma City Police Department and local news media observed Berry drive into oncoming traffic and run several vehicles off the road. A school bus was also run off the road. During the pursuit, Berry also stole a firearm from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence in Oklahoma County, and he later shot at law enforcement with that firearm. The vehicle driven by Berry had been reported as stolen earlier that day. At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Berry to serve 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick noted that Berry’s egregious conduct put members of the public in grave danger and described the high-speed chase as “horrifying and frightening.” Judge Wyrick also noted Berry’s criminal history. Public records reflect that Berry holds a felony conviction for burglary in the first degree in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-19-336. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones Police Department, the Harrah Police Department, and the Luther Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case. This case is part of operation “Shots Fired," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public record for more information.


title: Haitian Gang Leader Charged with Hostage Taking Offenses that Resulted in the Death of a U.S. Citizen in Haiti in October 2022

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Note: View the indictment , the wanted poster , and the reward poster here . An indictment, filed in the District of Columbia, was unsealed today charging Vitel’homme Innocent, a Haitian national and leader of the Kraze Barye gang, for his alleged role in the October 2022 armed hostage taking, in Haiti, of two U.S. citizens, one of whom was killed during the event. According to the indictment, Innocent and the Kraze Barye gang operate in the Ouest department of Haiti to include Delmas, Torcelle, and Tabarre. The gang actively participates in kidnappings for ransom, extortion, and car thefts. Innocent ordered gang members to kidnap Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin from their home in Haiti on Oct. 7, 2022. On that date, armed gang members forced entry into the Franklin residence and attempted to kidnap the couple by force. During the kidnapping, Marie Odette Franklin was shot and killed by the gang members. Her husband was taken into captivity and held at an undisclosed location in Haiti. While Jean Franklin was in captivity, Innocent participated in ransom negotiations in exchange for Jean Franklin’s release. Jean Franklin was released from captivity on Oct. 28, 2022, following ransom payments made to the gang on behalf of his family. “As alleged in the indictment, Vitel’homme Innocent, a leader of the Kraze Barye gang in Haiti, directed gang members to kidnap two American citizens for ransom, ultimately resulting in the death of one of the victims,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is vigorously pursuing those who harm or endanger Americans living in Haiti.” “We remain steadfast in our mission to hold those responsible for violent crimes committed against U.S. citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “The gangs and gang leaders in Haiti must be held accountable for their atrocities committed against innocent civilians. We will utilize all methods at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts.” “The indictment unsealed today demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads and to work our way up to the leaders of criminal plots wherever they are,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Neither time nor distance will weaken our resolve. We will use all tools available and go to the farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who seek to harm Americans.” Innocent remains at large and is believed to reside in Tabarre, Haiti. Innocent faces additional charges in the District of Columbia related to his role in the kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in the Fall of 2021, for which he was indicted. In the fall of 2022, the U.S. State Department announced a reward offer of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Vitel’homme Innocent. The reward is being offered under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program. If convicted, Innocent faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or could face the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance fromthe FBI Legal Attaché Office in Haiti and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Líder de pandilla haitiana acusado de delitos de toma de rehenes que resultaron en la muerte de un ciudadano estadounidense en Haití en octubre de 2022

body_text: Note: View the indictment , the wanted poster , and the reward poster here . Una acusación, presentada en el Distrito de Columbia y revelada hoy, acusa a Vitel'homme Innocent, ciudadano haitiano y líder de la pandilla Kraze Barye, por su presunto rol en la retención armada de dos ciudadanos estadounidenses, uno de los cuales fue asesinado durante el evento en octubre de 2002 en Haití. La acusación fue anunciada por el fiscal federal Matthew M. Graves y el Agente Especial a Cargo del FBI, Jeffrey B. Veltri, de la oficina regional de Miami. Según la acusación, Vitel'homme Innocent y la pandilla Krazye Barye operan en el área de Ouest de Haití, que incluye Delmas, Torcelle y Tabarre. La pandilla participa activamente en secuestros para exigir rescate, extorsión y robo de automóviles. Vitel'homme Innocent dio la orden a los pandilleros de secuestrar a Jean Franklin y Marie Odette Franklin de su casa en Haití el 7 de octubre de 2022. En esa fecha, pandilleros armados forzaron la entrada a la residencia de Franklin e intentaron secuestrar a la pareja a la fuerza. Durante el secuestro, Marie Odette Franklin fue asesinada a tiros por los pandilleros. Su esposo fue llevado en cautiverio y retenido en un lugar no revelado en Haití. Mientras Jean Franklin estaba en cautiverio, Vitel'homme Innocent participó en las negociaciones de rescate a cambio de la liberación de Jean Franklin. Jean Franklin fue liberado de su cautiverio el 28 de octubre de 2022, luego de los pagos de rescate realizados por su familia a la pandilla. "Nos mantenemos firmes en nuestra misión de procesar a los responsables de crímenes violentos cometidos contra ciudadanos estadounidenses en Haití", dijo el fiscal federal Graves. "Las pandillas y los líderes de las pandillas en Haití deben rendir cuentas por las atrocidades cometidas contra la población civil. Utilizaremos todos los medios a nuestra disposición para detener y enjuiciar a quienes cometan actos tan atroces". "La acusación revelada hoy demuestra el compromiso del FBI de seguir la evidencia dondequiera que nos lleve y de perseverar hasta dar con los líderes de los complots criminales donde sea que estén", dijo el Agente Especial a Cargo Veltri. "Ni el tiempo ni la distancia debilitarán nuestra determinación. Utilizaremos todas las herramientas disponibles e iremos a los confines del mundo para llevar ante la justicia a aquellos que buscan hacerle daño a los estadounidenses". Vitel'homme Innocent sigue prófugo y se cree que reside en Tabarre, Haití. Vitel'homme Innocent enfrenta cargos adicionales en el Distrito de Columbia relacionados con su rol en el secuestro de 16 ciudadanos estadounidenses en el otoño de 2021, por el cual fue acusado. En el otoño de 2022, el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos anunció una recompensa hasta de $1 millón de dólares por información llevando a arresto y/o conviccion de Vitel'homme Innocent. La recompensa se ofrece bajo el Programa de Recompensas contra el Crimen Organizado Transnacional. Si es declarado culpable, Vitel'homme Innocent se enfrenta a una pena máxima de cadena perpetua o podría enfrentar la pena de muerte. Este caso está siendo investigado por la oficina regional del FBI en Miami, con la asistencia de la oficina del Agregado Jurídico del FBI en Haití y con la valiosa asistencia del Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado. El caso está siendo procesado por el fiscal federal adjunto Jack F. Korba. Los cargos en una acusación son meramente acusaciones, y cada acusado se presume inocente a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de una duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.


title: Yon chèf gang ayisyen akize pou zak kidnaping ki lakòz lanmò yon sitwayen ameriken nan peyi Dayiti nan mwa oktòb 2022

body_text: Yon ak akizasyon ki te depoze nan distri Columbia epi ki pibliye jodi a akize sitwayen ayisyen Vitel’homme Innocent, chèf gang Kraze Baryè a, pou wòl li ta sanse jwe nan pran de sitwayen ameriken kòm otaj avèk zam nan peyi Dayiti nan mwa oktòb 2022. Pandan zak sa, youn nan sitwayen yo te rive mouri. Se pwokirè Ameriken Matye M. Graves ak Ajan espesyal ki responsab biwo FBI nan Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, ki anonse ak akizasyon sa. Daprè ak akizasyon an, Vitel’homme Innocent ak gang Krazye Barye ap opere nan depatman Lwès nan peyi Dayiti, ki gen ladann zòn Dèlma, Tòsèl, ak Taba. Gang sa a patisipe nan kidnape moun pou lajan, vòlè ak vòlè machin. Vitel’homme Innocent te bay manm nan gang nan lòd pou yo kidnape Jean Franklin ak Marie Odette Franklin lakay yo nan peyi Dayiti 7 oktòb 2022. Nan dat sa a, manm gang yo ki te gen zam nan men yo te antre nan kay Franklin yo epi eseye kidnape koup lan. Pandan kidnaping la, Marie Odette Franklin te rive pèdi lavi li. Yo te kidnape mari an epi kenbe misye nan yon kote yo sekrè nan peyi Dayiti. Pandan Jean Franklin te nan men kidnapè yo, Vitel’homme Innocent te patisipe nan negosyasyon pou lajan an echanj pou liberasyon Jean Franklin. Jean Franklin te jwenn liberasyon li nan dat 28 oktòb 2022, aprè yo te fin peye gang nan lajan nan non fanmi Franklin. Pwokirè Ameriken Graves fè konnen : « Nou rete fèm nan misyon nou pou kenbe moun k ap komèt krim vyolan kont sitwayen ameriken nan peyi Dayiti yo responsab pou zak yo ». « Gang yo ak chèf gang nan peyi Dayiti yo dwe peye pou zak atwosite yo ap fè kont sivil inosan. Nou pral sèvi ak tout metòd nou genyen nan dispozisyon nou yo pou arete ak trennen devan lajistis moun ki fè vye zak sa yo ». Ajan espesyal Veltri deklare : « Ak akizasyon ki pibliye jodi a montre angajman FBI pou li swiv prèv yo nenpòt kote yo mennen, epi jwenn [chache] chimen ki mennen li kote chèf konplo kriminèl yo nenpòt kote yo ye a ». « Ni tan, ni distans pap fè volonte nou febli. Nou pral sèvi ak tout zouti ki disponib epi nou prale nan tout kwen latè pou nou jwenn epi mennen devan lajistis sila kap chache fè Ameriken mal yo». Vitel’homme Innocent toujou nan kouri. Li ta dwe ap viv nan zòn Taba, nan peyi Dayiti. Gen chans pou Vitel’homme Innocent akize de lòt move zak toujou nan distri Columbia pou sa ki gen rapò ak wòl li nan kidnape 16 sitwayen ameriken nan otòn nan 2021. Dosye sa a nan egzamen. Si yo ta rekonèt li koupab, Vitel’homme Innocent riske jwenn yon kondanasyon pou prizon avi oswa pèn lanmò. Biwo lokal FBI nan Miami ap mennen ankèt sou dosye sa, avèk èd biwo Atache jiridik FBI nan peyi Dayiti, ak èd Sèvis Sekirite Diplomatik nan Depatman Deta. Se pwokirè federal adjwen Jack F. Korba ki responsab Dosye a. Akizasyon ki nan ak akizasyon sa a se jis akizasyon. Tout moun yo akize prezime inosan jiskaske yon tribinal pwouve ke li koupab san kite plas pou tout dout rezonab.


title: AECOM to Pay $11.8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations  in Connection with Hurricane Disaster Relief

component: Civil Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – AECOM, an architecture and engineering firm based in Dallas has agreed to pay $11.8 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the replacement of certain educational facilities located in Louisiana that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and corresponding rules, FEMA provided institutional applicants, such as schools and universities, with public assistance (PA) funds for the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Funding was limited to the cost of repairing a damaged facility, unless that cost exceeded 50% of the facility’s replacement cost, in which case full-replacement funding was available. Between 2006 and 2010, AECOM served as a technical assistance contractor in support of FEMA disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. In this role, AECOM prepared requests for PA funds on behalf of applicants that included, among other things, damage descriptions, estimates of the cost to repair damage and estimates of the cost to replace structures. The settlement resolves allegations that an AECOM project officer deployed to Louisiana for the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort submitted to FEMA fraudulent requests for disaster assistance funds for several educational facilities in New Orleans, which resulted in certain applicants receiving PA funds in excess of what FEMA rules permitted, including in some cases because the facility was entitled only to repair rather than replacement costs. These facilities included the gymnasium, student center and electrical grid at Xavier University of Louisiana and a cafeteria building at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans’ St. Raphael the Archangel School. According to the allegations in the government’s complaint, AECOM supervisors reviewed and did not correct disaster assistance applications that included materially false design, damage and replacement eligibility descriptions. “FEMA plays an essential role in helping communities recover from natural disasters,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement sends a strong message that FEMA contractors, as well as funding recipients, must provide truthful and accurate information so that FEMA’s resources are used to help those truly in need.” “Federal disaster funds are instrumental in the effort to aid disaster victims with their recovery,” said the U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The favorable resolution of this False Claims Act matter illustrates the collaborative efforts and firm commitment by our federal partners to use all available remedies to address signs of fraud, waste and abuse.” “With our law enforcement partners - the Department of Justice Civil Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana - DHS-OIG worked tirelessly to ensure that these defendants were brought to justice and that nearly $12 million in disaster relief funds will be returned to the U.S. taxpayer,” said Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari of DHS. The settlement with AECOM resolves claims brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The United States may intervene in the action, as it did in part in this case. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Robert Romero v. AECOM, Inc., et al. , No. 16-cv-15092 (E.D. La.). As part of the settlement with AECOM, the whistleblower, Robert Romero, will receive more than $2.4 million. The United States has now recovered nearly $25 million in connection with the disaster assistance applications prepared by AECOM. The United States previously settled with Xavier University of Louisiana and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans with respect to their alleged role in the submission of the false certifications for FEMA funding prepared by AECOM. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, with substantial assistance from FEMA’s Office of Chief Counsel. Investigative support was provided by the DHS-OIG's Major Fraud and Corruption Unit and New Orleans Resident Office. This matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Laura Hill, Richard Hagner, Gavin Thole, and Robin Overby of the Civil Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mimi Nguyen for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Charles Schexnaildre of FEMA’s Office of Chief Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Carjacking and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MILTON CARTER , age 32, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged by a federal grand jury on October 6, 2023, in a three-count indictment for carjacking and violations of the Federal Gun Control Act. CARTER is charged in Count 1 with carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). He is charged in Count 2 with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). He is charged in Count 3 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted of Count 1, CARTER faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, he faces a minimum of seven years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each charged count, CARTER also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven 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 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 and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Baton Rouge Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents to Defraud Insurance and Trucking Companies

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RODERICK HICKMAN (“ HICKMAN ”), age 52, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans. According to court documents, on March 27, 2017, HICKMAN along with four other defendants, intentionally collided with a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road and then fled the scene. HICKMAN was referred to attorneys who paid him and another co-defendant to stage the accident. In some cases, the attorneys knew that the participants were uninjured but referred them to medical providers for treatment to increase the value of subsequent lawsuits. In total, the victim trucking and insurance companies paid out $277,500.00 for these fraudulent claims. HICKMAN was sentenced to 42 months in the Bureau of Prisons by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk and ordered to pay restitution of approximately $5.7 million. He also will be on supervised release for three years following incarceration and must pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long, also of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Former St. Bernard Parish Assistant District Attorney and Co-Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding First NBC Bank

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 19, 2023, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced GLENN E. DIAZ , age 72, to 87 months in prison, for his role in leading a scheme to defraud First NBC Bank (FNBC), the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017. DIAZ , along with codefendants PETER J. “PETE” JENEVEIN , age 58, of Panama City, Florida; and MARK S. GRELLE , age 68, of Chalmette, were convicted in April 2023, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and substantive bank fraud charges. DIAZ previously worked as an assistant district attorney for St. Bernard Parish for over thirty years. Between June and December 2016, the defendants defrauded FNBC of over $550,000. In addition to his sentence of incarceration, DIAZ was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and restitution in an amount to be determined at a later hearing. Further, Judge Milazzo sentenced DIAZ to two years of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory $1000 special assessment fee. Citing JENEVEIN’S substantial health issues, Judge Milazzo sentenced JENEVEIN to 6 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, 18 months of which must be spent in home confinement. JENEVEIN is also required to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $3,100. Judge Milazzo sentenced GRELLE to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release, 6 months of which must be spent in home confinement. GRELLE also is required to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $1,900. According to the evidence at trial, from at least April 2016 through December 20, 2016, DIAZ , JENEVEIN , and GRELLE conspired to defraud FNBC through a series of false invoices and other fake documents for work purportedly done at a Florida warehouse owned by DIAZ . DIAZ was a customer of FNBC from 2006 through the bank’s closure in 2017. By late 2015, DIAZ had been overdrawing his checking account for purported business expenses. In actuality, DIAZ was depositing these overdrafts into his personal account at another bank. In June 2016, FNBC officers began requiring invoices from DIAZ to prove that he was spending bank funds to improve the Florida warehouse, that had served as collateral for DIAZ ’s loans at FNBC Bank. In response to the FNBC’s requirement, DIAZ had JENEVEIN and GRELLE provide fake invoices for improvements on the Florida warehouse that were purportedly performed by GRELLE ’s company, Grelle Underground Services LLC. FNBC officers approved the overdrafts based on these invoices. However, after DIAZ wrote the check to GRELLE ’s company, GRELLE would then write a check back to DIAZ , that DIAZ deposited into his personal account at JPMorgan Chase bank, to hide it from FNBC. DIAZ then used the money for expenditures unrelated to the Florida warehouse project including, vintage automobiles, plastic surgery, precious metals, and online shopping. In total, DIAZ , JENEVEIN , and GRELLE executed 17 round-trip transactions through GRELLE ’s accounts. Evidence at trial also showed that DIAZ and JENEVEIN created other false invoices and credit card itemizations claiming false business expenses, and fabricating business names to make DIAZ ’s personal expenses look like legitimate construction expenses. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the agencies that conducted this years-long investigation: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, Miami Field Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit, Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, J. Ryan McLaren of the Appellate Unit, and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Bangor Man Sentenced to 10 Years after Transporting Fentanyl from Massachusetts

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. U.S District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Chad Savage , 34, to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Savage pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023. According to court records, in June 2022, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) investigators, after receiving information that Savage had purchased large quantities of drugs in Massachusetts to sell in the Bangor area, executed a search warrant on a vehicle Savage was operating. Savage directed investigators to the glovebox of the vehicle where 50 pressed “sticks” of suspected fentanyl were recovered. A lab later confirmed the drugs seized were 588.7 grams of fentanyl. Less than two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage. In an interview with authorities, Savage stated that he had traveled to Massachusetts to obtain the drugs, that the drugs were “fronted” to him, and that he estimated that he had been provided with 1000 grams. MDEA, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. ###


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing and Discharging Firearms in Relation to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Trenton Robinson, 28, of District Heights, Maryland pleaded guilty today to brandishing and discharging firearms in relation to drug trafficking crimes in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2024. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Interim Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Robinson is one of more than two dozen individuals arrested as part of a joint FBI/ATF investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 49 pounds of marijuana, 61 grams of crack cocaine, 23 firearms including three fully automatic machineguns, and more than $497,000 in cash. Robinson, who utilized the street nickname “Zulu,” pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, and one count of discharging a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. According to the government’s evidence, beginning in approximately June 2018, and continuing through April 2021, Robinson and his co-conspirators maintained drug dealing territory on Trenton Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. – a territory they defended by carrying, and discharging, firearms at perceived rivals. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Robinson distributed marijuana in bulk quantities and served as an armed defender of the co-conspirators’ drug dealing territory. As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted that he conspired with others to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine. Robinson also admitted that he conspired with others to use, carry, and possess firearms in relation to drug trafficking. Finally, Robinson admitted to carrying and brandishing firearms on multiple occasions between January 2, 2020, and May 30, 2020, when necessary to defend the co-conspirators, their drugs, or their cash. Robinson also admitted that, on April 12, 2020, he brandished and discharged a fully automatic .223 caliber AR-Pistol at the driver of a passing vehicle in the co-conspirators’ drug-dealing territory. Robinson faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of 17 years in prison. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, and Interim Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI, ATF, and MPD. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Federal jury convicts member of transnational organized crime group of money laundering, migrant smuggling, trafficking stolen property, and bribery of public officials

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI –Following a one-month trial, a federal jury convicted a Miami Beach man for his role in a violent transnational organized crime group operating in Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and South Florida since as early as 2009. Javier Hernandez, 50, of Miami Beach, Florida, was convicted on Oct. 18, following a jury trial of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, conspiracy to transport stolen vessels, conspiracy to traffic in certain motor vehicles, trafficking in certain motor vehicles, and conspiracy to launder money to promote stolen property trafficking, and the bribery of public officials. According to evidence introduced at trial, Hernandez and his codefendant, Ramon Reyes Aranda, 38, of Naples, Florida, stole vessels from the west coast of Florida. Reyes Aranda would identify the vessels, and Hernandez transported them to Mexico, where they would be used to fund and facilitate the enterprise’s illegal activities. Prior to the trial, Reyes Aranda pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy to promote stolen property trafficking and the bribery of public officials. The stolen property, which included boats and vessels, were transported to a coconspirator in Mexico, who would then use the stolen property to facilitate and promote the organization’s activities. For example, evidence introduced at trial showed that Hernandez transported a vehicle to Mexico for use in bribing a foreign official so that the organization could continue conducting migrant smuggling without interference from law enforcement. An extensive multi-national operation, led by American and Mexican law enforcement authorities, was formed to combat the activities of a violent transnational organized crime group known collectively in Mexico as La Mafia Cubana en Quintana Roo , or the Cuban Mafia in Quintana Roo. Through this operation, law enforcement officials learned that Jose Miguel Gonzalez Vidal, 36; Reynaldo Abreu Garcia, 56; Yohismy Perez Gonzalez, 40; Yosvani Carbonel Lemus, 43; Reynaldo Crespo Marquez, 44, and Jancer Sergio Ramos Valdes, 37, all Cuban citizens residing in Mexico at the time of the charges, along with Maikel Antonio Hechavarria Reyes and Monica Susana Castillo, both of Mexico, were part of an organized crime group that profited from various schemes, including the smuggling and extortion of Cuban migrants held hostage in Mexico for the payment of smuggling fees ( United States v. Vidal, et al. , Case No . 21-cr-20050-CMA). According to evidence contained in the court record, Gonzalez Vidal introduced Hernandez to Reyes Aranda so that they could work together to transport stolen vessels for the organization. Both Hernandez and Reyes Aranda were paid by Gonzalez Vidal and other members of the organization for their transportation of the stolen property. The members of the migrant extortion racket required the victims to provide contact information of a family member from whom they would later demand a $10,000 USD ransom fee. The men contacted the victims’ relatives, some of whom were in Miami, and threatened to torture, starve, and kill the victims if the relatives refused to pay. If a victim’s relative was able to pay the ransom, the organization released the victim and sent them by bus to the United States-Mexico border with instructions to seek political asylum. The victims whose relatives were unable to pay the fee were beaten, threatened with knives and guns, and shocked with stun guns until they were finally rescued by Mexican authorities. Members of the organization also sought to profit from drug trafficking and fraud schemes. Further, once the defendants were charged in the United States and detained pending trial, they continued operating the organization by seeking to obstruct justice, violating court orders, and distributing contraband in a federal detention center. As part of their prison racket, the organization paid bribes to a federal employee to introduce contraband and controlled substance for distribution into the Federal Detention Center (FDC), in Miami. For their participation in the criminal scheme, Gonzalez Vidal, Crespo Marquez, Abreu Garcia, Perez Gonzalez, Carbonel Lemus, and Ramos Valdes previously pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and migrant smuggling. Their sentencing hearings have been scheduled for November and December in Miami. Reyes Aranda’s sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 15, at 10:00 a.m. in Miami. Hernandez’s sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 5, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in Miami. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region; Warden Gio Ramirez of the Federal Detention Center (FDC), Bureau of Prisons (BOP);; Interim Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD); Chief of Police Tracy Frazzano for the Marco Island Police Department, and Interim Police Chief Matt Fletcher of the Naples Police Department, made the announcement. The prosecution of this organization has involved significant support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI’s International Violent Crimes Unit, and the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. These multinational prosecutions are the result of ongoing efforts of the Operation Sisyphus Task Force, a multi-agency partnership established by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Priority Transnational Organized Crime Program. Since 2012, Operation Sisyphus Task Force participants have secured the conviction of over thirty members and associates of the criminal organization. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arielle Klepach and Brian Dobbins prosecuted U.S. v. Hernandez, et al., Case No. 22-cr-20557. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manolo Reboso, Quinshawna Landon and Ignacio J. Vázquez, Jr. prosecuted U.S. v. Vidal, et al ., Case No. 21-cr-20050. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis conducted collateral litigation regarding obstruction of justice activities in the Vidal, et al. prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda handled asset forfeiture. If you believe you are a victim of migrant coercion or extortion, or know someone who is, you are encouraged to call 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324). Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under the case numbers referenced above. ###


title: Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Life in Federal Prison After Kidnapping and Shooting Woman in Metro Parking Garage

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, ROBERT LEE HARRISON JR. , 50, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve life in federal prison for kidnapping, carjacking, and other crimes, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 6, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Harrison: Count 1 charged illegal possession of ammunition; Count 2 charged carjacking; Count 3 charged kidnapping; and Count 4 charged use and discharge of a firearm during the carjacking. On January 11, 2023, Harrison was tried by a federal jury and found guilty on all counts. At trial, Harrison’s ex-girlfriend testified that he forced her into her car at gunpoint as she left work at the Integris Baptist Medical Center parking garage in Oklahoma City. Evidence at trial further indicated that Harrison confined her in the car and repeatedly punched her before she escaped. Harrison then caught her in the elevator lobby of the parking garage, where he shot her approximately eight times before he fled . The following day, Oklahoma City Police Department officers arrested Harrison after a brief foot chase. At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Harrison to serve life in federal prison and to pay $13,907.41 in restitution. In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the circumstances of the offenses, including their vicious nature. Judge Friot also noted that it was “miraculous” the victim survived. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department, with assistance from the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nichols, Jr. and Jacquelyn Hutzell prosecuted the case. This case is part of “Operation 922” and operation “Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to court filings for further information.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: WASHINGTON – Julian Wesley Gentry, 33, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm on May 1, 2022, in the 600 block of H Street Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Gentry pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 12, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on May 1, 2022, shortly after 1:00 a.m., a security guard who was working at a bar in the 600 block of H Street Northwest, in the District’s Chinatown neighborhood, called 911 to report that a man wearing a white dress shirt—later identified as Gentry—had displayed a firearm that he was carrying in his underwear. The 911 caller provided a detailed description of armed suspect and his two companions, and he stated that the suspect was sitting on the steps of a closed restaurant just across the street. Officers of the Metropolitan Police Department located and approached Gentry, who ran into the middle of the street, where he was stopped seconds later. During a protective pat down, officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic firearm from the Gentry’s waistband, consistent with the 911 caller’s report. During a search of Gentry’s person following his arrest, an additional, loose round of ammunition was found in his pants pocket. Gentry was arrested on May 1, 2022, and has remained in custody ever since. Federal law prohibits Gentry from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2019 conviction for reckless endangerment in Montgomery County, Maryland, for which he was on probation at the time of this offense. Gentry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Robbery, Firearm, and Drug Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KING SANCHEZ, was sentenced today by the United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for violations of the Federal Gun Control, the Federal Controlled Substances, and Hobbs Acts. SANCHEZ previously pled guilty to Count 1 of a superseding indictment, charging him with conspiracy to possess and brandish firearms in furtherance of and during crimes of violence and drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). SANCHEZ also pled guilty to Counts 7 and 8, charging him with conspiracy to interfere and interference with commerce through robbery (Hobbs Act Conspiracy and Hobbs Act Robbery), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. SANCHEZ additionally pled guilty to Count 9, charging him with possessing and brandishing firearms in furtherance of and during a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). For Counts 1, 7, and 8, SANCHEZ was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. As to Count 9, SANCHEZ was sentenced to an 84-months imprisonment, which must run consecutively to the sentences in Counts 1, 7, and 8, as well as five years supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Thus, SANCHEZ received a total sentence of 204 months. SANCHEZ must also pay a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee for each count. According to public documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group responsible for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward. SANCHEZ, along with nine others, were indicted in December 2021, for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. SANCHEZ also participated in a Hobbs Act robbery, during which he and his co-conspirators victimized a mother and her two-young children. SANCHEZ and his co-conspirators by breaking n into and ransacking their home, brandishing firearms, and tying up the mother. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Urologist Charged In Superseding Indictment With Sexually Abusing Eight Patients, Including Minors

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a grand jury in Manhattan federal court returned a Superseding Indictment charging DARIUS A. PADUCH, a New York–area urologist, with seven counts of inducing a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and six counts of inducing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, relating to his yearslong sexual abuse of eight victims who were his patients, six of whom were minors during part of the period of abuse. On April 11, 2023, PADUCH was arrested after a four-count Indictment was unsealed charging him with sexually abusing two former patients who were minors during part of the period of abuse. PADUCH has been detained on his federal charges since his arrest. PADUCH’s case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. Trial is scheduled to commence on April 22, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Darius A. Paduch was a serial sexual abuser. Purporting to provide clinical care, Paduch instead violated patients — including minors — to gratify his own sexual desires. As alleged in today’s Superseding Indictment, Paduch’s abuse was pervasive, spanning over a decade and victimizing patients inside and outside the clinical setting. With today’s additional charges, my Office seeks to hold Paduch accountable for the full measure of his reprehensible conduct.” According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] Over the course of several years, PADUCH sexually abused multiple male patients, including minor male patients, while conducting purported urological examinations in his capacity as a medical doctor employed by a prestigious medical institution in New York, New York (“Medical Institution-1”). From at least in or about 2007 through at least in or about 2019, PADUCH, while working as a urologist, enticed and induced multiple victims to travel to his medical offices at Medical Institution-1, so PADUCH could, among other things, sexually abuse the victims. PADUCH also induced victims to travel to New Jersey where he abused and assaulted the victims under the guise of medical care. In or about 2019, PADUCH began practicing at a different hospital located in Long Island, New York (“Medical Institution-2”), where he continued to sexually abuse patients. PADUCH used his position as a urologist at prominent medical institutions in New York to make or attempt to make the victims believe that the sexual abuse he inflicted on them was medically necessary and appropriate, when, in fact, it was not. PADUCH often directed the victims to schedule follow-up visits, and he instructed victims to return to see him again. As a result, some of the victims attended many appointments with PADUCH over the course of multiple years, at which PADUCH repeatedly abused them. As alleged, PADUCH induced six victims to travel to New York, New York, from or through another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity — in other words, his abuse of the victims. As alleged in Count Six, PADUCH induced one victim to travel from New York to another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity. PADUCH also used a telephone and other means of interstate commerce to induce six minor victims to engage in the unlawful sexual activity. If you have been victimized by DARIUS PADUCH in any way or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or reach out at www.tips.fbi.gov . * * * PADUCH, 56, of North Bergen, New Jersey, is charged as follows: Count Charge VICTIM Minimum/Maximum Penalties 1 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-1 20 years in prison 2 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-2 20 years in prison 3 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-3 20 years in prison 4 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-4 20 years in prison 5 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-5 20 years in prison 6 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity VICTIM-6 20 years in prison 7 Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity VICTIM-7 20 years in prison 8 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-1 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 9 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-2 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 10 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-3 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 11 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-4 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 12 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-5 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 13 Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity MINOR VICTIM-8 Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Jun Xiang are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Post Falls Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender and Possession of a Stolen Firearm

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – Eric Lynn Heartburg, 63, of Post Falls, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for failure to register as a convicted sex offender and possession of a stolen firearm, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Heartburg to five years of supervised release, which will commence upon completing his prison sentence. Heartburg continues to be required to register as a sex offender. According to court records, Heartburg was convicted of child molestation in the first degree in Spokane County in 1992. As a result of his conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). However, beginning in August 2020, Heartburg absconded from sex offender registration. In early 2023, while still an unregistered sex offender, Heartburg moved from Spokane, Washington to Post Falls, Idaho, and into a home with two women and four children. Heartburg lived in that home until he was arrested on February 25, 2023. During a search of Heartburg’s room, law enforcement found a pistol that had been stolen from one of Heartburg’s roommates. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the joint investigation of the Idaho State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service, which led to the charges. “Cooperation between federal and state partners is critical to ensuring that sex offenders who fail to register are identified and brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “This investigation was a great collaborative effort with the Idaho State Police and our agency,” said United States Marshal Brent Bunn for the District of Idaho. “It was sparked by proactive police work by the state police. It is our duty to protect the public and ensure out-of-state convicted sex offenders obey the law by registering and updating their sex offender registration in Idaho.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted the case. Heartburg was prosecuted for a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) passed by Congress in 2006. The Act requires sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction where they reside. Violations of SORNA can be prosecuted in federal court. 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 www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Two Tulsa Men Indicted for Introducing Misbranded Drugs Into Interstate Commerce

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: Two Tulsa men were indicted for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and were arrested today, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Aaron Michael Thomas, 41, and Darren Doils Means, 68, were both charged in a three-count indictment for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. “A federal grand jury indicted Aaron Thomas and Darren Means for their alleged criminal actions associated with drugs, like gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This United States Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue cases against healthcare providers who skirt FDA regulations developed to ensure the safety of individuals receiving prescription drug treatments.” “The distribution of misbranded drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts all consumers’ health at risk. FDA will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the U.S. public health from potentially dangerous products,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. According to court documents, Thomas and Means are alleged to have introduced misbranded gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin into interstate commerce. Thomas and Means are alleged to have been running a business on the dark web where they were selling prescription drugs without prescriptions, or appropriate branding or labelling. If convicted, Thomas and Means each face up to 3 years in prison, per count. The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly 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: Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two People with a Knife

body_text: WASHINGTON – Lawrence Twisdale, 50, pleaded guilty today to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and her son in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. Lawrence Twisdale pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (a knife). Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan. According to the government’s evidence, on August 29, 2021, Twisdale went to 411 P Street NW at some point in the morning. This location was the residence of his ex-girlfriend, who had broken up with him a few weeks before. The victim allowed him in but quickly realized Twisdale was under the influence of PCP. An argument ensued regarding Twisdale’s drug use, at which point Twisdale pulled a black folding knife from his pocket and attacked the victim with it by swinging it at her and knocking her over. He struck her in the face, the back, and the left arm with the knife, causing multiple lacerations. When the victim’s son entered the room to intervene, Twisdale started swinging the knife and eventually stabbed the second victim in the chest. Twisdale left the victims’ residence as the ambulance was arriving. He was apprehended by MPD on that same day. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Hyde, who prosecuted the case, and AUSA Sara Hanson, who investigated and indicted the case.


title: Littleton Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Trafficking Methamphetamine in New Hampshire

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Littleton man was sentenced today in federal court for trafficking methamphetamine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Eric Briggs Jr., 33 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 42 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Mr. Briggs pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 20, 2023. “Federal law enforcement’s partnership with the Littleton Police Department on this case sends a strong message that there will be consequences for trafficking drugs to the North Country,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute those trafficking dangerous drugs in all corners of the Granite State.” “DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Briggs accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” “The Littleton Police Department remains committed to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners in the ongoing effort to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs to the Town of Littleton and Northern New Hampshire," said Chief Paul Smith of the Littleton Police Department. On April 1, 2021, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of Mr. Briggs while he was driving in Carol, New Hampshire. Upon a search of his vehicle, investigators located approximately 43 grams, or 1.5 ounces, of methamphetamine, which Mr. Briggs admitted he possessed. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police and the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case. ###


title: Man Found Guilty of St. Louis Murder, Drug Conspiracy Charges

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Tuesday found a man guilty of drug trafficking charges that included a 2019 murder. Freeman Whitfield IV, 29, was found guilty of seven felonies: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, heroin and cocaine; knowingly possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, causing the death of Antonio Boyd through premeditated murder; knowingly possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Whitfield was “an enforcer for a large drug conspiracy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mantovani told jurors in closing arguments. Whitfield, a convicted felon, was caught with body armor and firearms, and used multiple phones to conduct drug sales, Mantovani said. The organization brought drugs from Houston and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to the St. Louis area. A Drug Enforcement Administration investigation that started in 2018 eventually resulted in the seizure of more than $1.5 million in drug payments, as well as 25 kilograms of cocaine, 3 kilograms of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of heroin, luxury vehicles, watches and guns. Photo courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Boyd, who distributed drugs for Whitfield's supplier and co-conspirator, Guy R. Goolsby , was arrested on March 21, 2018. When Whitfield heard rumors that Boyd might be cooperating with investigators, “he decided to kill him for it,” Mantovani said. Boyd was fatally shot Dec. 9, 2019, outside a home in the 2500 block of West Palm Street in St. Louis. Another man was also shot and wounded. In a related DEA investigation, Whitfield sold fentanyl to an undercover officer in March and July of 2020. Investigators also watched as Whitfield sold drugs to others. During a court-approved search of one of Whitfield’s homes, in Maryland Heights, on May 4, 2021, they found Whitfield with an AK-style pistol, ammunition and other firearms. A second home he maintained in St. Louis contained an AR-15-style pistol, a Glock pistol, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor, a police scanner, cash, six cell phones, digital scales and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl. Photo courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The trial started last week. Whitfield is scheduled to be sentenced in January. Goolsby was sentenced in 2020 to 151 months in prison. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Bridgeton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys John Mantovani and Geoff Ogden are handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.