title: Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging FBI Confidential Human Source with Felony False Statement and Obstruction Crimes

component: Office of Special Counsel

body_text: Today, a federal court unsealed a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Central District of California charging Alexander Smirnov, 43, with making a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001, and creating a false and fictitious record, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519, for statements he made that were recorded in an official record of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) known as a Form 1023. David C. Weiss, Special Counsel, made the announcement. On February 14, 2024, a federal grand jury returned the indictment and Smirnov was arrested at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, after his arrival in the U.S. from overseas. Later today, Smirnov will have an initial appearance at the federal courthouse in the District of Nevada at 2:30 p.m. pacific time. According to the indictment, Smirnov was a confidential human source (CHS) with the FBI. As alleged in the indictment, despite repeated admonishments that he must provide truthful information to the FBI and that he must not fabricate evidence, Smirnov provided false derogatory information to the FBI about Public Official 1, and Businessperson 1, the son of Public Official 1, in 2020, after Public Official 1 became a presidential candidate. The indictment alleges that in March 2017, Smirnov reported to an FBI Agent that he had had a phone call with the owner of Ukrainian industrial conglomerate Burisma Holdings, Limited concerning Burisma’s interest in acquiring a U.S. company and making an initial public offering (IPO) on a U.S.-based stock exchange. In reporting that conversation to the FBI Agent, Smirnov also noted that Businessperson 1, Public Official 1’s son, was a member of Burisma’s Board, a fact that was publicly known. The indictment alleges that Smirnov provided no further information. Three years later, in June 2020, the indictment alleges that Smirnov reported, for the first time, two meetings in 2015 and/or 2016. As alleged in the indictment, Smirnov falsely claimed that during these meetings, executives associated with Burisma, admitted to him that they hired Businessperson 1 to “protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems,” and later that they had specifically paid $5 million each to Public Official 1 and Businessperson 1, when Public Official 1 was still in office, so that “[Businessperson 1] will take care of all those issues through his dad,” referring to a criminal investigation being conducted by the then-Ukrainian Prosecutor General into Burisma and to “deal with [the then-Ukrainian Prosecutor General].” As alleged in the indictment, the events that Smirnov first reported to the FBI Agent in June 2020 were fabrications. In truth and fact, the defendant had contact with executives from Burisma in 2017, after the end of the administration when Public Official 1 had no ability to influence U.S. policy and after the Ukrainian Prosecutor General had been fired in February 2016. The indictment alleges that the defendant transformed his routine and unextraordinary business contacts with Burisma in 2017 and later into bribery allegations against Public Official 1 after expressing bias against Public Official 1 and his presidential candidacy. As further alleged in the indictment, when he was interviewed by FBI agents in September 2023, Smirnov repeated some of his false claims, changed his story as to other of his claims, and promoted a new false narrative after he said he met with Russian officials. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the District Court for the Central District of California or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-00091. 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.


title: Queens Man Arrested For Bronx Kidnapping And Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging IVAN COLLADO with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Raymond Resto, a/k/a “Sugar Hill Tone,” on November 26, 2023, in the Bronx. COLLADO is in custody and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Ivan Collado mapped out and participated in the brazen and incredibly brutal kidnapping of Raymond Resto in a Target parking lot in the Bronx. When Resto tried to escape, he was cruelly gunned down in front of his wife. Today’s charges show that the relentlessness with which my Office will investigate such alleged callous violence is unwavering, and our message to violent criminals has never been clearer: we won’t stop until justice is served.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “The brutality associated with this case exemplifies the dangers posed to our communities by criminal organizations. DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing those who cause the most harm to justice. I applaud the swift and diligent work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the NYPD, NYSP and DEA.” NYPD Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “There is no place in civil society for the alleged acts of barbarism outlined in today’s charges. When grievous crimes like these are committed anywhere in New York City, NYPD detectives are relentless in their work to hold those involved to full account. A major component of those efforts is to keep bringing strong cases to our law enforcement partners, including the skilled prosecutors in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] From at least in or about November 23, 2023, through at least in or about November 26, 2023, COLLADO and others conspired to kidnap Raymond Resto, a/k/a “Sugar Hill Tone” (the “Victim”). On or about November 25, 2023, COLLADO and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) registered and activated a tracking device (the “Tracking Device”). The next day, on or about November 26, 2023, COLLADO and CC-1 conducted surveillance at the Victim’s home in the Bronx, New York, until approximately 3:00 a.m. COLLADO and CC-1 then followed the Victim as he left his home and drove to an enclosed parking lot in the Bronx (the “Parking Lot”). The Victim parked his car in the Parking Lot and left it overnight. Approximately one hour after the Victim left the Parking Lot, a BMW (the “BMW”) entered and pulled up next to the Victim’s unoccupied car. At the same time, COLLADO and CC-1 positioned a Nissan (the “Nissan”), registered to COLLADO, just outside of the Parking Lot where they could observe the driver of the BMW. An individual (“CC-2”) then exited the BMW from the driver’s side and bent down next to the Victim’s car. CC-2 then reentered the BMW and departed with the Nissan following close behind. From that moment until the Victim’s murder, location data for the Tracking Device that COLLADO and CC-1 activated was consistent with the location of the Victim’s car, demonstrating that CC-2 had installed the Tracking Device on the Victim’s car under COLLADO’s supervision. On or about November 26, 2023, at approximately 6:01 p.m., the Victim and his wife returned to the Parking Lot, entered their car, and traveled to a location outside New York City. The Victim and his wife returned to the Parking Lot several hours later at approximately 11:45 p.m., parked their car in the same location, and began walking towards a cab that was waiting for them. As they approached the cab, at approximately 11:49 p.m., the BMW returned to the Parking Lot, and pulled in front of the Victim and his wife. Three kidnappers exited the BMW; two of them attempted to force the Victim into the BMW. Unable to get the Victim inside, one of the kidnappers began shooting the Victim at close range. The Victim struggled to escape while the other kidnappers also opened fire. The Victim was struck at least four times, including once in the face. The kidnappers then entered the BMW and fled the Parking Lot at approximately 11:53 p.m. The Victim was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. On or about November 27, 2023, the Tracking Device was deactivated, and an email address associated with the Tracking Device was deleted. If you have any information about this case, please call 866-874-8900. * * * COLLADO, 46, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of kidnapping resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison and a maximum sentence of death. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the DEA Task Force comprised of members of the DEA, NYPD, and New York State Police, as well as members of the NYPD’s Bronx Homicide Squad. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley C. Nicolas, Courtney L. Heavey, and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Enfield Man Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox today announced that KATRELL JOHNSON, 34, of Enfield, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to producing and possessing child sex abuse images and videos. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received CyberTipline reports from Google and WhatsApp that accounts, subsequently connected to Johnson, had been used to upload images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. A court-authorized search of two of Johnson’s Google accounts revealed hundreds of child sex abuse images and videos, including images and videos of prepubescent children, and images that Johnson created of two minor victims. Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count, and one count of possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for May 8. Johnson has been detained since his arrest on July 13, 2023. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Enfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Casey and Amanda Oakes. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Hudson Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Hudson man pleaded guilty today in federal court to fraudulently submitting four loan applications to obtain CARES Act funds, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Matthew Dispensa, 57, pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud and one count of attempted wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2024. Dispensa was charged on April 26, 2023. Dispensa fraudulently applied for multiple loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. For example, on May 5, 2020, the defendant applied for a $90,400 PPP loan from Primary Bank for an entity called Gateway Hills LLC. In connection with the application, the defendant provided the bank multiple false supporting documents, such as fake annual and quarterly tax documents and a “Management Report” for the period ending December 31, 2020, seven months into the future. The defendant also provided a “Payroll Summary” showing that he was paid $8,700 per month through Gateway Hills LLC. The defendant’s tax returns actually showed no income from that entity. Similarly, on December 29, 2020, the defendant applied for a $150,000 EIDL from the Small Business Administration. In that application, the defendant falsely claimed that the Gateway Hills LLC entity had gross revenues of $485,000 in the 12 months preceding January 31, 2020. However, the bank records showed no actual regular business activity for Gateway Hills LLC. Overall, the defendant fraudulently obtained $342,650 and attempted to fraudulently obtain $492,650. The charge of bank fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The charge of attempted wire fraud provides a sentence of no more than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hudson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. During the early part of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act included multiple relief provisions to help the millions of Americans and many small businesses adversely affected by the pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Private lenders could participate in the PPP. The loans, which were supposed to be used for payroll, were fully guaranteed by the government. If borrowers used the PPP loans for payroll and other approved expenses as intended, they could apply for loan forgiveness. The CARES Act also opened up the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. As with PPP loans, EIDL loans were supposed to be used for payroll and other business expenses such as rent and mortgage. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ###


title: Troy man admits tampering with evidence in grizzly bear killing

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Troy man admitted today that he tampered with evidence in the shooting of a grizzly bear on his property in 2020 and discarding of the bear’s GPS collar in the Yaak River, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Othel Lee Pearson, 80, appeared today for arraignment on an amended information charging him with tampering with evidence, a felony, and with failure to report taking of grizzly bear, a misdemeanor. Pearson then pleaded guilty to both charges. Pearson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the evidence tampering charge and a maximum of six months in prison and a $25,000 fine on the failure to report charge. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided at the plea hearing. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for June 6. Pearson was released pending further proceedings. A plea agreement filed in the case calls for the government and defendant to jointly recommend to the court a sentence of three years of probation and an $8,000 fine, which is the restitution amount for illegally killing a grizzly bear under Montana state statute. In exchange for guilty pleas, the United States agrees not to prosecute another individual in connection with the taking of the grizzly bear, and Pearson agrees to cooperate with the United States regarding the skull of a second grizzly bear discovered on National Forest System lands near his property. As alleged in amended court documents, on Nov. 19, 2020, Pearson shot and killed a sow grizzly bear on his residential property, using a .270 rifle. Pearson cut a GPS collar that had been fitted to the bear and discarded the collar nearby in the Yaak River. Pearson also cut paws, ear tags and an identifying lip tattoo from the bear carcass. Pearson then concealed the bear’s claws and an ear tag in a hollowed-out tree on National Forest System land near his residence. As further alleged, meat from the bear was discovered in Pearson’s freezer inside his home. Pearson attempted to and did tamper with these identifying objects to impair the criminal prosecution for failing to report taking of a grizzly bear. Pearson killed the bear either in self-defense, in defense of others or unlawfully. Pearson did not report the killing of the grizzly bear to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within five days of occurrence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Tanner is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Former New York Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Timothy Blackman, age 53, of Daniel Island, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Utica to 24 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to filing a false federal income tax return. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), New York Field Office, made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty, Blackman admitted that while living in Auburn, New York, he was a self-employed contractor providing construction and remodeling services to customers. During the years 2007 through 2010, Blackman failed to file income tax returns with the IRS and failed to pay income taxes. After learning of an IRS criminal investigation in June 2010 concerning his income taxes, Blackman filed his 2007 individual tax return late, and willfully falsified that return by understating his true business receipts and total income from his construction and remodeling business. In addition to the term of imprisonment, United States District Judge David Hurd ordered Blackman to serve 1 year of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $42,121. Blackman previously pled guilty to felony tax evasion in the Northern District of New York on March 19, 2004, for which he received a term of 15 months in prison. IRS-CI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael F. Perry and Acting Section Chief John N. Kane of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.


title: Five Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money Laundering in the Fox Valley

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 14, 2024, five individuals were sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William C. Griesbach for their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking organization that operated in the Fox Valley area and elsewhere. The five individuals were sentenced as follows: Defendant Conviction(s) Months of Prison Mario Rodriguez Diaz (Age: 32), Moxee, Washington Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 168 Luis R. Leon (Age: 29), Appleton, Wisconsin Money Laundering 84 Rodrigo Diaz (Age: 27), Moxee, Washington Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 80 Julio C. Vargas-Rodriguez (Age: 39), Appleton, Wisconsin Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 72 Darius Robinson (Age: 28), Tacoma, Washington Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 72 According to court documents, Mario Rodriguez Diaz, a Washington resident, was the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico and paid couriers, including Darius Robinson, to distribute the methamphetamine throughout the United States. Rodriguez Diaz obtained and distributed several hundred pounds of methamphetamine from 2021 through 2022. Court documents established that Luis Leon and Julio Cesar Vargas Rodriguez, who lived and operated in the Fox Valley area, frequently received large quantities of methamphetamine from Mario Rodriguez Diaz. Specifically, they received methamphetamine from a courier approximately 1-2 times per month and distributed over 3 pounds of methamphetamine per week. Finally, court documents demonstrated that Rodrigo Diaz oversaw the organization’s finances and frequently traveled to Appleton, Wisconsin, to pick up cash that Luis Leon and Julio Cesar Vargas Rodriguez earned from methamphetamine distribution. Drug proceeds were also concealed in bank accounts of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) registered to Luis Leon. The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately $300,000 in cash, 125 pounds of methamphetamine, several vehicles, and dozens of firearms. The defendants were charged based on a multi-year investigation led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Green Bay Resident Office, the DEA – Madison Resident Office, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division. Several other law enforcement agencies assisted with the investigation, including the DEA – Yakima Resident Office, the Appleton Police Department, the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros prosecuted the case. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Indictment Charging Theft of a Vehicle in Yosemite National Park

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Christian Claustro, 28, of Rancho Cucamonga, charging him with theft of personal property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and fleeing or eluding a police officer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2022, Claustro stole a Yosemite National Park employee’s vehicle who had pulled over on the side of the road to remove a bike from the roadway. Claustro then led a park ranger in a high-speed chase. The pursuit reached the Ferguson Slide bridge, and Claustro drove the wrong way on to the bridge, colliding head on with another vehicle. The other vehicle was disabled by the amount of damage caused, but Claustro was able to continue driving until he drove the vehicle off a cliff, falling approximately 200 feet to the bottom of a canyon. This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Claustro faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for theft of personal property, up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for destroying or removing property subject to seizure, and up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for recklessly evading a peace officer. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Cybercrime Schemes Involving Tens of Millions of Dollars in Losses

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Ukrainian national pleaded guilty today to his role in two separate and wide-ranging malware schemes involving tens of millions of dollars in losses. “Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov was a leader of two prolific malware groups that infected thousands of computers with malicious software. These criminal groups stole millions of dollars from their victims and even attacked a major hospital with ransomware, leaving it unable to provide critical care to patients for over two weeks,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Before his arrest and extradition to the United States, the defendant was a fugitive on the FBI’s most wanted list for nearly a decade. Today’s guilty pleas should serve as a clear warning: the Justice Department will never stop in its pursuit of cybercriminals.” According to court documents, Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, also known as Vyacheslav Igoravich Andreev and Tank, 37, of Donetsk, helped lead a wide-ranging racketeering enterprise and conspiracy that infected thousands of business computers with malicious software known as “Zeus” beginning in May 2009. After installing “Zeus” without authorization on victims’ computers, the enterprise then used the malicious software to capture bank account information, passwords, personal identification numbers, and similar information necessary to log into online banking accounts. Penchukov and his co-conspirators then falsely represented to banks that they were employees of the victims and authorized to make transfers of funds from the victims’ bank accounts, causing the banks to make unauthorized transfers of funds from the victims’ accounts, resulting in millions of dollars in losses to the victims. The enterprise used residents of the United States and elsewhere as “money mules” to receive wired funds from victims’ bank accounts into their own bank accounts, who then withdrew and wired funds overseas to accounts controlled by Penchukov’s co-conspirators. Penchukov was charged with these offenses in the District of Nebraska. Given the severity of the charges in the case and the harm posed to American victims, Penchukov was added to the FBI’s Cyber Most Wanted List. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, in concert with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, successfully coordinated the prosecution and plea of Penchukov,” said U.S. Attorney Susan T. Lehr for the District of Nebraska. “This case demonstrates that cybercrime can affect anyone, no matter where they are. It also demonstrates that no matter where the cybercriminals are, the department can and will bring them to justice.” Despite being added to the FBI’s Cyber Most Wanted List, Penchukov returned to criminal activity by helping lead a conspiracy that infected victim computers with IcedID or Bokbot, a new malware, from at least November 2018 through February 2021. IcedID was a sophisticated form of malicious software that collected and transmitted personal information from victims, including credentials for banking accounts. Penchukov and his co-conspirators used this information to steal from IcedID’s victims. IcedID also provided access to infected computers for other forms of malicious software, including ransomware. One such victim of this ransomware attack was the University of Vermont Medical Center, causing the loss of over $30 million from this victim alone, and left the medical center unable to provide many critical patient services for over two weeks, creating a risk of death or serious bodily injury to patients. Penchukov was charged with these offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina. “Malware like IcedID bleeds billions from the American economy and puts our critical infrastructure and national security at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The Justice Department and FBI Cyber Squad won’t stand by and watch it happen, and won’t quit coming for the world’s most wanted cybercriminals, no matter where they are in the world. This operation removed a key player from one of the world’s most notorious cybercriminal rings. Extradition is real. Anyone who infects American computers had better be prepared to answer to an American judge.” “Core to the FBI’s cyber strategy is our willingness to play the long game and take players off the field. Vyacheslav Penchukov was a prolific criminal for over a decade and his criminal activities caused millions in damages,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The FBI would like to thank our partners in both public and private sectors, and domestically and globally, for helping us bring Penchukov to justice.” Penchukov was arrested in Switzerland in 2022 and extradited to the United States in 2023. Penchukov pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) act offense for his leadership role in the “Zeus” enterprise. Penchukov (as Andreev) also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his leadership role in the IcedID malware group. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Omaha and Charlotte Field Offices are investigating the case. Assistant Deputy Chief William A. Hall Jr. and Senior Counsels Frank Lin and Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Higgins for the District of Nebraska, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Swiss Federal Office of Justice to secure the arrest and extradition of Penchukov.


title: Baltimore Robber Pleads Guilty to Committing a Series of Armed Bank and Commercial Robberies

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Dexter Nikoe Eaton, age 34, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty yesterday to armed bank robbery, related to a series of bank and armed commercial robberies he committed. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department. According to Eaton’s plea agreement, between June 3 and July 30, 2022, Eaton committee six separate robberies/attempted robberies of banks and other businesses and used a firearm in four of the robberies. Specifically, Eaton admitted that on June 3, 2022, he robbed a bank in the 3200 block of West North Avenue in Baltimore, providing a note to the teller that demanded money and threatened to kill the teller’s family if the teller did not comply with Eaton’s demands. On June 9, 2022, Eaton attempted to rob a check cashing and financial services business located in the 1600 block of West North Avenue, again by passing a note to the teller. The teller refused to read the note, instead activating an alarm, and Eaton fled the bank. Law enforcement collected the note passed by Eaton, which again demanded money and threatened to kill the family of the employee if Eaton’s demands were not met. As detailed in his plea agreement, on June 10, 2022, Eaton, armed with a handgun, entered a bank in the 3200 block of West North Avenue wearing a black head covering and a surgical mask and pointed the gun at customers and employees stating, “Nobody move. Give me $4,000 or everyone in this b***h is dead.” Eaton forced a customer to the ground at gunpoint and took the customer’s wallet and cash. With the gun still pointed at the customer’s head, Eaton demanded that an employee get him $4,000 or Eaton would shoot the customer. The bank employee, fearing for her safety and the safety of others, gave Eaton cash, and Eaton fled the bank. On June 27, Eaton, armed with a handgun, robbed a bank in the 4700 block of Liberty Heights Avenue in Baltimore, pointing a gun at the security guard’s head and forcing the security guard to accompany Eaton to the teller window, where a customer was conducting a transaction. With the gun still at the security guard’s head, Eaton demanded that the teller give him $7,000 and threatened to shoot the security guard and the customer if the teller did not give him money or pushed any alarms. Fearing for her safety, the teller gave Eaton cash and he fled the bank. Finally, on July 23, 2022, and July 30, 2022, Eaton robbed two businesses in the 3100 block of West North Avenue. In both robberies, Eaton held employees at gunpoint and demanded money, threatening an employee in the second robbery for moving too slow. The employees in both robberies gave Eaton cash and he left the stores. Eaton and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, a sentence between seven and 20 years in federal prison is the appropriate disposition of the case. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Paul E. Budlow, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Co-Founder of Sinaloa Cartel Charged in Superseding Indictment with Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A fifth superseding indictment was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as “El Mayo,” with conspiring to manufacture and distribute a substance, containing N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide (“fentanyl”), a Schedule II controlled substance intending and knowing that such substances would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Zambada was previously charged in multiple superseding indictments with running a continuing criminal enterprise, as well as murder conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl manufacture and distribution conspiracy, as well as other drug-related crimes, through his continuing leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. The fifth superseding indictment extends the end-dates of the continuing criminal enterprise and several conspiracies from May 2014 to January 2024. Zambada Garcia remains at large. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Anne Milgram, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Ivan J. Arvelo, Acting Assistant Director of Domestic Operations, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); David Sundberg, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office (FBI); Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Steven G. James, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the fifth superseding indictment. “As alleged, Zambada Garcia is charged with numerous drug offenses, now including the manufacture and distribution of fentanyl, a deadly drug that was largely unheard of when he founded the Sinaloa Cartel more than three decades ago and today is responsible for immeasurable harm,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “While Zambada Garcia continues to be a principal leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for importing enormous quantities of narcotics into the United States, this fifth superseding indictment demonstrates our firm resolve to bring him to justice, just as we did with his former co-conspirator El Chapo, and just as we will continue to do to all those who traffic drugs and seek to profit from the devastation inflicted on our communities.” Mr. Peace also expressed his thanks to the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section for its assistance on the case. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat Americans have ever faced, and the Sinaloa Cartel continues to be the largest trafficker of fentanyl into the United States,” stated DEA Administrator Milgram. “With fentanyl the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45, we must continue to hold Zambada Garcia and other cartel leaders, members, and associates accountable for the people they have killed.” “As the co-founder and current leader of the largest, most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world, Ismael Zambada Garcia is accused of supplying fentanyl to the United States at a time when the lethal narcotic has claimed lives at a devastating rate. For decades, the ruthlessly violent Sinaloa Cartel has continued its deadly scourge with the pervasive trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs into the U.S,” stated HSI Acting Assistant Director Arvelo. “HSI New York and our law enforcement partners will not stop until we bring Zambada Garcia to justice on behalf of his countless victims.” “As alleged, Zambada Garcia has, for decades, overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S. along with scores of related violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sundberg. “This superseding indictment is yet another example of our commitment to bringing cartel leaders to justice. We vow to continue to work with our domestic and foreign partners to dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel.” “After the arrest and successful conviction of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera, NYPD investigators remained fully dedicated to our law enforcement partnership focused on bringing the Sinaloa Cartel’s remaining leadership to justice,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “This latest charge against Mr. Zambada Garcia further demonstrates our commitment to keeping the illicit products of his massive, violent criminal enterprise from entering our country and plaguing our cities’ streets.” “We simply will not tolerate this type of illegal drug trafficking activity in our country and New York State. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all our law enforcement partners for their tenacious work on this case. It is because of their ongoing collaboration and steadfast commitment that we are one step closer to shutting down this dangerous enterprise and placing Mr. Garcia behind bars,” stated NYSP Superintendent James. As alleged, Zambada Garcia was a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel with his former co-defendant Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera. Guzman Loera was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn in February 2019 and sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. Zambada Garcia has continued to evade capture, and, as alleged, continues to run the Sinaloa Cartel from Mexico. According to the superseding indictment, from 1989 to 2024, Zambada Garcia led a continuing criminal enterprise responsible for the importation and distribution of massive quantities of narcotics and which generated billions of dollars in profits. To ensure the success of the cartel, Zambada Garcia employed individuals to obtain transportation routes and warehouses to import and store narcotics, and “sicarios,” or hit men, to carry out kidnappings and murders in Mexico to retaliate against rivals who threatened the cartel. The millions of dollars generated from the drug sales were then transported back to Mexico. Guzman Loera’s name has been removed from the fifth superseding indictment in light of his 2018 trial conviction. Under the statute, the amount of fentanyl involved in the conspiracy attributable to the defendant as a result of his own conduct, and the conduct of others reasonably foreseeable to him, was at least 400 grams or more, but a vastly larger quantity would be proven at trial. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Zambada Garcia. If you have information, please contact the DEA at +1-619-540-6912, which can accept messages from social messaging applications, or via email at TIPS@usdoj.gov. If you are located outside of the United States, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack, and Lauren A. Bowman are in charge of the prosecution. This superseding indictment is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Defendant : ISMAEL ZAMBADA GARCIA (also known as “El Mayo”) Age: 76 Mexico E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 9-CR-466 (BMC)


title: Cofundador del Cártel de Sinaloa Acusado en Formal Sustitutiva de Conspiración para Fabricar y Distribuir Fentanilo

body_text: Hoy se presentó una quinta acusación formal sustitutiva en un tribunal federal de Brooklyn atribuyendo a Ismael Zambada García, también conocido como El Mayo, el delito de unirse en asociación delictuosa para fabricar y distribuir una sustancia que contenía N-fenil-N-[1-(2-feniletil)-4-piperidinil] propanamida (fentanilo), una sustancia controlada de categoría II con la intención y a sabiendas de que dichas sustancias serían importadas ilegalmente a los Estados Unidos. Zambada fue imputado anteriormente en múltiples acusaciones formales sustitutivas por dirigir una actividad delictiva continuada, así como por asociación delictuosa para cometer homicidio, asociación delictuosa para lavar dinero, asociación delictuosa para fabricar y distribuir cocaína, heroína, metanfetamina y fentanilo, así como por otros delitos relacionados con drogas, a través de su liderazgo continuado del Cártel de Sinaloa, una de las organizaciones de narcotráfico más violentas y poderosas del mundo. La quinta acusación formal sustitutiva extiende las fechas de finalización de la actividad delictiva continuada y varias asociaciones delictuosas desde mayo de 2014 hasta enero de 2024. Zambada García permanece prófugo. El fiscal federal Breon Peace para el Distrito Este de Nueva York, la administradora Anne Milgram de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA), el subdirector interino Iván J. Arvelo de Operaciones Nacionales de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI), el subdirector a cargo David Sundberg de la Oficina de Campo de Washington del FBI, el comisario Edward A. Caban del Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad de Nueva York (NYPD) y el superintendente Steven G. James de la Policía Estatal de Nueva York (NYSP) anunciaron la quinta acusación formal sustitutiva. “Tal como se alega, Zambada García está acusado de numerosos delitos relacionados con drogas, que ahora incluyen la fabricación y distribución de fentanilo, una droga mortal que era en gran medida desconocida cuando fundó el Cártel de Sinaloa hace más de tres décadas y que hoy es responsable de un daño inconmensurable”, señaló el fiscal federal Peace. “Si bien Zambada García continúa siendo un líder principal de la actividad delictiva responsable de importar enormes cantidades de narcóticos a los Estados Unidos, esta quinta acusación formal sustitutiva demuestra nuestra firme determinación de llevarlo ante la justicia, tal como lo hicimos con su ex cómplice El Chapo, y tal como continuaremos haciendo con todos aquellos que trafican con drogas y buscan lucrar con la devastación infligida a nuestras comunidades”. El fiscal federal Peace también expresó su agradecimiento a la Sección de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia por su asistencia en el caso. “El fentanilo es la amenaza de drogas más letal que los estadounidenses hayan enfrentado jamás, y el Cártel de Sinaloa sigue siendo el mayor traficante de fentanilo para los Estados Unidos”, señaló la administradora de la DEA, Milgram. “Siendo el fentanilo la principal causa de muerte entre los estadounidenses entre 18 y 45 años, debemos seguir responsabilizando a Zambada García y otros líderes, miembros y asociados de los cárteles por las personas que han matado”. “Como cofundador y actual líder de la organización de narcotráfico más grande y poderosa del mundo, Ismael Zambada García está acusado de suministrar fentanilo a los Estados Unidos en un momento en que el narcótico letal se ha cobrado vidas a un ritmo devastador”, comentó Arvelo, subdirector interino de HSI. “Durante décadas, el despiadado y violento Cártel de Sinaloa ha continuado su flagelo mortal con el tráfico generalizado de fentanilo, cocaína, heroína, metanfetamina y otras drogas sintéticas para los Estados Unidos. HSI de Nueva York y nuestros colaboradores del orden público no se detendrán hasta que llevemos a Zambada García ante la justicia en nombre de sus innumerables víctimas”. “Tal como se alega, Zambada García ha supervisado durante décadas el tráfico de decenas de miles de libras de cocaína, heroína, metanfetamina y fentanilo para los Estados Unidos junto con decenas de actos de violencia relacionados”, dijo el subdirector a cargo del FBI, Sundberg. “Esta acusación formal sustitutiva es otro ejemplo más de nuestro compromiso de llevar a los líderes de los cárteles ante la justicia. Prometemos continuar trabajando con nuestros colaboradores nacionales y extranjeros para desmantelar organizaciones violentas de delincuencia transnacional como el Cártel de Sinaloa”. “Después de la detención y condena de Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera, los investigadores del NYPD permanecieron totalmente dedicados a nuestra colaboración con el orden público enfocada en llevar ante la justicia a los líderes que quedan del Cártel de Sinaloa”, comentó el comisario Caban del NYPD. “Este último cargo contra Zambada García demuestra aún más nuestro compromiso de impedir que los productos ilícitos de su masiva y violenta actividad delictiva ingresen a nuestro país y plaguen las calles de nuestras ciudades”. “Sencillamente, no toleraremos este tipo de actividad de tráfico ilegal de drogas en nuestro país y en el estado de Nueva York”, dijo el superintendente James del NYSP. “Quiero agradecer a la fiscalía federal y a todos nuestros colaboradores del orden público por su tenaz trabajo en este caso. Es gracias a su colaboración continua y su firme compromiso que estamos un paso más cerca de acabar con esta peligrosa actividad y poner a Zambada García tras las rejas”. Tal como se alega, Zambada García fue cofundador del Cártel de Sinaloa con su ex coacusado Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera. Guzmán Loera fue declarado culpable por un jurado federal en Brooklyn en febrero de 2019 y sentenciado a cadena perpetua más 30 años. Zambada García ha seguido evadiendo la captura y, tal como se alega, continúa dirigiendo el Cártel de Sinaloa desde México. Según la acusación formal sustitutiva, desde 1989 hasta 2024, Zambada García dirigió una actividad delictiva continuada responsable de la importación y distribución de cantidades masivas de narcóticos y que generó miles de millones de dólares en ganancias. Para asegurar el éxito del cártel, Zambada García empleó a personas para obtener rutas de transporte y bodegas para importar y almacenar narcóticos, y a sicarios para llevar a cabo secuestros y homicidios en México y tomar represalias contra rivales que amenazaban al cártel. Los millones de dólares generados por la venta de drogas fueron luego transportados de regreso a México. El nombre de Guzmán Loera ha sido eliminado de la quinta acusación formal sustitutiva a la luz de su condena en juicio de 2018. Según lo especificado en la ley, la cantidad de fentanilo involucrada en la asociación delictuosa atribuible al acusado como resultado de su propia conducta y de la conducta de otros razonablemente previsible para él, fue de al menos 400 gramos o más, pero se demostrará en el juicio que se trató de una cantidad bastante más grande. El Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos ofrece una recompensa de hasta $15 millones de dólares estadounidenses por información que conduzca a la detención y/o condena de Zambada García. Si tiene información, comuníquese con la DEA al +1-619-540-6912, donde se pueden aceptar mensajes de aplicaciones de mensajería social, o por correo electrónico en TIPS@usdoj.gov . Si se encuentra fuera de los Estados Unidos, comuníquese con la embajada o el consulado de los Estados Unidos más cercano. Los fiscales federales adjuntos Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack y Lauren A. Bowman para el Distrito Este de Nueva York están procesando el caso. Esta acusación formal sustitutiva es parte de una investigación de la Fuerza de Tarea de Control de Drogas contra la Delincuencia Organizada (OCDETF). La OCDETF identifica, desarticula y desmantela a los narcotraficantes, lavadores de dinero, pandillas y organizaciones delictivas transnacionales de más alto nivel que amenazan a los Estados Unidos mediante el uso de un enfoque multiagencial dirigido por fiscales e impulsado por inteligencia que aprovecha las fortalezas de las agencias del orden público federales, estatales y locales contra las redes delictivas. Una acusación formal es simplemente un alegato. Todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad en un tribunal de justicia.


title: Attorney Sentenced To 78 Months In Prison For Operating $18.8 Million Ponzi Scheme, Money Laundering, Obstruction Of Justice, And Perjury

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROBERT WISNICKI was sentenced to 78 months in prison today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe for operating an $18.8 million Ponzi scheme run through his New York-based law firms, Wisnicki & Associates LLP and Wisnicki Neuhauser LLP (the “Wisnicki Firms”), and a separate conspiracy to commit money laundering to conceal a healthcare fraud scheme. WISNICKI pled guilty before Judge Gardephe to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 18, 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As an attorney, Robert Wisnicki was well aware that organizing a Ponzi scheme, laundering money for a healthcare fraud conspiracy, obstructing justice, and committing perjury would expose him to criminal charges and potentially land him in federal prison. Wisnicki’s sprawling schemes showed his flagrant disregard for the law, and today’s sentence should make crystal clear to anyone who believes they are above the law that this Office will not waver in our commitment to hold all offenders accountable.” According to public documents and statements made in court: The Ponzi Scheme The Wisnicki Firms specialized in real estate transactional work — namely, assisting clients with purchasing and selling property. In or about 2007, WISNICKI began a real estate investment business using the Wisnicki Firms. Existing clients of the Wisnicki Firms (“Investor Clients”) asked WISNICKI to identify potential real estate investment opportunities for them. The Investor Clients then either transferred funds to WISNICKI or asked him to retain their funds that were already held in the Wisnicki Firms’ Interest Only Lawyers Accounts (“IOLA”) accounts. WISNICKI then identified real estate investment opportunities for the Investor Clients, and the Wisnicki Firms represented the Investor Clients in the resulting investment transactions. The Investor Clients began suffering losses in the investments that WISNICKI had arranged. Rather than notify the Investor Clients of their losses, WISNICKI used funds from the Wisnicki Firms’ clients who did not participate in the real estate investments, which were held in trust in the firm’s IOLA accounts, and transferred those funds to the Investor Clients to mask their losses. WISNICKI falsely represented to these other clients that their funds were still held in the Wisnicki Firms’ IOLA accounts when, in fact, he had transferred those funds to his Investor Clients. WISNICKI also used funds from new Investor Clients to cover up losses suffered by prior Investor Clients. WISNICKI falsely told the new Investor Clients that their funds would be invested in real estate when, in fact, he used those funds to repay his prior Investor Clients. WISNICKI continued the above-described fraud through at least in or about 2022. WISNICKI misappropriated approximately $18.8 million from Investor Clients, which includes approximately $6.3 million stolen from members of his own family and approximately $12.5 million stolen from non-family members. The Money Laundering, Obstruction, and Perjury Scheme WISNICKI engineered deceptive financial transactions, submitted fabricated documents, lied to investigators, and committed perjury in testimony before the grand jury all in an effort to conceal one of the largest no-fault insurance schemes in New York history. New York and New Jersey no-fault insurance laws require a driver’s automobile insurance company to pay automobile insurance claims automatically for certain types of motor vehicle accidents, provided that the claim is legitimate and is below a particular monetary threshold (the “No-Fault Laws”). Pursuant to these requirements, insurance companies will often pay medical service providers directly for the treatment they provide to automobile accident victims, without the need to bill the victims themselves. This process resolves automobile claims without apportioning blame or fault for the accident, thereby avoiding protracted disputes and the costs associated with an extended investigation of the accident. Beginning in or about 2014, a criminal organization (the “Gulkarov Conspiracy” or the “Gulkarov Conspirators”) began a scheme to exploit the No-Fault Laws. As part of the scheme, the Gulkarov Conspirators fraudulently owned and controlled more than a dozen medical professional corporations – including medical, acupuncture, and chiropractic practices – by paying licensed medical professionals to use their licenses to incorporate the professional corporations (collectively, the “Gulkarov Clinics”). The Gulkarov Conspirators further defrauded automobile insurance companies by billing insurance companies for unnecessary, harmful, and excessive medical treatments, and lying under oath to insurance company representatives. The Gulkarov Conspirators laundered the proceeds of the healthcare fraud through, among other ways, the Wisnicki Firms. In or about 2016 and 2017, one of the Gulkarov Conspirators (“CC-1”) transferred funds from the Gulkarov Clinics to the Wisnicki Firms. WISNICKI deposited the funds into one of his IOLA accounts, despite the fact that the Wisnicki Firms did not represent the Gulkarov Clinics and had no attorney-client relationship with the Gulkarov Conspirators. The Gulkarov Conspirators then arranged for the Wisnicki Firms to use the healthcare fraud proceeds to pay for real estate on behalf of the leaders of the Gulkarov Conspiracy. In or about April 2021, the Wisnicki Firms were served with a subpoena from a grand jury sitting in the Southern District of New York (the “Subpoena”). Among other things, the Subpoena required the Wisnicki Firms to produce documentation concerning the funds obtained from the Gulkarov Clinics. WISNICKI, CC-1, and a second member of the Gulkarov Conspiracy (“CC-2”) agreed to respond to the Subpoena by submitting fabricated documents to the grand jury, lying in communications with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and committing perjury before the grand jury. WISNICKI, CC-1, and CC-2 further agreed to re-launder the proceeds in response to the Subpoena. At the direction of CC-1, WISNICKI wrote checks, drawn on his IOLA account, purporting to return the monies that had been previously paid to his firm. The checks were made payable to physicians who purported to be owners of the Gulkarov Clinics and to family members of the Gulkarov Conspirators (together, the “Payees”). WISNICKI wrote the checks under the false pretense that the Payees were clients of the Wisnicki Firms who had previously paid money to the Wisnicki Firms for legal services. WISNICKI and others agreed that the checks to the Payees would be deposited, and the funds would then be withdrawn and returned to the Wisnicki Firms. WISNICKI delivered the checks to CC-1 for this purpose. Thereafter, on or about April 19, 2021, WISNICKI submitted to the grand jury over a dozen fabricated retainer agreements. The same day, WISNICKI falsely stated to the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the funds paid to the Wisnicki Firms “were originally supposed to be used for a [sic] retainer fees, which is why the agreements were originally prepared,” but that the clients ultimately “instead asked us to hold the funds to be used for future investments.” WISNICKI further represented that the Wisnicki Firms decided to return the retainer fees after receiving the Subpoena. On or about July 6, 2021, WISNICKI was called to appear before the grand jury as custodian of records for the Wisnicki Firms. WISNICKI falsely testified to the grand jury, among other things, that payments to the Wisnicki Firms had been made for the purpose of opening a “lending platform” that was never completed and that WISNICKI had not spoken to anyone outside of the Wisnicki Firms about the Subpoena. * * * In addition to the prison term, ROBERT WISNICKI, 45, of Woodmere, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. WISNICKI was also ordered to forfeit a money judgment of $19,010,548.06 and to pay $18,800,000 in restitution. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Timothy Capozzi, and Ryan W. Allison are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Aneth Man Found Guilty of Murdering His Girlfriend in Indian Country

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury convicted a Utah man today for murder in the second degree while within Indian Country. The four-day trial took place before U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer at the United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City and was prosecuted by United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tad May and Tanner Zumwalt. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Randy Lansing, 40, of Aneth, Utah, unlawfully, deliberately and intentionally killed his girlfriend, Tammy Clark, while within Indian Country on April 23, 2022. The evidence presented at trial established Lansing drove Ms. Clark, her two young daughters and a second woman to McElmo Creek on April 23, 2022. When they reached the creek, Lansing parked his blue SUV and started drinking beer with Ms. Clark. Upon arrival, Lansing violently beat Ms. Clark in front of her two young daughters and the second woman while at McElmo Creek. Ms. Clark sustained injuries that included, but was not limited to, extensive facial swelling, brain hemorrhaging, and bruising; lacerations to her right frontal cheek and left ear; oral lacerations to the lips and inner cheek; fractured hyoid (neck) bone; fractured posterior ribs; and extensive blunt force trauma to her torso and extremities. Evidence at trial showed that Ms. Clark’s beaten body was taken by the defendant from McElmo Creek to Aneth in the back of his SUV. Neighbors, including an EMT, called San Juan County Dispatch for an ambulance and performed life saving measures until the ambulance arrived and transported Ms. Clark to Blue Mountain Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. “The strongest piece of evidence is Tammy Clark’s body. Tammy Clark’s body tells of the brutal beating she experienced during her last moments of life,” said U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins during closing arguments. The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency and Navajo Nation Police Department, Criminal Investigations. Lansing’s sentencing is scheduled for May 17, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hickman Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 13, 2024, charging a Hickman man with possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Chad Parker of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to the indictment, on November 1, 2023, Maurice Thorpe, 44, of Hickman, possessed a Jennings Firearm 9-millimeter pistol. Thorpe was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses: On March 27, 1998, in Fulton Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of trafficking in cocaine. On January 13, 2000, in Fulton Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of possession of cocaine. On November 12, 2024, in Fulton Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of trafficking in marijuana over 8 ounces. On October 26, 2005, in Calloway Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance and first-degree fleeing or evading police. On April 10, 2014, in Fulton Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance – second or greater offense. On May 25, 2017, in Fulton Circuit Court, Thorpe was convicted of second-degree criminal abuse. Thorpe made his initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Thorpe faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. With three prior qualifying felony convictions, Thorpe could face no less than 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The Defendant remains in federal custody pending further court proceedings. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF Paducah Post of Duty and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Carlisle County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Serbian Citizen Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Operating the Monopoly Narcotics Marketplace on the Dark Net

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Milomir Desnica, 34, a national of Serbia and Croatia, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for operating the Monopoly Market, a dark net website that provided a vast online marketplace for the sale of illicit narcotics, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Desnica to forfeit cash and cryptocurrency obtained from his involvement in operating Monopoly. Desnica pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to the government’s evidence, Desnica, of Smederevska Palanka, Serbia, entered into a conspiracy in 2019 to develop and operate a website that became Monopoly Market. According to the indictment, Monopoly grew into an international marketplace for the sale of illicit narcotics including opioids, stimulants, psychedelics, and prescription medications, among other drugs. The products were sold by individual vendors on Monopoly with Monopoly admins typically taking a 5% cut for each facilitated sale. Vendors were required to prove they had sufficient stock of their product. Monopoly would accept photographic proof of the inventory. In 2021, law enforcement within the United States placed and received numerous orders on Monopoly for narcotics from various vendors. Authorities ordered more than 100 grams of methamphetamine on Monopoly. Through its investigation, the FBI determined that Monopoly facilitated over $18 million in narcotics sales around the world, including the sale of over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine to customers in the United States. In December 2021, in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners in Germany and Finland, law enforcement seized the computer server hosting Monopoly and took it offline. Law enforcement analyzed the seized server and identified records of the narcotics sales, financial records documenting cryptocurrency payments on Monopoly, an online forum associated with Monopoly, communications from the Monopoly operators to vendors, commission payment invoices, and more. Desnica was identified as an operator of Monopoly through the analysis of the records. The FBI identified Bitcoin wallets used by administrators to collect commissions. In November 2022, in coordination with the Austrian Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) and the Public Prosecutors Office Vienna, Desnica was located and arrested in Austria. Law enforcement conducted a search of his residence and vehicle and seized electronics and cash. On June 23, 2023, Desnica was extradited from Austria to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force and Germany’s Zentrale Kriminalinspektion (ZKI) Oldenburg Cybercrime Unit. The Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force is composed of FBI agents, analysts, and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious darknet marketplaces and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other opioids. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked to secure the arrest and extradition from Austria of Desnica and provided significant assistance. Valuable assistance was also provided by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation; Europol; Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt; Austria’s Bundeskriminalamt Cybercrime Competency Center, FAST team, and Public Prosecutors Office Vienna; and the Republic of Serbia High-Tech Crimes Special Prosecutor. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty and former U.S. Attorney Andy Wang of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Centerville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Centerville, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Robert W. Blakey, age 57, was sentenced to one year and nine months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Blakey was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on November 28, 2023. On January 26, 2023, law enforcement was dispatched to a location in Centerville for a report of shots fired. While officers were speaking with Blakey on scene, they noticed a leather holster on Blakey’s left hip which contained a revolver that was loaded with four bullets. Then, on May 23, 2023, law enforcement was dispatched to a 911 call reporting a male subject brandished gun near the Cockatoo bar in Yankton, South Dakota. Officers located the male and identified him as Blakey. Blakey had in his possession revolver loaded with five live rounds of ammo and one in the chamber. Blakey is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has eight prior felony convictions. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Centerville Police Department, and the Yankton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Blakey was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Washington Man Sentenced for His Role in South Dakota Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Spokane, Washington, man convicted of Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024. Jason James Brickner, 44, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Jason Brickner and Sonny Evenson were indicted for Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. Brickner pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024. His co-conspirator, Sonny Evenson, 39, also of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to the same charge on December 11, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 26, 2024. On June 13, 2022, Brickner was driving a vehicle in which Evenson was a passenger, when the men were pulled over for a traffic violation on I-90 in South Dakota by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper. Ultimately, the vehicle and Brickner were searched and the Trooper located more than 40 grams of fentanyl. This case was investigated by the FBI and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case. Brickner was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Receives 10 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on February 6, 2024. James Dreamer, age 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dreamer will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Dreamer was indicted for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023. Dreamer was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following hundreds of Facebook and text messages with a person Dreamer believed to be a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Dreamer proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Dreamer went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. Dreamer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Oglala Man Found Not Guilty of Sexual Abuse

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Oglala, South Dakota, man was acquitted of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Kidnapping following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on February 9, 2024. Drace Dreaming Bear, age 21, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.


title: Pierre Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. James Dubray, age 20, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dubray was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023. On September 5, 2022, Dubray was inside a vehicle when it was legally stopped by law enforcement. During the stop, Dubray fled from law enforcement. He was eventually located near an apartment complex and placed under arrest. During Dubray’s arrest, he knowingly had on his person a firearm magazine as well as methamphetamine. Additionally, law enforcement found a firearm approximately 10 yards from Dubray’s location, which Dubray has discarded while running from law enforcement. At the time, Dubray was an active unlawful user of methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm. Dubray had used methamphetamine earlier that same day and had been using methamphetamine daily well before he was arrested. Dubray is prohibited from possessing firearms because he was addicted to a controlled substance at the time he possessed the firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Dubray was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls. Israel Estrada, age 29, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Estrada was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 16, 2023. According to court documents, on March 3, 2023, Estrada knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol. At that time, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition, as a result of his prior felony conviction. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Estrada was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Billings man sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing, possessing child pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA -- A Billings man who admitted to coercing a minor girl in New York to make and send him sexually explicit images of herself was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jeffrey Eugene Herbert, 35, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered restitution of $842. In court documents, the government alleged that Herbert possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) prior to using minor victims to produce the material for his personal enjoyment. In June 2022, the parents of a 13-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe 1, in New York reported to law enforcement that their daughter was coerced to self-produce CSAM online through a social media application. An investigation and review of Jane Doe 1’s phone determined that the girl and a user, “amberbaby 14141,” had exchanged nearly 900 communications in June 2022. The user, “amberbaby 14141,” who was later identified as Herbert, was posing as a 14-year-old female and was actively soliciting sexually explicit content from Jane Doe 1. In an attempt to solicit more material from Jane Doe 1, Herbert became increasingly coercive and threatening. He threatened to send the videos that she had sent him to others and said he would “mess ur life up.” Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Herbert’s residence in October 2022 and collected electronic media. In an interview with law enforcement, Herbert admitted to using the “amberbaby 14141” account to coerce underage girls to produce sexually explicit content. Herbert told law enforcement where CSAM would be located on his cellular phone, and investigators found a hidden application where folders were organized by names of victims. Law enforcement identified potentially 22 minor victims. The content included hundreds of videos and images and reflected minors around the country self-producing CSAM at Herbert’s instruction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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. XXX


title: Ukrainian National Extradited to U.S. for Alleged Cybercrimes

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Ukrainian national was extradited to the United States from the Netherlands after being indicted for crimes related to fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, Mark Sokolovsky, 28, conspired to operate the Raccoon Infostealer as a malware-as-a-service or “MaaS.” Individuals who deployed Raccoon Infostealer to steal data from victims leased access to the malware for approximately $200 per month, paid for by cryptocurrency. These individuals used various ruses, such as email phishing, to install the malware onto the computers of unsuspecting victims. Raccoon Infostealer then stole personal data from victim computers, including log-in credentials, financial information, and other personal records. Stolen information was used to commit financial crimes or was sold to others on cybercrime forums. In March 2022, concurrent with Sokolovsky’s arrest by Dutch authorities, the FBI and law enforcement partners in Italy and the Netherlands dismantled the digital infrastructure supporting the Raccoon Infostealer, taking its then existing version offline. Sokolovsky is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and one count of aggravated identity theft. He made his initial court appearance Feb. 9, and is being held in custody pending trial. Through various investigative steps, the FBI has collected data stolen from many computers that cyber criminals infected with Raccoon Infostealer, including more than 50 million unique credentials and forms of identification. The United States does not believe it is in possession of all the data stolen by Raccoon Infostealer and continues to investigate. The FBI has created a website where anyone can input their email address to determine whether it is contained within the U.S. government’s repository of Raccoon Infostealer stolen data: https://raccoon.ic3.gov/home. Victims of the Raccoon Infostealer can find more information at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/victim-assistance-raccoon-infostealer. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Division, and Special Agent in Charge Paul DelleDonne for The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division would also like to thank the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Legal Attachés in Rome; The Hague, Kyiv, and Warsaw for their critical assistance; and the following foreign partners: Ministry of Justice of Italy; Special Unit for the Protection of Privacy and Technological Fraud of the Italian Guardia di Finanza; Procura della Repubblica di Brescia; the Netherlands Ministry of Justice and Security; Dutch National Police; and Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: California Man Sentenced to Over 18 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute 30 Pounds of Meth

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Salinas, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024. Jose Rolando Gonzalez, 56, was sentenced to 18 years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Gonzalez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023. Gonzalez was arrested on September 25, 2022, when he was traveling through South Dakota and was approached by a police officer at a gas station in Brookings regarding traffic complaints about his driving. The officer ran his onsite police dog around the vehicle and the dog gave a positive indication to the presence of drugs. Law enforcement performed a search of the vehicle which revealed approximately 13.39 kilograms (approximately 30 pounds) of methamphetamine. Gonzalez was traveling from California, where his methamphetamine source was located, to Minnesota, with the intention of distributing the methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Brookings Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Gonzalez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Minnesota Man Sentenced to 25 Years in South Dakota Meth Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Minneapolis, Minnesota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 19, 2023. Maureo Lemar Murdock, 30, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Murdock was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023. Murdock obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators in California and then distributed that methamphetamine to customers in South Dakota. He was personally involved in the distribution of at least 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Murdock was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: California Man and South Dakota Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mojave, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024. Alfred Sarco, a/k/a “Rambo Red,” a/k/a “Red,” 44, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sarco was indicted, along with co-defendant Morningstar Kitto, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. Sarco pleaded guilty on October 24, 2023. Kitto, of Rosholt, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on January 26, 2023, and was sentenced on January 30, 2023, to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. According to court documents, Sarco and Kitto conspired to sell methamphetamine, together they sold more than 2,275 grams (five pounds) of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent. Sarco also forfeited more than $9,500 in drug proceeds to the government. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case. Sarco and Kitto were both remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024. Brady Jon Sigler, 27, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sigler was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023. Sigler went to a UPS store with a package containing fentanyl in the form of approximately 950 pressed M30 pills. He sent the package containing the pills to another person on behalf of a third party in exchange for $100. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Sigler was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: South Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Wyatt White Eyes, age 27, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. White Eyes was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded on November 29, 2023. According to court documents, White Eyes knew he was required to register as a sex offender for 25 years following a 2020 conviction for Solicitation of a Minor in July of 2020. He left his residence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and moved to Aurora, Missouri, on November 26, 2022. He knowingly and intentionally did not register at any address after he left the Sioux Falls residence until he was arrested in Missouri on March 15, 2023. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . White Eyes was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.