title: Former Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to His Role in a Drug Trafficking and Procurement Fraud Conspiracies

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Michael Kenneth Cox, age 49, pled guilty to two federal charges related to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and a procurement mail and wire fraud conspiracy. Cox, who was employed by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) from 1996 until he retired as the head of the drug unit in 2018, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana. Cox also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit procurement wire and mail fraud with his co-defendant Christopher Worth in connection with contracts his business received from WCSO. When sentenced, Cox faces up to 20 years for each charge. “As a leader of the Drug Unit, Cox’s job was to put drug traffickers behind bars, not go into business with them,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We trust law enforcement to uphold the law, but a rare few choose to abuse their positions with criminal side-hustles. Corruption like this undermines our institutions, cheats taxpayers, and endangers the public. The people of Eastern North Carolina, and all the honest cops who put their lives on the line, deserve better and we won’t stand for it.” "Law enforcement officers are entrusted with an incredible responsibility to serve our communities and ensure justice. Anyone who takes advantage of their position for personal gain or in persistence of criminal activity must and will be held accountable. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will continue to root out public corruption on behalf of the vast majority of hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably," said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Robert M. DeWitt. According to court documents and other information presented in Court, while Cox was a sheriff’s deputy, he helped various drug traffickers operating in Wayne County evade charges. In one instance, he intercepted a drug trafficker who had made a purchase from the target of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation. Rather than arrest the trafficker, he seized the drugs and reimbursed him $2000 for the sale, claiming it had been a planned, controlled purchase. Even after his retirement, Cox continued his relationships with the drug traffickers, facilitating the purchase of drugs for other individuals. In addition, Cox was engaged in a scheme in which contracts for upfits of WCSO vehicles were steered to a business owned by Cox, and employing co-defendant Worth, regardless of whether Cox’s company provided such work at the lowest price as required by the Wayne County procurement requirements. Cox was indicted in August of 2023. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Duffy and Nick Hartigan are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-260.


title: Former Ohio Sheriff's Office Deputy Sentenced for Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate by Using Excessive Force

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former Pike County, Ohio, Sheriff's Office deputy was sentenced today to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release for federal civil rights violations involving excessive force. In August 2023, Jeremy C. Mooney, 49, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of violating a victim’s constitutional rights by pepper spraying and punching the victim in the head, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and posed no threat to himself or others. The jury found that Mooney’s offenses involved the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury. “This defendant is being sentenced for the violent assault of an inmate who was confined to a restraint chair and unable to protect himself or escape from the abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All people in our country have a right to be free from excessive force by law enforcement officers. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute law enforcement officers who willfully violate the civil rights of the people they are sworn to protect and serve.” “Communities trust in law enforcement officers to uphold the rule of law and, as public servants, they must honor that responsibility, not deprive individuals of their civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Law enforcement officials who abuse their powers like Mooney did will be held accountable.” “As a law enforcement officer, Mooney had a duty to protect the civil rights of everyone in his community,” said Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office. “By abusing a person in his custody, he violated his oath and federal law. The FBI will continue to hold accountable rogue officers who commit civil rights violations and use excessive force against those they are sworn to protect.” According to court documents and trial testimony, on Nov. 18, 2019, Mooney transported the victim from the jail to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office headquarters, where he placed the victim in a restraint chair. The restraint chair secured the victim’s hands behind his back and prevented him from being able to move most of his body. For more than an hour, Mooney unlawfully used force against the victim on several occasions. Mooney dragged the victim — who was in the restraint chair — outside and pepper sprayed him directly in the face. The victim writhed in pain and tipped the chair back off the curb, landing on his back. Mooney then stood over the victim and deployed the pepper spray directly into the victim’s face a second time. Mooney brought the victim back inside the building and walked away. Over the course of several minutes, Mooney returned to that part of the building, where the victim was still handcuffed and secured in the restraint chair, and punched the victim in the head 11 times. Mooney punched the victim with enough force to break his own hand. A former Pike County Sheriff’s Office supervisor, William Stansberry Jr., 47, of Chillicothe, Ohio, was also charged. Stansberry violated the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct. He pleaded guilty in July 2023 to deprivation of civil rights under color of law and was sentenced on March 5 to six months in prison. Stansberry was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served under home detention. The FBI Cincinnati Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.


title: Kern County Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for $850,000 Credit Card Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Leyva, 36, of Wasco, was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison and ordered to pay $693,614 in restitution for conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in a long-running credit card fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, between February 2016 and August 2022, Leyva and his partner and co-defendant, Karina Arceo, stole the personally identifiable information (PII) for more than 125 victims. They stole much of the PII from patient files at health care providers in Kern County where Arceo worked. According to court documents, Leyva and Arceo used the stolen PII to open thousands of fraudulent credit cards in the victims’ identities. They used false identification documents to open the credit cards and provided billing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses so that any communications related to the credit cards would go to them instead of the victims. They then made hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases on the credit cards in Kern County and elsewhere. The fraudulent purchases included home appliances, automobile accessories, designer clothing, tickets to concerts and sporting events, and travel, among other items. Often times, Leyva and Arceo resold the items that they fraudulently purchased for cash and reaped a windfall because they did not actually pay for the items. They also used checks that had been stolen from companies in Kern County to access the companies’ bank accounts and make fraudulent payments towards the credit cards so as to keep their scheme going. Altogether, their scheme caused a loss of more than $825,000. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case. Charges are pending against Arceo. The charges are only allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: KC Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., tax preparer pleaded guilty in federal court today to a wire fraud scheme in which he filed federal income tax returns for his clients that contained false information. Ebens Louis-Loradin, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of wire fraud and 10 counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. Louis-Loradin, who has been a tax preparer since 2012, admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud the IRS and obtain money by preparing and electronically filing federal tax returns containing false items over a six-year period from March 20, 2013, to April 14, 2019. Louis-Loradin claimed items on his clients’ federal tax returns that his clients were not entitled to claim, including dependents, inflated income tax withholding amounts, credits for child and dependent care expenses, American opportunity credits, earned income credits, itemized deductions, and business losses. These false claims had the effect of reducing his clients’ taxable income and increasing his clients’ tax credit eligibility. Under federal statutes, Louis-Loradin is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for his conviction of wire fraud and up to three years in federal prison without parole for his conviction on each of the 10 counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Aug. 1, 2024. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations.


title: Nampa Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 10 Pounds of Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Tyler Watson, 40, of Nampa, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possessing ten pounds of fentanyl with intent to distribute it to others, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, Watson was a mid-level fentanyl distributor for a large drug trafficking organization with direct ties to Mexico. Watson locally sold approximately $15,000 worth of fentanyl pills and powder on a weekly basis. When he was arrested on June 7, 2022, he had four and a half kilos (approximately ten pounds) of fentanyl powder, 74.63 grams of fentanyl in pill form (approximately 750 pills), 55 grams of methamphetamine, and $8,608 in drug proceeds. “With our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to vigorously pursue fentanyl traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “A tiny amount of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, and in this case, it is estimated that the defendant possessed enough fentanyl to theoretically kill 439,000 people. The magnitude of this threat is sobering, but cases like this demonstrate that, together, law enforcement is rising to the challenge of keeping Idahoans safe.” “The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners will work tirelessly to stop drug traffickers like Mr. Watson from dealing their poison in our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The lengthy prison term that Mr. Watson received should serve as a warning to those who would seek to destroy others’ lives for their own financial gain because, if they do, we will find them and bring them to justice.” “Collaboration and teamwork with local, state, and federal partners is necessary to keep the pressure on drug dealers,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. “These criminals need to understand we’re working together all of the time, and on every level, to keep the Treasure Valley safe. I’m very proud of the work that’s happening in my community.” “This case illustrates the sheer magnitude of dangerous, illicit drugs with direct ties to Mexico and the Mexican Drug Cartels that are in our communities and on our streets here in Idaho,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “And this is just one example. We must continue working collaboratively with our local, state, and federal partners to enforce the rule of law and stop this blatant criminality. The very safety of our republic depends on it.” Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Watson to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Watson pled guilty to the charge on November 13, 2023. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force consisting of officers from the United States Marshals Service, the United States Probation Office, the Nampa Police Department, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Jonathan Bash Sentenced To 21 Years Imprisonment For Distribution Of A Fentanyl Analogue Resulting In Death

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Today, Jonathan Bash, 25, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga, after distributing para-fluorofentanyl, resulting in the overdose death of Charlotte Gallant. Following his incarceration, he will be on supervised release for five years. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Bash pled guilty to distributing para-fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Charlotte Gallant, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). According to the plea agreement, Bash sold a fentanyl analogue to a young man who shared it with his girlfriend, Ms. Gallant. According to filed court documents, Bash misrepresented the drug as ketamine, a commonly abused “club drug” that is often used for its perceived anesthetic and hallucinogenic effects. Both the young man to whom Bash sold the fentanyl analogue and Ms. Gallant overdosed. The young man suffered serious bodily injuries but ultimately survived the overdose. Paramedics were unable to revive Ms. Gallant, who died shortly after ingesting the drug. “This is a tragic case. Using any kind of narcotic acquired on the streets or even from a friend, regardless of how the drug appears to be marketed, can unknowingly lead to the use of fentanyl, and the effects can be lethal,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III. “Our office will continue to prosecute these cases to bring justice to the community and the families of the victims, including Ms. Gallant and her family.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Tennessee who brought justice to this investigation,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “This case sends a clear message that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service along with our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to protect the communities we serve by combating the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl and holding drug traffickers accountable.” “A 21-year sentence highlights the serious risks fentanyl poses and serves as a testament to HSI’s collaborative efforts in combating drug trafficking,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Fentanyl has a devastating impact on our communities and HSI will continue to fight alongside our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle illicit narcotics organizations.” “The most impactful investigations occur through meaningful collaboration and coordination with our local, state, and federal partners. The FBI is a proud federal partner of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” The criminal investigation was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Chattanooga Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Brooks and Frank Clark represented the United States. ###


title: Hopkinsville Felon Sentenced to Over 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man was sentenced yesterday to 4 years and 9 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Eric L. Clark, 42, was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a RG Industries .22 caliber revolver on December 31, 2020. Clark was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On April 26, 2017, in Christian Circuit Court, Clark was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (less than 4 grams of cocaine), first offense. On April 26, 2017, in Christian Circuit Court, Clark was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (less than 4 grams of cocaine), first offense (two counts). There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Hopkinsville Police Department and the ATF Bowling Green Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Gamma Healthcare and Three of Its Owners Agree to Pay $13.6 Million for Allegedly Billing Medicare for Lab Tests That Were Not Ordered or Medically Necessary

component: Civil Division

body_text: Gamma Healthcare Inc. (Gamma), a laboratory located in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and three of its owners, Jerry W. Murphy, Jerrod W. Murphy and Joel W. Murphy (the Murphys), have agreed to pay the United States $13,619,660.18 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting or causing the submission of claims to Medicare for lab tests that were not ordered by health care providers and were not medically necessary. Gamma, Jerry W. Murphy and Jerrod W. Murphy also agreed to a 15-year exclusion from participating in federal health care programs. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from Jan. 1, 2020, to Oct. 31, 2020, Gamma and the Murphys submitted or caused to be submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) urinalysis laboratory tests that were not ordered by treating physicians. When a physician ordered a urinalysis (UA) with culture and sensitivity (C&S) or just a C&S, Gamma automatically performed, and submitted claims for payment to Medicare for, a urinary tract infection (UTI) panel of tests by PCR (the UTI PCR Tests). Medicare reimbursements for the UTI PCR Tests were significantly higher than reimbursements for a UA with C&S — on average, Medicare paid approximately $11 for a UA with C&S but paid an additional $573 for a panel of UTI PCR Tests. Gamma’s requisition forms were structured in a way that did not allow physicians to opt out of the UTI PCR Tests. Physicians expressed concerns to Gamma about the UTI PCR Tests as early as March 2020, including concerns that they did not order the tests, that the tests were expensive and that they were not medically necessary. “Laboratories are permitted to bill federal healthcare programs only for medically necessary tests that are actually ordered by physicians,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to hold accountable those who seek to misuse federal healthcare programs for their own financial gain.” “We’d like to thank the whistleblower for bringing his concerns forward,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “As a result, Gamma and its owners who were responsible for this fraud will not be able to participate in federal health care programs for 15 years, and a large sum of money is being returned to Medicare.” “Health care providers who cause the submission of Medicare claims for medically unnecessary services pose a significant risk to the program and the patients who rely on it,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda Hanley of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG works diligently with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who, to satisfy their own greed, exploit federal health care programs.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Bradley Bibb M.D., a physician who owns a number of health care clinics and provided services to patients for whom Gamma performed laboratory tests. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Bibb v. Gamma Healthcare Inc. et al ., No. 1:20-cv-00250-SNLJ (E.D. Mo). Bibb will receive $2,315,342.23 of the proceeds from the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, with substantial assistance from HHS-OIG and FBI. Trial Attorney Elizabeth J. Kappakas of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Moore for the Eastern District of Missouri handled the matter, with the assistance of Financial Analyst Sheryl Paynter of the Civil Division. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Indiana Man for Firearms Trafficking and other Firearms Offenses

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on March 20, 2024, charging a New Albany, Indiana man with firearms trafficking, illegal possession of a machine gun, and illegal possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Allen Love, 39, was charged with four counts of firearms trafficking, occurring on February 1, 5, and 17, and March 6, 2024. He was also charged with three counts of illegal possession of a machine gun, specifically six Swift Conversion Devices on February 5 and 17, and March 6, 2024. Lastly, Love illegally possessed an unregistered firearm, specifically a 9-millimeter short barreled rife, on February 1, 2024. A Swift Conversion Device is a device that allows a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle to function as a fully automatic. A Swift Conversion Device is defined as a machine gun under federal law. The defendant made his initial court appearance this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Love faces a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Member of Skagit and Whatcom drug distribution ring sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 38-year-old resident of Maple Falls, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for his role in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesse Witteveen was arrested November 1, 2022, when he fled at high speeds from law enforcement, tossing bags of drugs from the car. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “Knowing what drugs have done to your life, you chose to perpetuate the cycle of drug addiction in others.” According to records filed in the case, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bellingham Resident Office (DEA), working with the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force identified a drug trafficking organization spreading large amounts of fentanyl and meth in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Beginning in April 2022, law enforcement monitored various members of the drug conspiracy as they conducted their drug sales. On November 1, 2022, law enforcement was surveilling Witteveen as he met with a drug supplier. They followed Witteveen, but since he was driving at a high rate of speed, surveillance was ended. A short time later, Whatcom County Sheriff deputies spotted the car near the town of Van Zandt and attempted to pull it over. Witteveen began driving at a high rate of speed. A bag – later found to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine – was thrown from the car. A search of Witteveen’s home and car turned up turned up fentanyl pills, meth, multiple cell phones, firearms parts, and ammunition. Overall, in this case law enforcement seized: 11.5 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.8 kilos of fentanyl powder, 5.7 kilos of cocaine, 1.6 kilos of heroin and 8.7 kilos of crystal meth, more than $186,000 in cash and nine firearms. The leader of the drug ring, Enoc Martinez Lopez, aka “Victor,” 29, of Marysville, Washington was sentenced to eight years in prison; Casey Landis, 41, of Bellingham, a drug distributor was sentenced to seven years in prison. Witteveen was sentenced to four years of supervised release to follow prison, and Judge King recommended he be admitted to the Bureau of Prisons residential drug treatment program. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bellingham Resident Office (DEA), working with the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, the CBP Air & Marine Operations, the Lummi Police Department, the Everson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Columbus man faces 20 to 23 years in prison as part of narcotics guilty plea involving killing of another Columbus resident

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to a drug crime and admitted to his role in the killing of a local man. The defendant is one of nearly two dozen individuals charged in a case involving a large-scale drug and human trafficking ring. Dustin A. Speakman, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 of an elementary school. As part of his plea, Speakman admitted to his role in the death of one victim which occurred during the time he was operating a drug distribution house. His plea includes a sentencing recommendation of 20 to 23 years in prison. Speakman, who is also known as “Dawg,” is one of 23 defendants charged in a narcotics and human trafficking case that involves at least two deaths. According to court documents, from 2008 until June 2022, lead defendants Patrick Saultz and Cordell Washington ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus that included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and money laundering. Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit. Speakman joined the drug trafficking organization after being released from jail in 2022, where he was housed with Saultz. Speakman was a mid-level drug distributor for the group out of residences on South Ogden and South Warren. As part of his guilty plea, Speakman admitted to severely beating one of his drug runners in May 2022 and then providing him with free drugs to make up for the attack. Witnesses said the male was beaten by Speakman and then given cocaine and fentanyl as compensation. Shortly after, the victim began to seize and foam at the mouth and did not respond to Narcan. The victim was driven to an alley near Grant Hospital where he was found unconscious by Columbus Fire Department personnel with severe trauma to the face and head. His cause of death was ultimately determined to be blunt force trauma caused by Speakman. “Any loss of life is significant,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Our office will continue to work to hold perpetrators of illegal drug trafficking accountable and secure justice for victims of violent and drug-related deaths.” As of today, 18 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmela Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years. U.S. Attorney Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Former Pike County deputy sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for excessive use of force

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Pike County deputy was sentenced in federal court here today to 100 months in prison for committing civil rights violations while employed as a law enforcement officer. In August 2023, Jeremy C. Mooney, 49, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of violating a victim’s constitutional rights by pepper spraying and punching the victim in the head, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and posed no threat to himself or others. The jury found that Mooney’s offenses involved the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury. “This defendant is being sentenced for the violent assault of an inmate who was confined to a restraint chair and unable to protect himself or escape from the abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All people in our country have a right to be free from excessive force by law enforcement officers. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who willfully violates the civil rights of the people they are sworn to protect and serve.” “Communities trust in law enforcement officers to uphold the rule of law and, as public servants, they must honor that responsibility, not deprive individuals of their civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Law enforcement officials who abuse their powers like Mooney did will be held accountable.” According to court documents and trial testimony, on Nov. 18, 2019, Mooney transported the victim from the jail to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office headquarters, where he placed the victim in a restraint chair. The restraint chair secured the victim’s hands behind his back and prevented him from being able to move most of his body. For more than an hour, Mooney unlawfully used force against the victim on several occasions. Mooney dragged the victim — who was in the restraint chair — outside and pepper sprayed him directly in the face. The victim writhed in pain and tipped the chair back off the curb, landing on his back. Mooney then stood over the victim and deployed the pepper spray directly into the victim’s face a second time. Mooney brought the victim back inside the building and walked away. Over the course of several minutes, Mooney returned to that part of the building, where the victim was still handcuffed and secured in the restraint chair and punched the victim in the head 11 times. Mooney punched the victim with enough force to break his own hand. A former Pike County Sheriff’s Office supervisor, William Stansberry Jr., 47, of Chillicothe, Ohio, was also charged. Stansberry violated the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct. He pleaded guilty in July 2023 to deprivation of civil rights under color of law and was sentenced on March 5 to six months in prison. Stansberry was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served under home detention. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Two sent to prison after drug trafficking in local parking lot

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Two Mission men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Eddie Perez, 29, and Juan Alberto Mendez Jr., 29, pleaded guilty April 24, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 20 kilograms of cocaine. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment for Perez, while Mendez received 96 months. Both must also serve five and three years of supervised release, respectively, following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the criminal history of Perez including his three prior felony convictions. In October 2022, Perez was to deliver narcotics to another individual on behalf of his friend Mendez. Authorities conducted surveillance at a Best Buy parking lot in McAllen in anticipation of the narcotics deal. They saw vehicles approach, after which Perez removed bags containing bricks of cocaine from the trunk of his vehicle. Mendez was parked in another vehicle with his wife and six children observing the transaction. Law enforcement approached arrested Perez and Mendez and immediately seized a total of 20 kilograms of cocaine. A subsequent search of Mendez home yielded another kilogram of cocaine. Mendez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Perez has been and will remain in custody. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: 18th Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Two Murders

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, a member of the 18th Street gang, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in connection with his participation in two murders: the October 25, 2017 murder of 20-year-old Jonathan Figueroa in Saugerties, New York and the February 2, 2018 murder of 20-year-old Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez in Queens. The guilty plea proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara. When sentenced, Cruz-Mateo faces up to life in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. “Cruz-Mateo had boasted of his participation in the murders in a horrific video and in text messages, but today’s admission in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn holds him accountable for two savage killings committed for the purpose of instilling fear and promoting gang violence,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “While the defendant’s guilty plea cannot bring back the two lives senselessly taken or undo the cruelty of his actions, it is my hope that it will bring a measure of closure to his victims’ families.” United States Attorney Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police, the Kingston Police Department, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance during the investigation. According to court filings, proceedings, and statements made during today’s guilty plea proceeding, Cruz-Mateo was a member of the Queens-based Shatto Park Locos Sureños sect of 18th Street. He committed the following crimes in order to maintain and increase his membership and status in the gang: October 25, 2017 Murder of Jonathan Figueroa In the late evening of October 24, 2017, Cruz-Mateo lured and travelled with Figueroa from Queens to Kingston, New York, planning to murder him because 18th Street members suspected he was an informant for law enforcement. Upon their arrival in Kingston, they were met by other 18th Street members and associates who, into the early morning hours of October 25, 2017, brought Figueroa to Turkey Point State Forest, stabbed him to death, and buried him in a makeshift grave. Cruz-Mateo ordered the murder to be video-recorded—capturing multiple 18th Street members and associates repeatedly stabbing Figueroa, slashing his throat, amputating his ear, and dragging his body. In the video, Cruz-Mateo stated that Figueroa was being murdered for “being a rat.” Cruz-Mateo then sent the video to other 18th Street members as a warning not to disrespect the gang or cooperate with law enforcement. Figueroa’s body was discovered in February 2018 by the FBI, along with state and local law enforcement authorities, in a five-foot deep grave. The victim sustained more than 100 stab wounds including at least one stab wound to the head that appears to have fractured his skull and a slash to his throat that ruptured his trachea. February 2, 2018 Murder of Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez On February 2, 2018, Cruz-Mateo shot and killed Blanco Hernandez in Queens because 18th Street gang members suspected him of being a member of 18th Street’s principal rival, La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13 gang. Blanco Hernandez’s body was discovered on a residential street in the Jamaica Hills section of Queens. He had been shot three times in the torso and head. Cruz-Mateo fled the area and returned upstate to Kingston. He was arrested by the FBI following a statewide manhunt. Co-defendant Israel Mediola Flores previously pleaded guilty to Figueroa’s murder and was sentenced in June 2023 to 425 months in prison. Co-defendants Yoni Alexander Sierra, Jose Jimenez Chacon, and Carolina Cruz previously pleaded guilty to Blanco Hernandez’s murder and are currently awaiting sentencing. Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of recent convictions in this case of members and associates of 18th Street, a well-known and well-established international criminal organization and violent street gang with members and associates residing throughout New York State including Queens and Long Island, and elsewhere throughout the United States including Houston, Texas. This case is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Erin Reid and Margaret Schierberl are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tareva Torres. The Defendant : YANKI MISAEL CRUZ-MATEO (also known as “Yenki Misael Cruz Mateo,” “Yankee Mateo,” “Doggy” and “Wino”) Age: 25 Jamaica, New York Co-Defendants Previously Convicted : ISRAEL MEDIOLA FLORES (also known as “Chapito” and “Sinaloa”) Age: 29 Kingston, New York YONI ALEXANDER SIERRA (also known as “Arca,” “Arc Angel” and “Wasson”) Age: 25 Jamaica, New York JOSE JIMENEZ CHACON (also known as “Little One”) Age: 25 New Brunswick, New Jersey CAROLINA CRUZ (also known as “La Fiera”) Age: 30 Elizabeth, New Jersey Co-Defendants Awaiting Trial : WALTER FERNANDO ALFARO PINED (also known as “Clever”) Age: 44 Houston, Texas JOSE DOUGLAS CASTELLANO (also known as “Chino”) Age: 25 Brooklyn, New York JUNIOR ZELAYA-CANALES (also known as “Terco”) Age: 27 Jamaica, New York ERIC CHAVEZ (also known as “Lunatico”) Age: 25 Jamaica, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-139 (S-7) (LDH)


title: Canal Winchester man sentenced to prison for making interstate threats to law enforcement, court officials & businesses, calling in bomb threats to local schools

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Canal Winchester man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for making interstate threats to local law enforcement, court officials, businesses and schools. Yousif Mubarak, 27, was convicted following a jury trial in August 2023 of seven counts of making interstate threats. “Threats are more than mere words, they have significant consequences, as illustrated by the sentence imposed today,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. According to court documents and trial testimony, in September 2021, Mubarak made at least 87 threatening phone calls from the state of Washington, where he resided for a short time, to a Franklin County Municipal Court Judge who previously presided over his court case. Mubarak told the Judge that he would find her, that he had private investigators following her and that she should watch for cars following her. Mubarak said, “I will find you even if that means I die,” and threatened to kill the Judge himself. In many of the messages, Mubarak identified himself by name and left his callback number. Beginning on Sept. 12, 2021, and continuing until the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak also placed numerous threatening calls to businesses and schools in the Canal Winchester and Pickerington areas. He called to make threats to employees at the Brew Dog, Home Depot and Best Western businesses in Canal Winchester. On Sept. 12, 2021, at about 10pm, officers and agents with the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Division of Police and FBI visited the last known address of Mubarak in Canal Winchester. Mubarak observed the officers in his Ring doorbell camera and taunted the officers throughout the interaction. Twenty minutes later, Mubarak called a dispatcher in Fairfield County and told her, in part, “you can die” and “she would get two bullets in the head.” The defendant called the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office more than 100 times in a 12-hour span. Around 7am on the morning of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak called in a bomb threat to Canal Winchester Middle School. He told a school employee: “I have placed several bombs in your building” and “I would get your women and children out now.” Approximately 20 minutes later, Mubarak called Pickerington North High School and said there were two suicide bombers inside the school. Mubarak was charged federally and arrested on Sept. 22, 2021. A federal grand jury indicted him in November 2021 and that indictment was superseded in June 2022. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Joins State And Local Officials To Highlight Efforts To Combat The Fentanyl Epidemic

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – This morning, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King joined North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, local law enforcement officials and other partners to raise awareness about the fentanyl epidemic and highlight efforts to stem the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs in our communities. Speaking at a press conference held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center in Charlotte, U.S. Attorney King said that federal prosecutors are focusing on disrupting and dismantling large trafficking organizations responsible for supplying the bulk of fentanyl distributed throughout the Western District of North Carolina, and holding accountable individuals who sell lethal substances like fentanyl, causing serious bodily injuries, drug poisonings, and overdose deaths. U.S. Attorney King emphasized the importance of working with government agencies, law enforcement, and organizations dedicated to the provision of services for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery to support communities across Western North Carolina. “Families should not have to face this crisis alone,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office is committed to supporting our communities and our law enforcement partners through this crisis and bringing to justice those responsible for poisoning our friends, our neighbors, and our loved ones. Together, we will fight against this epidemic to free our communities from its deadly grip and make funding available to support vital prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts.” “The fentanyl crisis is devastating our people, and we need everyone at the table working together to combat fentanyl trafficking,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney King and her office for their partnership in the Fentanyl Task Force and other efforts to hold drug traffickers accountable.” Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and remains the deadliest drug threat in the United States. Laboratory testing indicates 7 out of 10 pills seized by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. According to the DEA, in 2023, the agency seized more than 79.5 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. That’s equivalent to more than 376.7 million lethal doses of fentanyl - enough to kill every American across the country. So far this year, the 2024 fentanyl seizures represent over 82.6 million deadly doses. For information and resources related to substance use disorder, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the online treatment locator .


title: Chinese national sent to prison for possessing child pornography videos of minor younger than five

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced for transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Tong Sun pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now sentenced him to 144 months in federal prison. Sun was further ordered to pay $35,000 in special assessments and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet and will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Not a U.S. citizen, Sun is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. On or about May 8, 2023, Sun attempted to illegally enter the country in an area near Roma. Law enforcement took him into custody, at which time they discovered several videos that constituted child pornography on his phone. One of the videos depicted a child who appeared to be younger than five years of age. Sun admitted to ownership of the phone and to possessing the child pornography. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Additional Federal Charges Filed Against Solomon Peña

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment yesterday bringing new charges against Solomon Peña for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and three counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence. The original charges arise from shootings at the homes of four elected officials between Dec. 4, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023. The superseding indictment alleges that Peña solicited others to kill or attempt to kill a witness with the intent to prevent that witness’s attendance and testimony in an official proceeding. Additionally, Peña is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Peña allegedly organized the shootings at the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two New Mexico state legislators after his November 2022 electoral defeat. The shootings, one of which involved a machine gun, were carried out with assistance from co-defendants Demetrio Trujillo and his son, Jose Trujillo. On Jan. 8, 2024, Jose Louise Trujillo pled guilty to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jose was detained pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for May 22, 2024. On Feb. 2, 2024, Demetrio Trujillo pled guilty to conspiracy, two counts of interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and discharging said firearm. Demetrio was detained pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for Aug. 6, 2024. If convicted of the new charges, Peña faces up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorney Ryan Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case. View the Superseding Indictment An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Found Guilty of Racketeering Conspiracy that Corrupted City Real Estate Development Projects

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former deputy mayor and long-time Los Angeles city official was found guilty by a jury today of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribe money and facilitating illicit payoffs from property developers to then-Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar as part of a long-running conspiracy that corrupted the approval of city real estate projects. Raymond She Wah Chan, 67, of Monterey Park, was found guilty of all 12 felony counts he faced: one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, seven counts of honest services wire fraud, three counts of bribery, and one count of making false statements to a federal government agency. “Chan used his leadership position in City Hall to favor corrupt individuals and companies willing to play dirty,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The residents of Los Angeles deserve much better. With today’s verdict, we send a strong message that the public will not stand for corruption and that pay-to-play politics has no place in our community.” “Mr. Chan made decisions to enrich himself and his corrupt colleagues instead of advancing projects to benefit the residents of Los Angeles, and then lied about it when confronted with the facts,” said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The ‘Casino Loyale’ investigation has shined a light on the city of Los Angeles, and the FBI will continue to weed out corruption to ensure local government operates honestly to improve the lives of Angelenos.” Chan formerly was the general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) and, later, served as the city’s deputy mayor of economic development from 2016 to 2017. Huizar, 55, of Boyle Heights, represented Council District 14 (CD-14) on the Los Angeles City Council from December 2005 until his resignation in October 2020. CD-14 encompassed downtown Los Angeles and some of its surrounding areas. During his years on the City Council, Huizar chaired the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, which oversaw all major commercial and residential development projects in the city. Huizar was sentenced on January 26 to 13 years in federal prison and also was ordered to pay $443,905 in restitution to the City of Los Angeles and $38,792 in restitution to the IRS. He pleaded guilty in January 2023 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax evasion. According to evidence presented at a 12-day trial, Chan and Huizar operated the “CD-14 Enterprise,” a criminal conspiracy that tainted the city approval of real estate projects in the downtown area. Huizar led the enterprise from at least February 2013 until July 2020 and Chan played a key role in ensuring the enterprise’s success during that period. As part of the conspiracy, while he was the general manager of LADBS and a deputy mayor, Chan established a secret business partnership with real estate development consultant George Chiang , securing a lucrative real estate consulting agreement with Chinese real estate developer Shenzhen Hazens. As part of that agreement, Chan agreed to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to advise and pressure city officials in favor of Hazens’ Luxe Hotel redevelopment project. To maintain the conspiracy’s political power, Chan also facilitated a $100,000 campaign contribution commitment from Hazens in support of Huizar’s wife’s candidacy for the CD-14 seat in exchange for Huizar’s votes to approve the project. A central goal of the enterprise was the succession plan of Huizar’s wife taking over Huizar’s council seat so that Huizar would still have control over downtown through his wife. Hazens’ U.S. subsidiary, Jia Yuan USA Co. Inc. , which was seeking to redevelop the Los Angeles Luxe City Center Hotel, has paid $1.05 million to resolve the government’s investigation into its conduct related to this case, which included bribery and illegal campaign contributions. Chan also facilitated payment of more than $1 million in bribes to Huizar from billionaire developer Wei Huang, 58, a resident of Shenzhen, China, including $600,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit and luxury-laden gambling trips. At the time he provided these bribes, Huang’s company, Shen Zhen New World I LLC , was planning to redevelop the L.A. Grand Hotel into the tallest tower west of the Mississippi, which would require city approvals and Huizar’s help. At Huizar’s and Chan’s request – and after Huizar had helped save Chan’s city position by helping to prevent a planned merger that would have eliminated Chan’s department – Huang paid $600,000 to fund a settlement of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Huizar by a former CD-14 staffer that threatened his 2015 re-election campaign and thus the enterprise’s political power base. Chan also lied to FBI agents in November 2018 about his involvement in facilitating and structuring the $600,000 settlement, that Huang had no real estate projects needing Huizar’s political support, and that Huang had never asked Huizar for any help with his properties. Huang, who is charged with several felonies, has yet to make a court appearance in this case and is considered a fugitive believed to be in China. Following today’s guilty verdicts, United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a June 10 sentencing hearing, at which time Chan will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of racketeering conspiracy and honest services wire fraud, up to 10 years in federal prison for each bribery count, and up to five years in federal prison for the false statements count. Previously, in June 2022, real estate developer Dae Yong Lee , a.k.a. “David Lee,” 59, of Bel Air, and one of his companies, 940 Hill LLC, were convicted of providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar and Esparza in exchange for their help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project. Lee is serving a six-year federal prison sentence. 940 Hill LLC was sentenced to five years’ probation, was fined $1.5 million, and was ordered to pay the costs of prosecution. In November 2022, Huang’s downtown Los Angeles-based company Shen Zhen New World I LLC was convicted of eight felonies for – through the actions of its owner, Huang – paying more than $1 million in bribes – including luxury trip expenses, casino gambling chips and the $600,000 sham loan – to Huizar to obtain city approval to build a 77-story skyscraper. The company was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $4 million, and ordered to pay the costs of prosecution. Prosecutors also have secured guilty pleas from Chiang, George Esparza , Huizar’s former special assistant, political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim , and lobbyist Morrie Goldman for their roles in the CD-14 Enterprise. Each of these defendants cooperated with the government, testified during at least one trial, and awaits sentencing. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant United States Attorneys Cassie D. Palmer, Susan S. Har, and Brian R. Faerstein of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case. Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s email tip line at https://tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.


title: Keene Man Indicted for Possession and Access with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Keene man was indicted for possession and access with intent to view child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Connor Mueller, 29, was indicted on February 14, 2024, on one count of Possession and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. Mueller will appear in federal court today at 4:15p.m. According to the charging documents on or about August 24, 2023, Mueller possessed material that contained one or more images of child sexual abuse, including images depicting minors who have not attained 12 years of age. These images were transported in and affecting interstate commerce by any means, including by computer. The charge of Possession and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 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 . ###


title: West Mifflin Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to federal drug and firearm charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Marcus Valenzi, 35, pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge David S. Cercone to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Valenzi was identified as a member of a drug trafficking organization operating within the Western District of Pennsylvania during an investigation conducted by federal and state law enforcement between August 2022 and November 2023. Federal search warrants executed upon residences used by the conspirators in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, firearms, and cellphones. A subsequent federal search warrant executed upon Valenzi’s residence on November 15, 2023, resulted in the seizure of over $16,000, multiple cellphones, and xylazine, a substance used as a cutting agent for fentanyl. A search of Valenzi’s phones revealed communications with a drug customer seeking the return of his firearm. Valenzi, who had a previous felony conviction in Florida for robbery, replied that he had thrown the gun in the river after the raids in McKees Rocks. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for July 18, 2024. The maximum penalty for the drug conspiracy charge is up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1 million fine, or both. The maximum penalty for the firearm charge is a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Valenzi.


title: Johnstown Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiring to Possess Cocaine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Clinton Dudley, 36. According to information presented to the Court, in and around August 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Dudley knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully attempted to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Dudley.


title: Fishers Investment Advisor Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling $4.6 Million

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Christopher Turean, 43, of Fishers, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. According to court documents, from September 2012 to February 2022, Turean was employed as an investment advisor. Sometime around 2015, the victim individual became one of Turean’s clients. The victim deposited their personal funds into an investment account managed by an investment company, and Turean was to invest this money on the victim’s behalf. On July 16, 2019, Turean created a company called “SCNT LLC” and opened a bank account that he alone controlled. Turean quickly began to transfer money from the victim’s investment account to his SCNT account. Turean then used the victim’s investment money to gamble and pay down a home equity loan on his house. Turean concealed his illegal activity from his employer and the victim by sending fraudulent updates describing the embezzled funds as investments in real estate. In total, Turean stole $4,692,500 from the victim. He also failed to report the illicit income on his taxes, filing false returns that concealed approximately $1,745,246 in taxes owed. “Investors have a right to trust that professionals obligated to act in their best interests aren’t stealing their hard-earned money,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This criminal used his position as a trusted professional to steal nearly five million dollars, and ten concealed nearly two million dollars in taxes owed. The serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates the commitment of IRS-CI, USPIS, and our federal prosecutors to aggressively prosecute financial crimes and hold fraudsters accountable.” “Turean abused his position of trust by stealing from his investors for his own selfish purposes. He not only violated the law, but he also betrayed the trust and confidence of his investors who relied on him to act in their best interests,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “This case should serve as a stark reminder of the vital importance of safeguarding one's personal finances and remaining vigilant against those who seek to exploit their positions of trust for personal gain.” IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Turean be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and pay $6,417,746 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Resolves Disability Discrimination Investigation of Public Swimming Pool

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan resolved its investigation of the City of Trenton’s Kennedy Aquatic Center. The U.S. Attorney’s Office received a complaint alleging that the Kennedy Aquatic Center staff did not allow an individual who has a disability to use a water slide. The complainant is a capable swimmer; however, she has a disability that affects her stature. The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated the complaint and successfully reached a settlement with the City of Trenton. In the settlement agreement, the City of Trenton agreed to fully comply with the non-discrimination requirements of Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA protects the rights of all individuals, regardless of disability, to fully and equally enjoy the benefits of the services, programs, or activities offered by public entities, which includes recreational centers and programs operated by state and local governments. The settlement agreement requires the Kennedy Aquatic Center to adopt ADA policies to ensure that accommodations and modifications are made to allow people who have disabilities access to the recreational services offered at the Aquatic Center. For example, the settlement agreement requires the Aquatic Center to allow individuals who cannot meet the slide’s height requirement because of a disability to use the slide so long as they can demonstrate appropriate water safety skills. “My office will vigorously protect the rights of individuals who have disabilities, especially children, to fully participate in our communities. Here, a child who simply wanted to enjoy all aspects of the local pool with friends and family was denied that opportunity because of a disability,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “I applaud the City of Trenton for its willingness to protect those opportunities in the future.” The investigation was led by AUSA Michael El-Zein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, a member of the Civil Rights Unit. The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan was established in 2010 with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the agreement, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights . Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation can submit a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at usamie.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by phone at (313) 226-9151. Complaints can also be submitted to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal .


title: Three sentenced in deadly home robbery

body_text: McALLEN, Texas - Three South Texas men have been sentenced following their conviction for a home invasion that led to the death of a homeowner, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Juan Antonio Moreno, 41, and Jesse Joe Mata, 32, both of Donna; and Alberto Vela, 43, Mercedes, pleaded guilty Aug. 4, 2012, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Moreno to serve a 115-month-term of imprisonment for the drug charge in addition to another 120 months for the firearms offense which must be served consecutively for a total 235-month federal prison sentence. Mata received a total of 212 months, while Vela was ordered to serve 12 years. His prison sentence will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release while the other two serve four years. “For most of us, our homes are our sanctuaries,” said Hamdani. “We could never imagine, not for one moment, armed gang members breaking down doors and shooting us to death in such a sacred place. This case illustrates how the dirty, greedy and violent business of drug trafficking takes no prisoners and has no redeeming value. Our office will not rest until we can put drug traffickers out of business and eradicate this type of violence from our communities.” “Our citizens deserve to feel safe in their homes, and the violent acts committed by the defendants in this case deprive everyone in the community of that right,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We would like to thank our partners with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), McAllen Police Department (MPD), Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) for their collective efforts to ensure every person has the opportunity to live and work in a safe community.” Moreno had contacted members of the Tri-City Bombers, a violent criminal enterprise, to assist him and the others a home invasion to steal marijuana he believed was stored in the home. On April 12, 2012, Moreno, Mata, Vela and others broke into the Edinburg residence. The homeowner was present and confronted them with a firearm. A struggle ensued and the homeowner was shot and killed. Vela was also shot. FBI led the OCDETF investigation with the assistance of TABC, MPD and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz and Casey N. MacDonald prosecuted the case.


title: Repeat felon pleads guilty to federal drug and firearms charges

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to court documents, on Sept. 19, 2023, Richmond Police Narcotics Detectives and the Virginia State Police Tactical Team executed a search warrant at the residence of Errez Tekel Perry, 30. After there was no response when the team knocked and announced, the team breached the door and entered the residence. Perry ran from the front door area toward the rear of the house, ignoring the team’s commands, and was taken into custody. Investigators recovered two semi-automatic firearms, ammunition, two drum ammunition magazines, approximately 64 grams of cocaine, packages of Suboxone, baggies with numerous pills, several baggies with approximately 200 grams of suspected marijuana, baggies with residue, digital scales, a cash counter, and two cellphones. Perry had been convicted previously of felony drug trafficking, felony drug possession, possession of a firearm with Schedule I and II controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Perry could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and a maximum of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-163.


title: Man Charged With Damaging Religious Property

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Suspect Painted Nazi Symbols on Jewish House of Worship GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today charged Jiafeng Chen, 27, with damaging religious property. The Information charges that in November 2023, Chen spray-painted swastikas on the Chabad House of Kalamazoo. A prominent menorah in front of the house was also defaced. The menorah is a seven-branched candelabrum historically associated with the Jewish faith. “Every faith community in this country has the right to gather and worship free from intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Defacing religious property is not mere vandalism. It’s an attack on a constitutional right that tries to tell certain people they’re not welcome in the community. We will continue to work with our partners to prevent these crimes and hold those who commit them swiftly accountable.” The Information alleges that Chen vandalized the house because of the Jewish characteristics of individuals associated with it. The Chabad organization conducts religious, cultural and community activities at the house, including Jewish religious services. “This single incident created confusion, fear, and intimidation in our community,” said Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief David Boysen . “We are thankful to have such dedicated officers, like Detective Stolsonburg, who put countless hours into this investigation. Only due to the continued partnerships and support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, the FBI, and the Task Force Officer’s position, were we able to see successful charges in this investigation.” “People of all faiths should not live in fear because of the religion they choose to practice,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The FBI and our law enforcement partners have remained vocal advocates of protecting all places of worship and are committed to removing those from our communities who resort to bias-motivated violence.” The charge in an information is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican resident convicted of trying to smuggle ammunition and firearms back to Mexico

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 67-year-old resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle multiple firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in vehicle roof rack, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On Jan. 11, Jose De Jesus Pena Dieguez attempted to enter Mexico through the Progreso Port of Entry in a Nissan Xterra. Upon inspection, authorities noticed tampering on the screws of a compartment connected to the vehicle's roof rack. An x-ray examination also showed anomalies within the compartment. A subsequent search revealed 16 firearms, 31 firearm magazines, assorted firearm parts and 800 rounds of ammunition. "Dieguez potentially put lives at risk for his own personal gain - intending to profit by selling firearms illegally smuggled out of the United States,” said Hamdani. “These crimes not only affect our residents, they also endanger innocent Mexican citizens. It’s an international issue, and we remain relentless in our efforts to bring safety and security in taking these traffickers off the streets. Put simply, try to take guns to Mexico and you will pay for it with your freedom.” Dieguez admitted he purchased the firearms and intended to illegally export them to Mexico. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing June 11. At that time, Dieguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Customs and Border Protection conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.


title: Woman Accused of Possessing 11,700 Fentanyl Pills and Other Illicit Drugs with Intent to Distribute is Arrested and Indicted

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today, charging a foreign national living in Utah with multiple drug crimes. The woman allegedly possessed and intended to distribute large amounts of narcotics including heroin, methamphetamine and 11,700 fentanyl pills. According to court documents, Martha Isela Navarro Chapas, 31, of West Jordan, Utah, and other members of a drug trafficking organization were believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On March 21, 2024, federal agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force arrested Chapas. Agents advised Chapas they had two search warrants for her residences in West Jordan, Utah. During the arrest, agents also seized approximately 23.35 (package weight) grams of suspected fentanyl pills, approximately 2.05 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive cocaine, and $1,318, that Chapas possessed. Shortly thereafter, during the execution of the search warrant at the first residence, agents seized 2,287 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 953 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive fentanyl, which included an estimated 9,500 pills, and 417 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive heroin. During the execution of the search warrant at the second residence, agents seized 219 grams (package weight) of suspected fentanyl pills, which contained an estimated 2,200 pills. Agents also seized $25,598. Navarro Chapas is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Her initial court appearance on the indictment was March 27, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to stealing mail

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eric Steven Arroyo, 41, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to theft of mail, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that on July 27, 2023, the United States Postal Service received a report that Arroyo was opening a blue USPS collection mailbox using a key and removing mail. A Postal Service employee responded to the area and saw Arroyo near another USPS collection mailbox in the area, opening it with a key and removing mail. Arroyo was then seen going behind a nearby business where he opened the mail. Police responded and Arroyo was arrested. Arroyo admitted that he opened the stolen mail, searching for money and gift cards. The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. # # # #


title: UPS employee heads to prison for concealing cocaine in packages

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Orlando Candelario Almanza pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Almanza to serve a total of 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Almanza’s high ranking position at UPS. He was not only a driver but was also responsible for delivering packages directly to UPS carrier airplanes for outbound delivery. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Almanza played a key role in the drug trafficking organization. “Almanza chose to break not only the trust of his company but that of the community,” said Hamdani. “These men chose to help drug traffickers, in the end causing them to trade their brown uniforms for orange jumpsuits.” Almanza was a UPS employee of over 20 years and used his knowledge to help circumvent security protocols and ship the cocaine filled packages on behalf of drug traffickers. Law enforcement seized several packages of cocaine from across the country which were traced back to the McAllen UPS facility and to Almanza and another employee - Fidencio Salinas Jr. In October 2022, after several months of investigation, authorities observed Almanza receive a package from drug traffickers while on shift. The package was destined for Tennessee and contained 10 kilograms of cocaine. Drug traffickers paid Almanza approximately $300-$500 dollars per cocaine-filled package shipped. Salinas Jr., 51, Pharr, a UPS employee for over seven years, previously received 27 months in federal prison. Almanza was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration along with FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Maryland Fraudster Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Archie Arnold Paul, a/k/a “Carter Hill” and “Zion Davis,” age 31, of Laurel, Maryland, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Judge Messitte also ordered Paul to pay at least $151,091.16 in restitution and to forfeit a 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol bearing no serial number and more than 250 rounds of 9mm ammunition recovered during the execution of a search warrant at Paul’s residence on May 12, 2020. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Christina Bentham of the U.S. Secret Service – Baltimore Field Office. According to Paul’s plea agreement, he conspired with Jalen Craig McMillan, Jovan Bell, Tiffany Rainel Williams and John Fitzgerald Washington, and others to defraud Bank A. Specifically, Paul, the primary leader and organizer of the scheme, and his co-conspirators, obtained and used fictitious identities and the personal identifying information (“PII”) of real persons. Paul worked with Washington and others to manufacture and procure fraudulent identification documents displaying the PII of the victims, but photographs of others. Paul, Williams, and others used the fraudulent identification documents to impersonate the victims, open account using fraudulent information and make large withdrawals from Bank A that belonged to the victims. McMillan and Bell used their positions as “Member Service Representatives” at Bank A to facilitate both the opening of accounts in the names of identity theft victims provided by Paul and his co-conspirators, and subsequent financial transactions, including assisting with loans. Paul and his co-conspirators, using the information of more than 10 victims, successfully defrauded Bank A of $151,091.16 and tried to obtain more than $405,000. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Secret Service for its work in the investigation and thanked the City of Laurel Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bijon Mostoufi and Ranganath Manthripragada, 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 . # # #