title: Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening U.S. Congresswoman

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Michael David Fox pleaded guilty to interstate transmission of threatening communication. Fox, 60, of Las Cruces, will remain on conditions pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Fox left a voicemail for the office of a congresswoman for the District of Texas, calling her a “tranny and a pedophile” and threatening to “put a bullet” in her face. Law enforcement was able to trace the call to Fox. On May 26, 2023, Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed Fox at his residence in Las Cruces and he admitted to making the threat. Fox claimed to believe that transgender individuals are running governments, kingdoms, and corporations all over the world, causing the world’s misery and that he was part of a movement that was going to engage in “eradicating” those people. In his plea agreement, Fox acknowledged that he was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs when he made the call and that he was not merely making a political argument, idle talk, an exaggeration, or a joke. At sentencing, Fox faces up to 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised probation. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindy Carpenter is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-237


title: Former California Prison Correctional Officer Indicted for Accepting Bribes

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 43, of Suisun City, charging him with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following Crittenden’s arrest. According to court documents, Crittenden was a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation correctional officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. In 2021 and 2022 he accepted bribes to smuggle cellphones into the California Medical Facility. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Crittenden faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. crittenden_indictment.pdf


title: Five sent to prison in nationwide fraud scheme targeting elderly victims

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – All people charged in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud have been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Indian citizens MD Azad, 26, Sumit Kumar Singh, 30, Himanshu Kumar, 26, MD Hasib, 28, and Anirudha Kalkote, 26, admitted they participated in a fraud ring from 2019-2020 which operated out of various cities including Houston. All illegally resided in Houston. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt has now ordered Hasib to serve 78 months in federal prison. The court previously sentenced Singh, Kumar and Kalkote each also to 78 months, while Azad, the highest ranking member of the conspiracy in the United States, received 188 months. Not U.S. citizens, all are expected to face removal proceedings following the prison terms. At the respective hearings, the court heard evidence from victim impact letters that described the suffering that almost 200 victims, many of whom were elderly, had endured because of this fraud. Some victims lost their life savings. Others were threatened when they refused to continue to pay and described continuing fear and ongoing anxiety after being watched through the video cameras on their home computers. In handing down the sentences, the court noted that the victim letters sounded like a “horror show.” “Anxiety, fear, humiliation and devastating financial loss are what these victims endured,” said Hamdani. “The criminals were relentless, preying on the elderly, often revictimizing their targets. These scammers from India didn’t care what impact their scheme had; all they cared about was money and a lot of it. Thankfully, the court imposed a just sentence for each of these ruthless fraudsters, bringing the victims peace and closure.” “The sentences imposed for the defendants in this case should serve as a harbinger for anyone attempting to defraud and manipulate our nation’s elderly. Prison awaits you,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “This was an effort that combined the investigative skills of multiple law enforcement agencies that partnered together to uphold our commitment to the Elder Justice Initiative. We will continue to protect our seniors.” The scheme targeted elderly victims throughout the United States and elsewhere. The ring tricked and deceived victims using various ruses and instructed them to send money via wire through a money transmitter business such as Western Union or MoneyGram, by buying gift cards and providing to the fraudsters or by mailing cash to alias names via FedEx or UPS. Part of the scheme involved fraudsters contacting victims by phone or via internet sites for computer technical support and directing victims to a particular phone number. Once victims contacted the fraudsters, they were told various stories such as they were communicating with an expert that needed remote access to their computer in order to provide technical support services. The fraudsters then gained access to victims’ personal data and bank and credit card information. Victims typically paid a fee to conspirators for the fake technical support but were later told they were due a refund. Through paying for “technical support” or through the “refund” process, the ring gained access to the victim’s bank account(s) and credit cards and manipulated the accounts to make it appear the victim was paid too large a refund due to a typographical error. Victims were then instructed to reimburse the ring by various means. Victims were sometimes re-victimized multiple times and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay. All five individuals will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS CI conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States including the Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office of Augusta County, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Quincy Ollison prosecuted the case. The case is brought as a part of the Elder Justice Initiative. Its goal is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice launched National Elder Fraud Hotline to help combat fraud against older Americans and provide services to victims. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern time. Services are available for speakers of English, Spanish and other languages.


title: Three Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug-Fueled Shooting at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- Three men were sentenced to federal prison after an attempted drug robbery led to a gunfight in a parking garage at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. Dequadry Kendrick Razor, 21, of Columbia, was sentenced to twenty years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possessing and discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Jaondre Zidarius Collier, 23, and Tyree Laquan Smith, 21, both of Spartanburg, were sentenced to 68 months and 24 months, respectively, after also pleading guilty to drug and gun offenses. Evidence presented to the court showed that on January 25, 2022, Smith and another man flew into GSP from Los Angeles carrying approximately fifty pounds of marijuana in two suitcases. These two men, along with Collier, had previously traveled from Charlotte to Miami to shoot music videos and then flown to California to purchase marijuana. Collier and his girlfriend flew into Charlotte and then drove to GSP to pick up Smith and the other trafficker. Unbeknownst to them, Razor and a coconspirator were sitting in a car outside the terminal, waiting to rob them. Information presented to the court showed that Razor and others had successfully robbed marijuana traffickers flying into GSP on multiple prior occasions. After loading their suitcases into the trunk of Collier’s car, Smith and his companion climbed into the backseat. Collier pulled into a parking garage adjacent to the terminal, where the traffickers planned to transfer some of the marijuana into another vehicle. As they began to get out of the car, Razor and his coconspirator rushed in with pistols drawn, and a gunfight broke out. Smith was shot attempting to get out of the vehicle, and the would-be robbers fled without the suitcases, as the traffickers returned fire. Multiple vehicles parked in the garage were struck in the crossfire. Smith, who had suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound, was loaded into another vehicle and rushed to a Spartanburg hospital. Collier can be seen on footage from the garage climbing back into his bullet-riddled car to chase the robbers. As Razor and his companion attempted to feed a ticket into the kiosk to exit the garage, Collier pulled up behind them and began shooting at them. An innocent bystander was trapped in her vehicle behind the fleeing robbers as Collier fired over her car, striking the kiosk. Razor and his companion were able to exit the garage and fled back to Columbia. Collier remained at the scene, and responding law enforcement found the suitcases of marijuana in his trunk and two pistols in his glovebox. They also recovered shell casings from at least four different handguns. Investigators quickly identified the car used by the robbers, which they found at a Columbia home where Razor was living. A search of the bedroom Razor was staying in revealed a large bag of marijuana and two handguns. One of these guns was forensically matched to shell casings recovered from the parking garage and from the well of the windshield of the robbers’ car. “Armed drug trafficking and the violence it spawns pose a threat to even our most secure and critical infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “No one should have to fear getting caught in crossfire at an airport. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the public from this type of brazen violence.” “The reckless disregard of the public’s safety by these defendants is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office Steve Jensen. “The diligent efforts of all the law enforcement partners have ensured that these individuals are paying the price for their violent acts and drug trafficking into the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.” Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong sentenced the defendants in this case. Several additional defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing in connection with this shooting and related drug trafficking. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) and the GSP Airport District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Titusville Pharmacist Pleads Guilty To Distributing Opioids And Benzodiazepines Without A Prescription

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Basil Samir Itani (46, Titusville) has pleaded guilty to distributing and dispensing controlled substances. Itani faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, on nine occasions beginning on January 5, 2023, and continuing through May 24, 2023, a confidential source purchased controlled substances from Itani for cash and without a prescription after hours at Itani’s pharmacy. These controlled substances included oxycodone, methadone, alprazolam, methylphenidate, and morphine. Itani distributed and dispensed these controlled substances in an unauthorized manner by acting outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Titusville Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Fourth Defendant Charged With Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting In Death In Connection With The Poisoning Of Four Children At A Bronx Daycare

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging FELIX HERRERA GARCIA with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of four children under the age of three, one of whom died, at a daycare facility in the Bronx. HERRERA GARCIA is in custody and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Berg, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Last night, Felix Herrera was arrested for his alleged role in running a fentanyl mill hidden inside a Bronx daycare, which caused the tragic death of a one-year-old boy and seriously injured three other children. Herrera’s arrest on the other side of the nation reflects our tireless pursuit of Herrera, who fled the daycare even as the children he abandoned inside were suffering from his poisonous trade. As I vowed in the wake of this horrific crime, Herrera’s arrest demonstrates once again that my Office and our dedicated law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to bring those who contribute to the deadly opioid crisis, which impacts even our most vulnerable community members, to justice.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Let me be clear: when it comes to protecting our communities and seeking justice, there are no boundaries, no safe havens, and no stones left unturned. This case is a stark reminder of the evil we face. The DEA will stop at nothing, and we will relentlessly pursue those responsible, no matter where they hide." NYPD Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “New York City law enforcement has a very long reach, and anyone who participates in the distribution of fentanyl in our communities will be held fully accountable – no matter where they run and try to hide. Today's charges reflect abhorrent criminality that will always be intolerable here, and the NYPD and our dedicated state and federal partners vow to investigate and arrest all those responsible for this proliferating threat.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] From at least in or about July 2023 through at least in or about September 2023, FELIX HERRERA GARCIA and others, including GREI MENDEZ, CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO, and RENNY PARRA PAREDES, a/k/a “El Gallo,” [2] conspired to distribute fentanyl, including at a children’s daycare center in the Bronx, New York (the “Daycare”). There, despite the daily presence of children, including infants, HERRERA GARCIA and his co-conspirators maintained large quantities of narcotics, including a kilogram of fentanyl stored on top of children’s playmats and large quantities of suspected narcotics in hidden compartments known as “traps” located in the floor of the room in which the children played and slept. Also found in the daycare were materials used to package narcotics, including three “kilo presses.” One of the traps found in the floor of the Daycare is pictured below: As a consequence of the drug conspiracy engaged in by HERRERA GARCIA and his co-conspirators, on or about September 15, 2023, four children at the Daycare, who were all under three years of age, appear to have experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl. Three of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries. The fourth child, a one-year-old boy, died. Immediately prior to calling 911 to report that the children in her care were unresponsive, MENDEZ – HERRERA GARCIA’s wife – called HERRERA GARCIA twice. The first phone call went unanswered, the second phone call lasted just over 10 seconds. Then, only minutes before emergency personal arrived at the scene, surveillance footage shows HERRERA GARCIA walking swiftly from the building next door to the Daycare, where he and MENDEZ resided, and into the Daycare. When HERRERA GARCIA entered the Daycare, he was empty-handed. Approximately two minutes later, HERRERA GARCIA exited the Daycare again moving swiftly, but carrying what appears to be two shopping bags weighted with contents. Instead of exiting through the front door, HERRERA GARCIA exited out a back alley. And instead of following the paved alleyway behind the Daycare’s building, HERRERA GARCIA hurried through overgrown grass and bushes to exit the area. Photographs of HERRERA GARCIA hurrying out the rear of the Daycare’s building and then moving through the bushes to exit the area are below: Furthermore, MENDEZ deleted approximately 21,526 messages from an encrypted messaging application on which she had exchanged messages with HERRERA GARCIA between approximately on or about March 30, 2021, and September 15, 2023. However, messages that have been recovered reveal that while MENDEZ was with members of law enforcement later on September 15, 2023, following the incident at the Daycare, MENDEZ informed HERRERA GARCIA that law enforcement was asking questions about him, including questions regarding his whereabouts. HERRERA GARCIA instructed MENDEZ to tell law enforcement, among other things, that he was working. HERRERA GARCIA had been at large since he fled out the back alley behind the Daycare on September 15, 2023. He was apprehended by Mexican authorities working in coordination with U.S. law enforcement and arrested last night upon entry to the United States. * * * HERRERA GARCIA, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and in Count Two with possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death. Both Count One and Count Two carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the SDNY Digital Forensic Unit, the Complex Analytical and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force. Mr. Williams also thanked the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”); the USMS Office of International Operations; the USMS for the Southern District of New York; the USMS for the Southern District of Texas; the USMS for the Southern District of California; the USMS Mexico Field Office; the USMS Investigative Operations Division; the DEA Resident Office in Allentown, Pennsylvania; the DEA District Office in McAllen, Texas; the DEA Country Office in Mexico City, Mexico; the DEA Resident Office in Hermosillo, Mexico; the DEA Resident Office in Monterrey, Mexico; the DEA Special Operations Division; the NYPD 52nd Precinct Detective Squad; the NYPD Bronx Homicide Squad; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and Mexican authorities. The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; NYPD; New York State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Fort Lee Police Department; Palisades Interstate Parkway Police; Teaneck Police Department; Hillsdale Police Department; Closter Police Department; Northvale Police Department; River Vale Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; Hawthorne Police Department; and Hackensack Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation. [2] GREI MENDEZ, CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO, and RENNY ANTONIO PARRA PAREDES, a/k/a “El Gallo,” have been charged in complaints under docket numbers 23 Mag. 6444 and 23 Mag. 6533.


title: Twelve People Indicted for Federal Drug Trafficking Offenses

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 26-count indictment against 12 people for drug trafficking and firearm offenses. The indictment alleges that beginning in May 2020, John Holliday, Charlton Holliday, Curtis Clark, England Adams, Kendrick Jackson, Tommy Stuckey, Marvin MCrae, James Gamble, Marilyn Rodriguez, Steve Bates, and Larry Jones engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Curtis Clark, England Adams, and Marvin MCrae engaged in firearm offenses. The defendants were arraigned on September 27, 2023; one defendant remains at large. This investigation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter Police Department, and the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Orange County Doctor of Osteopathy Indicted in Quarter Billion Dollar Fraud Targeting Pandemic Program for Uninsured Patients

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has charged a doctor who operated clinics in Westminster and Garden Grove with defrauding a COVID-19 program for uninsured patients by submitting more than a quarter billion dollars in claims – ultimately receiving about $150 million in payments – for services not covered under the program or simply not provided, the Justice Department announced today. Anthony Hao Dinh, 64, of Newport Coast – a licensed doctor of osteopathy who was an ear, nose and throat specialist, as well as a facial plastic surgeon – was charged Wednesday in an 18-count indictment with defrauding the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) COVID-19 Uninsured Program. Dinh was initially charged in this case in a criminal complaint filed April 10. Today’s indictment significantly expands the case by increasing the total amount of fraudulent claims allegedly submitted to HRSA, adding money laundering charges and further allegations about other schemes to defraud pandemic relief programs, and charging Dinh with obstructing the government’s investigation into improper health care billing. The indictment charges Dinh with 12 counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering (with two of those charges alleging the transfer of more than $11 million to personal stock trading accounts) and one count of obstructing justice. Dinh, who is free on a $7 million bond, is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on October 30 in United States District Court in Santa Ana. This is the largest fraud scheme in the nation targeting the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program uncovered at this time. Two other defendants charged with Dinh in April also face new charges: Hanna (“Hang”) Trinh Dinh, 65, of Lake Forest, who is Dinh’s sister, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and admitted helping submit fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications that sought more than $260,000 in COVID relief funds; and Matthew Hoang Ho, 66, of Melbourne, Florida, was charged on May 2 in a grand jury indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering in relation to the PPP and EIDL applications, and he is scheduled to go on trial on February 6, 2024. In relation to the fraud against HRSA, over the course of about nine months – from July 2020 to March 2021 – Dinh allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for the treatment of patients who were insured, services that were not rendered, and services that were not medically necessary. “As a result of these false and fraudulent claims, HRSA made payments to defendant Dinh, through [his medical] practices, in the approximate amount of $150 million.” The Uninsured Program was designed to prevent the further spread of the pandemic by providing access to uninsured patients for testing and treatment. The Uninsured Program was also designed to provide financial support to health care providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by reimbursing them for services provided to uninsured individuals. In relation to the PPP and EIDL program, the indictment alleges that Dinh submitted, or caused to be submitted, approximately 65 fraudulent loan applications that sought nearly $8 million and caused the programs to disburse approximately $2.8 million in funds. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If he were to be convicted in this case, Dinh would face up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud and three of the money laundering charges, up to 10 years for two of the money laundering charges, and up to 20 years for the obstruction of justice charge that alleges he submitted false patient records in response to a grand jury subpoena. The case against Dinh, his sister and Ho is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; the FBI; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the AMTRAK Office of Inspector General; and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant United States Attorney Roger A. Hsieh of the Major Frauds Section, and Justice Department Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Helen H. Lee of the Fraud Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Middlesex County Company Admits Undervaluing Gold Jewelry to Evade Customs Duties

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, company and two individuals who own or control the business admitted that they evaded U.S. customs duties on gold jewelry imported into the United States, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. According to the admissions and contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement: 21st Millennium Inc. is a company based in Iselin, New Jersey, that buys and sells gold jewelry and is owned or controlled by Iqbal Virani and Aqib Virani. From Jan. 1, 2017, through March 31, 2020, 21st Millennium was the importer of record on more than 80 customs entries, each of which consisted of jewelry manufactured in foreign countries and imported into the United States. 21st Millennium was responsible for making truthful and accurate disclosures to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, concerning the total value of the merchandise that it imported into the United States. The Viranis caused 21st Millennium to provide the company’s customs broker with commercial invoices that failed to set forth the total value of the jewelry. By undervaluing the merchandise, 21st Millennium evaded paying $401,852 in customs duties that should have been paid. Under the settlement agreement, 21M and the Viranis agreed to pay a total of $1 million to the United States. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo in New York, with the investigation leading to the settlement. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. 21m.settlement.pdf


title: Georgia Man Sentenced for Transport of an Alien

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Eloy Vargas, age 60, a resident of Georgia, was sentenced today to time served (more than 6 months in jail) for the transport of another person illegally present in the United States. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Vargas admitted that in March 2023, he drove from Georgia to Franklin County, New York, to pick up a person illegally present in the United States and transport that person further south into the country. Specifically, on March 2, 2023, Vargas picked up a Mexican citizen who had illegally crossed into the United States from Canada, and the defendant then stayed at a motel for the night. The following day, the defendant began driving the Mexican citizen south away from the border; they were then encountered by Border Patrol and arrested. Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey prosecuted the case.


title: Pinon Man Found Guilty of Murder of Missing Navajo Woman

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, a jury found Tre C. James, 31, of Pinon, Arizona, guilty of the First Degree Murder of Jamie Yazzie. The jury also found James guilty of several acts of domestic violence committed against three former intimate and dating partners. The guilty verdict followed a seven-day jury trial before the Honorable Douglas L. Rayes. Sentencing is set for January 29, 2024. James faces a mandatory life sentence for his crimes. James was charged with nine federal crimes. Counts 1 and 2 alleged that James shot and killed Jamie Yazzie, a Pinon woman who went missing in the summer of 2019, and whose remains were found on the Hopi Indian Reservation in November 2021. Ms. Yazzie was listed as a missing person by both Federal and Tribal law enforcement. The investigation into Ms. Yazzie’s disappearance was headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but multiple agencies provided invaluable assistance at all stages, including the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Services, Navajo Nation Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs (Hopi), and Navajo County Sherriff’s Office. While investigating Ms. Yazzie’s disappearance, law enforcement uncovered several acts of domestic violence that James committed against other women. The jury unanimously found James guilty of these domestic violence counts as well, Counts 3 through 9. “Vindicating the rights of missing and murdered indigenous persons requires all the energy and compassion we have,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino.“That means not only investigation and prosecution of tough cases, but also community engagement, cultural competence, and active listening to next of kin and other family members.” FBI Special Agent Dustin Drace led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer E. LaGrange and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. Ms. Yazzie’s family, including her mother, father, grandmother, and other relatives and friends attended all seven days of trial, and want to express gratitude to their attorney, Darlene Gomez, for doing the same. The Crime Victims’ Rights Act recognizes the importance of private lawyers in amplifying victims’ rights, and the Federal Crime Victim Assistance Fund is available to pay travel and lodging costs and per diem for next of kin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is committed to addressing the persistent violence endured by Native American families and communities in the state of Arizona, including by working with Tribal nations to address the important issues of missing or murdered indigenous persons, and acts of domestic violence. This office and the Department of Justice view this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08073-PCT-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-139_James # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bryan Tamblyn, 39, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, between July 2018 and August 2019, Tamblyn used a BitTorrent client to knowingly receive thousands of files containing visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Some of those files included children under the age of 12. This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case. Tamblyn is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Tamblyn faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Sixteen Individuals For Outstanding Contributions To Public Safety

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON –United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam honors sixteen individuals for their outstanding contributions to public safety. These awards are made each year to a select group of individuals who perform in an exceptional manner and who make significant contributions to our Office’s efforts to promote public safety. Exemplary Lifetime Service as a Law Enforcement Officer DEA Special Agent James Matsko This award recognizes Special Agent Matsko’s remarkable ability to work on large scale drug trafficking cases over the span of his 25-year career. Special Agent Matsko worked cases relentlessly to gather evidence which led to numerous drug and money seizures throughout the Northeastern United States and resulted in successful prosecutions of national and international drug trafficking organizations with ties to the Middle District of Pennsylvania. FBI Special Agent April Phillips This award recognizes Special Agent Phillips’s tenacious work in multiple fraud and public corruption cases over the course of several years. Those cases involved local public official bribery schemes, COVID-19 pandemic fraud, corporate kickback schemes, and embezzlements by corporate executives. Her efforts have resulted in significant sentences for white collar defendants, and the recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent proceeds. Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement FBI Special Agent A. Porter Wilson This award recognizes Special Agent Wilson’s successful efforts to create strong working relationships between federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminals who pose a danger to our community. In particular, Special Agent Wilson assisted the Bloomsburg and Berwick Police Departments with a missing persons case. Through his efforts with local law enforcement, they were able to solve a local homicide while also identifying serial killer Harold David Haulman who was sentenced to life in prison for two Pennsylvania murders. Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer Eleven individuals received the United States Attorney’s Award for Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer for their exceptional work in multiple significant criminal prosecutions: FBI Special Agent Gary Leone FBI Special Agent Dan Wright FBI Supervisory Special Agent Joe Nelson DOT-OIG Special Agent Christopher Prout (formerly with DOJ-OIG) DOJ-OIG Special Agent Frank Adamo This award recognizes the recipients’ significant and tireless efforts in U.S. v. Christopher Collare . Collare, a state and federal law enforcement official, had inappropriate relationships with multiple female informants over many years, extorted sex from two women in exchange for agreeing to take official actions, provided heroin to informants, and falsified official paperwork. DEA Group Supervisor James Hischar DEA Diversion Investigator Lou Callavini DEA Investigative Assistant Denise Williamson This award recognizes the recipients’ exceptional work in U.S. v. Raymond Kraynak , a case that involved a Northeastern Pennsylvania doctor who maintained two drug-involved premises and unlawfully prescribed high doses of opioids to multiple patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medial purpose, causing the death of five patients. Kingston Police Department Chief Richard Kotchik ATF Task Force Officer Ned Palka Kingston Police Department Detective Robert Miller This award recognizes the recipients’ keen investigatory skills and their unique ability to utilize the appropriate investigatory techniques to gather compelling evidence against drug law violators, including U.S. v. Jose Raymer Tejeda and Edwin Tejeda , and U.S. v. Charles Gibson . Those cases involved drug trafficking organizations in the Wilkes-Barre region and elsewhere that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. A drug dealer in the Tejeda brothers’ drug trafficking organization, distributed fentanyl to an individual who overdosed and died. The investigations resulted in the successful federal prosecutions of over two dozen defendants. Exemplary Service in Support of Criminal Investigations FBI Tactical Specialist Shawn Skovronsky FBI Operational Support Technician Mary Hromek The award recognizes the recipients’ outstanding contributions to the successes of the FBI Scranton Resident Agency’s investigations and this office’s prosecutions for more than 20 years. Mary Hromek handled a wide variety of essential administrative tasks at the Scranton FBI office and was the center of all communications in the FBI office and with its partner agencies. Shawn Skovronsky has provided tactical analysis and other investigative support to all special agents in the Scranton office. Their work has been instrumental in the investigative accomplishments of the Scranton FBI office and consequently in the successful prosecutions of FBI cases in this office. “We are pleased to recognize the achievements of our colleagues who have made outstanding contributions to promoting public safety, said United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “The exemplary work of these sixteen individuals deserves this special recognition, and I thank them for their service.” # # #


title: Guyanese Citizen Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Scheme to Import Cocaine to United States

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Guyanese citizen was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import drugs into the United States, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Dennis Edwards, aka “Death,” 38, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiring to import over 20 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2012, Edwards was part of a criminal conspiracy that arranged to import cocaine into the United States via cruise ship. Edwards was arrested on Nov. 14, 2022, when he arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport after having been deported from the Dominican Republic. In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Edwards to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos, Jr., and officers with Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. U.S. Attorney Sellinger thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its substantial assistance in the investigation. He also thanked officials in the Dominican Republic for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Criminal Division in Newark.


title: Justice Department Awards Over $4.4 Billion to Support Community Safety

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it is awarding more than $4.4 billion to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities. The grants, from the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will help build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies. “Everyone in this country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, in addition to continuing our efforts to identify and prosecute the most violent criminals, the Justice Department is putting every available resource to work to support the efforts of our law enforcement and community partners nationwide. This significant investment will go directly to state and local programs that support the victims of crime, support officer safety and wellness, build the public trust in law enforcement essential to public safety, and help make all of our communities safer.” The more than 3,700 OJP grants being awarded this fiscal year will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges. “Across the country, the Justice Department is working side-by-side with our partners in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime by using our federal resources to amplify their work on the front lines,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The billions of dollars in grants announced today will augment those efforts and the tools law enforcement is using to curb violence, counter deadly drug abuse, and promote safety and public trust. Together with our state and local partners, the Department will continue to do everything we can to protect the communities we all serve.” “The Department of Justice is investing in community-based approaches to violence prevention, law enforcement health and wellness, Tribal courts, improved services for victims, research and data collection efforts, reentry programs, and much more,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today further our commitment to working with our state, Tribal, and local partners to increase public safety, build police-community trust, and ensure safe, healthy, and just communities for all.” “Every sector of our society — not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers — plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.” Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities: Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust , helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country. More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders. Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse. More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization. Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims. In addition, OJP will award more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards announced today can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards .


title: Kennett Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a woman from Kennett, Missouri to 10 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a felon. Paula J. Laboone, 64, Laboone has previous felony convictions for possession of controlled substances in Dunklin County and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. According to court documents, on January 30, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Laboone's residence. Numerous bags and baggies containing over two pounds of methamphetamine packaged for sale were seized from the living room and bedroom of the residence. Additionally, a Taurus semi-automatic pistol was seized from the bedroom. Laboone was later interviewed and admitted to buying and selling methamphetamine for several months. She further admitted that the firearm was hers and she was aware she could not possess it. This case was investigated by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.


title: Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced To 15 Years’ Imprisonment For Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ernesto Richards, age 37, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 180 months of imprisonment. Richards previously pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on September 22, 2022, Richards received a package shipped from Panama at his Wilkes-Barre residence, containing over a kilogram of cocaine. A subsequent search of the residence recovered an additional 150 grams of cocaine, over $11,000, and three firearms, one of which was stolen. Richards has remained in custody since his arrest that day. The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations and troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo 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: Poly-Drug Trafficker Is Sentenced To 10 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced a poly-drug trafficker to 10 years in prison late yesterday, announced Dena J. king, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the term of incarceration, Deion Rashaad Thompson, 29, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, between January 2021 and June 2022, law enforcement conducting an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking networks in Charlotte, identified Thompson as a local drug distributor. Court records show that law enforcement working in an undercover capacity and with cooperating individuals arranged multiple controlled buys of illicit narcotics with Thompson, including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and cocaine base. One of the drug transactions occurred at a residence in Charlotte known to law enforcement from numerous drug overdoses that had occurred there. On March 10, 2023, Thompson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Thompson is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and thanked the FBI and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigative efforts. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Harrisburg Man Charged With Attempted Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jesse Deitzler, age 44, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Deitzler attempted to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity on February 10, 2022, in Dauphin County. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lower Paxton Township Police Department, and Dauphin County Human Trafficking Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley is prosecuting the case. Deitzler faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Six Michigan Businesses Agree to Pay Over $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that six Michigan businesses have agreed to pay $534,630 to settle allegations that the businesses violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly making false certifications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) relating to loan eligibility under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Joining in the announcement was Brady Ipock, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the SBA’s Office of the Inspector General, Central Region. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to certain small businesses and other entities struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. PPP loan applicants were required to certify that neither the applicant, any owner of the applicant, nor any business owned or controlled by any of them, had ever obtained a direct or guaranteed loan from the SBA that was currently delinquent or had defaulted in the last seven years and caused a loss to the government. In 2020 and 2021, Burton Hotel, Inc., 8 Mile & Hubble, Inc., Gather of Troy, Inc., Alyass Toledo, Inc., DB Troy Pub, LLC, and Fort Wayne Business Hotel, Inc. collectively obtained 10 PPP loans. The United States contended that these businesses falsely certified that they were eligible for the PPP loans, when in fact they were categorically ineligible because, in the last seven years, one of their owners had defaulted on a prior SBA loan and caused a loss to the government. “PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to help small businesses here in Michigan and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office will continue to investigate and hold accountable any individual or business that obtained relief funds under the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs that they didn’t deserve.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA Office of the Inspector General. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Cumberland County Man Charged With Producing And Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Sollenberger, age 54, of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with producing and distributing child pornography. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between March 5-17, 2017, in Cumberland County, Sollenberger enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. It is further alleged that Sollenberger distributed child pornography on March 21, 2017. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 50 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Somerset County Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Four Deaths

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was arrested for distributing fentanyl that resulted in four deaths and distributing cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Mauricio Gutierrez, 50, of Somerset, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with two counts of distribution of fentanyl that resulted in a death and one count of distribution of cocaine. Gutierrez made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On June 24, 2022, Gutierrez distributed controlled substances containing fentanyl in at least two separate transactions. The first individual to whom Gutierrez distributed fentanyl used it, along with two other individuals. Shortly thereafter the three victims were located in a vehicle that was parked outside an establishment in North Brunswick, New Jersey, and all three were unresponsive. Two victims were pronounced dead and the third victim died two days later. Law enforcement located a white powder, which was determined to contain fentanyl, inside the vehicle. In a separate transaction, Gutierrez distributed fentanyl to another individual who was located shortly thereafter in a vehicle in Franklin Township, New Jersey. The victim was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement located a white powder, which was determined to contain fentanyl, inside the vehicle. Subsequent toxicology reports determined that the victims had lethal amounts of fentanyl in their blood. On Sept. 27, 2023, law enforcement officials arrested Gutierrez after observing him engage in a hand-to-hand narcotics sale in Piscataway, New Jersey. The controlled substance that Gutierrez distributed tested positive for cocaine. The charges of drug distribution resulting in death each carry a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of distributing controlled substances carries a maximum penalty of 20 years. The three charges each carry a fine of up to $1 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the North Brunswick Department, under the direction of Chief Joe Battaglia, and Franklin Township Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather, for their assistance. The investigations leading to these charges is part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) operations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Shawn Barnes, Chief of the Office’s OCDETF/Narcotics Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Fell of the Office’s OCDETF/Narcotics Unit, in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. gutierrez.complaint.pdf


title: Westfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Making Hoax Bomb Threat Against Boston Children's Hospital

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Westfield woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to calling in a hoax bomb threat against Boston Children’s Hospital. Catherine Leavy, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false bomb threat and one count of intentionally conveying false or misleading information that a bomb was on the way to Boston Children’s Hospital. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2024. Leavy was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2022. In August 2022, law enforcement began monitoring threats made against Boston Children’s Hospital and its employees. Among the wide range of healthcare services it provides, Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program – a healthcare program focused on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents. On Aug. 30, 2022, Boston Children’s Hospital received a telephonic bomb threat in which the caller said, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos.” As a result of the call, the hospital and surrounding area was placed on lockdown status and a bomb squad was dispatched. An investigation determined no explosive devices were located at the hospital. Subscriber and call detail records and location information for the phone number that called in the threat determined that the phone number was subscribed in Leavy’s name. In addition, cell tower data indicated the phone was nearby Leavy’s residence at the time the bomb threat was made. During a search of Leavy’s residence on Sept. 15, 2022, the phone used to make the threat was recovered. In an on-scene interview with law enforcement, Leavy expressed disapproval of Boston Children’s Hospital on multiple occasions. Leavy also admitted that she called in the threat to Boston Children’s Hospital on Aug. 30, 2022, but stated that she had no plan or intention to actually bomb the hospital. The charge of making a false bomb threat provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of intentionally conveying false or misleading information provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three 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. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Dolan, Deputy Chief of the National Security Unit, is prosecuting the case.


title: Tucson Felon Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 5, Sean Lee Arnold, 51, of Tucson, was sentenced by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 135 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Arnold previously pleaded guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. On August 31, 2021, law enforcement agents served a search warrant on Arnold’s home in central Tucson where they found approximately 1.35 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and a rifle. Arnold admitted to agents that he bought and sold multiple pounds of methamphetamine a month and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing weapons. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Ashley Culver and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR 21-2521-TUC-JAS RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-140_Arnold # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Hardin man admits distributing meth as part of large-scale trafficking organization based on Crow Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Hardin man accused of selling methamphetamine as part of an investigation into large-scale drug trafficking based on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted to a distribution crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Anthony Springfield, 22, pleaded guilty to distribution of meth. Springfield faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 31, 2024. Springfield was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking activity centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Springfield is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. The government further alleged that in November 2022, law enforcement purchased meth from Springfield. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Houma Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that JOSEPH BREWTON (“ BREWTON ”), age 57, of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 27, 2023 in United States District Court on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. According to court documents, BREWTON was a passenger in a staged automobile collision in August, 2015. Thereafter, he recruited family members and friends to participate as passengers in staged automobile collisions with tractor-trailers on March 27, 2017 and May 11, 2017. The passengers in these collisions filed fraudulent lawsuits falsely claiming that the tractor-trailers were at fault. Through this scheme, BREWTON caused a loss of approximately $392,742.77. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced BREWTON to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. BREWTON was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $554,638.73. Judge Milazzo also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria M. Carboni, Edward Rivera and Brandon S. Long of the Financial Crimes Unit as well as Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with California-Based Manufacturer to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Home and Body Company (Home and Body), a soap and lotions manufacturer based in Huntington Beach, California. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Home and Body violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against non-U.S. citizens when checking their permission to work in the United States. “Employers cannot limit the type of documents workers can use to prove their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to knocking down unlawful discriminatory barriers that make it harder for people to work in the United States.” The department’s investigation determined that from at least Sept. 23, 2019, to Oct. 1, 2020, Home and Body routinely required lawful permanent residents to present a specific immigration document when checking their permission to work, based on their citizenship or immigration status. Under the terms of the settlement, Home and Body will pay $130,000 in civil penalties to the United States, train its personnel on the INA’s requirements, review its employment policies and be subject to monitoring by the department. Federal law allows all workers to choose which valid, legally acceptable documentation to present to prove their identity and permission to work, regardless of citizenship status, immigration status or national origin. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship status, immigration status or national origin. Indeed, many non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, are eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove their permission to work as U.S. citizens are (for example, a state ID or driver’s license and an unrestricted Social Security card). Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation . Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. home_and_body_settlement.pdf


title: El Departamento de Justicia Llega a un Acuerdo con un Fabricante con Sede en California que Resuelve Acusaciones de Discriminación Relacionada con la Inmigración

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha conseguido un acuerdo conciliatorio con Home and Body Company (Home and Body), un fabricante de jabones y cremas con sede en Huntington Beach, California. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Home and Body vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA) al discriminar a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. cuando verificó su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos. «Los empleadores no pueden limitar el tipo de documentos que los trabajadores pueden usar para demostrar su permiso para trabajar», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento se compromete a eliminar las barreras discriminatorias ilegales que dificultan el trabajo para personas en los EE. UU.». La investigación del Departamento determinó que, desde al menos el 23 de septiembre del 2019 hasta el 1 de octubre del 2020, Home and Body requerían, de forma rutinaria, que los residentes legales permanentes presentaran un documento de inmigración específico al verificar su permiso para trabajar, en función de su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio. Conforme los términos del acuerdo, Home and Body pagará $130,000 en sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a sus empleados en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, revisará sus políticas de empleo y se someterá a supervisión por parte del Departamento. Las leyes federales permiten a todos los trabajadores elegir la documentación válida y legalmente aceptable desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar en los EE. UU., independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. La disposición antidiscriminación de la INA prohíbe a los empleadores solicitar documentos específicos o innecesarios por motivos del estatus de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen de un trabajador. De hecho, muchos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU., incluidos los residentes permanentes legales, son elegibles para varios de los mismos tipos de documentos para demostrar su permiso para trabajar como lo son ciudadanos de los EE. UU. (por ejemplo, un carnet de identidad estatal o licencia de conducir y una tarjeta de Seguro Social sin restricciones). Los empleadores deben permitir que los trabajadores presenten cualquier documentación aceptable que los trabajadores mismos elijan y no pueden rechazar documentación válida que parece ser genuina. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminar al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien en el sitio web de IER . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Suscribirse a actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER. home_and_body_settlement.pdf


title: Insider Trader Who Abused His Position at Capital One Pleads Guilty

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A foreign national formerly of Henrico pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and insider trading. According to court documents, Nan Huang, 44, conspired with his then-coworker to commit insider trading. From 2008 to 2015, Huang worked as a senior data analyst for a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation. As a senior data analyst, Huang had access to a Capital One database that collected transaction data from Capital One credit card and debit card customers. In violation of his fiduciary duties to Capital One, Huang searched this database thousands of times and compiled on his work computer material, nonpublic information about publicly traded companies. Because this information was highly correlated with the not-yet-public actual revenue of these companies, Huang was able to predict whether these companies would meet their revenue expectations. Huang then executed hundreds of trades using this non-public information and reaped extraordinary profits. Huang personally made over $1.4 million in profits and the conspiracy made over $3.1 million. Capital One fired Huang in 2015 after it discovered his activity. Days later, Huang fled the country to China where he remained until his arrest at San Francisco International Airport earlier this year. Huang is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hood and Zachary Ray is 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. 1:18-cr-319.


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tamir Pratt, 21, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay $7,833.99 in restitution for receipt of stolen money. Pratt admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $20,832 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents and statements made in court, Pratt applied for a PPP loan for his purported business, “Tamir Pratt,” in April 2021. Pratt admitted that “Tamir Pratt” was not in operation on February 15, 2020, though that was a requirement to qualify for a PPP loan, and he falsely certified that it was. Businesses applying for PPP loans were also required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020. Pratt admitted that he submitted a false IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, stating that “Tamir Pratt” had earned approximately $100,000 in gross income in 2020. Pratt submitted the loan application electronically from West Virginia and it was uploaded to servers in Arizona for processing. Pratt’s loan application was approved and $20,832 was electronically transferred to his personal bank account on April 26, 2021. Pratt admitted that he withdrew $1,700 of the fraudulent loan proceeds in Charleston the same day and spent more than $460 of the proceeds. The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. Pratt admitted that he did not spend the fraudulent loan proceeds on any permissible business expenses. Pratt further admitted that the SBA forgave his PPP loan on August 9, 2021. Of the $20,832 transferred to Pratt, $15,748.57 was recovered and returned to the SBA. The restitution amount includes $250.56 in loan interest and a $2,500 PPP fee paid by SBA to the lender that processed and underwrote Pratt’s loan application. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-38. ###


title: Fresno Man Indicted for Escape

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Doroteo Gonzales, 28, of Fresno, charging him with escape, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in October 2021 Gonzalez was sentenced to federal prison after a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Jan. 9, 2023, Gonzalez was transferred to the Turning Point Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in Fresno to finish serving his sentence. On Jan. 23, 2023, two weeks after Gonzalez arrived at the RRC, staff discovered that Gonzales was not present while conducting a count of the RRC’s residents. Gonzales was not authorized to leave the RRC and was not scheduled to be released until months later on April 11, 2023. The RRC Staff conducted a search of the facility and contacted local hospitals and jails attempting to locate Gonzales but were unsuccessful in locating him. Gonzalez is currently in federal custody. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Gonzales faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Former Airline Gate Agent Sentenced for Cheating Airline Ticketing System

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for using her position as an airline gate agent to convert low-cost flights to more expensive flights and destinations for friends, family and acquaintances. Tiffany Jenkins, 35, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to time served (one day) and 18 months of supervised release with the first three months to be served on curfew. Jenkins pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud in October 2019. As a gate agent, Jenkins had access to the airline’s computer reservation database and had the ability to use a special code, referred to as an involuntary exchange or “INVOL,” to change flights for customers at no additional cost. This code enables agents to change flights for customers who miss their flights or experience a death in the family. During a 15-month period, from approximately July 1, 2016, through Sept. 27, 2017, Jenkins executed approximately 505 involuntary ticket exchanges for more than 100 different passengers. Many of those exchanges occurred after the passenger was first booked on domestic flights at one of the airline company’s lowest available fares—often, roundtrip flights between Las Vegas, Nev., and Long Beach, Calif. A short time later, Jenkins exchanged those tickets for a completely different city pair, generally involving much more expensive international locations, for friends, family and acquaintances. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Billings man sentenced to prison for possessing unregistered silencer

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

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to possessing an unregistered silencer that was recovered at a Billings bar after a shooting incident was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Elias Miguel Nava, 19, pleaded guilty in June to possession of an unregistered silencer. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 16, 2022, Billings Police Department officers recovered a silencer at Bullwhackers Bar after a shooting incident. On Oct. 23, 2022, police officers recovered a .22-caliber pistol and other firearms at the Wild West Bar after a shooting incident involving Nava. The pistol was in the possession of Nava and one of his co-defendants at the time. Social media, photos and videos showed Nava and his co-defendant in possession of the pistol with the silencer that was recovered on Oct. 16 attached. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Dorchester Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Dorchester man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Tommy Raul Jimenez-Perez, 26, was charged with illegal reentry and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at a later date. According to the indictment, Jimenez-Perez was removed on March 3, 2020. It is alleged that, sometime after his removal, Jimenez-Perez unlawfully reentered the United States. The charge of illegal reentry provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.