title: Former Tennessee State Public Official and a Corporate Executive Charged with Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice and Commit Perjury in Connection with a $123 Million State Contract

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Wesley Olan Landers, 55, of Cumming, Georgia, and Jeffrey Scott Wells, 54, of Canton, Georgia, have been charged by felony information with conspiracy to obstruct justice and to commit perjury in connection with a $123 million contract to provide behavioral health services to Tennessee Department of Corrections (“TDOC”) inmates, announced Thomas J. Jaworski, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to the information, Landers was the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Financial Officer for TDOC from 2012 until March 2020. From at least 2018 until February 2021, Wells was a Vice President of Company B. In 2019, Company A provided behavioral health services to TDOC inmates. In anticipation of the contract’s expiration, the State of Tennessee issued Requests for Proposals (“RFP”) for a new TDOC behavioral health services contract. Pursuant to the RFPs, prospective vendors could bid for the new contract. The State received bids from several prospective vendors and, in July 2020, issued a notice of its intent to award the new contract to Company B in Tennessee. The total amount for the new contract was $123,513,819. Before the new contract was awarded, from September 2018 until February 2020, Landers (while serving as a Tennessee State official) used his personal email account to provide confidential TDOC information related to the bidding process to Wells. On March 1, 2020, Company B hired Landers as its Vice President of Operations, reporting to Wells. This position was created specifically for Landers; it was not advertised to other candidates and neither Landers nor any other candidates were interviewed before he was hired. By February 2021, senior leadership of Company B learned that Landers had given confidential TDOC information to Wells in connection with the RFPs, and the CEO of Company B fired them both. A few months earlier, in October 2020, Company A filed a civil lawsuit relating to the RFPs in federal court in Nashville, naming among others, Company B and the State of Tennessee as defendants. In that lawsuit, Company A served subpoenas for documents and testimony on Landers and Wells for all their communications with TDOC employees related to the RFPs. To impede an investigation into a matter within the FBI’s jurisdiction – namely, bribery – and to conceal that Landers gave confidential TDOC information to Wells about the RFPs, Landers and Wells agreed to engage in a cover up and to commit perjury in the federal civil lawsuit. Landers began using a specialized program to delete his personal email account’s communications with Wells that were sought in the subpoena. Landers and Wells both got new cell phones which they used to discuss the need to hide information in response to Company A’s subpoenas and deposition notices. They also both testified falsely under oath in their depositions, including about whether they shared documents related to the RFPs, when they last spoke, and if they communicated on WhatsApp. If convicted, both defendants face up to five years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Field Office, Nashville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor J. Phillips and M. Scott Cole are prosecuting the case. An information is merely an accusation. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. # # # # #


title: Missouri Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison On Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 16, 2024, United States District Court Judge Karoline Mehalchick sentenced Brian Wilder, age 54, of Jefferson City, Missouri, to 240 months imprisonment followed by 10 years supervised release, on the charge of conspiracy to commit sexual abuse of children. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between December 3, 2022, and December 7, 2022, Wilder participated in an online chat using the Kik application, with Mason Morey, age 27, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Wilder purported to be a young woman during these online conversations and directed Morey to sexually abuse two minor children, ages 3 and 5. At Wilder’s request and direction, Morey transmitted numerous videos and images of himself sexually abusing the children to Wilder. On November 20, 2023, Morey was sentenced to 300 months imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for attempted online enticement and sexual exploitation of children. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. 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 . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office To Work With Local Partners To Reduce Domestic Violence

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. “It has been my observation that many of the persons who are the drivers of violence in the local community at large, use violence in their most personal relationships as well. Increasing our focus on intimate partner firearm violence will invariably make the community safer for all its residents,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “These important partnerships will strengthen our ability to investigate these cases and increase our coordination efforts among law enforcement and communities in order to assist victims of domestic violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “ATF prioritizes investigations of prohibited persons who illegally possess firearms and look forward to the Northern District of Indiana United States Attorney's leadership to prosecute these important cases.” The Northern District of Indiana will re-direct the Deputy Prosecutor from the Lake County Prosecutor’s office who currently works in the NDIN USAO (as a Special Assistant United States Attorney) to focus on this initiative. This SAUSA will serve as coordinator between the Lake County Prosecutor Office, the Gary Police Department and this Office. Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. In the Northern District of Indiana, Gary, Indiana, is the jurisdiction that has been designated for special emphasis under this initiative. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.


title: Roanoke Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Role in Gun Store Heist

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke, Virginia man, illegally in possession of stolen firearms he purchased with drugs, was sentenced last week to 10 years in federal prison. Justin Lyn Cumbee, 40, pled guilty in June to one count of possession of stolen firearms. According to court documents, Cumbee came into possession of three stolen firearms associated with a gun heist carried out days earlier at a Fairlawn, Virginia pawn shop. Several men, including defendants Ronald Perry, Malcolm Stanton, Michael Hall, and Austin Hixon, have all been charged for their roles in the burglary. On November 1, 2022, Perry broke into the 1st Pawn, and stole approximately 15 firearms. Following the burglary, Perry, Stanton and Hall divided up the stolen firearms, which were all semiautomatic handguns. Some of the firearms found their way to Hixon, who traded three guns to Cumbee in exchange for drugs. Perry, Stanton, Hall, and Hixon have all been charged and face trial dates in the coming months. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanagh, and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the Radford Police Department, the Christiansburg Police Department, the Virginia State Police Search and Recovery Team, and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly McGann and Lee Brett are prosecuting the case.


title: Martinsville Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: DANVILLE, Va.– A Martinsville, Virginia man, who illegally possessed a firearm due to his prior felony conviction, was sentenced recently to 57 months in federal prison. Demetrius Perkins, 30, previously pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, Martinsville Police attempted to stop a silver GMC Acadia that matched the description of a vehicle previously reported to be involved in a hit and run. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Perkins, failed to stop, and drove away at a high rate of speed. Perkins eventually lost control of his vehicle, which crossed a median into the opposite lane of travel before crashing into a ditch. Following the crash, Perkins exited the vehicle and ran into some nearby tall grass. Officers ran after Perkins and saw him remove a firearm from his waistband and toss it into the grass. Perkins surrendered, saying, “You see, you see. You got me.” After taking Perkins into custody, an officer returned to the spot in the grass where he had seen Perkins drop the gun. The officer recovered a loaded 9mm, semi-automatic pistol lying on the ground in a holster. At the time he possessed the firearm, Perkins was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanagh, and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive and the Martinsville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Withdraws from 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its withdrawal from the 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines and emphasized that the 2023 Merger Guidelines remain its sole and authoritative statement across all industries. The department today also released commentary explaining the application of the 2023 Merger Guidelines in banking. This commentary identifies competition issues that may commonly occur in bank mergers and outlines which guidelines best inform analysis of those issues. As with the 2023 Merger Guidelines, this commentary offers transparency into the department’s merger review process but does not create rights or obligations of any party under the laws governing mergers of banks and bank holding companies. The announcement today was the result of a collaborative consultative process with the department’s close partners at the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The announcement was also informed by robust public feedback, department experience and expertise, as well as developments in the market, law and economics. Neither the 2024 Banking Addendum nor the 2023 Merger Guidelines predetermine enforcement action by the department. Although the 2023 Merger Guidelines identify the factors and frameworks the department considers when investigating mergers, the department’s enforcement decisions will necessarily depend on the facts in any case and will continue to require prosecutorial discretion and judgment. Throughout any bank merger review, the Justice Department works closely with the relevant bank regulators to ensure the complementary and consistent application of the laws within each agency’s area of expertise. As is always the case, those agencies may at their discretion use their own methods for screening and evaluating bank mergers.


title: Drug Traffickers Arrested in Joint Investigation

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia recently returned a one-count indictment against Deangelo Montrel Lamont Simmons, 31, of Moncks Corner and Raynard Dewayne Williams, 36, of North Charleston for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Both face a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $20,000,000. Both are currently detained pending trial. The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Charleston Police Department, the City of Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Goose Creek Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Summerville Police Department, and the Mount Pleasant Police Department. 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: Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Five Charges of Assault on a Federal Officer

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Jeremy Crow, age 31, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of five counts of Assault on a Federal Officer following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on September 11, 2024. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Crow was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024. On December 22, 2023, a 911 call was placed by an unknown caller in a residential area of Pine Ridge. Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety was dispatched to the area. A lone tribal officer arrived on scene and observed Crow and an unknown female with apparent facial injuries. The officer made contact with Crow, who was observed to have uncontrollable movements and believed to be under the influence of a controlled substance. The officer attempted to detain Crow, who immediately resisted and assaulted the officer by pushing him backwards. Crow then jumped into the police vehicle and was going to drive off until the officer jumped in and pushed the ignition switch to off. Crow was forcibly removed from the vehicle and actively resisted law enforcement’s efforts to detain him. After numerous commands, Crow was eventually tased, but the tasing did not entirely subdue Crow. A bystander noticed the officer was struggling to detain Crow, and called for backup for the officer. Additional officers arrived on scene and during the process of handcuffing Crow, the original officer was bit on his right bicep. After securing Crow into the backseat of the patrol car, he then spat on a female officer. Crow was eventually taken to jail. Two days later, on December 24, 2023, a corrections officer attempted to provide food and a drink to Crow when he rushed through the cell door forcing his way out. Crow resisted the corrections officers and bit two of them on their hands. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for December 2, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Kyle Man Found Not Guilty of Sexual Abuse

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on September 13, 2024. Howard Rooks, age 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2024. The charges relate to the alleged sexual abuse of a 13 year-old female child in August 2023, at Kyle. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.


title: Rosebud Woman Sentenced for Assault

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on September 17, 2024. Talena Pretty Bird, age 22, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Pretty Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. She pleaded guilty on March 5, 2024. In the morning of November 24, 2022, Pretty Bird, her sister, her mother, and two juveniles responded to a call from Pretty Bird’s brother. Pretty Bird’s brother mistakenly reported that a female had assaulted him and vandalized his vehicle. When Pretty Bird arrived at her brother’s location in Spring Creek, an argument began between Pretty Bird’s group and the victim. The argument escalated to Pretty Bird and others assaulting the victim. Pretty Bird’s sister assaulted the victim with a bat, and Pretty Bird also punched and struck the victim. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered a broken left arm that required surgery and a scalp laceration that required staples. The offense occurred within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case. Pretty Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Lowell Man Charged for Directing the Robbery of a Letter Carrier in Nashua on April 16, 2024

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Lowell, Massachusetts man was charged by complaint and arrested this morning for his role in the April 16, 2024 robbery of a United States Postal Service letter carrier in Nashua, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Tyler Savinon, 18, was charged with aiding, abetting, counseling, commanding, inducing, and procuring the robbery of property of the United States. Savinon will appear in federal court in Concord today at 3:30pm. According to the charging documents, Savinon directed two co-conspirators, including one juvenile, to rob the mail carrier in order to obtain a proprietary key that would unlock blue mail collection boxes in the Nashua area. Investigators obtained valuable information, pictures, and video from concerned residents, which helped to identify the robbers, and eventually led investigators to Savinon. Investigators determined that Savinon had used the stolen key to access at least two collection boxes in Nashua—one on Dunstable Road and one on Spring Street. Some of the stolen mail was used in financial crimes, such as “check washing.” The charge provides for a sentence of up to ten years in prison, up to 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. The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua, New Hampshire Police Department and the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad E. Hodes is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office To Work With Local Partners To Reduce Domestic Violence

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. “The strength of our local partnerships plays a key role in our focused efforts to address and reduce intimate partner firearm violence in Las Vegas, and to support and seek justice for victims and survivors,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to leveraging our resources to combat firearm violence against intimate partners. We will continue to work hand in hand with the ATF and Clark County District Attorney’s Office to hold violent intimate partner offenders accountable.” “ATF is committed to our pledge of ensuring the safety of the public, which includes continuing our efforts to ensure protection from intimate partner firearm violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. “We will continue to work with our prosecutorial partners and local law enforcement to ensure that this conduct is not tolerated within the Las Vegas community and that the prosecution of domestic offenders, who are prohibited from having a firearm, are a priority.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada works closely with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office to address intimate partner gun violence in the Las Vegas Valley. Where appropriate, possession of firearms by dangerous, repeat domestic violence offenders are adopted for prosecution under federal law. Prosecution of the most dangerous offenders under the federal statute often results in a substantially longer sentence for that offender. Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation is an indicator of partnership and coordination between the Department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. ###


title: Danville Men Sentenced For Convenience Store Robbery

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A pair of Danville, Virginia men who robbed the Sunrise convenience store in Danville in February 2023 were sentenced yesterday in federal court. Calvin Franklin Hughes Jr., 38, and Arshay Treyvant Haley, 19, both previously pled guilty for their roles in the robbery. Yesterday in U.S. District Court, Hughes was sentenced to 156 months in prison and Haley was sentenced to 92 months. According to court records and evidence presented to the court, around 8:30 p.m. on February 15, 2023, Hughes and Haley entered the Danville Sunrise convenience store wearing masks. Hughes held the store clerk at gunpoint for close to a minute, while Haley walked behind the counter and brandished a large machete at the clerk. Hughes took approximately $750 from the cash register and Haley grabbed several cigarette cartons from the shelf. Before fleeing the store with Haley, Hughes fired his pistol into the ceiling above the clerk, causing the clerk to duck in fright. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Danville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Ballard County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Ballard County man was sentenced last week to 5 years in federal prison for child pornography charges. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Kyle J. Ratta, 34, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Ratta communicated online with an undercover law enforcement agent he believed to be 14 years old, and during those communications, he attempted to receive a sexually explicit image. Law enforcement subsequently recovered over 200 images of child pornography that were saved in file folders on a computer Ratta used. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI Hopkinsville Satellite Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Office, prosecuted the case. 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 . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Michigan Resident and Heavy-Duty Diesel Parts Supplier Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Clean Air Act

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 33, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, recently pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement. Offringa pled guilty to the indictment today and HHP pled guilty to the indictment last month. Offringa and HHP were indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of New York earlier this year. As alleged in the indictment, the purpose of the CAA is, among other things, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.” Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that required heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines. To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems, and exhaust aftertreatment systems. Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components. If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour. This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components. As further alleged in the indictment, truck operators deleted the emissions control hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increased pollution emitted by those trucks but allowed them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance cost. As part of their pleas, Offringa and HHP admitted that between at least June 2017 and March 2019, they conspired together and with HHP’s customers, including coconspirators DAIM Logistics, Inc. and Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, to tamper with (“tune”) the emission control monitoring devices and systems of numerous diesel vehicles. As part of the conspiracy, HHP referred its customers who had removed emissions hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBDs to bypass the CAA monitoring functions so the trucks would remain operational in exchange for a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 per OBD. HHP charged its customers approximately $250 for each tune performed by Offringa on top of what Offringa charged. HHP is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024, and Offringa is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany. If HHP’s plea agreement is accepted, it will be required to pay a fine of $25,000. Offringa has agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 and also faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Coconspirators Patrick Oare and DAIM Logistics, Inc., of Fultonville, New York, previously pled guilty to violating the CAA and are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany on October 23, 2024. The United States Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigations Division (EPA CID) is investigating the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.


title: Grant County Woman Admits to Firearms Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – June Catherine Blanchek, 44, of Petersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Blanchek was on supervised release for a methamphetamine conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia, a charge that prohibits her from having firearms. United States Probation Officers were on a routine visit at Blanchek’s home and found a pistol in her bedroom. Blanchek faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Three-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced For Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Dominick Yvon Louissaint (20, Lake Mary) to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Louissaint to forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. Louissaint pled guilty on June 18, 2024. According to court documents, Louissaint was encountered by the Sanford Police Department on January 24, 2024, at the scene of a suspected burglary. Louissaint ignored orders to show his hands, instead attempting to flee. After he was apprehended, the officers discovered that Louissaint was carrying a loaded, concealed firearm, a box of ammunition, and two ski masks. Louissaint has previously been convicted of felony robbery and firearms offenses. As a convicted felon, Louissaint is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Sanford Police Department and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan. 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: Crack distributor heads to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas – A 44-year-old La Marque resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Smith Henry Jones pleaded guilty Feb. 17, 2022. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Jones to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also issued a final order of forfeiture for $60,000 in cash and a residential house with lot valued at approximately $250,000. Between February 2017 and February 2019, Jones managed a group of persons who distributed cocaine base or “crack” in the La Marque and Texas City areas. Jones will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Force and the La Marque Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth A. Cusick and Mary Ellen Smyth prosecuted the case.


title: Peruvian National Involved in Distraction Theft and Identity Theft Scheme Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL EUGENIO BANCES CHAPONAN, 60, a citizen of Peru last residing in Queens, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment for his participation in a distraction theft and identity theft scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies in Connecticut and elsewhere have been investigating a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims, typically elderly women, at Trader Joe’s grocery stores, TJ Maxx stores, and other retail stores in Connecticut and elsewhere since March 2022. The investigation revealed that Bances Chaponan and others rented vehicles to travel throughout the U.S. in order to steal wallets from unwary victims, and then use the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items. Bances Chaponan and his co-conspirators would stop at shipping providers along their route to ship the goods they purchased to a co-conspirator’s address in New Jersey. Court documents detail Bances Chaponan’s role in the theft from 10 victims in Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and the purchase of more than $46,000 in goods using the victims’ credit or debit cards. Bances Chaponan was arrested on March 13, 2024, shortly after he used a stolen credit card to purchase a MacBook for approximately $2,850 and an iPad Pro for approximately $1,050. On June 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Bances Chaponan, who has been detained since his arrest, faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, with the assistance of the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg Police Department, the Warwick (R.I.) Police Department, and the Metropolitan Nashville (Tenn.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Bradenton Man Charged With Possession Of Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Christopher David Clark (52, Bradenton) with possession of child sex abuse material. Clark was arrested on September 12, 2024. If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. According to the criminal complaint, on September 12, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at Clark’s home. During the search, agents located more than 40 electronic devices, to include computers, cellphones, and external drives. A preview of an external hard drive revealed multiple images of child sexual abuse material. A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradenton Police Department, and the Sarasota Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Gunpoint extortion of migrants leads to 38-year prison sentence

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old McAllen man has been sentenced on multiple counts of hostage taking, smuggling and weapons charges, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict Nov. 8, 2023, on all counts against Heriberto Mendez-Lozano following a three-day trial. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Mendez-Lozano to serve 360 months in federal prison for committing hostage taking and human smuggling. He also received 160 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm which must be served in part consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 460-month prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how the violent threats and coercion of the vulnerable migrant victims has had a lasting impact on their lives. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Mendez-Lozano’s violent criminal history, coupled with his violent threats and actions in this case, warranted a significant sentence. “After illegally navigating vulnerable migrants across the Southern border, human smugglers, like Mendez-Lozano, tend to graduate to hostage-taking,” said Hamdani. “He and others asserted control over the migrants and held them at gunpoint, subjecting them to trauma and terror over the course of several days. They used fear to force the migrants’ families to pay money for their release. Today, some small measure of justice has been secured for these heinous acts as Mendez-Lozano goes from former hostage-taker to current federal prisoner.” “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) vehemently condemns human smugglers who exploit the vulnerabilities of migrants with threats and acts of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio. “HSI is at the forefront of investigating these human smugglers who attempt to plague the southwest border. We remain committed to bringing to justice the criminal organizations who prey on the vulnerable with no regard for the well-being of the people they smuggle.” During the trial, the jury heard evidence that on Sept. 29, 2022, Mendez-Lozano and others to include Lorenzo Campbell and Heriberto Aguirre were engaged in smuggling migrants from near the Rio Grande River further into the United States. On that date, the group was harboring five undocumented aliens. Instead of transporting the aliens further into the United States, Mendez-Lozano and his co-conspirators held the aliens against their will at a location in Donna. There, Mendez-Lozano and Aguirre brandished firearms, held guns to the heads and ribs of hostages, threatened the hostages and forced them to call family members to demand money for their release. The investigation led law enforcement to the location in Donna where they arrested Mendez-Lozano, who had a pending warrant for aggravated robbery, along with Campbell. Authorities also rescued the hostages from the scene. Aguirre was arrested at a nearby motel. Judge Alvarez previously sentenced Campbell, 23, Pharr, to 18 months in federal prison, while Aguirre, 25, Mission, received a 240-month-term of imprisonment. Both will be required to serve two years of supervised release following their respective prison terms. Mendez-Lozano will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol (BP), U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hidalgo County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colton Turner and Theodore Parran prosecuted the case as part of the Human Smuggling Prevention Program (HSPP). The primary goal of HSPP is to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling organizations on our Southwest Border through close cooperation with HSI, BP, Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations and local law enforcement partners.


title: Two charged with fentanyl trafficking

body_text: LAREDO, TEXAS – Two Texas men are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to do so, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment against Hernan Cortez, 40, Houston, and Daniel Elizondo, 37, Laredo. Previously in custody upon the filing of a criminal complaint Aug. 30, they are expected to make an appearance on the indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future. According to the charges, Cortez transported approximately a half of a kilogram of fentanyl from Houston to Laredo Aug. 28. He allegedly intended to sell the drugs in Laredo with Elizondo’s assistance. On Aug. 29, Cortez brought the fentanyl to a stash house where Elizondo was located, according to the complaint. Elizondo allegedly exited the stash house wearing a black satchel bag and walked into an alleyway connected to an adjoining property. Soon thereafter, he no longer had the bag, according to the charges. The complaint alleges authorities executed a search warrant and found 508 grams of fentanyl hidden in a tire wheel in the alleyway where Elizondo had been. If convicted, Cortez and Elizondo face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Webb County Precinct 1 Constables Office, Webb County Sheriff’s Office and the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Weslaco man sentenced for attempting to import shoebox of crystal meth

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jesse James Gonzalez pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2023. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about how Gonzalez’s criminal history was repetitive and warranted a lengthy sentence. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the societal harms of trafficking in narcotics and the destruction in communities that it occurs. On Nov. 29, 2022, Gonzalez attempted to make entry into the United States through the Donna Port of Entry. Gonzalez was carrying a shoebox containing two packages of white crystal meth. Authorities discovered the meth during the inspection process and Gonzalez subsequently admitted he had “ice” in the shoebox. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case. AUSA Ted Parran handled the sentencing hearing.


title: Harrison County Man Admits to Methamphetamine Charge

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Randy Joe Jones, 41, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Jones was working with others to sell methamphetamine in Harrison County. Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and a possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, law enforcement witnessed Roy Albert Phillips, 35, recklessly driving and attempted a traffic stop. Phillips did not stop, ran multiple stop signs, and drove more than 50 miles per hour in a 25 mile-per-hour-zone. Phillips eventually struck a pole and fled on foot. Officers observed Phillips drop a backpack while fleeing, which was later found to contain a loaded handgun and approximately one pound of methamphetamine. Officers searched Phillips’ phone and located messages indicative of Phillips trafficking pound quantities of methamphetamine and carrying the gun related to his drug trafficking activities. After completing his term of imprisonment, Phillips will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Davenport Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Office. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Attorney Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Money Laundering

body_text: ATLANTA - Sanjay Patel, an attorney who formerly operated a Georgia-based real estate law firm, has pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining nearly $300,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to using his attorney escrow account to launder more than $250,000 from unrelated investor fraud schemes. “This office will remain steadfast in coordinating with our federal law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who defrauded the government’s COVID relief programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “It is especially aggravating that Patel, an attorney, not only used his professional standing to commit money laundering, but he also defrauded the American taxpayer out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to ensure fraudsters who sought to enrich themselves with funds from pandemic-assistance programs are held accountable,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “This case serves as a reminder to individuals that engage in unlawful activity that law enforcement will spare no resource to bring you to justice for your criminal activity.” “This guilty plea is a testament to our commitment to holding accountable those who engage in financial fraud,” said Edwin S. Bonano, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Southeast Region. “Even after four years, the FBI and our partners will continue to seek out anyone who abused their positions to defraud the government during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This plea proves that no matter how much time has passed, if you commit financial crimes and steal from American taxpayers, you will be held accountable.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between August 2020 and March 2021, Patel submitted four fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) seeking at least $421,000 to purportedly operate his business, including his law practice, Worden & Associates. In the fraudulent applications, Patel repeatedly misrepresented the number of employees his law firm employed, its gross revenues, and in at least one application, the existence of his business. In reliance on Patel’s fraudulent misrepresentations, the SBA funded two of his loans totaling approximately $300,000. After receiving the loan proceeds, Patel misused the funds for unauthorized purposes. EIDL loans are intended to be used for a business’s working capital to make regular payments for operating expenses, including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, and other ordinary business expenses, as well as to pay business debt incurred at any time. But Patel spent the fraudulent EIDL loan proceeds he received on various things, including spending the funds at casinos, personal expenses, and to make payments toward non-business loans. Separately, Patel used his Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) to launder the proceeds from various investment frauds. For example, on May 14, 2020, Patel received $350,000 from an investor who believed the funds were going to be used for an energy project. But after receiving those funds, Patel immediately wired $250,000 to another entity, unrelated to the investment. Similarly, in June 2020, Patel received another $350,000 as part of a different energy investment. After receiving this investor money, Patel laundered over $132,000 by conducting a series of wire transfers to other accounts unrelated to the investment. Although Patel was not involved in the underlying fraudulent activity, he knew that these funds were derived from various investor fraud schemes. Sanjay Patel, 45, of Mobile, Alabama, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones. This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting 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 . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Previously convicted child sexual offender pleads guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man with multiple previous convictions for child sexual offenses pled guilty today to transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, on April 11, 12, and 27, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received Cybertipline reports of files containing CSAM uploaded to a Google account. The files were uploaded by Justus Clay Pease, 51, a registered sex offender who was convicted in Hampton Circuit Court in 2005 of two counts of indecent liberties with a child by a custodian and in 2007 of one count of indecent liberties with children. In addition to the CSAM identified in the reports to NCMEC that was uploaded to Pease’s Google account, Pease’s Google Photos account included more files containing CSAM. Pease is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 16, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 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 considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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. 4:24-cr-28.


title: South Dakota Surgical Hospital and United Surgical Partners International Agree to Pay More Than $12.7 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Siouxland Surgery Center LLP, doing business as Dunes Surgical Hospital (Dunes), United Surgical Partners International Inc. (USPI) and USP Siouxland Inc. have agreed to pay approximately $12.76 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between Dunes and two physician groups. Dunes is a surgical hospital located in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Since July 1, 2014, USPI has maintained partial ownership of Dunes through USP Siouxland, a wholly owned subsidiary of USPI. Dunes and USPI disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following an internal compliance review and independent investigation. The settlement resolves allegations that, from at least 2014 through 2019, Dunes made significant financial contributions to a non-profit affiliate of a physician group whose physicians referred patients to Dunes. Those payments allegedly funded the salaries of athletic trainers who generated referrals to both the physician group and to Dunes. The settlement also resolves allegations, that during the same time period, Dunes provided another physician group with free or below-fair-market-value clinic space, staff, and supplies. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated both the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. The AKS prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program. The Stark Law prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. A claim submitted in violation of the AKS or the Stark Law can also violate the False Claims Act. “The AKS and Stark Law are designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are based on physicians’ independent medical judgment and not their personal financial interest,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give to those who disclose their wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.” In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Dunes and USPI took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, Dunes and USPI promptly took remedial actions and disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government. Dunes and USPI also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation. “Illegal kickbacks and self-referrals make healthcare more expensive and create the potential for medical decisions that are not based on what is best for patients,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa. “Our office welcomes the cooperation of those who self-disclose and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that taxpayers do not bear the costs of illegal and unethical practices.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to fostering a healthcare environment that prioritizes patient well-being above all,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “We stand firmly against any actions that could undermine the trust and transparency that form the cornerstone of patient care and remain committed to working closely with healthcare professionals and regulatory bodies to promote ethical practices to ensure patients receive the highest standard of care.” “Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey laws designed to preserve the integrity of program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating allegations of improper arrangements that can put patient safety at risk.” The settlement resolves allegations of false billings to the Medicare, TRICARE and Medicaid programs. The Medicaid program is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. In addition to the approximately $12.76 million to be paid to the federal government for alleged violations of the False Claims Act, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska will collectively receive approximately $1.37 million for their share of the Medicaid portion of the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota; and HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Trial Attorney Nathan Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gray for the Northern District of Iowa and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Warner for the District of South Dakota handled the matter. The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Westwego Woman Indicted for Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Covid Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that REHA JANEE ARVIE, ( “ARVIE” ), age 33, of Westwego, LA, was indicted on September 6, 2024 for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud (Count1), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; Mail Fraud (Counts 2 and 3), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341; and, Making False Statements (Count 4), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). According to the indictment, beginning in or around July 2020, ARVIE defrauded, and attempted to defraud, various state offices of Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) through the submission of approximately 100 fraudulent UI applications. ARVIE recruited friends and family via Facebook to file these fraudulent UI applications. Additionally, ARVIE filed fraudulent UI applications for herself and others, in various states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Utah, Texas, and the territory of Guam. ARVIE charged those for whom she filed fraudulent UI claims fees ranging from $1,200.00 to $1,500.00. Moreover, during the investigation, ARVIE lied to federal agents during an interview. Later, on April 8, 2021, ARVIE unlawfully obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan from the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”). Specifically, ARVIE falsely claimed on her PPP application that she had income of $102,357.00 for the year 2020 and submitted a fraudulent Schedule C in support thereof. As a result of her false statements, ARVIE received a PPP loan of approximately $20,832.00. If convicted, ARVIE faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, per count, for Counts 1 through 3 and up to five (5) years imprisonment for Count 4. As to each count, ARVIE also faces up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 . The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. “The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.” 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. The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Inspector General; The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee; the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General COVID Fraud Unit; and the California Employment Development Department with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: President Of Hair Testing Company Sentenced To 41 Months In Prison For Defrauding Over 88,000 Customers In Allergy Testing Scam

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KYLE TSUI was sentenced today to 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for conducting a fraud scheme that resulted in sales of approximately $5.9 million worth of fabricated allergy and sensitivity tests to tens of thousands of customers. TSUI previously pled guilty to wire fraud and mail fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy, following his extradition from Spain in November 2023. As part of his guilty plea, TSUI was ordered to forfeit the fraudulent proceeds he received from the scheme—more than $4.1 million—which TSUI paid in full in advance of sentencing and which may now be used to compensate victims of the scheme. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Kyle Tsui defrauded tens of thousands of innocent victims, whose health was put at risk with false allergy and sensitivity testing results. Tsui’s company advertised ‘highly-rated’ allergy and sensitivity testing services but didn’t even attempt to test the samples his paying customers sent in, instead directing others to throw the samples in the garbage. Today’s sentence—and the recovery of all the money Tsui stole from victims of the scheme—sends a message that brazen schemes like Tsui’s do not pay.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in court, including during TSUI’s plea proceeding and sentencing: From September 2018 through April 2019, TSUI orchestrated a scheme to defraud customers of his company, the “Allergy Testing Company,” by purporting to sell food and environmental sensitivity testing services that TSUI knew were not, in fact, being performed. In total, TSUI sold fabricated tests worth approximately $5.9 million to more than 88,000 victims through an online marketplace. TSUI’s company promoted its “[h]ighly-rated, top selling sensitivity and intolerance test” that “determines how your body responds to 800 different food and environmental items” with just “a small hair sample.” But rather than actually test the hair samples as customers were promised, TSUI directed that the hair samples be discarded in the trash without any laboratory analysis. Customers then received fabricated test results purporting to identify certain foods and environmental factors that were “safe” for them and others that the customers were supposedly “sensitive” to and should avoid. If you believe you are a victim of the Allergy Testing Company fraud, updated information regarding the case and victims’ rights, as well as contact information for the victim witness coordinator, is available here . * * * In addition to the prison term, TSUI, 41, of Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $4,165,884.70. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Williams also thanked the Hyde Park Police Department, the New York State Troopers, the Toronto Police Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and the Government of Spain for their assistance in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary and Benjamin Levander are in charge of the prosecution, which was previously handled by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Loss.


title: Bronx Former Attorney Pleads Guilty To Large-Scale Immigration Fraud

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KOFI AMANKWAA, a Bronx-based former immigration attorney, pled guilty to immigration fraud in connection with his supervision of a multi-year scheme to file fraudulent immigration documents under the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”). AMANKWAA pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Kofi Amankwaa oversaw a massive immigration fraud scheme, filing thousands of immigration documents falsely alleging that his clients were victims of abuse by their children or other family members. Amankwaa’s actions undermined our U.S. immigration system, exploited VAWA — a law that allows noncitizen victims of domestic abuse a path to lawful permanent residence status — and victimized vulnerable clients in the process. Today’s guilty plea highlights this Office’s dedication to holding accountable those who abuse the trust placed in them as attorneys and fraudulently use our immigration system as a tool for their own financial gain.” According to the allegations in the Information, public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings: From September 2016 through November 2023, AMANKWAA and others at his direction met with clients and instructed them to sign fraudulent Form I-360 VAWA Petitions falsely stating that the clients were abused by their U.S. citizen children. AMANKWAA also signed the petitions, under penalty of perjury, as the attorney preparer. AMANKWAA used the filing of the fraudulent Form I-360 VAWA Petitions, among other filings, as a basis to request for his clients’ advance parole travel documents — documents that enable individuals without legal status in the U.S. to travel abroad temporarily and return. AMANKWAA then directed his clients, upon obtaining the advance parole travel documents, to travel abroad and return to the U.S. Last, AMANKWAA used the fraudulently procured advance parole as a basis for his clients to apply for lawful permanent resident status. AMANKWAA carried out this illegal scheme knowing that his clients had not, in fact, been abused by their children or without ever asking whether any such abuse occurred. Moreover, AMANKWAA was often unsuccessful in obtaining lawful permanent resident status for his clients because the clients’ immigration applications were denied on the basis of fraud, among other reasons. AMANKWAA typically charged his clients between $3,000 and $6,000 for his services, plus administrative fees. In November 2023, following numerous complaints by clients regarding the fraudulent abuse allegations, AMANKWAA’s license to practice law in the State of New York was suspended, and in August 2024, AMANKWAA was disbarred. As part of today’s plea, AMANKWAA has agreed to forfeit $13,389,000 and pay $16,503,425 in restitution to his victims. If you believe you or your family member is a victim of VAWA fraud perpetrated by AMANKWAA, please contact USANYS.VAWAFraud@usdoj.gov . * * * AMANKWAA, 70, of South River, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of immigration fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Newark Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security for their support in this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Z. Margulies is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Managers of Suburban Chicago Youth Counseling Center Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Illinois Medicaid out of $2.5 Million

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — The owners of a suburban Chicago youth counseling center have been sentenced to federal prison terms for bilking Illinois Medicaid out of approximately $2.5 million through a fraudulent billing scheme. From 2011 to 2018, SUMMER MATHESON and TERRENCE EWING, co-managers of Laynie Foundation Inc., along with foundation employee RICHARD GRUNDY, fraudulently billed Illinois Medicaid for more mental health counseling services than the foundation actually provided. Matheson, Ewing, and Grundy also used the Matteson, Ill.-based foundation to seek payment from Illinois Medicaid for non-reimbursable activities, such as internal case reviews, staff training, clinical supervision, and recordkeeping. Matheson attempted to cover up the fraud by directing foundation personnel to backdate and falsify patient records to make it appear that a licensed practitioner had reviewed and approved certain mental health services, when, in fact, Matheson knew that a practitioner had not reviewed and approved those services. As a result of the fraud, Matheson, Ewing, and Grundy fraudulently obtained approximately $2.5 million from Illinois Medicaid and managed-care organizations used by Illinois Medicaid. Medicaid is a state-administered program, and each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. For Illinois Medicaid recipients, funding is shared between the federal government and the State of Illinois. Matheson, Ewing, and Grundy each pleaded guilty last year to a federal health care fraud charge. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey on Thursday sentenced Matheson, 46, of Chicago, to six years in federal prison, and Ewing, 62, of Chicago, to four and a half years. Judge Blakey previously sentenced Grundy, 39, of Chicago, to three years and a month. The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Prashant Kolluri and Charles W. Mulaney.


title: Man Charged with Trafficking a Woman for Sex

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A man has been charged with allegedly trafficking a woman to engage in commercial sex acts, coercing her to travel across state lines to engage in commercial sex, forcing her to assist him in robbing multiple convenience stores in Massachusetts, and forced her to assist in procuring an illegal firearm for him to use in one of the robberies. David Walker, 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; one count of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution; five counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery; and one count of possessing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence . Walker is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. “Mr. Walker’s alleged conduct is horrifying. He is alleged to have callously exploited this young woman– forcing her into a life of fear and violence for his own criminal gain. As alleged, this defendant used extreme violence and intimidation to control his victim, even forcing her to participate in multiple robberies,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This indictment is one of many we have brought against men who traffic women through force, fraud, or coercion. The penalties for such conduct are rightly severe and this office is steadfast in its commitment to protecting victims of trafficking and ensuring that those who engage in such reprehensible conduct are brought to justice.” “The acts of extreme violence Walker is charged with paint a nightmarish picture. The account from this survivor is heartbreaking and unfortunately, one we see too often from those who are trafficked. Benign romantic relationships can quickly be upended and turned into a relationship of abuse, violence, and coercion,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI special agents and victim assistance professionals work every day to seek justice for people who have been trafficked and provide access to resources to help regain their dignity and independence.” According to the indictment, Walker met his victim on social media and initiated a romantic relationship. It is alleged that Walker then pressured her to engage in commercial sex and when she repeatedly refused, he became physically violent with her, including by grabbing her, putting his hands around her neck and slamming her into the floor. Walker allegedly required her to make $800 per day selling her body for sex, taking all of the money for himself, and would physically and sexually abuse the victim if she made less than that required amount. Walker’s abuse allegedly included choking the victim until she lost consciousness, kicking her in the stomach, holding knives to her throat and holding a loaded gun to her head. He also allegedly threatened to kill her and her family members if she disobeyed him. It is further alleged that Walker coerced and forced the victim to travel from Massachusetts to Maine for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex. Walker also allegedly forced the victim to use drugs, including crack, cocaine, mushrooms and Percocet, to make her less able to refuse when he wanted her to engage in commercial sex. Additionally, the indictment further alleges that, on different dates in October 2023, Walker robbed four separate 7-Eleven convenience stores in West Roxbury, Cambridge, Watertown and Pepperell and attempted to rob a fifth location in Everett. Walker allegedly forced and coerced the same victim to assist him in the robberies. Prior to the West Roxbury robbery, it is alleged that Walker forced the victim to drive him to Dorchester so that he could pick up a semi-automatic handgun to use in the robbery. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to 25 years in prison, five 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 U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, Everett and Pepperell Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Four Boston-Area Men Arrested for Trafficking Tens of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills

body_text: BOSTON – Four Boston-area men have been arrested and charged in federal court in connection with a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Anderson Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, 31, of Dorchester; Waner Bernabel Presinal, 37, of Dorchester; Carlos Fabal, 52, of Roxbury; and Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto, 29, of Boston, were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. The defendants were arrested on Sept. 13, 2024 and, following initial appearances in federal court in Boston, were detained pending a hearing scheduled for Sept. 24, 2024. According to court documents, in November 2023, law enforcement identified Andujar as a large-scale drug trafficker distributing various narcotics. Over the course of the investigation, Andujar allegedly distributed tens of thousands of press fentanyl tablets as well as powdered fentanyl, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement. “These arrests underscore our unwavering dedication to combating the fentanyl crisis that continues to devastate our communities. The sheer quantity of fentanyl these defendants allegedly distributed was enough to take tens of thousands of innocent lives,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the flow of these lethal drugs. We will not hesitate to use every resource at our disposal to hold them accountable and protect the public from this growing epidemic.” “DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling large-scale poly drug trafficking organizations like this one operating in the Boston area,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This organization is responsible for distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. Fentanyl alone is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seek and bring to justice anyone who engages in these crimes.” According to court documents, Bernabel was identified as a co-conspirator who allegedly worked with Andujar to distribute fentanyl pills and Fabal was identified as an alleged fentanyl pill supplier to Andujar. Fabal was previously convicted in 2007 in federal court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 67 months in prison and five years of supervised release. During last week’s arrests, 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills were seized along with and 500 grams of powder fentanyl from Andujar and Guerrero Soto. Additional suspected controlled substances, packaging materials and a money counter were also seized from the residences of Andujar, Bernabel and Fabal: The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 U.S. Attorney Levy and DEA Acting SAC Belleau made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Woman Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Pandemic Loan Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a woman who obtained COVID-19 pandemic loans for a fake company called the “Barbie Factory” to a year and a day in prison. Juashayla Jane Walls, 31, of Jennings, Missouri, was also ordered to repay $55,833 and will be placed on supervised release for five years after her release from prison. Walls was originally scheduled to be sentenced in July, but after she claimed she used some of the money for another business, Judge Schelp ordered an accounting of where every dollar of the loan money went. In one example he gave in court Tuesday, he said she spent nearly $8,000 at a casino. Walls also spent loan money on shopping trips and other personal purchases, her plea agreement says Judge Schelp called the crime “sickening” and “disheartening,” as it came during a worldwide crisis and took money from a program that was intended to help struggling American businesses and jobs during the pandemic. Walls submitted a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application on Aug. 25, 2020, seeking $20,000 for the “Barbie Factory.” Walls falsely claimed that the company was in operation, had four employees and a monthly payroll of $8,000. She also submitted a fraudulent Internal Revenue Service tax form that said employees had been paid a total of $96,000 in wages, tips and other compensation. On March 2, 2021, Walls submitted a loan forgiveness application, falsely claiming that she had used the loan for payroll. Her application was approved and the loan was forgiven. Walls’ second loan application for $20,000 was not approved. A third application, submitted April 16, 2021, and seeking $20,833, was approved. Walls falsely claimed she was self-employed and had a gross annual income of $151,104. She successfully submitted a fraudulent loan forgiveness application on Aug. 14, 2021. In September of 2021, Walls submitted fraudulent applications to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, a Small Business Administration program intended to help struggling business owners during the pandemic. Walls again falsely claimed the $15,000 she received would go to Barbie Factory payroll and other businesses expenses. Walls pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Seattle man indicted for armed carjacking near Lumen Field

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 32-year-old Seattle resident will appear today in U.S. District Court in Seattle indicted for carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Louis Montel De’Andre Dowers was transferred from the King County Jail this morning. Dowers was arrested June 9, 2024, hours after he allegedly carjacked a BMW outside the Seattle Team Shop on Occidental Avenue South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. “The Carjacking Task Force, made up of federal agents, Seattle and Kent police officers, and state and federal prosecutors, are diligently reviewing carjacking incidents for those appropriate for federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Here, where a firearm was pointed at the driver, and the car commandeered and stolen, the federal penalties are significant and appropriate for the conduct that put lives at risk.” According to information filed in state and federal court, a man was waiting in the driver’s seat of his car outside a business on Occidental Avenue South. Dowers allegedly approached the car, pulled out a distinctive firearm and pointed it at the victim, and ordered him out of the car. The wife of the man who was carjacked came out of the store and was nearly hit by the car as it raced away. The car was later found abandoned near a middle school in Auburn, Washington. Working with a description of the alleged carjacker, a King County Sheriff’s deputy located Dowers walking nearby. When searched, Dowers possessed a semi-automatic firearm. Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence, such as carjacking, is punishable by a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg who leads the Western District of Washington Carjacking Task Force.


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Federal Prison For Receiving And Possessing Child Sex Abuse Images

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Lucio Daza Marquez (73, Orlando) to 10 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession and receipt of child sex abuse material. Marquez entered a guilty plea on June 18, 2024. According to court documents, an undercover FBI agent discovered an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was sharing files containing child sex abuse material. The IP address was traced to Marquez. During the execution of a search warrant at Marquez’s residence, FBI agents located multiple files depicting the sexual abuse of children on Marquez’s laptop and external hard drives. During an interview with the FBI agents, Marquez admitted to downloading child sex abuse material. Marquez further told the agents that he had been viewing child sex abuse material for nearly 10 years, and that he preferred young girls approximately 12 years old. He also admitted to viewing videos involving much younger children being sexually abused, including infants. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman. This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.