title: Former Chief Financial Officer Of Two SPACs Sentenced To 36 Months In Prison For Fraud Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that COOPER MORGENTHAU, the former chief financial officer (“CFO”) of two special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) — African Gold Acquisition Corp. (“AGAC”) and Strategic Metals Acquisition Corp. (“SMAC”) — was sentenced to 36 months in prison for committing wire fraud when he embezzled more than $5 million from the two SPACs. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer imposed today’s sentence U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “With today’s sentencing of Cooper Morgenthau, SPAC promoters have been sent a message that fraud in the SPAC markets will be punished, and greed on Wall Street will be met with serious consequences.” According to the allegations in the Information and statements made in public court proceedings and filings: Between approximately June 2021 and August 2022, MORGENTHAU, who was the CFO of AGAC and SMAC, embezzled more than $5 million from the two SPACs. AGAC had recently had its initial public offering (“IPO”), while SMAC was raising money from private investors in preparation for its anticipated IPO. MORGENTHAU used the embezzled funds to trade equities and options of so-called “meme stocks” and cryptocurrencies, losing almost all of the money that he stole. To conceal and facilitate his embezzlement from AGAC, MORGENTHAU fabricated bank statements, which he provided to AGAC’s accountant and auditor; made and caused to be made material misstatements in AGAC’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”); and transferred some of SMAC’s funds to AGAC to cover up the funds he had misappropriated from AGAC. * * * MORGENTHAU, 36, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to his prison term, MORGENTHAU was also ordered to forfeit $5,111,335 and to pay restitution of $5,111,335. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the SEC for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Naftalis and Anden Chow are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Haines Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: JUNEAU – A Haines man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release for drug conspiracy. According to court documents, Fredrick Daniel Folletti, 63, of Haines, Alaska pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy involving the transportation of 79.67 grams of actual methamphetamine from Washington state to Haines, Alaska. Folletti facilitated and arranged the travel of a drug courier located in Washington to acquire methamphetamine to deliver it to Folletti in Haines, Alaska. “Drug trafficking has a disproportionate effect in small rural communities in Southeast Alaska,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker, District of Alaska. “This sentence serves as a reminder that we will prosecute and hold accountable those who are harming our communities, and with our law enforcement partners, will persist in the disruption of narcotics into this district.” U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement. The Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced to 168 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a City Park

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Gianetta Lynn Middleton, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha on April 25, 2023, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a Protected Location. United States District Brian C. Buescher sentenced Middleton to 168 months’ imprisonment. She was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after her release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Between September 1, 2021, and November 23, 2021, Middleton and others conspired to distribute 168 grams of methamphetamine from her apartment in Fremont, Nebraska. During this time period, Middleton sold methamphetamine multiple times from her apartment, which is located across the street from a city park. This case was investigated by the Fremont Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 293 Months for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Gilberto Aguilar-Beltran, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A federal jury found Aguilar-Beltran guilty of both counts of the Superseding Indictment on January 27, 2023. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Aguilar-Beltran to imprisonment for a term of 293 months as to each count, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Aguilar-Beltran may later face removal (deportation) from the United States to Mexico by immigration authorities. On May 12, 2021, Omaha Police observed Aguilar-Beltran, driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee, meet up with two people driving a black SUV at a Taco Bell on South 42nd Street. A male from the black SUV got into Aguilar-Beltran’s Jeep and they briefly drove around before returning to the Taco Bell. The male returned to the black SUV and departed at the same time as the Jeep. Omaha Police stopped the black SUV, and after completing a canine sniff of the exterior, they searched it. Officers recovered approximately one pound of meth and arrested the driver and passenger. Following this apparent drug transaction, OPD detectives gathered additional evidence of Aguilar-Beltran’s involvement in methamphetamine distribution. Ultimately, on July 15, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Aguilar-Beltran’s home, locating distribution quantities of methamphetamine, cash, a digital scale, and packaging materials consistent with drug trafficking. Investigators further determined through deconfliction and cooperation with federal investigative agencies that Aguilar-Beltran’s activities in furtherance of drug trafficking extended beyond methamphetamine distribution. A cooperating witness testified at trial that Aguilar-Beltran collected thousands of dollars in proceeds from methamphetamine sales for the organization. Additional witnesses testified that Aguilar-Beltran allowed the detached garage at his residence to be used over a period of several years for the regular off-loading of dozens of pounds of methamphetamine from a “trap” car that had been driven repeatedly to Omaha from the southwest border. The methamphetamine from the trap car was intended for distribution in Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Nebraska Man Sentenced for Escape from Federal Reentry Center

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Aaron Jason Burkholder, 46, of Nebraska, was sentenced today to 18 months for escape from a federal reentry center by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Burkholder will serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In December of 2021, Burkholder was serving a prior federal sentence for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. He was transferred from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to a Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in Kearney, Nebraska, to finish serving the remainder of his sentence and was scheduled for release in November of 2022. However, on June 28, 2022, Burkholder escaped from the custody of the RRC by cutting off his GPS ankle monitor after being ordered to return to the RRC due to rules violations. Attempts by RRC staff to contact Burkholder were unsuccessful and he was placed on escape status. He was arrested on a federal warrant on October 18, 2022. Burkholder’s RRC placement on his previous federal sentence was revoked, and he is scheduled to complete his incarceration with the Bureau of Prisons on that sentence in April of 2024. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that James Ferman Chatman, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for sex trafficking of a minor by force. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Chatman to 324 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Chatman will serve 10 years of supervised release. Chatman was also ordered to pay $1,300 in restitution. Chatman will also be required to register as a sex offender. Law enforcement began investigating in September 2021 after receiving information from FBI Innocence Lost that a missing 17-year-old female was actively being advertised online for commercial sex in Omaha. Investigators located and contacted the minor female who advised that she was being forced to engage in commercial sex sales by a person known to her as “James Cooper.” The minor stated that “James” kept all of the money received from sex buyers. The minor reported that she had been sexually assaulted by “James” and that “James” had been providing her with cocaine. Evidence uncovered by law enforcement showed James Ferman Chatman had created online commercial sex ads depicting the minor female in addition to ads depicting other females. After the minor was recovered, Chatman continued to post commercial sex ads in various states across the county. In November 2021, investigators learned that Chatman had returned to a hotel in Omaha. Investigators arrested Chatman at the hotel. Also staying in the hotel room was an adult female who advised that she was being sold for sex by Chatman and that Chatman used violence and threats of violence to keep her engaging in commercial sex sales. In 2019, Chatman was convicted of Unlawful Sexual Acts with a 16–17 Year Old in Leon County, Florida. Chatman had not registered as a sex offender in Nebraska after leaving Florida. "The FBI remains resolute in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and bringing child predators to justice. We value and recognize the critical work of our law enforcement partners. As with many crimes we investigate, we cannot do it without collaboration from the law enforcement community and the public," said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the Omaha Field Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Former Valdosta Police and School Resource Officer Sentenced to 15+ Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: VALDOSTA, Ga. – A former police and school resource officer who admitted to producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for his crime. Jonathan Eric Hancock, 32, of Hahira, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 190 months in prison to be followed by 12 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on April 26, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of production of child sexual abuse material on Oct. 12, 2022. In addition, Hancock will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole. “It is intolerable that an individual in a position of trust and with access to children would produce child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement and school authorities moved quickly to ensure the protection of children and to help us hold the defendant accountable.” The plea agreement in this case remains sealed for the protection of the minor victim. Hancock worked as an officer for the Valdosta Police Department (VPD) from June 29, 2015 – August 2, 2019, and during this time served as a school resource officer at JL Lomax Elementary School in Valdosta. Hancock was also previously employed with the Homerville, Georgia, Police Department between Dec. 12, 2020 – March 19, 2021. Parents and guardians of children who might have encountered Hancock and have concerns related to this investigation can contact the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office at (229) 671-2950. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Tifton Bartender Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Meth

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Mexican citizen who was brokering large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine while working as a bartender in Tifton, Georgia, was sentenced to federal prison for his crime. Edgar Fernando Neri aka Colocho, 22, of Guadalajara, Mexico, was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. Senior District Judge Hugh Lawson on April 26, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. “Fentanyl is a poison infecting our communities and attracts other dangerous criminal activities, as seen in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are working with law enforcement at every level to push back against the threat of fentanyl and the international criminal networks supporting its distribution.” “A large amount of illegal drugs was taken off the streets of South Central Georgia. We will continue to dedicate resources to investigating drug activity to make our communities safer. Thank you to our federal partners for being a force multiplier when it comes to successfully investigating and prosecuting these types of cases,” said GBI Director Michael Register. “This defendant posed a clear and present danger to the Tifton community by dealing in dangerous drugs, including discussions of firearms trafficking,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division. “Thanks to collaborative partnerships between the DEA and its law enforcement partners, this defendant no longer poses a threat to Tifton and elsewhere.” According to court documents, GBI agents developed a confidential source in late August 2021 who had information regarding the distribution of methamphetamine in Tifton (Tift County). The confidential source had been purchasing drugs from a local bartender known as "Colocho.” During the investigation, Neri discussed moving pounds of methamphetamine, multiple kilos of cocaine, as well as the purchase of body armor, rifles, a rocket launcher and rockets with his supplier in Los Angeles, California. Multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from Neri, and Neri arranged for shipments of more methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from his L.A. source. Packages containing three pounds of methamphetamine and 1,990 blue fentanyl pills were sent from Neri’s source in L.A. to Tifton in Oct. 2021; Neri was taken into custody on Oct. 19, 2021. Neri is being held responsible for distributing 1,290.93 grams of actual methamphetamine based on the high level of purity of the methamphetamine involved and 1,990 pills containing fentanyl and weighing 205.92 grams. The case was investigated by DEA, GBI and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. McCullers prosecuted the case.


title: Houston Men Sentenced for Beaumont Taqueria Robbery

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Houston men have been sentenced to prison for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. Robert Lewis Johnson, Jr., 31, pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on May 17, 2022 and was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Bryant Demetri West, 24, pleaded guilty to the same offense on May 9, 2022, and was sentenced earlier this week to 120 months in federal prison by Judge Crone. According to court documents, the morning of December 15, 2018, Johnson and West drove a stolen truck to Tacos La Bamba in Beaumont and entered the restaurant brandishing handguns. The two masked men then forced store employees to the floor and took $13,862.97 in cash belonging to the restaurant before returning to Houston. During the robbery, West discharged his firearm in the vicinity of two restaurant employees. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross. ###


title: Maple Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Carjacking at Blaine Grocery Store Parking Lot

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has pleaded guilty to an armed carjacking at a Blaine grocery store, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on September 24, 2022, Justin Michael Kittleson, 20, targeted two victims as they left the Cub Foods grocery store in Blaine and loaded groceries into their car. Kittleson approached one of the victims at the trunk of the car and pointed a gun at them. The second victim attempted to intervene, and a struggle ensued. The gun discharged, and the shot is believed to have grazed the second victim’s ear. Kittleson took control of the car and drove away. A 9MM shell casing was recovered at the scene by officers with the Blaine Police Department. After reviewing surveillance video footage and with the assistance from other members of the public, officers were able to identify and locate Kittleson. On September 29, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence associated with Kittleson and recovered two 9MM firearms (the same caliber as the casing found at the scene of the carjacking) and a hooded sweatshirt that matched the sweatshirt Kittleson was seen wearing in the surveillance footage. Kittleson pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Kittleson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 16, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Blaine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp is prosecuting the case.


title: Licking County man sentenced to prison for committing $1.5 million in fraud

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jeremie Adam Elkins, 46, of Newark, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 43 months in prison for causing more than $1.5 million in fraud in connection with access devices. Elkins committed wire fraud and illegally possessed a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony crime. According to court documents, from July to October 2020, Elkins used his Verizon company-issued credit card to pay for personal expenses like hotels/resorts, restaurants, bars, pawn shops and auction houses. Elkins had been employed as a Network Engineer at Verizon, Inc. Elkins also used an old Verizon work order number to place multiple fraudulent orders with vendor W.W. Grainger, Inc. Grainger provides tools and equipment for Verizon service vans. Elkins placed 46 unauthorized orders to Grainger and personally picked up most of the equipment, which totaled approximately $936,000. He used the illicit proceeds to purchase two boats and a motorcycle. The defendant placed an additional 20 unauthorized orders to Grainger, for items totaling nearly $954,000, but never obtained the equipment. As part of his sentence, Elkins will pay nearly $24,000 in restitution to Verizon and more than $936,000 in restitution to Grainger. When he was arrested in August 2021, Elkins illegally possessed a pistol and admitted to investigators that he has sold 15 to 20 firearms. Elkins was previously convicted of a felony crime in Licking County, prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. and commended the investigation by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Brenda S. Shoemaker is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Man Sentenced for Stealing Over 712 Bitcoin Subject to Forfeiture

component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for stealing over 712 bitcoin that were the proceeds of the darknet bitcoin mixer Helix and subject to forfeiture in a then-pending criminal case. According to court documents, Gary James Harmon, 31, of Cleveland, perpetrated a scheme to steal cryptocurrency that was the subject of pending criminal forfeiture proceedings in the case of Larry Dean Harmon, Gary Harmon’s brother. In February 2020, Larry Harmon was arrested for his operation of Helix, a darknet-based cryptocurrency money laundering service, known as a “mixer” or “tumbler.” Helix laundered over 350,000 bitcoin – valued at over $300 million at the time of the transactions – on behalf of customers, with the largest volume coming from darknet markets. Law enforcement seized various assets, including a cryptocurrency storage device containing Larry Harmon’s illegal proceeds generated through the operation of Helix, which were subject to forfeiture in the criminal case. However, law enforcement was initially unable to recover bitcoin stored on the device due to the device’s additional security features. Knowing that the government was seeking to recover the bitcoin stored on the seized device for forfeiture in Larry Harmon’s criminal case, Gary Harmon used his brother’s credentials to recreate the bitcoin wallets stored on the device and covertly transfer more than 712 bitcoin, valued at approximately $4.8 million at the time, to his own wallets – stealing those funds and obstructing the pending criminal forfeiture proceeding. Gary Harmon further laundered the proceeds through two online bitcoin mixer services before using the laundered bitcoins to finance large purchases and other expenditures. Gary Harmon agreed to the forfeiture of cryptocurrencies and other properties derived from the fraudulently taken proceeds, including more than 647.41 Bitcoin (BTC), 2.14 Ethereum (ETH), and 17,404,400.64 Dogecoin (DOGE). Due to the increase in market prices, the total value of these forfeitable properties exceeds $20 million. In August 2021, Larry Harmon pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with his case. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement. The FBI and the IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), both now also members of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, prosecuted the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Angela De Falco, and Brian Rickers, and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron. Additional assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Segev Phillips and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio and CCIPS Trial Attorney S. Riane Harper.


title: Elizabeth, LA Man Sentenced to Prison for  Committing Bankruptcy Fraud and Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. - Joseph Randall Boswell, Sr. , 53, of Elizabeth, Louisiana , was sentenced yesterday for committing bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced Boswell to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Cain ordered that a hearing be held on June 27, 2023, to determine restitution. Boswell was convicted of these crimes by a federal jury in Lake Charles on September 19, 2022. Evidence presented at the trial established that Boswell knowingly and fraudulently concealed property from the United States Bankruptcy Trustee and his creditors through his Chapter 7 Bankruptcy case which he filed in September 2011. Specifically, Boswell concealed monies earned from nominee business and service contracts that could have been paid to his creditors. He attempted to defraud the government by withholding information from the Bankruptcy Court regarding the amount of income he was actually making and property he had an interest in. The defendant was self-employed and withheld information from the court as to companies that he had control of through other family members. These companies were established in the names of other family members in an attempt to hide the fact that Boswell was controlling and manipulating the business activities for these companies and earning income through contracts negotiated by him. Boswell was also convicted of attempting to evade and defeat payment of income taxes due and owing by him for the tax years 2001 through 2009. He concealed assets from the Internal Revenue Service by putting them in the names of other family members in order to avoid paying income taxes owed by him of over $597,000. “This defendant spent years of his life finding ways to avoid paying taxes and creditors that he borrowed money from through his web of lies and deception,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The agents and attorneys handling this case worked countless hours to untangle that web of lies that he wove, and I commend them for their tireless work in bringing him to justice. The bankruptcy and tax laws which have been established in this nation must be obeyed and we will continue to hold those who choose not to do that accountable.” “Bankruptcy laws are in place to provide debtors a fresh start when they are honestly unable to pay their debts and obligations,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Boswell used these laws to avoid paying his creditors and taxes although he had the resources. His sentence today should be a warning to those seeking to fraudulently use bankruptcy laws to avoid paying their creditors.” The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the United States Trustee’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cytheria D. Jernigan and Earl M. Campbell. # # #


title: Jeffersonville Man Sentenced to Eighteen Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Shawndrae Pratt, 34, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on January 31, 2019, Pratt met another individual in Jeffersonville and sold them 11.5 grams of pure methamphetamine. On March 12, 2019, Pratt met the same buyer at a location in Clark County, Indiana, to sell them more methamphetamine. Pratt told the buyer he did not have his drug scales and needed to go get them. Pratt drove the buyer to Pratt’s apartment complex in Louisville, Kentucky, where he obtained his drug scales. Pratt returned from his apartment, weighed the drugs, and sold the buyer an additional 66.4 grams of pure methamphetamine. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers seized methamphetamine, U.S. currency, and a 9mm handgun. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, Kenny Kavanaugh, Chief of Jeffersonville Police Department, Clark County Sheriff Scott A. Maples Jr., and Mark Palmer, Chief of Clarksville Police Department made the announcement. “Armed methamphetamine traffickers seek ill-gotten profits with utter disregard for the harm they do to our families, friends, and neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will work together to hold criminals accountable for pushing deadly drugs in our communities.” The FBI, Clarksville Police Department, Jeffersonville Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Pratt be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 7 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and William L. McCoskey, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: South Georgia man with lengthy criminal history of drug offenses sentenced to federal prison

body_text: WAYCROSS, GA: A Lowndes County man who sold cocaine from a Waycross, Ga., residence has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison. Benjamin Godwin, 36, of Remerton, Ga, was sentenced to 151 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Distribution of Cocaine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The sentence for Godwin is consecutive to a 41-month drug-trafficking sentence in state court in Florida for which Godwin had failed to report to custody, and to any additional time he could be ordered to serve for violating state parole in Georgia. After completion of his prison terms, Godwin must serve three years of federal supervised release, and there is no parole in the federal system. “Benjamin Godwin’s extensive criminal record makes it clear that a substantial period of incarceration is warranted,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We hope that the sentence in this case will finally deter him from future criminal conduct and ensure the safety of the community.” As described in court, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation initiated an investigation in 2021 after identifying Godwin as a drug trafficker in Ware County. The investigation led to his federal indictment in September 2022, and he pled guilty in December 2022 to Distribution of Cocaine. Godwin, who has multiple prior convictions for drug trafficking, faced an outstanding state warrant after failing to report for incarceration after a methamphetamine trafficking conviction in Hillsborough, Fla., in January 2021. After sentencing in the federal case, U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered Godwin remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. “Removing this repeat offender from the Waycross, Ga., community will effectively disrupt one of the primary supply chains for cocaine in south Georgia,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “This defendant will now spend well-deserved time in prison instead of selling poison in our community.” “This repeat offender has chosen a life of crime and now must pay the consequences by serving this lengthy sentence,” said Mike Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to investigate drug trafficking and make our communities safer.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.


title: Middleburg Man Arrested For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Videos

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Sam David Harris, Jr. (37, Middleburg) with possession of videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. If convicted, Harris faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Harris has been ordered detained pending trial. 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida (NEFL) INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase. This case is 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 .


title: Clay County Softball Coach Indicted For Producing Sexually Explicit Images And Videos Of Children

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and the return of an indictment charging Andrew Lynn Overheul (43, Orange Park) with six counts of producing and attempting to produce child sexual abuse files. If convicted, Overheul faces a minimum mandatory 15 years, up to 180 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Overheul that the United States intends to forfeit electronic devices used in the commission of the charged offenses. Overheul has been ordered detained pending a trial scheduled for the June 2023 trial term. An indictment 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 Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Northeast Florida (NEFL) INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase. This case is 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 .


title: Three Companies And Eleven Individuals Charged In Major Clean Air Act Case

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Defendants Accused of Disabling Emissions Controls on Semi-Trucks; Some Plea Agreements Signed, Investigation Ongoing in One of the Largest Cases of Its Kind GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that three companies and eleven individuals have been charged with violating the Clean Air Act in an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of semi-trucks. While the investigation is ongoing, even now this case is one of the largest of its kind ever charged in the United States. The corporate defendants are Diesel Freak LLC, of Gaylord, and Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Griffin Transportation, Inc., of Grand Rapids. “Today’s criminal charges send a loud message of accountability to polluters who flout our environmental laws,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “These rules not only protect the planet; they also protect people – especially the most vulnerable. They safeguard the water we drink, the lakes we fish, and the air we breathe. To the owners and drivers of the vehicles that participated in this scheme and are now spewing harmful pollutants: get them fixed now.” The individual defendants are: Defendant Age City Ryan Lalone 47 Gaylord Wade Lalone 44 Gaylord Dustin Rhine 32 Indian River James Sisson 42 Mt. Pleasant Douglas Larsen 51 Wayland Craig Scholten 58 Byron Center Ryan Bos 45 Grandville Robert Swainston 50 Hopkins Randy Clelland 33 Grand Rapids Scott DeKock 45 Hudsonville Glenn Hoezee 55 Howard City The three companies, Ryan Lalone, Wade Lalone, Douglas Larsen, Craig Scholten, Ryan Bos, Robert Swainston, Randy Clelland, Scott DeKock, and Glenn Hoezee have all signed plea agreements indicating their intent to plead guilty to a felony information. Dustin Rhine and James Sisson were indicted by a federal grand jury. Arraignments and change of plea hearings will occur on dates to be set by the U.S. District Court. According to public records filed in the case, Ryan Lalone owns Diesel Freak LLC and Wade Lalone, Rhine, and Sisson were employed there. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, is owned by Larsen, Scholten, and Bos, and Swainston and Clelland were employed there. Griffin Transportation, Inc., is owned by Scholten and Bos. DeKock used to own a shipping company, at which Hoezee was employed. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, removed or altered the hardware components of vehicles with heavy-duty diesel engines, which components controlled the vehicles’ emissions. Diesel Freak LLC reprogrammed the engine computers of the vehicles so that they would continue to function even after the hardware was removed or altered. This process is sometimes referred to as a “deletion,” that is, “deleting” the emissions controls from the vehicles. “Deleting” emissions controls from the vehicles can improve performance and fuel economy and save maintenance costs. Tampering with or removing emissions controls can drastically increase the emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and non-methane hydrocarbons found in vehicle exhaust. Exposure to and inhalation of these chemicals at greater levels is associated with serious health risks. Griffin Transportation, Inc., and the company DeKock formerly owned engaged Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Diesel Freak LLC to “delete” trucks owned, operated, or leased by the companies. During the conspiracy, Diesel Freak LLC was involved in at least 362 deletions; Accurate Truck Service, LLC, in at least 83 deletions; Griffin Transportation, Inc., in at least 12 deletions; and DeKock’s former company in at least 4 deletions. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Griffin Transportation, Inc., have agreed to pay a combined $1 million fine. Diesel Freak LLC has agreed to pay a $750,000 fine subject to defense arguments regarding inability to pay. Any fine is a part of the criminal sentence and ultimately within the discretion of the sentencing judge. “By illegally tampering with emissions controls on diesel trucks operating throughout the United States and Canada, defendants caused the excessive release of diesel exhaust containing toxic gases and impurities harmful to public health and the environment,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Conrad of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (“EPA-CID”). “This case highlights EPA and our law enforcement partners’ continued efforts to prosecute those who violate environmental and public health laws in the U.S. for financial gain.” The charges in an indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A conviction for conspiracy is subject to a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000 for an individual, $500,000 for an organization, or twice the gain from the offense, among other penalties. A conviction for violating the Clean Air Act carries a prison term of up to two years and the same fines, among other penalties. The purpose of the Clean Air Act 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.” In passing the Act, Congress found that “the increasing use of motor vehicles[] has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare.” U.S. Attorney Totten also noted that those with information about other companies and individuals involved in tampering with emissions controls in connection with this investigation can contact EPA-CID at (734) 214-4913. General environmental violations can be reported to EPA through the website https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations . EPA-CID is investigating the matter with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Investigation Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant is prosecuting the cases. Diesel Freak LLC - Felony Information - File Stamped Copy Plea Agreement - Accurate Truck Service and Griffin Transportation Plea Agreement - Craig Scholten Plea Agreement - Diesel Freak LLC Plea Agreement - Douglas Larsen Plea Agreement - Glenn Hoezee Plea Agreement - Randy Clelland Plea Agreement - Robert Swainston Plea Agreement - Ryan Bos Plea Agreement - Ryan Lalone Plea Agreement - Scott Dekock Plea Agreement - Wade Lalone ###


title: NYC Mother and Son Charged with Interstate Shipment of Misbranded Animal Drugs

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Bien King, 70, of Congers, NY and Khalil King, 36, of New York, NY were charged by indictment with conspiracy, distribution of unregistered and misbranded pesticides, and interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs. The indictment alleges that Bien King and her son, Khalil King, jointly operated a business called “Little City Dogs,” based in New York City. The defendants purchased unapproved animal drugs and pesticides, including ivermectin, nitenpyram, praziquantel, and fipronil, from various Chinese suppliers. The defendants’ Chinese suppliers routinely mislabeled the shipments to avoid inspection by United States Customs and Border Protection inspectors. According to the indictment, once the defendants received the shipments from China, they used various locations, including a Manhattan office, to mix and repackage these drugs and pesticides for resale to customers throughout the United States. According to the indictment, the defendants’ company received over $4,000,000 from the sale of these misbranded, unregistered, and unapproved pesticides and animal drugs. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 19 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, a $1,450,000 fine, and a $550 special assessment. The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Clay County Man Convicted Of Unlawfully Possessing A Sawed-Off Shotgun

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dylan Milton Jarvis (31, Orange Park) has been found guilty of unlawful possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm (sawed-off shotgun), following a bench trial. Jarvis faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and forfeiture of the sawed-off shotgun seized by law enforcement during their investigation. The case is set for sentencing on July 24, 2023. According to court documents, at approximately 5:30 pm on January 11, 2022, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to calls of shots fired near Blanding Boulevard, a heavily traveled road in Orange Park. Eyewitnesses in the area described an individual, later identified as Jarvis, carrying a shotgun and firing multiple rounds. Upon making contact with Jarvis in a parking lot, the deputies determined that Jarvis had fired three to four shells from a Harrington & Richardson, 12-gauge shotgun and then discarded the firearm. The deputies located the shotgun in the immediate vicinity of the parking lot along with multiple spent shotgun shells. During an interview with the CCSO, Jarvis admitted to illegally modifying the shotgun. Follow up investigation by the CCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that Jarvis had previously sawed off the barrel and the stock of the 12-gauge shotgun. A record check confirmed that this sawed-off shotgun was not registered to Jarvis in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of the sawed-off shotgun. 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: United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 23-29, 2023

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, Miss. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is commemorating National Crime Victim’s Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 23-29, 2023. In commemoration of this year’s NCVRW, the office will hold a tree-planting ceremony to honor crime victims on Thursday, April 27, 2023, and will recognize victim advocates within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2021, there were more than 4. 6 million violent victimizations and 11.7 million property crimes. “It is imperative that we support crime victims to ensure that they are adequately informed, their rights are protected, and that they have an opportunity to be heard,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Crime victims come from all walks of life, but regardless of their background or circumstances, they deserve support throughout the criminal justice process and beyond. This week, we pause to honor crime victims from our District and across our Nation and affirm our commitment to engaging with them and advocating for them at each step of the criminal justice proceedings.” The Federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims Rights Week by raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Partner organizations are committed to engaging with victims of crime, learning from their lived experiences, amplifying their voices, and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported. For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims, please contact Jorge Torres, Victim Assistance Specialist, or Paul Roberts, Victim Rights Coordinator at (662) 234-3351. For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at ovc.ojp.gov.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Metropolis, Illinois man was sentenced today to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for robbing a bank in Lone Oak, Kentucky. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to court documents, on May 10, 2021, Reginald R. Thomas, 67, entered the FNB bank branch in Lone Oak wearing gloves and a mask. He was carrying a large shovel and demanded money from a teller. Thomas stole $11,650 and fled to Illinois where he was subsequently arrested. No one was injured during the robbery. The case was investigated by the FBI Paducah Satellite Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Metropolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former Mayfield Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Louisville man, formerly of Mayfield, Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, made the announcement. According to court documents, Kristopher G. Johnson, 45, distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine in McCracken County on June 18, 2021. The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Graves County Sheriff’s Office and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Christian County Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Federal Firearm Offenses

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Christian County man was sentenced yesterday to 5 years and 6 months in federal prison followed by a 4-year term of supervised release for distributing more than 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture and for possessing more than a dozen firearms after having previously been convicted of a felony offense. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Tyler DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to court documents, on March 24, 2022, Buddy Chambless, 39, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams a methamphetamine mixture. At the time of the arrest, agents located the following 13 firearms and approximately 2000 rounds of ammunition in a storage unit controlled by Chambless: a Diamondback Firearms LLC, model DB9, 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol; a Taurus, model 85, .38 special caliber revolver; a Harrington and Richardson, model 930, .22 caliber revolver; a Sun City Machinery Co., model 320, 12-gauge slide action shotgun; a Mossberg, model 500 Turkey, 12-gauge slide action shotgun; a Winchester, model 120 Ranger, 20-gauge slide action shotgun; a Mossberg, model 500E, .410-gauge slide action shotgun; a Taurus, model Circuit Judge, 45 long colt/.410-gauge rifle; a New England Firearms, model Pardner, 20-gauge single shot break action shotgun; a Henry Repeating Rifle Company, model Golden Boy, .22 caliber lever action rifle; a Savage Arms, model Mark II, .22 caliber bolt action rifle; a Mosin-Nagant, model M91/30, 7.62x54R caliber bolt action rifle; and a Mosin-Nagant, model P-26, 7.62x54R caliber bolt action rifle. Chambless was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been previously convicted of the following offense. On August 14, 2018, in Christian Circuit Court, he was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – greater than 2 grams of methamphetamine while armed and first-degree possession of a controlled substance while armed. The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Canton Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for  Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Canton man was sentenced to 63 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court documents, on November 4, 2021, Ridgeland Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Highland Colony Parkway near Old Agency Road, after receiving numerous 911 phone calls reporting two vehicles exchanging gunfire. Officers were able to locate one of the vehicles involved on the side of I-55 South with numerous bullet holes in the back, which was driven by Tyrone Diario Lewis, 32. Near the vehicle, in the woods, officers located four firearms, which Lewis and his occupants attempted to hide. Through the investigation, law enforcement officers were able to determine that Lewis possessed the four firearms, including an AR-style pistol, which was used during the shooting. Lewis has a prior felony conviction for armed robbery. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Lewis to possess any firearm Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 19, 2022. He pled guilty on January 26, 2023 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Ridgeland Police Department and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime .


title: Boca Raton Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Threatening to Shoot FBI Agents

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal district judge in West Palm Beach has sentenced 61-year-old Suzanne Ellen Kaye to 18 months in prison for threatening to shoot FBI agents in videos that she posted on social media. A jury found Kaye guilty in June 2022. On January 16, 2021, FBI’s National Threats Operation Center received an online tip with information that Kaye may have been at The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. ten days earlier (January 6) or knew of others who were there. The tip was referred to the FBI office in West Palm Beach for further investigation. On January 28, 2021, two West Palm Beach FBI agents contacted Kaye by telephone and asked to interview her. Kaye agreed and requested that it take place at her house. On January 31, 2021, before any interview, Kaye posted three videos on social media. In each publicly available video, Kaye informed her audience that the FBI wanted to question her about her visit to Washington, D.C. on January 6. On video, Kaye announced that she would “shoot their [expletive] a--” if FBI agents showed up at her house. FBI learned about Kaye’s social media postings on February 8, 2021, when they received a second online tip with one of the videos. Agents arrested Kaye at her home on February 17, 2021. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Dispoto and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-80039. ###


title: Three Nevada Men Convicted In Multimillion Dollar Prize Notice Scheme

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted three Nevada men yesterday for perpetrating a prize-notification scheme that stole more than $6 million from victims. The notices led victims to believe that they could claim a large cash prize if they paid a fee of $20 to $30. This was false; victims who paid the fees did not receive anything of value. Many of the schemes’ victims were retirees or other older adults. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mario Castro, 55, and Miguel Castro, 58, of Las Vegas, and Jose Luis Mendez, 49, of Henderson, Nevada, produced the fraudulent prize notices at their business in Las Vegas. The three defendants also were partners in companies that sent the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants used money from victims to print and mail prize notices and also received a share of the profits. “This verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursuing and holding accountable those who participate in scams that defraud consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting consumers from deceptive mass-mailing schemes.” “The defendants mailed fraudulent prize notices to prey upon and trick victims, many of them elderly, out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This guilty verdict should be a warning to individuals who commit fraudulent acts. We are committed to working together with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to identify and hold fraudsters accountable. We will continue to protect older Americans and prosecute individuals who seek to carry out fraudulent schemes targeting seniors.” “Vulnerable and older Americans have been victimized for far too long by individuals who hide in the shadows to commit their crimes,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “This verdict unmasks these criminals and holds them to account for their conduct. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to have contributed to this result and will be relentless in protecting American consumers from fraud through the U.S. Mail.” The defendants operated the scheme from 2010 to February 2018, when postal inspectors executed multiple search warrants and the Department of Justice obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Mario Castro, Miguel Castro, and Jose Luis Mendez worked at the printing and mailing businesses that sent the fraudulent mail and shared the profits from the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants and their co-conspirators ignored multiple cease and desist orders from the U.S. Postal Service that prohibited their companies from sending fraudulent mail. The defendants responded by changing the names of their companies and using straw owners to hide their continuing fraud. Mario Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and seven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of five counts of mail fraud. Miguel Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of seven counts of mail fraud. Jose Luis Mendez was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and eleven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of one count of mail fraud. A fourth defendant, Salvador Castro, was acquitted by the jury on all charges. The convicted defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Four other people previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with this prize notice scheme: Patti Kern, 65, of Henderson, Nevada; Andrea Burrow, 43, of Las Vegas; Edgar Del Rio, 45, of Las Vegas; and Sean O’Connor, 54, of Las Vegas. The USPIS investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The Department urges individuals to be on the lookout for lottery, prize notification, and sweepstakes scams. If you receive a phone call, letter, or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes, or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP_and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov_to receive consumer complaints. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . The Department of Justice provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at https://www.ovc.gov . ###


title: Trigg County Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Prison for Federal Firearms Offenses

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Trigg County man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 4 months in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense and possessing the firearm in violation of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to court documents, Chanz Outing, 41, of Cadiz, Kentucky, possessed a shotgun having a barrel length of less than 18 inches that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Outing was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On October 15, 2002, in Trigg Circuit Court, he was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine). On January 15, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Paducah Division, Outing was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and aiding and abetting the distribution of marijuana. The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Resident Agency and the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Apopka Woman Sentenced For Role In Construction-Related Wire Fraud And Tax Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Mayra Velasquez (35, Apopka) to three years and five months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and the Internal Revenue Service. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $600,752, and an order for the forfeiture of three properties in Polk County, all as part of the proceeds of the conspiracies. Velasquez had pleaded guilty on March 9, 2022. According to court documents, Velasquez owned and managed a construction company which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Velasquez’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Velasquez’s company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Velasquez’s employees at construction sites and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Velasquez or others then regularly received “payroll checks” from contractors that they cashed at various financial institutions to pay Velasquez’s purported “employees” and other related expenses. During the time period charged, Velasquez falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that her company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Velasquez also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that her company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, Velasquez’s company received and cashed more than $7 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Velasquez had reported to her worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, these employees, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurance companies that dealt with Velasquez’s company lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover. The loss to those insurers was almost $750,000 in insurance premiums that were not paid. As a result of these misrepresentations, Velasquez’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and evaded laws that required the payment of state and federal payroll taxes on behalf of these workers. Velasquez’s company did not collect or remit any such payroll taxes to the United States. In addition, the contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were also able to avoid responsibility for those taxes as well. The amount of those unpaid payroll taxes totaled more than $1.769 million. “Velasquez engaged in a scheme which benefitted her at the expense of every U.S. Taxpayer,” said IRS CI Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “This scheme is all too common in the construction industry and IRS CI is working hard to ensure all employers operate on an even playing field and according to the law.” Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said, “Workers’ compensation fraud will not be tolerated in Florida. It puts businesses and injured workers in jeopardy and drives up insurance costs for honest business owners who properly protect their employees.” “This fraudster was responsible for a scheme to evade worker’s compensation premiums and avoid paying employment taxes, resulting in illicit profits and proceeds in the millions of dollars,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI is proud to partner with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services to hold criminals accountable for taking advantage of government, private industry, and America’s workforce.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Investigative and Forensic Services Bureau of Insurance Fraud, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is part of a lengthy investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Pair Accused of More St. Louis Carjackings

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men from East St. Louis, Illinois who were already facing federal charges related to a carjacking in November have been accused of more. Quinn Turner, 21, and Jaylen Mays, 25, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court Wednesday. Turner is facing four felonies from an April 19 superseding indictment: two carjacking charges and two charges of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mays is charged with three counts each of carjacking and firearms charge, as well as one count charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment accuses Mays, aided by others, of stealing a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu on Nov. 5, 2022 while brandishing a firearm. It says Mays and Turner, again aided by others, stole a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint six days later, and a 2017 GMC Terrain two days after that. A detention motion says the GMC was stolen from a gas station at the northwest corner of Russell Boulevard and South 7th Street in the Soulard neighborhood by men who pulled up in a Nissan Rogue and the carjacked Malibu, which had been stolen in the downtown business district. Detectives assigned to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Anti-Crime Task Force utilized spike strips to stop the Malibu, finding Quinn, Mays and a juvenile that matched the description of one of the armed men inside, the detention motion says. The carjacking and felon in possession charges carry a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case.


title: Pinedale Woman Sentence to 37 Months for Fatal Crash

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Betrina Harry Grey was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Grey, 31, of Pinedale, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2022, to one count each of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon her release from prison, Grey will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 14, 2017, Grey was driving while intoxicated when she lost control of her vehicle on State Road 118 near the Fort Wingate Army Depot turnoff on the Navajo Nation. As the vehicle rolled, two passengers, identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, were ejected from the vehicle. John Doe 1 died on the scene, while John Doe 2 suffered a significant brain injury and was airlifted to a hospital for emergency care. Both victims were enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. In her plea agreement, Grey acknowledged that her blood alcohol content, measured after the incident, was .16. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-89


title: Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Nicholas Pinto has pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country. Pinto, 24, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 18, 2022, while at the home of the victim, identified as John Doe, Pinto started an argument with another guest at which point Doe asked him to leave. As Pinto left the residence, he told Doe that he would be “coming back.” Pinto returned to Doe’s house later that day with a sawed-off shotgun and knocked on the front door. When Doe answered, Pinto fired the shotgun at Doe with the intent to cause great bodily harm, striking Doe in the right leg. As Doe was laying on the ground, Pinto racked another shell in the shotgun, pointed the gun at Doe, and attempted to fire a second time, but the gun jammed. At that time, Pinto fled the scene and attempted to hide the firearm. John Doe suffered great bodily harm, including a large 12-inch gunshot wound to the right thigh. The incident occurred on the Zuni Pueblo. Under the terms of the agreement, Pinto faces 10 years in prison followed by up to five years of supervised release. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-90


title: Kentucky Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Federal Prison After Coming to Indiana to Distribute over A Kilogram of Crystal Methamphetamine

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Larry Beville, 61, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been sentenced to 160 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on August 24, 2022, as part of an ongoing investigation, members of the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration stopped Larry Beville near the 8000 block of Eagle Crest Boulevard after observing a violation of traffic laws. Upon approaching the car, a detective saw drug paraphernalia and smelled burnt marijuana. Officers obtained a warrant to search the vehicle, and recovered marijuana, a glass, smoking pipe with apparent drug residue, and a plastic container that held a gallon-sized Ziploc bag full of over 1 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine. When questioned by detectives, Beville initially stated that he did not know anything about the bag full of methamphetamine, but then changed his statement to acknowledge that there was a “kilo of methamphetamine” in the bag. Beville stated that he was delivering the methamphetamine to Evansville from Kentucky for distribution. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Chief Billy Bolin of the Evansville Police Department made the announcement. “The serious federal sentenced imposed today should be a warning to all who intend to traffic dangerous drugs into our communities—you are not welcome in the Southern District of Indiana,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “I am grateful to our partners at the DEA and Evansville Police Department who continue to get deadly drugs and drug traffickers off our streets and out of our neighborhoods.” Evansville Police Department and DEA investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Beville be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristian Mukoski, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Slidell Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substance Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OLIVER PIERRE , age 40, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, in October 2015, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned of the drug trafficking activities of James Bickham, a Houston-based drug trafficker who used PIERRE as a drug courier to deliver drugs from Houston to Slidell, Louisiana. Through a court-approved telephone wiretap, from October 6 to October 8, 2015, Agents intercepted telephone calls between Bickham and a customer discussing the delivery of 7.5 ounces of crack from Bickham to the customer in Slidell, Louisiana. In the conversations, Bickham informed the customer that PIERRE would deliver the drugs to him on October 8. Aware of the pending drug transaction, on October 8, 2015, agents established surveillance outside of the customer’s residence in Slidell. Agents also intercepted calls between Bickham, the customer, and PIERRE regarding the delivery of the crack. At approximately 3:40 p.m., the customer exited an apartment and drove to the Quick E-Z, 35220 Hwy 433 in Slidell and parked next to a silver colored SUV driven by PIERRE . PIERRE , who was delivering the drugs supplied by Bickham, threw the drugs into the customer’s vehicle. While PIERRE was throwing the drugs into the customer’s vehicle, Bickham, who was on the phone with the customer, told the customer that PIERRE gave the customer two bags containing a total of 7.5 ounces of crack. After PIERRE threw the drugs into the customer’s vehicle, the customer and PIERRE left the area in their separate vehicles. Agents attempted to stop the customer but the customer drove away and threw the drugs out of the window. Eventually, Agents caught and arrested the customer and retrieved the two bags of drugs that he threw from his vehicle. In total, agents recovered 158 grams of crack that PIERRE delivered to the customer. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Fort Bragg Soldier with Apparent Plot to Remove Racial Minorities from Eastern North Carolina Pleads Guilty to Possessing an Illegal Short Barrel Rifle

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fort Bragg soldier, Noah Edwin Anthony, 23, who had evidence of a preliminary self-titled “operation,” found on his electronic devices, with the goal “to physically remove as many of [black and brown people] from Hoke, Cumberland, Robeson and Scotland Counties by whatever means need be,” pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. Anthony faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced later this year. According to court documents and information provided in court, Anthony attempted to enter Fort Bragg on March 3, 2022, as gate officers were conducting random vehicle inspections. The gate officer asked Anthony to step out of the vehicle and immediately located a loaded handgun in the center console. This handgun was later identified as a “Glock Like” 9mm privately made handgun, commonly called a Ghost Gun, with no serial number. Anthony was asked if the handgun was registered, and Anthony answered he didn’t have any paperwork for it. Military Police arrived and located two extended magazines, ammunition, as well as an American flag with a Swastika, instead of blue field and stars, and other Nazi type patches. Further search of Anthony’s room on Fort Bragg resulted in disclosure of a 3D printed, FGC-9 rifle with no serial number, a lower receiver, magazines for various firearms, white supremacist literature, t-shirts and patches, as well as several electronic devices. The FGC-9 firearm was submitted to the ATF Firearms Laboratory who confirmed that it was a short barrel rifle less than 16 inches in violation of the National Firearms Act (NFA). Additionally, the FGC-9 lacked manufacturer’s marks of identification or serial number and thus had not been registered as required under the NFA. Anthony pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-217-M. ###


title: Scott County Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Georgetown, Ky., man, Tyler Brady Lawson, 26, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The indictment alleges that on March 9, 2023, Lawson knowingly possessed visual depictions that involved minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as well as visual representations (e.g., computer-generated images) of the sexual abuse of children. The indictment also alleges that, in February 2022 and again in June 2022, Lawson coerced two minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the indictment. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI Louisville and Georgetown Police Department. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton. Lawson appeared in court for his arraignment on Wednesday. For each production charge, he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. For each possession charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. — END —


title: Former Harvard University Professor Sentenced for Lying About His Affiliation with Wuhan University of Technology; China’s Thousand Talents Program; and Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former Chair of Harvard University’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for lying to federal authorities about his affiliation with People’s Republic of China’s Thousand Talents Program and the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in Wuhan, China, as well as failing to report income he received from WUT. Dr. Charles Lieber, 64, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (two days) in prison; two years of supervised release with six months of home confinement; a fine of $50,000; and $33,600 in restitution to the IRS. The government recommended a sentence of 90 days in prison and a $150,000 fine. In December 2021, Lieber was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of making false statements to federal authorities, two counts of making and subscribing a false income tax return, and two counts of failing to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts (FBAR) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Lieber served as the Principal Investigator of the Lieber Research Group at Harvard University, which between 2008 and 2019 conducted more than $15 million in research sponsored by various U.S. Government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense (“DOD”) and the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”). Unbeknownst to his employer, Harvard University, Lieber became a “Strategic Scientist” at WUT and, later, a contractual participant in China’s Thousand Talents Plan from at least 2012 through 2015. China’s Thousand Talents Plan was one of the most prominent Chinese talent recruitment plans designed to attract, recruit and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China’s scientific development, economic prosperity and national security. In April 2018, during an interview with federal agents from DOD (one of the agencies that sponsored a portion of Lieber’s research), among other things, Lieber falsely stated that he had never been asked to participate in the Thousand Talents Plan. Later, in January 2019, Lieber caused Harvard to falsely tell the NIH (another sponsor of Lieber’s research) that Lieber was not, and had never been, a participant in the Thousand Talents Plan. Lieber knew these statements were false because he had signed a Thousand Talents contract with WUT in 2012, performed many of the duties and responsibilities required of him under that contract, and been paid a substantial salary by WUT in exchange for his work. Specifically, the terms of Lieber’s three-year Thousand Talents contract with WUT entitled Lieber to a salary of up to $50,000 per month, living expenses of up to $150,000 and approximately n $1.5 million to conduct joint research at WUT. In tax years 2013 and 2014, Lieber earned income from WUT in the form of salary and other payments made to him pursuant to his Thousand Talents contract, which he did not disclose to the IRS on his federal income tax returns. Together with WUT officials, Lieber also opened a bank account at a Chinese bank during a trip to Wuhan in 2012. Thereafter, between at least 2012 and 2015, WUT periodically deposited portions of Lieber’s salary into that account. U.S. taxpayers are required to report the existence of any foreign bank account that holds more than $10,000 at any time during a given year by the filing an FBAR with the IRS. According to Lieber, the balance of his Chinese bank account was approximately $200,000 in 2014 and 2015. Nonetheless, Lieber purposely failed to file FBARs for those years. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division for the Boston Field Office; Michael Wiest, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Northeast Field Office; and Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of Rollins’ National Security Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: New Jersey Doctor Admits Health Care Fraud Targeting Amtrak

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey doctor today admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Muhammad Mirza, 50, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From April 2017 through June 2022, Mirza and his conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary. They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. Mirza and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.3 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sam Dotson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. mirza.information.pdf