title: Mexican National Sentenced to 25 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Illegal Possession of Firearms, and Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mexican National, residing in Lexington, Renaldo Villa Gomez, 38, was sentenced on Monday, to 25 years in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of more of methamphetamine, unlawful re-entry into the United States after a prior deportation, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, following surveillance, law enforcement conducted searches of a vehicle and multiple residences in in Fayette County affiliated with the conspiracy. In all, law enforcement seized 23.7 kilograms (52 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine, 1.7 kilos of cocaine, six semi-automatic firearms, ammunition, ammunition magazines, and more than $91,000 in drug proceeds. Gomez admitted to the possession of the drugs, firearms, and cash proceeds. Gomez further admitted that he was born in Mexico and has been deported several times, including in April 2004, August 2009, October 2015, and August 2017. Gomez has also been convicted of two prior drug felony offenses and four prior illegal reentry convictions. Under federal law, Gomez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon competition his prison sentence, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. He will also be processed for deportation. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; LaDeon Francis, Director, Department of Homeland Security, ICE-ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) Chicago Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, FBI, ICE- ERO, and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Third Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Nearly $600,000 Charity Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fuquay-Varina man pled guilty to devising and executing a scheme to defraud the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (“PCS”) by conspiring to fraudulently obtain matching charitable contributions for the Boys and Girls Succeed (“BAGS”) organization. Dwayne Moorer West, age 60, faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later this year. Two of West’s co-conspirators pled guilty to the same charges on January 23, 2024, and are also facing up to 20 years behind bars. “Many companies encourage their employees to support local charities by matching their employees’ charitable contributions. This defendant recruited PSC employees to make fake donations to his charity so he could fraudulently secure over a half-million dollars in matching funds from PSC. He then paid kickbacks to the employees,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant was driven by greed to take advantage of a charitable program meant to help those in need. He now faces federal prison.” According to documents and information presented in court, Dwayne Moorer West owned BAGS, an organization that provided services to boys and girls in Wake County. Between 2010 and 2018, West conspired with Michael Lavern King, a PCS employee, and Martin Fareed Abdullah, a BAGS employee, to fraudulently obtain matched charitable contributions from PCS. To carry out this scheme, King and Abdullah solicited multiple PCS employees to aid and assist in the fraud. West obtained bank checks that fraudulently showed large charitable donations from each PCS employee to the BAGS foundation. The fraudulent checks were then used as donation receipts for submission to PCS as part of their matching charitable program. The PCS employees never made charitable donations to BAGS. Instead, they received a quarterly kickback from West, Abdullah, and King for the use of their employee information. In total, PCS matched nearly $600,000 in fraudulently obtained contributions to BAGS. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh 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. 5:23-CR-00091-BO.


title: Mail Carrier Sentenced for Obstructing the Mail and Diverting Mail Packages

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Fall River U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for obstructing the mail by diverting multiple packages in his custody. Rafael De Los Angeles, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to time served (approximately one day in prison) and six months of supervised release. In December 2023, De Los Angeles pleaded guilty to five counts of obstruction of mail. On five separate occasions in August 2017, De Los Angeles knowingly and willfully obstructed the passage of five mailed packages he was responsible for delivering. On each occasion, De Los Angeles drove the packages to different locations that were not listed as the delivery addresses. There, he scanned the packages to record them as having been delivered to the correct addresses before ripping off the address labels and giving the packages to someone other than the listed recipients. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Luke Goldworm of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Three Kanawha County Women Sentenced for Roles in Wire Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three Kanawha County women were sentenced today for roles in a fraudulent scheme that used personal identification information stolen through the employment of two of the women with an office cleaning service. Brittany King, 35, of East Bank, and Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, were each sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Amy Deavers, 51, of Glasgow, the mother of Tabatha Deavers, was sentenced to six months of incarceration, which she has already served, and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Amy Deavers and Tabatha Deavers were jointly ordered to pay $4,256.06 in restitution, with additional restitution amounts for Tabatha Deavers and King to be determined. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, King and Tabatha Deavers unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of multiple individuals through their employment with a business that cleaned local office spaces. King and Tabatha Deavers rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims and opened lines of credit and bank accounts and obtained loans and credit cards in the names of their identity theft victims. From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, King and Tabatha Deavers stole money and property from individuals, companies, lenders, financial institutions and car dealerships with their scheme. King and Tabatha Deavers submitted a fraudulent change of address form to the United States Postal Service to reroute one victim’s mail to their Bridge Road apartment in Charleston on June 7, 2022. Tabatha Deavers attempted to purchase a vehicle from a Charleston area car dealership using the personal identification information of another victim on January 15, 2022. King fraudulently used another victim’s personal identification information to purchase a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from a Charleston business on September 30, 2022. King and Tabatha Deavers caused a loss of at least $260,239.19 to more than 10 victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes. Amy Deavers became involved in the wire fraud scheme after King and Tabatha Deavers were arrested and federally charged for their actions on December 5, 2022. King and Tabatha Deavers attempted to transfer $1,000 from one of the scheme’s fraudulent bank accounts to Amy Deavers on December 30, 2022. This account was opened to reroute the Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits of one of the identity theft victims. On January 30, 2023, Tabatha Deavers was incarcerated at the South Central Regional Jail when she spoke to Amy Deavers during a recorded jail phone call. Tabatha Deavers provided Amy Deavers with information during the call to access and transfer funds from the veteran victim’s fraudulent account. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell, Jonathan T. Storage and Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-14. ###


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Firearm and Drug Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number while on supervised release from an earlier federal firearm charge. Dane Mitchell, 32, of Boston and Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Mitchell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In 2021, as part of an investigation into a violent Boston gang, Mitchell was identified as the owner of a Snapchat account who regularly posted images of himself in possession of firearms. Specifically, images showed Mitchell’s face with firearms and bullet holes in his vehicle after he had been shot at. Mitchell is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2018 federal conviction in the District of Maine for unlawful transportation of firearms, for which he was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. During a search of Mitchell’s Revere residence in December 2021, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition, bags of cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, cutting agents, a digital scale, a blender and a press for packaging narcotics were seized. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston, Quincy and Lynn Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The operation was conducted is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Nine buckets of narcotics: trafficker admits to importing $340,000 of liquid meth in fuel tank

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old resident of Monterrey, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to importing 300 pounds of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On Nov. 22, 2023, Allan Alberto Moreno Trevino approached the Laredo Colombia Solidarity International Bridge Port of Entry driving a white 2004 Ford F-250 pickup truck. Law enforcement subsequently referred him to secondary inspection where an x-ray revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank. While inspecting the vehicle, authorities noticed Moreno Trevino pacing and appearing nervous, eventually asking them if something had been found. Authorities eventually discovered the fuel tank was filled with liquid meth mixed with gasoline. Law enforcement extracted nine buckets of the mixture with an approximate gross weight of 137.2 kilograms and an estimated street value of $340,000. As part of his plea, Moreno Trevino stated he expected to be paid between $1,500 and $2,000 for transporting the drugs from Mexico. He also admitted knowing the fuel tank contained a controlled substance which he was to deliver to others in San Antonio where the liquid meth would then be extracted. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno Trevino faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.


title: Honduran Man Arrested for Retaliating Against a Federal Witness

body_text: A Honduran man was arrested last week in Antioch, Tennessee, after being charged with conspiring to retaliate and retaliating against a witness (Individual A) who testified in a federal trial. According to court documents, Bayron Wuifredo Santos-Recarte, 25, and his co-conspirators allegedly agreed to, and did, physically assault Individual A because Individual A testified during a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy federal trial in spring 2023 involving the Mara Salvatrucha street gang, commonly known as MS-13. On Nov. 4, 2023, Santos-Recarte and his co-conspirators allegedly took Individual A by force and at gunpoint and placed him in a truck where they tied his hands together. They allegedly interrogated Individual A for hours about his trial testimony and repeatedly assaulted him before Individual A was able to escape. Santos-Recarte is charged with conspiring to retaliate and retaliating against a federal witness. If convicted, Santos-Recarte faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to retaliate against a federal witness and a maximum penalty of life in prison for retaliating against a federal witness. Santos-Recarte is currently in federal custody. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville made the announcement. ATF, HSI, and the Metropolitan-Nashville Police Department are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Brooke Farzad for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan man was sentenced on March 1, 2024 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Romeo Waldemar Gabriel Lopez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to time served (approximately six months in prison) and one year of supervised release. In December 2023, Gabriel Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Gabriel Lopez was first deported in April 2016 following a conviction for operating under the influence (OUI). His second deportation was in October 2016, after he was apprehended illegally crossing the border in Eagle Pass, Texas. Gabriel Lopez was later apprehended in Texas after illegally crossing the border again in December 2016. He was subsequently deported for a third time in April 2017. In February 2020, Gabriel Lopez was found to have unlawfully reentered the United States again when he was arrested and charged with a second OUI. He was removed from the United States again in March 2020. Sometime after his March 2020 removal, Gabriel Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested on charges of assault and battery, which were later dismissed. In July 2022, he pleaded guilty to the second, pending OUI charge and was sentenced to probation. After being incarcerated for violating the conditions of his probation in August 2023, Gabriel Lopez was transferred into the custody of immigration authorities in September 2023. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


body_text: Nashville – A Honduran man was arrested last week in Antioch, Tennessee, after being charged with conspiring to retaliate and retaliating against a witness (Individual A) who testified in a federal trial. According to court documents, Bayron Wuifredo Santos-Recarte, 25, and his co-conspirators allegedly agreed to, and did, physically assault Individual A because Individual A testified during a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy federal trial in spring 2023 involving the Mara Salvatrucha street gang, commonly known as MS-13. On November 4, 2023, Santos-Recarte and his co-conspirators allegedly took Individual A by force and at gunpoint and placed him in a truck where they tied his hands together. They allegedly interrogated Individual A for hours about his trial testimony and repeatedly assaulted him before Individual A was able to escape. Santos-Recarte is charged with conspiring to retaliate and retaliating against a federal witness. If convicted, Santos-Recarte faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to retaliate against a federal witness and a maximum penalty of life in prison for retaliating against a federal witness. Santos-Recarte is currently in federal custody. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville made the announcement. “Our office is grateful for individuals who do the right thing and display the courage to tell a jury about criminal conduct in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Tom Jaworski. “This arrest shows that our office will not allow threats or retaliation against witnesses to go unpunished. We commend law enforcement for their efforts to see justice done in this case.” “The integrity and safety of those who participate in our judicial system is at the core of our legal system. The arrest of those individuals who are alleged to have threatened a witness in a criminal trial and inflicted physical harm is a welcomed relief to the citizens of the greater Nashville metropolitan area,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. “For far too long, criminal organizations and transnational gangs like MS-13 have used physical violence and threats of force to intimidate or retaliate against witnesses by reigning terror on local communities,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “By working together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we root out those who seek to undermine these basic constitutional protections for witnesses and end their lawless behavior.” ATF, HSI, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Brooke Farzad for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. #####


title: Antigua Man Who Was Arrested 13 Years After Being Charged in Connection With Illegal Gambling Ring Pleads Guilty

body_text: BOSTON – An Antigua man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his participation in a large-scale illegal gambling business which utilized an Antiguan Internet site, but operated in the continental United States. In total, defendant and co-conspirators collected over $22 million through an illegal gambling operation and laundered more than $10 million in checks and wire transfers. Richard Sullivan, 74, of St. John’s, Antigua, pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business and transmission of wagering information. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2024. Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in August 2010 and was arrested in August 2023 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York upon his return to the United States from Antigua. This prosecution marked one of the first times that individuals were charged with violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), and the first in Massachusetts. The UIGEA statute was enacted in 2006 to deter the use of the U.S. banking system to pay Internet gambling debts incurred by U.S. citizens. Sullivan and his co-defendants were originally charged with over 75 counts of engaging in U.S. banking transactions involving U.S.-based gamblers to pay gambling debts owed to Sports Offshore, an online gambling site licensed in Antigua that was actually operating in the United States. Sullivan and his three co-conspirators – Todd Lyons, Robert Eremian and Daniel Eremian – operated Sports Offshore – which stretched from Massachusetts to Florida. Sports Offshore used an Internet site and toll-free telephone line registered in Antigua to service United States customers. The ring also employed approximately 50 gambling agents in the United States, who solicited hundreds of customers and collected gambling debts, forwarding the illegal gambling proceeds to Antigua. To conceal the conspiracy, Sullivan and his co-conspirators created numerous fictitious entities with no legitimate business purpose to launder the proceeds of their illegal gambling business so that authorities could not detect U.S.-based financial transactions involving Sports Offshore. Sullivan managed the daily activities of Sports Offshore at its gambling office in St. John’s, Antigua. In that capacity, Sullivan supervised employees who accepted wagers from customers in the United States that were placed over the telephone and the Internet. Sullivan helped direct collection activities regarding customers and agents located in the United States who owed money to Sports Offshore. Sullivan also served as an agent for Sports Offshore and was responsible for a group of Massachusetts customers who gambled with Sports Offshore, earning commissions on gambling losses incurred by those customers. Additionally, Sullivan used Massachusetts residents to collect money from his local customers which he had shipped directly to Antigua via the mail. In total, Sullivan and his co-conspirators collected over $22 million for Sports Offshore through the illegal gambling operation and laundered more than $10 million in checks and wire transfers. In December 2011 , Lyons and Daniel Eremian were convicted following a five-week jury trial for their roles in the conspiracy. Lyons was sentenced to four years in prison, one year of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $24.6 million. Daniel Eremian was sentenced to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $7.7 million. The charge of operating an illegal gambling business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, and up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transmission of wagering information provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, and up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Sutter County Church Administrator Convicted for Fraud and Identity Theft

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal judge found Chanell Easton, 38, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, guilty Monday of two counts of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. On May 19, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment, charging Easton with 22 counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Easton pleaded guilty to the fraud counts on Oct. 17, 2023, but persisted in her not guilty plea to the remaining two counts. A jury trial was waived, and the one-day trial was held before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2013 to 2018, Easton worked as the church administrator at a church in Yuba City. During her employment, Easton stole over $360,000 from the church, including from its food pantry and youth ministry, during a years-long embezzlement scheme. Easton used credit cards associated with the church to make personal purchases — at a hair salon, retail stores, online retailers, a vacation rental service, and to buy VIP concert tickets — and then paid off the resulting balance with the church’s money. One of the credit cards Easton used during her scheme belonged to the church’s youth minister, and Easton used his identity to make thousands of dollars in unauthorized personal purchases on Zappos.com. Easton’s use of the youth minister’s identity allowed her to obscure her embezzlement and to shift suspicion away from herself, thereby allowing her fraudulent scheme to continue. Easton also transferred money directly from the church’s bank accounts to her own personal account, paid down the balance of her own personal credit card, and paid her cellphone provider for her personal bills and for new phones. Easton also stole money from the church by writing checks to others for personal expenses and by writing checks to herself, on which she forged the signatures of the church’s treasurer or the head volunteer of the church’s food pantry. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Wong and Lee Bickley are prosecuting the case. Judge Mendez is scheduled to sentence Easton on June 25, 2024. Easton faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Utah Businessman Indicted for Allegedly Failing to Remove 3,330 Tons of Asbestos-Containing Debris After Hotel Demolition

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment February 14, 2024, charging a businessman and part owner of a company that owned Broadway Hotel, with Clean Air Act Violations. The owner failed to properly dispose of 3,330 tons of asbestos-containing debris, which cost the Environmental Protection Agency $1.1 million to remove following emergency action. According to court documents, Daniel J. Brett, 68, of Murray, Utah, was a businessman and part-owner of the Broadway Hotel, a 21,000 square foot structure located on North Broadway Avenue in Tooele, Utah. The hotel was in a residential and mixed-use neighborhood with three primary schools within a half mile. Brett and his co-owner/managing partner intended to include the hotel in a redevelopment project, known as the Broadway Heritage Village. However, in July 2020, the Broadway Hotel experienced a fire, and its demolition was ordered by the owners because the hotel was deemed structurally unsound. Brett and his partner began coordinating the hotel’s demolition, ignoring the fact the hotel contained asbestos in numerous locations, including in its thermal system/boiler insulation, wall plaster, rolled vinyl flooring and roofing materials. The presence of asbestos in the Broadway Hotel was known since 2011, when an Environmental Site Assessment was performed by a third party. The owners hired an excavation company, which was not trained or certified to work with regulated asbestos-containing material, to demolish the hotel. Additionally, this was the company’s first major demolition. In December 2020, two individuals at the excavation company performed the demolition without self-contained breathing apparatus and protective suits and other protective equipment (PPE). Brett agreed, as owner, to dispose of the debris after demolition. However, Brett left the Broadway Hotel debris pile at the site, uncovered for fifteen months. Despite knowing the demolition pile contained asbestos-containing material, Brett did not keep the demolition pile continually wet, as required by the Clean Air Act. In February 2022, contractors with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an emergency removal action at the site of the Broadway Hotel debris pile. The work was completed in March 2022. The emergency removal action ultimately required the clean-up and proper disposal of 3,330 tons of asbestos containing debris, which cost the EPA, approximately $1.1 million. EPA Brett is charged with three counts of Clean Air Act violations. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Ruth Hackford-Peer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lawrence Man Sentenced to Over Seven Years for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Francis Manuel Santos Arias, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Arias was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Eddy Reyes Tejada in December 2022. In January 2022, Arias was identified as a cocaine and fentanyl distributor seeking customers in the greater Boston and Lawrence areas. During the investigation, Arias distributed a total of over 700 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness over the course of four controlled purchases. Tejada was sentenced in November 2023 to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the drug conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Interim Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Isaiah Wise, 23. Judge Hardy also ordered Wise to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Wise previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing a firearm on December 4, 2021, after prior felony convictions for fentanyl trafficking, unlawful firearm possession, and endangering the welfare of children. Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that Wise was on probation for those felony crimes on that date, when he participated in an unlawful scheme to purchase and possess a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol, a high-capacity drum magazine, and ammunition. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wise. 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 of Justice 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: U.S. Attorney’s Office Prosecuted 85 Firearm Offenders, while Seizing and Forfeiting 163 Illegal Firearms in 2023

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that in 2023, the office she leads prosecuted 85 illegal firearm offenders, resulting in the seizure and forfeiture of 163 illegally owned, possessed, used, or obtained firearms. Firearms that are forfeited are removed from the possession of a convicted criminal defendant and relinquished to the government for disposal, including potentially the return of stolen firearm to rightful owners. “The 85 firearm offenders my office prosecuted in 2023 had access to illegal firearms and many demonstrated an inclination for violence. These prosecutions are a stark reminder of the nexus of firearms and violent crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our collaborative law enforcement partnerships at the federal, state, local and tribal level have a significant impact in removing illegal firearms off our streets, reducing violent crime and making our communities safer.” Since the start of 2023, the 85 defendants were charged with various federal firearm offenses, which included, among other crimes, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of Domestic Violence, First-Degree Murder, and Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer. The majority of these firearm and violent crime cases were prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office partners with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington. “The FBI works alongside our law enforcement partners to keep our communities and neighborhoods safe.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The FBI’s goal is to build cases which disrupt and dismantle the capabilities of criminal enterprises, putting the worst offenders behind bars to keep communities safer. The impact of firearms violations highlighted from 2023 represent a step forward in achieving that aim. These results would not be possible with the strong partnerships within the public safety community.” “The nexus between drug trafficking and firearms illustrates the danger of violence at the hands of members of drug trafficking organizations,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA worked diligently with the United States Attorney’s Office and with our Federal, state, local, and tribal partners to keep our communities safe from drug-fueled violence, as these seizures prove.” “ATF supports our 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But when people commit crimes with firearms, or possess illegal firearms, ATF is at the forefront of ensuring these people are investigated and referred for prosecution, making our communities safer and protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.” Enforcing federal firearm prohibitions is also a crucial part of combating domestic violence. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Law enforcement responding to active domestic violence scenes are at increased risk when firearms are present. Under federal law, people with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. In October 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref announced her office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative to prevent domestic violence homicides and prevent abusers who have previously been convicted of domestic violence offenses from having access to firearms. Partnering with the Yakima Police Department, Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office, Spokane Police Department, and Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, and domestic violence prevention advocates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focuses enforcement on individuals identified as repeat domestic violence abusers in possession of firearms. “Everyone deserves to live in a safe home free of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Federal prosecutors witness the devastating impacts of domestic violence on the lives of victims and their families, who may endure long-term trauma and are at increased risk for returning to abusive relationships. Our Safe Homes, Safe Community initiative focuses on victim safety, law enforcement safety and community safety. Here in the Eastern District of Washington, my Office is committed to use all the tools at our disposal—including leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement and local prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.” Major firearms-related cases filed or pending in the Eastern District of Washington in 2023 include: 21 Year-Old Moxee Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years In Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime Alexis Sanchez-Gomez was gang member who trafficked drugs and possessed firearms. He was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. 30 Year-Old Yakama Man Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment for Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence James Skahan-Lowe was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Skahan-Lowe pointed a rifle at the victim, then beat him with it. Richland Man With Extensive Criminal History Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison After Shooting A Person and Conspiring To Distribute Fentanyl-Laced Pills in Tri-Cities Jonathan Scott Ard was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on fentanyl and gun charges. Ard has long criminal record which includes a significant history of crimes of violence. Othello Woman Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense Alondra Yanez was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for being a Felon in Possession of Firearms. Yanez helped traffic 11 stolen firearms. One of the stolen firearms sold by Yanez was used during the homicide of a four-year-old child in Othello, Washington in February of 2021. Yakima Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense James Duane Deckard was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for being an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances and Person Convicted of Domestic Violence in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Deckard was involved in a domestic dispute where he pointed a firearm at his intimate partner. 31 Year-Old Yakima Man Sentenced to 7 Years Imprisonment for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms Stolen From Fish and Wildlife Building Alexander Scott Stevens was sentenced to seven years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of Firearms. Stevens was linked to the theft of 18 firearms and a suppressor from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Othello Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offenses Related to the Homicide of a Four-Year-Old Child Felipe Tapia-Perez was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison to being an Unlawful Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of a Stolen Firearm. In February of 2021 Tapia-Perez bought a stolen firearm. A short time later he was involved in a domestic dispute with his partner. During the argument, Tapia-Perez was holding the stolen firearm. The pistol discharged, and the bullet struck his four-year-old child in the head. The child later passed away at the hospital. Repeat Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense Frederick Terrell was sentenced to 51 months in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Terrell texted his intimate partner three videos that showed him shooting a pistol. Terrell was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions. Terrell also has at least seven prior convictions arising from domestic violence assaults. Long-Time Sureno Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting an Undercover Law Enforcement Officer Randy Coy James Holmes, age 25, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison for Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. Holmes shot the undercover ATF during the purchase of a firearm. Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses Merced Zamora was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, as well as for Use, Carry, and Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense. Zamora was driving on a suspended license. Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies recovered two firearms, ammunition, and a half pound of methamphetamine following a search of his vehicle. Zamora was found guilty by a jury of his peers after a multi-day jury trial in Spokane, Washington. Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense Michael Ross was sentenced to 4 years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. At the time he was detained, Ross had three convictions for crimes that qualify for federal felonies, including, one count Second Degree Assault (Domestic Violence), First Degree Burglary, and seven counts of Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Felon Found with Almost a Dozen Firearms, Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison Zachary Wade Bennett was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. During a search of home, deputies found 10 guns, including three AR-15 rifles, boxes of ammo, drug paraphernalia, ledgers detailing his drug distribution operations, heroin and hallucinogenic mushrooms. More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found here.


title: Former Kentucky Sheriff’s Deputy Found Guilty of Federal Civil Rights Charges Following Multiple Assaults and Obstruction

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal jury in Lexington, Kentucky, yesterday found former Boyle County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Deputy Tanner Abbott, 31, guilty of criminal civil rights violations and obstruction of justice. Evidence at trial proved that, during the first four months of 2021, Abbott willfully violated the civil rights of four people by using excessive force while arresting them, and obstructed justice by writing and directing another to write false reports to cover up his violations. “We’re grateful to this jury of Kentucky citizens who held an officer accountable for repeatedly and violently brutalizing people he was arresting, even though they were not resisting arrest and did not pose a threat,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This prosecution makes clear our commitment to confronting law enforcement criminality from the bottom to the top. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and violate their public trust by preying upon those they are sworn to protect.” “This case is a disgraceful example of betrayal of trust, a profound violation of the rights of others, and a danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “When those charged with enforcing the law and protecting the public turn to violating the rights of others and trying to cover it up, that does real damage. It not only injures victims, but also undermines the hard work and true dedication of so many in law enforcement. The defendant will now face the consequences of such a grave betrayal of the public trust.” “Law enforcement officers are given a gun, a badge and an incredible amount of power when it comes to protecting the communities they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “Therefore, when the FBI learns of allegations of color of law violations, they are taken seriously and investigated rigorously. Through our thorough investigation of former Sheriff Deputy Abbott, and re-enforced by the jury’s guilty findings, it was found that on more than one occasion, he clearly abused his power and deprived individuals of their civil rights. Seeking justice for victims of police misconduct continues to be of the upmost importance to the FBI.” According to evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 20, 2021, Abbott conducted a traffic stop on two young men driving to a restaurant in Danville, Kentucky. When the driver requested to speak with the defendant’s supervisor, Abbott punched him in the face, pulled him out of the car and struck him several more times as he lay on the ground, not resisting arrest or posing any threat. When the passenger, the driver’s brother, stepped out of the car and pleaded with Abbott to stop the beating, the defendant struck him in the face with an elbow, breaking his glasses. On Feb. 2, 2021, Abbott was involved in another traffic stop during which the passenger of the stopped vehicle was arrested. While the passenger was being handcuffed, the defendant suddenly and without justification punched him in the face, although the passenger’s actions posed no threat to the defendant at the time. The defendant then conspired with another officer to write a report in which the other officer falsely alleged that the victim had advanced aggressively toward Abbott before being punched. On March 31, 2021, the defendant went to a hotel in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, intending to search the room of a guest. He obtained a key to the room he wished to search by falsely representing to hotel staff that he had a search warrant, then used the key to force his way into the room, over the guest’s objection. Once inside, without consent or other lawful authority, he conducted an intrusive search of the guest’s personal property. Abbott then wrote a false report in which he claimed the guest had consented to the search. On April 28, 2021, the defendant arrested a driver who had failed to pull over when the defendant attempted to conduct a traffic stop of his car. After the chase ended and the driver had been arrested and handcuffed, Abbott approached the driver and punched him in the face, although he was not resisting arrest and posed no threat to the defendant or anyone else. The jury convicted Abbott of four counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, one count of conspiracy and one count of falsification of records within federal jurisdiction. Abbott was also found not guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. A sentencing here is scheduled for June 7, at 10:00 AM in Lexington. The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.


title: Fayette County Auto Salesman Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in federal court for conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Terrence Newmeyer Jr., 46, to one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, including six months of home incarceration and six months of home detention. Newmeyer was also ordered to pay restitution in the total amount of $31,280. According to information provided to the Court, Newmeyer was a salesman at RC Auto, a used car dealership in Fayette County. Along with his co-conspirator and RC Auto owner Joshua DeWitt, Newmeyer filed a series of fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loans, including on behalf of customers, telling some that they were applying for funds that could be used to purchase a vehicle from the dealership. DeWitt and Newmeyer used the fraudulently obtained pandemic benefits for themselves and the dealership, by—among other things—accepting them as payment for vehicles and services sold. DeWitt was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 10 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the total amount of $60,022.50. Prior to imposing sentence on Newmeyer, Judge Schwab stated that the fraud conspiracy lasted for many months and involved intentional criminal activity. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, Pennsylvania State Police, and Fayette County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Newmeyer.


title: Former Washington Resident Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Narcotics and Firearms Violations

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 65 months of incarceration followed by two years of supervised release on his conviction of federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Tecko Tartt, 37. According to information presented to the Court, as a result of a long-term wiretap investigation, federal agents searched Tartt’s residence on May 31, 2021, and seized a loaded handgun, 216 bundles of fluorofentanyl, two bags of cocaine, and $20,932 in United States currency. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and Perryopolis Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tartt. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Stamford Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SERVIO BARROS-TERREROS, 57, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a child exploitation offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2022, a minor female victim reported that, when she was nine and 10 years old, Barros-Terreros had sexually assaulted her multiple times. The victim reported that Barros-Terreros took sexually explicit pictures of her, and threatened to publish the pictures and show them to the victim’s mother if the victim told anyone. Barros-Terreros also instructed the victim to undress during video calls he initiated with the victim, during which he also engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On January 12, 2023, Stamford Police arrested Barros-Terreros on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses, and seized Barros-Terreros’ iPhone. Analysis of the iPhone revealed sexually explicit images of the minor victim, and images of Barros-Terreros engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim. Barros-Terreros pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on June 13. Barros-Terreros has been detained since his arrest. This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Morgan County Man Sentenced for Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Carey Markley, age 45, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for a firearms conspiracy. According to court documents and statements made in court, Markley worked with others to illegally purchase and sell firearms in West Virginia and Maryland. Markley, who’s prohibited from having firearms because of a prior breaking and entering felony charge in Berkeley County, paid another defendant to purchase firearms on his behalf. He would then sell those firearms to others. Six of those firearms have been recovered in criminal investigations in New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. Markley is required to report for supervised release for three years with the U.S. Probation Office following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. ###


title: Owner of Home Health Care Company Sentenced to Two Months in Prison for Tax Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A Certified Nurse Assistant who owns and operates a home health care company has been sentenced for underreporting his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Patrick S. Kityo, 43, of Waltham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $306,603 in restitution to the IRS. In August 2023, Kityo pleaded guilty to one count of aiding the preparation of a false tax return. Kityo owned and operated a home health care company named Every Step Home Care Inc. (Every Step). During the years 2016 and 2017, Every Step’s total gross receipts were at least $2 million. Kityo, however, failed to report all of Every Step’s gross receipts to his tax preparer. Instead, Kityo only reported those gross receipts that he deposited into Every Step’s business bank account and did not report those he received via checks written to Kityo personally. As a result, Kityo caused his tax preparer to underreport nearly $2 million in gross receipts and Kityo failed to pay at least $306,603 in personal income taxes. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: District Man Convicted of Offenses Arising from Violent Armed Carjacking and Shooting

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tavon Owens, 31, of Washington, D.C., was convicted by a jury today of armed carjacking, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and associated firearms offenses for shooting and carjacking a woman on Newton St, NW, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The Honorable Heidi Pasichow scheduled sentencing for May 3, 2024 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, in the middle of the afternoon of December 12, 2022, Owens approached the victim, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of her parked car on Newton St NW. Owens flung the car door open, pointed his firearm at the victim, and ordered her out of the car. The victim started to comply, but then tried to shut the car door to shield herself from Owens and the firearm. Owens then shot the victim in the knee. The victim fell onto the sidewalk, bleeding, and Owens jumped into the victim’s car and drove off. MPD officers arrived immediately, and with the assistance of patrol officers on the ground and MPD’s Falcon helicopter in the sky, MPD tracked Owens to the 1400 block of Bangor St SE. Owens jumped out of the victim’s car while it was still moving, causing it to crash into a tree, and stashed his firearm behind a home before MPD officers apprehended him. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of MPD’s Fourth and Seventh District Detectives Units who investigated the case, Patrol Officers, and Falcon. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Forgie and Daniel Bromwich, who prosecuted and tried the case.


title: Repeat Federal Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville felon has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, in September 2022, while John Paul Majerus II, 34, was still serving a prison sentence for a prior federal controlled substance crime, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking operation led by Bureau of Prisons inmates. While in custody, Majerus coordinated the sale of methamphetamine to an undercover officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Majerus continued his drug trafficking activity after he was released, and conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine from a “stash house” in Southeast Minneapolis belonging to codefendant Sara Evenson, 34. A search warrant was executed after additional controlled buys were conducted at Evenson’s apartment, and law enforcement found approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the wall, as well as drug paraphernalia and two firearms. On November 8, 2023, Majerus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On February 20, 2024, Evenson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. She will be sentenced at a later date. Majerus was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty. This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso prosecuted the case.


title: Kentwood Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearms Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that TRACY DAVIS , age 51, of Kentwood, LA, was sentenced on February 27, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Jay C Zainey to 51 months incarceration, after previously pleading guilty to one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841, one (1) count of Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Judge Zainey also ordered a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. According to court documents, DAVIS was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Hammond Police Department began investigating DAVIS due to a complaint that DAVIS was distributing narcotics in the Kentwood area. A search warrant was obtained for two residences and a vehicle associated with DAVIS , that resulted in the seizure of cocaine and multiple firearms from within the residences and vehicle. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hammond Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Danbury Postmaster Who Operated Bribery, Kickback, and Embezzlement Scheme Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EPHREM D. NGUYEN, 51, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating a bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme while serving as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office. According to court documents and statements made in court, Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office in Danbury, with responsibilities that included supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities, and vehicles assigned to the post office. In November 2020, Nguyen required that all Danbury Post Office vehicle maintenance and repair work be performed by a certain vendor, identified in court documents as “Vendor-1,” even though Nguyen knew that another vendor already had a contract for with the Danbury Post Office for those services. Nguyen demanded that Vendor-1 provide free vehicle maintenance and repairs for himself, one of his children, a USPS employee, and employee of Nguyen’s personal business. In 2022, Nguyen solicited and received $90,000 in cash bribes from Michael D. Lutz, the general manager of Vendor-1. In exchange for these bribes, Nguyen caused the USPS to overpay Vendor-1 for vehicle maintenance and repair, which Nguyen characterized as a “raise.” Between approximately January 2022 and February 2023, Nguyen used USPS credit cards to pay Vendor-1 more than $1 million, or approximately $760,000 more than necessary to pay for legitimate maintenance and repair work. In addition, Nguyen embezzled more than $80,000 from the USPS by using his USPS credit cards to rent vehicles for the personal use of himself and others, and he approved more than $8,000 in fraudulent travel expense reimbursement claims for a co-worker. Through these schemes, Nguyen defrauded the USPS of approximately $933,553.42. Judge Underhill ordered Nguyen to make full restitution. On October 13, 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud. Nguyen, formerly of Brookfield, has been residing in Quincy, Massachusetts, while released on a $100,000 bond. He is required to report to prison on May 30. On February 21, 2024, Lutz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis.


title: Three Additional Individuals Charged in Twin Cities Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three additional individuals have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between August 2022 through December 2023, Phyu Win Jame, 27, Amaya Tiffany-Nicole Mims, 23, and Da’Shawn Natori Domena, 24, and their previously charged co-defendants Cornell Montez Chandler, Jr., Robiel Lee Williams, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, Stardasha Christina Davenport-Mounger, Fo’Tre Devine White, and Shardai Rayshell Allen, conspired to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota. Several defendants traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills. All defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. White was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of possession of a machinegun. Jame and Mims made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before a magistrate judge. Domena was arrested in Indiana and will make his initial appearance before a magistrate judge in the District of Minnesota at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice and Interior Departments Outline Commitment, Next Steps in Effort to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking Crisis

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Departments of Justice and the Interior today released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States. “These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work.” “Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we’re identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand.” The Justice and Interior Departments’ response addresses the Commission’s areas of concern including: Law enforcement and investigative resources; Recruitment and retention of law enforcement; Data collection and reporting; Cross-jurisdictional coordination; Family and survivor resources; Improving public safety resources; and Alaska-specific issues. The Not Invisible Act Commission was created by the Not Invisible Act, the enactment of which was led by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The Commission included law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. As mandated by the Act, the Commission developed recommendations for federal government actions to take on focused topics to combat violent crime against Indigenous people and within Indian lands, and to address the epidemic of missing people, and the murder or trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, as specified under the law. Background on Efforts to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. In March 2022, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and reinforced Tribal sovereignty by recognizing Tribes’ inherent authority to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities. At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that the BIA Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI, and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches. In addition, at the Tribal Nations Summit, the Attorney General announced the selection of the Justice Department’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who works to ensure that victims of crimes have a voice in every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction. Attorney General Garland traveled to Alaska last August, meeting with Tribal leaders and representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety challenges and partnerships with Tribal communities to combat the MMIP crisis. Since the establishment of the NIAC in 2020, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible. In June 2023, the Justice Department launched the MMIP Regional Outreach Program . This program places regional attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and it will work closely with the Native American Outreach Services Liaison to improve the Justice Department’s response to the MMIP crisis. The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime expanded the scope of allowable activities under its Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside grant program to permit Tribal communities to pay for costs related to generating awareness of individual missing persons cases involving American Indians and Alaska Native persons, supporting search efforts and coordination of Tribal, state, and federal responses to MMIP cases.


title: Mexican National Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ALEJANDRO AGUILAR-RAMOS , age 30, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on February 27, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 78 months incarceration, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. Judge Vitter also ordered a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to the indictment, in March of 2023, AGUILAR-RAMOS knowingly conspired and agreed with others to pick up a bag containing over 9 kilograms of methamphetamine in Dallas, Texas, then work with others to transport the bag and the narcotics within, from Texas to Kenner, Louisiana. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Maryland Man Charged in Shooting of a DCHA Police Officer

body_text: WASHINGTON – Victor Scott Terrill, 40, of Landover, Maryland, had an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court on a criminal complaint charging federal firearms offenses – in addition to Superior Court charges of felony assault on a law enforcement officer – for the February 29, 2024, shooting of a District Housing Authority Police officer in Southeast Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood. The injured officer was seriously wounded and is still recovering from his injuries. According to court documents, two police officers from the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) were dispatched to a Southeast apartment building for a report of a disturbance early on the morning of February 29, 2024. During his interactions with the responding DCHA officers, Terrill pulled out a handgun and fired a shot, striking one DCHA officer in the abdomen. Terrill fled through the hallway and down a westside staircase. The officers chased Terrill while calling for backup and split up. As the uninjured officer exited the building, he observed two flashes of muzzle fire and heard two additional gunshots, appearing to be exchanged between Terrill and the injured DCHA officer. The uninjured officer then rendered aide to the injured DCHA officer, who had been shot. When help arrived, the DCHA officer was rushed by ambulance to a hospital. Additional officers responded to the scene and began canvassing for Terrill. Citizens reported seeing Terrill enter 1331 4 th Street, SE. Law enforcement barricaded the building. Surveillance cameras inside the building captured Terrill placing a handgun into a trashcan in the building’s parking garage. Minutes later, Terrill is seen via video surveillance seen pulling a fire alarm. Terrill eventually was detained by the Emergency Response Team without incident. Investigators found a Smith & Wesson 40 Caliber handgun in the trashcan. On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, prosecutors asked Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather to order Terrill detained pending trial. A hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 8, where the court will determine whether to release Terrill or detain him. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Semi-Pro Rugby player indicted for Ponzi scheme involving false representations about cryptocurrency mining investments

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 36-year-old Seattle semi-pro rugby player was arrested on an indictment charging him with nine counts of wire fraud. Shane Donovan Moore operated Quantum Donovan LLC – a Washington company Moore claimed was purchasing and operating cryptocurrency mining equipment. In fact, the indictment alleges the company never invested in such equipment and operated as a Ponzi scheme, with the investments from later investors being used to pay off earlier investors. Moore made his initial appearance on the indictment Monday morning. “Cryptocurrency investors can fall victim to all the same fraud tactics as any investor. Mr. Moore used a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ – a fraud that has been around for decades - and uses new investor money to pay off older investors until the scheme collapses,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “So far investigators have identified 38 known victims but believe there could be many more. We urge any such investors to contact the FBI.” “According to the indictment, between January 2021 and October 2022, Moore allegedly made fraudulent promises to obtain investor money. Moore claimed both verbally and in writing that the invested money would be used to purchase computers for a cryptocurrency mining operation. He told investors they would receive 1% of their investment daily based on the work of the mining machines. However, Moore never purchased the mining machines. He comingled the investor money with his personal accounts and used some of those funds to live a lavish lifestyle. Some of the funds were used to purchase cryptocurrency so that a portion of the funds could be sent to investors to lull them into believing the cryptocurrency mining operation existed. An analysis of accounts controlled by Moore show he purchased more than $820,000 in cryptocurrency from crypto.com during the course of the scheme. Other records show Moore transferring more than $1 million in cryptocurrencies from his Coinbase account to other Coinbase accounts. Moore recruited investors in Utah, Oregon, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington. Many of the investors are people he knew from his rugby activities. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne.


title: Leader of $6.8 million pandemic fraud scheme sentenced to 5 years in prison

body_text: Seattle – The leader of a wide-ranging fraud scheme that stole more than $3.3 million from federally funded pandemic assistance programs was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 5 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Paradise Williams, 29, personally received more than $2 million in fraudulent proceeds and spent the money on luxury cars, lavish trips, cosmetic surgery, jewelry, and designer goods. Overall, the fraud ring sought to steal more than $6.8 million, in pandemic benefits from nearly every major pandemic assistance program. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said, “These were serious and terrible crimes. [Williams and her co-defendants] stole from programs designed to help members of their community during the pandemic.” “Paradise Williams was relentless in her efforts to steal pandemic benefits throughout the entire duration of our national emergency, and it is unconscionable that she funded a life of luxury by stealing millions in taxpayer funds that should have prevented King County residents from being evicted in the winter,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Combatting pandemic fraud is a priority for our district, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable for exploiting a national crisis.” According to records in the case, from June 2020 to February 2022, Williams personally submitted over 125 fraudulent applications for the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds administered by King County, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits. Williams enlisted over 50 associates, including her five codefendants, to obtain more than $3.3 million by posing as fake tenants, landlords, and small business owners in need of assistance. In submitting these applications, Williams, among other things, created falsified bank statements, tenant ledgers, and landlord attestations. Upon receipt of the illegal funds, Williams and her associates methodically laundered the funds through cash withdrawals, wire transfers, and expensive luxury purchases. In addition to fraudulently obtaining over $700,000 directly from administrating agencies, Williams received more than $1.2 million in kickback payments from her associates for facilitating the fraudulent submissions. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Williams will pay restitution in the amounts of $2,791,241 to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and $512,730 to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The defendant will forfeit $2,023,104, the proceeds Williams personally obtained through the scheme. Williams will also forfeit a Lexus sedan and a Range Rover SUV that she purchased with the fraudulent gains. Williams’ codefendants D’Arius Jackson, Tia Robinson, Rayvon Peterson, and David Martinez previously entered guilty pleas for their participation in the scheme. Judge Chun sentenced Jackson to three years in prison and Robinson to 18 months in prison. Martinez is scheduled for sentencing March 11, 2024, and Peterson is scheduled for sentencing March 18, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form


title: Guilty Plea in May 2023 Shootout Near Nightclub in Northwest Washington D.C

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dirk Easton, 27, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a May 13, 2023, shootout near a DuPont nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Easton pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates to assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprison for a term exceeding one year. Judge Bates scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2024. According to court documents, on May 13, 2023, at around 3 a.m., Easton and a group of men were outside the Abigail nightclub at 1730 M Street, NW. A physical altercation broke out between some of those men and others inside the parking garage. Two of the individuals entered a silver Kia and began to leave the parking garage. Easton, who had not been involved with the earlier altercation, ran into the garage and towards the Kia. Easton pulled out a black Polymer 80 firearm with an extended magazine. The Kia attempted to reverse, leaving the garage. Easton opened fire on the Kia as it reversed out of the garage, striking the vehicle and surrounding area multiple times. Easton was hit with a bullet that ricocheted from his own gun. Easton had previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison. Three other men were arrested and charged in relation to the May 2023 parking garage shootout. On November 13, 2023, Adrian Vinson pled guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and, on February 20, 2024, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. On October 16, 2023, Tyron Hines pled guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2024. Garrick Richardson was also charged in relation to his possession of a firearm in the parking garage. A status hearing is scheduled in his matter for March 18, 2024. Easton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $37,500 for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He also faces a mandatory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine on the charge of assault with a deadly weapon and a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Assault on Federal Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – 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 Jeremy Dennis was sentenced to 4 years in prison. Dennis, 43, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Dennis pled guilty to assault on a federal officer in Indian Country on June 26, 2023. According to publicly available court documents, on Dec. 25, 2022, shortly after 10 p.m., an officer from the Bureau of Indian Affairs responded to the Dennis’ residence on the Mescalero Apache reservation to conduct a welfare check. Dennis’ family members had called the police because Dennis was smoking methamphetamine in the laundry room of the house. The officer attempted to arrest Dennis’ for child abuse for smoking with a minor in the house, but Dennis grabbed his minor child and would not let go. The officer and a family members tried to release Dennis’s grip on the child but were unable to do so. Finally, the officer deployed pepper spray on Dennis, which caused him to release the child and the family member was able to grab the child and leave the area. Dennis then punched and kicked the officer before throwing him to the ground and straddling him. Dennis grabbed the officers bulletproof vest pressed it into the officer’s neck, attempting to strangle him and cut off his air supply. Backup arrived on scene and together the officers were able to subdue Dennis. Upon his release from prison, Dennis will be subject to 2 years of supervised release. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Violent Career Offender Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison For Distribution Of Methamphetamine Actual

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: JONESBORO—Brandon Loss Farmer, a violent and multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 20 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine actual. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr. On October 30, 2023, Farmer, 41, of Wynne, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine actual. Judge Marshall also sentenced Farmer to five years’ supervised released and a $100.00 special assessment. Farmer, who has multiple prior convictions for domestic violence, aggravated assault and battery, drug possession and distribution, and theft, was indicted on April 7, 2021, on one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. The maximum penalty Farmer faced was 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, and not less than five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On November 19, 2020, an individual contacted Farmer by telephone to inquire about purchasing methamphetamine. Farmer advised the individual that he was not home but would return later in the day and could take care of the individual. A controlled purchase of approximately 130.6 grams of methamphetamine actual was made by the individual from Farmer. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wynne Police Department. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: District Woman Sentenced in Scheme that Stole from Non-Profit Affordable Housing Complex She Ran

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rowena Joyce Scott, 71, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for a scheme to steal and embezzle money from the non-profit corporation she was entrusted to run for the benefit of some of the District’s economically disadvantaged residents. Scott – a minister and the former head of the Ward 8 Democrats – was convicted following a June 2023 jury trial on charges of wire fraud, credit card fraud, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington D.C. Office, and Chief John Fowler of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue Criminal Investigation Division. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Wilkins also ordered Scott to serve 24 months of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $153,432.04 to the Park Southern Neighborhood Corporation (PSNC) and $47,726 to the Internal Revenue Service. She also was ordered to forfeit a $153,432.04 criminal money judgment. From January 2010 through May 2014, Scott served as the president of the board of directors and manager of PSNC, a non-profit, non-member corporation that owned and operated the Park Southern apartment complex in Southeast Washington, D.C. According to the government’s evidence, Scott was hired to serve PSNC’s charitable mission of providing adequate, safe, affordable housing for the District’s underhoused and underprivileged residents. Instead, Scott engaged in a scheme through which she embezzled at least $125,000 from the organization’s coffers and used nearly $30,000 in additional funds to make purely personal, unauthorized purchases from third-party vendors. All the while, Scott collected $260,000 in “salary” (about $60,000 per year), lived in the building rent-free, and used the property’s common rooms, free of charge, to operate her own ministry. Scott failed to report all of the income she received from PSNC – legitimate or otherwise – for tax purposes. Meanwhile, under her watch, PSNC failed to finish renovations for Americans-with- Disabilities-Act compliant units and failed to make loan payments to the District. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kelly and Diane Lucas, and Paralegal Specialist Sona Chaturvedi.