title: Project Safe Neighborhoods Cases: Indictments, Guilty Pleas, and a Sentencing Further Efforts to Reduce Violent Crime

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces recent cases in the Eastern District of California that were brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) federal initiative. PSN brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders. Two recent indictments Ulises Muro-Robles, 38, of Stockton , was indicted on March 23, 2023, and charged with possession with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 10, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to a 911 call and found Muro-Robles to be in possession of 5.1 kilograms of heroin, 280 grams of cocaine, over $50,000 in cash, and a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Muro-Robles has several prior felony convictions including assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Task Force (METRO), the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case. Arnes Krajinic, 32, of Roseville , was indicted on March 16, 2023, and charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, in January 2023, Krajinic arranged to sell fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer and arrived at the predetermined location, in possession of an assembled weapon lacking a serial number (known as a ghost gun) that was loaded with six rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Krajinic is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has five prior felony convictions, including for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and possession of a controlled substance while armed. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service; the ATF; the Placer County Special Investigations Unit; and the Roseville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case. If convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, Krajinic faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the drug offenses, Robles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Robles faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A Project Safe Neighborhoods defendant sentenced Jaime Alvarez, 52, of Vallejo , was sentenced on March 21, 2023, to 21 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club —were beaten by Alvarez and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules. On Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Alvarez’s home as part of the investigation into the brutal beating and found several firearms, including a Glock 27 .40 SW caliber handgun. Alvarez has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms. This case was the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vallejo Police Department, the FBI, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt prosecuted the case. The following two guilty pleas are part of Operation No Fly Zone, a multi-agency, months-long investigation that sought to address a rise in the number of shootings and homicides in Fresno. Reginald Keith Cannon Jr., 24, of Fresno , pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on March 22, 2022, officers observed Cannon at the Fashion Fair Mall and were aware he was on active probation. Upon being searched, officers located a Glock semi-automatic handgun with a large-capacity magazine in his pants. Cannon has prior felony convictions involving firearms offenses and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Donald Ray Phelps Jr., 29, of Fresno , pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on March 18, 2022, officers learned about the presence of a firearm inside a car in which Phelps was a passenger. During a search of the car, they found a loaded, privately manufactured, semi-automatic handgun with no serial number (known as a ghost gun) under the seat where Phelps had been sitting. Phelps has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit pandering in Orange County and is prohibited from possessing ammunition. These two cases are the product of an investigation by the FBI, HSI, ATF, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking / Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the cases. Phelps is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2023. Cannon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, 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. The cases in this press release are 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 U.S. 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: Maryland man charged with cyberstalking ex-girlfriend

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hagerstown, Maryland man has been charged with cyberstalking after using social media to harass and intimidate his ex-girlfriend. Derik Wayne Bowers, age 44, was indicted on one count of stalking by a federal grand jury in Martinsburg. According to court documents, Bowers harassed and intimidated his former girlfriend through text messages, phone calls, and via Facebook. In December 2022, he called the Morgan County victim 815 times during a 48-hour period. In addition, Bowers sent the victim thousands of harassing text messages over a several month period. Bowers also used social media posts to embarrass her and interfere with her livelihood. “Cyberstalking is a pervasive problem that we treat very seriously in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I encourage those who are being intimidated online and who suffer substantial emotional distress as a result to file a police report so that wrongdoers may be investigated and held to account.” If convicted, Bowers faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Laboratory Corporation of America Agrees to Pay $2,100,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Overbillings on Department of Defense Contracts

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Laboratory Corporation of America (“Labcorp”) has agreed to pay the United States $2,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by overbilling the Department of Defense (“DoD”) for genetic tests performed by GeneDx, LLC, a third-party reference laboratory used by Labcorp to perform genetic tests for military members. The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, Christopher W. Dillard, and Special Agent in Charge of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, L. Scott Moreland. “Federal contractors are required to bill for costs actually incurred. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners are committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring integrity and compliance with government contracts,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “This settlement demonstrates DCIS’ vigorous commitment to investigate false claims related to DoD contracts. The submission of truthful and accurate documentation for payment by health care entities is essential to the integrity of DoD contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher W. Dillard, DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS proudly stands with our investigative law enforcement partners and with the support of the Defense Health Agency to root out fraud, waste and abuse.” “We are very pleased with today's announcement,” said Special Agent-in-Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “This is a true testament to our continued commitment to work closely and seamlessly with our outstanding fellow law enforcement agencies to protect the financial interests of the United States Army and the United States Government as a whole.” In 2012, LabCorp entered a contract with DoD to perform laboratory testing at all DoD Military Treatment Facilities throughout the world. Certain specialized tests performed on the DoD contract, including genetic tests involving fetuses and parents, were performed by GeneDx as a reference lab for Labcorp. GeneDx would invoice Labcorp for these genetic tests and Labcorp would in turn invoice DoD. According to the settlement agreement, from December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2021, LabCorp double and/or triple billed DoD for genetic tests performed by GeneDx; overcharged DoD for genetic tests performed by GeneDx; and inappropriately billed DoD for tests performed by GeneDx when LabCorp could not later locate evidence of a (i) DoD requisition form, (ii) GeneDx test result, and/or (iii) corresponding GeneDx invoice. The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by Donna Hecker-Gross, a former employee of Labcorp, under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and obtain a portion of the government's recovery. The civil lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel Donna Hecker-Gross v. Laboratory Corporation of America, Inc. PX 18-3459 (D. Md). As part of the settlement, the Ms. Hecker-Gross will receive $357,000. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by LabCorp nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well-founded. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Army Criminal Investigation Division for their work in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Corcoran and Sarah Marquardt, who handled the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Carrabelle Man Sentenced To 84 Months In Federal Prison For Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Franklin Jefferson Mathes, Jr., 59, of Carrabelle, Florida, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for receiving material constituting child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “The safety and well-being of our children is paramount,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “Those who seek to view and maintain child pornography facilitate the abuse of children by those who produce and profit from this illegal content, robbing our children of their innocence and their very childhood. With our law enforcement partners, we will hold such offenders accountable.” Between September 2018, and July 2022, Mathes received, and possessed material containing child pornography. The pornographic material found in Mathes’ possession involved minors under the age of 12. “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the FBI to investigate cases of child pornography and work with our U.S. Attorney’s Office partners to hold them accountable,” said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “We will stop at nothing to protect children from those who engage in this type of activity, and we have now ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.” Mathes’ prison sentence will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: United States Orders Matador Production Company to Reduce Unlawful Air Pollution from its Oil and Gas Wells in New Mexico, Eliminating 16,000 Tons of Harmful Air Pollutants

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Matador Production Company has agreed to pay a penalty and ensure compliance with both state and federal clean air regulations at all 239 of its New Mexico oil and gas well pads to resolve unlawful operations alleged in a civil complaint filed today under the Clean Air Act and state regulations. The complaint, filed jointly by the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), alleges that Matador failed to capture and control air emissions from storage vessels; comply with inspection, monitoring and recordkeeping requirements; and obtain required state and federal permits at 25 of its oil and gas production operations in New Mexico. NMED and EPA identified the alleged violations through flyover surveillance and field investigations conducted in 2019. The consent decree, filed together with the complaint, requires Matador to ensure that all 239 of its well pads in New Mexico are operated lawfully. Under the settlement, Matador will spend at least $2.5 million to implement extensive design, operation, maintenance and monitoring improvements, including installing new tank pressure monitoring systems that will provide advance notification of potential emissions and allow for immediate response action by the company. “Air quality in the Permian Basin is at risk of not meeting national standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will continue to work with the State of New Mexico to ensure that oil and gas production operations are operating within the law to improve air quality and public health in surrounding communities.” “Matador’s facilities unlawfully released air pollutants associated with several types of respiratory illnesses and that contribute to global warming,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement will not only improve air quality for neighboring communities but also assist with our national effort to slow climate change. It will also help ensure that Matador does not profit from its violations of environmental laws.” Matador’s compliance with the consent decree will result in a reduction of more than 16,000 tons of pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO). VOCs and NO x are key components in the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs, exacerbates diseases such as asthma, and can increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. In addition, as a co-benefit of these reductions, the consent decree will result in significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing methane – a powerful greenhouse gas, by more than 31,000 tons, measured as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) equivalent. This is similar to the amount of greenhouse gas reductions that would be achieved by taking 6,060 gasoline powered vehicles off the road for one year. Greenhouse gases from human activities are a primary cause of climate change and global warming. As part of the settlement, Matador also will pay a civil penalty of $1.15 million to be split between the United States and the State of New Mexico. In addition, Matador will spend no less than $1.25 million on a supplemental environmental project involving diesel engine replacements, which will result in significant reductions of harmful air pollutants and help address the environmental harm caused by the company’s previous violations. Matador will also spend another $500,000 to conduct aerial monitoring of its facilities for leaks of methane and other pollutants and to address any problems identified. Finally, Matador will spend approximately $800,000 to offset the harm caused by the alleged violations by reducing emissions from pneumatic devices and vapor recovery units used in its oil and gas operations. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants that are considered harmful to public health and the environment. Ozone, CO and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 , a component of NO x ) are criteria pollutants emitted by oil and gas production facilities, such as those operated by Matador where the alleged violations occurred. During the timeframes of Matador’s alleged violations, air quality monitors in the relevant counties in New Mexico registered rising ozone concentrations exceeding 95% of the NAAQS for ozone. In counties where ozone levels reach 95% of the NAAQS, NMED is required by New Mexico state statute to take action to reduce ozone pollution. Matador is an independent oil and gas producer engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The company is a large producer in the New Mexico portion of the Permian Basin, which is a shale oil and gas producing area located in southeast New Mexico and west Texas. This settlement is part of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants. The consent decree is available for public viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . The United States will publish a notice of the consent decree’s lodging with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico in the Federal Register and will accept public comment for 30 days after the notice is published. The Federal Register notice will also include instructions for submitting public comment.


title: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Nearly $300 Million in Federal Grants to Support Local Law Enforcement

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has announced the release of approximately $300 million in grant solicitations for programs that advance community policing, keep students safe, and add law enforcement officers to our nation’s streets. “These grant solicitations could not have come at a better time, as our law enforcement partners are operating with significant staffing shortages and working every day to reignite community faith in our profession,” said U.S. Attorney Jane Young. “I urge departments throughout the Granite State to take advantage of these funding opportunities.” “These grant solicitations represent the Justice Department’s commitment to keeping our children safe in their schools and assisting law enforcement agencies across the country with the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Supporting community violence intervention programs, and the law enforcement agencies that partner with them, is not only a priority of the Department, but is critical to the safety and success of future generations.” The announced solicitations include $224.5 million available for the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), which is a competitive award program that provides direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. The COPS Office intends to prioritize applications for jurisdictions that support Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, seek to hire officers that would engage with community stakeholders to involve them in strategic operations and planning, and implement hiring practices to help agencies mirror the racial diversity of the communities that they serve. All local, state, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority are eligible to apply. Funding also includes $73 million for the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). This program provides funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantees’ jurisdictions through evidence-based school safety programs. Awards will be provided directly to eligible state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. Recipients of SVPP funding must use funding for the benefit of K-12, primary, and secondary schools, and students. Please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants for additional information about both the COPS Hiring Program and the School Violence Prevention Program. ###


title: Correctional Officer Arrested for Suspected Contraband, Narcotics Smuggling

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Karnes County Detention Facility (KCDF) correctional officer was arrested Friday in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged smuggling of contraband and narcotics into KCDF. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Dexter Obryan Sistrunk, 40, of Converse is alleged to have smuggled contraband such as heroin, methamphetamine and tobacco to inmates in return for money. Sistrunk is charged with attempting to provide contraband in prison. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Division; Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Field Office; and U.S. Marshal Susan Pamerleau for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fidel Esparza III and Amy Hail are prosecuting the case. 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: Justice Department Recovers Over $53M in Profits Obtained from Corruption in the Nigerian Oil Industry

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the final resolution of two civil cases seeking the forfeiture of various luxury assets that were the proceeds of foreign corruption offenses and were laundered in and through the United States. With the conclusion of the cases, the department has recovered roughly $53.1 million in cash – constituting the net liquidated value of the defendant’s assets – plus a promissory note with a principal value of $16 million. According to court documents, from 2011 to 2015, Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore conspired with others to pay bribes to Nigeria’s former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who oversaw Nigeria’s state-owned oil company. In return, Alison-Madueke used her influence to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Aluko and Omokore. The proceeds of those illicitly awarded contracts totaling more than $100 million were then laundered in and through the United States and used to purchase various assets through shell companies, including luxury real estate in California and New York as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-meter superyacht. The real estate was also used as collateral for loans to Aluko and shell companies he controlled. As part of the forfeiture process, those lien holders were paid. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement. The FBI’s International Corruption Squad in the Washington Field Office and the IRS-CI investigated the cases, with assistance from the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. Trial Attorneys Michael W. Khoo and Joshua L. Sohn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas provided substantial assistance. These cases were brought under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. This initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, to use those recovered assets to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement at tips.fbi.gov/ or send an email to kleptocracy@usdoj.gov .


title: Foreign National Sentenced for Victimizing U.S. Persons Through Cyber-Enabled Fraud Schemes

body_text: A Nigerian national was sentenced today to four years and one month in prison for his role in a cybercriminal group operating out of Nigeria and Malaysia, among other places, that executed complex financial fraud scams using the internet. According to court documents, between December 2011 and January 2017, Solomon Ekunke Okpe, 31, of Lagos, and his co-conspirators devised and executed business email compromise (BEC), work-from-home, check-cashing, romance, and credit card scams that targeted unsuspecting individuals, banks, and businesses in the United States and elsewhere, and were intended to cause more than a million dollars in losses to U.S. victims. Among the victims of the scheme were First American Holding Company and MidFirst Bank. To execute the scheme, Okpe and his co-conspirators launched email phishing attacks to steal victim login credentials and other sensitive information, hacked into victim online accounts, impersonated people, and assumed fake identities to defraud individuals, banks, and businesses, and trafficked, possessed, and used stolen credit cards in furtherance of the scheme. For instance, in BEC scams, Okpe and his co-conspirators posed as trusted individuals in order to deceive banks and companies into making unauthorized wire transfers to bank accounts specified by the co-conspirators. The co-conspirators also falsely posed as online employers on job websites and forums and purported to “hire” individuals in Arizona and elsewhere to positions that were marketed as legitimate. In reality, these work-from-home “employees” were often unwittingly directed to perform tasks that would facilitate the co-conspirators’ fraud schemes. Some of these tasks included creating bank and payment processing accounts, transferring/withdrawing money from these accounts, or cashing/depositing counterfeit checks. Okpe and his co-conspirators additionally conducted romance scams by creating accounts on dating websites, feigning interest in romantic relationships with individuals under fictitious identities, and causing these victims to transfer their moneys overseas and/or receive money from wire-transfer scams. Okpe caused and intended to cause individual romance scam victims to suffer tens of thousands of dollars of losses. Okpe was previously arrested in Malaysia at the request of the United States and detained for over two years as he contested extradition to the United States. On March 20, one of Okpe’s co-conspirators, Johnson Uke Obogo, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in connection with his role in related financial fraud activity. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Knoxville Field Office made the announcement. Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Goertz for the District of Arizona prosecuted the cases against Okpe and Obogo. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance throughout the investigation and extradition process. A number of victims have been identified by the FBI. However, there is evidence of many more victims that remain unidentified. Anyone who believes they were defrauded by the defendants in this case should contact the Victim Witness Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona at usaaz.victimassist@usdoj.gov .


title: Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Delivers Opening Remarks at the Second Annual Spring Enforcers Summit

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Good morning. I am incredibly honored and grateful to welcome you all to the second annual Enforcers Summit. I am deeply humbled to be in the presence of so many esteemed, talented and dedicated competition law enforcement officials from throughout our country and around the world. We are gathered in the “Great Hall” here at the Justice Department. Today, it is most certainly living up to its name. Today’s collection of enforcers is truly “great.” Just this morning we will hear from leaders in the U.S., U.K., South Africa and the National Association of State Attorneys General. In total, we are joined today by senior officials from 30 global jurisdictions, 21 states and the District of Columbia. And we are joined this morning by a livestreamed audience of a public that rightly demands solutions to the problems of monopoly and oligopoly. We meet at a time when a popular movement is growing in support of more robust competition enforcement in the United States and around the globe. Our fellow citizens, who are feeling the effects of monopoly power, are advocating for greater protection of markets and opportunities to compete and benefit from competition. So let me start by saying that this is not just another conference. This is a chance for expert enforcers confronting similar challenges to exchange ideas and collaborate regarding the path forward at a time when our markets are experiencing tectonic shifts. I know I speak for my co-host FTC Chair Lina Khan when I say we are eager to listen and to learn. We are experiencing change in our economies on par with, if not exceeding, the industrial revolution. The ideas of competition policy are timeless but only if we are willing to adapt the familiar tools of competition to keep pace. Poles and wires have given way to 1s and 0s. Intermediaries that once protected against information sharing have given way to digital collusion. Data has replaced oil as the power source for our new industrial tools. The models of the smokestack economy reflected the simple geometries of the physical world. Goods used to move up and down supply chains. Competitive relationships were vertical and horizontal. Those facts have changed. We have platforms that are multi-dimensional, serving distinct users and businesses all at once with complex relationships. The geometries of our markets today often look more like gemstones than two-dimensional drawings. Gatekeeper power has become the most pressing competitive problem of our generation at a time when many of the previous generations’ tools to assess and address gatekeeper power have become outmoded. But we are working to meet the moment. The group assembled today in this Great Hall is not sitting by idly. Together, we are not just advancing the dialogue, but adapting our tools, analytical frameworks and internal expertise with the courage and creativity to protect competition for our generation and generations to come. Look around you. We are surrounded by enforcers who are confronting the necessity and boundless opportunities of modernization on a daily basis. Not just through papers and panels, but through the hard work of investigation and enforcement. This is not an academic conference: it is an enforcers summit. In the United States, we are invigorating monopolization and merger enforcement. The deterrent effect is powerful and the results are tangible. Simply put — most anticompetitive deals are no longer getting out of the boardroom. And the ones that do are facing a sophisticated and empowered team of career enforcement officials who are ready to examine market realities and are up to the tough but noble task or protecting our fellow citizens from the ills of anticompetitive mergers. And would-be monopolists know that the antitrust agencies are standing by to challenge exclusionary conduct. When it comes to monopolization, we have more active litigation and investigations than several prior decades combined. As a result, the economy is rebuilding itself all around us. Little by little, day by day, the natural forces of competition are taking root and rebuilding competitive markets. That was the genius of our respective legislators in passing competition laws in the first place. When we stop anticompetitive conduct; prohibit exclusion; and stop mergers that risk lessening competition, we let the natural forces of free and fair competition elevate our economies and democracies. So let me open this conference with a note of optimism. Our work is making a difference. We have already changed the calculus for businesses contemplating preserving their power through mergers or exclusionary conduct or cartel behavior. And as a result, we have reopened markets for competition to gradually reappear and to flourish. As we confront the pivot to AI and to new paradigms of health care, finance and agriculture, I am incredibly hopeful. So long as we continue to build on and maintain an aggressive enforcement posture that accounts for modern market realities, new technology will bring a new competitive reality to our economies. Today, I hope we can learn from each other how to continue that success. We will open the morning with publicly-broadcast interviews and panels. I want to make a request about that — I want the audience of our fellow enforcers to be part of this event. We will have time for Q&A at each session, and I want to encourage you to actively participate and to share your ideas. Before we begin, I want to acknowledge that a lot of effort goes into pulling off an event like this. I want to thank the staff of the Antitrust Division and FTC who worked tirelessly to make today’s event happen. In particular, our International Section Chief Lynda Marshall, Competition Policy and Advocacy Chief Karina Lubell, Special Counsel for State Relations Sarah Allen and international counsel Becky Valentine. If you had a hand in planning this event, can you please stand up so we can all give you a round of applause. Also if you will indulge me, we are joined by the Antitrust Division’s newest Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Manish Kumar, who is responsible for criminal enforcement. Welcome, Manish. With that, it’s my honor to introduce my co-host, FTC Chair Lina Khan. We all know Lina is a rockstar, and she’s joined by another rockstar, former U.K. Competition and Markets Authority head Andrea Coscelli. Lina and Andrea, I’m looking forward to your discussion. It is truly my privilege to officially kick off our second annual Enforcers Summit.


title: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES NEARLY $300 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

body_text: CONCORD – The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has announced the release of approximately $300 million in grant solicitations for programs that advance community policing, keep students safe, and add law enforcement officers to our nation’s streets. “These grant solicitations could not have come at a better time, as our law enforcement partners are operating with significant staffing shortages and are working every day to reignite community faith in the profession,” said U.S. Attorney Jane Young. “I urge departments throughout the Granite State to take advantage of these funding opportunities.” “These grant solicitations represent the Justice Department’s commitment to keeping our children safe in their schools and assisting law enforcement agencies across the country with the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Supporting community violence intervention programs, and the law enforcement agencies that partner with them, is not only a priority of the Department, but is critical to the safety and success of future generations.” The announced solicitations include $224.5 million available for the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), which is a competitive award program that provides direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. The COPS Office intends to prioritize applications for jurisdictions that support Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, seek to hire officers that would engage with community stakeholders to involve them in strategic operations and planning, and implement hiring practices to help agencies mirror the racial diversity of the communities that they serve. All local, state, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority are eligible to apply. Funding also includes $73 million for the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). This program provides funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantees’ jurisdictions through evidence-based school safety programs. Awards will be provided directly to eligible state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. Recipients of SVPP funding must use funding for the benefit of K-12, primary, and secondary schools, and students. Please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants for additional information about both the COPS Hiring Program and the School Violence Prevention Program. ###


title: South Florida Man Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison For Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Cambrel Jamal Smart (29, Fort Lauderdale) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Smart to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he illegally possessed. Smart had pleaded guilty on December 1, 2022. According to court documents, on January 5, 2022, at around 3:00 a.m., a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper pulled over a vehicle Smart was driving after it was observed traveling at a high rate of speed on I-75 in Collier County. The car was searched, after a Trooper could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and observed a clear plastic baggy containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, in the center console. Upon searching the vehicle, a Trooper found a loaded firearm between the front and back passenger-side seats. The firearm was loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition. Subsequent DNA testing linked the firearm to Smart, who is a multi-convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling. 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Convicted Murderer Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Richard Munroe (55, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Munroe faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2023. Munroe had been indicted on December 20, 2022. According to court documents, on November 14, 2022, the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the owner of a moving company who reported Munroe had stolen three firearms while packing a residence for customers. When officers arrived on scene, they found Munroe crouched down in some nearby bushes. Officers located the stolen firearms, seven ammunition magazines, and ammunition where Munroe had been hiding. Munroe had previously been convicted of second-degree murder in New York. He was released on parole in 2018. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Deigo Carter, Jr., 21, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 24, 2023, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. After he completes his prison sentence, Carter will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In September 2021, Lincoln police officers noticed Carter posting images of firearms on social media. In one video, investigators observed defendant handling a handgun with a unique laser attachment. On September 7, 2021, Carter posted an advertisement for narcotics sales on social media. That evening, police saw Carter leave a residence in a car with others. Investigators noticed a green laser light coming from the car that matched the laser light they had seen on Carter’s social media. The car parked at a Lincoln business, the occupants got out and went inside, then came out and got back in the car, at which time police contacted them. At the time, Carter was serving a term of post-release supervision due to two felony convictions from Lancaster County. He was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was a felon. Police recognized Carter, who was in the front passenger seat, from his social media postings. On the driver’s side floor, investigators saw a firearm light attachment similar to the one seen in defendant’s social media postings. Investigators saw a battery used for the attachment on the ground outside of the car, and Carter had a battery for the light in his pocket. In the trunk, police found jars of marijuana residue. In the back seat, police located a THC product Carter had been advertising for sale on social media. One of the backseat passengers had a bag of marijuana on his person. Police also located a stolen pistol containing an extended, loaded magazine. This appeared to be one of the same guns police noticed in Carter’s social media. Investigators obtained DNA samples from the gun and learned that Carter was included as a person who left his DNA on the gun. The handgun, which was manufactured outside of Nebraska, had been reported stolen from a Lincoln apartment about a month prior to September 7, 2021. Carter’s sentence was enhanced because he possessed the firearm in connection with drug distribution. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the FBI. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Garland Man Sentenced for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Matthew French, 36, of Garland, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 24, 2023, in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States Senior District Judge John M. Gerrard for two counts of producing child pornography. French was sentenced to 225 months in prison and will also serve 12 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. After serving his prison sentence, French will be required to register as a sex offender. This case began when a school intercepted an email intended for one of its minor students that contained sexually explicit language and requested sexual-related information and photos from the minor. An investigation was opened to determine the identity of the sender of the email. Through investigation, French was identified as the sender. Through the subsequent investigation it was determined that French would meet minors through his small business, introduction from other minors, or through Snapchat. He would initiate a conversation with the minors and eventually would explain an opportunity to them to make money through “odd easy work.” He would then provide the minor the email address for a fictional individual. French explained to his victims that this fictional person wrote sex stories online and that they wanted the minor’s information to write these stories. Using the fictional email address, French would pose as the third person and send the minor victims a survey with detailed questions about their sexual activities, proclivities, and anatomy. The email indicated the third person would pay the minor for a response to the survey. The email further contained options to make more money by taking certain sexually related photographs. A search warrant was received for the email address, related-Google drive, and Google photos accounts and for French’s residence and devices. In reviewing this evidence, investigators discovered copious sexually explicit files. Investigators were able to positively identify four minor victims who provided sexually explicit images or videos to French at his request and who were paid by French. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for  Brandishing a Firearm in Relation to a Robbery

body_text: Jackson, Miss. - A Jackson man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to court documents, Tyrese Antwon Linson, 23, brandished a pistol during a nighttime robbery of a motel in the Jackson metro area. Linson became angry with the motel clerks when his reservation did not appear in their computer. As a result, Linson pulled a pistol and demanded money from the clerks. Linson was taken into custody shortly after the robbery. Robbery is a crime of violence, and it is contrary to federal law to brandish a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The Jackson Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime .


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Possession  with Intent to Distribute 40 Kilograms of Cocaine

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Florida man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to court records, On October 11, 2022, a DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 10 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The driver of the vehicle and sole occupant was identified as Vicente Valerio. A search of the vehicle revealed three bags containing 40 kilograms of cocaine. Valerio will be sentenced on June 27, 2023, and faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.


title: Jury Convicts Two of Conspiracy to Traffic Fentanyl

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

body_text: AKRON - First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal jury convicted Branea Bryant, age 29, and Ramel Drew, age 44, both of Cleveland, Ohio, of drug trafficking offenses on Friday, March 17, in Akron, Ohio, following a two-week jury trial before Judge John R. Adams. The jury convicted Branea Bryant of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, one count of Conspiracy to Launder Money, and three counts of Money Laundering. The jury convicted Ramel Drew of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, one count of Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate Drug Trafficking, one count of Distribution of Fentanyl, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. The following information is based on court documents and evidence presented at trial. In 2021, the FBI learned that Branea Bryant’s brother, Brandon Bryant, and her boyfriend, Devonn Fair, were selling fentanyl to customers at various locations on the east side of Cleveland. Branea Bryant’s company, ADF3 Investments, LLC, owned a house on East 130th Street in Cleveland that Brandon Bryant was using to sell fentanyl. Based upon a long term, multi-agency investigation, the FBI determined that Brandon Bryant and Devonn Fair were selling fentanyl to customers at multiple locations in Cleveland, and that Branea Bryant and Ramel Drew were involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy. On August 31, 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at seven houses connected to the drug organization, and seized over a kilogram of fentanyl, numerous firearms, ammunition, high-speed money counters, drug presses, a vacuum-sealer used to package drugs and money, over $68,000 in cash, jewelry, and multiple high-end vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Jaguar F-Type. One of the houses searched on August 31st was on East 89th Street in Cleveland, which the FBI had identified as a location where customers came from as far away as Lorain County and Ashland County to buy fentanyl. The FBI recovered a DVR surveillance system from the East 89th Street house, which showed Ramel Drew, Devonn Fair, and codefendant Nathaniel Lightfoot engaging in drug transactions with customers in the driveway of the residence. Testimony at trial also established that Fair, Drew, and Lightfoot shared a cell phone that drug customers would call to arrange the drug purchases. Fair and Lightfoot previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing. Investigation by the IRS showed that Branea Bryant’s company, ADF3 Investments, owned several high-end vehicles connected to the drug conspiracy, including two Range Rovers that had been purchased with drug money, and a Jaguar F-Type that was used to facilitate drug deals. At trial, the lead IRS investigator testified that ADF3 did not file any state or federal tax returns, and that it did not appear to engage in any kind of legitimate business activity. The IRS investigator also testified that ADF3’s bank accounts, which had been opened by Branea Bryant, were largely funded with cash deposits and that ADF3’s accounts had been used to make large purchases at designer stores like Gucci and Prada using Branea Bryant’s debit card. Branea Bryant and Ramel Drew were among 24 defendants indicted in the case, which was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The other 22 defendants named in the indictment previously pled guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL) and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Investigative Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE), the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Lewis, Joseph Dangelo, and James Morford.


title: Perrysburg Man Indicted on Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: TOLEDO - Sage George, 31, of Perrysburg, Ohio was indicted on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Drug Felony. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Frank H. Spryszak. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Findlay Man Indicted on Five Counts of Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO - Gage Haws, 28, of Findlay, Ohio was indicted on five counts of Bank Robbery. The indictment alleges that between December 31, 2022, and February 16, 2023, the defendant committed robberies at Premier Bank in Arlington, Ohio, Old Fort Bank in Bettsville, Ohio, First National Bank of Sycamore in McCutchenville, Ohio, Union Bank Company in Kalida, Ohio, and State Bank and Trust Company in Delta, Ohio. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation preceding the indictment was a collaborative effort conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Findlay Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Kalida Police Department, Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, Delta Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank H. Spryszak and Matthew D. Simko. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: “Ghost Preparer” Charged With Tax Fraud Appears In Federal Court

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tijan Mboob, a/k/a “TJ,” a/k/a “Teejay McBoob,” a/k/a “Sheikhtijan,” 58, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today on tax fraud charges, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mboob was arrested on Thursday, after a federal grand jury returned a 20-count criminal indictment charging him with aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns over a five-year span. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI) joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. “With tax season upon us, I urge taxpayers to exercise caution and use tax preparers who are qualified and authorized to prepare and file tax returns,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Federal prosecutors and IRS criminal investigators work closely to uncover tax fraud and identify fraudulent tax preparers who violate our tax laws and compromise the integrity of our tax system.” “As we approach the April 15 tax deadline, those who consider preparing false tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative consequences as evidenced today,” said Special Agent in Charge Eakins. “It is important for people to have confidence that when they pay their taxes, their neighbors and co-workers are doing the same. Today's indictment emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud America's tax system." According to allegations in the indictment, beginning in at least 2014 through 2021, Mboob prepared or caused to be prepared hundreds of fraudulent tax returns that were submitted to the IRS. The indictment alleges that Mboob was a “ghost preparer,” who failed to identify himself as a paid tax preparer on tax returns he prepared or submitted as required by the IRS, despite receiving payment from clients for his tax services. The indictment further alleges that Mboob prepared income tax returns for clients that included fabricated and fraudulent items, including false filing status, false American Opportunity and education credits, false itemized deductions and false reforestation credits, among others. Mboob’s alleged inclusion of the fabricated and fraudulent items resulted in the reduction of his clients’ tax liabilities and inflated refunds totaling more than $4.7 million. The indictment also alleges that Mboob refused to assist clients who received correspondence from the IRS questioning items on their tax returns that Mboob had prepared and filed. As alleged in the indictment, Mboob also failed to report any preparation fees he earned as income for tax years 2017 and 2020 and did not file any tax returns for tax years 2018 and 2019. Following his initial appearance in federal court, Mboob was released on bond. Each charge of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns carries a maximum prison term of three years and a $250,000 fine. The charges against Mboob are allegations. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassye Cole and Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. * * * This week, the IRS began its annual Dirty Dozen Tax Scams campaign , which lists the worst of the worst tax schemes that taxpayers may encounter and typically peak during filing season. To learn more about the Dirty Dozen scams and for help with recognizing and avoiding abusive tax schemes, the IRS offers educational material at IRS.gov . Suspected tax fraud can be reported to the IRS using Form 3949-A found on the IRS.gov website. If you have been financially impacted by a tax return preparer’s misconduct or improper tax preparation practices you can file a complaint here .


title: Former Servicemember Sentenced to 30 Years for Directing Minors to Produce Child Pornography

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Surprise, Arizona, man was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, from summer of 2021 through March 2022, Elliott Velez, 38, used over 28 known fictitious social media accounts across multiple platforms to engage in sexually graphic conversations with girls under the age of 18. During these conversations with the victims, Velez would instruct them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, take photos or videos, and send the images to him. Velez would give explicit instructions on what he wanted them to do and who he wanted them to engage in sexually explicit conduct with, including other underage individuals. Review of just one account during the span of just one week Velez had engaged in over 7,000 lines of sexually graphic conversations with minors. Velez would use a recording device on his phone to ensure that he could keep these videos and images without the victim’s knowledge. Velez was an active-duty Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force who was located in Newport News during the time of his illegal conduct. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Norfolk Child Exploitation Task Force (NCETF), as part of Project Safe Childhood. The NCETF is composed of FBI agents and detectives from the Chesapeake Police Department, Hampton Police Division, and Newport News Police Department. Assistance in this matter was also provided by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children. Tips regarding child exploitation can be provided to the task force at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov. In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org . To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-28.


title: Former Tampa Area Real Estate Professional Sentenced To 24 Months For Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Frank Sebastian Visicaro (63, Trinity) to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Visicaro to pay restitution in the amount of $1,088,440, the proceeds of funds laundered through bank accounts he controlled. Visicaro had pleaded guilty on December 9, 2021. According to the plea agreement, Visicaro used his real estate company, two shell companies, and bank accounts in the companies’ names to launder the proceeds of an international boiler room fraud scheme, which defrauded foreign victims via the sale of worthless investments. Visicaro used the companies and bank accounts to receive fraud proceeds. Some of the fraud proceeds were wired directly from victims overseas into these accounts. More often, fraud proceeds from the victims were wired to United States-based accounts controlled by other conspirators and then later wired to accounts controlled by Visicaro. In such instances, Visicaro’s accounts served as “buffer” accounts, that is, secondary bank accounts used to transfer and conceal foreign victims’ money and avoid detection by banks. In total, more than $1 million in victims’ funds flowed into Visicaro-controlled accounts. Thereafter, at the direction of other conspirators, Visicaro wired most of the funds to multiple other financial institutions—held by, among others, boiler room sales agents or other conspirators—in order to promote the scheme and to conceal and disguise the source of, and to hinder any efforts to locate, those proceeds. Visicaro was compensated, via a percentage of the amount of funds he helped to launder, for his role in the conspiracy. “We are committed to stopping transnational criminal organizations from targeting unsuspecting victims with fraudulent investment schemes that use high-pressure tactics,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI Tampa and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) are formidable investigative partners working together with our international partners to stop these fraudsters from taking peoples’ hard-earned money.” “Illegal activity involving the investment industry has brought financial ruin to many people,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “IRS Criminal Investigation is determined to attack these fraud schemes by utilizing our forensic accounting skills and working side by side with Homeland Security Investigations and put a stop to this and other types of financial crime.” This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and David W.A. Chee.


title: Former investment advisor pleads guilty to multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - John J. Woods, the former President of Southport Capital and manager of Horizon Private Equity, III, LLC, has pleaded guilty to operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors out of more than $25 million. “Woods promised investors low-risk investments, profitable returns, and a diversified portfolio, all while secretly using money raised from new investors to primarily pay earlier investors,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Investors should respond with caution to financial offers that sound too good to be true and are cloaked in the promise of low risk and high rates of return.” “It is the FBI’s hope that today’s guilty plea will provide some sense of relief to those victims that have suffered so much by Mr. Woods greed- fueled conduct,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case serves as another reminder that investors need to be careful, and do their research, when deciding who to trust with their hard-earned money.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Woods operated a Ponzi scheme until being shut down by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2021. Woods solicited investors to invest in a fund called, “Horizon Private Equity.” Woods, and other investment adviser representatives acting under his direction, promised potential Horizon investors rates of return of six to seven percent on their investment and that Horizon would earn a return by investing their money in, for example, government bonds, stocks, or small real estate projects. Woods and his confederates also assured investors that Horizon investments carried minimal risk and were safe because Horizon had a diverse portfolio. Contrary to these representations, the money received from new investors was not invested in a diverse portfolio; and money collected from new investors was used largely to pay returns to previous investors. In fact, Horizon was able to pay guaranteed returns to investors only by raising and using new investor money. As a part of the scheme, Woods caused Horizon to issue monthly statements to investors that fraudulently misled investors by failing to disclose that the Horizon investments had not generated a positive percentage of return sufficient to cover the interest. As of the end of July 2021, Horizon investors were owed more than $110,000,000 in principal investment amounts. And over 400 investors, residing in at least 20 different states, held investments in Horizon. Losses are still being calculated, but investors have lost more than $25 million because of Woods’s scheme to defraud. Sentencing for John J. Woods, 58, of Marietta, Georgia, has not yet been scheduled. He pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging a single offense of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1343. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The SEC provided valuable assistance. The SEC’s separate civil case is SEC v. Woods et al. , No. 1:21-CV-03413-SDG (N.D. Ga.). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Adams and Stephen H. McClain are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $50 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2022

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina collected $50,690,774.37 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $11,935,768.98 was collected in criminal actions and $38,755,005.39 was collected in civil actions. The District of South Carolina also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect $10,438,936.69 in criminal and civil cases pursued jointly by these offices. “Making crime victims whole, forfeiting property used to commit crimes, and recovering money bilked from our taxpayers are critical components of our justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our Criminal Division, Civil Division, Asset Forfeiture Unit, and Financial Litigation Unit work day in and day out to claw back ill-gotten gains and ensure victims are compensated, and we will continue to dedicate resources to holding wrongdoers financially accountable.” In August 2022, Philips RS North America, LLC, formerly known as Respironics, Inc., agreed to pay a total of $24,750,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it provided kickbacks to durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers to induce them to choose Respironics’ respiratory equipment for federal healthcare program beneficiaries. Of the $24,750,000 settlement, state Medicaid programs received $2.13 million. A relator (also known as a whistleblower) disclosed the alleged fraud by filing a qui tam action and received approximately $4.3 million of the federal settlement amount. Additionally, Respironics entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG. The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Daniel A. Spiro of the Fraud Section of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Warren and Johanna Valenzuela of the District of South Carolina. The lawsuit resolved by this settlement is captioned United States, et al., ex rel. Respiratory Care., LLC v. Respironics, Inc., et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-02913-BHH (D.S.C). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Additionally, in United States v. Lavoie et al , Case No. 4:21-cr-00585-RBH (D.S.C.), the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered $586,805 in restitution owed to the IRS for tax violations. Daniel A. Lavoie and Enrique R. Reyes pleaded guilty to charges related to employment tax fraud and hiring unauthorized aliens. They operated or assisted in the operation of a construction company that used unlicensed check cashers to facilitate under-the-table cash payments to employees, many of whom were unauthorized aliens. The off-the-books payments defrauded the United States out of applicable employment taxes on the employees. Lavoie and Reyes were each ordered to pay $293,402.50 in restitution for tax violations, all of which has been recovered. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Fisher Sherard and Anne Hunter Young of the District of South Carolina. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $6,130,476 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. ###


title: Recruiter and Director of Money Mule Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Participation in Business Email Compromise Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for her role in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme that affected numerous corporate and individual victims throughout the nation, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Lucy Beswick, 31, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence on March 23, 2023, in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From July 2017 to March 2018, Beswick and others participated in a BEC scheme designed to enrich its conspirators financially by stealing more than $400,000 in proceeds from individual and corporate victims. Conspirators recruited money mules to provide their personal identifying information in connection with the incorporation of sham businesses with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury under the money mules’ names. Under the instruction of conspirators, including Beswick, the money mules then opened bank accounts under the names of the sham corporations. A related cyber-attack arm of the scheme involved the creation of email addresses mimicking, but differing slightly from, legitimate email addresses of supervisory employees of various victim companies, of vendors that did business with those victim companies, of mortgage lenders and brokers that dealt with individual victims in connection with real estate purchases, and of advisors and accountants who performed financial services for their clients. Conspirators sent emails from these addresses to several victims, which appeared to request the payment of legitimate invoices or debts owed by the victims, but in actuality deceived the victims into transferring funds by wire into the bogus bank accounts. After the victims complied with the fraudulent wiring instructions, Beswick and others, under the direction of other conspirators, quickly debited from the bank accounts they had opened and which they controlled, thousands of dollars in cash through in-person and ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases, while also transferring by wire from the bogus bank accounts to foreign bank accounts controlled by conspirators hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen funds. Beswick ordinarily kept a fraction of the ill-gotten proceeds as compensation. In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Beswick to three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $328,467 in restitution and $15,000 in forfeiture. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James D. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jose Riera, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Eric A. Boden, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Colorado Pharmacy and Pharmacist Agree to Resolve Allegations that They Unlawfully Filled Dangerous Prescriptions for Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER—The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that People’s Pharmacy, Inc. and its owner and pharmacist-in-charge, Mahnaz Abharian, have agreed to resolve allegations that the pharmacy unlawfully dispensed controlled substances, including dangerous opioids and drug combinations. People’s Pharmacy operated a pharmacy located in Lakewood, Colorado until July 2020. Ms. Abharian is the sole owner of People’s Pharmacy and served as the pharmacist-in-charge at the Lakewood location. The United States alleges that People’s Pharmacy violated the Controlled Substances Act between January 2014 and July 2020 by unlawfully filling prescriptions despite the presence of red flags indicating that the prescriptions were not issued for legitimate medical purposes. The prescriptions filled included exceptionally high opioid dosages and dangerous drug combinations, which can depress the central nervous system and the ability to breathe. The United States alleges that these violations resulted in serious harms, including both overdose deaths and the unlawful diversion of prescription drugs onto the street. As part of the settlement, People’s Pharmacy agreed to a $3.5 million civil penalty, which required it to pay all of its remaining assets. The pharmacy also agreed to permanently forgo holding a pharmacy license or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration, which will prevent it from dispensing any controlled substances in the future. Ms. Abharian agreed that she will not dispense any controlled substances again in the future. “Pharmacies and pharmacists are the last line of defense against unlawful prescriptions,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “They have an obligation to spot, and refuse to fill, unlawful prescriptions for dangerous drugs. When a pharmacist ignores red flags indicating that a prescription lacks a legitimate medical purpose, and fills the prescription anyway, there can be deadly consequences. We will protect our community by vigorously pursuing pharmacies and pharmacists that fail to follow the law, just as we do with prescribers who issue unlawful prescriptions.” “People’s Pharmacy perpetuated the opioid crisis by ignoring red flags and knowingly and unlawfully dispensing Oxycodone that led to addiction and in some cases death. Pharmacists have a corresponding responsibility to ensure the legitimacy of the prescriptions they fill,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Division Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “This case highlights the DEA Rocky Mountain Division’s commitment and capabilities when it comes to investigating those believed to be improperly dispensing controlled substances and our efforts to reverse the poisoning and overdose crisis plaguing our region.” The claims against People’s Pharmacy and Ms. Abharian are allegations, and in agreeing to settle this matter, they did not admit to any liability. This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division and handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Moskowitz.


title: Husband and wife charged in multi-million dollar home health fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Two Houston residents are set to appear on allegations in an $8.7 million fraud scheme connected to a home health company they jointly owned and operated, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Caroline Zamora, 63, and Rommel Zamora, 59, are set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew M. Edison at 2 p.m. The indictment, returned March 1, alleges the Zamoras owned and operated 24/7 Stat Care Home Health Services Inc. aka Parkway Healthcare Services. From approximately February 7, 2014 through November 9, 2018, the couple allegedly conspired to pay illegal cash kickbacks to Medicare patients to sign up for home health services with Parkway. The Zamoras are also alleged to have conspired to pay kickbacks to doctors to certify and refer patients for home health who did not qualify. The indictment further alleges the Zamoras fraudulently billed Medicare for home health services that were not provided or for patients who did not qualify for such services. Parkway billed Medicare $8.7M and was paid $6.7M, according to the indictment. If convicted, both face up to 10 years in prison on each count of health care fraud in addition to another five years for the conspiracy. All counts also carry as possible punishment a maximum $250,000 fine. The Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the FBI conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Abdul Farukhi is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Morgan County Child Molester Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Justin Herrington, 32, of Whitaker, Indiana, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, in 2012, Herrington sexually abused Minor Victim 1, a 5-year-old child in his care, custody, or control, in Morgan County, Indiana. Herrington’s abuse of the child was discovered in 2012 and he was arrested and charged in state court. He was convicted of child molestation in 2014 and spent 446 days in prison before being released to serve the remainder of his sentence on probation. Herrington was also ordered to register as a sex offender against children for the remainder of his life. After his release from prison, Herrington began distributing, receiving, and possessing child sex abuse material—including a previously unknown image he produced of Minor Victim 1 engaged in sexually explicit conduct in approximately 2012, when he was sexually abusing the child. On March 6, 2019, law enforcement officials received a report from a drugstore employee who believed that Herrington had submitted images of child sexual abuse to the store for photo processing. Law enforcement officers arrested Herrington later that day when he arrived at the store to pick up the images. Further investigation of Herrington’s digital devices uncovered numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material of prepubescent children under the age of 12, including the image of Minor Victim 1. Many of the images, messages, and search terms located on Herrington’s devices demonstrate a sexual obsession with children in diapers. Forensic investigation of all of Herrington’s digital devices proved that he belonged to a Russian-based website known by law enforcement for spreading child sexual abuse material. The investigation also revealed that Herrington was in the process of grooming a 13-year-old girl via Chat Hour and Snapchat. Online, Herrington claimed to be an 18-year-old and nearly enticed the girl to send him sexually explicit images of herself and meeting him in person. At the time of his arrest, Herrington was in a relationship with an individual that had a 5-year-old child, in violation of the terms of his release for child molestation. Information on Herrington’s devices revealed that he attempted to get jobs at local daycares and as a babysitter, and even responded to a Craigslist advertisement seeking a babysitter for a 4-year-old. On or about August 6, 2019, Herington was charged with federal offenses, and ordered detained pending trial. In August 2021, while in federal custody, Herrington used detention facility mail to send sexually suggestive depictions of children wearing diapers, including Minor Victim 1, that were produced to his attorneys during his state prosecution to at least 19 other inmates around the country. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, John Richards, Chief of Martinsville Police Department, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Doug Carter, Indiana State Police Superintendent made the announcement. “For years, this insatiable child sex predator demonstrated utter disregard for the safety and dignity of children to satisfy his own sick lusts,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “It is especially chilling that he was grooming an additional victim online and repeatedly sought to work in daycares and as a babysitter. The sentence imposed today demonstrates that a civilized society will simply not tolerate these heinous crimes against our children. I commend the Martinsville Police Department, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for working together to remove this dangerous pedophile from our community.” Martinsville Police Department, Indiana State Police, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and FBI investigated the case. The Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office prosecuted the related state cases. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Herrington be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life following his release from federal prison. Herrington must continue to register as sex offender where he lives, works, and goes to school as required by law and has been ordered to pay restitution to Minor Victim 1. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc ###


title: Morris County Woman Charged in $10 Million Scheme to Commit Health Care Fraud

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County woman has been charged for her role in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today. Aysha Khan, 33, of Kinnelon, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four counts of health care fraud. She was arrested today and will have her initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case: Khan controlled and operated a network of “specialty pharmacies” with locations in New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Florida. These pharmacies processed expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. At Khan’s direction, the pharmacies billed health insurance providers for medications that the pharmacies did not actually provide to patients. While the pharmacies generally provided medications for initial prescriptions it received, it systematically and intentionally billed for refills for those same medications without ever dispensing them. On certain occasions, the pharmacies also billed for initial prescriptions without ever shipping or dispensing them. From 2015 through 2022, the Khan Pharmacies received over $10 million in reimbursement payments from Medicare for medications the pharmacy not only failed to give patients, but never ordered or had in stock. The conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud count and the substantive healthcare fraud counts charged are each punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and an analyst of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker, New York Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and the Kinnelon Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Napoletano, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney George L. Brandley of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. khan.indictment_redacted.pdf