title: MOBILE MAN ON FEDERAL SUPERVISION SENTENCED  TO OVER 7 YEARS IN PRISON  FOR ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A FIREARM

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Vincent Cole, 35, of Mobile, was sentenced to prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm while on supervision for a previous federal conviction for carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, on March 10, 2023, Cole was arrested by Mobile Police Department (MPD) following a traffic stop and high-speed chase through a residential area in Mobile. Cole initially stopped his car and spoke to MPD officers. While speaking to the MPD officers, Cole sped off at a high speed. MPD officers returned to their police cruiser and pursued him. Cole lost control of his vehicle and slid off the road just over a quarter of a mile away from the initial traffic stop. Cole climbed out of his car and was quickly apprehended. MPD officers found a loaded Glock Model 19 firearm inside the glovebox of Cole’s car. Cole admitted that he possessed the firearm found in the glovebox of his car. Cole was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Cole to 64 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm. Because Cole was on federal supervision when he illegally possessed a firearm, Judge Moorer found that Cole violated the conditions of his supervised release term he was serving for his prior felony convictions. Cole was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his new criminal conduct while on supervision, to run consecutive to his 64-month sentence. U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Michigan Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime Offenses for Defacing Predominantly Black Church and Public Park Bathroom

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – David Bluer, 33, of Warren, Michigan, was charged today in connection with spray-painting swastikas and other graffiti on a church in Roseville, Michigan, and with spray-painting similarly racist graffiti on a public park bathroom in Warren. According to the charging documents, in October 2021, Bluer spray-painted swastikas, the word “die” and other graffiti on the Roseville church, because of the race and color of individuals associated with the church. As specified in the charging documents, the Roseville church has a Black pastor and serves a predominantly Black congregation. In addition, Bluer spray-painted swastikas, a racist slur and symbols and other graffiti on the public bathroom of Trombly Park, in Warren. The racist graffiti included the statement “DaviD KiLLS Ni**ERS.” Allegedly, Bluer acted because of the race and color of Black people who used the park, and because Black people were and had been enjoying the park. Bluer was charged with one count of damaging a religious property and one count of interfering with federally protected activities. Bluer faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each misdemeanor charge. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn N. Ison, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Issues 2023 Annual Report

body_text: DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office made significant strides in 2023 in rebuilding community trust, reinvigorating our protection of civil rights, and restructuring our approach to violent crime, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. The details of the office’s work in 2023 are set forth in a 51-page annual report highlighting prosecutions, community outreach, trials, convictions, systemic change, and community impact. The document is available here for review by the public. The report sets forth the work done in service of the richly-diverse Eastern District of Michigan. The lawyers and support professionals in our Detroit, Flint, and Bay City offices, along with our partner agencies, had significant accomplishments this year. Among them: • In fiscal year 2023, our office collected $68,224,759.35 in criminal and civil actions in judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture, more than twice our operating budget of $ 24.9 million. These funds are being returned to victims and taxpayers. • Our efforts to target the most violent offenders who are harming public safety resulted in numerous federal convictions. We obtained conviction for the leader of the Seven Mile Bloods Gang who terrorized Detroit’s east side for many years. We also obtained Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) convictions for three senior members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation, a criminal enterprise that operates across the country including in Detroit. • We filed suit against a Dearborn Heights landlord who is alleged to have subjected actual and prospective female tenants to sexual harassment on multiple occasions since at least 2017. • We charged a former Warren police officer with violating a jail prisoner’s civil rights by assaulting the prisoner without justification. • We remained committed to rooting out public corruption in our community as 2023 saw the Mayor of Inkster indicted by our office for bribery and guilty pleas from the Mayor of Taylor for conspiracy to receive bribes and wire fraud and the President of the Madison School Board for bribery and tax evasion. • We obtained a conviction at trial against an ISIS fighter who left his home in Michigan and travelled to Yemen and Syria where he obtained ISIS training and spent more than 2 years as an ISIS soldier. • The office has charged 142 defendants (52 in 2023) with participating in pandemic fraud schemes, ranging from unemployment insurance fraud conspiracies to fraud in pandemic loan programs. Of the individuals charged in such cases, the United States has thus far obtained more than 86 convictions. • We indicted 8 people and charged them with federal civil rights offenses and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with employees and patients of a reproductive health clinic, because the clinic’s employees were providing, and the patients were seeking, reproductive health services. Although we are encouraged by the results of our efforts in 2023, we recognize that we still have more work to do. The work detailed in the 2023 Annual Report details our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe, protect civil rights, and ensure fairness and opportunity for everyone in our community. Each day, the 220 men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work diligently to further these goals and to advance the interests of our nation.


title: Four South Florida Residents Charged with PPP and Mortgage Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI –Raisha Kelly, 43, and Widny Thibaud, 44, of Loxahatchee, Florida and Cortira Gray, 33, and Ann Gilchrist , 55 of Miami, Florida have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud wire fraud in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. According to allegations in the indictment and statements made in open court, Kelly, Thibaud, Gray and Gilchrist conspired with themselves and others to submit PPP loan applications and submitted and caused the submission of fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications, on behalf of themselves and corporate entities that they controlled. Kelly, in return for the payment of kickbacks, submitted and caused the submission of false and fraudulent PPP loan applications for Gilchrist, Gray and others. Kelly, Thibaud, Gray and Gilchrist submitted and caused the submission of false and fraudulent information and documentation in support of the PPP loan applications, including falsified Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms, among other things that falsely and fraudulently represented the annual gross receipts and tentative profits of the sole proprietorships and corporate entities they controlled. In total, this conspiracy caused PPP lenders to make approximately $1.3 million in loans to Kelly, Thibaud, Gray, Gilchrist and their co-conspirators. According to allegations, during the commission of the conspiracy Gray was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Gilchrist was an employee of the Miami-Dade Transit Department. Thibaud is also charged with a separate wire fraud scheme for his submission of a false and fraudulent mortgage loan application to a mortgage lender that caused Thibaud to receive a $700,000 mortgage for which he was not qualified. Gray, Gilcrhist and Kelly had their initial appearances on March 11. Thibaud had his initial appearance on March 12. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Jonathan Ulrich, Special Agent in Charge, USPS Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG), Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region, and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region made the announcement. This case was investigated by the USPS OIG, SBA OIG, and DOL-OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein. The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-CR-20079. ###


title: Former California Rideshare Driver Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Antisemitic Attack on Passenger

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A Daly City, California, resident and former rideshare driver was arrested today for an Oct. 26, 2023, assault on a rider because he perceived the rider to be Jewish or Israeli. “The defendant, a rideshare driver, is charged with assaulting a rider because he thought the rider was Jewish or Israeli,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No one in this country should live in fear because of how they worship or where they come from. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate hate-fueled violence motivated by antisemitism or by bias of any kind.” “No one should ever fear being attacked because of their nationality or religion,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “In this case, a rideshare driver assaulted the victim because he perceived them as Jewish or Israeli. The FBI is firmly committed to investigating such bias-motivated acts of violence and holding the perpetrators accountable to keep Americans safe.” “When taking public transportation – whether a taxi, bus, or rideshare – customers should be able to ride without being profiled, or worse yet attacked, because of their nationality or religion by drivers,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “We will prosecute any ride-share driver who assaults a passenger in such hate-fueled violence.” According to the indictment unsealed this morning, on Oct. 26, 2023, Csaba John Csukás, 39, struck the victim in the face while at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) because the defendant perceived the victim to be Jewish or Israeli. The indictment alleges Csukás worked as a driver for an app-based rideshare company and was hired to drive the victim from SFO to the victim’s home. The indictment further alleges that when Csukás approached the victim at a predetermined pickup location, Csukás asked the victim if the victim was Jewish or Israeli, stated that he would not transport a Jewish or Israeli person, and attacked the victim by striking the victim in the face with his fist. Csukás made his initial appearance today and is charged with committing a federal hate crime which prohibits, among other things, causing bodily injury because of the actual or perceived religion or national origin of a person in circumstances affecting interstate commerce. Csukás faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the hate crime charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp of the FBI San Francisco Field Office joined the announcement. The FBI San Francisco Field Office investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California’s Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Drug Distributor Charged with Distributing Cocaine Base in Decker Towers

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Lamont Hudgins, 42, of Staten Island, New York, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with distributing cocaine base at Decker Towers, a Burlington Housing Authority high-rise for elderly and disabled residents. Hudgins was arraigned on March 11, 2024 and is detained pending further proceedings. According to court records, in 2018, Hudgins was convicted of distribution of heroin and marijuana in the District of Vermont and sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. A complaint filed in this case alleges that, in 2023 and 2024, Hudgins distributed cocaine base and fentanyl to a confidential informant on at least seven occasions in and around Decker Towers. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Hudgins is presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Hudgins faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Burlington Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Northwest Vermont Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith is handling the prosecution. Mark A. Kaplan, Esq., represents Hudgins.


title: Bangor Man Sentenced to 14 Years After Being Caught with 400g of Fentanyl, 30g of Cocaine and a Firearm while Out on Bail

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Allen Henry , 49, to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Henry pleaded guilty May 23, 2023. According to court records, in May 2022, officers with the Brewer Police Department responded to a call for service and located Henry in a parked vehicle. A record check revealed Henry had an active warrant for his arrest and active bail conditions stemming from a state charge. The bail conditions prohibited him from using or possessing any alcohol or illegal drugs. Upon conducting a bail check to ensure Henry was compliant with conditions, officers located more than 400 grams of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of cocaine base and a firearm in his vehicle. Henry has a previous 2013 state conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Brewer Police Department investigated this case. ###


title: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Houston-Based Tax Return Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a civil injunction suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas seeking to permanently bar a Houston-based return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. The complaint alleges that Morshanda Lewis – operating through her business, Taxes R Us – regularly prepared and filed federal income tax returns for her customers on which she knowingly underreported the tax her customers owed, often generating larger refunds than her customers should have obtained. The complaint offers several examples of how, from 2020 to 2023, Lewis prepared hundreds of returns for tax years 2019 through 2022 that claimed residential energy credits or education credits to which she knew or should have known her customers were not entitled. The United States contends Lewis continued to prepare tax returns that claimed false credits despite several warnings from the IRS as early as November 2013 that many of the returns she prepared contained apparent errors. According to the complaint, Lewis’ false residential energy credit and false education credit schemes for tax years 2019 to 2021, alone, caused significant loss in tax revenue, estimated to exceed $1 million. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. 1 - Lewis, Morshanda - Original Complaint.pdf


title: Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZAN HAIRSTON, JR., 26, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, the Bridgeport Police Department received a report that Hairston had unlawfully entered a residence of a former girlfriend, searched through her belongings and, during a subsequent FaceTime call with her, threatened her by brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. When officers located and approached Hairston on Union Avenue in Bridgeport, Hairston attempted to flee. He was apprehended a short distance away, and officers recovered from the ground near Hairston a Taurus TX .22 firearm equipped with a mounted laser and loaded with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition, a Glock 26 Gen4 firearm loaded with one round, and a Glock magazine with 13 rounds of ammunition. Hairston’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree with a firearm, burglary in the second degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for June 7, at which time Hairston faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Hairston has been detained since his federal arrest on February 22, 2023. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Lauren Clark through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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: St. Louis County Man Sentenced for Gun Crime

body_text: ST. LOUIS– U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a gun to 55 months in prison. Police searched the St. Louis County, Missouri apartment of Martez D. Lindsey on April 25, 2023, while investigating a fatal hit-and-run. Detectives found a stolen Taurus G3 pistol, .53 grams of cocaine base, .33 grams of methamphetamine, 1.14 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and $1,370 in cash in Lindsey’s bedroom. Lindsey, 31, admitted as part of his plea agreement in December that he knew he’d been convicted of multiple felonies and could not possess a firearm. After his arrest on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Lindsey contacted an ex-girlfriend who was a key witness in the hit-and-run investigation and pressured her to claim she was tricked or made up a story because she was mad at him. Lindsey believed her statement was the “only proof they got,” his plea agreement says. Lindsey previously had thrown a brick through the rear window of a vehicle she owned and tossed in a firework that destroyed the front window. Judge Schelp ordered the federal prison sentence to run concurrent to any prison time Lindsey receives for a pending case in St. Louis Circuit Court, where he faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and unlawful possession of a firearm. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involvement in Meth Conspiracy

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 11, 2024. Bradmon Alexander, 36, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Alexander was indicted, along with his co-conspirator Mackenzie Zimmerman, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Alexander pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 12, 2023, and Zimmerman pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 29, 2023. Zimmerman is set to be sentenced on March 25, 2024. Alexander and Zimmerman obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators and then distributed it to others in South Dakota. On January 19, 2023, law enforcement stopped a vehicle that Alexander and Zimmerman were in and executed a search warrant. The officers searched the vehicle and found 26.7 grams of methamphetamine packaged for sale, a digital scale, approximately 13.82 grams of pills suspected to contain fentanyl, and $1,428 in cash. In total, Alexander was responsible for personally distributing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of fentanyl pills. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Alexander was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Shooting Federal Agents in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for shooting two federal agents and a task force officer who were conducting a covert investigation in Chicago. EUGENE MCLAURIN, 31, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of assaulting a federal officer and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the sentence during a hearing Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. The shootings occurred on the morning of July 7, 2021, when two agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and an ATF Task Force officer were driving in an unmarked law enforcement vehicle while conducting a covert investigation on the South Side of Chicago. McLaurin admitted in a plea agreement that he mistakenly suspected the officers were members of an opposing gang. After following the officers’ vehicle, McLaurin pulled alongside it as the vehicle reached an on-ramp to the I-57 Expressway and fired several shots at the officers. The two agents and task force officer were wounded and suffered serious injuries. Shortly after the shooting, McLaurin disposed of his handgun in a sewer drain and hid the key to his vehicle in the basement of his residence in order to conceal evidence of his involvement in the shootings. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Kristen de Tineo, Assistant Director of ATF, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of ATF, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Jodrey, Jasmina Vajzovic, and Elizabeth Pozolo. “Through the violence of Eugene McLaurin, three dedicated law enforcement officers were seriously injured while serving their community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “The bravery and courage shown by the injured officers command our utmost respect. Our office will continue to ensure that assaults on law enforcement will be met with serious punishment.” “The men and women of ATF and its Task Forces have a noble mission to protect the public from violent crime,” ATF Assistant Director de Tineo said in her statement to the Court at sentencing. “Etched just inside the entrance of ATF Headquarters is a quote that states, ‘Loyalty, protection, perseverance, and partnership in defense of justice.’ That quote epitomizes the Chicago Field Division.” “On behalf of the men and women of ATF, we are relieved that this defendant will serve 27 years in federal prison, protecting the community from further violence,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Amon. “As noted in today’s sentencing hearing, the victims of this senseless crime, law enforcement agents and officers, dedicate their lives to protecting our community. We will not tolerate firearm violence directed at our community or our colleagues and will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Chicago Police Department to ensure a tragedy such as this one never happens again.”


title: Facial recognition technology used to locate child victim after a decade leading to arrest of Elma man

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Matthew A. Steele, 53, of Elma, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2023, the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center received a referral from the Queensland Police Service in Australia, regarding media they had discovered that appeared to be newly produced and unidentified child exploitation material. The referral included 47 images depicting the sexual exploitation of an early pubescent female victim (Victim 1). In September 2023, HSI performed a visual analysis of images, which included various areas of a home as well as distinct dermatological markings on Victim 1. A few of the images contained metadata, which helped to determine the type and serial number of the camera used and that the photos were created in March 2013. HSI was able to identify and locate Victim 1. HSI agents executed a search warrant at Steele’s Elma residence, during which agents observed several photographs of Victim 1 as a child in several rooms. They also observed the layout and the décor of the residence, which matched some of the images from the from the Queensland Police Service. Agents also located the camera used to take the images. Steele appeared at a detention hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was ordered detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the Great Falls, Montana Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeff Newton. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Tulare County Man Pleads Guilty to Falsely Marketing Products as Effective in Treating Medical Conditions Including COVID-19

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Huu Tieu, 61, of Porterville, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Tieu was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical Inc. and Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical Inc. (collectively, “Golden Sunrise”). Golden Sunrise manufactured, marketed, and sold products that claimed to effectively treat a variety of medical conditions. According to court documents, beginning on March 30, 2020, Tieu began selling a set of herbal mixtures he called the “Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care” as a COVID-19 treatment. The treatment consisted of a box containing various vials of Golden Sunrise drug products, including one called “Imunstem,” together with an “Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care” information sheet. Tieu mailed the products to various practitioners, public officials, and other individuals both inside and outside of California. According to court documents, the labeling for the drugs, including the information sheet that accompanied the drugs, was false and misleading and stated that ImunStem and other Golden Sunrise products were “uniquely qualified to treat and modify the course of the virus epidemic in China and other countries.” Tieu falsely claimed the products had been the first dietary supplement in the United States to be approved as a prescription medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the COVID-19 virus. In fact, the drugs were not FDA approved, and no Golden Sunrise product had ever been approved by the FDA for any purpose. This case is the product of an investigation by FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Emilia P.E. Morris are prosecuting the case. Tieu is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe on June 12, 2024. Tieu faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine on each of the three counts. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Providence, R.I. man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Rafael Cesar Cabreja Jimenez, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2024. Cabreja Jimenez was one of 10 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022 in connection with the conspiracy. In March 2021, an investigation began into a DTO operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara. The investigation identified Cabreja Jimenez as a distributor for the DTO who regularly distributed multi-kilograms of fentanyl from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River. During a search of the stash house in July 2022, Cabreja Jimenez was found located inside the apartment along with more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl stored in various ceiling panels, blenders, a hydraulic press and baggies. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Cabreja Jimenez is the ninth defendant to plead guilty in the case. Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Dodson man sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault charge stemming from vehicle crash on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Dodson man who admitted to an assault charge stemming from a vehicle crash in which his truck hit another vehicle, seriously injuring the other driver, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Marvin James Cole, 28, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged that on June 22, 2022, Cole crashed his GMC truck into a Dodge Avenger driven by the victim, identified as John Doe, on Highway 66 near Harlem, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Doe suffered serious injuries and ultimately was treated at a hospital in Seattle. A toxicology report showed amphetamine and methamphetamine in Cole’s blood. Cole agreed that he likely drifted into the other lane when he looked at his phone. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement, Montana Highway Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Vancouver Man Sentenced for Role in Penny Stock Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Vancouver man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for participating in a conspiracy to defraud investors in the Boston-based biomedical company Endeavor Power Corp. Marco G. Babini, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (approximately two and a half months in prison) and 18 days of supervised release, with the parties deeming the defendant’s eight months of home incarceration prior to sentencing as additional time served. Babini was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine. In December 2023, Babini pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. Babini was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in September 2015 along with co-conspirators Edward Withrow III and Samuel Brown. He was arrested in Canada in April 2020, at the request of the United States, and was extradited to the United States in July 2023. Between approximately July 2012 and March 2013, Babini agreed to participate in a securities fraud scheme involving the planned sale of stock under concealed control during a promotional campaign, a course of conduct commonly known as a “pump-and-dump.” Babini had trading authority over brokerage accounts in Switzerland in the names of nominee entities that held a significant portion of the purportedly unrestricted shares of Endeavor. To raise money to fund a promotional campaign to generate investor demand for the shares, Babini agreed to execute pre-arranged trades with an undercover federal agent. The undercover agent was posing as an individual who had a corrupt network of stockbrokers willing to purchase and hold shares on behalf of their clients in exchange for monetary kickbacks. Babini agreed to execute pre-arranged trades with the goal of raising at least $200,000 and, in December 2012, Babini attempted to execute an initial test trade valued at $20,000. In May 2018, Withrow pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Brown separately pleaded guilty in July 2015 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud and one count of making false statements to the SEC. Withrow and Brown were sentenced in December 2018 and January 2019, respectively. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of Justice Canada’s International Assistance Group provided valuable assistance in securing the extradition of Babini. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Randolph Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Randolph man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that shipped dozens of parcels containing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Patrick Rinvil, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In December 2023, Rinvil pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Rinvil was identified as a drug courier for a DTO that trafficked kilograms cocaine from Puerto Rico through the mail. The cocaine inside these packages was typically hidden inside innocuous consumer goods, such as air fryers. The packages were addressed to various addresses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Rinvil and others were responsible for picking up the packages and transporting the cocaine to other various stash locations in Massachusetts. In May 2021, a search of Rinvil’s apartment, which was also being used as a one of the stash locations, resulted in the seizure of 12 kilograms of cocaine. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations in Boston provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and James E. Arnold of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Cheyenne man sentenced for producing and possessing child pornography

body_text: Cody Foster, age 29, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced today to 60 years in prison, with a lifetime of supervised release to follow if he were ever to be released from his term of imprisonment, for producing and possessing child pornography. Foster was indicted in Sept. 2023 and pled guilty on Oct. 30, 2023, to six counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Restitution is mandatory and may include expenses related to the victim’s care and treatment. The amount will be determined at a hearing on Jun. 3. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Mar. 13. According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2023, FBI Cheyenne was notified by the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me/Endangered Child Alert Program team of newly produced child pornography on a dark web thread and a potential child victim in Cheyenne. A joint investigation was opened with Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the FBI based on the images they received from the tip line. The investigation led agents straight to Cody Foster, a trusted friend of the victim’s mother. Foster exploited their relationship to gain access to the prepubescent child victim. During a search of his residence and devices, agents uncovered hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, including depictions of sadomasochistic activity involving infants and toddlers. Agents also discovered the images and videos of the victim that were initially identified through the tip line. The evidence collected clearly showed the rape and sexual abuse of the prepubescent child victim by Foster, who had a distinct tattoo on his wrist that could be seen in the abusive images and videos he produced of the child victim. Agents identified Foster and arrested him within 24 hours of receiving the initial tip from FBI’s Operation Rescue Me/Endangered Child Alert Program team. “Our office has no higher responsibility than the protection of children from sexual exploitation,” said United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “This defendant’s conduct was utterly reprehensible, but swift action by law enforcement put an end to it, and the 60-year sentence imposed by the court will prevent him from causing further harm to our community.” “The facts of this case are horrific, and no sentence will fully heal the trauma of this victim. But the penalty in this case can send a message to others, and it will keep this predator from abusing more children,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “The FBI will continue to protect the most vulnerable among us from those who seek to take advantage of their innocence.” “This case highlights the difficult work agents across the state are involved in every day and the commitment of the Division of Criminal Investigation to aggressively pursue anyone who exploits or is a danger to our children. These investigations are conducted by a team of state, local and federal law enforcement officers. In Wyoming, we are fortunate that excellent partnerships exist between all our law enforcement agencies. It is because of these partnerships and the dedication of our law enforcement professionals and prosecutors that the results achieved in this court today are possible,” said Ronnie Jones, director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christyne Martens. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 . Case Number: 23-CR-00141-SWS


title: Camden County Businessman Admits Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, businessman admitted filing false tax returns that failed to report all of his income, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Anthony Cardellia, 59, of Blackwood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court on March 12, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of making and subscribing a false income tax return. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Barreras owned, operated, and worked at home improvement contractors in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Cardellia admitted that during 2016 and 2017, he used a commercial check casher to negotiate over $1.9 million of revenue checks for the home improvement businesses at which he worked. Cardellia kept about $190,000 of the cash proceeds, which he failed to report as income on his individual income tax returns. Cardellia admitted that he caused a tax loss of more than $45,000. The count of making and subscribing a false tax return carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden. cardellia.information.pdf


title: Green Bay Man Indicted for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on March 12, 2024, a federal grand jury had returned an indictment charging Bryan S. Peterson (age: 45) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, with two counts of distributing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A). Peterson was arrested and appeared in federal court today. If convicted of either count, Peterson would face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. He also would face a maximum fine of up to $250,000 per count, and a conviction would require him to register as a sex offender under state and federal law. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s offices in Monterey, California, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble will prosecute the case. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700


title: Two Methamphetamine Traffickers in Nampa Each Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the sentences imposed yesterday in two separate cases in which the defendants were sentenced to over five years in federal prison methamphetamine distribution. “Methamphetamine has devastating effects on our communities, and we will spare no effort to make sure that those who deal this poison face significant consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I want to thank our local law enforcement partners who worked hand-in-hand with our prosecutors in these cases. We will continue our teamwork to keep Idaho safe.” Yesterday, Fernie Garcia, 36, of Nampa, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. According to court records, in February 2023, Garcia sold a pound of methamphetamine to another person on two separate occasions. On February 22, 2023, Garcia was stopped by the Nampa Police Department. A drug canine alerted on the vehicle and two pounds of methamphetamine were found. Garcia was arrested on scene and admitted that the drugs in the vehicle belonged to him. At the time of arrest, Garcia was on parole for a felony sex offense. Although Garcia admitted to joining a gang in his youth, he contends he dropped out of the gang during his previous prison sentence. “We’ll continue to work hard to keep our streets safe. Our police officers and their K-9 partners work diligently every shift to help us get drugs out of our community,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. “Criminals need to understand the Nampa Police Department works regularly with our law enforcement partners to put drug dealers in jail, and we have no plans of ending our team effort.” U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Garcia to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Garcia pleaded guilty to the charge in November 2023. In a separate case, William James Thompson, III, 47, of Nampa, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, in May 2023, Thompson fled on foot from a traffic stop in Caldwell. Officers ran after Thompson and during the ensuing foot pursuit, Thompson broke through two fences in a residential area and discarded a bag containing 79 grams of methamphetamine. Thompson admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine. At the time of the offense, Thompson was on supervised release for a 2019 federal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. “This is yet another display of collaboration and dedication to protecting and serving Idahoans,” said Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram. “We will not tolerate drug trafficking and we will use every ounce of teamwork to ensure our communities are safe.” Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Thompson to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in December 2023. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Nampa Police Department’s Special Investigation’s Unit and the Caldwell Police Department for their respective investigations. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler prosecuted the Garcia case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the Thompson case. The Garcia case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. ###


title: Pharmaceutical Company Settles Allegations it Received Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loan

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A pharmaceutical manufacturer based in Puerto Rico entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by taking a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to which the company was not entitled, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today. According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement: On March 4, 2021, Caribe Holdings Cayman Co. Ltd. (Caribe) applied for a PPP loan totaling $1.2 million. The company certified that it was eligible to receive a PPP loan and specifically that it was not an “an entity created in or organized under the laws of the People’s Republic of China” and that no such entity owned or held 20 percent or more of the economic interest in Caribe. That certification was not true at the time Caribe submitted the application and Caribe would not have qualified for the PPP loan if it answered the question accurately. After receiving the PPP loan, Caribe sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loan. “The Paycheck Protection Program was just one of several efforts by the United States to help companies and people through the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, too many entities saw these programs as opportunities to line their pockets with money to which they weren’t entitled. Our office is always on the lookout to find anyone who has tried to take advantage of programs like this, and ensure that they are held accountable for taking taxpayer money that they weren’t entitled to.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Caribe fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, Caribe has paid the United States $1.99 million. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $199,103 as his share in the recovery. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. PuraCap International LLC, et al. , Civil Action No. 23-2068 (D.N.J.). caribe.settlement.pdf


title: Former Atlantic City Councilman Admits Submitting False Voter Registrations

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A former Atlantic City councilman today admitted falsifying voter registrations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. MD Hossain Morshed, 50, a former councilman of Atlantic City’s Fourth Ward, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an information charging him with fraudulent procurement and submission of voter registration applications. “This defendant admitted that he attempted to deprive residents of New Jersey of a fair election by obtaining false voter registration applications and facilitating their submission. Working with our law enforcement partners, we were able to uncover Morshed’s efforts to garner votes from residents who were not allowed to vote for him. We are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who unlawfully attempt to compromise the integrity of our elections.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “When you sign up to serve in public office, you are, and should be, held to a higher standard. Morshed admits he knowingly committed voter fraud, and then directed others to lie about it,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Our voting processes and electoral functions are the bedrock of our democracy, and even a single elected official breaking to law in the hopes of returning to power creates cracks in the foundation. We must do all we can as law enforcement to protect our fundamental structure.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In April 2019, in advance of the June 2019 primary election, Morshed gave a prospective voter a New Jersey voter registration application that had already been filled out and which falsely asserted that the prospective voter had a residential address in the Fourth Ward (in Atlantic City), the ward that Morshed represented on the Atlantic City Council. Even though the address written on the form was not where the voter actually lived, Morshed urged the prospective voter to sign the application. Subsequently, Morshed visited the prospective voter at the voter’s actual residence and presented the prospective voter with a vote-by-mail application to sign which included the same false Fourth Ward Atlantic City address that was on the voter registration application and listed yet another false Atlantic City address for where the mail-in ballot should be sent to the voter. The Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections subsequently received the falsified voter registration application that Morshed had the prospective voter sign and thereafter, the Atlantic County Board of Elections received the prospective voter’s completed mail-in ballot, and that ballot was counted towards the June 2019 primary election. The prospective voter later admitted that the voter did not receive, complete, or return the mail-in ballot. During lawfully recorded conversations between this voter and Morshed concerning possible questioning by law enforcement, Morshed directed the voter, if questioned by law enforcement, to make false representations about where the voter lived and who filled out the voter forms that Morshed had given to the voter. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy; the FBI’s Newark, Atlantic City Resident Agency’s Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Chief James A. Sarkos; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and postal inspectors of the U.S. States Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, under the supervision of the Special Prosecutions Division. morshed.information.pdf


title: Drug trafficker who created fortified compound at Bellingham homeless encampment pleads guilty

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 32-year-old citizen of Mexico pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking and firearms charges related to his distribution of narcotics at a Bellingham homeless encampment, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Rigoberto Vasquez-Martinez has been in federal custody since he was arrested on August 29, 2023, following a traffic stop near Brownsville, Oregon. Vasquez-Martinez will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Evanson on June 11, 2024. According to the plea agreement, Vasquez-Martinez lived in a fortified encampment within an area known as the “Walmart encampment” in Bellingham. Vasquez-Martinez admits having armed guards acting as security around the main structure where he stayed. The encampment is called the Walmart encampment because it stretches a half-mile east of Walmart. Law enforcement has responded to a wide range of incidents at the encampment and received information that Vasquez-Martinez was a significant drug supplier to the area. While Vasquez-Martinez was under investigation, he was stopped in Oregon apparently returning from California where he had picked up a supply of drugs. When Vasquez-Martinez’ car was searched, law enforcement found more than seven kilos of fentanyl pills – more than 65,000 pills in all. Vasquez-Martinez admits he was on his way back to Western Washington to distribute the fentanyl. They also seized $3,000 in cash and multiple cell phones. On that same day, law enforcement searched a storage locker in Lynnwood registered to Vasquez-Martinez’ wife. In it they found three kilos of fentanyl powder, 300 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1.9 kilograms of heroin, and a 9mm handgun and $46,000 in cash. Vasquez-Martinez admits that 9mm handgun was used in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Finally, on August 31, 2023, law enforcement searched the compound where Vasquez-Martinez had been living. They seized more than $4,000 in cash and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. They also seized a sawed-off shotgun. Due to the drug amounts and the possession of the firearms, Vasquez-Martinez faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison. Both possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute are punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to 40 years in prison. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Both prosecutors and defense will recommend a ten-year sentence when Vasquez-Martinez is sentenced. Judge Evanson is not bound by that recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. The case was investigated by the DEA and the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Gang and Drug Task Force (WGDTF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell with assistance from Oregon Assistant United States Attorney Peter Sax.


title: Member of Tulalip Tribes sentenced to intermittent custody for drunk driving crash at gravel pit that killed passenger

body_text: Seattle – A 40-year-old Snohomish County man who is an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years of probation, with intermittent confinement (3 days a week) for the first year of probation for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the February 2, 2020, crash that killed the sole passenger in his truck, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Danny Lee Simpson, Jr. pleaded guilty in October 2023. Prosecutors sought an 18-month custodial sentence, while the United States Probation Office recommended a 28-month custodial sentence. According to records in the case, Simpson, his wife, and a mutual acquaintance had been drinking at a bar in Stanwood, Washington on February 1, 2020. After midnight, Simpson drove his truck, with the acquaintance as his sole passenger, to a gravel pit owned by his parents. Simpson had recently modified his truck, so it was suitable for off road use. Simpson had failed to check the braking system on the truck. The sand and gravel pit was poorly lit and had a sheer 40-foot cliff face. Simpson knew about the cliff. The truck overheated and stalled. At about 1:15 in the morning, Simpson backed the truck off the sheer cliff. The truck landed upside down at the bottom of the cliff. The crash killed Simpson’s passenger – another member of the Tulalip Tribes. In his plea agreement, Simpson admitted he knew or could have reasonably foreseen that it was dangerous to drive under the influence of alcohol near the cliff face in a dark, wet, and poorly lit gravel pit. Writing to the court, prosecutors highlighted the devastating impact on the victim’s family. “Simpson ended the life of a man who will never be able to play catch with his son, go to activities at his son’s school, or watch his son grow into manhood. Simpson selfishly took all this away from the victim, his son, and their family.” The victim’s mother spoke at length at the sentencing hearing about the devastating loss that she, her family and the community have suffered because of Simpson’s actions. The victim’s father submitted a victim impact statement saying in part, “As his father, the pain I now endure is constant and paralyzing. My heart hurts, not only for myself, but for my grandson who will never know how much his father loved him.” Simpson was ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined to the victim’s family. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Tulalip Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Tate London and Jocelyn Cooney. Mr. London and Ms. Cooney serve as Tribal Liaisons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.


title: Seattle woman sentenced to one year of home confinement for defrauding COVID assistance program

body_text: The sentence in this case was updated on April 3, 2024 Seattle – A 62-year-old Seattle woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to home confinement with location monitoring as a condition of a 3-year term of probation for her scheme to steal nearly half a million dollars in COVID 19 benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Danni Walker was indicted on six counts of wire fraud in July 2022. She pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in August 2023. Prosecutors sought a 21-month custodial sentence, while the United States Probation Office recommended a custodial sentence of 12 months and 1 day. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “this is a very serious offense” and noted the defendant’s use of pandemic relief funds for “lavish expenditures” that she “flaunted on social media.” “This defendant took resources intended to help businesses struggling to stay afloat in the pandemic, and used them for a high-end car, luxury travel and shopping sprees and unsuccessful trading in cryptocurrency,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Some businesses that needed loans did not get them, because Ms. Walker and others like her committed fraud on government programs.” According to records filed in the case, between April 2020 and March 2021, Walker used false information to apply for and obtain $473,082 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the Small Business Administration. Walker submitted the applications on behalf of three different companies, only one of which was in operation, and none of which had the employees she claimed in her applications. Instead of using the PPP money for payroll and other legitimate business expenses, as intended by the program, Walker used it, among other things, to purchase a Jaguar coup; spent $34,000 on a luxury vacation to New York – including a Louis Vuitton shopping spree -; and invested unsuccessfully in cryptocurrency. She also gave large cash gifts to family and friends. Walker also attempted to obtain two additional PPP loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA) totaling approximately $165,000. However, SBA caught the fraud and those loans were declined. In asking for a 21-month prison sentence, prosecutors highlighted that Walker’s theft of tax dollars meant others did not get the financial support they needed. “This was a calculated and sophisticated offense…. Over a period of approximately 11 months, through six fraudulent PPP loan applications, Walker stole close to a half million dollars in pandemic relief funds. These funds could and should have been provided to businesses that actually qualified for them so those business could pay their employees and other approved business expenses– i.e., to stay afloat during a historic crisis,” Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Jensen wrote in her sentencing memo. The case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jensen and Sok Jiang. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form


title: Former California Rideshare Driver Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Anti-Semitic Attack on Passenger

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO—A Daly City, California, resident and former rideshare driver was arrested on March 13, 2024, for an Oct. 26, 2023, assault on a rider because he perceived the rider to be Jewish or Israeli. “The defendant, a rideshare driver, is charged with assaulting a rider because he thought the rider was Jewish or Israeli,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No one in this country should live in fear because of how they worship or where they come from. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate hate-fueled violence motivated by antisemitism or by bias of any kind.” “When taking public transportation – whether a taxi, bus, or rideshare – customers should be able to ride without being profiled, or worse yet attacked, because of their nationality or religion by drivers,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “We will prosecute any ride-share driver who assaults a passenger in such hate-fueled violence.” “This unprovoked attack was senseless and brutal,” said Robert Tripp, SAC of the San Francisco FBI Field Office. “Hate crime is among the FBI’s highest priorities and we will work to bring justice for victims of bias-motivated crime.” According to the indictment unsealed this morning, on Oct. 26, 2023, Csaba John Csukás, 39, struck the victim in the face while at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) because the defendant perceived the victim to be Jewish or Israeli. The indictment alleges Csukás worked as a driver for an app-based rideshare company and was hired to drive the victim from SFO to the victim’s home. The indictment further alleges that when Csukás approached the victim at a predetermined pickup location, Csukás asked the victim the if the victim was Jewish or Israeli, stated that he would not transport a Jewish or Israeli person, and attacked the victim by striking the victim in the face with his fist. Csukás made his initial appearance today and is charged with committing a federal hate crime which prohibits, among other things, causing bodily injury because of the actual or perceived religion or national origin of a person in circumstances affecting interstate commerce. Csukás faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the hate crime charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consulting the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California and Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp of the FBI San Francisco Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Francisco Field Office investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California’s Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case.


title: Waltham Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child

body_text: BOSTON – A Waltham man was convicted by a federal jury in Boston of attempted sex trafficking of a child. Misael Fabian Medina, 38, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child; and one count of attempted coercion and enticement. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Medina was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022. “The human trafficking industry is thriving because it is fueled by the demand from buyers. Our office has committed substantial resources to prosecuting the individuals who engage in human trafficking and the sex buyers, particularly when it comes to minors. This defendant showed up at a hotel with $200 in his hand in order to have sex with a 12-year-old girl who had been advertised on the internet. This law enforcement sting thankfully did not involve a real minor. Yet, the high amount of internet interest generated by this operation clearly demonstrates there is a very disturbing market for the sex trafficking of minors,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “It is our responsibility to send the message that there are severe consequences for engaging in this type of despicable conduct.” “Medina planned to sexually abuse a 12-year-old girl. He negotiated with a trafficker and arrived at the hotel ready to assault a child. But instead of a trafficker, there was an undercover HSI special agent waiting for him,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Homeland Security Investigations is absolutely committed to keeping children safe and thanks to the work of our agents and partners, there is one less predator on the streets.” In November 2022, Misael Medina responded to an online advertisement offering commercial sex with two young girls. Through an ensuing text conversation with federal agents posing as the seller of the two girls, Medina agreed to pay $200 to engage in a sex act with a 12-year-old girl. Shortly thereafter, Medina went to a greater Boston hotel to meet with the purported seller. Once at the hotel, he met with an undercover agent and confirmed he had the money to pay for the commercial sex act. During that meeting, Medina was arrested and found to be in possession of a box of condoms. The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child under fourteen years old carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison with a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. The charge of coercion and enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum term of up to life in prison. Both crimes provide a term of supervised release of at least five years and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Jason A. Casey of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Four More Defendants Arraigned in Connection with Nationwide Conspiracy Targeting Credit Unions

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Victor Barriera, age 63, of the Bronx, New York, Jerjuan Joyner, age 49, of Brooklyn, New York, Akeem Balogun, age 53, of Brooklyn, and Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Brooklyn, have been arrested on an indictment charging a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted credit unions all over the country starting in December 2021. All eight defendants have now been arraigned on the indictment. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made by prosecutors in court, beginning in at least December 2021, Oluwaseun Adekoya, a/k/a “John Calling,” age 38, a Nigerian citizen residing in Newark, New Jersey, and David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Tajudeen Dosunmu,” a/k/a “David James,” a/k/a “Tony James,” a/k/a “James Bush,” age 59, a Nigerian citizen residing in Brooklyn, obtained the personal identifying information of scores of individuals who banked at credit unions throughout the United States. The credit unions were members of a shared branching network, which allowed customers of member credit unions to withdraw funds from their accounts at other member credit unions by presenting an identification with their photograph, their account number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. The network was designed to allow customers of localized credit unions easier access to their accounts when traveling throughout the country. However, according to the indictment, the defendants exploited this network by creating fake identifications in the names of real credit union customers, but with photographs of other individuals, whom they employed to conduct fraudulent transactions at shared branch member credit unions all over the country. In total, the indictment charges the eight defendants with obtaining more than $900,000, which ringleaders allegedly used to purchase luxury items including Rolex watches, Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and high-end clothing and apparel. The fraud was perpetrated in Albany, Clinton, Rensselaer, and Saratoga counties in the Northern District of New York, and all over the country. According to statements made by prosecutors and court filings, authorities have seized over $45,000 in cash proceeds of the conspiracy, and an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and merchandise, including Rolex watches, Gucci handbags, and Jimmy Choo shoes – many of which were new in their boxes. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The following defendants are charged in the indictment: Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Daniyan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Gaysha Kennedy, age 45, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; Danielle Cappetti, age 45, of the Bronx, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Barriera is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Lucchese is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Joyner is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and Balogun is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Adeyoka, Daniyan, Barriera and Joyner have each been ordered detained pending trial; the other defendants were released with conditions. The bank fraud conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison and the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on the bank fraud charge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York and Newark, and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; the New York State Police; Cohoes Police Department; Colonie Police Department; Elmira Police Department; Corning Police Department; Plattsburgh Police Department; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire, including the Rochester Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Amherst Police Department; the Norwich, CT Police Department; law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, including the Springfield, MA Police Department; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Delaware State Police; and law enforcement agencies in Maryland, including the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.


title: Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wausau Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution Jonathan Rodriguez, 38, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that Rodriquez possessed the methamphetamine on November 26, 2023. If convicted, Rodriquez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The charge against Rodriquez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wausau Police Department and the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak is handling the case. Fitchburg Man Charged with Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Felon Damariyah Muhammad, 22, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Muhammad possessed a loaded Glock 19 pistol on January 8, 2024. If convicted, Muhammad faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The charge against Muhammad is the result of an investigation by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Fitchburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the prosecution.


component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Junian M. Johnson, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 13, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Johnson to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Johnson’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On November 13, 2022, Omaha Police Officers responded to report of shots fired in the area of N. 24th and Bristol Streets in Omaha. Douglas County Dispatch advised the caller had observed a black Chevrolet Tahoe with the driver firing gunshots in the area. Reporting officers tracked the vehicle’s license plate to its registered address just a few blocks away. As officers responded to the home, they observed the defendant seated in the driver’s seat of the vehicle in the driveway of the residence. There were no other individuals in or around the vehicle. Officers initially called out to the driver, later identified as Johnson, to speak to him. Johnson opened the rear driver’s door and could be seen reaching into the vehicle before locking the vehicle, throwing the keys into the vehicle, then closing the locked door. While speaking with Johnson, officers observed what appeared to be a magazine to a firearm sticking out from underneath the driver's seat of the vehicle in plain view. Johnson’s vehicle was searched pursuant to a search warrant. Officers recovered a yellow bag containing a Glock 29- 10mm handgun with one round in the chamber, and a loaded magazine was found under the driver’s seat. The handgun was reported stolen out of Bellevue, Nebraska. In the center console officers found a clear baggie containing 27 blue circular pills, stamped with an “M” and a “30” – later confirmed to contain fentanyl according to a forensic laboratory report. Johnson has the following prior convictions: Felon in Possession of a Firearm (1998) and Conspiracy RICO - Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana (2009), both in the United States District Court, District of Kansas; and Possession of Cocaine, Marijuana, No Drug Stamp (2002), in the District Court of Sedgwick County, Kansas; and Felon in Possession of Ammunition (2015), in the United States District Court, District of Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Iowa Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Stephen Ismael Monarrez, 45, of Carrol, Iowa, was sentenced on March 13, 2024 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Monarrez to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Monarrez’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On June 8, 2022, an ATF confidential source (CS) arranged to purchase meth from Monarrez. The CS was shown a photo of Monarrez, that they identified as the person who agreed to sell 4oz of meth for $1,200.00 dollars. The CS went to the prearranged meet location in Omaha equipped with audio/video equipment. The CS parked on the east side of the street and Monarrez, identified by surveillance, entered the passenger side of the CS’s vehicle where the controlled buy occurred. A forensic lab determined the methamphetamine to be 94% pure. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Kidnapper Sentenced To 11 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Floyd Joseph Ball, Jr., age 38, of Newalla, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for one count of kidnapping in Indian country. The charges arose from investigations by the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Purcell Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On February 6, 2023, Ball pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in Indian country. According to investigators, late in the evening on May 5, 2018, Ball entered the back door of a Purcell, Oklahoma, Subway sandwich shop and threatened the lone employee with a knife. Ball forced the victim into a waiting vehicle, and drove the victim two hours away to Checotah, Oklahoma, where Ball held the victim captive at an area residence. On May 6, a McIntosh County deputy located the vehicle outside the residence, apprehended Ball attempting to flee the scene, and freed the victim. The crime began in McClain County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Western District of Oklahoma, and ended in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable David Cleveland Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Ball was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Kyra Jenner represented the United States.


title: McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bradley Scott Sutterfield, age 43, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Bank Fraud. The Information alleged that on March 28, 2023, Sutterfield knowingly executed a scheme to defraud The Bank N.A., a federally insured financial institution. According to investigators, Sutterfield’s scheme involved submitting counterfeit savings bonds to the bank teller in exchange for United States currency. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.


title: Readout of Justice Department Community Safety Webinars with Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian Community Stakeholders

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Last week, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Deputy Director Paul Abbate of the FBI and Component Head Justin Lock of the Community Relations Service (CRS) hosted two webinars with community stakeholders from Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities. The webinars build on the department’s vigorous efforts to combat rising violence and threats of violence based on their religion, race, color, ethnicity or national origin. “No person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence or discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “With an increase in volume and frequency of threats since Oct. 7th, the Justice Department reaffirms our commitment to using every tool available to address discrimination and violence targeting vulnerable communities.” The Justice Department officials provided updates on their efforts to bolster community safety and to prevent, disrupt, and prosecute illegal acts motivated by hate-fueled violence and discrimination. During the webinars, they directed stakeholders to critical safety resources, and listened to stakeholders express their concerns about the rise in threats. Officials also highlighted the Department’s United Against Hate community education and engagement program , which has hosted more than 300 events around the country attracting more than 10,000 participants. “We are tremendously grateful for the relationships we have with our community partners, and appreciate the opportunity for continued engagement,” said FBI Deputy Director Abbate. “We hear you, we share your concerns, and we will continue to work relentlessly, 24/7, to protect and keep members of your communities safe.” Deputy Director Abbate discussed the regular, ongoing engagement the FBI has with Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian community organizations and leaders across the country. The FBI works diligently to maintain two-way communication with community organizations at headquarters and in each of the 56 field offices. He addressed the current threat environment, describing an upward trend in reported hate crimes and an increase in violence and threats of violence towards the communities. Deputy Director Abbate assured call participants that the FBI continues work, with urgency, along with state and local partners to mitigate threats and prevent harm to our communities. “The CRS recognizes that safety for communities is inclusive of both physical safety as well as a sense of belonging within community,” said Component Head Lock. “To this end, the CRS is committed to opening and sustaining channels of communication, forums for dialogue and better understanding as a means of returning agency, dignity and power back to all American communities.” Component Head Lock shared CRS’s ongoing work with community leaders, law enforcement and civil society to prevent and respond to hate crimes and facilitate training and mediation services. This work includes CRS’ Places of Worship Forum, which provides faith-based leaders and congregations information about religious-bias hate crimes and brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to address safety and security issues. Assistant Attorney General Clarke also announced the release of a number of fact sheets and resource documents that are designed to give the public a better understanding of federal civil rights laws, including laws that prohibit violence and discrimination on the basis of religion , national origin as well as protections in places of public accommodation and in local land use decisions . Preventing and prosecuting hate crimes is a top priority for the Justice Department, and you can find a recently updated Hate Crimes Fact Sheet here . If you believe that you or someone else experienced religious or national origin discrimination, you can report a civil rights violation online at civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. You can learn more about the department’s work on hate crimes here .