title: United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison Announces  First of Its Kind Civil Action in District to Combat International Fraud Ring

body_text: DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that a Jackson resident has agreed to a court order preventing her from participating in behavior that facilitates a suspected international fraud ring. This civil action is the first of its kind in the Eastern District of Michigan and is part of a broader trend in recent years by the Department of Justice to disrupt international fraud rings that target United States citizens through fake social media profiles. As part of a civil consent decree approved by U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman, Holly Locke, 70, is permanently prohibited from assisting, facilitating, or participating in any romance scam. A romance scam is typically a scheme in which an individual starts talking to a stranger they meet online, not knowing the stranger intends to defraud them. Eventually, after developing a friendship or romantic relationship, the fraudster will ask the victim to send them money based on false representations about the need for the funds. If the victim does not have money to send, sometimes the fraudster will use that person as a money transmitter by routing payments from other victims to that person and instructing that person to transfer the money to the fraudster. A money transmitter plays a critical role in the scheme, by receiving the money from other victims and obscuring the transfer of funds from those victims to the fraudster. Locke is alleged to have acted as a money transmitter after meeting and developing a romantic relationship with a fraudster online. Once the relationship developed, Locke then began receiving numerous packages from strangers containing money, which she passed on to her purported fiancé/husband. The money was sent from victims who believed they were assisting their own online romantic partners and friends. Locke did not admit liability as part of the consent decree. “This office is committed to using every tool at our disposal to protect Americans from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This consent decree cuts off the flow of money from the victims to the international fraudsters behind these scams. In an increasingly online world, people are under constant threat from unscrupulous people trying to compromise personal information or otherwise defraud them. This case should put fraudsters on notice that we will protect our citizens from this particularly cruel type of victimization.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to safeguarding all Americans from individuals who attempt to exploit them through fraudulent and deceptive schemes. Today's civil action, unprecedented in the Eastern District of Michigan, should serve as a warning to anyone engaging in or abetting similar scams – you will be held accountable and brought to justice," said Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division. The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship, and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and promptly reporting certain financial losses due to fraud can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov to receive consumer complaints. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . The Justice Department provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at www.ovc.gov .


title: Bronx Man Charged With Bank Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Rodriguez, age 62, of Bronx, New York, was indicted on May 28, 2024, by a federal grand jury on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that in December of 2023, Rodriguez utilized false identification documents to withdraw and attempt to withdraw roughly $50,000 from customer accounts at multiple banks throughout Lycoming, Tioga, and Centre Counties. The indictment also alleges that Rodriguez unlawfully possessed means of identification of at least four bank customers in connection with the fraudulent scheme. This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the bank fraud offense is 30 years of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised released, and a $1,000,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft offense imposes an additional 2-year term of imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Federal Jury Convicts Two Men in Violent Kidnapping Conspiracy Involving Several Victims in Chicago Suburbs

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — Two men have been convicted on federal kidnapping charges for conspiring to abduct several victims at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs. SEDGWICK WILLIAMS and TAI HON LA conspired with each other and others to carry out the kidnappings in the fall of 2019. Williams personally participated in kidnappings that occurred in Naperville, Ill., and Westchester, Ill., in October and November 2019. Williams and La also attempted a third kidnapping in South Holland, Ill., in December 2019. Their efforts to abduct the intended victim in that incident were unsuccessful, and they were both arrested fleeing from the South Holland residence. After a two-week trial, on May 22, 2024, a jury in federal court in Chicago convicted Williams and La of participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and the attempted kidnapping in South Holland. Williams was also convicted on individual kidnapping counts concerning the Naperville and Westchester kidnappings, and with falsely impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. La was also convicted of illegal firearm possession. Williams, 47, of Chicago, and La, 34, of Beach Park, Ill., each face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Sentencings have not yet been scheduled. The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The case was investigated with the assistance of the Naperville Police Department, Westchester Police Department, South Holland Police Department, Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey, Corey B. Rubenstein, and Kate McClelland. According to evidence presented at trial, the first kidnapping occurred in Naperville on Oct. 17, 2019, when the conspirators posed as law enforcement officers to handcuff and abduct a man at gunpoint outside of his electronics store, which they then burglarized. The conspirators forced the victim into their car and transported him to a vacant unit in Chicago, where they physically assaulted him and extorted his family. Following his release, the victim received medical treatment in a hospital. The conspirators carried out the kidnapping in Westchester on Nov. 16, 2019. Posing as DEA agents, the conspirators handcuffed and abducted a man at gunpoint outside of his residence. The conspirators forced the victim into his home, where they seized another victim and forced them both into the basement. Two other victims later arrived at the residence and were also forced into the basement at gunpoint. The conspirators stole cash and jewelry before fleeing the residence. The conspirators attempted the third kidnapping in South Holland on Dec. 11, 2019, but they were unsuccessful because the intended victim called 911 and the South Holland Police arrived on scene before the conspirators could gain access to the house. Two other defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty prior to trial. IVAN AYERS, 36, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to participating in the kidnapping conspiracy. JONATHAN VARGAS, 38, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to kidnapping the first victim in Naperville. Ayers and Vargas are awaiting sentencing.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for  Federal Drug and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KENDRICK WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”) , age 19, of New Orleans, was charged on May 23, 2024 in a four-count indictment with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts. WILLIAMS is charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846. He is charged in Count 2 with possession with intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and in Count 4 with possession with intent to distribute tapentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). WILLIAMS is charged in Count 3 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). As to each of the drug trafficking charges in Counts 1, 2, and 4, WILLIAMS faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in Count 3, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to court documents, beginning at a time unknown but prior to March 7, 2024 and continuing to on or about April 3, 2024, WILLIAMS allegedly conspired with others to knowingly possess, with the intent to distribute, a mixture of tapentadol and marijuana within the Eastern District of Louisiana. On March 7, 2024, WILLIAMS allegedly conspired with others to knowingly possess, with the intent to distribute, a mixture of tapentadol and marijuana. Further, on or about March 7, 2024, WILLIAMS allegedly illegally possessed firearms, including a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Glock Model 19x, 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Armed, Violent Felon Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Guns, Crack, and Meth out of Anderson Home

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

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Richard Hatchett, 46, of Anderson, has been sentenced to 130 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, distribution of cocaine, distribution of methamphetamine, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on three occasions in January 2023, Hatchett sold cocaine to individuals out of his home in Anderson, a total of approximately 9.8 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack cocaine.” During two of those drug deals, Hatchett also sold the buyer two 9mm semiautomatic handguns. One of the firearms sold by Hatchett had been previously stolen. On the third occasion, Hatchett carried a Glock 9mm handgun in his waist band. On January 30, 2023, Hatchett sold 14.92 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual at his home. On February 14, 2023, ATF agents executed a search warrant at Hatchett’s home and located two guns, high-capacity magazines, micro conversion kits, ammunition, crack cocaine, a digital scale, US currency, and other drug paraphernalia. Hatchett has sustained previous felony convictions for crimes including murder and burglary in Illinois. Hatchett committed the murder when he was just fifteen years old and has spent the vast majority of his life in prison, on probation, or on parole. His felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm under state and federal law. “Even after serving a sentence for murder, this defendant has shown his utter unwillingness to abide by the law. Violent, armed drug traffickers are a menace to our community, and must be held accountable,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office is committed to working closely with our partners at the ATF, Anderson Police, and throughout federal, state, and local law enforcement, to make our communities safer by investigating and prosecuting repeat, violent criminals. Thanks to their efforts, the public will be safe from further crimes by this man for many years.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by the Anderson Police Department, investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Volusia County Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice A 13-Year-Old To Produce Child Sexual Abuse Photos

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Shane Christopher Abrams (36, Deland) with attempting to entice a 13-year-old to produce and send him photos depicting child sexual abuse. If convicted, Abrams faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. He also faces a potential lifetime of supervised release. On May 20, 2024, Abrams was arrested by FBI agents at his place of employment in South Daytona. According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old child engaged in text conversation on a particular online social media application with a user named “Malicious_Malediction,” who was subsequently identified as Abrams. During this conversation, the “child” advised that “she” was 13 years old, and Abrams asked “her” questions about her body and discussed masturbation. The next day, Abrams provided the “child” with his cellphone number, and their conversation continued by text messaging. Between April 4 and April 20, 2024, Abrams and the “child” exchanged numerous text messages, and Abrams sent the “child” several explicit photos that he claimed were of himself. On several occasions during their text conversation, Abrams asked the “child” to produce and send him by text message explicit photos of “herself.” Abrams also gave the “child” specific and sexually explicit instructions regarding exactly how to comply with his request. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Fentanyl Death in Indian Country Leads to Two Pleading Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JOANIE ANN WILSON , 38, and REECY ANN BENCH , 21, both of Stephens County, have pleaded guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. In May 2024, Wilson and Bench were charged by Superseding Informations for their roles in a drug conspiracy. On August 23, 2023, a resident of Stephens County died of a fentanyl overdose. According to public record, in August 2023, Bench and Wilson conspired to purchase and distribute fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of the Stephens County resident. On May 28, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty, and admitted to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Bench pleaded guilty to her role in the drug conspiracy on May 22, 2024. At sentencing, Wilson and Bench face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $1,000,000 each. This case is in federal court because Bench is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lawton Police Department, and demonstrates the importance of the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. More information about “One Pill Can Kill” can be found at https://www.dea.gov/onepill . Further information about the danger associated with fentanyl distribution and use can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16O7TkhFH9k . Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: E. Baton Rouge Parish Resident Indicted for Possession of Firearm by Felon

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JARRETT HALL (“HALL”) , age 33, of Baker, LA, was indicted on March 23, 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, on December 8, 2023, allegedly, HALL knowingly possessed a Colt Model Commander, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun after having previously been convicted of a felony. If convicted, HALL , faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Man Sentenced for Raping Unconscious Woman After Night of Drinking

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Ohkay Owingeh Man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for raping an unconscious woman at a family friend’s apartment after a night of drinking in July 2022. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on July 2, 2022, Dwayne Calvert , 34, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, raped Jane Doe while she lay unconscious on a couch after a night of heavy drinking. The sexual assault occurred at the apartment of a family friend where Calvert had been babysitting. The family friend and her boyfriend witnessed Calvert naked on top of the unconscious Jane Doe and alerted authorities. Jane Doe had no memory of the rape. In his plea agreement, Calvert admitted he knew Jane Doe was passed out from consuming too much alcohol and never consented to a sexual act. After completing his term of imprisonment, Calvert will be required to serve five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Houma Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to Federal Agents

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DONDRE MORGAN, (“ MORGAN ”), age 32, of Houma, LA, pled guilty on May 28, 2024 to Making False Statements to Federal Agents, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). MORGAN faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on April 7, 2022, MORGAN made materially false statements to special agents with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. Specifically, MORGAN lied about his involvement and participation in a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud scheme. Sentencing for MORGAN is scheduled for September 10, 2024 before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator of the Financial Crimes Unit; and Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman, of the General Crimes Unit.


title: Lehigh Acres Man Sentenced To 110 Years In Federal Prison For Production And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Videos And Images

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Luis Daniel Fuentes (47, Lehigh Acres) to 110 years in federal prison for producing and possessing videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Fuentes was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Fuentes entered a guilty plea on February 8, 2024. According to court documents, between approximately August 28 and September 27, 2020, Fuentes used three minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He used his cellphone to produce videos of the minors being sexually abused. Fuentes stored the child sexual abuse images and videos on seven SD cards. Fuentes’s cellphone and SD cards were turned over to law enforcement. A subsequent search of his devices, pursuant to a search warrant, revealed 24 videos that Fuentes had produced of him sexually abusing three children – ages 2, 5, and 6 years old at the time. Additionally, the SD cards and cellphone contained more than 5,000 images and 17 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children that Fuentes had downloaded from the internet and kept for his collection. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office that assisted in this investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: McLaughlin Man found Guilty of Simple Assault and Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Kenton Wynn Walks, age 39, of McLaughlin, South Dakota of Simple Assault and Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 22, 2024. The charges carry a maximum penalty of one and a half years in federal prison and/or a $105,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $50 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Walks was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. On April 22, 2022, law enforcement in McLaughlin was called because Walks had assaulted an elderly man by kicking him in the head. The assault occurred on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. The victim suffered a laceration on the rear right side of his head, which produced a significant amount of blood. The laceration was approximately three inches long and required six staples to be closed. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was ordered to self-report for sentencing on July 2, 2024.


title: Oregon man sentenced for trafficking kilograms of fentanyl and meth

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oregon man was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison for conspiracy to distribute massive amounts of both fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents, Sean Michael Johnson, 26, is a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation. Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Johnson and the undercover officer agreed on a deal for 2,000 fentanyl pills and Johnson arranged for the pills to be mailed from California to Manassas, Virginia. In February 2023, Johnson and the undercover officer agreed to another sale, this time for 5,000 fentanyl pills and one pound of meth, both of which were mailed to Manassas. The meth tested at an approximate 100% purity rate. Johnson arranged two more sales with delivery through the mail to Manassas, each for 5,000 fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of meth. Johnson and the undercover officer then negotiated an in-person deal for 25,000 fentanyl pills, 20 pounds of meth, and a kilogram of fentanyl powder to take place in California with Johnson’s supplier. Only three-fourths of the fentanyl powder was available, but the rest of the deal went forward as agreed. Eventually, the undercover officer and Johnson’s supplier negotiated another California in-person sale directly, from which Johnson expected a cut of the proceeds for making the connection. After the supplier distributed 100 pounds of meth as part of the deal, both Johnson and the supplier were arrested on Dec. 6, 2023. In the six controlled purchases, Johnson was involved in distributing 63.1 kilograms of meth, 4.4 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and 800 grams of fentanyl powder. Johnson pled guilty on Feb. 29. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case. The Los Angeles Police Department provided significant assistance on this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-41.


title: Two Bronx Men Sentenced For 2014 Harlem Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CARLOS LAUREANO was sentenced on May 23, 2024, to 30 years in prison for the murder of Luis Perez on August 12, 2014, and NNANDI BEN-JOCHANNAN was sentenced today to 10 years for his role in the murder. LAUREANO and BEN-JOCHANNAN were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. LAUREANO previously pled guilty in October 2023 to discharging a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense. BEN-JOCHANNAN pled guilty in December 2023 to possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense, which was brandished, and aiding and abetting the same. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Carlos Laureano and Nnandi Ben-Jochannan participated in the murder of Luis Perez nearly 10 years ago in connection with a drug debt. Thanks to the hard work of the DEA, the NYPD, and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants have been sentenced for this heinous crime. We hope that these sentences bring some measure of comfort to the family of Luis Perez and make clear that this Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who takes another person’s life.” According to Indictment, the Superseding Informations, other public filings, and statements made in Court: On or about August 12, 2014, in the vicinity of 501 West 147th Street in Harlem, New York, LAUREANO shot and killed Perez in connection with a conspiracy to distribute heroin and marijuana. BEN-JOCHANNAN drove LAUREANO to the scene of the murder, knowing that LAUREANO was armed with a firearm and served as LAUREANO’s getaway driver after the murder. After successfully fleeing from the police, LAUREANO and BEN-JOCHANNAN cleaned BEN-JOCHANNAN’s car and disposed of evidence linking them to the murder. * * * In addition to their prison terms, LAUREANO, 35, and BEN-JOCHANNAN, 30, both of the Bronx, New York, were sentenced to three and five years of supervised release, respectively. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. He also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for its assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rushmi Bhaskaran is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Texas Man Charged with Federal Dogfighting Offenses

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas unsealed a grand jury indictment today charging a Texas man with federal dogfighting violations. Jesus Allen Stephens, of Waskom, Texas, made his initial appearance in court today. He is charged with participating in a major dogfighting event in November 2021 in Waskom, possessing fighting dogs and fighting dogs in an April 2021 dog fight. According to court documents, Stephens organized and hosted a large-scale dogfighting event on family-owned property in Harrison County, Texas, on Nov. 13, 2021. Stephens and others arranged to fight dogs at the event for gambling and entertainment purposes. Prior to the event, Stephens announced a series of up to 14 matches and sent GPS coordinates to the property to multiple individuals. The fight included out-of-state participants. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found a dogfighting pit structure in addition to other dogfighting evidence. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that effects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes. The indictment charges Stephens with possessing seven dogs for dogfighting purposes. Stephens is also charged for his participation in another dog fight that occurred on April 10, 2021. Authorities recovered six dogs in conjunction with this investigation. If convicted, Stephens faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count charged. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI’s Shreveport Resident Agency and Tyler, Texas, offices are investigating this case. Deputies with the Harrison County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office have also provided invaluable assistance. Trial Attorney Sarah Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from James Noble of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Charleroi Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Heroin, Fentanyl, and Firearm

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years of prison on his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Rashawn Ford, 28. According to information presented to the Court, on March 13, 2021, a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Ford in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. During the stop, the trooper recovered packaged heroin and fentanyl, in addition to a loaded handgun. Law enforcement subsequently learned that Ford was staying at a Westmoreland County hotel, where Ford was keeping additional controlled substances in his room. On March 14, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant upon that hotel room, resulting in the seizure of packaged heroin and fentanyl, a handgun loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition, and over $8,600. Following these seizures, federal and state law enforcement opened a joint investigation into Ford, which culminated in the execution of several search warrants on properties associated with Ford in August 2022. Those searches resulted in the seizure of packaged heroin, a loaded handgun, and over $200,000. As part of his sentence, Ford forfeited approximately $273,979 that was seized from him during the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ford.


title: Judge Hands Down 20 Year Sentence for Defendant Who Pleaded Guilty to Second Degree Murder

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Travon Diggs, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the May 2, 2022, fatal shooting of Junior Lee Johnson on Benning Road, Northeast, near 17 th Street, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Diggs pleaded guilty on March 19, 2024, to second degree murder while armed. According to the government’s evidence, the victim was walking away from Diggs when Diggs pulled out a handgun and shot Mr. Johnson multiple times without provocation. Mr. Johnson ran away from Diggs. Diggs got into a rental car and drove away at a high rate of speed to the residence he shared with his mother in Southeast Washington, D.C. Mr. Johnson died of his injuries that day. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alec Levy.


title: Federal Inmate And Texas Resident Charged With Attempting To Introduce Fentanyl Into A United States Penitentiary

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Julian Beavers, age 37, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Canaan (USP Canaan), Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and Feniqua Walker, age 30, Fort Worth, Texas, were indicted on May 28, 2024, by a federal grand jury on charges for attempting to provide fentanyl to an inmate at USP Canaan. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between January 13, 2023 and April 13, 2023, Beavers and Walker attempted to provide fentanyl to an inmate at USP Canaan and Beavers also attempted to possess the fentanyl. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Investigative Services Unit at USP Canaan. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenn P. Roberts is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Medical Device Manufacturer Innovasis Inc. and Two Top Executives Agree to Pay $12M to Settle Allegations of Improper Payments to Physicians

component: Civil Division

body_text: Spinal device manufacturer Innovasis Inc. and senior executives Brent Felix and Garth Felix agreed to pay a total of $12 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to spine surgeons to induce their use of Innovasis’s spinal devices. Brent Felix is the founder, President and Chairman of the Board of Innovasis, which is headquartered in Utah. Garth Felix served in various leadership roles for Innovasis, including as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. “Payments from medical device manufacturers intended to influence a physician’s judgment about which medical devices or supplies to select are illegal,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When medical devices are used in surgical procedures, patients deserve to know that their device was selected based on quality of care considerations and not on improper payments from manufacturers.” “The integrity of our healthcare system is dependent upon physicians’ recommendations being motivated by patient health,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “Any time we learn that physician recommendations are being corrupted by improper financial inducements, we will seek to hold those involved accountable.” “Improper financial arrangements can compromise medical judgment and adversely influence the medical decision-making process,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These arrangements have no place in our healthcare system, and we will continue working with our federal partners to pursue such allegations.” The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2022, Innovasis provided improper remuneration to seventeen orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons to induce them to use Innovasis spinal implants, devices and other equipment in medical procedures the physicians performed on Medicare beneficiaries, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The improper remuneration was allegedly provided in the form of consulting fees, intellectual property acquisition and licensing fees, registry payments and performance shares in Innovasis, as well as travel to a luxury ski resort, lavish dinners and holiday parties for surgeons, their office staff and family members. For example, Innovasis allegedly paid physicians for consulting services at rates far in excess of fair market value or, in some cases, for work that was never actually performed. Similarly, the company allegedly paid physicians far in excess of fair market value to acquire or license purported intellectual property for which Innovasis never obtained any valuation prior to purchase and thereafter never used for meaningful product development. Innovasis also paid physicians to attend a company-sponsored conference held at a luxury resort in Deer Valley, Utah, which included the cost of travel, lodging and high-end meals, among other things. During the relevant period, Brent Felix, along with his brother Garth Felix, allegedly controlled or otherwise directed Innovasis’s operations, strategic decisions, and the agreements with surgeons who allegedly received improper remuneration from Innovasis. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Robert Richardson, a former Regional Sales Director for Innovasis. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action for false claims on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Richardson will receive approximately $2.2 million as his share of the recovery in this case. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Richardson v. Innovasis Inc., et al ., No. 3:19-CV-02440-X (N.D. Tex.). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, with assistance from HHS-OIG. Trial Attorneys Jessica E. Krieg, Olga Yevtukhova and Adam J. DiClemente of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew S. Robbins and George M. Padis for the Northern District of Texas handled the matter. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are only allegations. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Three Men Admit Robbing Armored Car Driver of Cash, Gun

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Three men have admitted robbing an armored car driver of cash and a firearm in Overland, Missouri last year. Herman Leon Woods, 31, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of robbery. Woods’ co-defendant, David C. Greenwade, 62, pleaded guilty in April to one count of robbery. Phillip Keith Smith, 65, pleaded guilty in May to one count of robbery and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence. All three admitted robbing an armored car driver in the 9400 block of Midland Avenue in Overland, Missouri on April 14, 2023. The driver was making a cash drop at a store when two men wearing all black clothing, ski masks and body armor arrived in a black Jeep. One robber, who has not yet been identified, approached the driver while armed with a pistol and said, “Don’t die over this money,” their plea agreements say. The robber pointed his handgun at the driver when the driver didn’t immediately turn over his gun. After relinquishing his firearm, the driver ran into the store for help. Smith, armed with a rifle, and the unidentified robber took a bag containing $2,000 and a duffel bag containing empty bank bags. As Smith tried to get back in the Jeep, Greenwade, who was driving, began pulling away, knocking Smith to the ground. Smith dropped his rifle and the magazine shattered, scattering bullets on the ground. Smith got in the Jeep and left the gun behind. Woods owned the Jeep and allowed it to be used for the robbery and for practice runs. Greenwade is Woods’ uncle and planned and led the robbery. Woods is scheduled to be sentenced September 5, 2024. Greenwade is scheduled to be sentenced in July, and Smith in August. The robbery charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Smith’s firearm charge carries an additional, consecutive mandatory minimum seven years in prison, but is punishable by up to life in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider is prosecuting the case.


title: Former West Michigan Doctor Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Performed Medically Unnecessary Sinus Surgeries In Gross Violation of Trust GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Daniel J. Castro, M.D. was sentenced to five years in federal prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,972,293.74 in restitution to victims of his criminal conduct, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs, numerous private health insurers, Bronson Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan, and certain of his former patients. Chief United States District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou imposed the sentence in Lansing, Michigan. “The criminal activities of Dr. Daniel Castro – performing unnecessary sinus surgeries – are sickening” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Dr. Castro brazenly trampled the core promise of the Hippocratic Oath – to act in the best interests of the patient – and did so for his own financial gain. Our health care system depends on patients being able to trust their medical providers at every step, especially when deciding to go under the knife. I’m grateful for the vast majority of providers who keep their promise, and we will do our very best to root out criminals like Dr. Castro who lie and steal for their own advantage.” "Dr. Castro violated his patients' trust by choosing to perform unnecessary surgeries and defrauded our health care insurance system in the process," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . "Healthcare providers who perform medically unnecessary procedures compromise the integrity of our healthcare system and expose their patients to potential harm. Unnecessary medical procedures at the taxpayer's expense will not be tolerated, and the FBI will hold all providers accountable." On April 3, 2023, Dr. Castro pleaded guilty to making a false statement related to health care matters. At his sentencing, Dr. Castro did not contest that he engaged in schemes to defraud health care benefit programs from February 2015 to May 2017 as alleged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury. Those schemes included performing medically unnecessary sinus surgeries, which frequently involved falsifying medical records about his patients’ symptoms and the findings of CT scans to make it appear the surgeries were justified. Dr. Castro also defrauded health care insurers by billing excisions of single lymph nodes, submandibular glands, and other glands of the neck as if he performed modified radical or selective neck dissections, which are complex and higher-paying procedures for cancer of the head and neck. Dr. Castro agreed that the intended loss totaled $5,091,272.03, representing primarily his billings to the health insurance companies for the fraudulent surgeries. Prior to sentencing, Dr. Castro made a $1 million payment toward his restitution obligation, which will be distributed to the victims of the offense as determined by the Court at sentencing. The Court ordered Dr. Castro to pay the balance owed to victims, and the United States will seek to enforce his financial obligation until the restitution amount is collected in full. At the sentencing hearing, the United States sought the maximum possible sentence of five years in prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Stella and Adam Townshend. Health care fraud and abuse by medical providers can include, among other schemes, performing medically unnecessary procedures, billing for procedures or supplies a patient never received, “upcoding” (billing for higher paying procedures than the patient received), and double billing. The public is encouraged to report suspected Medicare fraud by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or submitting the information online at www.oig.hhs.gov . Health care fraud involving private insurance programs can be reported to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or by contacting the patient’s health insurance provider. ###


title: Colombian Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Participation in Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian man was sentenced yesterday for his for his participation in a money laundering conspiracy. Yimmy Rafael Sanchez-Jimenez, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 34 months in prison. Sanchez-Jimenez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2024, Sanchez-Jimenez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions. Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia. Sanchez-Jimenez was a money broker based in Colombia who facilitated drug money pickups throughout the world, including in Los Angeles, California and in Canada. Sanchez-Jimenez also facilitated the transfer of those drug proceeds back to accounts in Colombia by using fake documentation to justify the transfers, in order to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Sanchez-Jimenez was responsible for the laundering of over $550,000 in drug proceeds. Sanchez-Jimenez was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Sanchez-Jimenez is the fifth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Three defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter prosecuted 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 innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lewis County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Nathan Hotchkiss, age 36, of Lewis County, New York, was sentenced today to serve 30 years imprisonment and lifetime post-release supervision for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo, New York Field Office made the announcement. As part of Hotchkiss’s previously entered guilty plea, he admitted that, from at least October 2021 through August 2022, he sexually exploited two children under the age of five and livestreamed or distributed depictions of the sexual abuse online for cash. When Hotchkiss was arrested in August 2022, he also had a collection of child pornography he had obtained on the Internet or through social media message exchanges with others. In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, Hotchkiss was ordered to pay a total of $18,000 in restitution to his victims and to forfeit the electronic devices he used to commit the offenses. Hotchkiss also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with the assistance of the New York State Police and the Lewis County District Attorney’s Office as part of Project Safe Childhood. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Greene County Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving, Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Drew Caswell, age 26, of Cairo, New York, pled guilty today to receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James, made the announcement. Caswell admitted that he used file-hosting service Mega to download child pornography and then distributed multiple image and video files of child pornography by publicly posting them on Twitter (now known as X). Caswell also admitted that, on August 7, 2023, he possessed child pornography on his cell phone, including nearly 300 images and videos of toddlers and infants being sexually abused. Caswell will be sentenced on September 24, 2024, by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Caswell faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution to the victims, and forfeiture of the phone Caswell used to commit these offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Caswell will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force—which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including Troop F of the New York State Police and its Computer Crimes Unit—investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Sturgis Man Charged With Selling Counterfeit Drugs On Dark Web

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Erik Miller, a 47-year-old resident of Sturgis, Michigan, faces multiple drug trafficking charges, including selling and holding for sale counterfeit drugs, such as fake Xanax ® . “Popping a fake pill is a game of Russian Roulette,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “One pill can kill.” He continued: “Only take prescription drugs prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Never trust your own eyes to determine if a pill is legitimate. If you have any doubt, DON’T. And get the word out to your kids, loved ones, and friends.” The indictment alleges that Miller was working with a dark web vendor to distribute fake Xanax® pills, as well as illegal controlled substances and real prescription drugs. The fake pills were made to look like authentic Xanax® pills, which Pharmacia & Upjohn, Co., a division of Pfizer, Inc., manufactures for distribution in the United States. Other pharmaceutical companies also manufacture and sell Alprazolam (the active ingredient in Xanax®) under different brand names. Buyers purchased these pills on the “Dark Web,” a part of the Internet where users seek to hide their identities and locations and which is often used to traffic contraband, including illegal controlled substances and counterfeit prescription drugs. “The dark web provides a false sense of security,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene . “Drug dealers think they can hide behind a computer keyboard and anonymously distribute drugs, and that is not the case. It doesn’t matter what means criminals use to distribute their deadly products; we will employ every resource to track down anyone who places profit over lives.” “Safeguarding the American public is our top priority at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We are committed to investigating and dismantling drug traffickers like Mr. Miller, who was recently indicted for illegally distributing counterfeit pills and narcotics nationwide,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Detroit Division . “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue and apprehend those who exploit the U.S. Mail to distribute dangerous drugs in our communities.” Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of what the pills contain. For more information on counterfeit pills and they dangers they pose, see this Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fact Sheet and the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website, www.dea.gov/onepill . In addition to the charge for selling counterfeit drugs, the federal grand jury’s four-count indictment, attached to this press release, also charges Miller with conspiracy to distribute Xanax ® and MDMA; possession of MDMA and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; and with being a felon in possession of multiple firearms. If convicted of the drug trafficking charges, Miller faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The gun charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years and a $250,000 fine. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the DEA and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan. ###


title: Former Connecticut Resident Pays $154k to Resolve Allegations of Covid-Relief Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that EDWARD MUNDAY, of Coventry, Vermont, a former resident of New Fairfield, Connecticut, has paid $154,200 to resolve allegations that he fraudulently used a substantial portion of a small business loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act to purchase a second home in Vermont. The CARES Act was enacted to provide emergency assistance to individuals, families, and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Section 1110 authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to help overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing working capital to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietors, to meet operating expenses. On May 25, 2020, Munday applied for and later received an EIDL Loan as sole proprietor for EDM Services, his IT consulting business. The loan documents required Munday to “use all the proceeds of this Loan solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury” caused by COVID-19. In May 2021, Munday sought and later received an increase in his EIDL Loan for EDM Services and, on August 4, 2021, again agreed to “use all proceeds of this Loan solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury” caused by COVID-19. The government contends that Munday did not use all the proceeds of the EIDL as working capital for EDM Services. Instead, he used a substantial portion of it to purchase a second home in Coventry, Vermont. To resolve these allegations, Munday agreed to pay $104,200 in restitution, and a $50,000 penalty. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Gruber and Richard M. Molot, with the assistance of the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to 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 .


title: Jamaican Man Who Laundered Over $670,000 Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Jamaican man was sentenced today for his role in the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through banking systems around the world. Seivright Donald Afflick, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 37 months in prison. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In February 2024, Afflick pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions. Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a sophisticated money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. During an extensive five-year investigation, the organization allegedly laundered over $6 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts, as well as additional proceeds through banks in the Caribbean and Europe by use of the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE) – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the BMPE. Throughout the course of the investigation, members of the money laundering organization would contact the undercover and arrange meetings for the undercover and the undercover’s purported associates to collect bulk cash throughout the world. Individuals, such as Afflick, performed the role of money courier. Afflick delivered bulk cash on two occasions in Jamaica. That cash was then deposited into the undercover bank account in Massachusetts, and then subsequently wired to accounts and repatriated back to drug traffickers in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Afflick was responsible for the laundering of approximately $670,000 in drug proceeds. Afflick was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Afflick is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Three other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter prosecuted 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 innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Troy Man Indicted for COVID Unemployment Fraud

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jaliyl McMillan, age 33, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino of the Buffalo Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (USDOL-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division Postal Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and New York State Inspector General (NYSIG) Lucy Lang. McMillan was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and ordered detained pending a detention hearing. The indictment alleges that between July 2020 and August 2021, McMillan perpetrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor using stolen identities. This scheme caused the electronic transfer of funds between states as well as the mailing of debit cards to an address McMillan directed. To execute the scheme, McMillan possessed individuals’ names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. The mail and wire fraud charges filed against McMillan carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. If convicted of the aggravated identity theft charges, McMillan would face an additional 2-year-term of incarceration which must, by law, run consecutively to any term imposed on the fraud charges. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. HSI, USDOL-OIG, USPIS and NYSIG are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Providence Man Admits to Illegal Acquisition of SNAP Benefits,  Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Dominican national unlawfully in the United States and living in Providence admitted to a federal judge today that he participated in a conspiracy that defrauded the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $213,000 in benefits, and that at the time of his arrest he was illegally in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Giomar Lopez Meireles, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, illegal acquisition or use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, Lopez Meireles conspired with others as part of a scheme that used stolen identities and social security numbers to submit fraudulent applications for SNAP benefits in the form of electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards. Many of the ill-gotten government funded benefit cards were either mailed to Lopez Meireles’s residence or to nearby addresses. Upon receipt of the SNAP EBT cards, Lopez Meireles used the cards to make purchases for himself and others, or sold the cards to others for cash. Fraudulent applications submitted between about September 2021 to November 2023 to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, which administers the federally-funded SNAP program, resulted in approximately $213,397 in benefits being issued. A court-authorized search of Lopez Meireles’s residence resulted in the seizure of a collection of EBT cards, many of which were wrapped in a paper ledger listing the dollar amounts and PINs on the cards. Agents also seized a 9mm pistol found wrapped in clothing in Lopez Meireles’s bedroom closet. This matter was investigated the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, and Woonsocket Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein.


title: Former Derry Man Sentenced for Submitting Dozens of Fraudulent Applications for Pandemic Relief Funds

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former Derry man was sentenced today in federal court for submitting approximately three dozen fraudulent applications for COVID-19 pandemic relief funds, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. David Dodge, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 34 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On February 20, 2024, Dodge pleaded guilty to bank fraud. His wife and co-conspirator, Tammy Dodge, pled guilty to bank fraud on March 4, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2024. “Congress passed the CARES Act to help Americans struggling during the worst health crisis in a century,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The defendant exploited this lifeline to steal from taxpayers to buy luxury items including a diamond ring. Today’s significant sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and underscores that we are continuing to vigilantly prosecute pandemic relief fraud.” “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates the abuse of IRS systems to defraud federal and state relief programs through fraudulent applications,” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Carpenter. “In this case, the defendant diverted COVID-19 pandemic relief funds intended for legitimate businesses and their employees for personal gains.” Dodge claimed to own or control multiple businesses in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including Teacher Tammy (a/k/a Teacher Tammy’s), Optimized Operations, and Business Done Right. However, these companies had no operations and served no business purpose. Dodge and his wife submitted dozens of fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from private lenders, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the Small Business Administration, and pandemic relief grants from the New Hampshire Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) and the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC). To commit the fraud, Dodge also used the Social Security Number of a minor child to apply for and obtain an Employer Identification Number from the IRS for a fictional company called Consulting Services. Dodge used fake supporting documents in the applications. For example, on May 4, 2020, David Dodge applied for a $39,355 PPP loan for Optimized Operations. He provided a “Payroll Report” purporting to show that Optimized Operations had a monthly payroll of approximately $46,000 through December 2020, seven months into the future. Other fake documents included a doctored Limited Liability Company certificate showing that Optimized Operations was incorporated in Massachusetts in June 2016, when it did not exist on paper until May 2020. David Dodge also provided fraudulent tax documents showing that Optimized Operations had five employees paid $45,000 each quarter. Overall, because lenders detected most of the fraudulent applications, the Dodges obtained $219,323.34. They misused the fraudulently obtained funds, including to purchase a hot tub and a diamond ring. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. During the early part of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act included multiple relief provisions to help the millions of Americans and many small businesses adversely affected by the pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Private lenders could participate in the PPP. The loans, which were supposed to be used for payroll, were fully guaranteed by the government. If borrowers used the PPP loans for payroll and other approved expenses as intended, they could apply for loan forgiveness. The CARES Act also opened up the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. As with PPP loans, EIDL loans were supposed to be used for payroll and other business expenses such as rent and mortgage. 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 Richmond postal carrier sentenced to prison for stealing mail

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A former postal carrier with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Richmond was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison for theft of mail. According to court documents, Wendy Lawrence, 40, stole mail, removing gift cards, checks, and other items of value for her own use. Lawrence also dumped mail entrusted to her care. Law enforcement recovered stolen mail from Lawrence’s residence belonging to over 180 victims. After stealing checks from the mail, Lawrence used the bank account and routing information on those checks to initiate electronic payments, which she used for such expenses as her tax bill, pest control, and rent. On at least one occasion, to prolong and conceal the fraud scheme, Lawrence initiated a fraudulent address change with the USPS on behalf of a victim, rerouting the victim’s mail to Lawrence’s address. Law enforcement also recovered checks from Lawrence’s residence that she forged for her own benefit, including checks in the name of at least 30 other individuals. Lawrence pled guilty on Feb. 29. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; Ajay D. Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; and Bradford W. Nunnally, Sheriff for Powhatan County, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-17.


title: Two Manchester Residents Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man and woman pleaded guilty in federal court to charges pertaining to the manufacturing of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Charles Winchell, age 41, and Catherine Quinn, age 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine with a child under the age of 18 present and the possession of equipment, chemicals, products and material to manufacture methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled Winchell’s sentencing for September 16, 2024 and Quinn’s sentencing for September 30, 2024. Quinn and Winchell purchased pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter medication and the primary ingredient used for the manufacturing of methamphetamine, dozens of times in 2023. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at their Manchester residence and found pseudoephedrine and other ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine present, as well as approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine. At the time, twelve individuals lived in the home; three of them under the age of five. The crime of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. For committing this offense with a child under the age of 18 present, the statute provides for a consecutive sentence up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. For possessing the equipment, chemicals, products, and materials to manufacture methamphetamine, the statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and no more than five years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Heavily Armed Carrollton Fentanyl Supplier Sentenced to 15 Years

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: A major source of supply in the Carrollton juvenile fentanyl overdose case, which has claimed the lives of four children to date, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Julio Gonzales, Jr., a 19-year-old who called himself “J-Money,” was charged via criminal complaint in July 2023. He pleaded guilty in October 2023 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance (fentanyl) and was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade. “This defendant – a heavily-armed, prolific drug trafficker – was involved in providing pills that caused 14 Carrollton kids to overdose, and four of them to die,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “I want to implore our community: Please, educate your children on the dangers of fentanyl. Drug traffickers are not your friends. They know one pill can kill, and they hand them over anyway.” “Julio Gonzalez will spend the next 15 years in federal prison because of his involvement in supplying and distributing poison in the form of one deadly pill. Because of that same pill, illicit fentanyl, lives have been lost and families have been forever changed,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “The women and men of DEA Dallas will never stop investigating overdose and poisoning deaths and bring those responsible to justice. We all must do our part to prevent and educate others that truly One Pill Can Kill.” According to evidence presented at Wednesday’s hearing, Mr. Gonzales was one of three main sources of supply for Luis Eduardo Navarrete, the 22-year-old dealer who supplied fentanyl to students at R.L. Turner High School, Dewitt Perry Middle School, and Dan Long Middle School. (Mr. Navarrete was sentenced last week to 20 years in federal prison after prosecutors introduced evidence showing that he blatantly ignored a text message, “another youngin dead bro,” alerting him to multiple child overdoses. One of Mr. Navarrete’s other main sources of supply, Jason Xavier Villanueva, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl to a person under 21 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison; his third source, Jessie Alexander Perez Martinez, is awaiting trial.) In plea papers, Mr. Gonzales admitted he trafficked blue M-30 pills laced with fentanyl to Mr. Navarrete, Navarrete’s drug runner Robert Gaitan, and at least one juvenile dealer. He stipulated that he trafficked approximately 120,000 pills over the course of the conspiracy, often selling them in “K Packs,” which consisted of 1,000 pills at a time. When he was arrested on July 20, agents searched his Dallas home and seized from 16,000 counterfeit M-30 pills from his microwave, $74,294 in drug proceeds from shoe boxes in his bedroom, and at least nine firearms, including a Romanian Draco AK-47 style handgun, a Kel-Tec long-range pistol, and a Glock equipped with a machinegun conversion device. They also recovered numerous high-capacity magazines, body armor, a vacuum sealer, digital scales, a money counter, and multiple cell phones. Mr. Gonzales, Jr. is one of 11 defendants charged federally in connection with the case, which has resulted in 14 juvenile overdoses, four of them fatal, of children as young as 13 . The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of School Resource Officers from the Carrollton – Farmer’s Branch Independent School. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Phelesa Guy are prosecuting the case. Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill .


title: Violent No Rats Allowed Member Sentenced for Possessing a Machine Gun and Distributing Fentanyl

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Bartwone Copeland, a previously convicted felon and member of the “No Rats Allowed” crew, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison in connection with his possession of firearms, including a machinegun, and distribution of fentanyl. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Copeland, 28, of Southwest Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia on December 4, 2023, to unlawful possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. In addition to the 144-month prison term, the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich today ordered Copeland to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Copeland was a member of “NRA” or “No Rats Allowed,” a street crew that trafficked drugs out of townhouses on the 200 block of K Street SW. NRA also used the homes as stash locations or “trap houses” for narcotics and firearms. Copeland sold controlled substances, including crack-cocaine and marijuana, but primarily focused his business on pills laced with fentanyl that he had arranged to be shipped to the District from California. At the time of each of Copeland’s two arrests, he was in possession of Glock 23 .40 caliber handguns with obliterated serial numbers and extended magazines. On November 3, 2021, MPD officers and FBI agents executed a search warrant at “the Dope Hole,” a trap house Copeland operated on the 200 block of K Street SW. Inside the townhome, officers encountered Copeland, aka “Bart” aka “Shmoney,” and four other people. Copeland was the only person in the kitchen. In the kitchen officers recovered about 37 grams of crack cocaine, 457 blue pills containing fentanyl (approximately 48.6 grams), about 980 grams of suspected marijuana, $1,686 on his person, and another $7,010 in a Prada bag. Police found three firearms in a kitchen drawer. One of the guns was a Glock 23 pistol that had been modified with a “switch” converting it into a fully automatic machine gun that could fire 20 shots with the single pull of a trigger. At the time of that arrest, Copeland was on escape status, as he had absconded from a halfway house. On November 7, 2022, a week after his initial indictment, FBI agents stopped Copeland driving an Infiniti sedan after following him from the District to the Camden Potomac Yard Apartments in Arlington, Va. In Copeland’s lap was a bag which included $3,500 in cash, and a baggie containing 957 blue pills containing fentanyl. From Copeland’s waistband, FBI agents recovered a Glock 23, 40mm pistol loaded with a 22-round magazine. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. Copeland admitted that he had possessed the firearm, which had traveled in interstate commerce. After obtaining a search warrant, agents searched Copeland’s Alexandria apartment and recovered 57.8 grams of suspected crack-cocaine inside a pair of Dior shoes and about $5,000 in cash. Across these two arrests Mr. Copeland possessed more than 1,400 pills with a total weight of more than 150 grams. However, text messages on Copeland’s digital devices indicated that he was trafficking in much larger amounts. Text messages suggest that over two weeks in August 2022, Mr. Copeland purchased 20,000 pills—an amount that would likely weigh well over a kilogram. Furthermore, although the pills looked like legitimate Oxycodone pills, Copeland knew they contained fentanyl, as he shared a news article about a drug bust involving “[his] folks” that identified the blue pills as containing fentanyl. Copeland has an extensive criminal history that includes a conviction in D.C. Superior Court for assault with a dangerous weapon, a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm, a guilty plea for attempt to commit robbery, and numerous violations of the terms of his supervised release. This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Song and Joshua Gold. 22cr0378


title: Serial Child Sexual Abuser Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Dallas man who filmed himself sexually assaulting girls as young as six years old was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Gemond Copage Miller, 34, was indicted in December 2021 and pleaded guilty in January 2024 to two counts of production of child pornography. He was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who also ordered that the defendant be supervised for life following his release from prison. According to plea papers, Mr. Miller filmed himself sexually assaulting children as young as six years old, then sold the footage on the internet. Investigators were able to match distinctive tattoos shown in the footage to Mr. Miller’s tattoo. At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors said Mr. Miller admitted to abusing at least ten girls under the age of twelve. Law enforcement identified at least 38 videos of child sexual abuse material produced by Mr. Miller. To date, not all of the victims have been identified. Mr. Miller was also in possession of approximately 722 images and 1,733 videos constituting child sexual abuse material. “My sense of safety and security has been shattered,” a 13-year-old victim, just six years old when she was first assaulted, said in a statement read aloud by her mother. “I am the first victim to come forward… Knowing that there are others shows that this is what he does. This is who he is. And he does not care that he took the innocence of children.” Homeland Security Investigations' Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation, which began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children . Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Winters prosecuted the case.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Distributing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida –United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Leonel Bautista Solis (29, Georgia) to seven years and eight months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Bautista entered a guilty plea on February 28, 2024. According to the court documents, on March 23, 2023, Solis traveled from Georgia to Jacksonville to sell fentanyl. When Bautista was arrested by federal agents, they recovered 1,600 pressed fentanyl pills, cocaine packaged for sale, and six firearms inside his vehicle. Solis admitted that he had purchased the drugs in Atlanta and was bringing the fentanyl to Jacksonville. He also admitted that he would be delivering the firearms along with the narcotics. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. 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.