title: Moldovan Charged, Arrested, And Extradited For Administration Of Site Involved In The Illicit Sale Of Compromised Computer Credentials

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, along with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS - Criminal Investigation Washington DC Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI - Tampa Division, announces today the extradition and removal from the United Kingdom of Sandu Diaconu (31, Moldova) for crimes related to his administration of the E-Root Marketplace, a website that operated for years and was used to sell access to compromised computers worldwide, including servers belonging to companies and individuals in the United States. Diaconu had his initial appearance and arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson on October 16, 2023. According to the indictment, Diaconu has been charged (along with a sealed co-defendant) with conspiracy to commit access device and computer fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, access device fraud, and computer fraud. If convicted on all counts, Diaconu faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Diaconu that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture relating to the proceeds of and used in the charged criminal conduct. Seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the E-Root Marketplace and a public takedown notice was issued at the end of 2020. Diaconu was arrested while attempting to leave the United Kingdom in May 2021. In September 2023, after Diaconu consented, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ordered Diaconu to be extradited to the United States to face the outstanding charges. According to court documents, the E-Root Marketplace operated across a widely distributed network and took steps to hide the identities of its administrators, buyers, and sellers. Buyers could search for compromised computer credentials on E-Root, such as RDP and SSH access, by desired criteria such as price, geographic location, internet service provider, and operating system. The Marketplace also used Perfect Money, an online payment system, to help conceal buyers’ payments. It also offered its illicit cryptocurrency exchange service for the purpose of converting Bitcoin to Perfect Money and vice-versa. This exchange was also seized. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, authorities believe that more than 350,000 compromised computer credentials were listed for sale on the Marketplace. The victims span the globe and all industries, including a variety of businesses and firms, as well as at least one local government agency in Tampa. Many victims were subject to ransomware attacks, and some of the stolen credentials listed on the Marketplace were linked to stolen identity tax fraud schemes. The U.S. investigation was led by the IRS - CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C) and the FBI - Tampa Division. Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, IRS-CI and FBI International Operations at Mission UK, the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, the United Kingdom’s Central Authority, and the United States Marshals Service, Tampa Field Office. The criminal investigation is being overseen by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Daniel Marcet. The asset forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky. 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.


title: Social Media Influencer Douglass Mackey Sentenced after Conviction for Election Interference in 2016 Presidential Race

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Douglass Mackey, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 7 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to interfere with potential voters’ right to vote in the 2016 election for the Office of the President of the United States. Douglass Mackey, also known as “Ricky Vaughn,” was previously convicted of the charge of Conspiracy Against Rights at trial by a federal jury in Brooklyn . Mackey was convicted of the charge in March 2023 following a three-week trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “One of the foundational rights we hold as Americans, a right that many fought so hard to obtain, is the right to vote. The defendant weaponized disinformation in a dangerous scheme to stop targeted groups, including black and brown people and women, from participating in our democracy,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This groundbreaking prosecution demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who commit crimes that threaten our democracy and seek to deprive people of their constitutional right to vote.” As proven at trial, by 2016, Mackey had established an audience on Twitter with approximately 58,000 followers. A February 2016 analysis by the MIT Media Lab ranked Mackey as one of the most significant influencers of the then-upcoming presidential election. Between September 2016 and November 2016, Mackey conspired with other influential Twitter users and with members of private online groups to use social media platforms, including Twitter, to disseminate fraudulent messages that encouraged supporters of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to “vote” via text message or social media which was legally invalid. For example, on November 1, 2016, in or around the same time that Mackey was sending tweets suggesting the importance of limiting “black turnout,” the defendant tweeted an image depicting an African American woman standing in front of an “African Americans for Hillary” sign. The ad stated: “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” and “Vote for Hillary and be a part of history.” The fine print at the bottom of the deceptive image stated: “Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be a legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska or Hawaii. Paid for by Hillary For President 2016.” The tweet included the typed hashtag “#ImWithHer,” a slogan frequently used by Hillary Clinton. On or about and before Election Day 2016, thousands of unique telephone numbers texted “Hillary” or some derivative to the 59925 text number, which had been used in multiple deceptive campaign images tweeted by Mackey and his co-conspirators. Several hours after tweeting the first image, Mackey tweeted an image depicting a woman seated at a conference room typing a message on her cell phone. This deceptive image was written in Spanish and mimicked a font used by the Clinton campaign in authentic ads. The image also included a copy of the Clinton campaign’s logo and the “ImWithHer” hashtag. This case was investigated by the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and F. Turner Buford of the Eastern District of New York’s Public Integrity Section and Trial Attorney William J. Gullotta of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section. The Defendant : DOUGLASS MACKEY Age: 34 West Palm Beach, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-80 (AMD)


title: Social Media Influencer Sentenced for Election Interference in 2016 Presidential Race

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A social media influencer was sentenced today to seven months in prison and fined $15,000 for his role in a conspiracy to interfere with potential voters’ right to vote in the 2016 presidential election. According to court documents, by 2016, Douglass Mackey, aka Ricky Vaughn, had established an audience on Twitter with approximately 58,000 followers. A February 2016 analysis by the MIT Media Lab ranked Mackey as one of the most significant influencers of the then-upcoming presidential election. Between September 2016 and November 2016, Mackey conspired with other influential Twitter users and with members of private online groups to use social media platforms, including Twitter, to disseminate fraudulent messages that encouraged supporters of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to “vote” via text message or social media, which was legally invalid. For example, on Nov. 1, 2016, in or around the same time that Mackey was sending tweets suggesting the importance of limiting “black turnout,” Mackey tweeted an image depicting an African American woman standing in front of an “African Americans for Hillary” sign. The ad stated: “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” and “Vote for Hillary and be a part of history.” The fine print at the bottom of the deceptive image stated: “Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be a legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska or Hawaii. Paid for by Hillary For President 2016.” The tweet included the typed hashtag “#ImWithHer,” a slogan frequently used by then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. On or about and before Election Day 2016, at least 4,900 unique telephone numbers texted “Hillary” or some derivative to the 59925 text number, which had been used in multiple deceptive campaign images that Mackey and his co-conspirators tweeted. Several hours after tweeting the first image, Mackey tweeted an image depicting a woman seated in a conference room typing a message on her cell phone. This deceptive image was written in Spanish and mimicked a font that the Clinton campaign used in authentic ads. The image also included a copy of the Clinton campaign’s logo and the “ImWithHer” hashtag. A federal jury in Brooklyn previously convicted Mackey at trial for conspiracy against rights. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, and Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney William J. Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and F. Turner Buford and Paralegal Specialist Shivani Parshad for the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case.


title: Suburban Chicago Man Charged With Insider Trading

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man used insider information obtained from his spouse to purchase options in a biotech company’s stock before it was acquired by a large pharmaceutical company, according to a federal criminal charge filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago. In the spring of 2019, BRIAN RUBIN made $90,450 in illegal profits from the purchase and sale of stock options in the Colorado-based biotech company that employed Rubin’s spouse, according to the criminal information filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Unbeknownst to his spouse, Rubin used material, non-public information obtained from her about the biotech company’s successful development of certain products and its expected acquisition by the New York-based pharmaceutical company to purchase the options ahead of a public announcement of the acquisition in June 2019, the charge alleges. After the announcement, the biotech company’s stock price increased and Rubin exercised the options for the profit, the charge alleges. Rubin’s spouse had learned the information through her position as an account director for the biotech company’s Midwest operations, the charge alleges. Rubin, 51, of Deerfield, Ill., is charged with one count of securities fraud. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. The charge was 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement action against Rubin, provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Adam Rosenbloom represent the government in the criminal case. The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Rubin information


title: Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (48, Del Rio) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Jackson was indicted on September 7, 2022, in a separate federal case charging him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Because of that indictment, Jackson was the subject of a federal arrest warrant. On October 18, 2022, officers from the Tampa Police Department were patrolling the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa when they encountered Jackson walking along the street. The officers were familiar with Jackson and were aware of his outstanding arrest warrant. When the officers arrested Jackson, they recovered a loaded firearm (Phoenix Arms HP22A .22 caliber pistol) that was tucked in the front waistband of his pants. The officers also found a crack rock in his pocket and a small quantity of MDMA. Jackson later admitted to possessing the firearm for two weeks for protection. Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses and is therefore prohibited from carrying a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna S. Hale. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Morgantown man sentenced to 10 years for federal drug crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Lloyd Vaughn, age 28, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Vaughn was working with several others to operate a drug trafficking organization from Detroit, Michigan, to Monongalia County. Investigators searched Vaughn’s storage unit in Morgantown and found more than a pound of methamphetamine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Joran van der Sloot Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Extortion and Wire Fraud

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dutch citizen Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty today and was sentenced for his role in a scheme to obtain $250,000 from Elizabeth (“Beth”) Ann Holloway, the mother of Natalee Holloway, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. The guilty plea and sentencing of Joran Andreas Petrus van der Sloot, 36, occurred before U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco. Van der Sloot pleaded guilty to extortion and wire fraud and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to the plea agreement, in 2010, van der Sloot solicited money from Beth Holloway, Natalee Holloway’s mother, on promises he would reveal the location of her daughter’s remains in Aruba and the circumstances of her 2005 death. However, after being paid a total of $25,100, van der Sloot provided information that he later described as “worthless.” According to the sentencing memorandum and plea agreement, van der Sloot agreed to provide full, complete, accurate, and truthful information regarding Natalee Holloway’s disappearance in exchange for a sentence of 20 years. “Today, the United States held Joran van der Sloot accountable for his scheme to exploit a mother looking for information about her missing daughter,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The United States hopes that the information regarding Natalee Holloway’s disappearance provides some important answers for the family and the community that has followed this family’s tragedy. Today’s result would not have been possible without the help of the FBI, Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Government of Peru, the Netherlands and Aruba, U.S. Marshals Service, and Shelby County Sherriff’s Office, who assisted in this process. I am grateful for their hard work and dedication. May this long-awaited day finally bring justice for Beth and for Natalee’s family and friends.” “Today’s sentence holds Joran van der Sloot accountable for the pain he has caused the family and friends of Natalee Holloway,” said FBI Birmingham SAC Carlton Peeples. “After more than a decade of uncertainty, hopefully this will bring them and this community some closure. During this lengthy investigation, the FBI remained committed in aggressively pursuing and holding this individual accountable for the crimes he committed against US persons. I would like to thank our local, state, federal, and foreign partners who assisted in this investigation and a special thanks to all the FBI personnel, past and present, who worked tirelessly in bringing this individual to justice.” The FBI investigated the case. Criminal Chief Lloyd C. Peeples and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby prosecuted the case.


title: Armed Man Arrested For Attempted Kidnapping On The Blue Ridge Parkway Is Indicted By A Federal Grand Jury

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Whittier, N.C., man arrested on a federal complaint for attempted kidnapping on the Blue Ridge Parkway has been formally charged by a grand jury in Charlotte, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment charges Evan William Blankenship, 22, with kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to commit a felony, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Debra A. Flowers, Acting Chief Ranger of the Blue Ridge Parkway, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment and information contained in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of September 28, 2023, L.P. and a second victim, L.M., were sitting in a parked vehicle at Water Rock Knob Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The affidavit alleges that Blankenship drove his vehicle to where the victims were located and pointed a semi-automatic pistol at them. Blankenship tried to pull L.P. out of the vehicle by the hair and arm. Over the course of the incident, Blankenship allegedly threatened to hurt both victims, and hit L.P. in the face causing her temporary hearing loss. Blankenship also allegedly fired his firearm into the air, before pointing it again at the victims. According to allegations in the affidavit, L.M. eventually convinced Blankenship to let them go. Shortly thereafter, the victims reported the incident to law enforcement. L.P. told investigators that she knew Blankenship through Snapchat and believed Blankenship had used Snapchat’s location sharing feature to find her on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blankenship was arrested on October 11, 2023, and remains in federal custody. The charge of kidnapping carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Each assault charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. The actual sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the federal sentencing guidelines and other applicable statutory factors. The charges against Blankenship are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the National Park Service for the investigation which led to the charges and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.


title: The Justice Department Issues Fifth Annual Elder Justice Report

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Earlier today, the Justice Department issued its fifth annual report to Congress on its efforts to combat elder fraud and abuse. The report summarizes the Department’s extensive efforts during the reporting period from July 1, 2022 through June 30. “The Justice Department is intensifying our efforts to fight the despicable crimes of elder fraud and abuse,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As reflected in this year’s report, the Department is aggressively pursuing perpetrators of elder fraud and abuse, supporting victims, and raising public awareness to prevent elder fraud and abuse before they occur.” “During the past year, the Department has pursued hundreds of criminal and civil cases to bring perpetrators who prey on older adults to justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Working with our law enforcement partners, our agents and prosecutors have employed disruption strategies and obtained restitution and forfeiture orders to deter potential offenders, minimize losses, make victims financially whole, and prevent wrongdoers from profiting from their crimes.” “Every year, millions of older Americans experience some form of elder abuse. And sadly, the majority of elder abuse cases go unreported,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The Department is taking an active and multifaceted approach to addressing elder abuse, and our efforts reflect the hard work of so many, including our prosecutors, crime victim specialists, agents and investigators, program analysts, and subject matter experts.” This year’s report reflects the four pillars of the Department’s elder justice work. First, holding perpetrators of elder abuse and fraud accountable is the cornerstone of the Department’s elder justice work. During the reporting period, the Department brought nearly 300 criminal and civil actions against more than 650 defendants who collectively stole more than $1.5 billion from over 2.4 million victims. Some of these defendants engaged in transnational and domestic fraud schemes, including lottery, romance, and tech support scams. The Department also pursued nursing home operators that provided grossly substandard care to their residents. Second, the Department supports in various ways older Americans who have experienced abuse or financial exploitation. Over the past year, the Department returned hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of elder fraud schemes, while helping to freeze millions of dollars for other older victims before their funds were transferred to fraudsters. The Department also supported over 5,000 victim assistance organizations that provided services (including individual advocacy, crisis intervention, civil legal assistance, transportation, and emergency shelter) to over 240,000 victims aged 60 and older. The Department continued to support the National Elder Fraud Hotline, which helped tens of thousands of older adults report suspected fraud or connected them to available social services. Third, as state, local, and Tribal elder justice professionals are often on the front line in responding to elder abuse and fraud cases, the Department worked to support the capacity and ability of state, local, and Tribal communities to identify, address, and combat elder abuse in its many forms. For example, the Department awarded grants to six Enhanced Multidisciplinary teams to work with older victims of financial exploitation and abuse. These grantees join the 23 local multidisciplinary teams also funded by the Department to better identify and respond to cases of elder abuse and more comprehensively serve and support victims of financial exploitation. The Department also funded the first National Center for State and Tribal Elder Justice Coalitions to support statewide coordination and collaboration among elder justice organizations, and developed and shared new resources, training, and tools for state and local law enforcement to more effectively identify and investigate elder abuse and fraud. Lastly, the Department is committed to raising public awareness of fraud schemes and empowering older Americans and their families with the knowledge and information to protect themselves from elder fraud and abuse. For that reason, Department employees conducted or participated in over 700 elder justice outreach and training events across the country to raise public awareness of elder fraud and abuse and reached over 28 million Americans. To report elder financial fraud, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). For more information on the Department’s elder justice activities, visit www.elderjustice.gov .


title: Jena Medical Group, LLC, Its Principals And Physician Agree To Pay Over $1.7 Million To Settle False Claims Act Liability For Improperly Performed Procedures

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that Jena Medical Group, LLC, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and Jason Schultz have agreed to pay the United States $1,724,986.08 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were performed by an unqualified technician. According to the settlement agreement, Jena Medical, through its principals, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and through Dr. Jason Schutlz, billed Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were not medically necessary, not provided by a qualified provider, or both, during the period from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020. According to the allegations, patients referred to the unqualified technician as “doctor” and were led to believe he was qualified to perform their procedures. Jena Medical also permitted the washing and re-use of catheters that were designed for a single use. “Protecting Medicare and TRICARE patients is paramount,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to hold accountable those who abuse the nation’s healthcare programs at the expense of the taxpayers.” “Allegations of health care providers billing our federal health care programs for unnecessary services is of deep concern, especially if such services could potentially cause harm to patients,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Julie Rivera of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the health of patients and the integrity of the federal health care programs serving them.” “When actors within our health care system are focused on profit rather than patient care, it undermines the integrity of the medical decision-making process,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “ DCIS will continue to work with our investigative partners to protect the funding entrusted to the Defense Health Agency which serves our military members and their families.” The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Michael Lomonaco, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and former employee of Jena Medical. Dr. Lomonaco sued under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relator will receive over $300,000 of the proceeds from the settlement with the defendants. This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation. The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The case is captioned United States ex rel. Lomonaco v. Jena Medical Group, LLC et al. , Case No. 6:20-cv-312-ORL-WWB. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty To Threatening Federal Judge

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeziah Guagno (23) has pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. Guagno faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set. According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. A subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Known handwriting samples from Guagno also matched the handwritten threats in the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter previously had dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.


title: Miami man sentenced to five and a half years in prison for running fraudulent cryptocurrency and stock investment scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Miami man was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for running a fraudulent cryptocurrency and stock investment scheme. The judge also ordered forfeiture in the amount of $988,895.85. From June 2020 through March 2022, Ryan James Crawford, aka “Brody,” 30, tricked victims into investing almost $1 million in his scheme by: falsely claiming to be a highly successful licensed stockbroker who had made tens of millions of dollars through similar cryptocurrency and stock investments; falsely claiming to have access to enough money to timely repay potential investors; falsely claiming that he had developed an artificial intelligence trading software that “never lost,” and misrepresenting the investment as low-risk and high reward, among other things. Crawford did not return any victim funds, or generate the exponential returns he promised. Rather, on some occasions, he simply diverted investors’ funds and cryptocurrency for his own personal use, including to pay for luxury rental cars and gambling at the casino. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, and Interim Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), announced the sentence. FBI Miami, USSS Miami, and MDPD’s Cyber Crimes Investigative Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hauser prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Stone and Mitch Hyman handled asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-20100. ###


title: Bridgeport man sentenced to more than 12 years for methamphetamine trafficking

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Austin Lodge, age 31, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, officers engaged in a high-speed chase with Lodge in Harrison County, which ended with a foot chase. Lodge discarded a backpack during the chase containing methamphetamine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Armed Hillsborough County Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Randell Alexander Love (48, Hillsborough County) to 25 years in federal prison for possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence consists of 20 years’ imprisonment on the fentanyl charge and a consecutive five-year sentence for the firearm offense. Love had pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023. According to court documents, Love was a prolific and violent fentanyl trafficker who carried a loaded firearm to conduct and protect his illicit drug business. Love used violence and intimidation to resolve disputes with his drug suppliers and customers, and to keep them in line. He harmed others to get his way. For example, he punched a potential witness against him in the face, knocking her teeth out. The woman subsequently died of a fentanyl and heroin overdose. Love pistol-whipped one of his drug sources of supply and also battered a man with a metal pipe. Love trafficked enough fentanyl to kill 45,000 people. During a traffic stop on October 5, 2021, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Love, and subsequently found and seized nearly an ounce of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm handgun. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Dante Flowers Jr. Sentenced to 200-Month Prison Term for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Crime

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Dante Flowers Jr., 30, formerly of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court in Burlington to 200 months of imprisonment. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Flowers Jr. to serve three years of supervised release following his period of incarceration. Flowers Jr. had previously pleaded guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, in 2020, in the Orleans County area of Vermont, Dante Flowers Jr. (who was also known as “Fresh”), conspired with Jayquan Flintroy (who was also known as “Jay”) and Dante Flowers Sr. (who was also known as “Pops”), to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl. During the conspiracy, Flowers Jr. and his coconspirators carried firearms and used violence to threaten and control people, including their drug customers and local drug re-distributors. On October 15, 2020, Flowers Jr., along with Dante Flowers Sr., seriously assaulted a man at his residence in Derby, Vermont, purportedly in a dispute over drug money. This assault internally decapitated the man and left him a paraplegic. The man is still paralyzed with little to no function of arms and no function of the lower part of his body. Following the assault, Flowers Jr. and his coconspirators continued to sell drugs. On November 30, 2020, the group was together in a car in the parking lot of the Wendy’s Restaurant in Newport, Vermont. While in the parking lot, there was another dispute about drugs and Flowers Sr. was shot in the leg. Flowers Jr. and Flintroy were arrested after the shooting. Flowers Sr. recovered from the shooting and was also later arrested. Flowers Sr. and Flintroy have pleaded guilty in federal court to the drug conspiracy and a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Flintroy and Flowers Sr. are awaiting sentencing. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermont State Police, Newport Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, United States Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller represented the government. Mark D. Oettinger, Esq. represented Flowers Jr. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Man Sentenced for Role in Scheme to Defraud City of Lexington

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — Nana Kawabena Amuah, 31, a native of Ghana, was sentenced to 86 months in federal prison on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiring to commit money laundering. Amuah was also ordered to pay $4,743,443.60 in restitution. According to Amuah’s plea agreement, beginning in 2021, Amuah was directing a co-defendant, Shimea McDonald, to open bank accounts for receiving money from a variety of fraud victims. Amuah helped facilitate McDonald getting fake identity documentation, based on fake identity information she obtained from real people. McDonald also set up shell companies, which she then used to set up bank accounts with fake identities. Once money entered into these accounts, Amuah notified McDonald of the payments and directed her to wire or otherwise bring him the stolen funds, after McDonald had retained a portion for herself. Working with others, Amuah would then wire or otherwise bring money to the other co-conspirators, who facilitated further transfers or initiated the underlying scheme to defraud the victims, after retaining his portion of the proceeds. In one instance, in August 2022, the conspirators impersonated a nonprofit organization, having business with the City of Lexington over email, and convinced a City official to wire funds owed to the non-profit organization to a bank account at Truist Bank. The City wired a total of $3,905,837.05 to the Gretson Company LLC bank account at Truist Bank. Prior to the August 2022 wire transfer, McDonald, using the identity of K.N., had requested eight counter checks from Truist Bank, which would be funded from wires fraudulently received from the City. Then, when the money was placed in the fraudulent account at Truist Bank, McDonald, using the identity of K.N., attempted to deposit a portion of these funds into another account in the name of Gretson Company LLC, at another financial institution. Ultimately, Truist Bank and the City of Lexington were able to recover all the funds that were fraudulently transmitted. According to Court documents, investigators found approximately 70 other victims of this conspiracy, 60 of which did suffer losses amounting to more than $4.6 million. McDonald has been convicted for her role in the offense and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2023. A third defendant, Jean Mejia-Garcia, who attempted to deposit done on the City’s money, had been charged and is awaiting trial. Under federal law, Amuah must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of the Lexington Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Lexington Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Carolina Man Arrested for Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Carolina man was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged child exploitation conduct. On October 13, 2023, Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan arrested Matthew John McGlone, a 33-year-old man from Carolina, P.R. A federal grand jury indicted McGlone on October 12, 2023, with three counts for coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. This is an investigation led by the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. According to court documents, between September 11, 2023, and October 5, 2023, McGlone used a cellular phone and an internet instant messaging platform to coerce a fourteen-year-old male minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same period, McGlone knowingly attempted to receive child exploitation material and transferred obscene material to the fourteen-year-old male minor. McGlone also had multiple arrest warrants from the state of Georgia related to several charges including criminal attempt of child molestation. “We will continue to track down those who engage in child exploitation and will hold them accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue its effort to protect the most vulnerable among us by aggressively prosecuting all those who prey on our children.” Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The defendant is a wanted person in the state of Georgia for similar charges. HSI has zero tolerance for those who repeatedly engage in criminal behavior against children. In this case, thanks to the collaboration of parents, teachers, and social workers, our agents were able to identify suspicious child exploitation activities against a fourteen-year-old minor. As we have stated, the first line of defense to protect children is those who interact with them daily. HSI agents responded rapidly, and we successfully arrested the suspect to bring him before justice.” Special Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Y. Pineda-Pérez of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years for receipt of child exploitation material; and up to 10 years in prison for the transfer of obscene material to a minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### About Homeland Security Investigations HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement. # HSI #


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Recording Rape of Children

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his rape of a young girl and an infant to 80 years in prison. Mark Anthony Davis, 36, of Clark County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted recording his rape of the girl when she was under 10 years of age and an 11-month-old boy. Davis also admitted possessing videos containing child pornography, including the rape and torture of children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Drake, in court, said prosecutors and investigators have never seen a worse case. Davis possessed images of children being tortured and then repeatedly inflicted “hideous torture” on his own children. Davis’ behavior, Drake said, “deserves the most serious sentence possible.” The sentence of 30 years each on the production of child pornography charges and 20 years on the possession charge, run consecutively, was the maximum possible prison sentence. This case was investigated by the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kirksville Police Department, the Henry County (Iowa) Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and Donya Jackson, an investigator with the U.S. Attorney’s office at the time. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Drake and Robert Livergood prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Connecticut Man Arrested for Selling Hundreds of Fraudulently Obtained Gold Coins

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Connecticut man was arrested today for fraudulently obtaining gold coins and transporting them outside of Massachusetts. William Dawson, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester on one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud. Dawson was arrested this morning and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester. According to the indictment, Dawson held himself out as a property buyer and reseller. Person-1 operated a home cleanout business in Massachusetts that sold property contained in decedent estates. It is alleged that in or around December 2022, Person-1 was retained by a decedent estate to clean out a residence in Shrewsbury. In that home, Person-1 found 170 Queen Elizabeth II Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins, collectively worth approximately $290,000. With approval from the estate, Person-1 allegedly agreed to sell 120 of the gold coins to Dawson. In January 2023, Dawson allegedly met with Person-1 in Millbury and purchased the 120 gold coins with two checks totaling $198,800. However, it is alleged that Dawson had significantly less than $198,800 in the bank account when he wrote the checks to Person-1. Later that same day, Dawson allegedly called Person-1 claiming that his car had been broken into and that the gold coins had been stolen. The next day, Dawson allegedly traveled to a pawn shop in Pawtucket, R.I. where he sold 43 of the gold coins in exchange for $80,442. It is further alleged that, on several occasions in February 2023, Dawson traveled to a pawn shop in Cranston, R.I., where he sold 19 more of the gold coins in exchange for a total of approximately $35,094. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Milford Police Department and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and for illegally possessing a firearm. Ryan Edwad Knudsen, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On June 20, 2023, Knudsen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Knudsen admitted that he obtained fentanyl from a source in St. Louis, Mo., and sold it to customers in Columbia. Knudsen told investigators he typically got between 350-400 capsules for about $1,400 and that each capsule contained about .1 gram of fentanyl. Law enforcement officers were tracking Knudsen in August 2021 when he traveled to St. Louis, then on his return left a bag in a light pole at a Kingdom City, Mo., car wash. The bag, which was retrieved by officers, contained 22 fentanyl capsules. Officers later stopped the vehicle in which Knudsen was a passenger. Knudsen had a bag in his front pocket that contained hundreds of similar capsules. He also had a loaded Glock 9mm handgun and ammunition in his backpack. Officers seized a total of 384 capsules that contained approximately 34 grams of fentanyl. According to government filings, Boone County ranks in the top ten among all Missouri counties for fatal overdose deaths, and fentanyl and other non-heroin opioids cause a significant majority of those deaths. Due to the potential for lethality and the inherently inconsistent quality of unregulated illegal fentanyl, the risk of overdose is present each time an individual uses street fentanyl – and each of the hundreds of capsules that Knudsen distributed had the potential to take a life. This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Rutland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Access Protected Computer Network of Medical Treatment Provider

body_text: BOSTON – A Rutland man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to conspiring to access a protected computer of his former employer – a non-profit substance use and mental health treatment provider that operates recovery centers throughout Massachusetts. Nathan Howe, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to access a protected computer to obtain information and cause damage and one count of intentionally causing damage to a protected computer and impairing medical treatment. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2024. Howe was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. Co-conspirator Patrick Edmonds-Morin has since pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 13, 2023. Howe and Edmonds-Morin were employed by the non-profit until April 2021 and October 2020, respectively. Between September and December of 2021, Howe conspired with Edmonds-Morin to access records of the non-profit’s employees, listen to and view conversations between the employees, and create and deploy a computer program designed to impede the non-profit’s use of the network. In November 2021, Howe accessed the computer network and transmitted a command that shut down the network for the non-profit’s Westborough campus where individuals were receiving in-patient treatment. By shutting down the network, Howe made the non-profit’s electronic medical records system inaccessible at its sites across Massachusetts, impairing or potentially impairing the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment and care of patients. Additionally, between July 2018 and November 2020, Howe and Edmonds-Morin conspired to commit wire fraud by obtaining cell phones from a cell phone provider which were intended for the non-profit’s staff and, instead, selling the cell phones to third parties for personal profit, typically in the amounts of hundreds of dollars per phone. “In the Information Age, all one needs to commit crime is a keyboard and malicious intent. As this prosecution demonstrates, our office is committed to protecting computer networks from intrusions and fraud,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “When Nathan Howe betrayed the trust placed in him by his former employer by illegally accessing their computer network, he also potentially jeopardized the treatment and care of their patients,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case illustrates the ongoing commitment of FBI Boston’s Cyber Task Force to work with our partners to ensure cybercriminals are brought to justice to face significant consequences for their conduct.” The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization to obtain information and cause damage, provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of intentionally causing damage without authorization to a protected computer and causing the potential impairment of medical treatment provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty to Operating Multimillion Dollar Ponzi Scheme

body_text: A Florida man pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of Ohio to using his hedge fund management company as part of a years-long Ponzi scheme. According to court documents, Michael Wayne Williams, 48, of Miami, was the chief executive officer and investment manager of Highguard Capital and its affiliated entities, Guardian Opportunity Fund and Guardian Opportunity Management. Williams convinced victims to invest over $3 million in Guardian Opportunity Management and used their money for undisclosed and unauthorized purposes, including to settle civil lawsuits accusing him of fraud and to repay investors from discontinued funds that he previously managed. In early February and March 2021, Williams convinced a Mississippi woman to invest $1,005,000 into Guardian Opportunity Management. Williams did not inform her that Guardian Opportunity Management’s principal investment vehicle, Guardian Opportunity Fund, had recently lost 90% of its assets under management and that Williams intended to use her money to repay other investors in Guardian Opportunity Management, who were threatening legal action against him. Williams pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney David A. Peters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Trial Attorney Elise Kent Bernanke, formerly of the Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov .


title: Readout of Justice Department Officials Participation in IACP’s Annual Conference

body_text: This week, Justice Department officials attended the annual meeting of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in San Diego. IACP brings together more than 16,000 public safety professionals across the country to provide a space for them to deepen their knowledge and understanding of some of the toughest issues facing our country. By convening federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement, officials are able to maintain their continued partnership in order to ensure the public safety and security of the American people. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for Civil Rights, Assistant Attorney General Amy Solomon of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Director Christopher Wray of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Director Ronald L. Davis of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Director Hugh T. Clements of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and Community Relations Service (CRS) Head Justin Lock were all in attendance at IACP. During a fireside chat moderated by IACP Deputy Executive Director Terry Cunningham, Attorney General Garland discussed the Department’s request for an increase in appropriations for the COPS Office Hiring Program, recently announced funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders across the country, the challenges of recruitment and retention in policing, threats to law enforcement personnel, the Department’s anti-violence crime strategy, and the Department’s attack on every element of the fentanyl epidemic – from the precursor suppliers in China, to the laboratories in Mexico, to the leaders of the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels, to their distribution networks in the United States. In her remarks to the IACP State Associations of Chiefs of Police, Deputy Attorney General Monaco addressed the Justice Department’s priorities of combating violent crime, taking illegal firearms off the streets, and battling the flow of synthetic opioids like fentanyl into our communities. She recognized the strong partnerships necessary to combat violent crime and the particular burden that it places on law enforcement officials with limited resources and personnel. Associate Attorney General Gupta provided opening remarks before a panel, “Leadership Reflections: Navigating Through Crisis,” during the plenary General Assembly session on Monday. In her remarks, the Associate Attorney General acknowledged the challenges in responding to mass violence incidents, hate crimes, critical incidents involving police officers, and the epidemic of gun violence in this country. She underscored the Justice Department’s commitment to supporting law enforcement leaders and their communities in times of crisis. She discussed the Department’s efforts to support victims, including providing $9 million dollars of grants to the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center in Charleston, South Carolina, and the important work of the FBI’s Victim Services Division and OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime. And she highlighted the Department support and resources for officer mental health and wellness, the COPS Office’s Collaborative reform program, and the forthcoming after-action report on the horrific mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Assistant Attorney General Clarke spoke to the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Human and Civil Rights Committee, and the Indian Country Law Enforcement Section. At these meetings, she underscored the Civil Rights Division’s efforts to secure equal employment opportunities for women in the law enforcement sector and highlighted the division’s efforts to partner with law enforcement to promote constitutional, effective, and non-discriminatory policing. The Associate Attorney General also provided opening remarks before a panel on the Department’s cross-cutting work to support police departments and the policing profession more broadly. Assistant Attorney General Solomon and COPS Director Clements spoke as leaders from the Justice Department’s grantmaking components about their commitment to providing law enforcement agencies across the country with the resources and support they need to promote safe and thriving communities. They highlighted an increase in dedicated funding for the COPS Hiring Program from $139 million in 2022 to $224 million in 2023, to requested appropriations of $2.7 billion for FY 2024. Additionally, the Department announced last week nearly $75 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders across the country. This funding will help combat drug trafficking and provide additional mental health and wellness resources for law enforcement officers. The law enforcement component heads all focused on the importance of law enforcement cooperation and partnership in order to accomplish their goals. The heads of all of the Justice Department law enforcement components were at IACP and emphasized the critical work their components are doing to protect the American people. FBI Director Wray highlighted the value of partnerships with state and local agencies and underscored the importance of leveraging collective resources and strengths to better protect our communities. Director Wray emphasized that law enforcement is more effective when everyone is working together and thanked our partners for their unwavering resolve in the face of challenging situations. DEA Administrator Milgram focused on the work she leads to defeat drug cartels responsible for large numbers of deaths due to fentanyl and other opioid trafficking. ATF Director Dettelbach talked about the partnerships ATF has with law enforcement officers across the country to get ghost guns off the streets. USMS Director Davis spoke about the recent success of the USMS-led high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation North Star III, where more than 4,400 violent fugitives were apprehended. He also emphasized the need for increased collaboration to address violent crime in not only major cities but also smaller jurisdiction and rural areas. CRS Head Lock presented on CRS’ services and programs to assist communities responding to and preventing civil rights-based community tensions, bias incidents, and hate crimes. The Justice Department will continue to support our partnerships with state, local, Tribal, and international law enforcement and to protect the American people.


title: Former NASCAR Team Owner Is Indicted On Federal Charges

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal charges have been filed against a former NASCAR team owner, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A Charlotte grand jury returned a bill of indictment, charging Ronald Devine, 67, of Burke, Virginia, with four counts of failure to pay payroll taxes. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, Devine was the owner and President of BK Racing, LLC (BK Racing), which operated a NASCAR racing team and owned two NASCAR charters. As BK Racing’s owner, Devine exercised control over BK Racing’s financial affairs, including having sole signature authority and control over BK Racing’s bank accounts, directing and authorizing payment of BK Racing’s bills, and authorizing the filing and payment of BK Racing’s trust fund taxes, commonly referred to as payroll taxes. Payroll taxes are withheld from employees’ gross pay and are used by the government to fund Social Security and Medicare, and also include the income taxes withheld from the employees’ paychecks. Employers are also required to make contributions to trust fund taxes matching the amounts withheld from their employees’ pay, and to file quarterly an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, Form 941, indicating payment of the relevant taxes. The indictment alleges that, starting in 2012, Devine caused BK Racing to fail to account for and pay over hundreds of thousands of dollars in payroll taxes. For example, according to the indictment, in 2017, Devine allegedly failed to pay over more than $390,000 in payroll taxes due to the IRS. The indictment further alleges that, between 2012 and 2017, instead of using the funds held in trust to pay for payroll taxes due, Devine transferred more than $2 million to other businesses and entities that he owned and controlled and used some of the funds to pay for BK Racing’s expenses such as rent, utilities, and vendor bills. Devine will have his initial appearance in federal court in Charlotte. The charge of failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the four counts in the indictment. The charges against Devine are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended IRS-CI, the FBI, and USPIS for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and Daniel Ryan of the Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: Gang Member Who Posed with Firearms on Snapchat Pleads Guilty

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition while under house arrest for four state firearm charges. Dumari Shakur Scarlett-Dixon, 22, pleaded guilty to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2024. A 2021 investigation into Heath Street, a violent Boston-area street gang, identified Scarlett-Dixon as a Heath Street member and the owner of a Snapchat account posting numerous videos and images of himself in possession of firearms. At the time of the conduct, Scarlett-Dixon was on pre-trial release for four separate state court cases of unlawful possession of a firearm. As a condition of his release, Scarlett-Dixon was on court-ordered home confinement with GPS monitoring at his grandmother’s residence in Weymouth. During a September 2021 search of his grandmother’s residence in Weymouth, a Bersa 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, 59 rounds of ammunition and blunts of marijuana – a Schedule I controlled substance – were found in Scarlett-Dixon’s bedroom. The charge of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and fine of $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston, Quincy and Lynn Police Departments and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The operation was conducted is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf .


title: Indictment Charges District Man with First Degree Murder in Killing at the Navy Yard Metro Station

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – An indictment, filed today in Superior Court in the District of Columbia, charges Tyriq Jamal Williams, 32, of Northwest Washington D.C, with first degree murder while armed in the Jan. 7, 2023, shooting death of 20-year-old Terry Clark, of Southeast Washington D.C., outside the entrance to the Navy Yard Metro Station. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to the indictment, Williams and a female companion exited a Green Line Metro train at the Navy Yard Station in Southeast, where they encountered Clark on the escalator leading to the station on Half Street. Clark was bouncing on the stairs and made a fist-pumping gesture with his right hand. Williams separated from his companion at the station exit and waited next to a cement column until Clark walked by him. Williams approached Clark and shot him once in the head. Then Williams turned and walked away in the direction of his companion. He returned to the Metro alone and boarded it again at the station, leaving the area on the Green Line train. Police responded at 7:55 p.m. and found Clark lying on the sidewalk unconscious and unresponsive in front of the Metro station entrance. A single 9 mm casing was found a few feet south of the victim’s body. Clark was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m. The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Williams on Jan. 20, 2023. A conviction of first-degree murder while armed carries a statutory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life. This case is being investigated by the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brian Pierce Sentenced To 24 Months And Vince Brown Sentenced To 20 Months In Federal Prison For Paying Bribes To Rick Johnson

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown were sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Jane Beckering for paying bribes to Rick Vernon Johnson, the former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board. Pierce, 45, of Midland, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison, fined $25,000 and will serve two years on supervised release following his release from prison. Brown, 33, of Royal Oak, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison, fined $25,000 and will serve two years on supervised release following his release from prison. “Mr. Pierce and Mr. Brown deliberately bribed Rick Johnson for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As I’ve said before, public corruption is a poison to our democracy and shatters the people’s trust in public officials. My office will hold offenders accountable – whomever, whenever, and wherever we find corruption and blatant disregard for the rule of law.” Rick Johnson was a member and the Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board (MMLB) between May 2017 and April 2019. Prior to his appointment to that Board, Johnson worked as a lobbyist in Lansing, Michigan, and served as Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. Pierce and Brown worked as lobbyists in Lansing, Michigan, who did business together as Philip Alan Brown Consulting, LLC and Michigan Grower’s Consultants, LLC. Pierce and Brown lobbied on behalf of various businesses seeking operating licenses from the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board. Pierce and Brown admitted paying Johnson a total of $40,000 between June 2017 to November 2018 when Johnson was Chairperson of the licensing board, and at Johnson’s request, Pierce paid a total of $2,000 to a Detroit stripper who was having commercial sex with Johnson. The payments were made to influence and reward Johnson in connection with his official duties on the Board, including receiving his assistance for their clients who applied for licenses to operate in the newly developing marijuana industry. "Public corruption is the top criminal investigative priority for the FBI,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “I am thankful for the outstanding FBI personnel for their daily commitment to following the investigative facts wherever they lead, particularly in this case. My office continues to urge concerned citizens to report public corruption information they believe they may have by calling FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov ." Assistant United States Attorneys Chris O’Connor and Clay Stiffler are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. ### MEDIA NOTE: U.S. Attorney Totten’s remarks following today’s sentencings can be viewed at @usao.wdmi on the U.S. Attorney’s Facebook Page . Previous press releases concerning this case can be viewed by visiting the below links. Former Chair of Marijuana Board, Rick Johnson, Sentenced to 55 Months in Federal Prison for Bribery Johnson Obtained More Than $110,000 in Bribe Payments; U.S. Attorney Mark Totten Affirms Commitment to Fight Public Corruption Oakland County Businessman Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Paying Bribes to Rick Johnson Four Charged in State Bribery Scheme Rick Johnson, former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Licensing Board, and three others have agreed to plead guilty and cooperate in ongoing investigation


title: Okeechobee man sentenced to 20 months in prison for being found in the United States after prior removal

body_text: MIAMI – On Oct. 17, a federal district judge sentenced an Okeechobee man to 20 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for being found in the United States after a prior removal, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). Jose Lara-Santos, 54, was previously removed from the United States in 2017, and was found back in the United States early this year during an arrest in Okeechobee, Florida. Lara-Santos was previously convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI). U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Field Office Director Liana J. Castano of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), announced the sentence. ICE ERO, Stuart Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-14019. ###


title: Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Violating an Individual’s Civil Rights

body_text: WASHINGTON – Former United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer Thomas Smith, 46, pleaded guilty today to violating an individual’s civil rights by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit and being deliberately indifferent to the danger he created. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Smith pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. Though USCP policies prohibit vehicular pursuits outside of the Capitol grounds, except in emergencies and upon supervisory approval, Smith conducted the pursuit without seeking such approval. While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway. As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Contrary to USCP policies, Smith did not notify anyone of the incident, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records in an attempt to cover up the events related to the incident. “Like all of our law enforcement partners, we know that the overwhelming majority of U.S. Capitol Police officers do their difficult and dangerous jobs honorably and lawfully,” said U.S. Attorney Mathew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “But former officer Smith violated the Constitution and abused his position by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit that resulted in an unnecessary collision that could have had devastating results. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all District residents and to holding accountable individuals who violate those rights.” “A federal law enforcement officer who abuses his authority by engaging in reckless and obstructive conduct not only violates the law, but also public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All police officials who deprive citizens of their civil rights will be held accountable. We will aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who violates the most basic constitutional rights of our citizens.” “Contrary to the oath he took as a law enforcement officer and a government employee, Smith endangered and showed disregard for others’ lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “His guilty plea today demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of the American people." Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for January 22, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs, previously investigated, indicted and prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Announces Court-Authorized Action to Disrupt Illicit Revenue Generation Efforts of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Information Technology Workers

body_text: On Oct. 17, pursuant to a court order issued in the Eastern District of Missouri, the United States seized 17 website domains used by Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) information technology (IT) workers in a scheme to defraud U.S. and foreign businesses, evade sanctions and fund the development of the DPRK government’s weapons program. These seizures follow the previously sealed October 2022 and January 2023 court-authorized seizures of approximately $1.5 million of the revenue that the same group of IT workers collected from unwitting victims as a result of their scheme, as well as the development of public-private information-sharing partnerships that denied the IT workers access to their preferred online freelance work and payment service providers. “The seizures announced today protect U.S. companies from being infiltrated with North Korean computer code and help ensure that American businesses are not used to finance that regime’s weapons program,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to working with private sector partners to protect U.S. business from this kind of fraud, to enhance our collective cybersecurity and to disrupt the funds fueling North Korean missiles.” “Today's seizures exemplify our commitment to working with our federal and international partners to recognize and disrupt the threat from illicit actors working on behalf of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI's Cyber Division. “These takedowns also serve as reminders to ensure that our private sector partners are equipped and prepared with due diligence measures to prevent the inadvertent hiring of these bad actors across American businesses. The FBI encourages U.S. companies to report suspicious activities, including any suspected DPRK IT worker activities, to your local FBI field office.” “Employers need to be cautious about who they are hiring and who they are allowing to access their IT systems,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “You may be helping to fund North Korea’s weapons program or allowing hackers to steal your data or extort you down the line.” “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has flooded the global marketplace with ill-intentioned information technology workers to indirectly fund its ballistic missile program. The seizing of these fraudulent domains helps protect companies from unknowingly hiring these bad actors and potentially damaging their business,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “This scheme is so prevalent that companies must be vigilant to verify whom they're hiring. At a minimum, the FBI recommends that employers take additional proactive steps with remote IT workers to make it harder for bad actors to hide their identities. Without due diligence, companies risk losing money or being compromised by insider threats they unknowingly invited inside their systems.” As alleged in court documents, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers to live abroad, primarily in China and Russia, with the aim of deceiving U.S. and other businesses worldwide into hiring them as freelance IT workers, in order to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. Through this scheme, which involves the use of pseudonymous email, social media, payment platform and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers located in the United States and elsewhere, and witting and unwitting third parties, the IT workers generated millions of dollars a year on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others, directly involved in the DPRK’s UN-prohibited WMD programs. In some instances, the IT workers also infiltrated the computer networks of unwitting employers to steal information and maintain access for future hacking and extortion schemes. The U.S. government described this scheme in a May 2022 advisory . An update to that advisory, issued today, is available here . Certain DPRK IT workers designed the 17 website domains seized yesterday to appear as domains of legitimate, U.S.-based IT services companies, thereby helping the IT workers to hide their true identities and location when applying online to do remote work for U.S. and other businesses worldwide. In reality, this specific group of DPRK IT workers, who work for the PRC-based Yanbian Silverstar Network Technology Co. Ltd. and the Russia-based Volasys Silver Star, had previously been sanctioned in 2018 by the Department of the Treasury. These IT workers funneled income from their fraudulent IT work back to the DPRK through the use of online payment services and Chinese bank accounts. The efforts to disrupt the DPRK IT worker threat are not limited to those of the U.S. government. Since 2022, the United States has partnered with the Republic of Korea (ROK) to provide threat information about fraudulent DPRK IT worker activity, primarily consisting of thousands of indicators (e.g., email addresses), to multiple U.S.-based online freelance work and payment service platforms used by the IT workers. These information-sharing efforts include a May 2023 symposium , jointly hosted by the U.S. Department of State and the ROK, where representatives from the United States and ROK, and the providers, jointly discussed efforts to enhance public-private partnerships to counter the DPRK IT worker threat. These private companies later informed the U.S. government that, armed with that threat information, they conducted independent investigations, improved their fraud detection mechanisms and, according to at least some of the providers, shut down thousands of additional, previously unidentified fraudulent accounts used by the same DPRK IT workers. The National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri are investigating this case. The FBI’s St. Louis Field Office conducted the investigation, with the assistance of the FBI Cyber Division. Affidavit and Application for Seizure - $397k ; Affidavit and Application for Seizure - 12 Domain Names Affidavit and Application for Seizure - $1.1 million ; Affidavit and Application for Seizure - 5 Domain Names ;


title: Former FBI Special Agent and  D.C. Real Estate Developer Sentenced for Role in Bribery Schemes

body_text: WASHINGTON – David Paitsel, 42, a former FBI agent, and Brian Bailey, 53, a D.C. real estate developer were sentenced today on bribery and conspiracy charges for their role in schemes involving confidential information held by the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. Paitsel, a resident of North Carolina, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for each count to run concurrently, 24 months of supervised release, $100 special assessment, and ordered to pay a $10,600 forfeiture money judgment. Bailey, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for each count to run concurrently, 24 months of supervised release, $100 special assessment, and a $250,000 fine. Both defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. A jury convicted both defendants of bribery and conspiracy charges on October 7, 2022. Bailey was found guilty of giving thousands of dollars in bribes to Dawne Dorsey, a program specialist with the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in exchange for confidential, un-redacted Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) offer of sale notices, which included the names of tenants holding TOPA rights. TOPA provides tenants living in the District of Columbia with the right to purchase their residence should the owner decide to sell the property. Under TOPA, tenants can re-assign their right to purchase to a third party. TOPA requires the owner (seller) to provide the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development with offer of sale notices before the proposed real estate transaction. The offer of sale notices include, among other things, information not released to the public, such as the names of tenants residing at the property In a second part of the scheme, Paitsel and Bailey were both found guilty of one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy. Specifically, Bailey paid Paitsel bribes to look up the contact information of the tenants holding TOPA rights, which he did using a database he had special access to as an FBI Agent. The District of Columbia government employee, Dawne Dorsey, 40, pleaded guilty to bribery in June 2019. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2023. In a related case, Frederick Silvers of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 5 months’ incarceration for bribes paid to Dorsey. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The trial of the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and John Borchert, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Quiana Dunn-Gordon of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Crisp County Career Offender Sentenced to Prison for Meth Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Cordele, Georgia, resident with prior serious felony drug convictions was sentenced as a career offender to serve 180 months in prison resulting from an investigation into drug trafficking in the community. Alexis Sylvester Holton, 43, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner today after he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on April 11. Holton is not eligible for parole. “The most disruptive repeat offenders in Crisp County and across the district will face the possibility of federal charges for their continued criminal actions causing significant harm in the communities where they reside,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to commend the cooperation displayed by our local, state and federal partners in the Middle District of Georgia to make our communities as safe as possible.” “This investigation has resulted in the disruption of a significant methamphetamine supply to the Cordele area. We are grateful for our partnership with the other investigative agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for seeing this case through successfully,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “It is always reassuring that when we identify major drug offenders in our community, we can rely on our state and federal partners to assist us in working and presenting the cases for prosecution,” said Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock. “It is a good day to know that our community is a little safer because justice was served.” According to court documents and other public information, Holton sold a total of 279.51 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant (CI) working with GBI and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office investigators during nine exchanges, beginning in Oct. 2021, until his arrest on Feb. 9, 2022, in Cordele. Holton has several prior convictions, including two prior serious felony drug convictions in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia. This case was investigated by GBI, DEA and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid.


title: Two Men Plead Guilty to Falsifying Documents Related to Testing of Equipment at Nuclear Power Plants

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Two men pleaded guilty today for their roles in creating false calibration certificates in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). According to court documents, Miguel Marcial Amaro, 56, of Newark, Delaware, and Martin Ramos, 52, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, worked for a company that provided acoustic emissions (AE) testing to nuclear power plants to detect structural defects in the plant’s equipment. Following the testing, Marcial and Ramos helped create and transmit final testing reports to the owners of the plants which, among other things, contained calibration certificates for the equipment used. Between 2010 and 2021, Marcial was responsible for ensuring that the company’s AE testing equipment was calibrated annually; Ramos worked under Marcial as an engineer. The two men created numerous false calibration certificates for AE testing equipment, and 15 of these false certificates were sent a total of 29 times to nuclear plant owners as part of final testing reports required by the NRC. The falsified calibration certificates were discovered in 2021 during an external audit. “Today, we hold defendants accountable for deliberately attempting to bypass testing protocols that are essential to keeping nuclear power plants safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will continue to use all available enforcement authorities to support NRC’s efforts to ensure that nuclear energy is safely created.” “Many thanks to the NRC and the ENRD for partnering in enforcement and ensuring the accuracy of inspection reports critical to the safe operation of nuclear power plants,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “My office takes safety matters such as these seriously, and these guilty pleas show that anyone seeking to evade nuclear testing protocols will be held accountable.” “The NRC takes its mission of protecting public health and safety very seriously,” said Director Thomas G. Ashley Jr. of the NRC’s Office of Investigations. “It’s vital that employees at NRC-regulated entities act with integrity. Today’s announcement shows deliberate violations of NRC requirements will not be tolerated.” Marcial and Ramos are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 25, 2024. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The NRC’s Office of Investigation conducted the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Daniel Dooher and Trial Attorney Rachel M. Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan E. Burnes for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.