title: Arlington fentanyl trafficker sentenced to prison after selling pills that caused an overdose death

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. According to court documents, from May 2020 to April 27, 2023, Shan Mehmood, 21, regularly acquired and sold fentanyl. On March 7, 2023, a purchaser contacted Mehmood through Instagram to buy four fentanyl pills. Mehmood met the purchaser at a shopping center in Falls Church and sold him four fentanyl pills at 1:15 p.m. At 6:45 p.m., police responded to a suspected overdose at a residence in Arlington and found the purchaser unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Lying next to him was a piece of foil wrapped around a partially burnt fentanyl pill and another fentanyl pill was in his pocket. The victim was transported to a hospital that evening and was pronounced dead the following day. An autopsy identified acute fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death. Mehmood learned of the victim’s death shortly after it occurred but continued to distribute fentanyl pills. On April 27, 2023, Arlington County Police executed a search warrant at Mehmood’s residence. Mehmood possessed a plastic bag containing 357 blue M30 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl with a net weight of 38.46 grams, two one-gallon bags containing four ounces of marijuana, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, 9mm ammunition, firearm accessories, digital scales, and $3,846 in cash. Mehmood pled guilty on Feb. 28 to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. The Arlington County Police Department provided significant assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump and Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-11.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding CARES Act Programs and Commercial Lenders

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Virginia to wire fraud for defrauding Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP), of more than $10 million. Craig David Davis, 49, of Venice, was the owner of Bright Vanguard LLC., which he held out as a computer hardware retailer and storage space provider. According to court documents, in 2020, Davis submitted at least two PPP loan applications and one MSLP loan application on behalf of Bright Vanguard. In those applications, Davis falsely claimed Bright Vanguard had substantial sales and as many as 17 employees. In reality, Bright Vanguard had no employees and no legitimate revenue. To substantiate his claims, Davis presented fraudulent tax returns, payroll documents, and financial statements to at least three different banks. Davis also admitted to participating in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment lenders using fraudulent invoices. Davis directed business owners to submit loan applications to banks to purchase computer equipment evidenced on invoices they received from companies such as Bright Vanguard. The lenders approved the loans and submitted the proceeds to accounts controlled by Davis or his co-conspirators. Davis and his co-conspirators then remitted the majority of the proceeds to applicant borrowers, keeping a portion for themselves, without providing the equipment shown on the invoices. This scheme caused more than $60 million of fraudulently induced lending across more than 350 separate loans. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region and Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement. The Department of the Treasury’s Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, IRS-CI and FDIC OIG investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney David A. Peters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Bradylyons and Katherine Robeson for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. 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: Sisters Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dawn Marie Bennett, 42, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and April Lynn McNeill, 44, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, each pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 24, 2023, Bennett arranged with McNeill, her sister, to send her a package through the United States Mail containing approximately 334 pills containing either oxycodone or hydrocodone. Law enforcement officers intercepted the package before it arrived at McNeill’s residence. Officers delivered the package to McNeill’s residence and detained her when she accepted delivery of the package. Bennett and McNeill admitted to the arrangement and also admitted to arranging the shipment of approximately 487 pills containing either oxycodone or hydrocodone from Bennett to McNeill on or about January 19, 2024. Law enforcement intercepted that package, and it never arrived at McNeill’s residence. Bennett and McNeill admitted that McNeill intended to sell pills from both shipments to people in the Parkersburg area. McNeill and Bennett are scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 12, 2024, and each faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:24-cr-130 (McNeill) and 2:24-cr-131 (Bennett). ###


title: Indiana, Pa., Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Lamar Johnson, 42, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2018 to March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnson conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a quantity of heroin, and a quantity of crack cocaine. Johnson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Following the guilty plea, Judge Gibson sentenced Johnson to 60 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Johnson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Convicted Felons Plead Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms in  Project Safe Neighborhoods Investigations in Macon and Middle Georgia

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

body_text: MACON, Ga. – Two Georgians with criminal pasts pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms resulting from separate Project Safe Neighborhoods investigations. Travis Marcia Davis, 45, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If determined by the Court to be an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine; if determined by the Court to not be an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Johnny Grilliot aka “Julio,” 48, of Calhoun, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grilliot faces a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The hearings occurred before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Aug. 26. The sentencing dates for the defendants will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system. “These cases demonstrate the ongoing efforts by federal, state and local law enforcement in Macon and across the Middle District of Georgia to protect communities from gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are thankful for the valuable work of our law enforcement partners to help us hold these individuals accountable for crimes that jeopardize the safety of our communities.” “Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Atlanta Field Division Beau Kolodka. “This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by partner agencies with outstanding results.” According to court documents and statements made in court in the Davis case, ATF began investigating Davis in May 2022 for firearms trafficking. Working with a confidential informant, agents conducted a series of controlled purchases of firearms and ammunition from the defendant in May and June at locations in the Macon area, including at Davis’s residence, acquiring 12 firearms. The firearms sold illegally by the defendant included a .380 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a sawed-off shotgun that Davis hid in a separate location from other firearms he was selling because he stated he was “scared” of that particular sawed-off shotgun as “it will get you Fed time.” Davis is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction. According to court documents and statements made in court in the Grilliot case, GBI agents took Grilliot into custody on a warrant in a pending narcotics conspiracy investigation on Sept. 1, 2023, at a rest stop off I-475. A search warrant was obtained for the 18-wheeler Grilliot was driving. Inside, agents found a loaded .40 caliber pistol along with a small plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine and a pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue. Grilliot was previously convicted for one count of possession of an unregistered firearm due to his possession of a rifle that had been sawed off on both the barrel and stock to below the legal length with a homemade silencer taped to the shortened barrel, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on July 7, 2021, and was serving supervised release at the time of this offense. These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results The Davis case was investigated by ATF. The Grilliot case was investigated by GBI and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the cases for the Government.


title: El Dorado Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: EL DORADO – An El Dorado man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than Fifty (50) Grams of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado. According to court documents, Wallace Kenya Cutter Sr, a/k/a “Kilo”, age 47, was identified by law enforcement to be distributing methamphetamine in El Dorado, Arkansas area. During March of 2023, investigators were able to make a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Cutter. On March 27, 2023, a search was conducted at Cutter’s residence, resulting in investigators locating and seizing approximately 1,162.79 grams of pure methamphetamine. The methamphetamine seized during the search warrant and from the controlled purchases was subsequently forwarded to the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory for confirmatory testing. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The 13 th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Daniels and Graham Jones prosecuted the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Tulsa Woman Sentenced to 292 Months for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Shelly Annette McElroy, 53, for Drug Conspiracy. Judge Russell ordered McElroy to 292 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, in October 2023, Tulsa Police officers conducted a routine traffic stop due to an expired tag. McElroy was driving the vehicle without a valid driver’s license and insurance. During the traffic stop, officers observed a large box containing small baggies of white crystal substance. While officers conducted their investigation, McElroy sped off. After a short pursuit, McElroy was detained. Officers found drug paraphernalia and discovered that McElroy had thrown the box out of the vehicle during the pursuit. It was later determined that McElroy had more than 110 grams of fentanyl and more than 2,760 grams of methamphetamine. McElroy will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. McElroy’s cousin and co-defendant, Gary Don McElroy was in the vehicle during the traffic stop and was also arrested after the pursuit. He pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.


title: Albany Man Sentenced to Prison in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Targeting SEFCU

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Parson, age 20, of Albany, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison, to be followed by 2 years of post-release supervision, for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy targeting SEFCU. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. Parson previously pled guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted that he was a member of a conspiracy to defraud SEFCU by, among other things, applying for loans using stolen identities of real people, and withdrawing the money in cash. Parson admitted that he applied for a $25,000 loan in another person’s name using a fake driver’s license. Parson also admitted that he had cashed and attempted to cash fraudulent checks drawn on real customers’ accounts. Parson was charged by indictment, along with Evan Cutler, of Queensbury, New York, Dnauticah Taylor-Sterman, of Albany, and Allahson Allah, formerly known as Gwyn Cancer, of Albany. According to the indictment and statements made by prosecutors in court, the conspirators obtained customer account information from Caeshara Cannon, age 33, of Albany, a former Member Service Manager at SEFCU, and used that information to create counterfeit checks, which were presented for negotiation at SEFCU branches in the Northern District of New York. The conspirators also obtained personal identifying information of real people, which they used to fraudulently obtain loans from SEFCU and then withdraw the proceeds in cash. Parson was also ordered to pay $9,000 restitution to SEFCU. The remaining defendants have all pled guilty and are due to be sentenced later this year. In addition, Caeshara Cannon was previously arrested and pled guilty on September 14, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for sentencing on October 4, 2024. HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.


title: Three Individuals Sentenced To Federal Prison For Trafficking Methamphetamine Through The Orlando Airport

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced three individuals for their roles in a multi-kilogram methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Each of the individuals charged in the case previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. They were sentenced as follows: Name Sentencing Date Sentence Imposed Jevonn Clayton (48) 8/28/24 13 years, 2 months Richardson Sid (41) 7/16/24 6 years, 6 months Venus Lott (46) 7/22/24 5 years According to court documents, on August 11, 2022, Clayton agreed to transport suitcases containing methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Orlando on behalf of a drug trafficker. Shortly thereafter, Clayton and the drug trafficker recruited Lott and Sid to travel to California to assist in transporting the suitcases. On August 16, 2022, Clayton, Lott, and Sid departed Los Angeles for Orlando, with five suitcases packed with large amounts of methamphetamine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation were investigating inbound flights at the Orlando airport. The agents located and searched the suitcases belonging to Clayton, Lott, and Sid and recovered several vacuum-sealed bags that contained more than 35 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.


title: Bucks County Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Counterfeit Opioid Pills Online

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Robert Davis, 36, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge John Frank Murphy on three counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods. The defendant was charged in a superseding indictment on May 9, 2023, with selling counterfeit opioid pills through his website, rcproppill, advertising the fake pills for use as props in films or music videos, from in or about 2015 through August 2019. The counterfeits contained no controlled substances, but mimicked the trademarks of certain opioid pills. The defendant made fake pills with the unique drug markings and trademarks of various frequently-abused opioid pills, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. The defendant’s buyers made regular and repeat buys, consistent with using the counterfeits in drug dealing rather than in films or videos. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, and on each count, faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Diviny.


title: Three Honolulu Men Charged with Armed Robbery of the 944 Game Room

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Rogelio Tadeo-Burrows, age 24, B.J. Bakol, age 19, and Joseph Konno III, age 19, all of Honolulu, Oahu, made their initial appearance yesterday in United States District Court before United States Magistrate Judge Kenneth J. Mansfield, following their arrests pursuant to a criminal complaint for robbing the “944” game room in Honolulu on August 22, 2024. United States Attorney Clare E. Connors, Chief Joe Logan of the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), and Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-Dearmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. According to a criminal complaint, on August 22, 2024, Tadeo-Burrows, Bakol, and Konno entered the game room on Kawaiahao Street and robbed the employees and patrons at gunpoint. HPD Officers responded to a 911 call and upon arriving at the scene, arrested Konno as he exited the game room wearing a mask. HPD Officers arrested Tadeo-Burrows and Bakol after locating them in a bathroom inside the game room, along with two loaded firearms, a large amount of U.S. currency, and two masks. If indicted and convicted of the charges in the criminal complaint, the defendants would face up to twenty years in prison for the robbery charge and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for the firearm charge. The charges and information contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until indicted and proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by HPD and HSI and being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Ayabe and Barbara Eucker. 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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 Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Madison Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Madison man pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to court documents and statements made in court, Reginald Fullwood, Jr., 59, of Madison, participated in a scheme to pay kickbacks to a marketer in exchange for completed doctors’ orders so that he could cause his durable medical equipment company, Jackson Medical Supply, to bill Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary and/or ineligible for reimbursement. When Medicare initiated an investigation of Jackson Medical Supply, Fullwood opened another entity in the name of a nominee owner and again paid kickbacks to a marketer in exchange for doctors’ orders so that the new entity could continue to bill Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for orthotic braces. Overall, Fullwood caused these entities to bill Medicare and Medicare Advantage approximately $12,441,625.30 and the entities were reimbursed approximately $6,448,092.61 for durable medical equipment that was medically unnecessary and/or ineligible for reimbursement. Fullwood is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sara Porter of the Gulf Coast Strike Force and Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie.


title: Pensacola Man Sentenced To Prison For Threatening A Federal Judge And Family Members

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Stephen Jay Thorn (66, Pensacola) to five years in federal prison for transmitting a threat to harm a federal judge and members of the judge’s immediate family. Thorn entered a guilty plea on May 16, 2024. According to court documents, on October 24, 2022, Thorn, unhappy with a judicial opinion that he had read about online, made five interstate telephone calls to the judge’s chambers and left vulgar, obscenity-laden voicemail messages threatening to harm the judge as well as members of the judge’s immediate family. “Threatening harm against public officials, or their families, is an intolerable offense,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “My office takes such threats seriously and is committed to investigating and federally prosecuting anyone who threatens this sort of violence.” This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III.


title: Cruise Ship Employee Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Placing Hidden Cameras Inside Passenger Staterooms to Record Children

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Aug. 28, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a citizen of the Philippines, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa Damian to 30 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to producing child pornography. On Feb. 25, a guest aboard the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Group, discovered a hidden camera affixed to the counter under the sink in the guest’s bathroom. The guest reported the camera to ship security. Mirasol, a stateroom attendant who serviced passenger cabins, was detained until the cruise ship docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Once the ship docked, on March 3, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel boarded the ship and began their investigation. Mirasol’s electronics were seized and searched. Law enforcement discovered that Mirasol’s electronics contained numerous videos of children in various stages of undress. The focus of the videos was on the children’s genital areas. One video showed Mirasol himself installing a camera in a guest’s bathroom. HSI agents were able to identify children depicted in the videos, ranging from 2 to 17 years of age. According to the agreed upon factual proffer, Mirasol had been placing cameras in passenger cabins since December of 2023. Mirasol would enter the guests’ rooms while they were showering and hide under their beds so he could secretly record them exiting the shower. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI, Miami, and Carlos Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations, made the announcement. HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case with invaluable assistance from CBP. Royal Caribbean Group security also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case. Anyone with information regarding suspected crimes which may have occurred on cruise ships, to include, sexual abuse and the offenses related to child pornography, is encouraged to contact the HSI tip line at 1-866-347-2423. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . 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 24-cr-60046. ###


title: Employee of Brooklyn Moving Company Sentenced for Defrauding Customers

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Andre Prince was sentenced by United States Circuit Judge Denny Chin to 24 months in prison for his participation in a fraudulent moving company scheme. Prince was convicted in December 2023 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud following a one-week trial. As part of the sentence, Prince was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $100,000. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region (DOT-OIG), announced the sentence. “The defendant enticed victims to use the moving companies he worked for and then held their belongings hostage to substantially higher prices and the threat of auctioning them off unless they agreed to the fraudulent demands,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “For his crime of conviction, it is Prince who will be moving -- to a federal prison. My Office is committed to protecting consumers from costly and fraudulent schemes in the moving industry.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis stated: “Andre Prince enticed customers to entrust fraudulent moving companies with their household goods, only to financially extort them with threats of selling their belongings. Prince utilized his skills as a sales representative to prey upon more than 800 victims undergoing a stressful event by boxing them into misleading contracts and false estimates. May the defendant’s move to prison reflect the FBI’s dedication to disrupting widespread fraud schemes and deter future unlawful attempts to monopolize an industry. “Today’s sentence stemming from the criminal investigation conducted with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners demonstrates our commitment to detecting and prosecuting fraudulent household goods movers who take advantage of unsuspecting customers by holding their personal belongings hostage,” stated DOT-OIG Special Agent in Charge Scharf. “We will continue our vigorous efforts to root out bad actors from the moving industry and reinforce adherence to Federal laws and regulations designed to protect the public.” As proven at trial, between at least January 2017 and August 2020, Prince and co-defendant Kristy Mak worked for a number of moving companies controlled by co-defendant Yakov Moroz, which operated under various names including Great Moving USA, Green Movers, New City Moves, Cross Country Moving and Storage, and Movers Consulting. Mak was a customer service representative for the companies and supervised Prince, who, as a senior sales representative was responsible for convincing individuals to choose one of the fraudulent moving companies. The defendants lured customers to these movers by posting fake reviews online and having sales associates offer low-cost transportation of their household goods. After a contract was signed and, in some cases, after the customer’s belongings were loaded on the truck, the movers would spring new expenses on them. If the customer tried contacting the sales associate about the surprise fees, that person was unreachable, and the customers were faced with drivers who threatened to hold their goods hostage unless they paid additional fees which were sometimes double or triple the original estimated cost. In one conversation on the Slack messaging app, Prince reacted to two memes sent to him from another salesperson depicting their scheme to cut off contact with the customer on the day of the move, stating: “[rolling on the floor laughing emoji] that is so accurate.” As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the defendants, together with others, wrongfully obtained more than $3 million from over 800 victims. Mak, who was convicted at trial of the same wire fraud conspiracy charge as Prince, is awaiting sentencing. Moroz absconded while on pre-trial release and is currently a fugitive. If you have been the victim of a similar fraud, a complaint can be filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at https://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/nccdb/home.aspx The government’s case was handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Arun Bodapati and Elias Laris are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Rebecca Sidhu and Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Heyward. The Defendant : ANDRE PRINCE (also known as “Allen Parks” and “Aaron”) Age: 45 Taramac, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-342 (DC)


title: Dark Web Vendor Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Through the Mail

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Ryan Scott Cochran, also known as “namedeclined,” pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine through the United States mail. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. As part of his guilty plea, Cochran agreed to forfeit more than $200,000 in cash, cryptocurrency and money in bank accounts already seized by law enforcement, and agreed to forfeit an additional $900,000 at a later date. When sentenced, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Field Office and San Francisco Field Office; Internal Revenue Service, Oakland Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, San Francisco Field Office, for their assistance on the case. According to court documents and facts presented at the guilty plea proceeding, Cochran was a highly rated vendor on numerous dark web marketplaces for more than a decade. Cochran advertised and sold fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, among other drugs, and shipped them throughout the United States and around the world through the United States mail. Cochran also sold fraudulent identification documents and other forged documents, such as health insurance cards, on the dark web. Assistant United States Attorney Philip Pilmar is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Thomas Englert and Rachel Friedman. The Defendant : RYAN SCOTT COCHRAN, aka “namedeclined” Age: 34 San Jose, CA E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-063 (RER)


title: Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Gun and Drugs

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A felon who possessed a firearm and drugs was sentenced today to five years in federal prison. Carlos Danacio Traywick, age 51, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 27, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that deputies stopped a car that Traywick was driving in Waterloo on July 16, 2022. During the traffic stop, Traywick removed methamphetamine and marijuana from his pockets. Traywick attempted to run from officers, but he was apprehended after a brief foot chase. In the car that Traywick was driving, deputies located a loaded firearm and cocaine. Traywick was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Traywick was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Traywick is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Waterloo Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-2023. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Presents To Treatment Providers On Combating Discrimination Against Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder In Recovery Or Treatment

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, to provide an informational session on The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Opioid Crisis: Combating Discrimination Against People In Treatment and Recovery from Opioid Use Disorder , announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina . The presentation was a component of a four-part series sponsored by MAHEC. The first module presented today by the Civil Rights Coordinators of each U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its applicability to individuals in treatment to address Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The presentation also encompassed a review of complaints and outcomes of prior investigations that alleged discrimination against individuals in treatment for OUD or with a history of past drug use. The presentation aimed to ensure that skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and other medical establishments do not discriminate on the basis of disability, as such establishments are places of public accommodation under the ADA. Persons in need of care and services at skilled nursing facilities, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, and medical offices cannot be denied access to these services because they are in treatment for OUD or had a history of past drug use. Under the ADA, no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation. Persons in recovery for substance use disorder are individuals with a disability within the meaning of ADA and its accompanying regulations, and thus are covered by the ADA’s protections. “As chief law enforcement officer in the Western District and Chair of the U.S. Attorney General’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights, I am committed to enforcing the ADA and all civil rights statutes,” said U.S. Attorney King. “As we work to combat the spread of illegal drugs in our communities, we must also support those seeking to rebuild their lives through treatment at licensed medical facilities. Ensuring that individuals are receiving the proper care they need to overcome substance use disorder without experiencing discrimination is a matter of critical importance for all of us.” Individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination may file an ADA complaint online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ . Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY). MAHEC was established 50 years ago, and is a leader in healthcare, education, and innovation. Headquartered on a 14-acre campus in Asheville, with family medicine, ob/gyn, internal medicine, psychiatry, and dentistry offices in various locations across its 16-county Western N.C. service area, MAHEC is the largest of nine Area Health Education Centers in the state and home to branch campuses of UNC schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and public health. Among MAHEC’s focus areas is recruiting, training, and retaining the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina, with particular emphasis on primary care in rural communities and for those with less access to resources. A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike, MAHEC is one of the largest nonprofit employers in the mountain region with a staff of more than 1,000. For more information, visit mahec.net .


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Supplying Drug Trafficking Biddeford Couple with Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Darwin Mateo , 25, to 36 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mateo pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024. According to court records, in August 2023, law enforcement encountered Mateo while executing a search warrant at the Biddeford residence of Michael and Jessica Bolster . Investigators discovered two large bundles of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl inside the residence. One bundle was located inside a backpack in a locked bedroom. The other bundle was discovered hidden at the bottom of the stairwell, a few inches from where investigators located Mateo. Each bundle contained numerous individual baggies, totaling approximately 541 grams. Mateo admitted to investigators that the backpack was his, and that he had traveled from Massachusetts to Maine to distribute the fentanyl. Michael Bolster , 48, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024, for his role in the trafficking conspiracy and faces 5-40 years in prison. Jessica Bolster , 43, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024, and faces up to 20 years. They will each be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigative reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. ###


title: California man sentenced to 20 years in prison for armed fentanyl trafficking in Butte, Helena communities

body_text: MISSOULA — A California man who admitted to mailing thousands of fentanyl pills to co-conspirators in the Butte area for redistribution and to possessing a firearm as part of a large trafficking operation was sentenced on Aug. 27 to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Anthony Wayne Johnson, II, 47, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that Johnson II was part of a large conspiracy that brought fentanyl and methamphetamine to the Butte and Helena communities. The drug trafficking organization would transport meth from California to Montana by using co-conspirators to drive large amounts of meth between the states. The investigation also determined that the organization mailed packages of fentanyl pills from California to Montana. The government further alleged that in November 2022, Johnson II mailed three packages to co-conspirators in Butte for distribution. Two of the packages were intercepted by law enforcement in Montana and were found to contain approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills. The third package was delivered to one of the heads of the conspiracy, and a co-conspirator who was present when the package was opened, observed that it contained approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills. In January 2023, law enforcement arrested Johnson II at a hotel in Butte. In his hotel room, law enforcement found a firearm under the mattress as well as fentanyl on Johnson II’s person. Johnson II admitted his DNA would be on the firearm. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Missouri River Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. 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 Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Three Owners of Notorious Prostitution Website Backpage Sentenced

body_text: A federal judge in Phoenix today sentenced the three owners of Backpage, a prostitution website, for offenses arising from their promotion of and associated money laundering. Michael Lacey, 76, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release; Scott Spear, 73, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release; and John “Jed” Brunst, 72, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. The Court also ordered that all defendants turn themselves in to the U.S. Marshals Service by noon on Sept. 11. “The defendants and their conspirators obtained more than $500 million from operating an online forum that facilitated the sexual exploitation of countless victims,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants thought they could hide their illicit proceeds by laundering the funds through shell companies in foreign countries. But they were wrong. Their sentences should serve as a stark reminder that the Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting victims and following the money to unmask those who exploit human beings for financial gain.” “These convictions hold accountable three C-Suite executives who controlled an enterprise and its illicit profits,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “The courage of the victims of Backpage’s criminal activities is vindicated by the sentences imposed by the Court, to include the loss of liberty for each defendant as well as the additional large fine imposed on defendant Lacey, which will inure to the benefit of the Crime Victims Fund and crime victims everywhere.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lacey, Spear, and Brunst owned Backpage. From September 2010 through its seizure by the United States in April 2018, Backpage was the internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads. Evidence at trial showed that the conspirators knowingly promoted prostitution via various marketing strategies. For example, the conspirators engaged in a reciprocal link program with an independent web forum that permitted “johns” to post reviews of prostitution acts with specific women. Additionally, the conspirators used an automated filter and human moderators to remove terms known to indicate sex-for-money, while still allowing the ads to be posted. Through this attempt to sanitize the ads, the conspirators sought “plausible deniability” for what the conspirators knew to be ads promoting prostitution. Over the life of the conspiracy, the conspirators earned more than $500 million. In an effort to preserve the money earned, Lacey, Spear, and Brunst laundered the money through numerous shell companies they created in multiple foreign countries. In November 2023, a federal jury in Phoenix convicted Lacey of one count of international concealment money laundering; Spear of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act, 17 counts of violating the Travel Act, money laundering conspiracy, and 10 counts of concealment money laundering; and Brunst of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act, money laundering conspiracy, 10 counts of concealment money laundering, and five counts of international promotional money laundering. Today’s sentences follow prior convictions of Backpage leadership and corporate entities: In April 2018, Carl Ferrer, 57, of Frisco, Texas, who was Backpage’s co-founder and CEO, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce and to engage in money laundering. In August 2018, Dan Hyer, 54, of Dallas, who was Backpage’s Sales & Marketing Director, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce. In April 2018, several Backpage-related corporate entities, including Backpage LLC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Co-conspirator James Larkin, 73, died on July 31, 2023, before trial began. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona, Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Phoenix Field Office, Acting Assistant Director Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez of the FBI Phoenix Division, and Acting Inspector in Charge Matthew Shields of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Los Angeles Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rapp, Margaret Perlmeter, and Peter Kozinets for the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Office of the California Attorney General, and Office of the Texas Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bozdech for the District of Arizona is handling the asset forfeiture aspects of the case.


title: Pueblo Man Sentenced For Evading Income Tax

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Solomon Paul Garcia, age 46, of Pueblo, Colorado was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for tax evasion. According to the plea agreement, Mr. Garcia worked for various employers as a journeyman electrical lineman. Beginning in 2016, and continuing until January of 2020, the defendant willfully avoided paying a substantial amount of income tax by submitting to his employers inaccurate Form W-4s claiming up to 99 allowances or false claims of tax exemptions. During this time, the defendant was only allowed to claim two allowances. Mr. Garcia’s filings caused his employers to withhold little, if any, withholding taxes from his earned income. Although the defendant had an opportunity to pay all taxes due and owing for each calendar year by the respective filing deadlines, he did not file a tax return for any of the years in question. This resulted in the evasion of $267,028.50 in federal taxes. Consistent with his plea agreement, the Court ordered Mr. Garcia to pay restitution – inclusive of interest and penalties as calculated by the IRS. That amount is in excess of $548,000. “People who evade their taxes are stealing from all the other taxpayers who pay what they owe. Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute tax evaders,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Falsifying Form W-4s and claiming up to 99 allowances to avoid paying taxes is not only a crime against the federal government, it also unfairly shifts the tax burden to honest taxpayers,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Tom Demeo. “Garcia brazenly attempted to avoid his tax liability and other tax cheats must understand these crimes carry with them severe consequences.” United States District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang sentenced Mr. Garcia on August 28, 2024. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley W. Giles handled the prosecution.


title: San Francisco Tow Company Operator Charged In Second Insurance Fraud Case

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Vicente Badillo, Kirill Afanasyev, Jason Naraja, and Jaime Respicio have been charged in an indictment with various crimes related to two schemes to defraud auto insurance companies, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. The case has been assigned to the Hon. James Donato, United States District Judge. According to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 20, 2024, Afanasyev, 36, Badillo, 28, both of San Francisco, and Respicio, 38, of Pleasant Hill, California, conspired to defraud an auto insurance company by submitting a fraudulent insurance claim on a wrecked car that Afanasyev purchased in May 2019. The Indictment alleges that, when Afanasyev bought the car, it was undrivable, with significant front-end damage. Nevertheless, the Indictment says, Respicio obtained an insurance policy on, and later took title to, the car before Afanasyev, posing as Respicio, falsely reported to the insurance company in August 2019 that Respicio had been in a single-car accident in it in San Francisco. The Indictment further alleges that Afanasyev made materially false statements and misrepresentations to the insurance company, after which the insurance company processed and approved the claim and sent Respicio an insurance reimbursement check for $47,856.34. The Indictment alleges that Badillo participated in this scheme to defraud by agreeing to falsely document that his towing company had towed the wrecked car from the purported accident location. The Indictment alleges that Afanasyev, Badillo, and Naraja, 37, of Hayward, California, engaged in a second conspiracy and scheme to defraud another insurance company by submitting a fraudulent insurance claim regarding an accident involving multiple vehicles that had been staged by Badillo in San Mateo County. Specifically, the Indictment alleges that Badillo and Afanasyev planned the staged accident in which Badillo loaded a vehicle carrier with four vehicles (several of which were inoperable or had pre-existing damage) and purposefully drove them off the road on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway in San Mateo County in August 2019. The Indictment alleges that, after Badillo reported this “accident” to his insurance company, Badillo, Afanasyev, Naraja, and another individual all made false or misleading statements to an insurance company representative. The Indictment alleges that the insurance company ultimately denied Badillo’s claim as fraudulent but nevertheless paid one of Badillo’s towing companies $5,210 for its recovery, towing, and storage of vehicles involved in the staged accident. The Indictment also alleges that, at the time of the offenses in 2019, Badillo owned and/or controlled at least two companies engaged in the business of towing vehicles: Jose’s Towing, LLC, and Auto Towing, LLC, both of which operated out of San Francisco. In the first conspiracy and scheme to defraud, Afanasyev, Badillo, and Respicio are charged with one count each of (i) conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; (ii) mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2; and (iii) wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2. Afanasyev and Respicio are also charged with one count of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. In the second conspiracy and scheme to defraud, Afanasyev, Badillo, and Naraja are charged with (i) one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; and (ii) four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2. Naraja and Respicio were arrested in Hayward and Pleasant Hill, respectively, on August 27, 2024, and released on $50,000 bonds at their initial appearances on August 28, 2024. Naraja is next scheduled to appear in court on August 29, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., before the Hon. Lisa J. Cisneros for arraignment and identification of counsel. Respicio is next scheduled to appear in court on September 5, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., before the Hon. Alex G. Tse for arraignment and identification of counsel. Badillo was previously arrested and made his initial appearance in another insurance fraud case on August 8, 2024. He is scheduled to appear before the Hon. Lisa J. Cisneros for arraignment and identification of counsel in both cases on August 30, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. Afanasyev’s initial appearance and arraignment has been scheduled for September 9, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. before the Hon. Alex G. Tse. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Afanasyev, Badillo, and Respicio each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on each of Counts 1 through 3, which charge mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1349, and 2. Afanasyev and Respicio face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on Count 4, which charges money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. Similarly, Afanasyev, Badillo, and Naraja each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on each of Counts 5 through 9, which charge wire fraud and conspiracy to commit the same, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349, and 2. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison term as part of the sentence for any or all of the defendants. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle F. Waldinger and Galen A. Phillips are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Carolyn Jusay Caparas. The prosecution is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS-CI appreciate the assistance and support of the San Francisco Police Department in this insurance fraud investigation.


title: Seattle area resident indicted for laundering millions of dollars – alleged proceeds of wire fraud scheme

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 46-year-old resident of Newcastle, Washington was indicted today by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and nine counts of money laundering either by concealment or by spending, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Geoffrey K. Auyeung was arrested on a criminal complaint August 12, 2024, and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on September 5, 2024. According to records filed in the case, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have traced $64 million in funds coming into some 74 different bank accounts controlled by Auyeung. Many of the accounts are in the names of business entities that offered purported investments related to oil and gas. These entities include: Sea Forest International LLC.; Apex Oil and Gas Trading LLC.; Navigator Energy Logistics LLC.; Terminal Energy International Escrow Service LLC.; Energo Horizons Logistics (EA) LLC.; Legacy Energy Logistics Transport Group LLC.; and Green Tree Gateway LLC. From at least August 2022 through August 2024, the co-schemers convinced victims to send money to what was represented as escrow accounts to purchase oil tank storage in either Rotterdam, Netherlands, or Houston. The schemers indicated that the investors could make significant profits by renting the oil tank storage they obtained to others. However, once the funds came into accounts controlled by Auyeung, the money was quickly moved into other accounts, moved offshore, or was used for the purchase of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Tether, USD Coin, and Ethereum, via cryptocurrency exchanges such as Gemini, BitStamp, and Coinbase. Much of the cryptocurrency was further transferred to accounts at the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Victims were not sent any further information on their investment and Auyeung and others simply stopped responding. The indictment calls for the forfeiture of some $2.3 million seized from Auyeung’s bank accounts. Millions more of the wire fraud proceeds that were converted to cryptocurrencies are frozen and pending seizure. HSI has confirmed 22 victims with a combined loss of $7.7 million. However, law enforcement believes many more victims may come forward. Conspiracy to commit money laundering, and individual counts of money laundering concealment are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Money laundering – spending, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jehiel Baer and Yunah Chung. auyeung_indictment.pdf


title: Hillsboro Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Young Woman

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a local woman. Robert Lamart James McCollum, 35, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. “This defendant cut short an innocent life and brought unthinkable tragedy to a local family. And yet, despite everything they have been through, Madolyn’s loved ones have used their experience to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. Their efforts inspire all of us and will surely prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The investigation conducted by the Westside Interagency Narcotics team into Madolyn’s tragic death highlights the importance of conducting thorough inquiries into overdose deaths to ensure that those who engage in the business of selling fentanyl face justice. Holding dealers accountable is not just about enforcing the law; it's about protecting our communities and preventing further tragedies. By shining a light on these crimes, we honor the lives lost and send a clear message that the destruction caused by illicit drugs will not be tolerated,” said Chris Gibson, Executive Director for the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. “The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Westside Interagency Narcotics team works diligently to mitigate the fentanyl epidemic and the effects on the residents of Washington County. The WIN team takes seriously the responsibility of holding fentanyl dealers accountable and seek to prevent the needless and premature deaths caused by their actions. Madolyn’s story, and the countless others, are the driving force behind the WIN team’s dedication to stop fentanyl trafficking and bring justice for the families of their loved ones,” said Commander Timothy Tannenbaum of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. According to court documents, on August 2, 2021, McCollum sold several counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to Madolyn, a twenty-year-old woman from Beaverton, Oregon. Later that evening, Madolyn took one of the counterfeit pills and fatally overdosed from acute fentanyl poisoning. Soon after, investigators, posing as the young woman, contacted McCollum and arranged an order for more Oxycodone pills. McCollum was arrested when he arrived to complete the sale. During a search of his vehicle, investigators found additional counterfeit pills and a firearm. On September 21, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging McCollum with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On May 21, 2024, McCollum pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. This case was investigated by the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin. WIN is a Washington County, Oregon-based multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. Note: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon does not typically refer to victims by name in public documents and press releases. In this case, the victim’s family requested their daughter be referred to by name and so we have honored their wishes.


title: Owner of Pittsburgh Resale Businesses Convicted at Trial of Running Lucrative Interstate Fencing Operation Involving the Sale of Hundreds of Thousands of Stolen Retail Items

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for approximately five hours, a federal jury found Pittsburgh resident Durrell Waters guilty of five counts of money laundering and conspiracy in connection with the sale and interstate transportation of stolen goods, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Waters, 41, was tried before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak in Pittsburgh. He was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and four counts of money laundering. According to evidence presented during the two-and-a-half-week trial, Waters was one of the primary owners of a series of second-hand or resale businesses called Trader Electronics, Last Call Entertainment, and The Outlet. Waters conspired with others to use these businesses as a front for a criminal fencing operation that sold over the internet a wide variety of health and beauty aids and over-the-counter medications. From 2013 through 2016, retailers in the greater Pittsburgh area experienced a drastic uptick in the volume of thefts occurring at their stores. The investigation into those thefts led to the discovery that Waters’s stores and similar stores in the area engaged in high-volume purchases of brand-new retail health and beauty aids and other products, such as new-release DVDs, from walkin sellers who had shoplifted the items. The evidence established that, throughout this time, Waters and his co-conspirators knew that the vast majority of the products they were buying were stolen. The health and beauty aids included items like teeth whiteners, vitamins, hair and skin care products, makeup, and other similar items. Store records reflected that Waters and his businesses purchased hundreds of thousands of brand-new items from a group of repeat shoplifters. Waters and his businesses then resold that stolen property online via several Amazon and eBay storefronts, with the proceeds from the stores’s main Amazon account totaling over $4.3 million during the conspiracy. Walk-in sellers to the Trader Electronics stores, several of whom testified during the trial, were often people experiencing drug addiction who would routinely steal large amounts of the products to fund their addiction by selling them at Waters’s and his co-conspirators’ stores. In addition to knowing that the items were stolen when purchasing them, Waters on several occasions bailed some of those same so-called “boosters” out of jail following their arrests for stealing goods and allowed the individuals to repay him the bail money in the form of other stolen goods. “Durrell Waters and his conspirators brazenly used their second-hand stores as a front for fencing massive amounts of shoplifted retail products—some with the store identification and security stickers still intact—that they then turned around and sold for millions of dollars to online customers across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “To pull off their scheme, they relied on desperate people deep in the throes of addiction to maintain the flow of stolen goods, using them to steal from and ultimately undercut legitimate retailers. The ‘boosters’ in this case were reportedly lined up down the street outside Waters’s stores in the morning—waiting to get their first cash of the day so they could pay their dealers. This successful prosecution is the result of a regional effort involving the cooperation of many local law enforcement agencies, as well as the IRS, FBI, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We are committed to holding accountable those who would exploit the opioid epidemic as a way to line their pockets.” “Today’s verdict reflects that those who commit financial crimes such as money laundering, and who steal and profit from money to which they were not entitled, will be held accountable,” said IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Denise Leuenberger. “It should also serve as notice to others not to take part in similar unlawful conduct.” “Legitimate businesses and the greater community suffer when fraud and money laundering take place,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The ripple effect of consequences from these criminal acts undermines the foundations of fairness and trust in the economy. The FBI and our partners continue to work diligently to investigate and bring to justice those who feel they can get ahead through criminal means.” Waters’s date of sentencing will be determined by the Court. The law provides for a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each money laundering count. The conspiracy offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain associated with the offense, whichever is greater. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Waters’s co-defendant and co-owner of the various resale shops, Anthony Costanzo, 35, of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on July 24, 2024, to four counts of engaging in monetary transactions involving property from an unlawful act. His sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2024. Waters is the eighth and final resale store owner to be found guilty of similar schemes that occurred during the same time and were part of the same investigation. Thach Duc Le, Milton Barr, Shane McFall, Michael McDavid, Qamar Zaman, and Aliya Zaman all pleaded guilty to similar charges related to stores affiliated either with Waters and Costanzo or another entity known as Ninja Entertainment. Assistant United States Attorneys James R. Wilson and Benjamin C. Dobkin are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Waters. Police departments from the City of Pittsburgh, Ross Township, and Shaler Township also assisted in the investigation.


title: Two Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Fentanyl in the Rochester Area

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Two individuals have been indicted on drug trafficking conspiracy and firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between June 1, 2024, and July 21, 2024, Donald Ray Sanderson, 41, and Lindsey Wade Stolpa, 29, knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Rochester area. The defendants were allegedly found in possession of more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 200 fentanyl pills after Sanderson led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that led to a several-hour standoff on Interstate 35 in Faribault. Multiple agencies were involved in the standoff and Sanderson’s arrest. In additional, on July 21, 2024, Sanderson was allegedly found to be in possession of a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol. As alleged, he possessed the Taurus pistol in furtherance of his methamphetamine trafficking crimes. Sanderson has multiple prior felony convictions including, but not limited to, making terroristic threats and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. The indictment charges Sanderson and Stolpa each with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and a separate count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sanderson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. They were previously charged by federal criminal complaint on July 23, 2024. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigative Unit, the Faribault Police Department, the Apple Valley Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, the Lakeville Police Department, the Farmington Police Department, the South Saint Paul Police Department, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department, the Northfield Police Department, the Hastings Police Department, and the Mendota Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: 15 Arrested in Uvalde Gang Takedown

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – Five confirmed gang members and 10 other individuals with gang ties were arrested in Uvalde on criminal charges related to their alleged conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine. The following 15 defendants were indicted Aug. 21 in a federal court in Del Rio for one count of conspiracy to distribute & possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution & possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Cesar Ramirez-Musquiz, 49 Kasandra Nicole Gutierrez, 31 Shawn Kyle Garza, 23 Rosemary Flores-Lopez, 44 Sammy Josephine Arellano, 35 Consuelo Gutierrez-Rodriguez, 36 Fidencio Garcia Jr., 29 Christopher Lee Salazar, 36 Elysia Armendariz, 27 Osvaldo Ortiz-Sandoval, 32 Tommy Hernandez-Rodriguez, 24 James Pargas Ruiz, 40 Raul Alberto Olivarez Jr., 35 Edmundo Nicolas Garza, 27 Anthony Rios-Orozco, 22 If convicted, they face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District for Texas and Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio made the announcement. HSI, Texas Department of Public Safety, Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office, and 38th Judicial District Attorney’s Office are investigating the case with valuable assistance from Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Anchorage man sentenced to 10 years for attempted enticement of a minor

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. According to court documents, Peter Joseph Hickel Jr., 34, used social media to communicate with and attempt to meet an individual that he believed to be a 12-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual contact. Hickel asked the individual to chat with him on Kik, an encrypted chat platform, and within minutes began asking to meet up with the purported minor. Hickel was arrested when he arrived at a meeting he arranged with the purported minor. He pled guilty in May 2024 to one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, 15 years of supervised release, and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. In imposing the 10-year sentence, the court emphasized that society should protect, rather than exploit, vulnerable minors on the internet. “Mr. Hickel disregarded the norms and laws of our society by attempting to sexually exploit a child on the internet,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute online child sexual exploitation and to apprehend online predators before they can do further harm.” “The defendant’s abhorrent and brazen actions sought to exploit and victimize Alaskan children, all for his own gratification,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With a task force approach, the FBI and APD will continue to work aggressively to protect our community’s children from individuals like Peter Hickel.” The FBI and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines 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 . If you are a victim of child abuse or suspect someone you know is a victim, you can report to APD at ReportChildAbusetoAPD@anchorageak.gov or 3-1-1/(907) 786-8900, the state OCS at reportchildabuse@alaska.gov or 1(800) 478-4444, or the FBI at tips.fbi.gov .


title: Latham Man Arrested for Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Eduardo Abreu, age 48, of Latham, New York, was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with receipt of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. The criminal complaint alleges that on or about August 21, 2024, Abreu received approximately 225 images of child pornography over the internet. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Abreu appeared yesterday in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday, August 29. Abreu faces at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Abreu may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offense and forfeit any devices used in the offense. Abreu would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting the case. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Wilmington Resident Sentenced for Possession of Firearms After Threats in Alamance County

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 3-1/2 years in prison, after pleading guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL CAULDER, age 30, of Wilmington, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 42-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. He pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, to felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to court records, on November 7, 2022, Deputies with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call that Christopher Michael CAULDER was making suicidal and homicidal threats. When Deputies responded to the scene and spoke with CAULDER’s mother, they learned that CAULDER had a safe in the basement which contained multiple firearms and a large amount of ammunition, which he brought there from his residence in Wilmington, NC. A search warrant was applied for and granted by a state magistrate. During execution of the search warrant, investigators recovered 23 firearms, several thousand rounds of various calibers of ammunition, hundreds of magazines (some still in boxes with CAULDER’s name on the shipping labels), body armor, firearm accessories, and multiple incomplete firearm receivers (aka ghost guns). Three of the rifles recovered had barrels shorter than 16 inches. One of the rifles appeared to have a hole drilled for the installation of a fully automatic trigger system. While being interviewed, CAULDER made statements indicating he was attempting to make a machine gun. At the time of these offenses, CAULDER had been previously convicted of Discharging a Weapon into Occupied Property (Alamance County, 2019) and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Thus, at the time of the instant offense, CAULDER was legally barred from possessing a firearm due to his status as a felon. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives and the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham. ###


title: Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in the Death of a Tuscaloosa Man

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A St. Francis, Minnesota, man pleaded guilty Tuesday to distributing fentanyl that resulted in a death, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Scott D. Fix, Houston Division. Christopher Louis Bass, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler to distributing fentanyl, admitting that a person’s death resulted from the distribution. According to the plea agreement, Bass used the United States Postal Service to distribute narcotics, namely counterfeit Oxycontin, throughout the United States. Bass received orders over the internet for counterfeit pills and then concealed shipments of pills within U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail packages. In August 2022, Dr. Louis Burgio of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, received counterfeit narcotics shipped by Bass. Unknown to Dr. Burgio, the counterfeit pills also contained fentanyl. Dr. Burgio passed away on August 21, 2022, as a result of the toxic effects of fentanyl. Priority Mail packaging found in Dr. Burgio’s home matched the Priority Mail packages shipped by Bass. A search of Bass’s residence in St. Francis, Minnesota, resulted in the seizure of counterfeit pills, fentanyl, and packaging material. A search of Bass’s phone revealed spreadsheets of customers, addresses, U.S. Postal Service tracking numbers, weights and quantities of orders, and pricing for pills. Bass is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler at the Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 17, 2024. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Kirk is prosecuting the case.


title: Former U.S. Postal Employee Sentenced for Conspiracy Involving Bribery and Mail Theft

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a former U.S. Postal employee for her role in a conspiracy involving bribery and mail theft, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Scott D. Fix, Houston Division. U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Shantee Renee Townes, 41, of Fairfield, to 24 months in prison. In April, Townes pleaded guilty to a conspiracy involving bribery and mail theft and also to accepting a bribe. “The defendant used her position of trust for personal gain,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “My office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who betray the public’s trust.” “Shantee Townes betrayed the trust the American public placed in her as a USPS employee when she decided to assist others in the theft of US Mail,” said Scott Fix, Inspector in Charge for the Houston Division of the US Postal Inspection Service. “This sentence demonstrates the consequences for individuals, especially those in positions of trust, who engage in this type of criminal activity.” According to the plea agreement, between April 2021 and August 2022, Townes was employed by the United States Postal Service as a sales and services/distribution clerk and was assigned to the East Lake Roebuck Post Office. She used her position to steal checks from the mail stream and sold photographs of them to Derrell Matthews. Matthews paid Townes over $6,000 for the photographs of the stolen checks. The total value of the checks photographed and sent to Matthews exceeded $1,500,000. Derrell Allen Matthews, 27, of Birmingham has been sentenced 63 months in prison for his role in this case and in an unrelated case. A press release related to Matthews was issued on July 1, 2024. USPIS investigated the case, along with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel McBrayer prosecuted the case.


title: Arizona Residents Sentenced For Federal Drug Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that two Arizona residents, Devier Tamon Washington, age 25, and Gabriel Donte Cunningham, age 28, were sentenced for federal drug charges. Washington was sentenced to 63 months in prison and Cunningham was sentenced to 34 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Roland Police Department. On December 19, 2023, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. On January 10, 2024, Cunningham pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. According to investigators, on March 29, 2022, law enforcement stopped Washington and Cunningham for speeding on Interstate 40 in Roland, Oklahoma. During a search of the car, officers found 30 ziplock baggies of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, a loaded firearm, and approximately $4,000 in cash. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Washington and Cunningham will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Bartlesville Resident Pleads Guilty To Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luther Lee Taylor, age 43, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count Indictment of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Indictment alleged that on April 21, 2024, Taylor knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The charges arose from an investigation by the Howard-McLeod Correctional Center, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Taylor will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $10.8 million civil settlement with St. Peter’s Health over False Claims Act misconduct

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: HELENA — U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, Jesse Laslovich, today announced a settlement agreement between the federal government and St. Peter’s Health, in Helena, in which St. Peter’s will pay $10,844,201 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payments to federal health care programs for services performed by an oncology doctor. U.S. Attorney Laslovich announced the settlement agreement today during a press conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Paul G. Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Helena. “One of the purposes of the False Claims Act is to protect the American taxpayer from paying for false claims submitted by health care providers to federal health care programs. We take these allegations seriously, which is why I am pleased we obtained this settlement agreement that returns almost $11 million to the United States. Our health care providers simply must submit accurate claims when billing these taxpayer-supported federal health care programs for services. This settlement would not have been possible without the cooperation of St. Peter’s Health, who voluntarily disclosed the misconduct and cooperated with federal investigators to identify the problem and amount of false billing,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “Today’s settlement highlights our unwavering commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act and upholding the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “St. Peter’s submission of false claims and its associated compensation practices violated both legal and ethical standards. We will continue collaborating with our law enforcement partners to hold entities accountable, prevent similar violations, and safeguard public funds.” “VA’s Community Care programs provide veterans and their families critical healthcare services from providers within their own communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov, of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “This civil settlement reinforces the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and operations and preserving taxpayer funds.” The settlement agreement, signed on August 26, 2024, is among the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, on behalf of the Medicare and Medicaid programs; the Defense Health Agency, on behalf of the TRICARE program; the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); the Office of Inspector General of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) and St. Peter’s Health. Under the terms and conditions of the settlement agreement, St. Peter’s is to pay $10,844,201 no later than 30 days after the effective date of the agreement. The settlement agreement contends that St. Peter’s violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payments to federal health care programs relating to services performed and referred by Dr. Thomas Weiner, an oncologist employed at its cancer treatment center. The government alleged that between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2020, St. Peter’s, relying on Dr. Weiner’s documentation and certification, submitted claims which were determined to be false. St. Peter’s knew, or should have known, that Dr. Weiner submitted claims for office visits that were coded at a higher level of service than was actually performed or did not meet the requirements of a significant, separately identifiable service when performed on the same day as administration of chemotherapy. Further, St. Peter’s, relying on Dr. Weiner’s documentation and certification, compensated Dr. Weiner with a salary that was based on the false claims, and therefore, caused his salary to be inconsistent with fair market value. The settlement agreement credits St. Peter’s for voluntarily self-disclosing the misconduct. St. Peter’s also performed and disclosed the results of an internal investigation; disclosed documents beyond existing business practices or legal requirements; identified individuals who were aware of relevant information or conduct; made officers and employees available for interviews; assisted in determining the losses caused by the misconduct; and has enhanced its corporate compliance program. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s handled the matter. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General provided investigative support. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Attachment Settlement agreement XXX