title: Colorado Man is Sentenced to 97 Months for Cyberstalking Three Individuals in Hawaii and Obstructing Justice

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – A Colorado man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for cyberstalking and obstruction of justice offenses committed in Hawaii. United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that John B. Hart, 54, of Louisville, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan Oki Mollway of the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Hart pleaded guilty on April 12. According to court documents, from May 2022 to August 2022, Hart, while living in Hawaii, engaged in a cyberstalking campaign to harass and intimidate his former girlfriend, Jane Doe 1; her former partner, John Doe 1; and her then-partner, John Doe 2. Hart frequently posed as John Doe 1 while targeting his other two victims, and also pretended to target himself in an attempt to deflect attention and falsely implicate John Doe 1. Hart hid his true identity by using multiple “burner apps” to generate dozens of fake phone numbers he used to message his victims, and falsely reported the conduct to local and federal law enforcement authorities and others, claiming that John Doe 1 was responsible and posed a genuine and serious threat to Hart and others. Two days after being questioned by federal agents, Hart deleted one of his personal e-mail accounts in an attempt to obstruct the ongoing investigation. Hart pleaded guilty in April to three counts of cyberstalking and one count of obstruction of justice. In his plea agreement, Hart admitted to posing as John Doe 1 and committing acts directed at each of his three victims, including the following: (1) sending communications to Jane Doe 1 criticizing her and encouraging her to kill herself, and advising her that he had posed as Jane Doe 1 online and solicited strange men to engage in “gang bang” and other sexual activities with her; (2) sending communications to Jane Doe 1, her family members, and her associates claiming that he had followed Jane Doe 1 and John Doe 2 when they traveled to Washington state, and falsely asserting that John Doe 2 was a human trafficker who may have kidnapped Jane Doe 1 while she was in Washington; (3) sending communications to Jane Doe 1’s family members, John Doe 2, and their associates that contained express or implied threats to kill, kidnap, rape, and otherwise injure Jane Doe 1; (4) creating online dating profiles in Jane Doe 1’s name, and soliciting men to date and/or engage in casual sexual encounters with her, and sending messages causing multiple men to appear at Jane Doe 1’s workplace for dates and/or sex; (5) sending communications to John Doe 2 criticizing Jane Doe 1 and encouraging, directing, and threatening John Doe 2 to terminate his relationship with her; (6) sending communications to John Doe 2 claiming to have sexual photos and videos of Jane Doe 1 and threatening to post them online and distribute them to her friends and family; (7) purchasing and shipping sex toys to one or more residences of John Doe 2’s family members, using Jane Doe 1’s name and credit card without authorization in the purchase order, and sending taunting communications to John Doe 2 about the purchases; and (8) spray-painting Jane Doe 1’s vehicle and placing metal spikes on the ground near her tires, while her vehicle was parked outside of her place of employment/training. During today’s sentencing, Judge Mollway stated that Hart had done “incalculable harm” to his victims and that the impact of Hart’s crimes had been “tremendous.” She further noted that Hart’s crimes involved a “huge amount of deception,” Hart had “gravely incriminated” an innocent person while portraying himself as a victim, and it could not “be overemphasized how harmful and serious his conduct was.” Hart has been detained since his April 2023 arrest in Colorado. “John Hart engaged in a relentless cybercampaign to harass and terrorize his ex-girlfriend and others in her life, masking his own identity and attempting to frame an innocent man in the process,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Today’s sentence represents justice for Hart’s victims and will help deter others who might seek to hide behind the perceived anonymity of the internet to target their victims.” “While no sentence can ever make up for the devastating impact John Hart’s actions had on the victims in this case, we hope that this provides a sense of relief to those he affected,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “Cyberstalking is one of the fastest growing crimes, and the FBI and our partners are committed to holding accountable anyone who uses the internet to terrorize their victims.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Aislinn Affinito for the District of Hawaii and Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.


title: Men at Center of Kidnapping and Smuggling Conspiracy Arrested

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging a pair of men with federal conspiracy and kidnapping charges stemming from a fatal shooting in Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood in January of 2023. Ricardo Franco-Ordaz, 26, of Cedar Creek, Texas, and Jordan Joseph Perez, 20, of Lockhart, Texas, were arrested this week in Texas. Each are charged with one count of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to transport an alien resulting in death, transporting an alien resulting in death, and conspiracy to receive money in connection with a kidnapping. According to court documents, in early January of 2023, Franco-Ordaz, Perez, and other co-conspirators planned the kidnapping of multiple victims for ransom. In furtherance of their kidnapping and extortion scheme, they transported victims from Texas to Virginia, where subsequently, an argument and shootout arose that resulted in the death of a member of the criminal organization. As part of the scheme, Franco-Ordaz arranged to pick up two victims from an area near the United States-Mexico border and bring them to a house near Austin, Texas. Once there, Ordaz, and others, held both victims against their will and under armed guard, then called and messaged the victims’ family and friends demanding cash in exchange for their release. Franco-Ordaz exchanged one of the victims in Texas for $5,000 cash, and on January 8, 2023, Perez and another co-conspirator transported another victim to Charlottesville, Virginia where they arranged to exchange that victim for $10,000 in cash. However, when the exchange was set to occur, it was revealed that the full $10,000 was not available. Subsequently, an argument and shootout arose that resulted in the death of one of the kidnappers. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg, Virginia is investigating the case with assistance from the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department and HSI Austin, Texas. The investigation, extradition, and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 Melanie Smith and Sally J. Sullivan are 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: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Pawtucket

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in the City of Pawtucket for the Sept. 10 primary election. The Justice Department will assign federal observers to monitor the election in the City of Pawtucket to observe compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Earlier this year, a federal court approved a consent decree to resolve the department’s claims under Sections 203 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency in the City of Pawtucket. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions, including Pawtucket, provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. The decree also addresses a claim under Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act. Section 302 requires jurisdictions to provide provisional ballots during federal elections. The consent decree authorizes federal observers to monitor election day activities in the county’s polling places. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country. In addition, the department also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, when authorized by federal court order. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. ###


title: El Departamento de Justicia monitoreará el cumplimiento de las leyes federales de derechos electorales en Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que monitoreará el cumplimiento con las leyes federales electorales en la ciudad de Pawtucket, Rhode Island, en las elecciones primarias del 10 de septiembre. El Departamento asignará observadores federales para monitorear las elecciones en la ciudad de Pawtucket para asegurar el cumplimiento con la Ley de Derechos Electorales. Con anterioridad este año, una corte federal aprobó un decreto por consentimiento para resolver las alegaciones del Departamento bajo la sección 203 de la Ley de Derechos Electorales sobre la disponibilidad de asistencia electoral y materiales en español para votantes hispanos con conocimientos limitados del idioma inglés en la ciudad de Pawtucket. La sección 203 exige que ciertas jurisdicciones, incluyendo a Pawtucket, provean materiales electorales y asistencia en otros idiomas, además del inglés. El decreto también aborda una reclamación bajo la sección 302 de la Ley de Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar. La sección 302 exige que las jurisdicciones provean votos provisionales en elecciones federales. El decreto por consentimiento autoriza a observadores federales a monitorear las actividades el Día de Elecciones en los lugares de votación del condado. El Departamento envía personal periódicamente a monitorear elecciones en comunidades a través de todo el país. Además, la División envía observadores federales de la Oficina de Administración de Personal de EE.UU. según autorizado por una orden judicial federal. La Sección de Votación de la División de Derechos Civiles, junto con las Oficinas de los Fiscales Federales, vela por el cumplimiento de las leyes federales civiles que protegen el derecho al voto, incluyendo la Ley del Derecho al Voto, la Ley Nacional de Inscripción de Votantes, la Ley Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar, y la Ley de Votación para los Uniformados y los Ciudadanos en el Extranjero. Información adicional sobre la votación y las elecciones está disponible en el sitio web del Departamento de Justicia en www.justice.gov/crt/voting/ . Aprenda más sobre la Ley del Derecho al Voto y otras leyes federales electorales en www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Denuncias relacionadas a posibles vulneraciones de las leyes federales de derechos electorales pueden presentarse mediate el formulario en línea de la División de Derechos Civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/ o por teléfono al (800) 253-3931. ###


title: Stoughton Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Mailing Fentanyl and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. The defendant was on federal supervised release at the time that he committed the offenses, after being granted compassionate release in 2020. Angel Morales, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In December 2022 , Morales was indicted along with co-conspirators Quenty Ogando, Erika Prado and Rahelin Reynoso. Between September 2022 and November 2022, Morales was involved in a scheme involving a large-scale pill press operation that manufactured, sold and mailed counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, among other drugs. Morales’ role in the operation was to ship packages from post offices across Massachusetts. On multiple occasions, Morales used various post offices and FedEx facilities in Boston, Randolph, Holbrook, Quincy, Mattapan, Braintree, Milton and elsewhere to mail over 150 packages knowing that some of the packages contained controlled substances. On at least two occasions, FedEx employees opened packages pursuant to their internal procedures, and observed clear plastic sandwich bags filled with pills with markings consistent with prescription-only medication that later tested positive for fentanyl. On multiple occasions in October and November 2022 Morales was observed leaving an apartment in Mattapan before travelling to multiple post offices and FedEx facilities. During a subsequent search of that apartment, over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, numerous packages and mailing labels, electronic devices, cash and three industrial grade pill presses were recovered. In addition, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were also found at the apartment. Morales is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. On Jan. 31, 2024 , Ogando was sentenced to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2024 , Reynoso was sentenced to six years in prison and two years of supervised release. In April 2024, Prado was sentenced to time served with one year of supervised release. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; United States Customs and Border Protection; Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Jennifer Zacks of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Transporting 20 Kilograms of Cocaine into Massachusetts for Drug Cartel

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. In March 2023, 20 kilograms of cocaine was seized during a traffic stop, along with a tracking device that had been installed in the vehicle by a Mexican drug cartel. Erasmo Lira-Mendez, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 11 years in prison, followed by five years supervised release. In May 2024 , Lira-Mendez was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine (both offenses involving five kilograms or more). Lira-Mendez was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023 along with his co-defendant, Cornelio Hernandez. On March 29, 2023, in Littleton, Mass. Lira-Mendez was observed driving a car with a temporary Texas license plate that was drifting across a double yellow line. During an ensuing traffic stop, 20 kilograms of cocaine was found inside a duffle bag on the back seat of the vehicle. A subsequent investigation revealed that a private tracking device had been installed in the vehicle by the Mexican drug cartel, Cártel del Noreste. GPS data obtained from the device revealed that the two men had traveled at least 32 hours from Texas to Massachusetts – with the cocaine concealed inside the vehicle’s doors – to distribute the narcotics in Lawrence, Mass. Hernandez pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Spreads Word About Elder Financial Abuse

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office kicked off outreach efforts this week to educate older West Virginians about the dangers of financial fraud. United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld led the first in a series of planned outreach events on Wednesday at The Villages at Heritage Point in Morgantown. Ihlenfeld spoke to residents about the different ways they could become targets of fraudsters and gave tips on how to best protect against the dangers. Residents were also treated to an educational bingo game about the topic. “Unfortunately, cases of seniors being victimized by loved ones or caretakers are common in West Virginia, as are scams committed by strangers,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Our seniors are trusting, they’re good listeners, they answer the phone when it rings, and many have accumulated savings. The attributes that make older West Virginians so wonderful also make them the targets of criminals.” More events are planned across the Northern District of West Virginia and will be held at assisted living facilities and senior independent living communities. The outreach is a part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative combatting elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target our nation’s older adults. For more information about the Northern District of West Virginia’s elder justice work, go to www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/programs/elder-justice . To report elder financial fraud, call the U.S. Attorney’s office at 304-234-0100.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison

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

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Yesterday, Brandon O. Sanders, 29 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Sanders was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, between August and September 2023, on four separate occasions Sanders sold over 4,000 fentanyl pills. Additional fentanyl pills, evidence of drug trafficking, a loaded firearm and $28,000 was found during a search of his residence. Sanders has previous convictions for felony distribution of a controlled substance of and a handgun offense, and as such is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Rhode Island

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in the City of Pawtucket (in Providence County), Rhode Island, for the Sept. 10 primary election. The Justice Department will assign federal observers to monitor the election in the City of Pawtucket to observe the county’s compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Earlier this year, a federal court approved a consent decree to resolve the department’s claims under Sections 203 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency in the City of Pawtucket. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions, including Pawtucket, provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. The decree also addresses a claim under Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act. Section 302 requires jurisdictions to provide provisional ballots during federal elections. The consent decree authorizes federal observers to monitor election day activities in the county’s polling places. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country. In addition, the department also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, when authorized by federal court order. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que monitoreará el cumplimiento con las leyes federales electorales en la ciudad de Pawtucket (en Providence County), Rhode Island, en las elecciones primarias del 10 de septiembre. El Departamento asignará observadores federales para monitorear las elecciones en la ciudad de Pawtucket para asegurar el cumplimiento con la Ley de Derechos Electorales. Con anterioridad este año, una corte federal aprobó un decreto por consentimiento para resolver las alegaciones del Departamento bajo la sección 203 de la Ley de Derechos Electorales sobre la disponibilidad de asistencia electoral y materiales en español para votantes hispanos con conocimientos limitados del idioma inglés en la ciudad de Pawtucket. La sección 203 exige que ciertas jurisdicciones, incluyendo a Pawtucket, provean materiales electorales y asistencia en otros idiomas, además del inglés. El decreto también aborda una reclamación bajo la sección 302 de la Ley de Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar. La sección 302 exige que las jurisdicciones provean votos provisionales en elecciones federales. El decreto por consentimiento autoriza a observadores federales a monitorear las actividades el Día de Elecciones en los lugares de votación del condado. El Departamento envía personal periódicamente a monitorear elecciones en comunidades a través de todo el país. Además, la División envía observadores federales de la Oficina de Administración de Personal de EE.UU. según autorizado por una orden judicial federal. La Sección de Votación de la División de Derechos Civiles, junto con las Oficinas de los Fiscales Federales, vela por el cumplimiento de las leyes federales civiles que protegen el derecho al voto, incluyendo la Ley del Derecho al Voto, la Ley Nacional de Inscripción de Votantes, la Ley Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar, y la Ley de Votación para los Uniformados y los Ciudadanos en el Extranjero. Información adicional sobre la votación y las elecciones está disponible en el sitio web del Departamento de Justicia en www.justice.gov/crt/voting/ . Aprenda más sobre la Ley del Derecho al Voto y otras leyes federales electorales en www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Denuncias relacionadas a posibles vulneraciones de las leyes federales de derechos electorales pueden presentarse mediate el formulario en línea de la División de Derechos Civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/ o por teléfono al (800) 253-3931.


title: Finance director of prominent aviation provider indicted for $1.2 million mail fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 57-year-old resident of Mission for engaging in a sophisticated scheme to defraud her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Elizabeth Batten has turned herself into authorities and is expected to make her initial appearance at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker. According to the indictment returned Sept. 4, Batten was the director of financing at McCreery Aviation in the Rio Grande Valley from 2019 to 2023. While serving in that role, she allegedly diverted company funds to pay for her personal expenses. She used signed blank company checks, intended for legitimate business purposes, to settle her personal credit card accounts, according to the charges. She allegedly concealed her actions by sending the fraudulent payments through the U.S. Postal Service. In late 2023, a McCreery Aviation employee noticed irregularities in the handling of company checks. A subsequent investigation allegedly uncovered the full extent of the financial damage Batten’s actions caused. The indictment charges Batten with 10 counts of mail fraud. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law .


title: Seagrove Resident Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO –A Randolph County man pleaded guilty today to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. WESLEY MARK HUSSEY, age 45, of Seagrove, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today before Chief United States District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles. Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2024, in Greensboro. HUSSEY faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release of not more than three years, and monetary penalties. According to court documents, on March 13, 2024, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an address in Seagrove after a 911 caller said that WESLEY MARK HUSSEY was sitting on the front porch of the residence wearing an orange ski mask and holding a long gun. The caller stated that HUSSEY had an active protective order prohibiting him from being at the residence. At the scene, deputies observed HUSSEY walk towards the woods with a long gun on his shoulder. They searched the property and conducted a cursory search of the woods but were unable to locate HUSSEY. Eventually, deputies used a drone with thermal imaging and located him under a creek bank sitting in the water. Deputies ordered HUSSEY to surrender for twenty-five minutes. They then told HUSSEY they would be using chemical munitions. HUSSEY said he would come out unarmed. After HUSSEY surrendered, deputies found five 12-gauge shotgun shells and a .32 caliber round of ammunition on his person. Deputies were unable to locate the rifle despite an extensive search. On November 18, 2016, HUSSEY was convicted in the Superior Court of Randolph County of felony voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to an active term of imprisonment exceeding one year. At the time of the instant offense, his prior convictions had not been expunged or set aside and he had not been pardoned or had his civil rights restored. 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 is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney. ###


title: Sex Offender Sentenced To 10 Years For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Richard W. Mills (50, Brevard County) to 10 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervision for possession of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. The court also ordered Mills to forfeit a computer and hard drive which were used in furtherance of the commission of the offense. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Mills to pay restitution in the amount of $12,000. Mills entered a guilty plea on April 16, 2024. According to court documents, Mills was convicted in U.S. District Court (Orlando) on November 20, 2014, for possession of child pornography and sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Mills completed his term of incarceration on November 13, 2019, and his federal supervised release began the same date. As a result of a citizen complaint, on November 2, 2023, officers from U.S. Probation made an unannounced visit to Mills’ place of employment for inspection of his mobile device to ensure compliance with the special condition of his supervised release, specifically, that he shall not possess or use a computer with access to online service at any location without approval from the probation officer. The investigation led the probation officers to perform a home inspection, where they discovered that Mills had a smart phone and computer. Upon executing a federal search warrant, the laptop’s hard drive was found to contain approximately 330 tagged thumbnail images and one video that clearly depicted the sexual abuse of infants and young children. Additionally, Mills was sentenced to six months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. This sentence is to be served consecutive to the 10 years imposed in this criminal case. This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Russian And Kazakhstani Men Indicted For Running Dark Web Criminal Marketplaces, Forums, And Trainings

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Khodyrev (35, Kazakhstan) and Pavel Kublitskii (37, Russia) with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Khodyrev and Kublitskii that the United States intends to forfeit Khodyrev’s 2023 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG sport utility vehicle and Kublitskii’s 2020 Cadillac CT5 Sport sedan, both of which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses. According to the indictment, between 2014 and 2024, Khodyrev and Kublitskii served as two of the main administrators of wwh-club.ws (WWH Club) and several sister websites, all of which were dark web marketplaces, forums, and training centers that existed solely to facilitate crime. WWH Club and sister site members used the marketplaces to buy and sell stolen personal identifying information (PII), credit card and bank account information, and computer passwords, among other sensitive information. On the forums of WWH Club and its sister sites, users discussed best practices for committing frauds, launching cyberattacks, and evading law enforcement, among other topics. WWH Club also offered online courses that taught aspiring and active cyber criminals how to commit frauds. As of 2023, WWH Club had approximately 353,000 users worldwide. Khodyrev, Kublitskii, and other co-conspirator site administrators profited through membership fees, tuition fees, and advertising revenue. Prior to being arrested and indicted, Khodyrev, a Russian citizen, and Kublitskii, a citizen of Kazakhstan, had been living in Miami for the past two years, while secretly continuing to administer WWH Club and its sister dark web marketplaces, forums, and schools. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.


title: 27 Defendants Charged in Florida Keys-Based Drug Trafficking Indictment

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Sept. 5, the United States unsealed an indictment charging 27 defendants, including Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority employees, commercial charter boat operators, and a former City of Marathon employee, with federal drug and firearm offenses in and around the Florida Keys and Miami-Dade County. The thirteen count indictment charges John Robert Strama Jr., 42, of Marathon, Fla., Rusty John Stiglitz, 39, of Marathon, Fla., Daniel Fernando Ramirez, 43, of Key West, Fla., Daniel Delgado, 38, of Miami Springs, Fla., Orlando Rene Gonzalez, 29, of Hialeah, Fla., Alfred Michael Nunez, 34, of Marathon, Fla., Elvis Lazaro Ruiz, 31, of Marathon, Fla., Pedro Luis Lugo Jr., 36, of Marathon, Fla., Nyran Antonio Ross, 32, of Marathon, Fla., and Tyrell Lamar Williams, 36, of Marathon, Fla., with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more grams of cocaine in Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties. The indictment charges Louis Charles Arvelo, 38, of Boca Raton, Fla., Andrew Hamill Hunt, 36, of Marathon, Fla., Kevin Andrew Yeider, 46, of Marathon, Fla., Jose Enrique Olivo Sanchez, 34, of Marathon, Fla., Kenyatta Scott Jr., 32, of Key West, Fla., Macarthur Junior Sheppard, 36, of Marathon, Fla., Alberto Ravelo Jr., 34, of Hialeah, Fla., Allison Annmarie Thomas, 29, of Marathon, Fla., Kizmet Yatz Qualls, 51, of Marathon, Fla., James Dean Chatelain, 34, of Marathon, Fla., with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more grams of cocaine in Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties. The indictment further charges Michael David Corbosiero, 68, of Boca Raton, Fla., Michael Joseph Rodamer, 63, of Key Colony Beach, Fla., Robert Roy Taute Jr., 50, of Marathon, Fla., Bairon Aceituno Machado, 34, formerly of Marathon, Fla., Lazaro Jesus Hernandez, 35, formerly of Marathon, Fla., Anthony Velez Llanes, 38, of Little Torch Key, Fla., and Tyler Jameson Macmillan, 33, of Big Pine Key, Fla., with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine in Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties. The indictment also specified various real estate properties, vessels, and vehicles are subject to criminal forfeiture. Strama, a convicted felon, also faces additional federal charges for cocaine distribution, using a child under the age of 14 to engage in drug trafficking and avoid detection and apprehension, and possessing a firearm and ammunition after a previous felony conviction. Stiglitz, Ramirez, Gonzalez, Nunez, Ross, Sheppard, and Chatelain face additional federal charges for cocaine distribution. Ross, Williams, Sheppard, and Scott also face additional federal charges for cocaine distribution within 1,000 feet of playgrounds in Florida City, Fla., and Marathon, Fla. On Sept. 5, the defendants started to be taken into custody at various locations and began making their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Strama, Stiglitz, Ramirez, Delgado, Gonzalez, Nunez, Ruiz, Lugo, Ross, and Williams face up to life imprisonment. Scott and Sheppard face up to 80 years in prison. Arvelo, Hunt, Yeider, Olivo, Ravelo, Thomas, Qualls, and Chatelain face up to 40 years in prison. Corbosiero, Rodamer, Taute, Machado, Hernandez, Llanes, and MacMillian face up to 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office made the announcement. FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case with assistance from Homestead Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, FBI Detroit Field Office, and U.S. Probation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Maranda is handling asset forfeiture. An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 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 https://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 https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20386. ###


title: Granite City Mail Carrier Admits to Stealing from USPS Collection Box

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A mail carrier employed by the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing from a collection box in Granite City. Phillip E. Tucker, 37, of Madison, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by postal employee. “Mail carriers are entrusted public servants, and postal workers who steal from collection boxes willingly break that trust. I commend the investigators for holding this defendant accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. According to court documents, Tucker stole a Visa gift card from a collection box in Granite City on May 6, 2023. Tucker admitted to using the gift card on several occasions for personal purchases. Theft of mail by postal employee convictions are punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment. Tucker is scheduled for sentencing at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The USPS Office of the Inspector General led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.


title: Chester Man Convicted of Tax Evasion, False Statements, and Illegal Gun Possession in Multi-Million Dollar Business Scheme

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lawrencium Germaine Martin, 47, of Chester, has pleaded guilty to tax evasion, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federal investigators. At the plea hearing, the Government presented evidence that from at least 2019 through 2021, Martin operated a business known as Lancaster Tactical Supply (LTS) through the website LTacticalSupply.com. LTS appeared to customers to be a legitimate business that sold firearm accessories and parts, including Glock and Sig Sauer build kits, slides, imitation suppressors, optics, and body armor. However, at least 380 customers from 43 states lodged complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs, generally alleging that LTS took their money and failed to ship the products, ultimately leaving the customer without their money or the products they paid for. Investigators with the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation determined that the revenue LTS was generating was significant. Through one payment processor alone in 2020, LTS generated more than $2,000,000 in revenue. Although those proceeds were deposited into Martin’s personal bank accounts, and LTS was operated out of Martin’s residence and Martin’s business location, the investigation also revealed Martin failed to pay state or federal income tax for any year from 2015 through 2022. As for tax evasion, Martin admitted that he evaded federal income tax. IRS Criminal Investigation has determined that figure is more than $800,000 for 2020 alone, but Martin did not admit to a specific figure. Martin further admitted that he obtained the personal identifying information of another person through a legitimate employment relationship, and then operated LTS in that person’s name without authorization so that revenue was reported to the IRS as attributable to that person rather than Martin. As for felon in possession of a firearm, when agents searched Martin’s residence and business in Chester pursuant to a federal search warrant, Martin was found to be in possession of a 9mm handgun despite multiple felony convictions, including for theft by deception, possession of stolen property, obtaining property under false pretenses, fraudulent check, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of implements used in a crime, burglary, and larceny of a motor vehicle. Agents also found shipping labels and material associated with LTS during that search. Finally, Martin admitted that when the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office interviewed Martin, he claimed to have never heard of LTS, to have never received money from LTS or its customers, and to not know how his name became associated with LTS. Those statements were false and material to the investigation. Martin faces up to 10 years in federal prison, mandatory restitution, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of Court-ordered supervision following any term of imprisonment. Martin was placed on bond by United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Martin at a later date. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with critical assistance from the Chester County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced in Carbondale Mail and Bank Fraud Conspiracy Using Stolen Arrow Key

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A federal judge sentenced an Illinois man to 18 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in a mail theft and bank fraud scheme targeted at collection boxes in Carbondale. Brian R. Nevils, 25, of South Holland, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of mail theft. Charged co-conspirators include Quentin S. Abrams, 25, of Charleston, Illinois and Isaiah C. Jordan, 30, of Urbana, Illinois. Abrams was sentenced to time served in April after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of mail theft. Jordan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jordan is scheduled to be sentenced at the federal courthouse in Benton at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 1. “Criminals who steal checks from collection boxes and commit bank fraud threaten the integrity of our mailing system, and I commend the Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their efforts to gain justice for the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. According to court documents, the defendants used a stolen master key to gain access to mail collection boxes throughout Carbondale. The conspiracy involved altering the payees and amounts of stolen checks, depositing the checks into bank accounts of co-conspirators and then transferring the funds into their own accounts or of their associates. “This sentencing clearly illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge, John Jackman, who leads the St. Louis Field Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The defendant clearly used illegal activities to defraud local citizens, postal customers, and financial institutions. The USPIS is proud to work with our local and federal partners to bring those who perpetrate these crimes to justice.” Nevils, Jordan and Abrams stole and altered more than 100 checks sent by more than 50 individuals through USPS from March through July 2020. The total estimated loss exceeds $423,000. "This case highlights the importance of strong partnerships between local and federal agencies in investigating complex crimes that affect our community. The collaboration between the Carbondale Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was key in bringing these offenders to justice. Together, we are committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of our city, protecting both our residents and our institutions from fraudulent schemes,” said Carbondale Police Chief and Interim City Manager Stan Reno. Demarius L. Flakes, 30, of Blue Island, Illinois, was also charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of mail theft, six counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was recently apprehended in Chicago. An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Service jointly investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Norfolk man sentenced for latest drug trafficking crimes

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man with multiple previous convictions for drug trafficking crimes was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, between May 2022 and October 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Norfolk Police Department (NPD) conducted six controlled purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine from Lashawn D. Pullie, aka Bam, 50, and a co-conspirator utilizing a confidential informant (CI). On Sept. 20, 2022, the CI contacted Pullie to purchase cocaine and methamphetamine. Pullie met the CI in Norfolk to exchange the narcotics, but Pullie had only the cocaine with him. Pullie exchanged the cocaine with the CI, and the CI paid Pullie. They arranged to meet at a second location in Norfolk to exchange the methamphetamine. Pullie returned to his residence, switched vehicles, and proceeded to the second location. Pullie handed the methamphetamine to the CI. During the transaction, Pullie sold 107 grams of methamphetamine and 87 grams of cocaine to the CI. During the investigation Pullie sold the CI over 300 grams of methamphetamine and over 400 grams of cocaine. On Oct. 13, 2022, investigators executed search warrants on Pullie's residence, storage unit, and vehicle. Investigators recovered approximately 300 grams of marijuana, 1,446 grams of cocaine, 393 grams of methamphetamine, 184 pills of oxycodone, $7,674, and two loaded firearms. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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. 2:23-cr-41.


title: Finance Director Indicted for Embezzling from Non-Profit

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jarrett Lewis, 44, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with embezzling over $320,000 from a District non-profit advocacy organization, according to an indictment unsealed today. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. Lewis was arrested yesterday. The indictment alleges that between October 2021 and October 2022, while serving as Director of Finance for the non-profit, Lewis perpetrated a scheme to defraud his employer. On at least 35 occasions, Lewis used his position to misdirect hundreds of thousands in payments to bank accounts he controlled, while falsely designating the payments to a vendor for “digital” services and creating other false documentation to hide the embezzlement. Lewis also allegedly misused the organization’s credit card on at least eleven occasions to purchase airfare for travel by Lewis and his friends and family. Lewis is charged with nine counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he would face up to 20 years in prison. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 24cr391


title: Bealeton woman sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually exploiting two children

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bealeton woman was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, in 2023 and 2024, Anna Grace Layher, 27, produced sexually explicit videos and images of two children, ages six and three, both of whom were family members. Layher sent the videos to her boyfriend, Davey Jonathan Sisk, 29, of Culpeper, Virginia. Layher pled guilty on May 2 to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Sisk pled guilty on July 9 to attempting to sexually exploit a child and receiving child pornography. Sisk is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alessandra Serano and Christina Schiciano 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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-52.


title: Former District of Columbia Public School Employee and Government Contractor Indicted in Bribery Scheme

body_text: WASHINGTON—A federal grand jury yesterday returned an indictment charging Dana Garnett, 60, of Hyattsville, Maryland, a former District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) employee, with conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud. The indictment also charges Yelake Meseretu, 40, owner of U.S. Office Solutions, a vendor of goods to DCPS, with bribery and wire fraud in exchange for Garnett steering business to Meseretu’s business, and for accepting significantly fewer supplies than ordered in exchange for the bribe payments. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The indictment alleges that over the course of at least five years, Garnett accepted payments from several vendors who supplied goods to DCPS. In exchange, Garnett steered business to the vendors. Some of the payments were generated from falsified orders awarded to the vendors that were paid in full by DCPS. According to the indictment, however, Garnett and co-conspirator Patricia Bailey, another former DCPS employee had coordinated with the vendors to deliver a lesser amount of goods than were listed on the orders. Based on false certifications made by or at the direction of Garnett, DCPS paid the full amount of the orders as if the orders had been fulfilled in full. The vendors paid cash to Garnett and Bailey in various locations in the D.C. and Maryland area. In several related cases, three defendants have accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. Patricia Bailey pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement and information filed in October 2023 in U.S. District Court. Two of the vendors who made cash payments to Garnett and Bailey have also pleaded guilty: Donald McWhirter, owner of General Merchandise, and Duane King, owner of American Business Supplies (ABS), for their roles in the scheme. King additionally pleaded guilty to his role in a similar scheme in which King made bribe payments to District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services Department (DC FEMS) employees Charity Keys and Louis Mitchell in return for the award of business by DC FEMS to King’s company and for the authorization of payments to King’s company for goods that were not actually delivered. Sentencing is pending for each of the three defendants who have pleaded guilty. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Christopher R. Howland of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr281


title: Medical Device Company to Pay $700,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Inflated Reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid

component: Civil Division

body_text: Medical device manufacturer THD America Inc., located in Natick, Massachusetts, and its corporate parent, THD SpA of Italy (collectively, THD), have agreed to pay $700,000 to resolve allegations that THD violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing physicians to use incorrect codes to obtain inflated reimbursement from Medicare and State Medicaid programs for the use of THD’s hemorrhoid removal system called the Slide One Kit (the Kit). The Kit was sold to physicians for use in transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization, a surgical procedure that involves cauterizing certain blood vessels. The United States alleged that, between 2014 and 2017, physicians performing procedures using the Kit were required to bill for the procedure using a temporary code, also known as a “T-Code,” assigned for new and emerging services. Because a procedure that is assigned such a code is considered experimental, reimbursement for the use of the Kit was often denied. To avoid such denials and increase potential reimbursement, THD allegedly encouraged colorectal and general surgeons improperly to bill Medicare and Medicaid programs using the T-Code plus an additional Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code or to bill for CPT codes other than the T-code. The federal share of the civil settlement is $598,121.23, and the state Medicaid share of the civil settlement is $101,877.77. State Medicaid programs are jointly funded by the federal and state governments. “The integrity of federal healthcare programs depends upon compliance with coding and billing rules that are used to make coverage and reimbursement decisions,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers that knowingly submit false claims to federal health care programs that do not accurately reflect and bill for the work they perform.” “This case is emblematic of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to pursuing and holding accountable those who seek to defraud federal health care programs and to recouping taxpayer dollars obtained falsely,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We will continue our efforts tirelessly in prioritizing rooting out fraud and protecting the public fisc.” “Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare and Medicaid enrollees is required of all health care companies,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of companies violating the federal False Claims Act.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Amber Arthur, a former employee of THD America. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator’s share from the proceeds of the settlement will be $115,500. The qui tam action is captioned U.S. ex rel. Arthur v. THD America, et al. , No. 16-cv-2571 (DMD). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields for the District of Maryland and Senior Trial Counsel Jay D. Majors of the Justice Department’s Civil Division handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Medical Device Company To Pay $700,000 To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Inflated Reimbursements From Medicare And Medicaid

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: WASHINGTON – Medical device manufacturer THD America, Inc., located in Natick, Massachusetts, and its corporate parent, THD SpA of Italy (collectively, THD), have agreed to pay $700,000 to resolve allegations that THD violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing physicians to use incorrect codes to obtain inflated reimbursement from Medicare and State Medicaid programs for the use of THD’s hemorrhoid removal system called the Slide One Kit (the Kit). The Kit was sold to physicians for use in transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization, a surgical procedure that involves cauterizing certain blood vessels. The United States alleged that, between 2014 and 2017, physicians performing procedures using the Kit were required to bill for the procedure using a temporary code, also known as a “T-Code,” assigned for new and emerging services. Because a procedure that is assigned such a code is considered experimental, reimbursement for the use of the Kit was often denied. To avoid such denials, and increase potential reimbursement, THD allegedly encouraged colorectal and general surgeons improperly to bill Medicare and Medicaid programs using the T-Code plus an additional CPT code or to bill for CPT codes other than the T-code. The federal share of the civil settlement is $598,121.23, and the state Medicaid share of the civil settlement is $101,877.77. State Medicaid programs are jointly funded by the federal and state governments. “This case is emblematic of the United States Attorney’s Office’s commitment to pursuing and holding accountable those who seek to defraud federal health care programs and to recouping taxpayer dollars obtained falsely,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “We will continue our efforts tirelessly in prioritizing rooting out fraud and protecting the public fisc.” “The integrity of federal healthcare programs depends upon compliance with coding and billing rules that are used to make coverage and reimbursement decisions,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers that knowingly submit false claims to federal health care programs that do not accurately reflect and bill for the work they perform.” “Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare and Medicaid enrollees is required of all health care companies,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “DHHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, to investigate allegations of companies violating the federal False Claims Act.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Amber Arthur, a former employee of THD America. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator’s share from the proceeds of the settlement will be $115,500. The qui tam action is captioned U.S. ex rel. Arthur v. THD America, et al. , No. 16-cv-2571 (D. Md.). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DHHS-OIG for its work in this investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tarra DeShields and Senior Trial Counsel Jay D. Majors of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice who handled the case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .


title: Hartford Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that YOAN MANUAL DELACRUZ, also known as “Oreja,” 33, citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment for trafficking fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified Delacruz as a large-scale narcotics trafficker who was distributing kilogram quantities of fentanyl in the Hartford area. On May 24, 2022, investigators made a controlled purchase of 1.6 kilograms of fentanyl from Delacruz. Delacruz was arrested on June 13, 2022. On that date, a search of his Wadsworth Street apartment revealed two assault-style firearms, a loaded assault-style magazine, two drum firearm magazines, 12 pistol magazines, seven boxes of ammunition, a suspected drug ledger, and cash. A search of an apartment in the same building that Delacruz used as a stash location revealed two brick-shaped kilograms of fentanyl, a significant quantity of loose fentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics, three handguns, loaded gun magazines, a bag of ammunition, and cash. Delacruz has been detained since his arrest. On March 20, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Delacruz faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced For Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition By A Prohibited Person And Possession Of A Firearm In A School Zone

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Troy Spencer, age 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, to a total of 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in a school zone and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”). On March 6, 2023, Spencer attended an elementary school basketball game at Leith Walk Elementary Middle School in the Northeastern District of Baltimore. Toward the end of the game, Spencer confronted the coaches of his son’s team over what he believed to be a lack of playing time. An argument escalated into a physical altercation, during which Spencer withdrew a firearm from his waistband and pointed it one of the coaches. The firearm was wrestled from Spencer, who then fled the scene in his car. Spencer was arrested on March 15, 2023 by the Baltimore Police Department’s Warrant Apprehension Task Force. 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. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their help in the investigation as well as the Leith Walk Elementary Middle School community for their support. Mr. Barron also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .


title: Wapato Man Indicted for Second-Degree Murder

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington - A Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging Jason Alexander Logie, age 35, of Wapato, Washington, with Second Degree Murder. Logie made his first appearance in Federal Court on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. A detention hearing in this case is set for September 6, 2024. The indictment alleges that on September 9, 2023, Logie killed his victim on the Yakama Nation. The allegations stem from a car crash that occurred on that afternoon. One individual was killed and another was injured after Logie, who allegedly was drinking, drove his vehicle across the center line and struck the victims’ oncoming vehicle. If convicted, Logie, faces a sentence of up to life in prison and up to 5 years of supervised release. “Vehicular homicides on Tribal land have a devastating impact, which extends far beyond the immediate victims. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. My office is committed to partnering with Tribal leaders and Tribal law enforcement to hold those accountable that commit acts of violence or drive while under the influence on Native American Reservations,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. The Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy 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: Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Falsely Using a Social Security Number

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Sommers N. Robertson , 45, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 21 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for False Representation of a Social Security Number. According to information presented in court, on October 12, 2022, law enforcement officers encountered Robertson after receiving a complaint that she had leased an apartment under fraudulent pretenses. During a subsequent records check, the officers discovered the existence of active warrants for Robertson’s arrest, and she was arrested. During her arrest, officers observed and seized identity documents from the apartment which included driver’s licenses, state identification cards, Social Security Number cards, along with other documents displaying personally identifiable information belonging to other people. One of the Social Security Number cards showed the name of an individual with the initials M.F.M. which had been issued on September 8, 2022. Further investigation by law enforcement agents and those with the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General revealed that Robertson went to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) Field Office in Opelousas, Louisiana, on September 8, 2022. At that time, she met with an SSA service representative and claimed that she was the individual with the initials of M.F.M., and she requested that a new Social Security Number card be issued to her. Robertson represented to the SSA representative that she was in fact the individual with the initials M.F.M. and provided the representative with false documentation, including a driver’s license in the name of M.F.M. which had been issued by another state, along with their place of birth, parents’ names, and Social Security Number. Because of these false representations, the SSA issued a Social Security Number card to an address provided by Robertson. Robertson pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, and admitted that she knowingly provided the Social Security Administration with false documents and purported to be an individual she was not in order to obtain a Social Security Number card with the intent to deceive. The case was investigated by Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker. # # #


title: Richmond Heights Hotel Manager Admits Two Frauds Seeking $324,000

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A manager of a Richmond Heights, Missouri hotel on Friday admitted fraudulently obtaining $153,518 by manipulating the hotel’s computer system, attempting to steal another $61,998 that way and attempting to steal $109,000 from hotel customers via credit card fraud. Angelique Patterson, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday to five counts of wire fraud. She admitted that while the hotel’s assistant general manager, she manipulated the hotel’s reservation system and altered the records of customers who had paid using cash or credit cards. Patterson retroactively changed those reservations to falsely show that the customers had used the hotel’s loyalty rewards system “points” for their stay. She then added her own credit or debit card information into the system and had the customers’ payments “refunded” to her. Patterson admitted fraudulently refunding a total of $153,518 to herself from March through October of 2023. On Oct. 4, 2023, although not on duty, Patterson tried to use the hotel's desk computer and a coworker's credentials to fraudulently refund herself an additional $61,998. Patterson also admitted using hotel customers’ credit card information from August through September of 2021 to make fake charges via the entertainment company she owned, Angel Entertains LLC. She obtained or tried to obtain $109,000 that way. Patterson is scheduled to be sentenced December 5. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. She will also be ordered to repay the money. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.


title: Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $600,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today that a defense contractor based out of Killeen, Texas, will pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly billed for services that it did not perform. The settlement resolves allegations that Solution One Industries Inc. made false claims in conjunction with a contract awarded to Solution One by the U.S. Air Force. Solution One contracted to support the 421 st Combat Training Squadron based out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey by performing different tasks under specific contract line items, on an as-needed basis. The settlement resolves allegations that from December 2017 through June 2019, Solution One billed for tasks that it did not perform, including providing backup power and providing briefings to military personnel. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, under the direction of Brig. Gen. Amy S. Bumgarner, with the investigation of the allegations. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Unit in Newark. solutionone.settlement.pdf


title: 35-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Filming 9-Year-Old’s Molestation

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Granbury man was sentenced Thursday to 50 years in federal prison for filming himself molesting a 9-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Stephen Wayne, Ashley, Jr., 35, was charged in March and pleaded guilty in May to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 600 months in prison – 360 months as to the sexual exploitation count and 240 months as to the child pornography count, to run consecutively. Judge Pittman also ordered the defendant to pay $13,500 in restitution to several victims and to register as a sex offender. “This defendant chose to repeatedly sexually exploit a child and then made a conscious decision to film himself conducting these egregious offenses,” said HSI Dallas Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jesse Woods. “HSI is grateful for the collaboration of all our law enforcement partners for their role in this investigation, ensuring that this individual will never harm an innocent child again.” According to court documents, the investigation began when the New South Wales Police in Australia began looking into an individual who shared links containing child pornography on Twitter (now known as X). One of the links, which contained over 1,600 files of mostly child pornography, was traced to Mr. Ashley. On March 11, agents executed a search warrant at Mr. Ashley’s residence, where they found Mr. Ashley’s phone. On the phone, they found a hidden folder containing videos of Mr. Ashley sexually molesting a 9-year-old girl. After being Mirandized, Mr. Ashley admitted to officers that he began filming the child when she was 7 and continued to do so for a period of years. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the New South Wales Police and the Hood County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.


title: Seward man arrested, charged with stealing an identity to threaten Alaska’s governor

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Seward man was arrested in Seward Wednesday after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging him with stealing someone’s identity to issue a threat to “bomb and shoot” Alaska’s governor. According to court documents, on April 12, 2024, Matthew Edward Stanley, 22, used an account with a virtual private network (VPN) service to access the State of Alaska website and send a message to the governor. Stanley allegedly used a different individual’s personal information when addressing the letter, falsely representing that that individual was the one who had sent the threats. The indictment states the message requested pay rates be raised for “me and my son. Or else everyone at [Victim Labor Union] and my son will take a stand here at seward.” The message goes on to threaten to “bomb and shoot you with my son.” Stanley is charged with one count of issuing a threat involving explosives, one count of false information and hoaxes and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, in addition to up to 10 years in prison for his other alleged crimes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Pacific Northwest operations and Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes made the announcement. HSI and the Alaska State Troopers are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman 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: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing for Murder-for-Hire Plot

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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 10 years in federal prison for trying to hire an undercover ATF agent to murder his girlfriend's mother for $200. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, between April 10, 2022, and continuing through May 11, 2022, Leif Hayman repeatedly solicited a hitman to murder his girlfriend's mother through the website "rentahitman.com". Hayman submitted three service requests on the website, providing his own identifying information as well as details about the intended victim, including her physical address and photographs. In his first request on April 10, Hayman stated he wanted to "hurt" the victim, writing "I want her gone now, too much that I don't like about her she's controlling my wife." He submitted additional requests on April 17 and April 20 under different aliases, expressing his desire to have the victim killed. As part of those requests, Hayman wrote “Kill that bitch” and “I fucking hate her so much I want her gone now.” Between April 20 and May 2, Hayman sent numerous follow-up emails to the website expressing impatience with the process. On April 28, he wrote: "You people are fake if u were real someone who have contact me already I can't wait anymore I'm doing it my fucking self thank you for nothing fake people." The website's owner initially forwarded Hayman 's solicitations to local police but did not receive a timely response, resulting in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ involvement. On May 5, an undercover ATF agent contacted Hayman . During a 16-minute recorded conversation, Hayman stated he wanted the victim "gone off the Earth" and “that fucking bitch deserves to die.” When Hayman was informed that the fastest and cleanest way to carry out the murder would be with a gun, Hayman stated “yes, let’s go for it!” However, after learning that he would have to pay for the gun, Hayman explored other options stating “I have knives . . . I have a rock you can smash her head with multiple times.” On May 9, Hayman had another call with the agent, indicating his caretaker would also need to be harmed for him to leave home. Hayman agreed to pay approximately $200 for the murder. On May 11, the undercover agent went to Hayman 's residence, ostensibly to carry out the plan. Hayman emerged with his caretaker, stating "this is part of the deal” in reference to having his caretaker killed. A scuffle ensued between Hayman and the caretaker, causing the agent to abort the operation. Upon his release from prison, Hayman will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: American Airlines Mechanic Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine Bricks in Compartment Under Cockpit of Jetliner

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: UPDATE The defendant’s conviction for the conduct described in the press release below was vacated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on January 23, 2026. See 20-CR-219 (DLI) ECF No. 169. Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Paul Belloisi, a former American Airlines mechanic at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport), was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 108 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import and possess cocaine. Belloisi was convicted in May 2023 following a one-week jury trial of all three counts of an indictment charging him with conspiring to possess and import cocaine, and importing cocaine. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office (CBP), announced the sentence. “The defendant abused his insider position at JFK Airport to help smuggle more than 25 pounds of cocaine into the United States in a highly sensitive electronics compartment of an international aircraft,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This conduct not only furthers the trafficking of drugs that harms our communities, but also poses a serious threat to the security of a vital border crossing in our district and our transportation infrastructure. Today’s sentence demonstrates that the government takes these threats very seriously, and those who work in trusted positions at our airports and in other critical industries must know that they face serious consequences for crimes of corruption.” “Paul Belloisi put his personal gain before the safety of the aviation industry by abusing his position to participate in a scheme to import over 25 pounds of cocaine into the U.S., storing smuggled narcotics within sensitive areas of passenger airplanes. His demise should send a message to anyone attempting to exploit the aviation industry: HSI New York and our law enforcement partners are committed to maintain the safety of the U.S. domestic and international transportation infrastructure,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack. “I am proud to stand alongside the Eastern District of New York and CBP in bringing this corrupt ‘inside man’ to justice.” “This case serves as a great example of collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat international narcotics trafficking conspirators. U.S. Customs and Border Protection thanks our partners at HSI and the USAO for their continued cooperation,” stated CBP Director of Field Operations Russo. On February 4, 2020, American Airlines flight 1349 arrived at JFK Airport’s Terminal 8 from Montego Bay, Jamaica. The aircraft was selected for a routine search by CBP officers from the JFK Airport Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team. The officers found 10 bricks of cocaine weighing 25.56 pounds hidden inside an electronics compartment on the underside of the cockpit. The cocaine was replaced with fake bricks and sprayed with a substance that glows when illuminated with a special black light. CBP officers and HSI special agents placed the aircraft under surveillance from a distance and shortly before it was scheduled to take off for its next flight, they observed Belloisi drive up and pull himself inside the electronics compartment. Belloisi was confronted by law enforcement who observed his gloves glowing under the black light indicating he had handled the fake bricks. Belloisi was also carrying an empty tool bag and the lining of his jacket had cutouts sufficiently large enough to hold the bricks. The cocaine found in the aircraft had a street value of more than $250,000. The case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Pollack and Margaret Schierberl are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Sophia Cronin. The Defendant : PAUL BELLOISI Age: 56 Smithtown, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-219 (DLI)


title: West Virginia Residents Admit to Roles in Drug Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three West Virginia residents have admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in the Northern District of West Virginia. Joshua Noel, 42, of Elkins, West Virginia; Jennifer Clapper, 37, of Morgantown, West Virginia; and Jamie Purtee, 33, of Morgantown, West Virginia, each pled guilty to methamphetamine charges. According to court documents, they were part of a drug trafficking operation working in Monongalia County. Noel, Clapper, and Purtee each face up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Lancaster Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Lancaster man was sentenced in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Olin Garneau, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 14 months in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release. Garneau waived indictment and pleaded guilty in February to a one-count information charging him with possession of child pornography. “Those who distribute CSAM cause compounding harm to children who have already endured unspeakable trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these offenders accountable for their crimes and provide justice to their survivors.” “Garneau thought he was talking to another online predator who shared his interest in the sexual abuse of children. Instead, he found an undercover HSI task force officer,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI is proud to work every day with our partners to find the criminals who produce, trade, and possess child sexual abuse material. Above all, our goal is to protect kids.” Garneau corresponded with an undercover law enforcement officer through an online chat platform. During the chats, Garneau discussed with the officer topics related to the sexual exploitation of children. Garneau also sent the undercover officer an image of CSAM, and a link to approximately 100 additional CSAM files online. More CSAM was located on Garneau’s cell phone following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. The Nashua Police Department, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the New Hampshire State Police and the Lancaster Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: West Virginia Man Admits to Fentanyl Charge

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – David Laquan McGowan, 41, of Huntington, West Virginia, has admitted to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. According to court documents, McGowan was selling fentanyl in Randolph County. During a traffic stop, a search of the vehicle revealed narcotics hidden in the ceiling of McGowan’s car. McGowan is facing at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Peoria Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A 25-year-old Peoria, Illinois man, Avione Quzea Maurice Parks, was sentenced on September 4, 2024, to ten years in federal prison for three separate counts of distributing methamphetamine. Upon his release from confinement, Parks will serve five years of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. Senior District Judge Joe B. McDade, the government presented evidence that Parks sold a collective 6 ounces of methamphetamine over three transactions in January and February 2024. Parks’s conviction in the instant case was his fifth felony conviction as an adult; he previously had been convicted of three firearms offenses and one controlled substance felony. Parks had served two prior sentences in the Illinois Department of Corrections and had been discharged from state parole only eighteen days prior to his first sale of methamphetamine in this case. Parks previously pleaded guilty to all three counts in May 2024. He was arrested on a criminal complaint in late February 2024 and indicted in early March 2024. Parks has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. The statutory penalties for Counts 1 and 3, distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), are five to 40 years’ imprisonment, followed by at least four years of supervised release, for each count. The penalties for Count 2, distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), are 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by at least five years of supervised release. The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Parks 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.