title: Livingston fentanyl trafficker sentenced to more than six years in prison

body_text: BILLINGS — A Livingston man who admitted to traveling to Washington to get fentanyl pills for distribution in the Park County community and violating release conditions was sentenced today to a total of six years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, David Scott Retzer, 42, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also sentenced Retzer to 10 months in prison in a revocation hearing after finding Retzer violated conditions of release in a previous drug case. The sentence in the revocation is to run consecutive to a 71-month sentence in the fentanyl case, for total of 81 months in prison. The government alleged in court documents that in June 2022, law enforcement began receiving information that Retzer was involved in distributing fentanyl pills and later that year began tracking Retzer as he traveled to Washington from Montana. In December 2022, law enforcement pulled over Retzer’s vehicle as it entered Park County and searched it pursuant to a warrant. Retzer had a fake battery in his possession that contained 70 fentanyl pills. Additional bags of fentanyl pills were also located in the vehicle. An individual who traveled with Retzer told law enforcement that they had gone to Washington to get fentanyl and had bought 950 pills but had been shorted by the source. In a search of Retzer’s cell phone, law enforcement located numerous conversations in which Retzer discussed distributing fentanyl. At the time of the offense, Retzer was on supervision for a federal drug trafficking offense involving heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Brandon Dewaun Golden, 36 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distributing a controlled substance, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Golden was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on two occasions in August 2023, Golden distributed hundreds of fentanyl pills and approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine while possessing a loaded firearm. A traffic stop resulted in the recovery of that firearm. Golden has two prior felony state court convictions, any one of which prohibited him from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Indiana State Police, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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: Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility

body_text: Cameron Monte Smith, a citizen of Canada, pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of North Dakota and one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of South Dakota. Smith admitted to damaging the Wheelock substation, located near Ray, North Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July 2022. Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Smith faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch, U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider for the District of North Dakota, U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota and Special Agent in Charge Travis S. Riddle of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) St. Paul Field Division made the announcement. The FBI and ATF are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Hagler, Jonathan J. O’Konek and Jeremy Jehangiri are prosecuting the case with the assistance from Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Offices Announces Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility for Acts in both North Dakota and South Dakota

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: BISMARCK – District of North Dakota United States Attorney Mac Schneider and District of South Dakota United States Attorney Alison Ramsdell announced that Cameron Monte Smith, a citizen of Canada appeared in Federal court on September 11, 2024, in Bismarck and pleaded guilty before District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor to one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of North Dakota and one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of South Dakota. Smith is facing up to 20 years of imprisonment on each count. Smith admitted to damaging the Wheelock Substation, located near Ray, N.D., in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May of 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July of 2022. Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota. “This defendant deliberately and very violently attacked our nation’s energy infrastructure,” Schneider said. “Our law enforcement partners put an end to those attacks, and this guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for the defendant’s actions and extensive damage he caused. Our career prosecutors and colleagues in the District of South Dakota deserve credit for working cooperatively to ensure this defendant faced justice in federal court.” “Cameron Smith orchestrated and executed attacks on critical energy infrastructure in North and South Dakota using a high-powered rifle,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “Thanks to our partners in the District of North Dakota, the FBI, ATF, and the National Security Division, this defendant has been held to account for his criminal activity, and he will now be subject to serious time in federal prison.” This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williams County (ND) Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Clark County (SD) Sheriff’s Department, and the Beadle County (SD) Sheriff’s Department, and is being prosecuted by North Dakota Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Hagler and Jonathan J. O’Konek, and District of South Dakota Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri, with the assistance of Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. ######


component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: BISMARCK – District of North Dakota United States Attorney Mac Schneider and District of South Dakota United States Attorney Alison Ramsdell announced that Cameron Monte Smith, a citizen of Canada appeared in Federal court on September 11, 2024, in Bismarck and pleaded guilty before District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor to one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of North Dakota and one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of South Dakota. Smith is facing up to 20 years of imprisonment on each count. Smith admitted to damaging the Wheelock Substation, located near Ray, N.D., in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May of 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July of 2022. Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota. “This defendant deliberately and very violently attacked our nation’s energy infrastructure,” Schneider said. “Our law enforcement partners put an end to those attacks, and this guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for the defendant’s actions and extensive damage he caused. Our career prosecutors and colleagues in the District of South Dakota deserve credit for working cooperatively to ensure this defendant faced justice in federal court.” “Cameron Smith orchestrated and executed attacks on critical energy infrastructure in North and South Dakota using a high-powered rifle,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “Thanks to our partners in the District of North Dakota, the FBI, ATF, and the National Security Division, this defendant has been held to account for his criminal activity, and he will now be subject to serious time in federal prison.” This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williams County (ND) Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Clark County (SD) Sheriff’s Department, and the Beadle County (SD) Sheriff’s Department, and is being prosecuted by North Dakota Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Hagler and Jonathan J. O’Konek, and District of South Dakota Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri, with the assistance of Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Former CIA Officer Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Espionage

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, who pleaded guilty in May to conspiring to gather and deliver national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), will serve ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson imposed the sentence this morning in Honolulu, Hawaii. Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 71, of Honolulu, was arrested in August 2020,after admitting to an undercover FBI employee that he had facilitated the provision of classified information to intelligence officers employed by the PRC’s Shanghai State Security Bureau (SSSB). The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Clare E. Connors, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen, FBI Assistant Director for Counterintelligence Kevin Vorndran, and Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office. “Despite his sworn oath to protect U.S. classified secrets from illegal disclosure, Alexander Ma chose to betray his oath for money while aiding the People’s Republic of China,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Bringing Alexander Ma to justice, even after the passage of many years, affirms our commitment to holding accountable those who violate our nation’s trust and security.” “This sentence demonstrates the dedication of the United States to protect itself from this type of betrayal and violation of trust,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “Let it be a message to anyone else thinking of doing the same. No matter how long it takes, or how much time passes, you will be brought to justice.” Ma worked for the CIA from 1982 until 1989. His blood relative (identified as co-conspirator #1 or CC #1 in court documents), who is deceased, also worked for the CIA from 1967 until 1983. As CIA officers, both men held Top Secret security clearances that granted them access to sensitive and classified CIA information, and both signed non-disclosure agreements. As Ma admitted in the plea agreement, in March 2001, over a decade after he resigned from the CIA, Ma was contacted by SSSB intelligence officers, who asked Ma to arrange a meeting between CC #1 and the SSSB. Ma convinced CC #1 to agree, and both Ma and CC #1 met with SSSB intelligence officers in a Hong Kong hotel room for three days. During the meetings, CC #1 provided the SSSB with a large volume of classified U.S. national defense information in return for $50,000 in cash. Ma and CC #1 also agreed to continue to assist the SSSB. In March 2003, while living in Hawaii, Ma applied for a job as a contract linguist in the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office. The FBI, aware of Ma’s ties to PRC intelligence, hired Ma as part of a ruse to monitor and investigate his activities and contacts with the SSSB. Ma worked part time at an off-site location for the FBI from August 2004 until October 2012. As detailed in the plea agreement, in February 2006, Ma was tasked by the SSSB with asking CC #1 to identify four individuals of interest to the SSSB from photographs. Ma convinced CC #1 to provide the identities of at least two of the individuals, whose identities were and remain classified U.S. national defense information. Ma confessed that he knowingly and willfully conspired with CC #1 and SSSB intelligence officers to communicate and transmit information that he knew would be used to injure the United States or to advantage the PRC. In court documents and at today’s sentencing hearing, the government noted that Ma was convicted of a years-long conspiracy to commit espionage, a serious breach of national security that caused the government to expend substantial investigative resources. The government also noted that Ma’s role in the conspiracy was to facilitate the exchange of information between CC #1 and the SSSB, which consisted of classified CIA information that CC #1 had obtained between 1967 and 1983. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ma must cooperate with the United States for the rest of his life, including by submitting to debriefings by U.S. government agencies. At the sentencing hearing, government counsel told the Court that Ma has been cooperative and has taken part in multiple interview sessions with government agents. U.S. Attorney Connors and Assistant Attorney General Olsen commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the CIA for its assistance. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Honolulu and Los Angeles Field Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Sorenson and Craig Nolan, and Trial Attorneys Scott Claffee and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: San Francisco Resident Sentenced To One Year In Prison For Stealing Over $340,000 In Funds Intended For Low-Income Families

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Gregory Finkelson was sentenced to one year in prison for theft of government property in connection with his fraudulent receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars in low-income housing benefits, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge Mark Kaminsky; and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. Finkelson’s sentence was imposed by the Honorable James Donato, United States District Judge, on September 9, 2023. The Section 8 Certificate Program is a rent subsidy program funded by HUD and administered in San Francisco by the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA). The program is intended to help low- and moderate-income families afford housing, and it has income limits and other eligibility requirements that applicants must meet to qualify for assistance. In his plea agreement, Finkelson, 64, admitted that, between approximately August 2006 and February 2020, he wrongfully claimed $341,455 in Section 8 Program subsidies by falsely reporting that he did not own his San Francisco residence, which he bought using a straw purchaser, and that he was merely an employee of a company that he in fact owned and operated out of his residence. Specifically, Finkelson admitted that he used the name of a Russian national living in Russia to purchase his San Francisco home, claiming, wrongfully, that she was his landlord and that he made rent payments to her. Finkelson also admitted he opened several bank accounts, including in the Russian national’s name, and that he used these bank accounts to conceal his use of the ill-gotten Section 8 Program subsidies. He then used the funds he fraudulently obtained to benefit himself, including by funding his business, paying his credit card bills, and making payments on a timeshare in Hawaii. His residence is now worth $2.4 million. In a memorandum filed for the sentencing, the government noted that Finkelson continued his fraudulent conduct even after SFHA acted to terminate his Section 8 subsidies. Because of his conduct, the government argued, Finkelson deprived low-income families actually in need of housing over the entire period of his scheme. According to the government, Finkelson’s actions damaged public trust in the government’s role as a fiduciary for taxpayer dollars. Finkelson was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 25, 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024, to theft of government property and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 and 2. In addition to the one-year term of imprisonment, Judge Donato further sentenced Finkelson to a three-year period of supervision following his release from prison and ordered Finkelson to pay $341,455 in restitution, which represents the total amount he admitted he stole from the government. Finkelson was ordered to surrender into custody on September 16, 2024. Assistant United States Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith and Kevin Yeh are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI, HUD OIG, and IRS-CI, with assistance from SFHA.


title: Five Members Of Salinas-Based “Murder Squad” Sentenced To A Combined 161 Years In Prison For 2015-2018 Killing Spree

body_text: SAN JOSE – Five members of the self-proclaimed “Murder Squad,” a crew of Salinas-based Norteño criminal street gang members falling under the Monterey County Regiment Enterprise affiliated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang, were sentenced to a combined 161 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentences were handed down by the Hon. Beth Labson Freeman, U.S. District Judge. The “Murder Squad” conducted more than a dozen “hunts,” tracking and shooting dozens of Salinas residents whom they perceived to be members of a rival gang for reasons as vague as they were Hispanic, bald, or wearing blue. The squad would often use military-style tactics, traveling in a convoy of vehicles with a designated shooter vehicle and a designated security/spotter vehicle, all of which were in constant communication via conference call. The security/spotter vehicles would patrol the streets, searching for potential targets. Once a target or targets were spotted, the security/spotter vehicle would transmit the location so that the shooters in the shooter vehicle could drive up, exit, fire at the victims until their magazines were empty, and speed away. The security/spotter vehicle would follow behind, ready to distract or intercept law enforcement and allow the shooters to escape. Between 2015 and 2018, 11 people were killed during these hunts. Another 17 people were shot at but survived. Most of the victims were not actually members of a rival gang. Some of the victims were not the intended target at all but were nevertheless hit in the crossfire. Several of the murders began when the members of the “Murder Squad” were gathered at a house to remember a recently deceased friend or loved one, then decided to go hunting as a way to commemorate the decedent’s memory and/or lift their spirits. Each additional “body” increased a defendant’s status and prestige within the enterprise. “The ‘Murder Squad’ killed for sport, terrorizing the city of Salinas and forever altering the lives of so many innocent members of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “As described in the court filings, their conduct is reprehensible. Thanks to the strong collaboration between federal and state law enforcement over the course of many years, these men will rightfully spend the next few decades of their lives in prison.” “This sentencing is a significant blow to members of the Norteño and CRIP criminal street gangs responsible for the ruthless murder of at least 11 individuals, and attempted murder of 17 individuals, in the City of Salinas,” said HSI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “The indiscriminate killing demonstrates why HSI’s mission to protect public safety is so critical and illustrates our agents’ commitment to ensuring those that engage in senseless murder will be held accountable. We appreciate the work of HSI agents together with Salinas Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of California, FBI, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office in bringing these murderers to justice.” All five defendants pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024, to one count of racketeering conspiracy in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1962(d) and one count of conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5). Siaki Tavale, 27, also known as “Shocky” or “Gunner,” was sentenced to 41 years in prison; John Magat, 37, also known as “Romeo,” was sentenced to 37 years in prison; Anthony Valdez, 27, also known as “Hitter” or “Tony Boronda,” was sentenced to 31 years in prison; Anelu Tavale, 28, also known as “Angel,” was sentenced to 27 years in prison; and Mark Anthony Garcia, 33, also known as “Tony from Santa Rita,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Each of the defendants also was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release that will begin upon completion of the defendant’s prison term. The defendants were immediately remanded into custody to begin serving their sentences. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mari Overbeck and George Hageman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nina Burney. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Salinas Police Department.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced  for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Findlay, Ohio, man, Brenden David Martin, 25, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 348 months in prison, for production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2019 and continuing through December 2021 – when the victim was a minor residing in the Eastern District of Kentucky – Martin engaged in conversations with the victim, using Internet-based messaging and social media platforms. He used these conversations to persuade the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Specifically, after initially receiving non-nude, but compromising photos of the victim, Martin threatened to disseminate those images via social media, as leverage to convince the victim to provide visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. The victim ultimately provided him with hundreds of photographs and videos. Under federal law, Martin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case 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 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

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

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to 40 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. According to public court documents, T.J. LeBaugh, 37, dropped a bag with a loaded nine-millimeter firearm and an extended firearm magazine while fleeing from law enforcement. Prior to fleeing on foot, LeBaugh was speeding and caused a car accident. In 2015, LeBaugh was convicted of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. After completing his term of imprisonment, LeBaugh will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Council Bluffs Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 15 years (180 months) in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, Brian Eugene Harvey, III, also known as “Bino,” 22, was identified by law enforcement as a large-scale fentanyl pill distributor in the Des Moines area. In the fall of 2023, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl pills from Harvey. During one controlled buy, Harvey sold a gun. Law enforcement located over 4,000 fentanyl pills, three firearms, ammunition, and cash in Harvey’s vehicles during search warrants in November 2023. After completing his term of imprisonment, Harvey will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department. Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Madison County Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Possession

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Madison County, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, in October of 2023, Arkansas Community Corrections (“ACC”) officers learned that Clint Eugene Phillips, age 47 of Huntsville, Arkansas, was violating multiple conditions of his active parole supervision. In response, ACC officers arranged a parole office visit for Phillips. When Phillips arrived at the parole office, he possessed 279.19 grams of actual methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. ACC officers and Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies subsequently searched Phillips’ residence and found multiple items of drug paraphernalia- such as clear bags and digital scales; various amounts of suspected methamphetamine; and stash bottles. An examination of Phillips’ cell phone revealed conversations discussing methamphetamine distribution and financial transactions that corroborated those conversations. Phillips was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On May 22, 2024, he pleaded guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute more than 50 grams of Methamphetamine. At sentencing, the United States provided the Court with evidence that Phillips was a sex offender who had a lengthy criminal history, which included prior convictions related to controlled substances and domestic violence. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. Arkansas Community Corrections Division of Community Corrections, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Briana Robbins prosecuted the case for the United States. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov


title: Former Decatur Oncologist Pleads Guilty to Illegal Opioid Prescribing

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former oncologist in Decatur has pleaded guilty to illegally prescribing drugs, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer. Sammy Fuad Becdach, 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala to two counts of unlawful distribution and dispensing of a controlled substance. According to the plea agreement, Becdach worked as an oncologist in Decatur, Alabama, including during 2018 through 2021, when the illegal prescribing occurred. In August 2022, the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama revoked Becdach’s medical license for unprofessional conduct related to his romantic relationship with a woman to whom he had written opioid prescriptions and who later died from a drug overdose. Becdach wrote illegal prescriptions for controlled substances to three individuals who were not his patients. The three filled the prescriptions at Becdach’s request and then gave him the pills they received. Becdach gave some pills to women with whom he was romantically involved. The prescriptions included opioids and benzodiazepines. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 13, 2024. The maximum penalty for drug distribution is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward is prosecuting the case.


title: Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Cocaine and a Firearm

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to seven years (84 months) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, Reginald Juan Harris, Jr., 32, came to the attention of law enforcement in November 2023 for distributing cocaine and marijuana from his Council Bluffs residence. During a subsequent search warrant at his residence, law enforcement located approximately 12 grams of cocaine, approximately 950 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol. After completing his term of imprisonment, Harris will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force.


title: Cincinnati man admits to serving as ‘straw purchaser’ for at least 21 firearms

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to a crime related to the illegal straw purchases of at least 21 firearms. Timothy Moorman, Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to making a false statement on a federal firearm form. Moorman admitted he bought firearms at Cincinnati-area federal firearms licensees and then provided those firearms to co-conspirators the same day or within a few days. According to court documents, the individuals to whom Moorman provided the firearms immediately trafficked them outside of Ohio. For example, at least nine firearms were recovered in connection with a crime in Canada less than two weeks after Moorman bought them. Two others were traced to crimes in Canada and Detroit within two months of purchase. Court documents detail that in September and October 2023, Moorman purchased firearms at Bass Pro Shops, Range USA – Cincy West, Range USA – Blue Ash, Target World and North College Hill Gun Store. Moorman falsely indicated on the required firearms forms that the firearms were for himself and no one else, when in fact he was acting as a straw purchaser. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. Making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Falconer man pleads guilty to aiding and abetting a kidnapping in cold case murder investigation

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Anthony Neubauer, 38, of Falconer, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to aiding and abetting kidnapping. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who are handling the case, stated that on May 27, 2014, Neubauer and Matthew Rudy kidnapped Joseph Anthony and then traveled from Jamestown, NY, to Rudy’s property in Pennsylvania. Anthony was tricked into traveling to Pennsylvania by an offer of cocaine. Neubauer and Rudy took Anthony to Pennsylvania because they believed he was a cooperator. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Neubauer and Rudy told Anthony they did not have any cocaine, before shooting and killing him, and then burying him on Rudy’s property. Matthew Rudy was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional assistance was provided by the Warren County, PA, District Attorney’s Office. Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Buffalo man sentenced on drug and gun charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Felix Calderon-Valcarel, 34, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who handled the case, stated that between May 2018 and September 2018, law enforcement officers conducted a series of controlled buys and payments from Calderon-Valcarcel. In addition, between July 2018 and February 2019, officers seized approximately 8.5 kilograms of cocaine and $52,000 in U.S. currency from postal parcels shipped from Puerto Rico to various locations in the Western District of New York, Florida, Alaska, Georgia, and Pennsylvania using the United States Postal Service. The shipments were made to Calderon-Valcarcel or to a co-conspirator. Additionally, the investigation identified $55,700 in U.S. currency and/or money orders shipped in parcels from Calderon-Valcarcel or co-conspirators to Puerto Rico as payment to the source of supply for the cocaine. In March 2019, the Lackawanna Police Department executed a search warrant at Calderon-Valcarcel’s residence and vehicle. Officers seized $10,000 in cash, five kilograms of cocaine, and a 9mm firearm. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division; The Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division; the Orchard Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Fitzgerald; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard; and the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes. # # # #


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Armed Bank Robbery

body_text: United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Madison S. Hill, age 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hill to 154 months’ imprisonment and to pay $50,000.0 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Hill will be required to complete a 5-year term of supervised release. On May 20, 2023, Hill entered a bank in Omaha while brandishing a handgun. Hill jumped over the front counter and began making demands of a bank employee and of another employee who was working in the drive-through serving a customer. Hill demanded the employees open the vault and teller drawers. The employees complied and Hill was able to leave the bank with over $76,000.00. A customer who witnessed the robbery observed Hill leaving the bank and pursued Hill while calling police. Law Enforcement responded to the bank and investigated the robbery, eventually identifying Hill through the assistance crime stoppers tips and other community assistance. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force and the Omaha Police Department.


title: South Sioux City Man Sentenced to 360 Months for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Clifford J. Halverson, age 57, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for receipt and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Halverson to 360 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Halverson will be placed on a lifetime term of supervised release. Halverson committed felony sex crimes involving children in North and South Dakota in the 1990s and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for these crimes. He was released from prison in 2018 at age 51. In 2023, Halverson began to groom a 14-year-old girl online. The victim was forensically interviewed and reported the interactions. Halverson solicited from and exchanged with the victim sexually explicit photos and videos. The offense conduct began in late July of last year, and within a month the Halverson and the victim exchanged approximately 9,000 messages. Halverson was also in contact with another subject of the investigation, with whom he shared photographs of the victim and offered to set them up for intercourse. During the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Buescher stated that the 360-month sentence was justified due to the “very disturbing nature of the offense” and Halverson’s criminal history. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the South Sioux City Police Department and the Omaha Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Charges

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. Waymon Lanar Robinson, Jr., 31, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl; carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on March 1, 2023, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted surveillance on a house in Tarrant, Alabama, associated with the gang “Hard2Kill.” Officers conducted a traffic stop in an alleyway behind the house. Officers saw Robinson place something inside his pants and walk away from the house. They approached Robinson and asked if he had any weapons on him. Robinson said he did and showed the officer a Glock .40 caliber pistol in his waistband. Robinson also had fentanyl, methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, heroin, and marijuana inside of a Crown Royal Bag in his pants. The FBI investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Byrd is prosecuting the case.


title: United States Attorney to Co-Chair Justice Department’s New “ANTI-MCD” Committee, Targeting Machinegun Conversion Devices

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester will Co-Chair a new Justice Department standing committee called Action Network to Terminate Illegal Machinegun Conversion Devices (“ANTI-MCD”). Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the creation of the ANTI-MCD Committee last Friday, which will include representatives of each of the Department’s law enforcement components (ATF, FBI, DEA, and U.S. Marshal’s Service), the Civil and Criminal Divisions, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. U.S. Attorney Troester will Co-Chair with Tim Jones, Deputy Assistant Director of ATF. Deputy Attorney General Monaco’s full announcement can be found here . Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), often referred to as “switches” or “auto sears,” convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns that fire multiple rounds by a single pull of the trigger. Making, selling, or possessing MCDs is illegal under federal law. The significant danger MCDs pose to our community and the proliferation of these illegal devices on our streets require s immediate and sustained attention. The ANTI-MCD Committee will provide leadership and guidance for how to best deploy Department resources to reduce the proliferation of MCDs, work with interagency and external partners on initiatives and joint MCD prosecution and enforcement efforts, and ensure coordination among Department components and other stakeholders. The Committee will also propose additional initiatives and make recommendations to ODAG on all aspects of the Department’s efforts to address the proliferation of MCDs including research and data collection, policy updates, resource allocation, and coordination with our federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial prosecution and law enforcement partners. “MCDs present a clear and immediate danger in our communities to both the public and law enforcement. We must combat this threat with an all-hands approach,” said U.S. Attorney Troester. “I am honored to Co-Chair the ANTI-MCD Committee that will bring together the expertise of our internal and external partners to address this nationwide threat.” “MCDs are a significant public safety threat that continues to grow more pervasive each day,” said Timothy Jones, Deputy Assistant Director of Field Operations at ATF. “The creation of the ANTI-MCD Committee is a coordinated effort to enhance law enforcement efforts to hold offenders accountable and ultimately save lives. I am honored to bring ATF’s investigative and technical expertise to this initiative as Co-Chair of the Committee with U.S. Attorney Troester.” In November 2023, the Western District of Oklahoma announced the creation of Project Switch Off , a local Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, to address the significant danger MCDs present and remove them from our streets. Federal prosecutors and ATF have trained nearly 750 law enforcement officers on MCDs. Between 2020 and 2022, the Western District charged eight individuals with MCD-related offenses, compared to 39 individuals prosecuted over the last year through Project Switch Off.


title: North Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A North Providence man is scheduled to be sentenced in December after admitting to a federal judge that he possessed and distributed child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Mark Peterson, 46, pleaded guilty on September 6, 2024 to an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2024. The defendant’s conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, but his final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, in February 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children forwarded information to the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that an online application was being used to distribute child pornography. A State Police Detective determined that the online account contained 114 files depicting child sexual abuse, and that an IP address at Peterson’s residence was used to access the account. On April 5, 2022, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Peterson’s residence and seized three cellphones. A fourth cellphone stored inside Peterson’s vehicle was also turned over to investigators. A forensic audit of the devices revealed more than 1,300 files comprising videos and images of child sexual abuse, including the depictions of the abuse of pre-pubescent children, infants, sadomasochism, and bestiality. Additionally, located on one cell phone were numerous sexualized screen recordings of prepubescent minor children from social media applications. Investigators also located screen recordings in which Peterson falsely portrayed himself as 15 years old. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Julianne Klein. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Massachusetts State Police. 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 The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Middletown Police Department, and Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations. ###


title: Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty To Credit Scheme And COVID Relief Fraud Involving The Paycheck Protection Program

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Crystal Denean Harvell (37, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving a line of credit scheme and one count of wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Harvell faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and payment of restitution to the victims she defrauded and to the United States government. Harvell has also agreed to forfeit $20,415, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, Harvell and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of others. From February 2016 through September 2019, Harvell and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses, using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. Harvell resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms. In April 2021, Harvell submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Harvell operated her own business. Throughout the loan application Harvell made multiple false statements regarding her purported gross income and expenses associated with operating her business. In support of her PPP loan application, she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 - Profit or Loss From Business. It contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for her purported business. In truth, Harvell’s business did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in her loan application, her application was approved, and she received a PPP loan totaling $20,415. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds in her bank account, Harvell began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses. In October 2021, Harvell submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application to the SBA that included multiple false representations. In the application, she falsely claimed that she spent more than $18,000 on payroll costs and that the PPP loan proceeds were only used for eligible purposes. In reliance on her false statements the SBA forgave the entire loan, plus accrued interest. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.


title: Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Defrauding Elderly Widow with Dementia of $1.2 Million

body_text: NASHVILLE – Karl Hampton, 65, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $1.2 million in restitution for executing a scheme to defraud an elderly widow who had dementia, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Hampton and his wife Deborah, both formerly of Franklin, Tennessee, were indicted in June 2021 on multiple counts of conspiracy and money laundering and Karl Hampton was also charged with eight counts of wire fraud. After a week-long jury trial in April 2023, Karl Hampton was convicted on all counts. At trial, the evidence showed that Karl Hampton met the 86-year-old widow while he was working as an exterminator for a pest control company based in Nashville. Between January 2018 and February 2020, Karl Hampton tricked the woman into believing that he would care for her personally and financially. Hampton held himself out to the woman and others as her “personal representative,” her “son” or “godson,” and pretended that he was acting on her behalf. In April 2019, Hampton convinced her to sign over her Power of Attorney and to name him in her Revocable Living Trust and in her will. He then methodically drained the woman’s bank accounts, took out a $500,000 line of credit in her name, and amassed huge charges on her credit cards for his own personal expenses. Some of the funds Hampton stole came from two investment accounts that belonged to the estate of the woman’s deceased sister. Those funds were supposed to be split between the woman and another individual. Instead, Hampton transferred the funds to himself. In total, Hampton took more than $1.2 million. from the woman’s accounts in the form of checks, cashier’s checks, and bank transfers, cash withdrawals, and using the woman’s credit card for his own benefit. Hampton frequently purchased luxury items, including a car and a luxury SUV, and a 4.3-karat diamond ring that cost more than $21,000. Hampton often spent over $1,000 per day in cash buying lottery tickets. Deborah Hampton pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering on February 13, 2023. She was sentenced to time served, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $21,000. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Field Office, Nashville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Booth prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison Following Federal Drug Conviction

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man for his role in a conspiracy to bring illegal drugs into a prison. On September 9, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 46-year-old Henry Guice, Jr., a former correctional officer with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), to 75 months in prison. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole. According to court records and statements made in open court, on June 20, 2023, an ADOC officer and his canine conducted a sniff search of all vehicles in the parking lot of Staton Correctional Facility in Elmore County. The dog alerted on Guice’s vehicle, who was working inside the facility at the time. ADOC officials summoned Guice from his post and conducted a search of the vehicle. Investigators found three bags of suspected methamphetamine inside Guice’s car and two additional bags in his pockets. Drug laboratory analysis confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine. During his plea hearing in May of this year, Guice admitted that he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug and that he conspired with another individual for that purpose. A federal grand jury also indicted 48-year-old Brad Elliot Gordon, who was an inmate at Staton in June 2023, for his alleged role in the conspiracy. Gordon’s trial is scheduled for February 3, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the ADOC Law Enforcement Services Division investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Andreu prosecuted.


title: New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Harassing and Intimidating Journalists

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their family members. Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Waselchuck pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce. Waselchuck was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023. He was later indicted along with co-defendants Eric Labarge, Tucker Cockerline and Keenan Saniatan. In March 2022 an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members. On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence. On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spray painted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house. Labarge and Saniatan have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. In August 2024 , Cockerline was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Bronx Public Charter School Teacher Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Sexual Abuse Of Five Former Students

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JESUS CONCEPCION was sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska in connection with his sexual abuse of five minor victims who had been his students. CONCEPCION previously pled guilty to five counts of child enticement, four counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today, Jesus Concepcion was sentenced to decades in prison for his horrific exploitation of children placed into his care as students. The victims of these crimes have waited almost twenty years for Concepcion to be held accountable for the devastating harm and trauma he inflicted on them and their families. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that it is never too late for justice to be served and that the Southern District of New York will work tirelessly to protect children from abuse and exploitation.” According to the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court and public filings: CONCEPCION was a music teacher and orchestra instructor at a public charter middle school located in the Bronx, New York (“School-1”) from in or about 2000 up to and including in or about 2007. During that same period, CONCEPCION abused his position as a teacher to induce and attempt to induce five of his students (“Minor Victim-1,” “Minor Victim-2,” “Minor Victim-3,” “Minor Victim-4,” and “Minor Victim-5,” and together the “Minor Victims”) to engage in sexual acts. The Minor Victims were as young as 12 years old at the time of the abuse. To carry out his sexual abuse of the Minor Victims, CONCEPCION singled out the Minor Victims for personal attention; he gave them money, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts, and he provided certain Minor Victims with alcohol to facilitate the abuse. He persuaded the Minor Victims to believe that they were in romantic relationships with him and provided certain Minor Victims with cellphones so that he could communicate with them to arrange sexual encounters. CONCEPCION engaged in sexual acts including, oral and vaginal sex, with Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, Minor Victim-3, and Minor Victim-4 in various locations on multiple occasions, including in School-1’s music room, in the back room of School-1’s auditorium, in his car, at motels, and at his residences. On numerous occasions, CONCEPCION brought Minor Victims from School-1 or other locations in the Bronx to motels in New Jersey to sexually abuse them. On at least one occasion, after Minor Victim-1 graduated from middle school, CONCEPCION traveled to Minor Victim-1’s high school in Connecticut to have sexual intercourse with her. CONCEPCION also paid, on multiple occasions, for Minor Victim-2 to travel from her high school in Pennsylvania to visit him in New York, where he had sexual intercourse with her. To continue his abuse, CONCEPCION threatened to physically harm Minor Victim-3 and her family if she told anyone about his sexual abuse of her and her younger sister, Minor Victim-4. CONCEPCION similarly pursued Minor Victim-5 and sent hundreds of text messages over the course of several months to Minor Victim-5, who was then 13 years old, leading her to believe that they were in a romantic relationship. CONCEPCION arranged to meet Minor Victim-5 during school hours at School-1 and kissed Minor Victim-5 on the mouth. The abuse stopped only after Minor Victim-5’s parents discovered CONCEPCION’s communications and reported him. * * * In addition to the prison term, CONCEPCION, 51, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $1000 in assessments and restitution in an amount to be determined. Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) for their outstanding work in this matter, particularly the FBI-NYPD New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Owner Of Telemarketing Call Center Business Pleads Guilty To Multi-Year Scheme To Defraud PAC Donors

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RICHARD ZEITLIN, the owner of a telemarketing call center business, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with his participation in a scheme to use his call centers to defraud donors of certain political action committees (“PACs”) through false and misleading statements. ZEITLIN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Richard Zeitlin used his telemarketing business to deceive donors into believing they were contributing to charitable causes when, in reality, their money was diverted to political action committees. Zeitlin’s fraudulent actions not only undermined the trust of donors but also exploited their goodwill for personal gain. Today’s announcement highlights this Office’s dedication to holding accountable those who misuse charitable and political organizations to defraud and mislead the public.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court: PACs are entities registered with the Federal Election Commission that may be tax-exempt and collect money to advocate on behalf of or against certain causes and political candidates. By contrast, charities, unlike PACs, typically provide direct services to communities or causes. From at least in or about 2017 up to and including in or about 2020, ZEITLIN used his telemarketing call center business and various associated entities to defraud numerous donors by providing misleading and false information about how the donors’ money would be spent and the nature of the organizations to which they were giving. Specifically, ZEITLIN directed his employees to alter the call scripts used when calling potential donors on behalf of certain PACs in order to mislead potential donors into believing that they would be giving to a direct-services organization ( i.e. , a charity), rather than to a political advocacy organization ( i.e. , a PAC). ZEITLIN directed that these lies, misleading statements, and misrepresentations be made so that donors would be more likely to give money, thereby increasing the funds raised and profits for his businesses – which typically received approximately 90% of the funds donated. In some instances, Zeitlin’s businesses retained 100% of the funds donated with none of the money going to the causes described in telemarketing calls to donors. When one PAC treasurer confronted ZEITLIN with complaints from donors that solicitation calls falsely represented a PAC as a charity, ZEITLIN falsely denied that the calls were being made, acknowledged that such calls would be inappropriate, and refused to give the treasurer any call recordings that would have revealed his fraud. In or about May 2022, after learning that ZEITLIN and his businesses were under federal investigation, ZEITLIN directed his employees to delete electronic messages relating to his businesses. If you believe you are a victim of fraud perpetrated by ZEITLIN, please contact USANYS.PACFraud@usdoj.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov , and find more information here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/united-states-v-richard-zeitlin . * * * ZEITLIN, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. ZEITLIN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kaplan on December 10, 2024. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jane Kim, Emily Deininger, and Rebecca T. Dell are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Lexington County Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Reginald Travis Pearson, 40, of West Columbia, was sentenced to more than 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. Evidence presented to the court showed that between November 2022 and January 2023, Pearson distributed more than 900 grams of methamphetamine and 28 grams of cocaine to undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Additionally, Pearson sold seven firearms, despite being a convicted felon and legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Pearson's criminal record includes previous convictions for petty larceny, and multiple drug-related offenses, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and heroin, as well as heroin distribution. Pearson was sentenced as a career offender based on his six prior drug convictions. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Pearson to 200 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), West Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Rhode Island Department of Human Services Supervisor, Daughter Charged in Schemes to Defraud Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that a Rhode Island Department of Human Services (RI DHS) supervisor now faces federal charges for allegedly using her position to improperly access the personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (SNAP) recipients, as well as SNAP EBT benefit card balance information, and, that she and her daughter allegedly used fraudulently accessed SNAP benefits for their own personal purchases. It is alleged that Nadine Jean Baptiste, 57, of Warwick, repeatedly conducted telephonic balance inquiries on EBT benefit cards, frequently changing the PIN numbers associated with those cards. It is alleged that some of the individuals whose information was repeatedly accessed were either juveniles or individuals who were, at the time, homeless or incarcerated. It is further alleged that SNAP EBT benefit cards with a value of approximately $191,000 were improperly accessed. The investigation into this matter was launched in September 2023, when the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit received complaints from SNAP recipients via the Internal Audit Fraud Hotline alleging that they did not receive EBT benefit cards issued to them, which are commonly mailed to the address of the recipient or obtained in-person from a DHS office in the case of a homeless recipient. Nadine Jean Baptiste and Octavia Jean Baptiste are each charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits, and conspiracy. Nadine Baptiste was arrested earlier today at her place of employment. She is scheduled to appear before a U.S. Magistrate at 2pm. An arrest warrant has been issued for Octavia Baptiste. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, and Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, Warwick Police Department, Providence Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and the Rhode Island Department of Human Services. ### criminal_complaint_and_affidavit.pdf


title: Mexican National Trafficking Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to 12 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Christian Ricardo Arce-Cazares, a 36-year-old resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, illegally present in the United States has been sentenced to 150 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Nash County area. Arce-Cazares pled guilty on November 8, 2022. “Drug traffickers make a mistake when they cross North Carolina state lines,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This trio brought thousands of fentanyl pills to Rocky Mount, tried to flee from deputies, and ditched their ride in a Battleboro field. International traffickers should take note of this dozen year prison sentence. Nash County is a great place for business, but not your business.” According to the court documents and other information presented in court, in May of 2021 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information from a confidential source that a large shipment of narcotics was to be delivered to the Eastern District of North Carolina organized by a Mexican drug trafficker. On June 10, 2021, an undercover officer spoke to the courier and coordinated a meeting at a gas station in Nashville, North Carolina. At that meeting DEA learned that the defendant was the driver of a black vehicle with Nevada license plates. In addition, law enforcement learned that the defendant was accompanied by two additional individuals who were driving a second car with the narcotics hidden inside that vehicle. During the meeting, the defendant stated that the drugs were in a hidden compartment, that they needed a place to remove the drugs, and that they wanted to count the money prior to the exchange. A second meeting was held at a Walmart store in the Rocky Mount area after which law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the second vehicle, a gray SUV. The gray SUV initially stopped. The driver was identified as co-defendant, Yvoanny Osmeo Barrientos-Ochoa. Shortly after exiting the SUV, co-defendant Barrientos returned to the SUV and fled. Law enforcement initiated a pursuit but lost sight of the vehicle, which was later located unoccupied in a field in Battleboro, North Carolina. With the assistance of a K-9, law enforcement ultimately located 7,718 grams of crystal methamphetamine inside the vehicle and in a wooded area next to the grey SUV. A search of the vehicle also yielded 5,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills which weighed 438.10 grams. Thereafter, law enforcement located all three individuals hiding in a hotel and arrested all three individuals. The defendant was found to be responsible for possession with intent to distribute 438.10 gram of fentanyl and 7,718 grams of crystal methamphetamine. “Nash County Sheriff's Office is grateful for the strong relationships we have with our federal partners,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “This case proves how our partnerships effectively remove dangerous criminals from harming our communities. Teamwork is the only way we will make a difference combating gangs, guns, and drugs in Nash County. I appreciate the hard work and dedication that the Nash County Sheriff's Office and our partners demonstrate every day.” The prosecution of Arce-Cazares and Barrientos-Ochoa was a part of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and the Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:22-cr-00175-FL.


title: Cottage Grove Felon Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Cottage Grove man has been charged in a four-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm as a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on July 16, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Jonathan Henry Valencour, 44, in Cottage Grove. Law enforcement seized approximately 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine from a large trash can in the garage of the residence. Law enforcement also seized a firearm with an attached silencer. Because Valencour has prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Washington Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. The indictment charges Valencour with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a felon. Valencour was arraigned yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. He has been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Cottage Grove Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Tuscaloosa-Area Credit Union Insider Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former credit union employee pleaded guilty for her role in a wide-ranging account-takeover scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. Appearing before U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala, Brianna Mckala Johnson , 25, of Tuscaloosa, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, Johnson was previously employed by Alabama Credit Union as a Member Care Agent. In this role, Johnson was able to access credit union member account information including, among other things, the names and personal identifying information of accountholders and their account balances. From August 2022 to January 2023, Johnson abused this access, misappropriating customer account information and then providing that account information to the administrator of a Telegram channel called “The Lucky Shop.” The administrator of “The Lucky Shop” channel sold the information that Johnson provided, including bank logins and digital checks, to customers of his channel. The administrator also worked with others to withdraw funds from certain accounts. This part of the scheme, which the conspirators called “Operation ACU,” included depositing fraudulent checks, submitting fraudulent loan applications, and initiating fraudulent Automated Clearing House transfers. It also included using stolen passcodes to withdraw funds from Automated Teller Machines. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Johnson has agreed to pay at least $406,809.96 in restitution to her former employer as part of her plea agreement. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from Alabama Credit Union, the Tuscaloosa Police Department, and the Orange Beach Police Department. The U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General have assisted in the broader investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter is prosecuting the case.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Leroy Antonio Belin, 31, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 6, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Columbia Police Department discovered Belin in possession of a loaded firearm, ammunition, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and oxycodone. The firearm in Belin's possession was reported stolen from Charlotte, North Carolina. As a result of prior felony convictions, Belin was prohibited from possessing firearms. Belin has previous convictions for attempted murder, discharging firearms into a dwelling, common law robbery, strong arm robbery, and two counts possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person convicted of a violent felony. United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Belin to 100 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Israeli Freight Forwarder Pleads Guilty to Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on Russia

body_text: Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit export control and smuggling violations for his role in a scheme to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government. A sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 22. According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between at least March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States, through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods. For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines. Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than $2 million to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components. The Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch, and Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Commerce Department made the announcement. Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. This case is being coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.


title: Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer Faces Federal Charges for Sexual Assault

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - A Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging Darren Bowannie, age 34, with Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. Bowannie made his first appearance in Federal Court on Monday, September 9, 2024. Bowannie was employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a lead correctional officer. According to the indictment, Bowannie transported individuals who were in the custody of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and Bureau of Indian Affairs to and from the Colville Tribal Correctional Facility in Nespelem, Washington. The indictment alleges that on February 9, 2024, Bowannie, who was working as a correctional officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) at the time, was transporting an individual from Wellpinit, Washington to Nespelem, Washington. In his role as a correctional officer, Bowannie’s duties included prisoner transport to and from the BIA’s jail in Wellpinit. During the transport, Bowannie allegedly threatened and sexually assaulted the individual he was transporting. If convicted, Bowannie faces a sentence of up to life in prison and up to 5 years of supervised release. “Our society places significant trust in law enforcement. Every day we rely on law enforcement officers who put themselves at risk to keep our communities safe and uphold their oath to protect and serve. When law enforcement fails to uphold this trust, my office will carefully investigate allegations of wrongdoing and seek justice to reestablish trust, protect victims, and to keep our communities safe and strong," said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis and Tim M. Durkin 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.