title: Argus Information & Advisory Services agrees to pay $37M to settle allegations that it misused data obtained under government contracts

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Argus Information & Advisory Services, Inc. (Argus) has agreed to pay the United States $37 million to resolve claims under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), involving allegations that Argus improperly accessed, used, and retained anonymized credit card data received pursuant to contracts with various federal regulators, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Argus is incorporated in Delaware, with offices in White Plains, New York. Argus analyzes economic transactions, credit card data, and credit bureau data to provide benchmarking and market analysis products to commercial and government clients. The United States alleged the following conduct. Between March 2009 and March 2017, Argus executed contracts with the OCC, the independent bureau of the United States Treasury Department that charters and regulates national banks and federal savings associations; the FRB, the independent federal regulator for certain banks and bank holding companies; the CFPB, an independent regulator of consumer practices at certain depository institutions; and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Under these contracts, Argus was tasked with performing certain validating, aggregating, storage, retrieval, and reporting services for anonymized credit card data that the regulatory agencies directed the banks to provide. The contracts each placed restrictions on Argus’s ability to use, disclose or distribute credit card data collected from banks for purposes other than the performance of the work under the government contracts. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from November 30, 2010, through December 31, 2020, Argus improperly accessed, used and retained anonymized credit card data that it received under the contracts. The United States alleged that Argus improperly accessed, used, and retained this anonymized credit card data to create synthetic/proxy data that it incorporated into certain products and services it sold to certain commercial customers. The United States further alleged that Argus failed to disclose its improper access, use and retention of credit card data to the United States and its reliance on synthetic/proxy data to its commercial clients. “Those who collect sensitive information for federal regulators should never disregard their contractual obligations to appropriately use and protect that information,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will hold companies accountable when they breach their agreements with regulators and misuse sensitive data for their own commercial gain.” “Companies that do business with the federal government are expected to abide by the terms of their agreements, including any restrictions on the use or disclosure of government supplied data,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will not permit contractors to profit from the misuse of such data and to put the data at risk.” “The American public expects integrity in the processes by which its government provides services and contractors who seek unfair advantage undermine this integrity,” said Acting Inspector General Rich Delmar for Treasury. “Treasury OIG is committed to conducting investigations, audits, and other work to detect and prevent these violations of the public trust.” “Companies that breach their agreements to properly protect and use sensitive financial data must be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez of Headquarters Operations for the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “I commend our agents and their federal law enforcement partners for their hard work, which ultimately led to today’s announcement.” The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the United States Department of Treasury, Office of the Inspector General; and the Office of the Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor for the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Trial Counsels David W. Tyler and Don Williamson from the Commercial Litigation Branch, with investigative support from Senior Special Agent Jacob Heminger from the Department of the Treasury, Office of the Inspector General, and Special Agent Will Burmeister from the Office of the Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability


title: Federal Jury Finds Large-Scale Pittsburgh Fentanyl Trafficker Guilty of Drug and Money Laundering Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for three hours, a federal jury late on the afternoon of March 8, 2024, found Paris Carter guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Carter, 34, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan in Pittsburgh. Evidence introduced during the five-day trial established that, between January 2017 and February 2018, Carter arranged for the illegal importation of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl directly from China and then distributed those drugs throughout the Pittsburgh region. Using the proceeds of his drug trafficking, Carter moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he rented two separate homes at costs of $10,000 and $14,500 per month and also leased three vehicles—two Bentleys and a Mercedes Benz. As part of his money laundering activity, Carter used other individuals to initiate financial transactions in their names to pay for the drugs obtained from China. He also provided drug proceeds to approximately seven other individuals who used these illicit funds to purchase cashier checks that Carter then used as downpayments on his vehicles, which he arranged to lease in the name of his aunt and co-defendant, Tamara Carter, whom the jury acquitted at trial. “Paris Carter flooded the Pittsburgh area with substantial quantities of fentanyl from China and lived large on the proceeds, moving to Beverly Hills and driving multiple Bentleys,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Now, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. We thank our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Pennsylvania State Police for their critical partnership in holding one of our region’s most significant fentanyl distributors accountable for his crimes.” “The guilty verdict of Paris Carter was the culmination of years of tireless efforts by all of our law enforcement partners involved,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Carter purchased kilos of fentanyl from China during the height of the opioid epidemic and used the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle with no regard to the health or safety of the American public. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service takes great pride in upholding our commitment to rid the U.S. Mail of these illicit and dangerous substances.” During trial, the Court also was informed that Carter had previously been convicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania of a serious drug felony—namely, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, for which he was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment in 2011. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $20.5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The United States Postal Inspection Service and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation of Carter. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Detroit-Area Man Found Guilty of Maliciously Setting Fires to Truck Trailers of Major Commercial Trucking Company

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Michigan man was found guilty by a jury today of maliciously setting fires to six semi-trailers belonging to a major commercial trucking company in the Inland Empire and High Desert during a 10-month span. Viorel Pricop, 66, of Allen Park, Michigan, was found guilty of six counts of arson of vehicle or property in interstate commerce. Pricop has been in federal custody since October 2022. According to evidence presented at a 16-day trial, from December 2021 to September 2022, Pricop maliciously set fire to six semi-trailers belonging to Swift Transportation, a Phoenix-based commercial trucking company. Four of the arsons occurred in San Bernardino County (Newberry Springs, Ludlow, Barstow, and Hesperia) and two occurred in Riverside County (Coachella). In each of the incidents, the Swift-owned trailer was parked at or near a truck stop when a fire occurred on the trailer portion of the vehicle, mainly on or near the trailer tires. Pricop set on fire at least 18 additional Swift Transportation semi-trailers in other states from June 2020 to March 2022, according to an affidavit previously filed in this case. These incidents occurred at locations spanning from Barstow, California to McCalla, Alabama, with most incidents occurring along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40, the affidavit states. Federal criminal charges associated with some of these fires were filed against Pricop in the District of New Mexico and the District of Arizona. “This defendant went on a rampage of retaliation against a victim of his last crime,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Rather than take advantage of the second chance offered to him, he chose an incredibly reckless and dangerous path. We will not accept arson and other violent crime on our streets, and I am grateful that this defendant will now be held to account.” “We have methodically worked each of the fire scenes, collected evidence, interviewed witnesses, and reviewed video footage to help us solve these arson cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Phoenix Field Division. “ATF’s certified fire investigators will continue to enforce federal laws pertaining to arson and support our state and local police and fire investigators.” “Since beginning the work to solve this case, our arson investigators did a great job of looking at each fire to put the pieces together,” said New Mexico State Fire Marshal Randy Varela. “We know how important our partnerships with other agencies are, especially with a case that spans across multiple states, and we are proud of the work that we were able to do together to catch this arsonist.” Swift Transportation hired a fire investigation consultant to assist with fire scene examinations. A pattern began to develop when multiple reports noted substantially similar methods of lighting the trailers on fire, including where on the vehicles the fires began, and the fact the fires occurred during the middle of the night. A review of cell tower data near some of the fires showed that a specific device – later found to be a navigation device installed in a commercial tractor-style truck – connected to cell towers near many of the fires at or around the times of the fires. Law enforcement determined that this device was installed on a vehicle operated by Pricop. Law enforcement also identified the cellphone subscribed to Pricop and, after obtaining court authorization, obtained historical cellular data and real-time location information for Pricop’s cellphone. Analysis of this data showed that Pricop’s cellphone was present in the general area of all California fires, as well as the 18 additional fires across the country. In September 2022, search warrants were executed on Pricop’s tractor-trailer, personal vehicle and residence, yielding additional evidence corroborating his involvement in this series of arsons. This evidence included a gas torch, torch-style lighters, and record keeping documents containing location information, such as cargo pickup and delivery dates which coincided with the time and location of several fires in the series of 24 fires across the country. Swift Transportation and other trucking companies were victims of thefts between 2010 and 2014. Swift initiated its own investigation into those thefts and utilized bait trailers to catch thieves. In 2015, someone broke into one of the bait trailers and took boxes of electronic goods containing tracking devices. Swift investigators tracked those boxes to a storage facility in Michigan, and local law enforcement in Michigan arrested Pricop in possession of the boxes of electronic goods from the bait trailer. Pricop was convicted in 2018 in the Eastern District of Michigan for a tax offense and for transportation of stolen goods, charges stemming from the investigation conducted by Swift. Pricop was sentenced to time served in that case, amounting to approximately 26 months’ imprisonment. His term of supervised release ended in June 2019, approximately one year before the arsons in this case began. United States District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes scheduled a June 7 sentencing hearing, at which time Pricop will face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each count. ATF and the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Cory L. Burleson, Sean D. Peterson and Mitchell M. Suliman of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.


title: Cincinnati man pleads guilty to fentanyl crime, money laundering

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in U.S. District to charges related to trafficking fentanyl and laundering the proceeds. Nathaniel Williams, 44, admitted he possessed with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and committed money laundering. His plea agreement includes a recommended 10-year prison sentence. According to court documents, in August 2023, Williams told an undercover agent that he had bulk amounts of cash from trafficking fentanyl and was looking for ways to transfer the money into the banking system. Williams provided cash from his narcotics sales to the undercover agent, who then wired $15,120 of the funds into Williams’s bank account via a wire transfer. Williams withdrew $10,000 of the funds in cash a few days later. On Oct. 18, 2023, agents discovered more than $44,000 in cash at Williams’s residence while executing a search warrant. Officials also recovered approximately 527 grams of fentanyl and fentanyl mixtures in a secret furniture compartment. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the guilty plea entered on March 11 before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. # # #


title: Justice Department Finds Utah Prison System Discriminated Against Incarcerated Individual Based on Gender Dysphoria

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced its finding that the Utah Department of Corrections (UDOC) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against an incarcerated transgender woman on the basis of her disability, gender dysphoria. The department’s investigation found that UDOC failed to provide the complainant (who identifies as female but was assigned male at birth) equal access to health care services after she repeatedly requested hormone therapy. UDOC also failed to make reasonable modifications to its policies and practices to treat the complainant’s gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a serious medical condition marked by clinically significant distress caused by an incongruence between the sex an individual is assigned at birth and their gender identity. Left untreated, individuals with gender dysphoria can experience serious adverse mental health outcomes. “All people with disabilities including those who are incarcerated are protected by the ADA and are entitled to reasonable modifications and equal access to medical care, and that basic right extends to those with gender dysphoria,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that jails and prisons throughout the country do not discriminate against people with disabilities, and that right includes people with gender dysphoria.” The department’s investigation found that UDOC imposed unnecessary barriers to treatment for gender dysphoria that were not required for other health conditions, and unnecessarily delayed the complainant’s treatment. When UDOC finally provided her with hormone therapy, it failed to take basic steps to ensure that the treatment was provided safely and effectively. UDOC also failed to grant the complainant’s requests for reasonable modifications including permitting her to purchase female clothing and personal items in the commissary, modifying pat search policies and individually assessing her housing requests to avoid discrimination on the basis of gender dysphoria. As a result, her gender dysphoria worsened during her incarceration at UDOC. Twenty-two months after entering custody, she performed dangerous self-surgery and removed her own testicles. The department’s written notice to UDOC of its findings details remedial measures necessary to address them. The department’s investigation is part of its broader efforts to combat discrimination against individuals with gender dysphoria. These include the Civil Rights Division’s recently filed statement of interest clarifying that gender dysphoria can be a covered disability under the ADA and explaining that correctional institutions violate the Eighth Amendment when they categorically refuse to provide medically necessary gender-affirming care to incarcerated individuals with gender dysphoria. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section is handling this matter in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov .


title: Grand jury indicts 2 Central Ohio women in $2.8 million in COVID-relief fraud scheme

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged two Central Ohio women with crimes related to fraudulently receiving more than $2.8 million total in covid-relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Lorie A. Schaefer, 62, of Westerville, allegedly received nearly $1.9 million in covid-relief funds by fraudulently claiming an affiliation with an Ohio pizza company. According to the indictment, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021. It is alleged that Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a PPP loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan. Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and allegedly submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer allegedly attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS. Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a condominium in Westerville. Schaefer also allegedly made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia for her personal use. Schaefer allegedly assisted co-defendant Latisha C. Holloway, 42, of Reynoldsburg, in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 in PPP loans. Holloway allegedly claimed to own a business called Jaguar Logistics, LLC. Holloway stated on loan application documents that she had 76 employees and had a total gross income of $4.9 million. Her loan application was submitted within a month of Schaefer receiving PPP loans and records indicate Holloway wired Schaefer $180,000 after receiving her own loan money. According to court records, Holloway similarly attached fraudulent documents to her PPP loan, including a bank statement and tax records. Both defendants allegedly collected unemployment benefits after receiving federal covid-relief funds. Finally, it is alleged that Schaefer used another individual’s Social Security Number to apply for and receive an additional $20,800 in PPP funds for “LS Associates,” a corporation established by Schaefer. The indictment charges each woman with two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and money laundering carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Schaefer and Holloway were arrested in August 2023 and originally charged at that time by criminal complaint. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: New York man sentenced to prison for possessing incendiary device he ignited near victim’s Butler County home

body_text: CINCINNATI – A New York man was sentenced in federal court here today to 46 months in prison for possessing an unregistered incendiary device. The defendant took a two-hour flight to light a woman’s car on fire. Farhan Jami, 29, of East Meadow, New York, constructed an incendiary device, placed it on top of a vehicle’s hood and ignited the device. The fire destroyed the vehicle and damaged the side of the nearby Butler County house, which was occupied at the time of the fire. According to court documents, in May 2023, Jami flew from New York to Ohio and brought thermite (an incendiary powder) and sparklers with him on the flight. In the early morning hours of May 16, 2023, Jami traveled to a residence in Butler County and constructed an incendiary device using the thermite, sparklers and a ceramic pot. He placed the device on the hood of a car at the home and lit the sparklers. He left as the fire began. Home security footage showed Jami wearing a hat, surgical mask and gloves while placing and lighting the device before walking away. While responding to the scene, officers located Jami in a vehicle nearby. His shirt and pants had red residue on them consistent with thermite. Officers also discovered the lighter, hat, mask and gloves used during the crime, as well as a bag of thermite. Jami was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2023. 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 sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Former Jacksonville Jaguars Employee Sentenced To More Than Six Years For Embezzling In Excess Of $22 Million

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Henry L. Adams today sentenced Amit Patel (31, Jacksonville) to six years and six months in federal prison for committing wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction. As part of his sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $22,221,454.40, the proceeds of the wire fraud charge. Patel was also ordered to pay full restitution to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the victim of his offense and his former employer. Patel pleaded guilty on December 14, 2023. According to court documents, Patel operated a fraud scheme through which he embezzled approximately $22,221,454 from the Jaguars. Specifically, Patel used his role as the administrator for the team’s virtual credit card (VCC) program to make hundreds of purchases and transactions with no legitimate business purpose. Then, to hide and continue to operate the scheme, rather than accurately report his VCC transactions, Patel created accounting files that contained numerous false and fraudulent entries and emailed them to the Jaguar’s accounting department. Patel used a variety of methods to hide his illicit transactions by omitting them from the files, while still having the total dollar amount of VCC expenditures match the balances paid by the Jaguars for the VCC program line of credit. For example, to hide his fraudulent VCC transactions, Patel identified legitimate reoccurring VCC transactions, such as catering, airfare, and hotel charges, and then duplicated those transactions; he inflated the amounts of legitimate reoccurring VCC transactions; entered fictitious transactions that sounded plausible, but that never actually occurred; and moved legitimate VCC charges from upcoming months into the month of the accounting file that was immediately due to the accounting department. Patel’s fraudulent transactions began in September 2019 and continued until he was fired by the Jaguars in February 2023. He used the proceeds of this scheme, in whole or part, to place bets with online gambling websites, to purchase a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to pay for personal travel for himself and friends (including chartering private jets and booking luxury hotels and private rental residences), to acquire a new Tesla Model 3 sedan and Nissan pickup truck, to pay a criminal defense law firm, and to purchase cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens, electronics, sports memorabilia, a country club membership, spa treatments, concert and sporting event tickets, home furnishings, and luxury wrist watches. Patel did not report any of this illicit income on his tax returns. “This case exemplifies the FBI’s relentless effort to protect American companies and their customers,” said Mark Dargis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Amit Patel knowingly and wittingly created a deceptive scheme to fund a lavish lifestyle at his employer’s expense, and today’s sentencing is a warning to other scam artists: the FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue corporate fraud investigations to protect consumers from bearing the costs associated with criminal activity.” “Today, the IRS intercepted Patel’s playbook and achieved justice for the American public. Patel deceived the Jacksonville Jaguars and used his position of trust to steal from the team, gamble on games and fund a lavish lifestyle,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Lani Rosado-Espinal. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to provide the financial expertise to unravel sophisticated fraud and money laundering schemes.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna Falzetta and Michael J. Coolican. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Mai Tran and Jennifer Harrington.


title: Rio Rancho Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Eric McLoughlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that Peter Ryan Lynch pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of possession of a firearm not registered with the national firearms registration and transfer records and illegal receipt of an imported firearm. Lynch, 46, of Rio Rancho, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been set. A federal grand jury indicted Lynch on May 18, 2023. According to publicly available court documents, on April 20, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant at Lynch’s residence in Rio Rancho, law enforcement officers located two silencers. In his plea agreement, Lynch admitted that he had ordered them online and that he did not have the proper legal authorization to possess them as he did not have permission from the Attorney General of the United States to import them and they were not registered to Lynch in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. At sentencing Lynch faces up to 10 years in prison. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jon K. Stanford is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Puerto Rico United States Attorney’s Office Announces Whistleblower Pilot Program

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that the Puerto Rico United States Attorney’s Office has launched a Whistleblower Pilot Program designed to encourage early and voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct by individual participants in certain non-violent offenses. In exchange for such self-disclosure and cooperation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will enter into a non-prosecution agreement where certain specified conditions are met, including, importantly, the condition that the government was not previously aware of the criminal conduct that is the subject of the disclosure. By providing clarity on the requirements of the benefits of such self-disclosure, we seek to incentivize individuals (and their counsel) to provide actionable and timely information. That will, in turn, help us bring more misconduct and criminal activity to light and better protect the communities we serve. “Although other U.S. Attorney’s Offices have recently issued a similar policy, this new program follows on the message that this United States Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners have been stressing publicly for the past several years,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Full and complete early cooperation with federal authorities will be rewarded and is essential to our public service mission of rooting out fraud and public corruption and making our communities safer and stronger.” Copies of the Whistleblower Pilot Program memorandum outlining this new policy, as well as a related Intake Form, are attached herewith and can also be found on the United States Attorney’s Office public website, located at https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr . In order to begin the whistleblower process under this program, the Intake Form can be sent via email to USAPR.WBP@usdoj.gov . ### pr_usao_pilot_whistleblower_final.pdf pr_usao_pwp_intake_form.pdf


title: La Fiscalía Federal del Distrito de Puerto Rico anuncia Programa Piloto para Denunciantes (Whistleblower Pilot Program)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – El Fiscal Federal W. Stephen Muldrow anuncia que la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal del Distrito de Puerto Rico ha lanzado un Programa Piloto para Denunciantes ( Whistleblower Pilot Program ) diseñado para fomentar la divulgación temprana y voluntaria de conducta criminal por parte de participantes individuales en ciertos delitos no violentos. A cambio de dicha divulgación y cooperación, la Fiscalía Federal entrará en un acuerdo de no enjuiciamiento cuando se cumplan ciertas condiciones específicas, incluida, sobre todo, la condición de que el gobierno no tuviera conocimiento previo de la conducta delictiva objeto de la divulgación. Al brindar claridad sobre los requisitos de los beneficios de dicha divulgación, buscamos incentivar a las personas (y a sus abogados) a brindar información procesable y oportuna. Eso, a su vez, nos ayudará a sacar a la luz más conductas indebidas y actividades delictivas, y a proteger mejor a las comunidades a las que servimos. “Aunque otros Distritos han emitido recientemente una política similar, este nuevo programa sigue el mensaje que esta Fiscalía Federal y nuestros socios federales del orden público han estado enfatizando públicamente durante los últimos años,” dijo el Fiscal Federal W. Stephen Muldrow. “La cooperación temprana y completa con las autoridades federales será recompensada, al igual que es esencial para nuestra misión de servicio público de erradicar el fraude y la corrupción pública, y hacer que nuestras comunidades sean más seguras y fuertes.” Adjunto incluimos copias del memorando del Programa Piloto para Denunciantes y del Formulario de Admisión. También se pueden encontrar en el sitio web público de Fiscalía Federal, ubicado en https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr . Para comenzar el proceso de denuncia de irregularidades bajo este programa, el Formulario de Admisión se puede enviar por correo electrónico a USAPR.WBP@usdoj.gov . ### pr_usao_pilot_whistleblower_final.pdf pr_usao_pwp_intake_form.pdf


title: Colorado Man Sentenced for Firearms Dealing and Trafficking in the DMV

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Demarco Diggs, 26, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for dealing firearms without a license and trafficking firearms into the District of Columbia. Diggs used various methods to advertise his weapons for sale, most often through Instagram, and intentionally sold them to convicted felons who were prohibited from buying weapons. Law enforcement has now recovered multiple firearms that Diggs trafficked, including six within the D.C. Metropolitan Area, which include guns that have been involved in multiple shootings or discharges in the DMV area. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Acting U.S. Marshal Ronald Carter of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Diggs pleaded guilty on November 14, 2023, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of illegal transport of a firearm. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth ordered Diggs to serve three of supervised release on completion of his prison sentence. Diggs has agreed to forfeit 25 firearms, including pistols, rifles, and shotguns, as well as an assortment of ammunition. In court documents, Diggs agreed that his firearms dealing involved up to 24 firearms. Between September 2021 and September 2023, law enforcement recovered six firearms in the D.C. Metropolitan Area which were traced back to being purchased and subsequently re-sold by Diggs. The firearms were linked to shootings or discharges and theft incidents, and one firearm was recovered from a November 2022 search warrant at the residence of Quinton McLean. McLean was indicted as a result of that search warrant and, in March 2023, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Judge Lamberth sentenced McLean to 34 months’ imprisonment and 36 months of supervised release. Investigators determined that each of the recovered firearms had been purchased by Diggs in Georgia in April and June 2021, where Diggs resided at the time. In June and July 2021, Diggs traveled from Georgia to Washington, D.C., to sell firearms to prohibited persons. To date, law enforcement has identified nearly two dozen firearms that Diggs purchased from federal firearm licensees (FFLs) and at gun shows between 2020 and 2023, which were then re-sold by Diggs for profit. Over the course of his illegal firearms trafficking, Diggs often employed Instagram to identify prospective customers to whom he would re-sell firearms that he purchased. According to court documents, Diggs used direct messages to display inventories of weapons for sale to prospective customers. In one such Instagram direct message exchange, Diggs explained to a prospective customer that he was selling his firearms “for people that [can’t] get them on [their] own.” On March 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at two separate residences associated with Diggs in Aurora, Colorado. From those searches, law enforcement recovered more than a half-dozen firearms, assorted ammunition and magazines, and two gun cases bearing serial numbers that matched to firearms recovered in the D.C. Metropolitan Area. This investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), with assistance from the ATF Denver Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew W. Kinskey of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section and Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam L.D. Stempel and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy T. Wang.


title: Schuylkill County Man Indicted For Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jose Miguel Peralta, Jr., age 35, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for fentanyl trafficking in Luzerne County. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Peralta with one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Under federal law, for the fentanyl trafficking charges, Peralta faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. For the firearms charge, Peralta faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Paul Hendler Imprisoned on Federal Forgery Charge

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Paul Hendler, 52, of Burlington, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to a total of 36 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a federal forgery charge. As part of these court proceedings, Hendler also admitted that he violated the terms of his supervised release on an earlier federal fraud conviction. Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered that Hendler serve 26 months on the forgery case and a consecutive 10-month term for violating supervised release. This combined 36-month term represented an upward variance from the advisory Sentencing Guidelines. The court ordered that Hendler serve an additional three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. It also ordered Hendler to pay restitution in the amount of $80,000. Hendler has been detained without bail since entering his guilty plea last summer. In 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont first charged Hendler in a wide-ranging fraud indictment that accused him of committing a variety of frauds against individuals and businesses. Hendler eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering, and in 2015, was sent to prison. The court also ordered Hendler to pay restitution to multiple victims in a total amount of about $555,000. When Hendler was released from prison, he began a three-year term of supervised release. As a condition of supervised release, the court ordered Hendler to pay 10% of his gross monthly income toward his restitution obligation. Hendler’s release was supervised by the U.S. Probation Office in Vermont, and Hendler was required to submit monthly supervision reports to the Probation Office that included disclosures about monthly earnings and other cash inflows. On January 27, 2022, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a two-count indictment that charged Hendler with forgery and making false statements. According to the indictment, between 2019 and January 2021, Hendler performed some consulting and other work for a business that operated two restaurants in South Hero, Vermont. In 2020, Hendler took possession of the company’s checkbook. Between 2019 and January 2021, the indictment alleges, Hendler embezzled tens of thousands of dollars from the business by stealing cash receipts generated by the restaurants, forging the business owner’s signature on checks Hendler made out to himself, and by fraudulently inducing the owner to give him blank checks, signed by her, which Hendler then made payable to himself. The second count of the indictment accused Hendler of making materially false statements to the U.S. Probation Office in his monthly supervision reports. According to the indictment, the reports Hendler filled out and gave to Probation significantly underreported the amount of money Hendler was receiving from the South Hero restaurant business. Hendler pleaded guilty to the forgery charge in July 2023. At that time, he also admitted that he violated his supervised release by not paying restitution in a timely way to the victims of his first indictment. This case was investigated by the Boston Office of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration, and U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest commends the investigators for their excellent work. Hendler is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq. and Amanda Hemley, Esq.. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: Bitcoin Fog Operator Convicted of Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Washington, D.C., convicted a dual Russian-Swedish national today for his operation of the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet. “Roman Sterlingov thought he could use the shadows of the internet to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in bitcoin without getting caught. But he was wrong,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Our team of agents, analysts, and prosecutors were relentless in their pursuit of justice, painstakingly tracing bitcoin through the blockchain to hold Sterlingov and his Bitcoin Fog enterprise to account. Today, a jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts — showing that no matter where you operate, if your cryptocurrency service reaches the United States, you must abide by U.S. law.” “The FBI’s cyber workforce remains relentless in the pursuit of criminals who leverage technology to conduct and facilitate illegal activity,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Today’s conviction is the result of close collaboration between the FBI and our federal and international partners to impose consequences on Bitcoin Fog and its operator for their money laundering activities. The FBI will continue to use all available tools and resources to impose costs on cybercriminals, no matter where they operate.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Roman Sterlingov, 35, was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog from 2011 through 2021. Bitcoin Fog was the longest-running cryptocurrency “mixer,” gaining notoriety as a go-to money laundering service for criminals seeking to hide their illicit proceeds from law enforcement. Over the course of its decade-long operation, Bitcoin Fog moved over 1.2 million bitcoin, which was valued at approximately $400 million at the time of the transactions. The bulk of this cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer crimes, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material. “Roman Sterlingov operated Bitcoin Fog, a cryptocurrency ‘mixing’ service that allowed criminals to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit funds from darknet marketplaces. The defendant and his customers believed they could use Bitcoin Fog to conceal these illicit transactions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As the jury’s guilty verdict shows, that belief was mistaken. The Criminal Division is committed to unmasking and prosecuting those who use technology to hide their crimes, no matter how sophisticated the scheme may be.” “Darknet criminals should know by now that operations like Bitcoin Fog cannot provide the anonymity for cryptocurrency transactions that they claim they can,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This conviction demonstrates that the United States can and will combat the use of technology to carry out crimes in cyberspace.” “Evidence presented at trial clearly showed that the defendant laundered hundreds of millions of illicit funds from the dark web through Bitcoin Fog in an attempt to conceal the origin of those funds,” said Chief Jim Lee of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are specially equipped to follow the complex financial trail left by criminals, and we are dedicated to holding those accountable for crimes committed.” The jury convicted Sterlingov of money laundering conspiracy and sting money laundering, which each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and money transmission without a license in the District of Columbia, which each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit provided invaluable assistance. Additional assistance was provided by Europol; the Swedish Economic Crime Authority, Swedish Prosecution Authority, and Swedish Police Authority; and the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police, Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime, and Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism. Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Pelker and Brown are members of CCIPS’ National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). CCIPS Paralegal Specialist Divya Ramjee and Paralegal Specialist Angela De Falco for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance.


title: Duwamish River Settlement Provides Benefits to Fish, Wildlife and Local Communities

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today the Elliott Bay Trustees announced a settlement with General Recycling of Washington LLC (General Recycling) and its affiliates – Nucor Steel Seattle Inc. and the David J. Joseph Company – related to natural resource injuries caused by hazardous contaminants released into Seattle’s Lower Duwamish River. The Elliott Bay Trustees include the United States, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the Department of the Interior represented by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; the State of Washington, on behalf of the Department of Ecology and Department of Fish and Wildlife; the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe; and the Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation. As part of the settlement, the companies will construct and maintain a habitat restoration project at the General Recycling facility, located on the west bank of the Lower Duwamish River. It will provide nearly three acres of off-channel habitat for fish and other wildlife and natural resources injured by contamination. This habitat will provide refuge areas and food sources for wildlife and various fish species, including juvenile salmon migrating from upriver spawning areas. The settlement also requires the companies to reimburse a proportion of costs incurred by the Trustees to assess natural resource damages in the river totaling more than $360,000. The settlement and project resolve claims alleged under federal and state laws for natural resource damages stemming from releases of oil and hazardous substances from the General Recycling facility. “This settlement will provide critically needed habitat in the Lower Duwamish River that will provide significant benefits to important natural resources in the region,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “NOAA is pleased to join this agreement with our co-trustees, private partners and industry to help restore vital habitats, fisheries and wildlife injured by pollution at this site,” said Assistant Administrator Nicole LeBoeuf for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “Clean and productive waterways are vital to Tribal and local communities for their cultural and economic well-being and this restoration will especially benefit those who have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.” “This agreement marks an important step towards restoration of salmon habitat in the Duwamish River, which is essential for the recovery of salmon species and for the exercise of the treaty fishing rights of the Suquamish people as guaranteed by the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott,” said Chairman Leonard Forsman of the Suquamish Tribe. “The Salish Sea, and the marine life that depend on it, are precious resources to the Suquamish people. We look forward to continued progress in reversing the damage done by years of pollution and destructive land use. With this settlement, and more that are on the way, we are beginning to see what restoration of habitat looks like, and that means strengthening our treaty fishery and our way of life.” “This project on the Duwamish River will restore habitat for fish, wildlife and birds in a crucial estuarine environment,” said Washington State Supervisor Brad Thompson of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. “It exemplifies what can be accomplished when partners come together to develop a common vision and then work side by side to realize that vision.” “Ecology is pleased General Recycling and co-trustees have reached this settlement that will aid the recovery of the Lower Duwamish River, benefiting both wildlife and Washington residents,” said Natural Resource Trustee Michael L. Blanton for the Washington State Department of Ecology. “The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fully supports this project that will restore valuable out-migrating juvenile salmonid habitat, while also removing a significant amount of shoreline armoring, shoreline debris, and creosote-treated pilings, a source of PAH contamination harmful to fish and wildlife,” said Trustee Representative Laura Arber for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “This rearing habitat, in a heavily industrialized area, will benefit multiple species including ESA listed juvenile salmonids in the Lower Duwamish estuary and bring us one step closer to salmon recovery.” The Elliott Bay Trustees developed a Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) analyzing the environmental benefits and impacts of the project, which is also subject to a 30-day comment period. A copy of the draft RP/EA is available here . This settlement is part of a series of early settlements with polluting parties for natural resource damages in the Lower Duwamish River. More information about the Lower Duwamish River Natural Resource Damage Assessment is online at: https://darrp.noaa.gov/hazardous-waste/lower-duwamish-river . Today’s settlement was filed by the Justice Department’s Environmental Enforcement Section in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval. To view and comment on the proposed Consent Decree, visit the department’s website: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Browning man admits shooting, wounding man on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused of shooting and wounding a man in the head on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Joseph Paul Vandenberg, 20, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a crime of violence as charged in an indictment. Vandenberg faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the assault charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for July 11. Vandenberg was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in the early morning hours of March 11, 2022 in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Vandenberg was a backseat passenger in a vehicle that was cruising around when the driver pulled up and blocked the driveway of a home as the victim, identified as John Doe, and a friend, got into a SUV that was backed into the driveway. Doe tried to maneuver around the vehicle. Vandenberg opened the back door of the vehicle, pulled out a firearm and fired a round as Doe’s vehicle was driving away. The bullet grazed the side of Doe’s head and lodged in the dashboard at the base of the windshield. Doe was treated for a large laceration on his head. Vandenberg admitted to being the shooter and told law enforcement that the driver told him to shoot, and he did because he was scared. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Lawrence Woman Sentenced in Conspiracy to Use Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Purchase Vehicles

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced today for her role in a scheme to use the stolen identities of United States citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently purchase vehicles. Wanda Sanchez, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years of probation. In November 2023, Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and false representation of a Social Security number. In January 2019, Sanchez visited a Massachusetts car dealership in an attempt to purchase a late-model vehicle and applied for 100% financing. In support of the application, Sanchez provided stolen biographical information of a real United States citizen, along with a fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s license and a Social Security card in that identity as proof of identification. When Sanchez’s co-defendant and then-boyfriend Ricardo Acevedo arrived at the dealership to obtain the vehicle, he was immediately taken into custody. In May 2023, Acevedo was sentenced to six years in prison after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Sanchez is the fifth defendant to be sentenced in this case. Altogether, Sanchez and her co-conspirators fraudulently purchased at least 47 vehicles and over $270,000 in other merchandise using stolen identities, resulting in over $2 million in losses. The co-conspirators have been ordered to pay over $781,000 in restitution to victims who submitted claims. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.


title: Sex Traffickers Convicted of Cross-Country Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On March 8, a federal trial jury in Miami found Xavier Latrell Smith, 34, and Jayla Denice Welch, 22, both of Texas, guilty of carrying out a sex trafficking conspiracy involving a minor victim. Smith and Welch were convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor to engage in sexual activity, and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. In addition, Smith was convicted of two counts of commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender. During the five-day trial, the government put on evidence that showed Smith, a registered sex offender, and Welch lured the minor victim to engage in sexual acts with false promises of a better life. Smith and Welch then posted commercial sex ads of the minor victim online as they travelled with the victim from Texas to Louisiana to Florida, where she was trafficked and engaged in prostitution. Smith and Welch collected the money the victim received from the unlawful sexual acts. Based on the evidence presented, the minor victim was rescued from a hotel room reserved and paid for by Smith and occupied by Welch and the minor victim. During the course of the investigation, Smith’s cellular device rang when agents called the TextNow number associated with the minor victim’s commercial sex ads. After the minor victim was rescued, law enforcement reviewed Smith and Welch’s phones and recovered records of them photographing, posting and maintaining the commercial sex ads of the minor victim in six different cities. Welch and Smith both paid for and reserved hotel rooms that the minor victim used for the illegal sexual activity with the commercial sex customers. Smith and Welch are scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom. Smith faces a maximum penalty of life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Welch faces a maximum penalty of life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in partnership with MDPD’s Human Trafficking Squad, and the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Bertila Lilia Fernandez are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eloisa Fernandez is handling asset forfeiture. To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org . The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously. To learn more about the hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20122. ###


title: Montana Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Wildlife Trafficking Charges as Part of Yearslong Effort to Create Giant Hybrid Sheep for Captive Hunting

body_text: A Montana man pleaded guilty today to two felony wildlife crimes – a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and substantively violating the Lacey Act – as part of an almost decade-long effort to create giant sheep hybrids in the United States with an aim to sell the species to captive hunting facilities. Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 80, of Vaughn, Montana, is the owner and operator of Sun River Enterprises LLC – also known as Schubarth Ranch – which is a 215-acre alternative livestock ranch in Vaughn. The Schubarth Ranch is engaged in the purchase, sale and breeding of “alternative livestock” such as mountain sheep, mountain goats and various ungulates. The primary market for Schubarth’s livestock is captive hunting operations, also known as shooting preserves or game ranches. According to court documents, Schubarth conspired with at least five other individuals between 2013 and 2021 to create a larger hybrid species of sheep that would garner higher prices from shooting preserves. Schubarth brought parts of the largest sheep in the world, Marco Polo argali sheep ( Ovis ammon polii ), from Kyrgyzstan into the United States without declaring the importation. Average males can weigh more than 300 pounds with horns that span more than five feet. Marco Polo argali are native to the high elevations of the Pamir region of Central Asia. They are protected internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, domestically by the U.S. Endangered Species Act and are prohibited in the State of Montana to protect native sheep from disease and hybridization. Schubarth sent genetic material from the argali parts to a lab to create cloned embryos. Schubarth then implanted the embryos in ewes on his ranch, resulting in a single, pure genetic male Marco Polo argali that he named “Montana Mountain King” or MMK. Court documents explain that Schubarth worked with the other unnamed coconspirators to use MMK’s semen to artificially impregnate various other species of ewes – all of which were prohibited in Montana – and create hybrid animals. Their goal was to create a larger and more valuable species of sheep to sell to captive hunting facilities, primarily in Texas. To move the prohibited sheep into and out of Montana, Schubarth and others forged veterinary inspection certificates, falsely claiming that the sheep were legally permitted species. On occasion, Schubarth sold MMK semen directly to sheep breeders in other states. Court documents also describe how Schubarth illegally obtained genetic material from wild-hunted Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Montana. Schubarth purchased parts of these wild-hunted sheep in violation of Montana law, which prohibits the sale of game animal parts within the state and prohibits the use of Montana game animals on alternative livestock ranches. Schubarth transported and sold the bighorn parts in interstate commerce. “This was an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “In pursuit of this scheme, Schubarth violated international law and the Lacey Act, both of which protect the viability and health of native populations of animals.” “The kind of crime we uncovered here could threaten the integrity of our wildlife species in Montana,” said Ron Howell, Chief of Enforcement for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). “This was a complex case and the partnership between us and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service was critical in solving it.” The Lacey Act prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law. The Lacey Act also prohibits the interstate sale of wildlife that has been falsely labeled. The Act is one of the most powerful tools the United States has to combat wildlife trafficking and prevent ecological invasion by injurious wildlife. For each felony count, Schubarth faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. Schubarth is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris for the District of Montana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana FWP are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Sarah M. Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes for the District of Montana are prosecuting the case.


title: Member of Catalytic Converter Theft Crew Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles, robbed jewelry stores and stole ATMs. Nicolas Davila, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 37 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023 , Davila, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The drug charge arises from cocaine found during the search of Nicolas Davila’s residence as part of the catalytic converter theft investigation. In April 2023 , Nicholas Davila was arrested and charged along with six others in connection with the theft, transportation and sale of stolen catalytic converters taken from at least 496 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 through April 2023 alone. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement. According to court filings, there has been a precipitous decline in catalytic converter thefts reported in Massachusetts as a result of the April 2023 takedown – with only seven reported incidents of catalytic converter theft over the past 11 months following the arrests, in comparison to the hundreds of thefts reported during the nine-month period prior. Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem across a multitude of state, local, and federal jurisdictions due to the high-valued precious metals they contain – some of which are more valuable than gold, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each in recent years. The theft of a vehicle’s catalytic converter results in damage that renders the vehicle inoperable – both mechanically and legally under EPA regulations. Nicolas Davila was a member of a skilled, organized theft crew allegedly led by his brother, Rafael Davila, that utilized battery operated power-tools, car jacks to cut away and steal catalytic converters from vehicles across Massachusetts and into New Hampshire. The catalytic converter thefts were predicated upon the use of an internet application that provided real-time pricing for catalytic converters quantifying the commodity prices of the amounts of precious metal in a particular vehicle’s converter. Equipped with special knowledge of the values on the black market and technical skill with vehicles, the defendants targeted specific makes and models of vehicles to maximize the profits. The theft crew would travel hundreds of miles, hours on end in a single night, to specific locations, including home driveways and business parking lots, where large numbers of these vehicles were located in order obtain an economy of scale. On numerous occasions, the crew targeted more than 10 vehicles in a single night, with one night reporting thefts from 26 vehicles. As a result of the thefts, losses were determined to be approximately $5,000 per vehicle with certain trucks costing over $10,000 to repair. This amounts to an approximate $2 million in losses suffered by more than 300 separate victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end. The more than 300 victims included businesses and individuals from all walks of life and all parts of Massachusetts and some from New Hampshire. They included a food pantry, families, automotive businesses, tradesmen, a bakery, single parents, a home healthcare provider and the elderly. Some businesses were repeatedly targeted on multiple nights. Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. In particular, Torres sold stolen catalytic converters to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma. At sentencing, Nicolas Davila was held accountable for his participation in thefts of catalytic converters from 42 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Nicolas Davila was also held accountable for possessing cocaine and a firearm at the time of his arrest in April 2023. Nicolas Davila is the fifth defendant to plead guilty in this case. In addition to the federal charges, Nicolas Davila separately faces a pending murder indictment in Hampden County Superior Court. His brother and the alleged leader of the theft crew, Rafael Davila, has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of interstate transportation of stolen property each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts police departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The New Hampshire police departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem and Windham. The South Windsor and Windsor Connecticut Police Departments also contributed to the investigation. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: HONDURAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO 9 YEARS FOR  MASSIVE IMMIGRATION FRAUD SCHEME

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national living in Pensacola, Florida has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for orchestrating a massive immigration fraud scheme involving over 425 victims nationwide. According to court documents, Franklin Javier Perez-Rios, age 29, orchestrated a fraud scheme from 2017 through 2023 in which he claimed to be able to provide immigration-related services to foreign nationals living in the United States. As part of this scheme, Perez-Rios, who had no legitimate qualifications, pretended at various times to be a current United States government official, a former United States government official, an immigration attorney, a paralegal, or other immigration services professional. Believing that Perez-Rios could help them gain lawful status in the United States, hundreds of victims in Florida, Alabama, and at least fourteen other states paid Perez-Rios thousands of dollars each for what they believed were legitimate, legal immigration services. Foreign national victims hired Perez-Rios with the hope that he could help them achieve legal status after years of residing in the United States. Perez-Rios did not obtain status for any of the victims as he promised. Rather, he routinely filed asylum paperwork with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) on the victims’ behalf, and then told them that they had to travel to California with him where they were subject to medical examinations and vaccinations. Neither the medical examinations nor the trips to California were legitimately part of the asylum process. For other victims, Perez-Rios filed no paperwork on their behalf despite saying he would. To keep the victims believing he was working on their behalf, Perez-Rios provided them with forged documentation supposedly from the United States Government. These forged documents led many victims to believe that they had obtained legal status in the United States when, in fact, they had not. Victims paid Perez-Rios several thousand dollars each, often in cash, for his sham immigration services. Victims were falsely led to believe that much of this money consisted of “fees” that they had to pay to the United States government, including a fictitious “forgiveness fee” for illegally entering the United States. Perez-Rios profited at least $2.8 million dollars from victims during this scheme, and he used this money for gambling and to fund his lavish lifestyle. Approximately 50 victims attended Perez-Rios’s sentencing hearing on March 8, and many explained to U.S. District Court Judge Kristi DuBose how this scheme affected them. Most victims were from Spanish speaking countries, and they believed that Perez-Rios was one of their own, someone they could trust in their efforts to obtain legal status. The victims explained that Perez-Rios preyed on this trust and exploited their naivete concerning the actual immigration process. Many victims missed important deadlines to apply for asylum because they believed Perez-Rios was doing so on their behalf. All the victims who spoke at the sentencing hearing described how Perez-Rios abused their trust. Perez-Rios pleaded guilty to nine counts of wire fraud associated with the scheme, and the United States recommended a sentence at the high end of the advisory guidelines range. Judge DuBose agreed with the United States’ recommendation and sentenced Perez-Rios to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Judge DuBose entered a forfeiture money judgment against Perez-Rios for over $2.8 million, representing the amount of illegal proceeds obtained from his scheme. Perez-Rios was also ordered to pay nearly $2.5 million dollars in restitution to victims of his scheme. “This defendant exploited vulnerable victims and abused their trust, twisting the United States immigration process to his own selfish ends,” said United States Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Working with our partners in law enforcement, we will bring to justice anyone who tries to take advantage of the immigration system to line their own pockets.” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Mobile and Pensacola led this investigation in collaboration with USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS). Several other agencies assisted HSI in this investigation including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) Office of Field Operations, United States Border Patrol (USBP) Mobile Station, Pensacola Police Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin D. Kopf and Christopher J. Bodnar prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Gordon and Ryan Love of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida also assisted in the successful prosecution of this case. If you believe Perez-Rios filed an application on your behalf, you can call the USCIS Customer Service hotline at 1-800-375-5283 and inquire on the status of your immigration application. The hotline is operational from 8 am to 8 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) Monday through Friday. If you know your Alien Registration number (also referred to as your A Number) and/or receipt number, you can check the status of your case online at https://www.uscis.gov/tools/checking-your-case-status-online. You should also update your contact information for any pending applications with USCIS. Information on how to update your address with USCIS can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange.


title: North Carolina Home Health Care Agency And Owner Agree To Pay $600,000 To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Family First Home Health Care, Inc. (Family First), a home health care agency located in Gastonia, N.C. (now d/b/a Gaston Piedmont Health Care Inc.), and its owner Marion James (James) have agreed to collectively pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts from January 1, 2015, through January 9, 2020, by submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for reimbursement, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Specifically, the United States and State of North Carolina (together, the Governments) alleged that Family First and James billed Medicaid for personal care services that were never performed, such as billing for in-home services on days when patients were hospitalized. Similarly, the Governments alleged that Family First and James billed for years of personal care services purportedly provided to patients in their homes by James’ daughter while she was hours away at college as a full-time student playing on the varsity basketball team, or billed for services provided by an aide after that aide had moved out of state. The Governments further alleged that Family First and James engaged in a scheme to have family member aides provide personal care services to their own family member beneficiaries (for example, a daughter providing services to her mother) in violation of state Medicaid regulations, and then fraudulently bill for those services as if they were performed by a non-related aide, forging documents and signatures to perpetuate the scheme. “Medicaid beneficiaries qualifying for personal care services are those that require assistance with daily living tasks, often the elderly. This settlement demonstrates that those who would profit from defrauding government healthcare payors while taking advantage of vulnerable patients entrusted to their care will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Submitting false claims to Medicaid undermines the integrity of the program and wastes valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed to investigating providers who allegedly defraud federal health care programs.” “These defendants stole hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars while never actually providing the care they claimed to,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “My office will hold accountable those who defraud the Medicaid system and take away resources from people who need them.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by former Family First employee Heather Coleman. Under those provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Coleman v. Family First Home Health Care, LLC and Marion James , No. 3:19-CV-405 (W.D.N.C.). The settlement amount was based on Family First and James’ ability to pay. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson and Investigator Cathleen Hollowell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte investigated the matter, in conjunction with the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Fentanyl Death

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls man convicted of one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on March 11, 2024. Armando Angel Cheshier, 25, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on the count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death. He was also sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on both counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. All sentences are to run concurrently with one another. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12, 457.85 and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Cheshier was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He was found guilty on all counts by a jury on November 22, 2023. Cheshier distributed fentanyl and Xanax to the victim in this case, which ultimately resulted in her death, due to the fatal amounts of fentanyl in her system. The defendant and victim in this case were friends and had spent the night together, after both ingesting multiple illegal narcotics. The defendant awoke the next day to find the victim lying lifeless in his bed. After Cheshier traveled across town to obtain Narcan to administer to the victim, the authorities were then called, and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. An interview of the defendant following the incident revealed that he had not only provided the fentanyl that caused the overdose, but that he had also ingested the remaining pills prior to authorities arriving at the scene. Prior to the date of the overdose incident, Cheshier had traveled to Minneapolis to obtain 100 fentanyl pills, which were for both personal use and distribution in the Sioux Falls area. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Cheshier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of Child in Indian Country


title: Stanberry Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Stanberry, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun. Erin L. Graves, 44, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment alleges that Graves was in possession of a Remington 20-gauge shotgun, which had a barrel of less than 18 inches in length, on Jan. 15, 2024. Graves is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Graves has five prior felony convictions for stealing, two prior felony convictions for driving while suspended or revoked, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, two prior felony convictions for burglary, and prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Gentry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, and the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Woman Charged with Robbing Waterbury and Bristol Banks in February

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging HEATHER BROWN, 49, last residing in New Haven, with robbing three Connecticut banks last month. The indictment alleges that Brown robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located at 800 Wolcott Street in Waterbury on February 6, 2024; the Liberty Bank located at 1030 Hamilton Avenue in Waterbury on February 7, 2024; and the Webster Bank located at 575 Farmington Avenue in Bristol on February 9, 2024. Brown has been in custody since her arrest on state charges on February 9, 2024. The indictment charges Brown with three counts of bank robbery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterbury, Bristol, and Southington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Nathan J. Guevremont.