title: Two convicted in multimillion-dollar adult daycare fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against a doctor and a clinic employee for receiving illegal kickbacks after ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before finding Dr. Osama Nahas, 69, McAllen, and Isabel Pruneda, 53, Edinburg, guilty of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute following a two-week trial. Pruneda was also convicted for aggravated identity theft. “Adult day cares are supposed to be places where the elderly and vulnerable feel safe, not vehicles for scheming doctors and staff to make illegal profits through kickbacks and get-rich quick opportunities” said Hamdani. “Nahas and Pruneda preyed on the elderly by bribing their way into adult care facilities, abusing the trust and respect that doctors and medical professionals ordinarily deserve. Today’s conviction sends a message that patients should never be seen merely as dollar signs and that kickbacks play no role in the services that doctors order.” Nahas is the owner and physician at Crosspoint Medical Clinic in Edinburg. He would travel to adult day care centers around the Rio Grande Valley ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions on behalf of elderly and vulnerable clients who were spending time there. Pruneda, a medical assistant at Crosspoint, assisted Nahas in the scheme, helping to forge patient signatures on consent forms and misappropriate expensive patient medications such as pain creams. Among other things, Pruneda would strip patient information off and remove creams from their boxes so that she could hand them out as “goodie bags” to incentivize patients to be tested. From January 2016 to December 2017, Nahas and Pruneda ordered unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions which resulting in millions in losses. They directed those prescriptions and tests to companies who then paid them in kickbacks. In June 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crosspoint and found hundreds of thousands in stolen medications. Nahas and Pruneda also bribed their way into the adult daycare facilities by offering kickbacks to the adult daycare owners disguised as “rent” payments. The jury heard witness testimony revealing both Nahas and Pruneda accepted bribes in exchange for referrals, many of which were also disguised as “rent” payments. Evidence revealed that both received tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from January 2016 to December 2017. Nahas attempted to convince the jury the payments he received were legitimate “rent” payments for the use of space, and Pruneda ordered all the prescriptions and lab tests without his consent. Conversely, Pruneda’s defense argued she was doing what Nahas taught her and following orders, and she denied committing any forgeries. The jury did not believe those claims and found both guilty as charged. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 16. At that time, both face up to 10 years in federal prison for the healthcare fraud conspiracy and each substantive healthcare fraud conviction, while the kickback conspiracy carries another possible five years in prison. For aggravated identity theft, Pruneda must also serve a mandatory two years which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. They could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines. Pruneda was taken into custody while Nahas was permitted to remain on bond pending their detention hearings set for March 4 and 8, respectively. The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Health and Human Services - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.


title: Indictment Charges Bridgeport Man with Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging LAMAR DWIGHT BLAKE, 46, of Bridgeport, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment was returned on January 31, 2023, and Blake was arrested on February 26, 2023. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. As alleged in the indictment, on August 6, 2023, Blake possessed a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. It is further alleged that Blake’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for possession of narcotics with intent to sell, attempted assault in the second degree, possession of narcotics, and criminal possession of a firearm. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. If convicted of the charge, Blake faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. 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. Blake is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison For Shooting in Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tyrone Hawkins, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a nine-year prison term for shooting a man outside of the man’s home in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced. Hawkins pleaded guilty in September, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with intent to kill and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentencing guidelines called for a range of five to nine years, and the Honorable Michael O’Keefe sentenced Hawkins to the maximum of nine years on March 1, 2024. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 23, 2021, Hawkins’ co-defendant, Clint Broadus, was driving a car that belonged to Hawkins’s mother, and pulled up beside the victim, who was speaking on a cellphone outside of his home. Hawkins was riding as a passenger in the front seat of the car. Hawkins asked the victim, “where's the weed at?” The victim replied that he didn't have any marijuana, and Broadus drove the vehicle down the street and parked. Hawkins and Broadus exited the vehicle, had a conversation over the hood of the car, and then approached the victim from different directions. Broadus ran across the street towards the victim, reaching for a firearm in his waistband, while Hawkins approached the victim from the same side of the road as where the victim was standing. The victim saw Broadus running towards him, produced a personal pepper spray container and sprayed Broadus with it. Broadus ducked and ran away from the scene. At nearly the same time that the victim deployed pepper spray, Hawkins, who was standing to the victim’s left, pointed a silver-barreled pistol at him and fired multiple times. The victim attempted to flee behind vehicles parked on the street in front of his home, while the defendant fired at him 7 to 11 times. The victim sustained an injury to his upper arm from bullet fragments; multiple vehicles parked along the street were damaged as a result of the gunfire. Hawkins was arrested the same day and has been in custody ever since. The co-defendant, Clint Broadus, was sentenced on February 16, 2024, to a five-year prison sentence for assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence pursuant to a plea agreement that was accepted by the Court. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Abubaker Alaway, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Folse, who investigated and prosecuted the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of others who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin DeRiso and Jessica Ans, Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Ronald Holley, 41years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Holley was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on August 4, 2022, Holley distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery. 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: Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Indicted in Shooting Death of Fellow Agent

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted Larry Edward Brown, Jr., 42, of Peoria, on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter of an Officer of the United States. The indictment alleges that on August 17, 2023, Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) used the firearm range at the Federal Correctional Institution – Phoenix for standard pistol qualifications and classroom training. Brown, who has served as a special agent for IRS-CI for over 12 years, is a trained Use of Force Instructor. After all training had concluded for the day, Brown entered a building known as the “Tower,” a small, one-room structure with an interior measuring approximately eight feet by nine feet, located on the range where firearms instructors can observe and command live-fire trainings. The only other occupant inside the Tower was Special Agent Patrick Bauer, a 15-year veteran of IRS-CI and a trained Use of Force Instructor, who had led the live-fire pistol qualifications that day. As alleged in the indictment, while inside the Tower, Brown handled his firearm without due caution and with reckless disregard for human life, striking Special Agent Bauer in the torso with a single gunshot. Despite life-saving efforts by agents at the scene, EMTs, and hospital staff, Special Agent Bauer died as a result of the penetrating gunshot wound. Brown had his initial court appearance today and has been released. The matter has been set for trial on April 2, 2024. Involuntary Manslaughter of an Officer of the United States carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. Indictment - Brown CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00355-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-024_Brown # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Naples Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Videos

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Dominic Lawrence Carsi (34, Naples) to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for distributing videos depicting the sexual abuse of a child. The court also sentenced Carsi to a term of supervised release for life and ordered him to register as a sex offender. Carsi had entered a guilty plea on October 31, 2023. According to court documents, on February 27, 2023, Carsi distributed videos of young children being sexually abused through his social media account to an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) located in Minnesota. Using the chat function in another social media app, Carsi wrote to the undercover agent that he had plenty more. On April 11, 2023, agents with HSI in Fort Myers executed a search warrant for Carsi’s residence and seized Carsi’s cellphone and computer. The subsequent forensic examination of the devices revealed more than 600 images and over 570 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. On April 11, 2023, during an interview with agents, Carsi admitted that he watched and downloaded child sex abuse material. Carsi remembered the conversation with the undercover agent, and he admitted that he sent a video of a baby and another video of a four-year-old child being sexually abused. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, a member of the Southwest Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking (INTERCEPT) Task Force, which also includes Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Last-minute plea entered in cocaine conspiracy

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 45-year-old Brownsville resident has admitted to his role in the distribution of dozens of kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Raul Dominguez-Vega, 45, was set to begin trial March 4. He has now entered a plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to do so. Dominguez-Vega was part of an on-going drug conspiracy involving several individuals packaging and distributing cocaine coming from Mexico. Cocaine would arrive from Mexico and be stored, re-packaged and wrapped in “shrink-wrap” in a shed located in Dominguez-Vega’s residence. It was then distributed to northern locations such as Houston, Ohio and Louisiana. Law enforcement conducted surveillance and made several seizures during the course of the investigation. Two of those occurred Jan. 25 and 31, 2020, when they successfully seized nearly 10 and 23 kilograms of cocaine, respectively. Prior to the second seizure, bags of cocaine had been loaded into a vehicle at Dominguez-Vega’s residence. It was on its way to Houston before authorities at the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint discovered the bundles inside a tractor trailer. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing May 22. At that time, Dominguez-Vega faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as a possible $5 million fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. T0 date, six others have been convicted in relation to the conspiracy. Homeland Security Investigations, Cameron County District Attorney’s Investigation Unit and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP, Combes and Brownsville Police Departments and the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.


title: Colombian National Pleads Guilty To Producing And Trafficking Over 1,400 Kilograms Of Cocaine

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Juan Carlos Perlaza Caicedo (45, Colombia), a/k/a “Olindo Perlaza Caicedo” and “Gafas,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Perlaza Caicedo faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Perlaza Caicedo was arrested in Tumaco, Colombia on May 4, 2019, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant. He was extradited to the United States on November 22, 2023. According to the plea agreement, Perlaza Caicedo was responsible for the production and transportation of several tons of cocaine from Colombia to Central America from at least 2002 through 2017. In addition to transportation logistics, Perlaza Caicedo managed and operated cocaine-production laboratories in Colombia, where he manufactured large amounts of cocaine on a per-order basis. In addition to production of cocaine at laboratories, Perlaza Caicedo helped coordinate multiple maritime cocaine transportation trips, including recruitment and payment of mariners and determination of maritime routes to avoid law enforcement. The cocaine Perlaza Caicedo produced was ultimately destined for importation to the United States. In August 2011, March 2012, and September 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted drug smuggling vessels associated with Perlaza Caicedo’s efforts. During those three interdictions alone, Perlaza Caicedo played a role in conspiring to transport at least 1,422 kilograms of cocaine. Following his arrest in Colombia, Perlaza Caicedo admitted his involvement in cocaine-smuggling along the Pacific coast of South and Central America. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Colombian law enforcement authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from Colombia of Perlaza Caicedo. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Krebs.


title: Buffalo man arrested, accused of attacking two VA police officers

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Steven Iverson, 26, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with resisting arrest causing bodily injury to a federal police officer. The charge carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Henning, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on February 7, 2024, Iverson assaulted two V.A. Medical Center Police Officers as they attempted to place him under arrest. Iverson was approached by the officers in the V.A. parking garage because of suspected smell of marijuana coming from his vehicle. Iverson became verbally resistant to officer commands and rolled up his window and locked himself inside the vehicle. He was ordered out of the vehicle multiple times and was told to open the vehicle door, or the window would be broken. Iverson eventually rolled down his window and an officer was able to get the vehicle door open. But as officers attempted to remove him, Iverson grabbed the steering wheel with both hands. He then turned his body and began kicking one officer in the right wrist and left knee. Iverson was eventually removed from the vehicle and taken into custody. One officer suffered right wrist and left knee sprains, while another officer suffered a chipped tooth. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the VA Medical Center Police, under the direction of Chief Richard King and the VA Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Algieri. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Rio Rancho Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Social Security Scheme

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that James Anthony Sandoval was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and he must pay $55,261.20 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA). A federal jury returned 33 guilty verdicts of theft of government property and one count each of making false statements and false statements on a Social Security form against Sandoval, 58, of Rio Rancho, on Dec. 16, 2022. A federal grand jury issued an indictment against Sandoval on June 15, 2022. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, Sandoval became entitled to receive disability benefits in 2007 and the Social Security Administration (SSA) began issuing payments to Sandoval, including payments to his children and Medicare benefits. In November 2018, the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Cooperative Disability Investigations (CDI) Unit in Albuquerque began an investigation based on an allegation that Sandoval was intentionally concealing from the SSA his ownership, earnings and work activity at Traditions Past and Present, a thriving jewelry business with two locations in Albuquerque. During the investigation, the CDI Unit determined that Sandoval founded the company in 2009 and was the designer and creator of the jewelry sold by the business. In August 2016, Sandoval signed various SSA forms, under penalty of perjury, in which he stated he had not worked since January 2007 and had not received any income since January 2007. In February 2019, an undercover agent with the SSA-OIG spoke with Sandoval at the San Antonio Texas Stock and Rodeo show, where Sandoval had rented a vendor booth for his jewelry business. The booth had a sign displayed, “Traditions Past and Present Jewelry, My Heritage and Design by James Sandoval.” Sandoval told the agent he sells customized jewelry from the Santa Fe area and had been selling custom-made jewelry at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo for approximately ten years. Sandoval further stated that his jewelry items ranged from $500-$20,000, and he did not sell his jewelry to wholesalers. On February 19, 2020, OIG-SSA Special Agent and SSA employees met with Sandoval at the SSA office in Rio Rancho. During the meeting, Sandoval told agents he had not worked since 2002 or 2003, and Sandoval denied making a profit or working at Traditions Past and Present. Sandoval did admit to traveling to trade shows on behalf of the business. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from a former employee who stated that Sandoval was intentionally concealing his income from the government because he was receiving SSA disability payments. Other evidence presented included reports and photographs of Sandoval working at his jewelry business, Traditions Past and Present, as well as working at a vendor booth for his jewelry business at a trade show in Texas. The government also presented bank records of Traditions Past and Present and Sandoval’s personal bank records from 2014 to 2019 which included several transactions from the jewelry business to Sandoval’s personal accounts, all of which were controlled by Sandoval. Between January 1, 2014, and April 1, 2019, Sandoval received SSA benefits totaling $182,735.10 and Medicare paid a total amount of $94,165.20 for the services Sandoval received from March 2015 to May 2021, which is the period he was not entitled to receive SSA disability benefits. “Everyone deserves economic stability and dignity,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Social security funds represent our collective commitment to taking care of our neighbors who can no longer work. When selfish business-owners draw benefits to which they are not entitled, they are stealing from every American’s paycheck and from every lawful beneficiary. Together with SSA-OIG, we will preserve the viability of the Social Security system. This case was spearheaded by OIG Special Agent Bianca Mendez, who tragically died before she could finish her work. Her colleagues at SSA-OIG and CDI finished where she left off and honored her legacy with this outcome.” Upon his release from prison, Sandoval will be subject to three years of supervised release. The SSA Office of the Inspector General Albuquerque CDI Unit investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Disability Determination Services, the New Mexico Office of Attorney General and SSA. Assistant United States Attorneys Raquel Ruiz-Velez and Kristopher N. Houghton are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Former Accounting Director for Corona Company Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Almost $1 Million

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County woman was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from her employer, which managed the financial affairs for homeowner associations, primarily in the Inland Empire. Jenev Boyd, 60, of Corona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes, who also ordered her to pay $780,810 in restitution. Boyd pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Boyd was a long-time employee of and the director of accounting for Encore Property Management, a Corona-based company that provided property management services to its homeowner association clients. From January 2012 to August 2020, Boyd reactivated retired or non-active client accounts in a software program Encore used to falsely reflect that these were still active clients. She then changed the selected vendor’s information to reflect her own name and address. Through manipulation of Encore's internal accounting software, Boyd was able to mask payments to herself from client accounts as vendor payments. Boyd kept the monthly amounts in line with other vendor payments therefore hiding the embezzlement. Boyd also forged signatures, including that of Encore’s president, on each check she fraudulently issued to herself. She also misled the company’s clients about the checks she wrote to herself out of their accounts, including by describing the transactions as being for operating expenses rather than as a payment to her based on a bogus invoice. In total, Boyd defrauded her employer and its clients out of $931,077. “[Boyd] abused the trust of her friends and co-workers and convinced them they did not need to look more carefully at reports from banks, which she doctored before providing an accounting to each client she had embezzled from,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “As a result of her fraud, employees left the business, and those who considered her a friend, like a sister, felt blindsided and betrayed.” The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Sean D. Peterson of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.


title: Court Finds That Arizona Voter Registration Provisions Violate Federal Law

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona struck down an Arizona requirement that individuals seeking to register to vote must list their birthplace as a prerequisite to registering to vote. The court ruled that the birthplace requirement of House Bill 2492 violated a federal law that prevents election officials from rejecting voting materials for errors or omissions that are not material to determining a registrant’s qualifications to vote. The court previously ruled that Arizona may not require documentary proof citizenship to vote in a federal election. “This ruling provides a cautionary note that should discourage officials from considering imposition of restrictive or burdensome proof of citizenship demands or requests for unnecessary information from voters before registering them to vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and other federal laws to ensure that eligible voters are able to register and vote in federal elections.” “Arizona passed legislation in 2022 that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal safeguards,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “The District Court’s order helps level the playing field and it removes formidable barriers to Arizonans’ exercise of their right to vote. We appreciate the advocacy work of so many non-profit organizations and the Civil Rights Division in seeking a fairer and more just America.” The court’s ruling comes following a bench trial late last year in a set of consolidated cases challenging various aspects of voting laws adopted by the State of Arizona. The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in July 2022, challenged voting restrictions imposed by House Bill 2492 (2022), alleging violations under Section 6 of the NVRA and Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the United States’ complaint contended that House Bill 2492 violates the NVRA by requiring that applicants produce documentary proof of citizenship before they can vote in presidential elections or vote by mail in any federal election when they register to vote using the uniform federal registration form created by the NVRA. This requirement flouts the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Ariz., Inc. , which rejected an earlier attempt by Arizona to impose a similar documentary proof of citizenship mandate on applicants seeking to vote in federal elections. The United States’ complaint also contended that House Bill 2492 violates Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act by requiring election officials to reject voter registration forms based on errors or omissions that are not material to establishing a voter’s eligibility to cast a ballot. Several private plaintiffs filed related cases and yesterday’s ruling also addresses additional claims brought by those parties. More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about discriminatory voting practices can be reported to the Civil Rights Division through the internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


title: San Diego Man Sentenced to 41 months for Bank, Tax Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 1, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Alvin Pates of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 41 months in prison for participating in a scheme to deceive banks by using straw borrowers and bogus financial information to obtain loans. According to his plea agreement, beginning as early as July 2014 and continuing through at least April 2020, Pates admitted that he used the names, social security numbers, and credit of the straw borrowers to obtain loans and lines of credit that primarily benefited Pates. At Pates’ behest, straw borrowers submitted false documentation provided by Pates showing they earned six-figure annual incomes from shell companies operated by Pates. Pates provided the straw borrowers with addresses and phone numbers for the shell companies, where Pates or others acting at his direction confirmed the false employment and income information when contacted by the financial institutions. Pates himself sometimes contacted the banks, pretending to be the straw borrowers, in order to ensure the straw borrowers could pass the security questions asked by the lenders. Pates acknowledged in his plea agreement that he funneled the majority of the loan proceeds through the bank accounts of one of his shell companies to use for his personal benefit. For example, Pates admitted to using the funds for numerous personal transactions, cash withdrawals, personal living expenses for himself and his family, and to make payments to other credit unions. According to sentencing documents, during six years of the scheme, Pates supported his lifestyle, which included a penthouse apartment, a Corvette, a Mercedes, and a BMW, solely with the proceeds of his fraudulent schemes. In the midst of the scheme, Pates sent a message to one of his assistants, stating that “money is raining.” According to sentencing documents, Pates recruited many of the straw borrowers from his church. The church members trusted Pates because he possessed an outward façade of morality and wealth. The straw borrowers believed they were starting a business with Pates, and willingly gave Pates 90 percent of the fraudulent loan proceeds as what they thought was their capital contribution. Pates promised the borrowers that he and his company would make all the loan payments. Pates did make the initial loan payments, using funds obtained from other fraudulent loans, only to default on the loans a few months later, ruining the credit and finances of the straw borrowers. Most of the borrowers were unable to pay off the loans; some filed for bankruptcy as a result. After a number of church members had been financially damaged, Pates began attending another church, continuing the scheme using the name “Al Noble.” At today’s hearing, Pates was ordered to pay restitution of $45,500 to one individual who repaid the fraudulent loans. In addition to the bank fraud, Pates also admitted to assisting in the preparation of false tax returns for two taxpayers for the calendar year 2015. The tax return for one of the taxpayers falsely stated that the individual received “Other Income” in the amount of $538,462 and paid federal income taxes of $543,643, thus entitling him to a refund of $376,260. Pates supplied false Forms 1099 to the taxpayer to support the return and accompanied the taxpayer to the IRS to submit the false return. The Internal Revenue Service issued a refund check to the taxpayer for $376,260, which was ultimately returned to the IRS. “This case is especially egregious because Mr. Pates didn’t just rely on the faith of his fellow churchgoers, he preyed on it,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But the direct victims are not the only ones who were hurt; we all pay a price for bank and tax fraud when those costs are passed on.” “Mr. Pates defrauded not only multiple financial institutions, but also his fellow Americans through these criminal schemes, for which he will now be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Following the money is our specialty and, especially when we combine our expertise with our federal partners, our investigations lead to convictions.” “This arrest and sentencing are the culmination of hard work by numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies over the course of several years. The Secret Service will continue to investigate and pursue justice against those criminal networks who target the citizens of Southern California,” said Jason Reynolds, Special Agent in Charge with the San Diego Field Office of the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie K. Pierson and Loren G. Rene. DEFENDANT Case Number 20CR2204-CAB Alvin Pates Age: 54 San Diego, CA a.k.a. Al Noble SUMMARY OF CHARGES Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1344(1) and 2 Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, $1 million fine, forfeiture and restitution Aiding and Advising Preparation of a False Tax Return—Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(2) Maximum penalty: Three years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution AGENCIES U.S. Secret Service IRS Criminal Investigation


title: Former Marine Corps Private from Kingston Pleads Guilty to Gun Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rylan Peterson, age 22, of Kingston, New York, pled guilty on Wednesday to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms, and to unlawfully transferring firearms to an out-of-state resident. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. Peterson, a native of Kingston then serving as a private first class in the Marine Corps at a base in North Carolina, admitted that he entered into an agreement with Oryn McLeod, for Peterson to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of McLeod and others. Peterson then obtained the guns from North Carolina resident Mitchell Locke, who purchased them from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. McLeod paid Peterson for the guns, which Peterson transported to New York from North Carolina. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the handguns. Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2024, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. Peterson faces up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. McLeod has pled guilty to conspiracy to make false representations in connection with purchasing firearms. Locke is pending trial on the same charge. The charges against Locke are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin C. Segovia and Emmet O’Hanlon are prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.


title: Ithaca Man Sentenced to 156 Months on Drug Convictions

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Odell, Tindley, age 31, of Ithaca, New York was sentenced yesterday to serve 156 months (13 years) in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and cocaine) in Watertown, New York. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office; and Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills made the announcement. As part of his previous guilty plea, Tindley admitted that he distributed 83 grams (over two ounces) of cocaine in Watertown on May 25, 2021, and arranged for delivery of a large quantity of methamphetamine later the same day. Investigators of the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force interdicted a car driven by a coconspirator of Tindley as it entered Watertown late in the evening of May 25, 2021. A search of this vehicle resulted in the recovery of 904 grams (just under 32 ounces) of methamphetamine and approximately a pound of marijuana. Tindley was also sentenced to a 5-year term of supervised release following completion of his federal prison sentence. At the time of his arrest on his federal drug charges, Tindley was residing in Watertown as part of a mandated pre-sentence drug rehabilitation program stemming from his guilty plea to a New York State felony drug charge in Tompkins County Court. On October 6, 2022, Tindley was sentenced to serve two-years in state prison for that offense. The case was investigated by the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, consisting of Special Agents from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol Agents, Detectives from the Watertown Police Department, Detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and Investigators from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.


title: Montgomery County Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Francis T. DiCaprio, age 29, of Amsterdam, New York, was ordered detained today on charges that he received and possessed child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to a criminal complaint, on February 15, 2024, DiCaprio possessed a phone that contained numerous electronic files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The complaint also alleges that the phone contained a conversation on an encrypted instant messaging service wherein the apparent owner of the device solicited and received child pornography files. The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges in the complaint, DiCaprio faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. DiCaprio may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the device used in the offenses. DiCaprio would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The case is being investigated by FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and investigators from state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikayla Espinosa and Allen J. Vickey are prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Three Onondaga County Residents Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Devon Drake, age 33, Lacey Fontaine, age 33, and Henry Townsend, age 28, each of Syracuse, have been indicted and charged with distributing and conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Drake is also charged with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division, made the announcement. The charges filed against Drake, Fontaine, and Townsend carry a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. DEA is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Carbone and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Alphonso Johnson, Jr., 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 1, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Johnson Jr. to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Johnson Jr.’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On August 10, 2022, Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (LLCNTF) served a search warrant, at the home of Stacey Vanarsdale, a co-defendant in this case. Johnson Jr. was found in a bedroom within the residence. In the bedroom closet, investigators located a total of 365.9 grams of suspected meth, which was separated in 12-ounce quantity baggies. In the closet was $217.00 in U.S. currency and additional illegal narcotics. The suspected meth was sent to the lab, and the lab determined that there was about 346.35 grams of meth, of which at least 180 grams was actual meth. The co-defendant, Stacey Vanarsdale, is currently set to be sentenced on May 30, 2024. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (LLCNTF).


title: Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jean Ferrer Leyva-Pazos, 21, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced March 1, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Leyva-Pazos to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Leyva-Pazos’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Operating from at least June 2021 until October 2022, Leyva-Pazos and others were responsible for trafficking meth into the state. Officers from a variety of local, state, and federal agencies pieced the conspiracy together using electronic evidence, surveillance, and search warrants. Together, the conspirators distributed over 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing meth. On February 23, 2022, officers obtained a search warrant for a residence in Lexington, Nebraska, where the defendant and additional co-conspirators were staying. Leyva-Pazos was found in the basement of the residence with a duffle bag containing nearly eleven ounces of meth, items consistent with narcotic packaging, and over two thousand dollars. Searches at additional locations in the Lexington area netted additional meth and currency from other co-defendants. This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possession of a Machine Gun and Marijuana

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Detrick Anthony Michael Smith, 32, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 1, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Smith to 20 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Smith pleaded guilty the charges on October 19, 2023. Officers with the Lincoln Police Department executed a search warrant at the Smith’s apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska on April 6, 2022. The police located almost 3,500 grams of marijuana in the kitchen and bedroom area of the apartment. The marijuana was divided into numerous bags consistent with packaging for resale. The police also located digital scales, a heat sealer, a money counter, promethazine-codeine bottles, items containing THC, and a small quantity of cocaine. In the bedroom closet, the police located a duffel bag which contained two handguns. The two handguns were a Glock model 19, 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine, but with an empty chamber, and a Glock model 20, 10mm handgun loaded with an extended magazine, but with an empty chamber. The Glock model 20 had been modified with an aftermarket piece, commonly referred to as a “switch,” which illegally modified the gun to be able to fire fully automatic, rather than just semi-automatic. This illegal modification of the firearm to a machine gun was a significant factor in Smith’s sentence. Smith was home at the time of the search. Police located $11,624 in United States currency on Smith’s person. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Versailles Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosive Devices

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Versailles, Ky., man, Bryan Carroll, 46, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and for carrying an explosive during the commission of a federal felony offense. According to his plea agreement, on March 25, 2021, law enforcement was notified that Carroll was enroute to the University of Kentucky Hospital, and that had an active arrest warrant. Law enforcement then met Carroll outside the Emergency Department, where he was taken into custody. During a subsequent search of Carroll and his vehicle, law enforcement located a total of eight firearms (including a sawed-off shotgun), four explosive devices, and one improvised explosive bomb. During his interview, Carroll admitted to having the firearms on him, when he was arrested, and acknowledged the additional firearms found in his vehicle. Carroll further acknowledged the “fireworks” in his vehicle, and admitted to constructing the metal can explosive devices, which contained nails. Carroll then told law enforcement that he had additional destructive devices at his home, and that he possessed a large quantity of explosive materials. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Carroll’s home where they located two additional firearms along with six additional improvised explosive bombs. Carroll admitted that he possessed the firearms and explosives and that he was prohibited from doing so, based on his prior felony conviction, for complicity to traffic a controlled substance in the first degree, in the Woodford Circuit Court, from December 2015. Under federal law, Carroll must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Chief Michael Murray, Versailles Police Department; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Chief Joe Monroe, University of Kentucky Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by ATF, FBI, Versailles Police Department, the Lexington Police Department, and the University of Kentucky Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. — END —


title: Kenton County Man Sentenced to 181 Months for Armed Trafficking of a Fentanyl Analogue

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Latonia, Ky., man, Marcos A. Garcia, 25, was sentenced on Friday, to 181 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, possession of 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, from February 1, 2021 through March 1, 2023, Garcia conspired with Kayla Vance, his co-defendant, to distribute controlled substances, including marijuana and more than 10 grams of a fentanyl analogue. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement used an informant to purchase pressed tablets from Garcia. Those tablets contained flurofentanyl, a powerful analogue of fentanyl. After making a second purchase of pressed tablets, on March 1, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a house shared by Garcia and Vance, where they found a handgun, 67 tablets of fentanyl, a pound of marijuana, other tablets, cash, and 11 uninstalled machinegun conversion devices. Garcia admitted to law enforcement that he and Vance had been robbed of drugs and money on a prior occasion, so the handgun was for protection of his family and the drugs located in the residence. Kayla Vance was previously sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Under federal law, Garcia must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentences. The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Cincinnati man pleads guilty to armed robbery of postal carrier

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Lamarion Gray, 19, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to armed robbery of a United States postal carrier. The agreement calls for a sentence of 80 to 100 months in prison. Gray is one of at least a dozen defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio since 2022 with crimes related to postal robberies. According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, Gray used a handgun and robbed a postal carrier for the carrier’s arrow key and vehicle key. At approximately 4:30pm, Gray approached the mail carrier who was delivering mail by foot near Cliffside Drive in Cincinnati. Gray displayed a firearm and demanded the keys. Video surveillance of the armed robbery was obtained by nearby residences. When federal agents executed a search warrant on Gray’s vehicle, they discovered a postal arrow key and vehicle key, the gloves consistent to those used during the robbery, and a gold-colored barrel for a handgun consistent with the firearm used during the robbery. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Wagoner Resident Sentenced For Child Neglect

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heather Robertson, age 48, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served of three days, plus six months of home detention with electronic monitoring, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of child neglect. The charges arose from investigations the Okmulgee County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On November 22, 2022, Robertson pleaded guilty to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. According to investigators, on or about September 8, 2021, Robertson willfully and maliciously failed to protect a child under the age of 18 from exposure to the use and possession of methamphetamine while responsible for the child’s health, safety, and welfare. The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Memphis Residents Sentenced For Conspiracy To Commit Federal Firearm Offenses

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jemarcus Maquel Williams, age 32, and Anfernee Deshon Sherrod, age 30, both of Memphis, Tennessee, were each sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiring to violate federal firearms offenses, including unlawful possession of a silencer and unlawful possession of non-serialized firearm. The charges arose from investigations by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On June 1, 2023, Williams, Sherrod, and Andria Victoria Dowdy each entered guilty pleas to one count of Conspiracy to violate federal firearms offenses. According to investigators, the trio conspired to obtain firearms in the State of Oklahoma. On December 29, 2021, Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop of Williams and Sherrod on I-40 in Sequoyah County. Law enforcement ultimately discovered Williams and Sherrod in possession of six firearms with large capacity magazines and an unserialized silencer. At the time of the possession, Sherrod had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Sentencing for co-Conspirator Dowdy is currently set for March 12, 2024. The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Williams and Sherrod were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced For Being A Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffery Glenn Bocephus Robinson, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted previously of a felony offense. The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. On June 13, 2023, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. According to investigators, on or about November 28, 2022, Robinson possessed a .22 rifle after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and despite knowing of such conviction. The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Robinson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced For Armed Assault On Bank Agent

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nick Allen Mabray, age 37, and Gene Mabray, age 68, both of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, were sentenced for their roles in a January 2021 assault on a bank agent. Nick Allen Mabray was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, to be served consecutive to an additional 46 months each for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, to be served concurrently. Nick Allen Mabray was found guilty of these charges by a federal jury on August 15, 2023. Gene Mabray was sentenced to 27 months for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Gene Mabray entered his guilty plea to the one count on July 5, 2023. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department. According to investigators, on January 6, 2021, the Mabrays assaulted a RCB Bank agent at a foreclosed property in Park Hill, Oklahoma. At the conclusion of a court-ordered inspection of the property, Nick Mabray rammed the agent’s truck with his own vehicle, disabling it. As the agent dialed 911 for help, the Mabrays forced the agent from the rammed truck at gunpoint, Gene Mabray relieved the agent of the cellphone and a firearm, and Nick Mabray beat the agent with a firearm, threatening to kill him. The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody represented the United States.


title: Coweta Resident Sentenced To Sixteen Years For Abusing Child

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Axton Cole Chancellor, age 25, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 192 months in prison each for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The sentences on each count were ordered to run concurrently. On July 5, 2022, Chancellor pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, over a three day span in October of 2018, Chancellor willfully and maliciously harmed an infant entrusted to his care, then failed to seek medical treatment for the infant after inflicting severe injuries. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Chancellor was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced For Attempted Robbery

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raithiele Robinson, age 50, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 150 months in prison for one count of Attempted Robbery. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sherriff’s Office, and the Okmulgee Police Department. On December 15, 2022, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Robbery. According to investigators, on December 2, 2016, Robinson attempted to rob the victim of valuables by force as the victim sat in a vehicle at the intersection of Kern and Kiowa in Okmulgee. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Robinson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Charge

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Tyrae Ronzell McDonald, 43, was in possession of a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number. McDonald used the loaded firearm to threaten an adult female in the presence of two minor children. McDonald had been previously convicted of felony offenses, including two murder convictions, and was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. After completing his term of imprisonment, McDonald will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Meth, Fentanyl from Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Pecos to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents, Sandra Araceli Diaz Vazquez, 37, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was suspected of delivering narcotics within the U.S. On Dec. 5, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop along Interstate 20 near Colorado City after observing Diaz Vazquez commit two moving violations. Diaz Vazquez consented to a vehicle search, which resulted in the discovery of approximately 20.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 5.6 kilograms of fentanyl concealed within the fuel tank. Diaz Vazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29 and faces 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. HSI and the 32nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Criminal Chief Felice Corpening Receives Judge David Daniel Award from Federal Bar Association

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael Easley announced that the Eastern District of North Carolina’s (EDNC) Criminal Chief, Assistant U.S. Attorney Felice Corpening was awarded the Judge David Daniel Award by the Eastern North Carolina District of the Federal Bar Association. The award was created to in memory of Magistrate Judge David Daniel to honor his integrity, commitment, and service to the legal community. The award honors one attorney who has shown a commitment to the legal profession, to the EDNC, to the clients they serve, and to their community. “Felice Corpening sets the standard for lawyers across the state and the country,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “In leading the Criminal Division for the Eastern District of North Carolina, nearly every criminal prosecution crosses her desk before proceeding to court. In her review, she ensures equity, fairness and justice. Her integrity and quest to make a positive impact in the community are unparalleled. I am privileged to have the opportunity to work with her as we seek to make North Carolina safer for all.” “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award. I believe the legal community has a duty to exemplify the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and dedication to the communities we serve because our work, our cause, our mission extends beyond the courtroom,” said Criminal Chief Felice Corpening. “Being the recipient of the Judge David Daniel Award has renewed my commitment to the principles that define our honorable profession.” Corpening has been a prosecutor with the EDNC for 25 years, and currently serves as the Criminal Division Chief, a position she has held since early 2022. Corpening served as the Deputy Criminal Chief over the Economic Crimes Section from 2012 to 2022. Prior to joining EDNC, Corpening was an Assistant Public Defender in Fayetteville for three years where she represented indigent defendants in a variety of cases ranging from petty larceny, felonious breaking and entering, drug trafficking, and murder. Corpening also serves as an adjunct professor at UNC-School of Law. The Judge David Daniel Award was created in 2017. To qualify for the award, a nominee must practice in EDNC and must exemplify the ideals of the legal profession and further the goals of equal justice under the law. For more information on the award, visit the Federal Bar Association website .


title: Four Colombian Traffickers, Including Colombian National Police Officer, Indicted For Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Hector Fabio Marin-Usme (37), Luis Arbey Vasquez-Romero (46), David Esteban Cardenas-Miramag (27), and John Janier Buitrago-Munoz (34), all from Colombia, with conspiracy to import 5 or more kilograms of cocaine into the United States. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. According to the indictment, the above-named individuals and others conspired to smuggle cocaine via commercial flights from Cali, Colombia to San Andrés Island, Colombia. Marin-Usme was a recruiter, Cardenas-Miramag was a cargo handler at the international airport in Cali, Vasquez-Romero was a security supervisor at the same airport, and Buitrago-Munoz was a Colombian National Police officer assigned to the airport on San Andrés Island. Beginning on an unknown date, the conspirators initiated attempts to smuggle cocaine from a commercial flight in mainland Colombia to San Andrés Island. In order to avoid detection, the conspirators diverted cameras within the secure area of the Cali airport and disguised the cocaine in boxes of apples. On July 29, 2023, and after the commercial flight arrived at the San Andrés Island airport, the conspirators attempted to smuggle the cocaine past an inspection area and past law enforcement. However, the Colombian National Police uncovered the scheme and seized approximately 1,300 kilograms of cocaine. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.


title: United States Reaches Settlement Of Law Enforcement, Tax, And Healthcare Cost Claims In Endo International Bankruptcy Case

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Brian M. Boynton, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division; Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., the Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”); Michael Rogers, the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs of the FDA; Christi A. Grimm, the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS-OIG”); Robert P. Storch, the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (“DOD”); Michael J. Missal, the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”); and Derek M. Holt, the Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General (“OPM OIG”), announced today that the United States has reached an agreement to resolve its monetary claims — including claims arising from criminal and civil investigations — against ENDO INTERNATIONAL PLC and its affiliates (together, “ENDO”), a large pharmaceutical company that previously manufactured Opana ER, a powerful branded opioid drug, in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. As part of ENDO’s bankruptcy plan, a group of ENDO’s secured lenders will purchase ENDO’s assets and operate the business under a new corporate structure. The agreement provides that this new business will pay the United States $364.9 million over 10 years, which can be prepaid at $200 million on the bankruptcy plan’s effective date, plus up to an additional $100 million contingent on the business performance of the new company. The bankruptcy settlement, which is subject to court approval, resolves multiple federal claims against ENDO, including criminal and civil fraud claims, healthcare agency claims, and tax claims. As part of the overall settlement, the Department of Justice announced that Endo Health Solutions, Inc. (“EHSI”), one of ENDO’s affiliates, has agreed to resolve criminal and civil investigations related to the company’s sales and marketing of the opioid drug Opana ER with INTAC (“Opana ER”). The payments required by the civil and criminal agreements will be paid as claims in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Under the proposed global resolution, EHSI agreed to plead guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan to a one-count misdemeanor information charging it with violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) by introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. The criminal resolution includes the second-largest set of criminal financial penalties ever levied against a pharmaceutical company, including a criminal fine of $1.086 billion and an additional $450 million in criminal forfeiture. The proposed resolution includes a corporate criminal release regarding conduct relating to the sale, marketing, and distribution of Opana ER, but does not release any individual criminal liability. EHSI also has agreed to a civil settlement of $475.6 million to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act. The civil settlement will address alleged losses to federal healthcare programs that paid for Opana ER. When ENDO filed for bankruptcy in August 2022, it proposed to sell substantially all of its assets in a manner that contravened key requirements of the Bankruptcy Code. ENDO’s original proposal would have provided virtually no recovery to the federal government on account of its claims, while improperly paying several other creditor groups on account of their claims, even though they were entitled to lower or equal priority as the Government’s claims. This settlement was achieved after the Government objected to the proposed sale in Bankruptcy Court. Through the settlement, the Government has ensured both that it is compensated for its claims and that ENDO does not run afoul of the Bankruptcy Code by paying only certain of its creditors or violating the Bankruptcy Code’s priority scheme. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Chapter 11 is an important tool for businesses to preserve value for their stakeholders. Bankruptcy protections are not a free pass to evade responsibility for criminal misconduct, civil fraud, or taxes. Today’s settlement ensures that Endo takes responsibility for its past misconduct, pays its federal debts, helps abate the nation’s opioid crisis by funding evidence-based treatment programs at the state and local level, and distributes payments to individuals harmed by the opioid epidemic.” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton said: “Companies that profit from the opioid abuse epidemic by misrepresenting the safety of their opioid products and using reckless marketing tactics to increase sales threaten the health and safety of Americans. With today’s announcement of a criminal guilty plea and a substantial civil settlement, the Department of Justice re-affirms its commitment to holding accountable those whose illegal conduct contributed to the opioid crisis.” FDA Director Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D. said: “Combatting the opioid epidemic remains a top public health priority for the FDA. This case demonstrates FDA and DOJ’s commitment to work collaboratively to hold drug manufacturers accountable if they fail to share accurate information with health care professionals about the risks and benefits of opioids.” FDA Associate Commissioner Michael Rogers said: “The metrics of the opioid crisis are staggering. When companies do not provide accurate information about the safety and abuse potential of their products, they put patients at risk of abuse and addiction. Such conduct will not be tolerated, and we will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who endanger the public health in this manner.” HHS-OIG Inspector General Christi A. Grimm said: “The opioid crisis remains a public health emergency nationwide, and those impacted are at the forefront of our work. HHS-OIG is staunchly committed to protecting the millions of people served by federal healthcare programs from schemes such as this, while also striving to ensure they have access to necessary treatment.” DOD Inspector General Robert P. Storch said: “The misbranding of opioids negatively impacts the integrity of TRICARE, the military’s healthcare system relied on by more than nine million service members, retirees, and their families. Today’s settlement demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and its law enforcement partners to promote accountability and transparency throughout the pharmaceutical industry and prosecute those who put profits ahead of patient welfare. The delivery of quality healthcare is too important to let a single dollar go to waste.” VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal said: “Veterans and their families expect and deserve the highest quality health care delivered in a safe and accountable setting. False or misleading claims about potentially dangerous drugs put veterans’ care at risk. The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of those who entrust their health care to the providers and staff at VA’s 1,300 medical facilities.” OPM OIG Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt said: “Protecting the health and safety of Federal employees, annuitants, and their families is a top priority for OPM OIG. Today’s criminal and civil resolutions demonstrate the exemplary work of our investigative staff, law enforcement partners, and colleagues at the Department of Justice in holding manufacturers accountable for actions that contribute to the opioid epidemic.” The Bankruptcy Resolution As part of ENDO’s bankruptcy plan, a group of ENDO’s secured lenders will purchase ENDO’s assets and operate the business under a new corporate structure. The agreement provides that this new business will pay the United States $364.9 million over 10 years, which can be prepaid at $200 million on the bankruptcy plan’s effective date, plus up to an additional $100 million contingent on the business performance of the new company. The bankruptcy settlement resolves multiple federal claims against ENDO, including the criminal and civil fraud claims, as well as additional healthcare agency claims and tax claims. In addition to the Justice Department’s criminal and civil claims, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), HHS’s Indian Health Service, and the VA have asserted claims against ENDO for the costs these programs incurred in providing medical care to treat individuals who suffer from opioid-use disorder as a result of their use of Opana ER and other opioids manufactured and sold by ENDO. CMS has also filed a claim to recover costs it incurred based on Medicare beneficiaries’ use of other ENDO products, including transvaginal mesh and ranitidine. Finally, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) filed substantial tax claims against ENDO based on ongoing audits. These audits concerned, among other things, ENDO’s valuation of assets it transferred to foreign affiliates and its payment of a large loan pre-payment penalty to a foreign affiliate for which it sought a tax deduction. A substantial majority of these payments were entitled to priority in bankruptcy over ENDO’s other unsecured claims. The health care agency and IRS claims have also been resolved though the bankruptcy settlement. In the settlement agreement, the Government will receive up to a total of $464.9 million to satisfy all of these categories of claims in the bankruptcy. First, the Government will receive $364.9 million in 10 annual payments that can be prepaid at either party’s request. If prepaid on the effective date of the bankruptcy plan, the Government will receive $200 million. The Government will also receive up to an additional $100 million if the new company substantially exceeds its revenue projections in the next several years. The settlement agreement further precludes the new company from acquiring any unused tax credits or other beneficial tax attributes of ENDO. Besides paying government claims, the bankruptcy plan has other significant features. Earlier in the bankruptcy case, ENDO agreed to stop promoting opioids to prescribers and to turn over millions of documents related to its role in the opioid crisis for publication in a public online archive. The new ENDO business will also make significant payments to state, local, and tribal governments to fund programs to help abate the opioid crisis. The Government has agreed to credit these payments, which will support programs to treat and prevent opioid-use disorder, against ENDO’s criminal forfeiture judgment. In addition, one important condition in the resolution is that ENDO would cease to operate in its current form and would not emerge from the bankruptcy. Moreover, as part of its resolution with bankruptcy opioid claimants, ENDO’s affiliates have agreed to a Voluntary Operating Injunction that restrains opioid marketing and sales and requires ENDO to turn over millions of documents related to its role in the opioid crisis for publication in a public online archive. The settlement is contingent on Bankruptcy Court approval of ENDO’s Chapter 11 plan. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge James M. Garrity has scheduled a hearing on March 19, 2024, to consider approving this plan. The Criminal Plea As part of the criminal plea, EHSI will admit that from April 2012 through May 2013, certain EHSI sales representatives marketed Opana ER to prescribers by touting Opana ER’s purported abuse deterrence, tamper resistance, and/or crush resistance, despite a lack of clinical data supporting those claims. According to the plea agreement, certain EHSI sales managers were aware that the sales representatives were making claims of purported abuse deterrence, tamper resistance, and/or crush resistance during sales calls, including hitting demonstration “blister packs” of non-medicated sample pills with hammers and conducting other demonstrations to convey the message that Opana ER was, in fact, crush proof and tamper resistant. The approved labeling for Opana ER did not provide adequate information for healthcare providers to safely prescribe Opana ER for use as an opioid that is abuse deterrent. According to the plea agreement, EHSI was responsible for the misbranding of Opana ER by marketing the drug with a label that failed to include adequate directions for its claimed abuse deterrence use, in violation of the FDCA. EHSI voluntarily withdrew Opana ER from the market in 2017. The Civil Settlement The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2011 to 2017, EHSI used a marketing scheme that targeted healthcare providers that EHSI knew were prescribing Opana ER for non-medically accepted indications. Aware that fewer than 10% of Opana ER prescribers wrote more than half of all Opana ER prescriptions, EHSI allegedly sought to increase its revenue from Opana ER prescriptions by focusing its marketing on those healthcare providers who prescribed the highest levels of opioids in general and Opana ER in particular. When EHSI employees raised concerns about prescribers believed to be engaged in abuse, diversion, or pill mill prescribing, EHSI allegedly ignored or minimized such concerns and continued to directly market Opana ER to such prescribers. The allegations resolved by the civil settlement relating to EHSI’s marketing activities include that in 2015, after marketing the reformulated Opana ER for years, EHSI sought to further increase prescriptions by partnering with a consulting company to “pull[] all the levers” it could “to drive incremental growth” of Opana ER prescriptions. In what it termed a “sales force blitz,” EHSI allegedly added 3,000 priority targets to its sales representatives’ call lists, with nearly all of these priority targets chosen because they prescribed a high volume of opioids in general or Opana ER in particular. EHSI allegedly used sales goals and contests to ensure that its sales representatives targeted these outlier prescribers, including prescribers who previously had been excluded from EHSI’s call lists as posing risks of abuse and diversion. * * * Mr. Williams thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division and Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Corporate/Financial Litigation and Civil Fraud Sections, and Consumer Protection Branch; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida; the IRS; the Office of the U.S. Trustee for Region 2; the HHS Office of General Counsel, CMS, and Indian Health Service; and the VA for their assistance in achieving this settlement agreement. This bankruptcy case is being handled by the Office’s Tax & Bankruptcy Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jean-David Barnea, Peter Aronoff, and Tara Schwartz are in charge of the case. Except to the extent that EHSI’s admissions are part of its criminal resolution, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Federal Prosecutions in Charlottesville Add Nine Firearms  Charges To Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced today the return of a second superseding indictment leveling nine additional charges, including firearms offenses, against some of the 19 defendants charged as part of the region’s largest-ever federal drug trafficking prosecution. The original indictment, returned in August 2023, accuses 17 defendants with being part of a large-scale drug conspiracy that distributed pound quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in and around the Charlottesville region. Two additional defendants were added to a superseding indictment returned in September 2023. The investigation itself was a major step forward for local, state, and federal law enforcement as the first prosecution brought after Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the University of Virginia were admitted to the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighbors initiative. The second superseding indictment, returned yesterday, adds nine new charges. Most notably it charges Landon Devon Fields, Bobby Eugene Christmas, Dashard Brown, Brooks Lorenzo Woodfolk, Norman Eugene Goins, Jr., and Laqueshia Chanice Burges each with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Fields, Christmas, and Woodfoolk were also charged with the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the firearms charges Fields, Christmas, Brown, and Woodfolk were charged with new drug distribution offenses. Finally, the new indictment seeks the forfeiture of 25 firearms, ammunition, and over $70,000 in United States currency. The indictment alleges that beginning in February 2023 and continuing through the date of the indictment, the defendants conspired with each other and others to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in and around the Charlottesville region. Others charged include: DuShaun Lamont Gregory, 36, of Henrico, Virginia. Tyquane Pertell Gregory, 27, of Charlottesville, Virginia. Michael Edward Cornett, 29, of Charlottesville, Virginia. Antone Laron Harris, 41, of Charlottesville, Virginia. Ashlee Renee Morris, 37, of Barboursville, Virginia. Shaheem Taishaun Michie, 18, of Arlington, Virginia. John Ellis Turner III, 42, of Charlottesville, Virginia. Gary Wayne Woodson, 66, of Crozet, Virginia. Cedric Trent, 25, of Charlottesville, Virginia. Dustin Lee Welch, 34, of Dillwyn, Virginia. The Virginia State Police 3A Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albemarle County Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security- HSI, the City of Charlottesville Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office, the Henrico County Police Department, and the United States Marshal’s Service are investigating the case. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Offices from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, along with the Charlottesville Emergency Services and the Virginia National Guard have assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case of the United States. The investigation, extradition, and conviction of these defendants 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. 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. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced to 2 Years Supervised Release for Domestic Abuse

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Danny Deron Morgan was sentenced to a time-served sentence of 53 days and 2 years of supervised release. Morgan, 51, of Mescalero, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty on Oct. 25, 2023, to assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury in Indian Country. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indicted against Morgan on Aug. 16, 2023. According to publicly available court records, on Feb. 20, 2023, Morgan invited Jane Doe to the residence he had been staying at in Mescalero. After she arrived, Morgan became upset with Jane Doe, and she attempted to leave the residence. This upset Morgan more and he grabbed Jane Doe by her hair, pushed her down on to the bed, straddled her chest and pushed down on her throat with his hands. Hearing a commotion, the owner of the residence forced his way into the bedroom and pulled Morgan off Jane Doe, who fled the residence. As a result of the assault, Jane Doe suffered short-term disfigurement including bruising, lacerations, and petechiae. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # # 24-87