title: Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office And Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Secure Agreement With Johns Hopkins Health System To Provide People With Disabilities Equal Access To Medical Care

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland resolving allegations that the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation (Johns Hopkins) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying people with disabilities equal access to medical care by excluding their necessary support persons. “Patients with disabilities deserve equal access to healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Appropriate medical care often requires them to be accompanied by essential support persons. Johns Hopkins’ recommitment to meeting the needs of its patients with disabilities and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect is a welcome outcome of this agreement.” “Patients with disabilities may need the assistance of a support person, like a family member or aide, to have equal access to health care, especially during emergencies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Policies and training go hand in hand when it comes to ensuring that health care providers and their employees are protecting patient rights and not excluding support persons improperly. Ensuring equal access to medical care is a priority for the Justice Department.” Some individuals with dementia, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities may require the assistance of a support person (such as a family member, personal assistant, or other individual knowledgeable about them) when accessing medical care. Support persons can help individuals with disabilities to communicate, such as providing their medical history and answering questions, and to understand what is happening, such as medical instructions they are given during their care and discharge. The complaint alleges that Johns Hopkins failed on numerous occasions to follow its own policies for visitors and support persons by not permitting patients with disabilities to be accompanied by their support persons. As a result, these patients were unable to receive equal care. Under the proposed consent decree, which the court must approve, Johns Hopkins has agreed to pay $150,000 to compensate multiple affected individuals. Johns Hopkins will also update its support person policies to ensure ADA compliance, train its employees on its support person policies and the ADA, and report any future complaints regarding support persons to the Justice Department. The claims resolved by this Consent Decree are allegations and not an admission of liability by Johns Hopkins. This matter was handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Marquardt and Trial Attorney Stephanie Berger of the Civil Rights Division, who handled the case. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires private hospitals and other health care providers to provide individuals with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of their goods and services. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights work, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights . ADA complaints may be filed online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ . Anyone in Maryland may also report civil rights violations by emailing USAMD.Civilrightscomplaint@usdoj.gov . . # # #


title: Stafford man sentenced to over 10 years in prison for selling lethal counterfeit pills

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, from at least February 2023 through January 2024, Thomas Lee Smith Jr., 35, obtained thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills, which were imprinted with “M30” but contained fentanyl, and provided them to redistributors, including co-defendant Shane Darontae Anderson, 37, to sell. Smith’s co-conspirators obtained these drugs from a cartel-connected source in Arizona. Anderson sold or agreed to sell over 17,500 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a cooperating source (CS). The total weight of these pills was approximately 1,500 net grams. Smith supplied Anderson with all the counterfeit pills provided to the CS and drove Anderson to multiple controlled buys. Smith’s vehicle, which Anderson drove to a controlled buy, contained a trap compartment for concealed storage. Anderson also offered to sell cocaine to the CS, as Smith was able to obtain cocaine as well. On Jan. 24, Smith and Anderson planned to sell 4,500 counterfeit pills to the CS for $8,000. When Smith and Anderson arrived at the meeting location in Stafford, law enforcement arrested them after the Smith and Anderson attempted to flee. Law enforcement searched Smith’s vehicle and located the trap compartment, which contained 4,999 counterfeit pills, as well as a loaded handgun. Anderson pled guilty on May 8 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On Sept. 5, he was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:24-cr-106 (Smith) and 1: 24-CR-95 (Anderson).


title: Choppa City Members Found Guilty in Brinks Armored Trucks Robberies

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – William Brock, 33, Anthony Antwon McNair, 36, and Erin Sheffey, 29, were found guilty by a federal jury today for their involvement in a series of armed robberies of Brinks armored cars in Washington, D.C. that resulted in the loss of approximately $1.2 million. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The jury convicted all three defendants of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. The jury also convicted Brock and McNair of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth scheduled sentencing for January 15, 2025. The offenses related to three robberies of Brinks armored trucks occurring on October 6, 2021, December 8, 2021, and March 2, 2022. In those robberies, the defendants used firearms to assault the drivers of Brinks armored cars and steal money. In total, the defendants stole over $1.2 million. According to court documents and the evidence at trial, the three defendants were members of the Choppa City street crew. Brock, McNair, and Sheffey conspired together and with others to plan and carry out the robberies, brandishing firearms on D.C. city streets while doing so. Each robbery occurred on a Wednesday at approximately 9 a.m. in the morning and two occurred on busy city throughfares, causing a significant risk to the public. Testimony in the case revealed the conspirators used assault rifles, such as the one pictured below and recovered by law enforcement, to carry out their assault. An AR-15 Weapon Used by The Defendants During the Armed Robberies Defendant Brock (Right) and Defendant McNair (Left) robbing a Brinks armored car employee weapon with a firearm on December 8, 2021. Both Brock and McNair assaulted the driver by beating him with their pistols even after he turned over the delivery bag . Defendant Brock planned the robberies for months, learning the routes and timings that the Brinks driver would arrive, in order to ensure the robbery team was in place. When the Brinks driver would exit his armored car vehicle to deliver money to a bank or local business, the robbers would ambush him. In two cases, the defendants assaulted one of the Brink’s drivers, even after he turned over his courier bag, who still carries injures today from being assaulted in the robberies. Some of the defendants used social media to show off large sums of money they stole during the robberies and photographed themselves making high-end luxury purchases. For example, within two days of the robberies, Defendant Brock purchased vehicles in cash totally over $36,000. In addition, a member of Choppa City who was present during the planning of the armed robberies testified against the defendants. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation WFO Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Cameron Tepfer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Schneider. Valuable assistance was provided by AUSAs Josh Gold, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong. 23cr26


title: Hazelwood Company Owner Sentenced to Year in Prison for U.S. Corps of Engineers Contract Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced the owner of a steel company that falsely claimed parts for a Mississippi River lock and dam had passed safety tests to a year and a day in prison. Theodore J. “Ted” Stegeman, 60, has already paid restitution of $238,059, representing the cost of removing, testing and re-installing cover plates, or flanges, that his company supplied to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor. Stegeman’s company, Industrial Steel Fabrication LLC (ISF), was a subcontractor on a project to repair Lock and Dam No. 25 on the Mississippi River near Winfield, in Lincoln County, Missouri. ISF was responsible for fabricating and welding cover plates for all 17 bridge spans. The flanges were supposed to undergo ultrasonic tests to identify any defects in the welded joints. In October 2019, ISF delivered a flange that had failed an ultrasonic test. To conceal the failed test, Stegeman re-assigned ISF employees who knew about the failed test, his plea agreement says. He then altered the ultrasonic testing report to make it appear as if that flange had passed. Another flange had not been tested and Stegeman told others to falsify a test to make it appear as if the part had passed. Stegeman pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud. On Thursday, Judge Clark called Stegeman’s conduct dangerous and said evidence suggested that he had knowledge of the risks that his conduct created. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.


title: Texas Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Children Offenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today, charging Thomas Henry Lopez, 49, of Spring, Texas, with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between June 2024 and July 2024, Lopez contacted two minors in California through TikTok and then communicated with them through text messages and the encrypted application JusTalk. Lopez purported to be a 12-year-old male from Texas and requested that the victims create and then send to him still and video images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. While communicating with the victims, Lopez sent them images of adults and minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as images of himself masturbating. Investigators were able to identify Lopez by determining that he was using internet connections at his residence and at his Houston workplace, where he was the principal wells engineer for an oil and gas company, when communicating with the victims. FBI agents arrested Lopez on Sept. 3, 2024, just as he was leaving on a work-related trip to Singapore, and numerous electronic devices were recovered during a search of his residence. He will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 13, 2024. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, principally the Kingsburg, California Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case. If convicted Lopez, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the counts of sexual exploitation of children, and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the transfer of obscene material to a minor count, Lopez faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: New Mexico Resident Indicted for Trafficking Firearms into Connecticut

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a six-count indictment charging TIMOTHY GREGORY, 42, formerly of Questa, New Mexico, with firearms trafficking offenses. Gregory was arrested on July 18, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon, pursuant to a criminal complaint, and the indictment was returned on July 31, 2024. Gregory appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigation revealed that Gregory had offered to sell and ship firearms to an individual in Connecticut who is prohibited from possessing firearms. In May 2024, Gregory mailed a parcel containing a Glock 42 .380 caliber pistol and three magazines to Connecticut. In June 2024, he mailed a .223 caliber AR15-style rifle and two empty 30-round magazines to Connecticut. Gregory also indicated he had approximately 300 additional firearms, some which were fully automatic, to sell, as well as six hand grenades. The indictment charges Gregory with two counts of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count; two counts of unlawful transfer of firearms to an out-of-state residence, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count; and two counts of mailing nonmailable firearms, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years on each count. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.


title: Los Angeles Businessman and His Companies Settle Claims Related to Improper COVID-19 Business-Relief Loans

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT LOS ANGELES – Yosef Y. Manela, a Los Angeles-based businessman who owns and operates an accounting firm, law firm and consulting company, has paid $802,341 to the United States to resolve allegations that he and his three companies violated the False Claims Act in connection with six loans the businesses received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Justice Department announced today. Manela and his companies also agreed to repay the lender for all outstanding PPP loans, relieving the Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $728,000. The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the SBA, was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications that the borrower was eligible for the requested loan and the borrower would not receive another PPP loan. The borrower was also required to certify that the funds would be used for qualifying expenses, such as payroll, lease payments, utilities and other allowable business expenses. In December 2020, Congress approved funding for a “second draw” of PPP loan funds, which became available to borrowers beginning in January 2021. The United States alleged that Manela and his companies received a total of six first and second draw PPP loans based on duplicative payroll expenses for multiple businesses and/or on behalf of non-existent employees. According to the United States, Manela and his companies made capital distributions of business profits to Manela’s family members that were falsely characterized as wages in PPP loan applications and forgiveness applications. The United States alleged that these false loan and forgiveness applications resulted in losses to the SBA for processing fees, interest and payment to the lender on a loan guarantee. “Every taxpayer dollar lost to unscrupulous individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic is money that failed to reach businesses struggling for survival,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “It is important that we uphold the integrity of pandemic-related assistance programs.” “PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses facing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is committed to pursuing those who improperly sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the PPP or other pandemic-assistance programs.” “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the Department of Justice, SBA’s Office of Inspector General and other Federal law enforcement agencies, to address fraud on the PPP,” said General Counsel Therese Meers of the SBA. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Relator LLC, a limited liability corporation formed by California attorneys Anoush Hakimi and Peter Shahriari. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Relator LLC v. Yosef Y. Manela et al. , Case No. 2:22-cv-04781-MWF-ASx (CDCA). Relator LLC will receive approximately $80,000 as its share of the total settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Paul B. La Scala of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Allie Pang of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section handled this matter. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, Money Laundering and Operating an Illegal Gambling Business

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Ohio man was sentenced to over seven years in prison today for tax, money laundering and gambling crimes arising out of his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses and related misconduct. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 through 2022, Steven Saris, 49, of Canton, Ohio, owned and operated multiple illegal gambling businesses in Northeast Ohio — including Café 62, Lucky’s, Winner’s World, Spin City and another business in Springfield, Ohio — as well as in Florida. Saris concealed his involvement in and income from these businesses by having others serve as nominee owners, and by destroying and directing others to destroy business records. For tax year 2015, Saris filed a false tax return that did not report more than $1.4 million in income he received from his illegal gambling businesses. For tax years 2016 through 2021, Saris did not file tax returns or pay all the tax that he owed despite earning more than $9 million in income from his gambling businesses. During that time, Saris made only two nominal payments to the IRS in 2018 when he filed an application for an extension of time to file his 2017 return. Saris used his proceeds from the businesses to gamble millions at legal casinos and to acquire and renovate at least two residential properties located in Canton, Ohio. Saris’ conduct caused a tax loss of $2,823,391. In July 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at multiple illegal gambling businesses and associated locations in Northeast Ohio. Following those search warrants, Saris made false statements to law enforcement. At the same time, Saris continued operating the illegal gambling businesses and did not disclose that to law enforcement. In August 2022, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Saris’ residence and for his cellphone. Upon learning of the search warrant for his cellphone, Saris told law enforcement that he did not know where it was located. Law enforcement recovered Saris’ cellphone from the water tank of a toilet in Saris’ residence. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Saris to serve three years of supervised release and pay $2,823,391 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation; the Stark County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office; the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.


title: Wasilla man charged with carjacking, discharging a firearm during 2023 Wasilla shooting

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Wasilla man with carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in January 2023. According to federal and state court documents, the victim in this case purchased a car that had once belonged to Peter Henry Boyer, 51, from a private seller. Boyer believed that the car had been stolen from him and was able to identify the victim as the new owner. After threatening the victim’s parents via social media, he found her in the car about to leave a residence in Wasilla on January 3, 2024. Boyer allegedly forced the victim out of the car at gunpoint, shot her in the leg and drove away in the vehicle. Boyer is charged with one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais and Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes made the announcement. The ATF Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska State Troopers are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Philadelphia Man Who Carjacked Two Ride-Share Drivers in One Week Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rashad Johnson-Price, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 135 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson, for two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying and using a firearm during, and in relation to, the commission of a crime of violence. Johnson-Price was indicted on those violations in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty in September 2023, before the late Honorable Gene E.K. Pratter, admitting to carjacking a Lyft driver with an accomplice at approximately 4 a.m. on August 9, 2022, in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. As part of his plea, the defendant also admitted to carrying and using a firearm to commit this offense. Then, on August 13, 2022, the defendant and an accomplice carjacked an Uber driver at approximately 5 a.m. In both instances, the defendant and an accomplice requested a ride-share vehicle and when they arrived at or near their destination, they carjacked the vehicle from the ride-share driver at gunpoint. “The victims in this case were just trying to make an honest living when two criminals threatened them at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It must have been terrifying, especially in the early hours of the morning, with few other people around. We and our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force will not allow carjackers like Rashad Johnson-Price to commit these violent crimes with impunity. He’ll now be living his 20s behind bars.” “Luring victims through their ride-share service to take their cars and livelihood at gunpoint was a particularly awful crime that will not go unpunished,” said Eric J. DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Philadelphia Field Division. “Working with our Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force partners, ATF Philadelphia Field Division applies our unique forensic and investigative tools to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Lauren E. Stram.


title: Former Osceola Bank Executive Sentenced for $1.5 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Osceola, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme in which she stole over $1.4 million from the bank where she was employed over a period of more than 20 years. Stacia Wilson, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Wilson to pay $1,435,491.05 in victim restitution. On May 9, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Wilson admitted that, while she was employed as a vice president of St. Clair County State Bank in Osceola, she defrauded the bank by creating false and fictitious loans utilizing the stolen identity information of bank customers. She deposited the loan proceeds into her personal bank accounts to use for her own benefit. Wilson’s fraud scheme, which lasted more than 20 years from 2000 until it was discovered in December 2022, resulted in numerous fraudulent loans and a $1,528,321 loss to the bank. This case was prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.


title: Billings meth, fentanyl, heroin trafficker sentenced to five years in prison

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin after the drugs were found in his car was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Sheldon Patrick Tracy, 55, pleaded guilty in February to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in 2022, Tracy came to the attention of law enforcement as a drug distributor in the Billings area. On Aug. 17, 2022, law enforcement stopped a truck that Tracy was driving. Tracy was on state probation and a probation officer authorized a search of Tracy and the vehicle. Tracy had almost $8,467 in his front pocket and a small bag of heroin. After getting a search warrant for the truck, officers located approximately two ounces of meth in a quart baggie and 48 fentanyl pills. Tracy admitted he possessed all the drugs in the vehicle and intended to sell them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Former Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to smuggling contraband into a state maximum-security prison in exchange for bribes. According to court documents, William Lee Homan, 47, of Fox Lake, a former facilities repair worker at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received approximately 125 bribe payments totaling approximately $53,579 from July 17, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, from inmates, former inmates, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband into WCI. Homan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad for the Eastern District of Wisconsin made the announcement. The FBI Milwaukee Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.


title: Two MPD Officers Sentenced for 2020 Murder of  Karon Hylton-Brown and Subsequent Coverup

body_text: WASHINGTON -- Terence D. Sutton Jr., 40, a Fourth District police officer, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison and Andrew Zabavsky, 56, an MPD lieutenant, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, in connection with an unauthorized police pursuit that ended in a collision on Oct. 23, 2020, that caused the death of Karon Hylton-Brown, 20, in Northwest Washington D.C. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office. Sutton was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a unanimous federal jury on December 21, 2022, following a nine-week trial, of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice. The same jury found Zabavsky guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice. In addition to the prison terms, U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman ordered each defendant to serve three years of supervised release. “The jury in this case found the defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for their roles in the murder of Karon Hylton Brown and a related cover up, affirming that what happened here was a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “Public safety requires public trust. Crimes like this erode that trust and are a disservice to the community and the thousands of officers who work incredibly hard, within the bounds of the Constitution, to keep us safe.” “The FBI follows the rule of law and works to hold those accountable who violate the law, no matter who they are,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “The community and fellow law enforcement officers deserve trusted officers that do not abuse their positions of trust and power or put the public at risk. Today’s sentencings show the weight of the crimes and the significance of the criminal justice system and processes at work.” The jury found that Sutton caused Mr. Hylton-Brown’s death by driving a police vehicle in conscious disregard for an extreme risk of death or serious bodily injury to Mr. Hylton-Brown. The jury further found that Sutton and Zabavsky conspired to hide from MPD officials the circumstances of the traffic crash leading to Mr. Hylton-Brown’s death, thereby obstructing justice. As the evidence at trial showed, at the time of the offense, Sutton was assigned to the Crime Suppression Team in MPD’s Fourth Police District. Zabavsky supervised the Fourth Police District’s Crime Suppression Team officers, including Sutton. At about 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, officers observed Mr. Hylton-Brown, 20, driving a moped, helmetless, on a sidewalk in the Brightwood Park area of Northwest Washington. Mr. Hylton-Brown, who was unarmed, ignored Sutton’s attempt to stop him and drove off. Sutton then began chasing Mr. Hylton-Brown on neighborhood streets for minutes, over more than 10 blocks, at unreasonable speeds, and at one point proceeding the wrong way up a one-way street. In the pursuit’s final moments, Sutton followed Mr. Hylton-Brown into a narrow alley, turned off his car’s emergency lights and siren, and accelerated behind the moped. When Mr. Hylton-Brown reached the street at the mouth of the alley, he was struck by an uninvolved oncoming motorist. As Mr. Hylton-Brown lay unconscious in the street in a pool of his own blood, Sutton and Zabavsky, agreed to cover up what Sutton had done to prevent any further investigation of the incident. Neither Sutton, as the lead officer at the scene, nor Zabavsky, the ranking MPD official, preserved the crash scene for investigators; they allowed the driver of the car that struck Hylton-Brown to leave the scene within 20 minutes of the crash. They then turned off their own body worn cameras, conferred privately, and left. Zabavsky designated no other MPD official to supervise the scene upon his own departure. Sutton further compromised the integrity of the crash scene by driving his MPD car directly over the crash site, audibly crushing pieces of debris from the collision as he left. At no point did either defendant contact MPD’s Major Crash Unit (MCU) or its Internal Affairs Division (IAD) to initiate an investigation by those units. Sutton and Zabavsky continued the cover up back at the police station. First, they misled their commanding officer about the nature of the incident by substantially downplaying its seriousness, denying that a police chase had even occurred, and omitting any mention of Mr. Hylton-Brown’s critical injuries. Zabavsky also falsely implied that Mr. Hylton-Brown had been a drunk driver. Both defendants also hid their direct involvement in the incident, thereby avoiding the assignment of other, uninvolved MPD officials to investigate what had happened. Sutton drafted a police report that memorialized a false narrative of the incident. Despite video evidence to the contrary, his false narrative gave the impression that no police pursuit had occurred, that officers had lost sight of Mr. Hylton-Brown and were engaged in a “canvass” of him in the area until shortly before the crash, and that the officers were wholly uninvolved with the fatal collision in any way. The defendant’s account also described Mr. Hylton Brown’s observable injuries only as “superficial abrasions on [his] left eyebrow line.” Mr. Hylton-Brown, suffering from severe head trauma, died on Oct. 25, 2020. This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud Conspiracy Related to Illegal Gambling Businesses

body_text: An Ohio man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS by not reporting income he earned from his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2010 through 2018, Jason Kachner, 48, of Canton, along with Christos Karasarides Jr., 59, of Canton, and other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses, Skilled Shamrock and Redemption. From 2012 through 2017, patrons at Skilled Shamrock wagered a total of more than $34 million, which resulted in more than $4 million in income for the owners of the gambling business. Kachner conspired with his co-owners to defraud the IRS by using a nominee owner to conceal their ownership of the businesses and by filing false tax returns that omitted most of the income he received from the businesses. Overall, Kachner caused a loss to the IRS of $844,692. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Kachner to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,393,024 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.


title: Previously convicted Newport News man sentenced for federal firearm offense

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Antonio James Hill, 33, sold a .38 caliber handgun and five rounds of ammunition to a confidential informant (CI) for $200. During this controlled purchase, Hill was wearing a shoulder holster holding another firearm. Hill was previously convicted of felonies, including malicious wounding and use or display of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He also was convicted of assaulting a corrections officer while incarcerated for the prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Hill cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. The Newport News Police Department and Hampton Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case. Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-12.


title: Northglenn Man Charged With Assault In Rocky Mountain National Park Crash That Injured Three

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Wade Thyfault, 24, of Northglenn, Colorado, was charged by complaint with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with a high-speed chase and car crash inside Rocky Mountain National Park. According to the complaint, on Sunday, September 8, 2024, a Dodge Ram truck drove through the Grand Lake entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and did not stop. A Park Ranger attempted to engage with the vehicle, which continued to drive erratically through the park at high rates of speed. Near the junction of Mill’s Drive and Highway 36 the Dodge Ram collided with a Toyota Corolla. Three people in the Toyota were injured, one critically. The driver of the Dodge Ram fled the scene on foot. Area law enforcement searched for the driver, who was found the next day after a homeowner in Estes Park reported a break-in at their residence. The defendant made his initial appearance in Denver, Colorado on September 12, 2024, in front of Chief United States Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty. The case is being investigated by the National Park Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Garreth Winstead. Case Number: 24-mj-00171-MEH


title: Prior felon charged with illegal firearm possession

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lawrence Foggie, 66, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that on September 6th, 2024, Buffalo Police and the ATF received information that an individual in the area of Main and E. Utica Streets in Buffalo, pulled a firearm on another person. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and observed Foggie as matching the description of the individual. Law enforcement approached and gave verbal commands for Foggie to stop moving. Foggie stated that he had a pistol permit and a firearm in his backpack. He was taken into custody. A loaded .38 caliber revolver, 3.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine, pills and drug paraphernalia were recovered from Foggie’s backpack. In July 2016, Foggie was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. Foggie made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller. 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: Orange County felon sentenced to federal prison for gun violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Terryence John Nelson, 40, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 12, 2024. According to information presented in court, on October 29, 2023, law enforcement officers were dispatched to the Orange Boat Ramp in reference to a large disturbance with shots fired. Upon arrival, officers could see a large crowd with numerous vehicles in the boat ramp parking lot. As officers approached the scene, they heard several gunshots and observed muzzle flashes. Witnesses identified a dark green Lincoln Continental town car and told police that some of the occupants were involved in the shooting. Police identified the driver of the car as Nelson. Further investigation revealed Nelson had an active warrant for his arrest and he was detained. During the arrest, Nelson was found to have a semi-automatic pistol in his pants pocket. The firearm had previously been reported stolen out of Orange County, Texas, and it had an extended magazine loaded with approximately 19 rounds of ammunition. Nelson admitted to officers that he carried the firearm everywhere he went for protection. He told officers that he knew it was wrong because he was a convicted felon. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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. This case was investigated by the Orange Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn. ###


title: Rapids Theatre owner and associate named in superseding indictment for defrauding the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Programs out of more than $750,000

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging John L. Hutchins, 70, of Lewiston, NY, and Roberto Soliman, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud. In addition, defendant Hutchins is charged with making a false statement and defendant Soliman is charged with engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that the superseding indictment charges Hutchins and Soliman with filing fraudulent loan applications under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). The defendants applied for loans under the following companies owned by defendant Hutchins: • Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc. • 1711 Main, LLC • Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC • Hutch Enterprises, LLC • The Hutchins Agency, LLC • CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by defendant Soliman) Between March and August 2020, Hutchins and Soliman received four Economic Injury Disaster Loans totaling $749,500.00. In support of each of the loans, Hutchins and Soliman submitted false revenue and expense figures for the businesses on the loan applications. Hutchins and Soliman used the loan funding for their own personal expenses, such as payments for residential properties in North Tonawanda, NY, and Lewiston, NY, a 2020 BMW, a 2020 Cadillac, homeowner association fees on a Florida condominium, and payments to relatives. In addition, Hutchins and Soliman applied for and received two Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $115,978. In November 2020, Hutchins is accused of making a false statement to a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and to an Investigator of the United States Attorney's Office, falsely denying applying for, or authorizing anyone to apply for, any Economic Injury Disaster Loans or Paycheck Protection Program loans, with the possible exception of one PPP loan for Rapids Theater. Soliman is also accused of engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property for using the fraudulent loan proceeds to pay personal expenses. The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline. 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: Three Defendants Charged In Alleged Nationwide Multi-Million-Dollar Illegal Import And Fraudulent Distribution Conspiracies

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted three defendants in connection with alleged schemes to import from China, fraudulently market, and illegally transport the hazardous chemical trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), in violation of various U.S. laws and regulations. One of the defendants, Jermoine “Jay” C. Brantley (aka Jay E. Johnson), 52, of Murrieta, Calif., was arrested Sept. 5 at his home and made an initial appearance in Los Angeles the next day. The other two defendants— Haneef Z. Saleem, 44, of New York, New York; and Brian Morris, 49, of Peoria, Ariz.—are scheduled to appear with Brantley in San Francisco before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse, on Sept. 12 to face the charges. According to the 26-count indictment, filed Aug. 27 and unsealed Sept. 9, all three defendants conspired to commit wire fraud to convince customers and potential customers to buy the TCCA. In addition, all three defendants are charged with crimes related to the alleged transportation of the chemical from various U.S. ports to other destinations throughout the United States. Brantley and Saleem also are charged with conspiring to smuggle the TCCA into the United States, in violation of various laws and regulations. The chemical at issue, TCCA, is a product commonly referred to in the swimming pool industry as chlorine. The indictment describes how, during the early 2020s, a domestic shortage of TCCA as well as an increase in the tariffs and duties applying to the importation of the chemical from China resulted in a dramatic increase in the price of TCCA in the United States. Brantley and Saleem allegedly took steps to smuggle the product into the country without paying applicable tariffs and duties that would have made the price of the product less competitive. In addition to the smuggling scheme, the indictment describes how all three defendants allegedly participated in a scheme to fraudulently market and sell the product and arranged to have the hazardous materials transported without the proper paperwork and precautions from U.S. ports to customers throughout the United States. The Smuggling Conspiracy The indictment alleges Brantley and Saleem avoided tariffs and duties when importing TCCA from China by supplying the wrong import codes to their brokers so that certain duties would not be assessed. At the time, under the applicable tariff schedule for goods imported into the United States, TCCA was subject to significant “anti-dumping” and “countervailing” duties. Brantley and Saleem allegedly avoided paying these anti-dumping and countervailing duties by supplying their brokers with code numbers that mis-identified the product, identifying it as “disinfectant” and “swimming pool disinfectant,” rather than as TCCA. According to the indictment, Brantley and Saleem caused 66 shipments of TCCA to be imported with codes that did not trigger the applicable tariffs and duties. The Fraud Conspiracy In addition to the smuggling conspiracy, the indictment describes several ways in which all three defendants allegedly lured customers into purchasing the imported TCCA by making false representations about the product, including false descriptions of the strength and efficacy of the product and its registration status with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the indictment, defendants represented to customers and potential customers that their product contained 99 percent TCCA, when, in fact, it had been diluted with boric acid. The indictment also alleges the defendants falsely represented that they, or their products, were “registered with the EPA.” But the defendants never properly registered with the EPA to import the chemical and attempted to avoid inspections by mislabeling their product with EPA registration numbers for a different manufacturer. The indictment alleges that customers purchased more than $3.2 million in response to the defendants’ fraudulent representations. Improper Transportation of Product The indictment also describes how defendants allegedly violated rules pertaining to the transportation of oxidizers and hazardous materials. Defendants’ shipments failed to contain labels identifying the TCCA as a “5.1 oxidizer” and as “hazardous material.” In sum, the defendants are charged with the following crimes and, if convicted, face the following maximum statutory penalties: Defendant Charge Maximum Statutory Penalties (per count) All three defendants Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count) 20 years’ imprisonment; $1,000,000 fine; maximum 3 years’ supervised release All three defendants Wire Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (four counts) 20 years’ imprisonment; $1,000,000 fine; 3 years’ supervised release Brantley and Saleem only Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods Into the United States 18 U.S.C. § 371 (one count) 5 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine; 3 years’ supervised release Brantley and Saleem only Smuggling Goods into the United States 18 U.S.C. § 545 (four counts) 20 years’ imprisonment; 3 years’ supervised release; $250,000 fine Brantley and Saleem only Entry of Goods Falsely Classified 18 U.S.C. § 541 (four counts) 2 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine; 1 year of supervised release Brantley and Saleem only Entry of Goods by Means of False Statements 18 U.S.C. § 542 (four counts) 2 years’ imprisonment; 1 year of supervised release; $250,000 fine All three defendants Distribution or Sale of Unregistered Pesticide 7 U.S.C. § 136j(a)(1)(A), (E) & 136 l (b)(1)(B) (two counts) 1 year of imprisonment; 1 year of supervised release; $50,000 fine All three defendants Distribution or Sale of Misbranded Pesticide 7 U.S.C. § 136j(a)(1)(A), (E) & 136 l (b)(1)(B) (two counts) 1 years of imprisonment; 1 years of supervised release; $250,000 fine All three defendants Violation of the Hazardous Substances Act 49 U.S.C. § 5124(c) & (d) (four counts) 5 years’ imprisonment; 3 years’ supervised release; $250,000 fine An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In addition to the penalties listed above, the defendants also may be ordered to pay restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) Special Agent-in-Charge Kim Bahney, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (DOT-OIG) Western Region Special Agent in Charge Cory LeGars. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Valliere with assistance from Sara Slattery and Kathy Tat. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by EPA-CID, HSI, and DOT-OIG.


title: Portland Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine While on Federal Supervision

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon man with prior convictions for narcotics, firearms, and interstate prostitution was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing methamphetamine after he was caught by federal law enforcement, while on supervised release, with narcotics and a firearm. Anthony Ballard Jones, 42, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. “Every day the FBI works tirelessly to build strong cases to remove violent individuals like Anthony Jones from our communities,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office in pursuing justice in this case.” According to court documents, in January 2022, FBI received reports from a concerned citizen that Jones, on federal supervised release from a prior conviction, was sending threatening text messages to individuals. During the investigation, FBI received reports from another concerned citizen that Jones was engaged in illegal activities. At the same time, Jones had fled federal supervision and the U.S. Probation Office in Oregon was rendered unable to track his whereabouts or monitor his conduct. On March 23, 2022, FBI special agents arrested Jones in Portland, Oregon. A firearm and multiple bags were seized from Jones’ vehicle. Later, investigators searched the bags and found ammunition, a knife, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia, and distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as cocaine and heroin. On April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Jones with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On September 12, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Jose De Leon Medina, 39 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien and failure to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. De Leon Medina was sentenced to 24 months in prison. According to documents in the case, De Leon Medina, a citizen of Mexico, was convicted of child molesting in 2019 which required him to register as a sex offender. After De Leon Medina completed his sentence of imprisonment for the crime, he was removed from the United States to Mexico. Two months later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials learned De Leon Medina had illegally reentered the United States and was living in Goshen, Indiana. De Leon Medina had also failed to register as a sex offender. This case was investigated by U.S, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.


title: Bonita Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a 15-Year-Old Girl and Providing the Fentanyl that Resulted in Her Death

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 12, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Marcus Ray Chavez of Bonita pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he provided fentanyl pills to a 15-year-old girl in exchange for sex, and that the fentanyl ultimately resulted in her death. On at least four occasions between September and November 2022, Chavez provided the girl with two “M30” pills he knew were counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that contained fentanyl. Chavez also admitted to knowing the girl was underage. On November 12, 2022, the girl fatally overdosed from pills that Chavez provided. As a result of his guilty plea, Chavez will be sentenced to no less than 20 years in custody, the statutory mandatory-minimum penalty for distributing fentanyl resulting in death. “This heartbreaking case brings home the devastation caused by fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “For his role as the dealer in this tragedy, the defendant will spend at least the next 20 years of his life in prison. “Fentanyl continues to devastate lives and families across the country,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “The defendant preyed upon this young girl and stole her life. The DEA and its partners continue to vigorously pursue those who deal fentanyl and bring them to justice.” “Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of those impacted by this case,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “Justice has been served for this young victim, whose life was cut tragically short. SDPD will continue to pursue every available avenue to hold fentanyl dealers accountable for these kinds of crimes.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen Roth and Katherine E.A. McGrath. Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation, with support from the San Diego Police Department. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1354-JES Marcus Ray Chavez Age: 30 Bonita, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Sex Trafficking of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1591(a)(1), (b)(2) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years in prison, maximum life in prison and $250,000 fine Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a), 841(b)(1)(C) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years in prison, maximum life in prison and $1 million fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) San Diego Police Department San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Homeland Security Investigations La Mesa Police Department National Guard Counterdrug Task Force California Department of Health Care Services


title: Research Foundation Pays $313,574 To Resolve Claims That University Research Scientist Failed To Disclose Foreign Support

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – The Research Foundation of the State University of New York (RFSUNY) has paid $313,574 to resolve civil allegations that a research scientist at the State University of University at Albany (UAlbany) failed to disclose his affiliations with and support from a foreign government in connection with federal research funding. The settlement relates to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (NOAA) grants and research support agreements that provided funding to UAlbany. In the funding application process, NASA and NOAA require disclosure of, among other things, foreign government support received by any principal investigator (PI) on the grant or agreement. The settlement resolves allegations that Research Scientist Dr. Qilong Min failed to disclose his affiliations with and/or funding from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in connection with Min’s work as PI on three federal research grants from which RFSUNY received funding (the Subject Grants). In particular, UAlbany’s Dr. Min did not disclose that he was receiving funding from PRC during the period of the Subject Grants in connection with: (i) Min's employment with Wuhan University, a public university in China; (ii) Min's participation in a Chinese Talent Plan, a program established by the PRC to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property; and (iii) grants that funded Min’s research efforts for projects in China from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and other Chinese funding sources. During the United States’ investigation, UAlbany terminated Dr. Min’s employment. “Universities, institutions and researchers are required to make certain disclosures when applying for federal grants so that the government can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman. “My office will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.” “This settlement demonstrates NASA OIG’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in deliberate concealment of affiliations with foreign entities to illegally obtain research funding,” said Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office, NASA Office of Inspector General. “I am proud of the exceptional teamwork of our law enforcement partners and the USAO for the Northern District of New York that resulted in securing this settlement and ensuring aggressive oversight of taxpayer funds awarded for academic research.” “The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Office of Inspector General is determined to protect the integrity of NOAA programs and grant funding,” said Eric Arcand, Special Agent in Charge, DOC Office of Inspector General. “Failure to comply with level of effort reporting requirements when working on NOAA-funded research projects undermines the trust placed in those receiving federal grant funds. We greatly appreciate the efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners in investigating and resolving this matter.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Hoggan, Jr., with substantial assistance from DOC OIG and NASA OIG. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: 19 Defendants Charged in Columbus Armed Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – Five indictments unsealed this afternoon charge 19 defendants in alleged armed drug trafficking conspiracies and substantive drug distribution activities with ties to Zohannon, a hybrid criminal street gang in Columbus, resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. According to the indictments and other court documents and statements made in court, federal and local law enforcement conducted Operation Sweet Silence from Aug. 2022 until May 2024, an investigation into the alleged illegal activities of the Zohannon criminal street gang involving alleged armed drug trafficking. As part of the investigation, law enforcement recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine and other controlled substances, along with firearms, including a machine gun and Glock switches, which are used to convert firearms into machine guns. Federal search and arrest warrants were executed in Columbus on Thursday, Sept. 12, resulting from newly unsealed federal indictments: USA v. Dawson, No. 4:24-cr-00023 Dequindre Dawson, 32, of Columbus, is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. If convicted, Dawson faces a maximum sentence 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. USA v. Williams, No. 4:24-cr-00020 Jhy’Keith Williams aka “Keith Keith,” 23, of Columbus, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. If convicted, Williams faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. USA v Mullins, et al, No. 4:24-cr-00019 Tommie Mullins, Jr. aka “TJ” aka “Bo” aka “Mini,” 30, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Mullins faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Anthony Champion, 45, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Champion faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Trenton Clemons, 47, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Clemons faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Christopher Hill, 35, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Hill faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Darius Jenkins, 23, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Jenkins faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Javonta Paden, 24, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Paden faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Adrian Palmer aka AP, 24, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Palmer faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Adrian Pleasants, 28, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Pleasants faces a maximum of life imprisonment; Trenton Thomas aka “Bubble,” 24, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum of life imprisonment; and Corey Turner aka “Lito” aka “Lito Red,” 32, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Turner faces a maximum of life imprisonment. USA v. Carter, No. 4:24-cr-00017 Jantzen Carter, 39, of Waverly Hall, Georgia, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. If convicted, Carter faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. USA v. Brown, No. 4:24-cr-00015 Fernando Brown aka “Nino,” 31, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Brown faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; Undrae Hayes aka “Skizite,” 36, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Hayes faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; Jeffrey Kimbrough aka “YSN Trap,” 28, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Kimbrough faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; Hykeem Lomax aka “Peso,” 32, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Lomax faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; Davontay Richardson, 27, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. If convicted, Richardson faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; and Malik Williams aka “YSN Bird,” 26, of Columbus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Williams faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The defendants are in custody and initial appearances are expected to occur before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven and multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento County, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case for the Government. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Repeat Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Jedidiah Allen, age 32, was sentenced on September 10 to 15 years in prison after entering guilty pleas to Distribution of Child Pornography and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. Allen entered his guilty pleas on April 15, 2024. According to court documents, Allen was distributing child pornography via a social media website and possessed child pornography on his phone on two different occasions. Law enforcement investigated Allen after receiving a tip from a social media platform. In August of 2022, Allen’s phone was seized and examined. Law enforcement found 103 images of child pornography. There was a text message on the device in which Allen asked a female to take pictures of her young niece in the shower, and there were messages in which Allen described sexually abusing a minor child and taking a photograph of the abuse. Upon his arrest on March 14, 2024, Allen was again found to be in possession of child pornography on his phone. Allen was previously convicted of Possession of Obscene Materials Under 17 in the Circuit Court of Mobile County on March 2, 2020. At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed a 180-month sentence of incarceration and a fifteen-year term of supervised release upon Allen’s discharge from prison. During his term of supervised release, Allen will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment as well has mental health treatment. Allen will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Allen was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution in $200 in special assessments. Homeland Security Investigations and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource Centers

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages. According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy. “These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.” “These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.” Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention. The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department. Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers .


title: Neola Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Federal Prison for Transportation of a Minor and a Firearms Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Neola man was sentenced today to a total term of 292 months in federal prison for transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in sex acts and possessing firearms as a felon. According to public court documents, Steven Earl Adkins, 56, communicated with a minor on Craigslist. He drove to a truck stop in Nebraska, picked up the minor, and brought the minor to his home. Adkins provided necessities to the minor in exchange for sex acts. During a search warrant at Adkins’s residence, law enforcement located 16 firearms and ammunition. In 2011, Adkins was convicted in Nebraska of the felony offense of strangulation, which prohibits Adkins from possessing firearms. After completing his term of imprisonment, Adkins will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Adkins will be required to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Omaha Police Department, and Colorado Springs Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.


title: Former Clermont housing official pleads guilty to federal program theft

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – The former executive director of the Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal program theft. Timothy Holland, 57, of Williamsburg, Ohio, admitted to stealing tens of thousands of dollars intended to assist low-income residents of Clermont County, Ohio. According to court documents, Holland served from 2012 until 2019 as the executive director for CMHA, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized public housing authority for Clermont. CMHA received more than $5.9 million in annual federal funds in both 2018 and 2019 to operate and maintain public housing units as well as provide housing assistance to low-income families and individuals. From at least 2016 until 2019, Holland caused a loss of at least $86,929. For example, in 2018, Holland used the CMHA credit card for purchases for himself totaling more than $9,500 at Amazon, Sirius Radio, LL Bean, Home Depot and elsewhere. The next year, he used the CMHA credit card for more than $25,000 of retail purchases for himself. Holland used the CMHA vehicle for non-business trips to Canada, using the CMHA credit card to pay for gas and hotels. In addition, Holland used CMHA funds to pay contractors for work done on his home and furnish an office ostensibly for CMHA’s nonprofit arm. His fraudulently funded “man cave” included a $900 game table from Amazon, a 65” TV and high-end furnishings, all paid for using CMHA funds. “The defendant’s selfish and fraudulent actions not only put vital federal programs at risk, but also jeopardized the availability of HUD-assisted housing for those in our most vulnerable communities who rely on housing assistance programs,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.” Holland’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of three months to 12 months and one day in prison. As part of his conviction, Holland has agreed to pay nearly $87,000 in restitution to CMHA. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Auditor Keith Faber announced the guilty plea entered before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Jury Convicts Pennsylvania Woman of Bank Fraud, Money Laundering, and Conspiracy

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: An accountant and adjunct business instructor who laundered over $800,000 of the proceeds of a multi-state business email compromise scheme was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Margo Ann Williams, age 62, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of bank fraud, three counts of money laundering, three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. The verdict was returned this morning following about five hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that, between December 2022 and July 2023, five victims—a Cedar Rapids church, two businesses, a non-profit, and an individual—had their electronic payments misdirected due to hacked email accounts. The email accounts were hacked while the victims were in the process of making large wire and automatic clearinghouse (“ACH”) transactions to others. The victims received “spoofed” emails that falsely appeared to come from legitimate and trusted sources. The fraudulent emails contained instructions to change the routing information for the wire and ACH transactions. Unbeknownst to the victims, those accounts listed in the new instructions belonged to Williams. After receiving “spoofed” emails, the victims instructed their banks to wire the funds according to the new payment instructions. Williams received the funds into bank accounts she controlled, and then she rapidly transferred the stolen money to other bank accounts that she controlled. Williams eventually transferred stolen funds to two national cryptocurrency exchanges and an individual in Florida. For example, in June 2023, a Cedar Rapids church was engaged in a $7 million renovation of its campus. The hackers compromised the email account of the project’s architect and caused the church to receive “spoofed” emails in which the email domain of the project’s general contractor was slightly changed. As a result, the church representatives thought they were engaged in email correspondence with the project’s general contractor when, in truth, unknown individuals were impersonating the general contractor’s employees. As a result, the church unwittingly wired over $466,000 to Williams’s shell corporation, “MBCI & Evercorp, LLC.” Other victims in the business email compromise scheme included a hotel manager in Colorado, a large non-profit in Washington state, a self-employed homebuilder in Montana, and a general commercial contractor in Pennsylvania. During the scheme, Williams repeatedly opened bank accounts at major national banks, including one in the name of her shell corporation. As the banks discovered the fraud and closed the accounts, Williams would continue to open new accounts at other banks in an effort to continue to perpetrate the fraud. Williams claimed at trial that she was doing so at the direction of a famous British actor with whom she had formed a romantic relationship. Williams earned approximately $25,000 from the scheme. Williams made many personal purchases with the stolen money, including an Apple Watch and a Louis Vuitton handbag. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Williams remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Williams faces a possible maximum sentence of 140 years’ imprisonment, a $4.25 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and Kyndra A. Lundquist and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-64. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Firearms Offense

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Randy Rashawn Moorehead, 34, of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on January 12, 2022, a CMPD officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Moorehead’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Moorehead did not comply and instead drove off. The officer continued to follow Moorehead, who eventually turned into a dead-end street and the officer was able to block Moorehead’s vehicle. During the traffic stop, law enforcement detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Law enforcement proceeded to conduct a search of the vehicle. Over the course of the search, law enforcement recovered a bag that contained a firearm, a quantity of cocaine base, marijuana, and digital scales. Moorehead has a prior felony conviction of Intentional Child Abuse Causing Serious Physical Injury, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms. Moorehead is currently in federal custody. The statutory maximum for the charged offense is 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been sent. The ATF and CMPD conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.