title: Gun Dealer Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison After Using Employee Discount to Illegally Purchase Firearms for Three Minors

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Traven Armstrong, 24, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison after pleading guilty to making false statements in connection with a firearm purchase. According to court documents, between September 1, 2020, and March 10, 2021, Traven Armstrong worked as an employee of a federally licensed firearms dealer. During that time, Armstrong purchased numerous handguns for other individuals from businesses in Carmel, Indiana, using his employee discount. On federal firearms purchase documents, Armstrong intentionally misrepresented that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. When questioned by ATF agents, Armstrong admitted to straw purchasing the firearms for three specific individuals, all under the age of 21. A straw purchase scheme is when a person not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm falsely states to a federally licensed gun dealer that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else, frequently someone who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearm themselves. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement. “Gun traffickers like this defendant fuel violence in our communities by putting deadly weapons in the hands of people who have no business having them,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Cutting off the supply of illegally transferred guns is critical to making our communities safer. Our office will continue to work with ATF and other law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute straw purchasers and others responsible for criminal gun trafficking.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Chicago Group IV investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Armstrong be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $500 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton, who prosecuted this 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. ###


title: Bristol, Va. Man Pleads to Meth Charges, Forfeits Approximately 100 Firearms, High-Capacity Magazines

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who possessed approximately 100 firearms while conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, pled guilty earlier this week in U.S. District Court. Zachary Stout, 26, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, Stout faces a sentence of at least ten years. According to court documents, on April 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Hockett in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, law enforcement recovered more than 1,600 grams of nearly pure methamphetamine, 135 grams of heroin, 40 pills of fentanyl, $28,000 in cash, firearms, ammunition, and two cellphones. In addition, investigators learned that Hockett was being supplied methamphetamine from Tyshawn Blackwell and Zachary Stout. On July 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stout’s residence in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, authorities recovered approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, four cell phones, and approximately 100 firearms - many of which were loaded. Numerous high-capacity magazines and ammunition were also seized. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement. The investigation of the case was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bristol, Virginia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.


title: Leader of White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Make Death Threats Against Journalist

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Nicholas Welker, also known as “King ov Wrath,” pleaded guilty to conspiring to make interstate threats. Welker, the leader of Feuerkrieg Division (FKD), an international racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist group (RMVE), posted death threats against a Brooklyn-based journalist (the “Journalist”) to cause him/her to stop reporting on the extremist group. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, Welker faces up to five years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. “Welker and his hate group threatened a journalist to prevent reporting on the white supremacist group that Welker led. Today’s guilty plea represents a victory for freedom of the press,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that those who espouse hateful, extremist ideologies, like Welker, cannot silence First Amendment-protected activity through threats of violence and will be met with the full force of the law.” Mr. Peace praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Peace also thanked the Estonian Internal Security Service and Prosecutor’s Office for their valuable support. According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, Welker’s threat included a photograph of the Journalist with a gun aimed at his/her head and the words “Race Traitor” over the journalist’s eyes. The threat stated, “JOURNALIST F[***] OFF! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.” Welker posted the threat to a public online forum. Two under-aged FKD members tweeted the threat directly at the Journalist’s twitter handle so that he/she would see the death threat. Welker intended to frighten the Journalist into dropping his/her reporting on Welker’s hate group. FKD members share a common goal of challenging laws, social order, and the government via terrorism and other violent acts. The organization encourages attacks on racial minorities, the Jewish community, the LGBTQ+ community, the U.S. Government, journalists, and critical infrastructure. FKD has members in the United States and abroad. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Andrew Reich are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The Defendant : NICHOLAS WELKER (also known as “King ov Wrath”) Age: 32 San Jose, California E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-141 (PKC)


title: U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Announces Update on the Success of the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today results of the work of the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force that was formed last September . In the past 12 months, the Task Force has built a team consisting of federal prosecutors and 11 federal agencies focused on prosecuting cases related to pandemic-related programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Unemployment Insurance (UI), and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The Task Force has now charged a dozen defendants criminally and obtained civil judgments against three defendants. The amount of fraud associated with the cases is over $7 million. “Credit goes to the prosecutors and investigators who are sparing no effort to identify COVID fraud, to hold the perpetrators accountable, and to return stolen funds to the taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “While I am proud of the successes we have had so far, the Task Force is still in its early phases. We will not rest until we have done everything in our power to seek justice against those who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to line their pockets through fraud.” “OIG will leverage partnerships and collaborate across the law enforcement spectrum to bring fraudsters to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “These judicial outcomes demonstrate the consequences for these wrongful acts are significant. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration will continue to aggressively pursue those who misuse IRS online systems to further fraudulent schemes and those who fraudulently obtain relief from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and its Paycheck Protection Program,” said Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari of the TIGTA Western Field Division. “We appreciate the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure this criminal activity is held to account.” The following are cases recently prosecuted by the District of Idaho’s COVID Fraud Task Force: Lawrence Sikutwa , 43, of Boise, was sentenced to 30 months followed by 5 years of supervised release on September 25, 2023, for bank fraud and money laundering. According to court documents, between April 2020 and February 2021, Sikutwa submitted three fraudulent PPP loan applications and, as a result, obtained approximately $347,000 in fraudulent loan proceeds. Sikutwa used the identities of two individuals known to him to submit two of the PPP loan applications. All three of the loan applications Sikutwa submitted contained false certifications about the dates the companies were opened, the number of employees and amount of payroll, and that the loan proceeds would be used for business related expenses. Sikutwa also submitted false and fraudulent documents with the loan applications in an effort to substantiate the information contained on the applications. After receiving the loan proceeds, Sikutwa caused more than $190,000 to be transferred offshore. Other proceeds were transferred to various individuals and appeared to be used for personal expenses. Valentin Lapatskiy , 34, of Meridian, was sentenced to 15 months followed by 2 years of supervised release on September 26, 2023, for wire fraud. Lapatskiy fraudulently obtained $300,000 in EIDLs by making materially false and fraudulent representations to the SBA in applications for two businesses. Lapatskiy falsely claimed in an application that his purported company Valdi Homes INC opened in November 2017 and he became the owner in February 2018. He also made false representations about a purported limousine company in his wife’s name. In both applications, Lapatskiy falsely claimed gross revenues, cost of goods sold, and employees for 2019. Anubor Bagbi , 63, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and bank fraud and is set for sentencing on December 7, 2023. While investigating Bagbi for opening fraudulent business accounts and trying to cash stolen and/or counterfeit business checks, it was discovered that he previously used some of the same accounts, business names, and identities to fraudulently apply for, obtain, and spend PPP and EIDL funds. Beginning in April 2020 and continuing, Bagbi caused losses of $664,828 in PPP and EIDL funds, by submitting false and fraudulent applications. Craig Marlow , 40, of Blackfoot, Idaho, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 13, 2023, on wire fraud charges for allegedly obtaining more than $900,000 in fraudulent EIDL program proceeds. According to allegations in the indictment, between May 2020 and July 2021, Marlow used identities of individuals known to him—primarily family members—to illegally obtain EIDLs disbursed by the SBA. He also submitted at least two fraudulent applications using his own identity. As alleged in the indictment, Marlow submitted the applications using shell entities and provided false statements in the applications, including false statements about the gross revenue, monthly revenue, cost of goods, cost of operations, and number of employees for the entities in whose names the applications were submitted. Marlow allegedly submitted, and caused to be submitted, ten fraudulent loan applications and obtained $926,700. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Patricia Pischel , 38, of Star, Idaho, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is set for sentencing on November 15, 2023. Pischel fraudulently obtained $219,409 in PPP and EIDL funds. Pischel made materially false and fraudulent misrepresentations about three businesses and, in reliance on those misstatements, she obtained approximately five PPP loans and EIDLs. Pischel’s misrepresentations included the number of employees, monthly payroll, and wage information included in purported IRS Forms W-3. Nels Anderson , 58, of Holbrook, Idaho, was sentenced to 6 months followed by 3 years of supervised release for a false claim. Anderson was charged for submitting a CFAP 2 application that contained a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent livestock claim. When asked for additional documentation, Anderson submitted fraudulent invoices. Anderson did not receive the CFAP 2, but the intended loss was $114,557.19. Jimmy Winebrenner , 79, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to using or trafficking in unauthorized access devices, and is set for sentencing on November 14, 2023. Between May and August 2020, Winebrenner received at least 16 unemployment benefits cards in the mail from various state agencies in names other than his own. Between July and August 2020, Winebrenner obtained $81,180 in unemployment benefits from state agencies. Daniel Labrum , 42, of South Jordan, Utah, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and is set for sentencing on November 16, 2023. Labrum’s scheme included submitting six PPP loan applications to financial institutions, one of which was based in Boise, on behalf of several businesses. The applications contained false information about the businesses concerning, among other things, the number of employees and their monthly payroll, certifications about the businesses and the intended use of the PPP funds. In total, the applications sought approximately $1,914,571 in PPP loans. Eric O’Neil , 58, of Bethel, Connecticut, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and is set for sentencing on December 7, 2023. O’Neil submitted two PPP loan applications to financial institutions, one of which was based in Boise, on behalf of his company. The applications contained false information about his business concerning, among other things, the number of employees and its monthly payroll, certifications about the business and the intended use of the PPP funds. In total, the two applications sought approximately $777,501 in PPP loans. U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the members of the COVID Fraud Task Force for their efforts. The federal law enforcement agencies participating are (i) the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, (ii) the U.S. Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration, (iii) the U.S. Secret Service, (iv) the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, (v) the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (vi) the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, (vii) the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, (viii) the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, (ix) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, (x) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and (xi) the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darci Crane, Brittney Campbell, and Sean Mazorol are prosecuting these cases with the assistance of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ###


title: Carjacking at Suburban Chicago Gas Station Leads to Ten-Year Federal Prison Sentence

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint while a woman and her two children were inside. The carjacking occurred on the afternoon of July 27, 2022, at Thorntons gas station in Posen, Ill. The woman was entering the driver’s seat of her Kia Optima when KEWAN TILLMAN approached, pointed a loaded handgun at her, and demanded the key. The victim was able to get the two children out of the vehicle before Tillman stole the car and drove off. Tillman quickly lost control of the vehicle, got out, and ran back toward the gas station, where he unsuccessfully attempted to force entry into an occupied semi-truck. Tillman then placed the handgun in a sewer and tried to force his way into another vehicle that was parked at a gas pump. After a physical altercation with the driver of that vehicle, Posen Police officers arrested Tillman. The officers discovered the handgun in the sewer. The gun was equipped with a “Glock switch,” also known as an “auto sear,” and at the time was only capable of firing in fully automatic mode. Tillman had arrived at the gas station in a Kia Soul that had been reported stolen in Chicago. Tillman, 20, of Calumet City, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed the sentence Friday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Substantial assistance was provided by the Posen Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth.


title: Charlotte Business Owner Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud Conspiracy For $720,000 COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Evan Agustin Perez, 35, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud conspiracy for obtaining approximately $720,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Relief Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program loans, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to the information to which Perez pleaded guilty, other documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from April 2020 to September 2021, Perez conspired with Edward Whitaker and others in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and SBA-backed lenders by obtaining fraudulent COVID-19 disaster relief funds for businesses he controlled or was affiliated with, including Augie’s Wish Foundation, EMP Haircare, LLC, E.M.P. Enterprises, LLC, T.O.P. Salon Suites Inc., Touch of Precision School of Barbering, Inc., Touch of Precision Barber Lounge, LLC, and Roads to Success Early Learning Center, LLC. Court documents show that Perez, Whitaker, and others submitted PPP and EIDL loan applications and supporting documents that contained false and fraudulent information regarding Perez’s businesses’ income, number of employees, gross revenues, and expenses. As a result of the fraudulent loan applications, the co-conspirators received approximately $720,000 in disaster relief funds. In furtherance of the scheme, Perez, Whitaker, and other co-conspirators subsequently submitted forgiveness applications for certain PPP loans that also contained fabricated information. In January 2023, Whitaker pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina to money laundering conspiracy for his role in a multi-million fraud scheme assisting individuals with obtaining fraudulent coronavirus disaster relief funds. Perez was released on bond after his plea hearing. The maximum statutory penalty for the wire fraud conspiracy offense is five years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. The SBA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Frick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan are in charge of the prosecution. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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 . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Dearborn, Michigan man indicted for conspiracy, wire, and mail fraud for nearly $4 million refund fraud on U.S. retailers

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: Seattle – A 25-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man was arrested today on an indictment returned in the Western District of Washington for a fraud scheme damaging retailers across the country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tess M. Gorman. Sajed Al-Maarej allegedly operated “Simple Refunds” through the messaging service Telegram, where coconspirators were encouraged to purchase items from retailers Al-Maarej claimed he could defraud. Al-Maarej and his staff of “professional refunders” impersonated the purchaser and lied to the retailer about the status of the item to secure a refund for the purchaser, while permitting the purchaser to keep the ordered item. In Western Washington alone, one company lost $1.4 million to the fake refund scheme. Al-Maarej appeared in U.S. District Court in Michigan today, but ultimately will need to appear in Western Washington on the indictment. According to the indictment, between September 2020 and December 2022, Al-Maarej represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value) and for a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej and his coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations. For example, Simple Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered. Al-Maarej recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company. The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej 15-25% of the purchase price as his fee. Al-Maarej engaged in fraudulent refunding activity as well, requesting more than $1 million in refunds from retailers throughout the country. In one instance, Al-Maarej obtained a refund for bulky tools, but he returned to the retailer an envelope filled with plastic toy frogs. He claimed that he personally obtained more than $70,000 in refunds from a Western Washington-based retailer. Al-Maarej boasted about his personal refunding achievements on Simple Refunds to lend credibility to his scheme and attract customers. The total value of the fraudulent refunds through Simple Refunds and Al-Maarej’s own conduct is approximately $3.9 million. The Simple Refunds channel on Telegram amassed a following of more than 1,000 subscribers. Al-Maarej used a second channel to post information on successful refunds. The indictment details how two Snohomish County residents ordered thousands of dollars of merchandise and conspired with Al-Maarej to get the payments refunded. Al-Maarej or others at his direction, allegedly impersonated the buyers, claimed the items had been “delivered not received” and got the purchase price refunded. The customers kept the items. In May 2022, Al-Maarej deepened his fraud by allegedly offering a “mentorship” program where he would teach others to create their own refunding scams – he charged $6,000 for admission to the program. He boasted that students would “learn from the best in the game, from everything fraud related, to legit businesses and cleaning your money.” As alleged in the indictment, Al-Maarej used interstate wires to communicate about the frauds with coconspirators. He is charged with four counts of wire fraud for his communications with Snohomish County coconspirators. He is charged with three counts of mail fraud for three instances of packages sent to Snohomish County addresses. Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years in prison. Mail fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigation is open and ongoing with the possibility of additional charges against other defendants. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.


title: Prince George's County Man Pleads Guilty To Fraudulently Obtaining Covid-19 Cares Act Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Reginald Alphonso Hopkins, age 52, of Prince George's County, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to his plea agreement, Hopkins fraudulently obtained $1,007,224 in fraudulent PPP funds and $9,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds for various purported businesses he controlled—a transportation business, a car sales business, and an assisted living facility. He also attempted to fraudulently obtain more than $3,132,224 in PPP and EIDL funds. According to his plea agreement, on June 11, 2020, with direction from Hopkins, a co-conspirator submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Bluevine and Celtic Bank for Prestige Executive Transportation, a business owned by Hopkins. The application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige Executive Transportation in 2019 had 15 employees and an average monthly payroll of $116,436. In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 944—Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return—was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity’s total payments to all employees in 2019 was $1,397,237.78. Based on the fraudulent submissions, the PPP loan was funded, and approximately $291,090 was distributed. Hopkins agreed to pay the co-conspirator a kickback payment after the PPP loan funds were received, and he provided the co-conspirator a check in the amount $58,000. On March 14, 2021, the co-conspirator submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Cross River Bank for Prestige 24/7 Auto Sales & Services LLC (“Prestige 24/7”), another business owned by Hopkins. The loan application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige 24/7 in 2019 had 15 employees and an average monthly payroll of $120,409. In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940—Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment—was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity’s total payments to all employees in 2019 was $1,444,902.60. Based on the fraudulent submissions made on behalf of Hopkins as the owner of Prestige 24/7, the PPP loan was funded on March 23, 2021, and approximately $294,771 was disbursed to Hopkins. On March 23, 2021, the co-conspirator, with direction from Hopkins, submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Cross River Bank for Prestige Assisted Living Inc. (“Prestige Assisted Living”), another business owned by Hopkins. The PPP loan application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige Assisted Living in 2019 had 24 employees and an average monthly payroll of $168,545. In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940 was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity in 2019 paid $2,022,544.12 in wages to all employees. Prestige Assisted Living did not even obtain a license to operate as an assisted living facility until December 18, 2020. It was authorized to have four beds. Moreover, even after it obtained its license, Prestige Assisted Living never paid wages to any employee. The PPP loan application also included a fabricated February 2020 Wells Fargo Bank account statement for Prestige Assisted Living. The actual beginning balance on the Wells Fargo Bank statement was negative $3.50, not $123,538.50 as shown on the purported bank statement submitted to Cross River Bank. Likewise, the actual ending balance on the Wells Fargo Bank statement was negative $17.50, not $123,475.77 as shown on the purported February 2020 statement submitted to Cross River Bank. Based on the fraudulent submissions the PPP loan was funded, and approximately $421,363 was distributed to Hopkins. Hopkins again paid the co-conspirator kickback payments for his work, totaling $44,000. Hopkins spent the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds in various ways, including by paying $177,000 in kickbacks to the co-conspirator, providing PPP funds to various friends, family members and associates for purposes unrelated to employment, making large cash withdrawals for himself, and paying off various personal debts. Hopkins also used $30,000 of the PPP funds to purchase an auto body repair shop called B&G Auto Repair LLC. He planned to seek and obtain a fraudulent PPP loan for this entity as well. On March 19, 2021, another fraudulent PPP loan application was submitted to Cross River Bank for Prestige Executive Protection Services, LLC, another business owned by Hopkins, seeking a loan in the amount of $250,723. This application falsely claimed, among other things, that the business had $100,289 in average monthly payroll. It also included a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940, which stated that total payments to all employees in 2019 were $1,203,471.52. The loan was ultimately declined. In addition to obtaining the PPP loans discussed above, Hopkins also conspired with the co-conspirator to obtain PPP loans for various other purported businesses, including Prestige Paradise Promotions, LLC, Prestige Executive Protection Services II, LLC, Prestige Real Estate & Development, LLC, and B&G Auto Repair LLC, as noted above. Hopkins repeatedly sought the co-conspirator’s assistance in obtaining PPP loans for these entities, but the loans never closed. Hopkins also caused to be submitted numerous fraudulent EIDL applications. The EIDL program was another program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) designed to provide relief funds to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. On April 1, 2020, an EIDL application was submitted for Prestige Executive Transportation. The application falsely claimed that the business had five employees, 2019 gross revenues of $250 million, and cost of goods sold of $100 million. This equated to a requested loan amount of $2 million. This loan was ultimately declined; however, Hopkins received a EIDL Advance of $5,000. Likewise, on April 2, 2020, an EIDL application for Prestige Executive Protection Services II was submitted to the SBA. Financial information supplied on the application stated that Prestige Executive Protection had gross revenues of $200,000 and a monthly revenue of $16,666.66, which equated to a requested loan amount of $100,000. This loan was also declined; however, Hopkins received an EIDL Advance of $4,000. On July 1, 2020, an EIDL application was submitted for Prestige 24/7. It falsely claimed that the business had gross revenues of $700,000 and cost of goods sold of $650,000. The loan was ultimately declined. If the party’s plea agreement is accepted by the Court, Hopkins will be sentenced to between 18 months and 41 months of imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for January 10, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”). Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley, who is prosecuting the federal case. Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: California man who led transnational drug trafficking organization sentenced to 15 years in prison

body_text: Seattle –A 35-year-old man from Bellflower, California who was a leader of a multi-state methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution ring was sentenced to 15 years in prison in U.S. District Court in Seattle for drug trafficking crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jose Maldonado-Ramirez has been in custody since his arrest in October 2021. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “I can’t remember a prior sentencing involving this quantity of methamphetamine.” “Our office tries to combat the fentanyl crisis by identifying and prosecuting high-level operators of large-scale trafficking schemes. This case is a perfect example,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Maldonado-Ramirez was bringing deadly drugs to communities all over the country. Thanks to our collaboration with agents and local police, we have interrupted his entire operation.” Jose Maldonado-Ramirez plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in March 2023. A total of eighteen people were arrested and charged in relation to this case. According to records filed in the case, Maldonado-Ramirez’s narcotics operation was moving drugs from California and distributing them in King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason, and Kitsap counties. The drug trafficking organization was also distributing drugs to locations in the Southeastern United States, the Midwest, the Northeast, and all the way to Fiji. Over the course of an eighteen-month investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized approximately 128 pounds of methamphetamine, 37,000 fentanyl pills, and dozens of handguns. Concerningly, agents also intercepted a call between Maldonado-Ramirez and his girlfriend after a drug shipment was seized. They were discussing the identity of a local officer and plotting to kill him, according to the Government’s sentencing memorandum. In asking for a sentence of 15 years, Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Andrew Colasurdo said in a statement to the court, “This [drug trafficking organization] was well-organized, well-sourced, and well-connected, and they were prepared to take drastic measures to protect what they had built as they openly discussed killing an officer during an intercepted conversation after a large shipment of drugs was seized.” This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and Mason County Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys C. Andrew Colasurdo and Michelle Jensen.


title: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Four Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday to committing multiple bank robberies in Massachusetts. Jacob Pimentel, 31, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2023. Pimentel was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022. Between April and May 2022, Pimentel robbed four separate banks in the greater Boston area, stealing a total of more than $6,000. Specifically, Pimentel robbed the TD Bank branch in Allston on April 25, 2022; the TD Bank branch in Brighton on May 4, 2022; the Santander Bank branch in Brookline on May 13, 2022; and the TD Bank branch in Cambridge on May 23, 2022. The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston and Cambridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Everett, Washington, man sentenced to 6 years in prison for cyberstalking and interstate threats

body_text: Seattle –A 42-year-old Everett, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 6 years in prison and three years of supervised release for cyberstalking and making interstate threats, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Christopher Scott Crawford was found guilty of an unrelenting campaign of online cyberstalking, threats, and harassment against a former romantic partner after a trial in U.S. District Court in Seattle in June of 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “The conduct that was the subject of trial was extraordinary…Concerning your respect for the law, you left behind a series of no contact and protection orders which you had no difficulty ignoring.” “No one should have to experience cyberstalking and harassment ever. Crawford created an environment of constant fear and anxiety for the victim for three years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa M. Gorman. “The abuse was unrelenting, and I am glad that our office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service were able to work together to put a stop to it.” According to records filed in the case, Crawford repeatedly violated court ordered restraining orders by sending threats by text, email, social media messages, and phone calls. Crawford sent threatening communications to various people associated with the victim in this case, such as parents, coworkers, siblings, and court-mandated professionals. The harassment included posting intimate pictures of the victim on a website and circulating private information about the victim to others. Crawford repeatedly stated to the victim and others that he wanted to make her life so miserable that she would take her own life. In arguing for a sentence of five years before the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Cecelia Gregson said, “For three long years, the Defendant doggedly harassed, intimidated, psychologically harmed, socially harmed, professionally harmed, and financially harmed the victim. The intentions driving his maniacal persistence were to cause the victim to commit suicide or to create an atmosphere through cyber warfare that drew in other malevolent souls to do his bidding whether that be rape, torture, or murder.” The matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cecelia Gregson and Elyne Vaught.


title: Santa Domingo Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Santiago Quintana, Jr. pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact. Quintana, 70, of Santo Domingo, and a member of the Santo Domingo Pueblo, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to court documents, on January 25, 2023, the Bureau of Indian Affairs received an allegation of sexual abuse of children from the Santo Domingo School. A Forensic Interviewer from the FBI interviewed the victim who stated that she and her sibling had been sexually abused by Quintana for about six years, beginning when they were 6 and 7 years old, and the siblings had both witnessed Quintana sexually abusing the other. In his plea agreement, Quintana admitted to engaging in sexual contact with the victim who was over the age of twelve years but had not yet attained the age of sixteen years. At sentencing, Quintana faces up 10 years in prison and must register as a sex offender upon his release. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-235


title: U.S. Attorney's Office For The Eastern District Of Tennessee Announces Over 1.3 Million In Department Of Justice Programs Grant Funding

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVLLE, Tenn. On September 27, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced $1,338,556 in Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) funding. City of Bristol - $11,487. City of Knoxville - $632,355. County of Greene - $14,364. Middle Tennessee State University - $99,818. University of Tennessee Knoxville - $229,454. University of Tennessee Knoxville - $351,078. The Office of Justice Programs is a federal agency that provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and uphold the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. OJP’s six program offices support state, local, and tribal community safety efforts; crime victim assistance and compensation programs; juvenile justice and child protection activities; sex offender management; a wide range of training and technical assistance opportunities; ground-breaking criminal justice research; and, statistical collections covering a host of justice system topics. The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. Additional information about FY23 awards can be found on OJP’s website here: www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/ojp-award-data . For more information, please contact ojpcongressional@ojp.usdoj.gov . ###


title: Man Who Allegedly Attempted to Stab Flight Attendant and Open Airplane Door Mid-Flight Indicted by Grand Jury

body_text: BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then allegedly attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck. Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was indicted on one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was initially charged by criminal complaint on March 6, 2023 following his arrest at Boston Logan International Airport. According to the charging documents, on March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide. In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he allegedly responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. According to court documents, the flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible. Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Video taken by a passenger allegedly depicts Torres yelling at points that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.” Torres then allegedly thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston. It is alleged that during subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants’ safety briefing prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant. The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Owner of Telemedicine Companies Pleads Guilty to $44 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Conclave Media (Conclave) and Nationwide Health Advocates (Nationwide) pleaded guilty today in connection with a $44 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces, and genetic tests. David Santana, 38, of Reading, Mass. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 7, 2024. Santana was charged in July 2023. Between January 2018 and August 2021, Santana, through his companies Conclave and Nationwide, entered into business relationships with telemarketing companies that generated leads by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. The telemarketers then paid Conclave and Nationwide on a per-order basis to generate orders for DME and genetic testing for these beneficiaries. To arrange for these orders to be signed, Santana worked with medical staffing companies to find doctors and nurses who were willing to review and sign prepopulated orders, typically without any contact with the beneficiaries. The records falsely portrayed the medical providers as having performed a legitimate examination of the beneficiary. Santana then provided the signed orders to the telemarketing companies which sold the orders to DME suppliers and laboratories. Santana knew these DME suppliers and laboratories would use the signed orders to submit claims to Medicare for DME and genetic testing that were medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Units are prosecuting the case.


title: Boston Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man residing in Boston was sentenced yesterday for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Manuel Armando Peguero German, a/k/a Joshua Sanchez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley to 15 month in prison. On June 12, 2023, Peguero German pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In August 2020, Peguero German was deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic after serving a 34-month federal sentence for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Sometime after his removal, Peguero German returned to the United States without authorization. In September 2022, Peguero German was arrested in Boston on state drug charges that were later dismissed. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Member Of Violent Gang in Pontiac Sentenced to 94 Months in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Possession of A Machinegun

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Immanuel Gates, 21, of Southfield, MI, was sentenced in federal court in Detroit today to 94 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a machine gun and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Gates was a member of the violent R Block street gang, which was active in the city of Pontiac. Ison was joined in the announcement by Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and James Deir, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court records, Gates stole over $400,000 from at least four different states, in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Gates used personal identifying information of victims to assume their identities and fraudulently apply for unemployment in Michigan, Rhode Island, Arizona, and California. Gates used addresses in Pontiac MI, Waterford MI, and Ventura CA to perpetrate this fraud. Gates engaged in approximately $413,114 of unemployment insurance fraud. Gates used some of the money he fraudulently obtained to purchase firearms. In a single day, Gates spent at least $3,273 of his fraud proceeds to purchase four firearms. Two of those firearms were subsequently used in shootings in Pontiac. Gates also transferred at least $7,950 to a straw purchaser who purchased firearms on his behalf. The straw purchaser has pleaded guilty in federal court. Gates also purchased over thirty Glock conversion devices, commonly called “switches” from a Russian website. A Glock conversion device converts a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm. Gates spent no less than $14,700.00 on guns and Glock conversion devices between October of 2020 and September of 2021. “This prosecution and sentence reflect my office’s commitment, to hold accountable those relative few individuals who drive violence in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Dawn Ison. “And make no mistake, those who supply guns for others to use illegally are driving violence and will face federal prosecution.” “Today’s significant sentence sends a strong message to dangerous street gangs that the law enforcement community will use every available tool to ensure the safety of our communities. Immanuel Gates engaged in an egregious scheme to obtain more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance funds by using stolen identities to file fraudulent claims. Gates used the proceeds of his fraudulent activities to purchase machine gun switches, which turn handguns into automatic weapons” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the ATF, and our other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their strong partnership and collaboration on these types of investigations.” This case was investigated by special agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Roth.


title: Local man charged with orchestrating investment fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Mont Belvieu resident has been taken into federal custody on charges he diverted victims’ monies for his personal use, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal grand jury returned the indictment Sept. 27 against Carl Spence. Spence allegedly ran an investment business called AEI Financial from his residence. According to the charges, Spence lured victims by promising he would invest their funds and obtain 20-30% returns on investment. He also allegedly falsely represented to investors that he was registered with the SEC. Spence would divert victims’ money and use it to pay for his own personal expenses or to pay previous investors, according to the charges. In addition, although the victims’ money had been significantly (or nearly completely) depleted, Spence would allegedly produce fraudulent account statements showing that the victims’ accounts had grown. Spence faces one count of wire fraud which carries a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine, upon conviction. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Carter and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Flathead County fentanyl, meth trafficker sentenced to more than 10 years in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MISSOULA — A Marion man who admitted to distributing fentanyl pills and methamphetamine in Flathead County was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Roger Ossie Nickerson, 40, pleaded guilty in May to distribution of controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that during an investigation by the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force in June 2022, an undercover agent purchased fentanyl from Nickerson. In addition, law enforcement received information from a source that Nickerson was distributing drugs and that the source had purchased pills and meth from him multiple times. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Great Falls Police Department 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. XXX


title: U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announces Selection of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant United States Attorney for the Southwest Region

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico Alexander M.M. Uballez, announced the selection of Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Eliot Neal as the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) AUSA for the Southwest Region, which encompasses the Districts of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. AUSA Neal is one of five MMIP AUSAs who will provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. Eliot was selected for the MMIP AUSA position based on his background and experience, as well as his proven success in his position as the District’s Tribal Liaison to the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Eliot’s innate ability to develop positive professional and personal relationships with everyone and anyone makes him the perfect person to move seamlessly into this new position. Eliot grew up in Wilson, Wyoming, at the foot of the Teton mountain range, a historical crossroads for the Crow, Gros Ventre, Blackfeet, Nez Perce, Bannock, Eastern Shoshone, and Sheep Eaters tribes. Close to the modern-day Wind River and Fort Hall reservations, Eliot gained exposure at a young age to both the cultural significance and beauty of Indian Country, as well as the many hardships and challenges faced by Indigenous Americans. After attending Middlebury College for his undergraduate degree and law school at Emory University, Eliot began his legal career with Cooley LLP in Palo Alto, California. There, Eliot worked in the business litigation group, focusing primarily on securities litigation for large public technology companies. Fueled by a desire to serve the public on a more personal level, Eliot then left securities litigation and became an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office in 2022. Since he joined the USAO, Eliot has worked on a wide variety of cases including child exploitation, gun crimes, and Indian Country crimes. Most recently, Eliot was asked to serve as the District’s Tribal Liaison to the Mescalero Apache Tribe. In that capacity, Eliot reestablished the District’s relationship with Mescalero after a fifteen-year lapse and has made it one of the strongest government-to-government relationships between the District and tribal leadership in the state. In his role as a Tribal Liaison, Eliot has gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of the issues threatening tribal communities—in particular persistent cycles of physical and sexual violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and poverty, all of which have outsized impacts on small, tight-knit families and communities—and ways the U.S. Attorney’s Office can better serve tribal communities and bring about justice. “I am excited to be joining the Department of Justice’s response to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons,” said Eliot. “After losing my own brother, I know how devastating it is to have a loved one taken from you. In my new role, I will do everything I can to help bring about closure and justice to those impacted by the MMIP crisis. I look forward to working with tribal and law enforcement partners throughout the Southwest region and can’t wait to get to work!” ### 23-236


title: Saugus Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Prescription Pills

body_text: BOSTON – A Saugus man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Justin Westmoreland, 25, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 26, 2023, Westmoreland pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Westmoreland was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Westmoreland was responsible for the distribution of approximately 7,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing undisclosed amounts of fentanyl. Intercepted communications between Westmoreland and his supplier established that Westmoreland knew that the pills he was receiving and distributing were counterfeit pills. Westmoreland is the first individual to be convicted and sentenced in connection with this case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. 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 . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: KC Street Gang Members Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking, Drive-By Shooting, Illegal Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men who were part of a violent street gang have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and other violent criminal behavior that included illegal firearms and a drive-by shooting outside a daycare center where children were present. David J. Duncan, IV, also known as “Deej” or “DJ,” 34, and Gary O. Toombs, 43, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Duncan was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Toombs was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 15, 2022, Duncan and Toombs were found guilty at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana from Jan. 1, 2011, to Oct. 1, 2019. Co-defendants Ladele D. Smith, also known as “Dellio” and “Dog,” 36, and Roy Franklin, Jr., 34, both of Kansas City, Mo., also were convicted during the same trial and were sentenced on Sept. 18, 2023. Smith was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison without parole. Franklin was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The investigation into the 246 street gang, operating in the Kansas City metropolitan area, began in June 2017. The gang is an alliance of gang members from the 24th, 43rd, and 68th streets of Kansas City, Mo. Smith was identified as a leader of the gang, and Franklin, Duncan and Toombs as members of the gang. Duncan and Smith are local rap artists who often posted to social media platforms, such as YouTube, with references to the 246 gang. In some of the videos, they display firearms and large amounts of cash. The social media posts also portrayed Smith and others wearing expensive jewelry, watches, hats, clothing and tactical vests that depicted 246 gang affiliation. Members of the 246 gang used a residence in the 4400 block of Kensington, which is within 1,000 feet of George Washington Carver Dual Language School, a public elementary school, for gang and drug-trafficking business. No one utilized the house as a primary or permanent residence. On Oct. 2, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the house and seized 295 grams of heroin as well as two assault rifles and a stolen vehicle that had been used in a drive-by shooting the previous month. According to court documents, the drive-by shooting was done at Duncan’s direction. Officers also found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a Century Arms International 7.62x39mm pistol under the couch in the living room and a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the kitchen cabinet. Duncan was arrested at his apartment on Oct. 2, 2019. Officers searched his residence and found a Zastava 7.62 x 39mm rifle, a Norinco 7.62 x 39mm rifle, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, two loaded rifle magazines, and a loaded handgun magazine under the bed in a bedroom. Officers found $7,100 in cash and four bags that contained a total of 179 pills, a total of more than two kilograms of oxycodone, in the living room. Duncan also was found guilty of one count of drive-by shooting, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, one count of possessing oxycodone the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and five counts of money laundering related to the purchases of money orders with drug-trafficking proceeds. Those money orders, according to court documents, were used to pay rent for his apartment and a payment on his Dodge Charger. Duncan laundered at least $272,231 in cash deposits, purchases, and money orders, according to court documents. Toombs Smith and Franklin also were found guilty at trial of participating in a conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. In addition to the two conspiracies, Toombs was found guilty of maintaining a residence for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using controlled substances. Smith and Franklin also were convicted of multiple counts that charged them with various drug-trafficking and firearms crimes. Duncan and Toombs are the final defendants to be sentenced in this case. In addition to the four defendants who were convicted at trial, 14 defendants in this case pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh Ragner, Mary Kate Butterfield and Ben Hurst. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. KC Metro Strike Force This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.


title: Strafford Business Owner Pleads Guilty to False Tax Return

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., business owner pleaded guilty in federal court today to filing a false tax return. Philip Russell Turner, 53, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of filing a false tax return. Turner is the co-owner and president of a business identified in court documents as “Company A.” By pleading guilty today, Turner admitted that he filed a false tax return for the calendar year 2018. Turner only claimed $15,088 income, although he had received additional income that should have been reported. According to today’s plea agreement, Turner used funds from Company A to pay for approximately $612,144 in renovations to his personal residence in Strafford and cabins in Colorado in 2017 and 2018. He falsely told his accountant that the expenses for the renovations were expenses incurred by Company A for, among other things, renovating Company A’s offices, so that his accountant would not include the renovations as personal income on Turner’s tax returns. As a result of Turner’s misrepresentations, his personal income for calendar years 2017 and 2018 was unreported by approximately $612,144. As a result, according to his plea agreement, Turner has an outstanding income tax liability of $97,765 for calendar year 2017 and $61,201 for calendar year 2018. In addition, the plea agreement says, Turner owes $351,620 in unpaid taxes from calendar years 2013, 2014, and 2015. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Turner must pay the Internal Revenue Service $510,586 in restitution plus interest. Under federal statutes, Turner is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Kempf. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: North Carolina Man Sentenced for Role in $5.8 M Fraud Scheme

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Huntersville, North Carolina, man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for his role in a fraud scheme that caused over $5.8 million in losses to victims. According to court documents and testimony at hearings, from 2016 through 2021, Jayson Ryman Colavalla, 51, along with Carl Anthony McNeill, 59, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Richard Thornhill Crock, 75, of Mableton, Georgia; and Ksyntolious Miller, 60, of Woodbridge, were involved in an advance fee scheme targeting individuals, small businesses, churches, and other entities that could not obtain conventional lines of credit through banks. The co-conspirators promised these victims that, using their relationships with major investment banks, the co-conspirators could obtain lines of credit for the victims. The scheme required that the victims advance a deposit consisting of 10-14% of the line of credit sought, representing that the deposit would be held in escrow and returned if they did not obtain the line of credit. In fact, the co-conspirators did not have any relationships with the investment banks mentioned in their dealings with the victims and did not safeguard the victims' funds in escrow. The fraudulently obtained funds from victims were misapplied to pay co-conspirators, cover the payroll and operating expenses of C&D Corporate Services, the company McNeill used to commit the fraud, and pay frustrated victims seeking the return of deposited money. Crock also falsely represented to victims that their advanced funds would be insured via policies issued through a Georgia-based insurance company. These policies were also fraudulent, as the insurance company did not have sufficient assets on hand to compensate victims under such policies. Colavalla was also ordered to pay over $2.4 million in restitution to victims with which he was involved. In May, McNeill and Crock were both sentenced to 46 months in prison. In July, Miller was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Moore and Avi Panth 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 No. 3:21-cr-132.


title: El Paso Man Sentenced 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion of a Minor

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced on Monday to 120 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court documents, between March 2, 2022, and January 25, 2023, Chriss Alexander, 24, had sexually explicit conversations, to include sending lewd photos of male genitalia, with someone he believed to be a minor. On January 25, Alexander arranged to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Agents from the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force arrested Alexander as he approached the minor’s residence. “I applaud the FBI for seeking out and apprehending this predator before he could do harm to an actual child in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza. “We will continue to work earnestly with our law enforcement partners to take pedophiles off the streets.” “The FBI El Paso's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force is committed to protecting the children of our communities,” said FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales. “This defendant traveled to attempt to have sex with someone he believed to be a child. Our community can rest easy knowing this man will be behind bars in a federal prison.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Blaine Business Owner Pleads Guilty in $600,000 Scheme to Defraud Hundreds of Jobseekers

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after devising an employment opportunity scheme to defraud hundreds of jobseekers out of approximately $600,000, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Charles Edward Fields, 44, was the owner and operator of a series of companies through which he pitched employment opportunities to prospective workers throughout the United States. The employment opportunities that Fields purported to provide were through his businesses, some of which included HOMESoft Systems Incorporated, WaterTek Marketing Corporation, Water Innovations Group, Inc., W I G Holdings Corporation, Mile High H20 Corporation, and the NEW H20. Fields, claimed that, after job applicants paid him an upfront deposit of approximately $3,000 to $5,000, he would hire them as sales contractors to sell products nationwide to the public, primarily home security or water filtration systems. As part of the scheme, Fields also misrepresented his affiliation with, and his authority to act on behalf of, Company A, a long-standing international company that designs and distributes various models of water machines and filtration systems. According to court documents, Fields routinely posted nationwide online employment advertisements promising job seekers training, sales leads, and $6,000 in guaranteed monthly profit. Despite paying Fields the required upfront deposit, many of his victims never received the product or the training that they paid for as a condition of their employment. In reality, the employment opportunities never materialized as promised by Fields. In addition, Fields misrepresented to job applicants that their deposits would be securely held in escrow and subsequently refunded to them upon request. However, rather than provide victims with the promised equipment or employment opportunities, Fields instead used much of the victims’ funds for his own personal use and benefit or to refund some victims using other victims’ money. In order to conceal his fraud and stave off scrutiny, Fields lulled his victims with bogus excuses as to why he was unable to fulfill his promises or return their funds. In total, Fields defrauded at least 250 victims of at least $600,000. Fields pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge David S. Doty. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.


title: Wheeling man indicted for defrauding investors, tax evasion

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeffrey James Morris, age 36, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has been indicted on twenty-eight counts of wire fraud and tax evasion in connection with the defrauding of investors and employees of his real estate development company. Morris, the managing member and majority owner of Roxby Development, LLC, was charged yesterday by a special grand jury in Wheeling with eighteen counts of wire fraud and ten counts of failure to pay taxes. Morris, who was arrested earlier this month on one count of wire fraud, is accused of making misrepresentations to induce individuals to invest in Ohio County real estate, to include the McClure House hotel, the Mount Carmel Monastery, and the Scottish Rite Cathedral. According to the indictment, Morris received nearly $7 million from approximately twenty investors. Morris allegedly used investor funds to pay for credit card transactions unrelated to Roxby renovations, to pay the debts of a company unrelated to Roxby, to pay personal expenses, and to pay other investors. He is accused of misrepresenting the status of improvements made to the properties to induce additional investment and to lull investors into not taking action for failing to comply with their agreements. Morris allegedly used deception to induce the sale of properties to him, to include providing false screenshots of bank account balances, and to have misled potential lenders by not disclosing all the payables of the Roxby entities. Morris is also charged with withholding taxes from his employees’ pay checks but then failing to pay over $252,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, to include Medicare and social security taxes. “Many were harmed by the actions of Jeffery Morris, including investors, employees, and vendors,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI and IRS-CI, Mr. Morris will be held accountable.” “Mr. Morris is accused of taking advantage of innocent investors and creating a deceptive scheme for his own personal gain,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue those who attempt to defraud and mislead people in our community.” U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-CI. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 14, 2023, at 9:00 am. An indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Melbourne Man Sentenced To More Than Three Years In Federal Prison For Stealing Social Security Benefits

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Tommy Mendez (42, Melbourne) to three years and one month in federal prison for theft of government funds. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $173,125, the proceeds of the theft of government funds. Mendez had pleaded guilty on July 3, 2023. According to court documents, Mendez applied for child auxiliary benefits, which are Social Security benefits due to children of deceased wage earners, on behalf of his minor child. Mendez also applied for a separate monthly benefit due to the surviving spouse of a deceased wage earner with a child-in-care. On the applications, Mendez falsely claimed that the eligible child was living with him. Mendez’s applications were approved, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) paid both monthly benefits to Mendez. Mendez misused the child auxiliary benefits received on behalf of his minor child for his own personal expenses and was never entitled to the child-in-care benefits because the minor child did not live with him. In total, Mendez received $173,125 in SSA benefits to which he was not entitled. “Mr. Mendez fraudulently obtained Social Security benefits for himself and a minor child by falsely reporting information to the Social Security Administration (SSA). This prison sentence holds Mr. Mendez accountable for using fraudulently obtained benefits as his own personal slush fund,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the SSA. “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler for their efforts in prosecuting this case.” This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.


title: Grand jury indicts 2 local men in drug conspiracy involving more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of fentanyl

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted two area men with crimes related to running a drug trafficking operation out of a local home and business property. Kevin Darnell Byrd, Jr., 38, of Dayton, and David Minor, 36, of Englewood, are charged in a narcotics conspiracy that is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug conspiracy, which is punishable by at least five years and up to life in prison. According to the 15-count indictment, Minor was using his home on Southview Drive in Englewood as a drug premises and Byrd was using a business on Webster Street in Dayton as a drug premises. The defendants allegedly conspired to distribute and possessed with the intent to distribute bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. On Sept. 14, the FBI Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force and the Regional Agencies Narcotics and Gun Enforcement Task Force conducted a buy-bust operation and purchased a pound of methamphetamine from Minor. Task force members attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Minor following the narcotics sale and Minor allegedly fled in his Chevrolet Impala and then attempted to flee on foot before ultimately being apprehended. A search warrant of Minor’s residence on Southview Drive in Englewood revealed four firearms and bulk amounts of cash, along with methamphetamine, fentanyl and synthetic opioids in a vehicle at the property. Agents and officers executed a related search warrant at a business on Webster Street in Dayton and discovered more than five kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded handgun and bulk amounts of cash. Minor and Byrd are both prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck announced the indictment returned on Sept. 26. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Grand jury adds new robberies, gun crimes to charges against 2 central Ohio men in July I-70 shootout

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment that adds new charges against the two central Ohio men allegedly involved in the July 6 shooting of a Columbus police officer. The 10-count superseding indictment now charges Faisal M. Darod, 23, of Columbus, with aiding and abetting four other robberies in addition to the originally charged robbery of Fifth Third bank in Hilliard on July 6. Darod is also charged with four counts of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies. Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to bank robbery, two counts of aiding and abetting robberies and two counts of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies. The robberies to which the defendants allegedly aided and abetted include: Date Location Defendant Charged June 21, 2023 GameStop on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard Darod July 3, 2023 Auto Gallery on Westerville Road in Minerva Park Darod July 5, 2023 Fifth Third Bank on Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington Darod & * Jama *accessory after the fact July 6, 2023 Byers Imports on North Hamilton Road in Whitehall Darod & Jama July 6, 2023 Fifth Third Bank on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard Darod & Jama The superseding indictment alleges Darod helped steal a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from Auto Gallery, more than $75,000 from the Fifth Third in Upper Arlington, and multiple PlayStation gaming consoles. Both men allegedly aided and abetted the theft of a 2020 Porsche Cayenne SUV from Byers Imports and more than $85,000 from the Fifth Third in Hilliard. Columbus Police and other law enforcement officers encountered Darod and Jama on I-70 near downtown Columbus after the July 6 Fifth Third Bank robbery in Hilliard. A shootout followed during which a Columbus Police officer was severely injured and a third person in the car with Darod and Jama was killed. The United States Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team arrested Darod in the early morning hours of July 7 outside his Columbus residence. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigation agents arrested Jama at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 8. The two remain in custody. Aiding and abetting a bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a potential penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison. Being an accessory after the fact of bank robbery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the United States Marshals in Columbus and Chicago; ICE and HSI Chicago; the Whitehall, Minerva Parka and Upper Arlington police departments; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the superseding indictment returned today. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case. A superseding indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Houston Man Arrested For Traveling To Have Sex With 13-Year-Old Girl

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and detention of Tyler Colton Rock (26, Houston, Texas). A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Rock with production of child sex abuse material, enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted, Rock faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in federal prison for the production offense and a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for the enticement offense. If convicted on all counts, Rock faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison for each offense. According to the indictment, Rock had a minor child victim send him nude images of herself and he sent her an image of his erect penis. Additionally, Rock traveled to the Middle District of Florida to engage in sexual intercourse with the child. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.