title: Four Todd County Men Sentenced in Assaulting a Federal Officer Case

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced four Todd County, South Dakota men in a case that involved charges of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Kevin Bordeaux, age 24, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon; Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer; and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On August 17, 2023, Bordeaux was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Carston Eagle Deer, age 22, of Rosebud, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023, to two counts of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer; and one count of Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On November 13, 2023, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victim Fund. Gervis Fool Bull, age 29, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer and Aiding and Abetting; and Obstructing Justice by Retaliating Against a Witness. On August 14, 2023, Fool Bull was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Julian Moran, a/k/a Jullian Moran, age 29, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Aiding and Abetting. On December 11, 2023, Moran was sentenced to all time served through December 21, 2023, equal to approximately 18 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The defendants were further ordered to pay restitution of $8,081.40, jointly and severally, for damage caused to a Tripp County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. On the evening of July 6, 2022, Bordeaux got into a confrontation with his girlfriend at a residence in Todd County. Bordeaux produced a handgun and fired a single shot, striking his girlfriend in the area of her right hip. Bordeaux then departed the scene in a vehicle with Eagle Deer. A short time later, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services (RSTLES) officers responded to a call for service from a provider at the Rosebud Indian Health Service (IHS) Hospital in Rosebud, who reported a woman had just arrived at the hospital after being shot by Bordeaux. The officers obtained a description of Bordeaux’s vehicle but were not able to locate him that evening. On the morning of July 8, 2022, RSTLES officers were patrolling in Mission when they observed Bordeaux’s vehicle parked near an apartment building. Moran was standing next to the vehicle, Bordeaux was in the driver seat, Eagle Deer was in the front passenger seat, and Fool Bull was in the rear passenger seat. The officers approached and ordered Moran to show his hands. Moran refused commands and instead got into the rear passenger seat of the vehicle. Bordeaux then started the vehicle and drove away. The RSTLES officers pursued Bordeaux’s vehicle at high speeds from Mission heading east on U.S. Highway 18. The pursuit continued onto a gravel road, at which point Bordeaux and Eagle Deer produced handguns and began firing at the pursuing officers. Bordeaux and Eagle Deer then threw their handguns out the window. As the pursuit approached Winner, South Dakota, the RSTLES officers coordinated with deputies from the Tripp County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) and officers from the Winner Police Department. Moran and Fool Bull threw items from the vehicle during the pursuit for the purpose of obstructing and interfering with the pursuing officers. During the pursuit, Bordeaux rammed a TCSO vehicle. The pursuit ended when a TCSO vehicle made contact with Bordeaux’s vehicle, causing it to spin out of control and into the ditch. All four defendants were placed under arrest. On October 17, 2022, Fool Bull was in pretrial detention in the Winner City Jail when he approached another inmate and assaulted that inmate for providing information to law enforcement. In January of 2023, Eagle Deer was on pretrial release when an arrest warrant was issued for violating the conditions of his release and absconding from supervision. Eagle Deer’s whereabouts were subsequently unknown until May 13, 2023. On the morning of May 13, 2023, a RSTLES officer was patrolling in Mission when he observed Eagle Deer’s vehicle. Eagle Deer attempted to drive away but became stuck. Eagle Deer ignored the officer’s commands to surrender and instead fled his vehicle on foot. The officer caught up to Eagle Deer after a short pursuit, but Eagle Deer physically resisted and attempted to put the officer in a headlock. The officer subsequently escorted Eagle Deer to the ground and placed him under arrest. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI, RSTLES, TCSO, and the Winner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Bordeaux, Eagle Deer, Fool Bull, and Moran were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencings.


title: BioTelemetry and LifeWatch to Pay More than $14.7 Million to Resolve  False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Remote Cardiac Monitoring Services

component: Civil Division

body_text: BioTelemetry Inc. and its subsidiary, LifeWatch Services Inc., headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Rosemont, Illinois, respectively, (collectively LifeWatch), have agreed to pay more than $14.7 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting claims to federal health care programs for a higher level of remote cardiac monitoring than physicians had intended to order or that was medically necessary, thus inflating the level of reimbursement paid to LifeWatch. The United States alleged that, during the period July 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2020, LifeWatch marketed its ACT-3L device (also known as the LifeStar ACT-3L and the MCT-3L) to doctors as being capable of performing three different types of heart monitoring services: holter monitoring, event monitoring and telemetry. Of these, telemetry provided the highest rate of reimbursement. The United States contended that LifeWatch knew the design of their online enrollment portal for the ACT-3L device caused unwitting clinical staff to select options that would enroll the patient in the most expensive service, telemetry, even when the doctor intended to order a less expensive service. The United States also contended that LifeWatch’s sales personnel instructed clinical staff to select the options that resulted in patients being enrolled for telemetry services, even when the sales personnel knew the clinic’s physicians intended to order less costly services. LifeWatch also allegedly disregarded written notes that clinic personnel included in patient enrollments that specifically reflected the treating physicians’ intent to order a service other than telemetry. “Diagnostic companies, like other providers, are expected to bill federal healthcare programs only for medically necessary services,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who misuse taxpayer-funded programs for their own enrichment.” “Our health care system is based on doctors choosing the level of care appropriate for their patients,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “It undermines this system and costs taxpayers if companies design systems that make it harder for physicians to order only necessary services and also use their sales force to mislead health care practitioners, as we allege happened here. Our office is committed to holding accountable companies who try to take advantage of the system in these ways.” “Companies that bill Medicare and other federal healthcare programs must ensure that they are billing for the services actually ordered by medical providers, rather than the most expensive service,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This office will continue to pursue cases that will reduce costs for the government while ensuring that patients receive consistent and quality care, as prescribed by their physicians.” “Proper billing of federal insurers is essential and underpins the reliability of our health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to steadfastly pursue entities which fraudulently charge federal health care programs for financial gain and ensure they are held accountable.” “Today's announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work with the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud against TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents,” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty for the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. “When healthcare providers submit claims to TRICARE for services that are excessive and medically unnecessary, they place financial pressure on the TRICARE system and undermine its integrity.” “The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and preserving taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We thank the DOJ Civil Fraud Section, the United States Attorneys’ Offices and our law enforcement partners for their efforts leading to today’s meaningful settlement.” “The OPM OIG takes fraud against the Federal health care programs very seriously,” said Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles of the Office of Personnel’s Office of Inspector General (OPM OIG). “Our office stands ready to work with our law enforcement partners on holding unscrupulous health care providers accountable.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Michael Pelletier, an individual employed by one of LifeWatch’s customers, and SFP I LLC, whose members are Paul Davis, Charles Richardson, MD, MBA and Chris Riedel. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. ex rel. Pelletier et al. v. LifeWatch Services, Inc., et al. , No. 2:18-cv-11391 (D.N.J.), and United States ex rel. SFP I, LLC v. LifeWatch Corp., et al. , No. 2:19-cv-2169 (E.D. Pa.). As part of today’s resolution, Pelletier will receive approximately $2.3 million, and SFP I, LLC will receive approximately $270,000. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of VA Office of Inspector General and the OPM-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Fraud Section attorneys Amy Kossak and Jessica Sievert, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Kaufman for the District of New Jersey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Lindgren for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Settlement Agreement


title: Farrell, Pa Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Kenneth Miller pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Miller, age 62, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Miller pled guilty to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine between June 2020 and June 2021. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on April 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the conviction in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Lake County Man Arrested For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Tyran Terrell Harris (23, Leesburg) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Harris faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had indicted Harris on December 12, 2023. According to court documents, Harris has multiple prior state felony convictions including grand theft, tampering with a witness, and grand theft auto. On September 25, 2023, officers from the Leesburg Police Department observed Harris walking around an apartment complex with a loaded firearm. Knowing Harris was a convicted felon, the officers arrested him and took possession of the firearm. A record check showed that the firearm had been reported stolen approximately two weeks earlier. Harris subsequently admitted that he knew he could not possess the firearm as a convicted felon. 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 is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 11, 2023. Mark Fleury, age 48, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Fleury was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023. Fleury was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2004. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. On May 13, 2023, Fleury moved from his registered address in Fort Thompson to an address in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but he did not update his sex offender registration. Fleury moved back to Fort Thompson on or about May 31, 2023, at which time he updated his registration. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Fleury was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Ideal Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Ideal, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on December 11, 2023. Braeden McLean, age 21, was sentenced to all time served through January 17, 2024, equal to approximately 10 months in custody, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. McLean was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023. The conviction stems from conduct that occurred in March of 2023 in Tripp County, South Dakota, wherein McLean engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The girl’s family subsequently became aware of the relationship and reported McLean to the Winner Police Department. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Winner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . McLean was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Two Men Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charge for Allegedly Murdering Man To Increase Positions in Chicago Street Gang

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — Two men have been indicted on a federal racketeering charge for allegedly murdering a man to maintain and increase their positions in a violent Chicago street gang. DIONTAE HARPER, 24, and AMONTI MCCLURE, 21, both of Chicago, are charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It accuses the pair of murdering Paul Harris on May 13, 2020, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the Faceworld street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violence and trafficked narcotics. Harris was fatally shot while sitting in a vehicle in the 8600 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. The defendants are in law enforcement custody. Arraignment for Harper is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain. Arraignment for McClure is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. before Judge McShain. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be seeking to have the defendants remain detained pending trial. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cooke, Brian Kerwin, and Julia Schwartz. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison, and the death penalty is also possible. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Harper et al indictment


title: Florida Man Sentenced To 21 Months’ Imprisonment For His Role In “Grandparents” Mail Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jashua Noboa-Nival, age 22, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced on December 15, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for his role as a courier in a Dominican Republic-based “grandparents” fraud scheme that preyed upon elderly American victims from states across the country. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately June 2020 to October 2020, along with a group of other men from Bronx, NY, Noboa-Nival regularly traveled from New York City to locations in Pennsylvania to retrieve UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash. These packages were sent by elderly victims, who were induced to send the money based upon false claims that their grandchildren had been arrested and charged with serious crimes and, consequently, were in immediate need of money. These false claims were made to the elderly victims in phone calls that they received from oversees co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as attorneys representing the victims’ grandchildren. At his sentencing, Noboa-Nival was ordered to pay $195,000.00 in restitution to the victims of the scheme. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation –Philadelphia Division, and its state and local law enforcement partners in Berks County, PA. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Counterfeit Prescription Drug Distributor Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Texas man to more than 17 years in prison for his involvement in a counterfeit prescription drug distribution operation. Kevin Olando Ombisi , 34, of Katy, Texas, has been sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and related offenses. U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Ombisi to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz of the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement today along with Acting Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation (FDA-OCI) Kansas City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso Division; and Inspector in Charge Scott Fix of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Houston Division. According to information presented in court, Ombisi used a marketplace on the Darknet and an encrypted messaging service called Wickr to sell pills made to resemble Adderall in exchange for bitcoin cryptocurrency. The pills that Ombisi distributed were not Adderall; instead, they contained methamphetamine. He mailed the methamphetamine pills through the U.S. Postal Service. In July 2023, Ombisi pled guilty to charges filed in a ten-count superseding indictment, including one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, three counts of unlawful distribution, one count of attempted distribution, one count of selling counterfeit drugs, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and three counts of mail fraud. This case was investigated by the federal partners with assistance from police departments in Katy, Texas; Houston, Texas; and Missouri City, Texas. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant Chief Jillian Willis of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.


title: Southwest Georgian Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Colquitt County, Georgia, resident with a lengthy criminal history in the community and associated with the Ghostface Gangsters was sentenced to prison for illegally possessing a firearm when he was taken into custody while wanted on an outstanding warrant. Marion C. Wells, 48, of Norman Park, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 85 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge W Louis Sands on Dec.14. Wells previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Sept. 19. The defendant is not eligible for parole. “Repeat felony offenders who continually disregard the law and are caught with guns will face federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case was brought to our attention by the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and their local Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, a collaboration of law enforcement and community members working to find effective, evidence-based solutions to reduce crime.” “Marion Wells has left a long trail of pain and destruction throughout his time in Georgia,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Bilson of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office. “This case shows when we work together and share information, good results occur. Every resource and every force multiplier we possess, will be used to accomplish that goal.” “Marion Wells is a repeat offender and well-known methamphetamine distributor in our community going back at least twenty years; he is also a documented member of the criminal Ghostface Gangsters,” said FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) and Captain of Field Operations for the Moultrie Police Department Steve Exum. “Colquitt County is safer with Wells off the streets; we are thankful for our strong partnership with federal and state law enforcement working with us to make our community safer.” According to court documents, Wells was wanted on an outstanding warrant for a parole violation Feb. 4, 2021, when Colquitt County deputies received a tip about his whereabouts and that he was in possession of a rifle. That day, deputies observed Wells driving in Moultrie, Georgia, and conducted a traffic stop. In plain view in the back seat was a rifle with a night scope loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. There was also 20 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s side back seat, along with a box of plastic Ziploc bags, two glass smoking devices and lighter, sixteen 9mm rounds and $3,390 cash. Wells has a lengthy criminal history in Colquitt County and the Southwest Georgia region spanning nearly three decades, including multiple felony drug charges, criminal attempt to commit a felony, eluding police officers and battery-family violence. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the FBI Gang Task Force and the Moultrie-Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica L. Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Three Men Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Five Firearms Including a "Ghost Gun" at a Phoenix Residence

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Victor Alfonso Apodaca Aguilar, 22, of Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Aguilar’s co-defendants, Jose Bernardo Vega-Ruiz, 27, and Hector Alvarado-Aboyte, 29, were each sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. All three men, undocumented non-citizens from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm. On March 9, 2023, the three men were living at a house in Phoenix where a federal search warrant was executed. Five firearms, including a “ghost gun,” were located at the residence. Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa E. Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-510-PHX-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-201_Aguilar # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Community Health Network Agrees to Pay $345 Million to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS – Community Health Network, Inc. (Community), a healthcare network headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has agreed to pay the United States $345 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting claims to Medicare for services that were referred in violation of the Stark Law. The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting a hospital from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. Under the Stark Law, when a hospital employs a physician, the hospital may not submit claims for certain services referred by that physician unless the physician’s compensation is consistent with fair market value and not based on the value or volume of their referrals to the hospital. In this lawsuit, the United States alleged that the compensation Community paid to its cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, and breast surgeons was well above fair market value, that Community awarded bonuses to physicians that were tied to the number of their referrals, and that Community submitted claims to Medicare for services that resulted from these unlawful referrals. The United States’ complaint alleged that beginning in 2008 and 2009, senior management at Community embarked on an illegal scheme to recruit physicians for employment for the purpose of capturing their lucrative “downstream referrals.” Community successfully recruited hundreds of local physicians, including cardiovascular specialists, neurosurgeons, and breast surgeons, by paying them salaries that were significantly higher – sometimes as much as double – what they were receiving in their own private practices. Community was well aware of the Stark Law requirements that the compensation of employed physicians had to be fair market value and could not take into account the volume of referrals. Community hired a valuation firm to analyze the compensation it proposed paying to its recruited specialists. The Complaint alleged that Community knowingly provided the firm with false compensation figures so that the firm would render a favorable opinion. The Complaint further alleged that Community ignored repeated warnings from the valuation firm regarding the legal perils of overcompensating its physicians. In addition to paying specialists excessive compensation, the Complaint alleged that Community awarded incentive compensation to physicians, in the form of certain financial performance bonuses that were based on the physicians reaching a target of referrals to Community’s network, again in violation of the Stark Law. “The Stark Law was enacted to ensure that the clinical judgment of physicians is not corrupted by improper financial incentives,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s recovery demonstrates the Department’s resolve to protect the integrity of federal health care programs and to safeguard the taxpayer dollars used to support these important programs.” “Hoosier Medicare patients deserve to know that their care is based on their medical needs, not their doctor’s financial gain. When doctors refer patients for CT scans, mammograms, or any other medical service, those patients should know the doctor is putting their medical interests first and not their profit margins,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The United States alleged that Community Health Network overpaid its doctors, and that it paid doctors bonuses based on the amount of extra money the hospital was able to bill Medicare through doctor referrals. Such compensation arrangements erode patient trust and incentivize unnecessary medical services that waste taxpayer dollars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division, working alongside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are committed to holding companies accountable when they knowingly seek to profit off of Medicare patients through greedy compensation schemes.” “HHS-OIG remains steadfast in our efforts to protect our health care programs and the people they serve, including holding those accountable who violate the Stark Law,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our work will not cease here. Following the settlement, HHS-OIG will enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the defendant, further demonstrating our unwavering commitment to protecting federal health care programs.” Under the settlement, in addition to paying the United States $345 million, Community will enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. The settlement announced today stems from a whistleblower complaint filed in 2014 by CHN’s former Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer, Thomas Fischer, pursuant to the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, which permit private persons to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The Act also permits the Government to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case as to certain of Fischer’s allegations. Mr. Fischer’s share has not yet been determined in this matter. The United States’ intervention and settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Arthur Di Dio, Kelly McAuliffe, Claire Horrell, and David Finkelstein of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Olson and Shelese Woods, from the Southern District of Indiana. The litigation team received investigative support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. The case is captioned United States and the State of Indiana ex rel. Thomas Fischer v. Community Health Network, Inc., et al., No. 1:14-cv-1215 (S.D. Ind.). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Texas Man Sentenced To Probation For Forging Pesticide Applicator Licenses And Insurance Certificates

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Gallagher, age 73, of Crowley, Texas, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to two years of probation, following his convictions for committing mail fraud. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mariani emphasized Gallagher’s age and significant health complications. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gallagher, a former resident of Pennsylvania, owned and operated J. Douglas Environmental Systems, a fumigation and pest control company. Gallagher altered his and his employee’s expired pesticide applicator certifications, and an expired business license, and forged insurance policy certificates, associated with his work as a licensed applicator for pesticides restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental agencies. Gallagher provided the altered and forged documents to a pesticide supplier in Virginia, to various clients in Pennsylvania and New York, and to those clients’ auditors. As a result, his business secured over $888,000 worth of contracts through use of the falsified documents. “The defendant’s decision to illegally portray himself as a trained and licensed commercial pesticide applicator, and his failure to properly inform his customers of the health hazards of a restricted use pesticide, resulted in presenting inexcusable health risks to the public,” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Allison Landsman of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Pennsylvania. “EPA is committed to protecting the health of our communities and holding people criminally responsible for such egregious actions.” The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Arizona Man Arrested for Making Online Threats Against Federal Agents and Employees

body_text: Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, of Rio Verde, Arizona, was arrested on Friday after a grand jury indicted him on three counts of threats against a federal official and three counts of making interstate threats. According to court documents, from May 2021 through November 2023, while living in Colorado and Arizona, Tomasi used a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of individuals and groups, including elected officials, a judge, and federal officials and law enforcement officers. The charges against Tomasi relate to threats he made in Arizona to federal law enforcement agents and employees. “The threats of violence against public officials alleged in this indictment are abhorrent,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The defendant is specifically charged with threatening to kill FBI agents and other FBI employees just for doing their jobs. I am deeply proud of the work the FBI does every day; its personnel should not have to deal with threats against themselves as they work to protect the American people. The Justice Department will not stand for such heinous behavior and will prosecute threats against its employees to the fullest extent of the law.” “In this country, there’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views under the Constitution, and violence or threats of violence is not it,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who make violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement.” “Threats against law enforcement personnel like those alleged in this indictment are not just polemics, they are illegal under federal law and corrosive to civic life and dialogue,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. If convicted, Tomasi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making threats against a federal official, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making interstate threats. The FBI is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is handling the prosecution. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Biotelemetry and Lifewatch to Pay More Than $14.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Remote Cardiac Monitoring Services

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – BioTelemetry Inc. and its subsidiary, LifeWatch Services Inc., headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Rosemont, Illinois, respectively (collectively LifeWatch), have agreed to pay more than $14.7 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting claims to federal health care programs for a higher level of remote cardiac monitoring than physicians had intended to order or that was medically necessary, thus inflating the level of reimbursement paid to LifeWatch. The United States alleged that, from July 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2020, LifeWatch marketed its ACT-3L device (also known as the LifeStar ACT-3L and the MCT-3L) to doctors as being capable of performing three different types of heart monitoring services: Holter monitoring, event monitoring, and telemetry. Of these, telemetry provided the highest rate of reimbursement. The United States contended that LifeWatch knew the design of their online enrollment portal for the ACT-3L device caused unwitting clinical staff to select options that would enroll the patient in the most expensive service, telemetry, even when the doctor intended to order a less expensive service. The United States also contended that LifeWatch’s sales personnel instructed clinical staff to select the options that resulted in patients being enrolled for telemetry services, even when the sales personnel knew the clinic’s physicians intended to order less costly services. LifeWatch also allegedly disregarded written notes that clinic personnel included in patient enrollments that specifically reflected the treating physicians’ intent to order a service other than telemetry. “Our health care system is based on doctors choosing the level of care appropriate for their patients. It undermines this system and costs taxpayers if companies design systems that make it harder for physicians to order only necessary services and also use their sales force to mislead health care practitioners, as we allege happened here. Our office is committed to holding accountable companies who try to take advantage of the system in these ways.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “Diagnostic companies, like other providers, are expected to bill federal healthcare programs only for medically necessary services,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who misuse taxpayer-funded programs for their own enrichment.” “Companies that bill Medicare and other federal healthcare programs must ensure that they are billing for the services actually ordered by medical providers, rather than the most expensive service,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This office will continue to pursue cases that will reduce costs for the government while ensuring that patients receive consistent and quality care, as prescribed by their physicians.” “Proper billing of federal insurers is essential and underpins the reliability of our health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to steadfastly pursue entities which fraudulently charge federal health care programs for financial gain and ensure they are held accountable.” “Today's announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work with the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud against TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents,” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty for the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. “When healthcare providers submit claims to TRICARE for services that are excessive and medically unnecessary, they place financial pressure on the TRICARE system and undermine its integrity.” “The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and preserving taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We thank the DOJ Civil Fraud Section, the United States Attorney’s Offices, and our law enforcement partners for their efforts leading to today’s meaningful settlement.” “The OPM OIG takes fraud against the Federal health care programs very seriously,” said Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles, OPM OIG. “Our office stands ready to work with our law enforcement partners on holding unscrupulous health care providers accountable.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Michael Pelletier, an individual employed by one of LifeWatch’s customers, and SFP I LLC, whose members are Paul Davis, Charles Richardson MD MBA, and Chris Riedel. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. ex rel. Pelletier et al. v. LifeWatch Services, Inc., et al. , No. 2:18-cv-11391 (D.N.J.), and United States ex rel. SFP I, LLC v. LifeWatch Corp., et al. , No. 2:19-cv-2169 (E.D. Pa.). As part of today’s resolution, Pelletier will receive approximately $2.3 million, and SFP I LLC will receive approximately $270,000. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Kaufman of the District of New Jersey, Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Lindgren of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Fraud Section attorneys Amy Kossak and Jessica Sievert, The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. lifewatch.settlement.pdf


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty To Leading One Of The Largest No-Fault Insurance Frauds In New York History

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRADLEY PIERRE pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in connection with his orchestration of a $60 million fraud targeting No-Fault automobile insurance companies. PIERRE pled guilty before the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For over a decade, Bradley Pierre led one of the largest No-Fault insurance frauds in the history of New York, bribing medical professionals and others, scamming insurance companies, defrauding the IRS, and ultimately denying many accident victims fair and proper treatment because of his rigged system. But innocent victims will not stand alone. Those who seek to shamelessly reap the benefits of scams like this will be brought to justice.” According to the Indictment, the plea agreement, and statements made in court: New York and New Jersey No-Fault insurance laws require a driver’s automobile insurance company to pay automobile insurance claims automatically for certain types of motor vehicle accidents, provided that the claim is legitimate and below a particular monetary threshold. Pursuant to these requirements, insurance companies will often pay medical service providers directly for the treatment they provide to automobile accident victims without the need to bill the victims themselves. This process resolves automobile claims without apportioning blame or fault for the accident, thereby avoiding protracted disputes and the costs associated with an extended investigation of the accident. From at least in or about 2008 through in or about 2021, PIERRE agreed with others (the “Clinic Controllers”) to unlawfully own and run medical clinics located in the New York area including, among others, Veda Medical, Sky Medical, Sun Medical, and Rutland Medical (the “Clinics”). PIERRE knew that clinics are unable to bill insurance companies for No-Fault benefits if the medical facilities are controlled by non-physicians. PIERRE nonetheless agreed with others, including doctors, to submit bills to insurance companies falsely representing that the Clinics were owned and operated by licensed doctors, and for doctors to lie under oath during Examinations under Oath (“EUOs”) about the ownership, control, and finances of the Clinics. PIERRE personally coached doctors to lie under oath in these EUOs. PIERRE used his control of the Clinics for personal profit. Between 2008 and 2021, PIERRE took over $20,000,000 from the Clinics by either transferring the funds directly to bank accounts under his control or using the Clinics' bank accounts to pay his personal finances. PIERRE also used his control of the Clinics to steer prescriptions to pharmacies in return for over a million dollars in kickbacks and to steer patients to seek legal representation from his wife’s law firm, the Law Firm of Nonna Shikh (the“Shikh Firm”). The Shikh Firm then filed lawsuits against insurance companies on these patients’ behalf. PIERRE maintained an office at the Shikh Firm and was actively involved in the legal practice as a “manager.” PIERRE used his control of the Clinics and his managerial role at the Shikh Firm to also steer patients to seek MRIs at a medical facility over which he exercised substantial control (the “MRI Facility”). PIERRE also agreed with the purported sole owner of the MRI Facility, who was a doctor, that the doctor would falsely report injuries in MRI reports. These falsified injuries allowed the Clinics to bill insurance companies for additional, unnecessary medical services and allowed attorneys to falsely claim injuries in lawsuits against insurance companies. PIERRE and the doctor agreed that the doctor would lie to insurance companies during EUOs about PIERRE’s role in the MRI Facility. PIERRE hid his control over several of the Clinics and the MRI Facility using phony loan arrangements. These agreements claimed that PIERRE was making non-recourse loans to the Clinics and the MRI Facility, which would only have to be paid back if insurance companies paid the medical practices’ claims. The agreements also set PIERRE’s “fee” as twice the amount loaned to the practices. However, in reality, PIERRE took almost $10,000,000 in excess of what these purported loan agreements permitted. PIERRE further agreed to pay bribes to fill the Clinics and the MRI Facility with patients. From at least in or about 2015 up to and including 2021, PIERRE agreed with others to pay bribes to hospital employees, 911 dispatchers, and other individuals (collectively, “lead sources”) for the confidential names and numbers of motor vehicle accident victims. PIERRE agreed that others, including Anthony Rose, a/k/a “Todd Chambers,” would then call victims and lie to them to induce victims to receive medical treatment at the Clinics and legal representation from the Shikh Firm. PIERRE helped Rose expand his bribery operation to New Jersey by recommending clinics and attorneys in the state that would pay kickbacks for referrals. PIERRE also recommended that Rose open a shell company to hide the illegality of the payments, which Rose in fact did. PIERRE paid Rose over $800,000 as part of the bribery scheme. PIERRE further recruited his own lead sources to participate in the bribery scheme. For instance, in or about 2017, PIERRE recruited Andrew Prime, knowing that Prime was bribing 911 operators and a hospital employee for confidential information. PIERRE paid Prime over $800,000 as part of the bribery scheme. PIERRE also personally recruited and bribed several of his own lead sources, including 911 operators and a source in 2019 that PIERRE codenamed the “Motherload” or “ML.” PIERRE also agreed to bribe medical offices to send patients to the MRI Facility for MRIs. These medical offices included, among others, Epione Medical Center and Modern Brooklyn Medical. PIERRE facilitated these bribe payments through several intermediaries, including Anthony Rose, Jelani Wray, and others. PIERRE paid Jelani Wray over $800,000 in connection with these bribes. PIERRE then engaged in tax evasion. PIERRE utilized two companies in connection with the healthcare fraud and bribery schemes: Medical Reimbursement Consultants (“MRC”) and Marketing 4 You (“M4Y”). PIERRE hid income from the IRS by concealing multiple bank accounts for MRC and using a series of check cashers for checks made out to MRC and M4Y. PIERRE also paid personal expenses from MRC and M4Y’s bank accounts but improperly reported these payments as “business expenses.” These included payments for his wedding, home renovations, jewelry, furniture, luxury clothing, travel, and gifts. In total, PIERRE underreported income, falsely reported expenses of over $4 million, and deprived the IRS of approximately $1.5 million in taxes due. * * * BRADLEY PIERRE, 41, of Closter, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Qais Ghafary, and Michael Lockard are in charge of the prosecution.


title: San Antonio Man Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio to 240 months in prison for distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, David Alejandro Bautista, 32, distributed numerous files depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Conducting a search warrant, federal agents seized 21 electronic devices from Bautista’s home, revealing more than 15,000 image files and over 8,200 video files containing child sexual abuse material. In addition to imprisonment, Bautista was ordered to pay $84,000 restitution, special assessments in the amounts of $100, $5,000 and $35,000, and he must forfeit his electronic devices. “This lengthy two-decade prison sentence reflects the horrendous damage that has been caused and furthered by the defendant’s actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners for their critical investigation. Together, we will continue to track down and prosecute offenders in the interest of protecting innocent children and keeping our communities safe.” “Today, the defendant received a just punishment for his depraved actions. These sentences are important to help in the fight to protect children and to deter others from engaging in such crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “HSI will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit our most vulnerable victims.” HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bettina Richardson 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: Man Sentenced for Role in $105M Veterans Affairs Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for his role in defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit program. According to court documents, Philip Abod, 57, of Calimesa, was a school certifying official at a school that offered VA-approved technical training programs to military veterans. Abod and his co-conspirators made false and fraudulent representations to the VA regarding, among other things, veterans’ enrollment in approved courses of study and class attendance. Abod and his co-conspirators also falsified course completion records to make it appear as if enrolled veterans completed their programs, when in fact, they had not. To conceal their scheme, Abod and his co-conspirators falsified veterans’ contact information by substituting phone numbers that Abod and his co-conspirators controlled to ensure that regulators could not contact the veterans. When regulators called the falsified phone numbers to obtain information about the school, Abod and his co-conspirators impersonated students. From January 2012 through June 2022, the school fraudulently obtained more than $32 million in tuition payments from the VA. During the same period, the VA paid more than $72 million in education-related government benefits to veterans enrolled in VA-approved courses. In total, Abod’s and his co-conspirators’ scheme to defraud the VA resulted in a total loss of nearly $105 million in government funds. Abod was also ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution to the VA. For their roles in the scheme, co-conspirator Michael Bostock, 54, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced to five years in prison on June 26, and co-conspirator Eric Bostock, 48, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison on Nov. 29. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal made the announcement. The VA Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with assistance from the Veterans Benefits Administration-Education Service. Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.


title: Two men charged with armed robberies of postal workers

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Tavion Lashawn Williams and Justin Andrew Sams have been indicted in connection with armed robberies of postal workers in metro-Atlanta. “Our communities rely on a safe and secure mail system made possible by the dedication of U.S. Postal Service employees and letter carriers who labor tirelessly for our benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to collaborating closely with our federal and local partners to identify and prosecute those who threaten violence against members of the Postal Service.” “The safety and security of Postal Service employees and customers is core to the mission of the Postal Inspection Service,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division. “We are grateful to continue to work in close partnership with our local law enforcement partners as we investigate individuals involved in violent criminal activity against our employees.” “The Atlanta Police Department is committed to getting criminals off our streets and out of our neighborhoods,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “Letter carriers provide a vital service, and no one should feel unsafe when they are carrying out the duties of their job. The APD is proud to have played a role in the arrest of two criminals who impacted the well-being of the Postal Service employees who were simply doing their job.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Tavion Lashawn Williams allegedly demanded the keys of a U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) letter carrier while the employee was delivering mail in Clayton County, Georgia, on March 1, 2023. Williams allegedly pointed a gun at the letter carrier when the carrier hesitated. After seizing the carrier’s key, Williams fled but was soon arrested. Approximately seven months later, on September 30, 2023, Justin Andrew Sams allegedly assaulted a USPS letter carrier in southwest Atlanta. While brandishing a firearm, Sams allegedly ordered the letter carrier to hand over his postal uniform, keys, cellular telephone, and wallet. Sams also allegedly stole the letter carrier’s government-issued credit card used to purchase fuel for the letter carrier’s mail truck. The Atlanta Police Department responded to the scene, succeeded in identifying Sams, and ultimately recovered the letter carrier’s telephone, wallet, fuel card, and uniform. Investigators also discovered a semiautomatic pistol during a search of Sams’s residence. On December 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tavion Lashawn Williams, 21, of Jonesboro, Georgia with theft of a Postal Service key, armed postal robbery, and brandishing a firearm. On December 12, 2023, another federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Justin Andrew Sams, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia with armed postal robbery, brandishing a firearm, and theft of government property. Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. These cases are being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Clayton County Police Department, and Atlanta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie E. Gabay-Smith and Theodore S. Hertzberg are prosecuting the cases. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Waubay Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Waubay, South Dakota, woman convicted of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization and Aiding and Abetting. The sentencing took place on December 11, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Kayline Joy LaBelle, age 46, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $203,283.13 in restitution and $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. LaBelle was indicted for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization and Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in July 2023. She pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023. According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022 , LaBelle and others embezzled more than $150,000 belonging to the Buffalo Lake District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization. LaBelle was aided and abetted by Elaine Blanche King, Duane Randy LaBelle, Jr., Jacenta Rae Varns, and Shayline Lena Max. LaBelle was the elected treasurer of the Buffalo Lake District and stole checks from the tribal organization. LaBelle then cashed those stolen checks at various vendors, businesses, and casinos, and she also distributed those stolen checks to her co-defendants. LaBelle used the funds for personal expenditures and her use was unauthorized and unlawful. LaBelle served as the treasurer until she resigned in September 2022. Her conduct, acts, and omissions resulted in approximately $205,000 in losses to the district and tribe. Elaine Blanche King and Jacenta Rae Varns have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The cases against Duane Randy LaBelle, Jr. and Shayline Lena Max are pending in federal court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case. LaBelle will have to surrender on December 26, 2023, to begin serving her sentence. This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.


title: Joint Statement from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Assessing the Impact of Foreign Interference During the 2022 U.S. Mid-Term Election

component: Office of Public Affairs

body_text: Note: View a copy of the report here. The Department of Justice, including the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released today a report with key findings and recommendations from a classified joint report to the President issued earlier this year on addressing the impact of foreign governments and their agents on the security and integrity of the infrastructure relied upon in the 2022 U.S. federal elections. The declassified report is consistent with CISA’s November 2022 statement on the security of the 2022 mid-term election and reaffirms that the departments found no evidence that any foreign government-affiliated actor compromised the security or integrity of any election infrastructure. The report was developed pursuant to section 1(b) of Executive Order 13848, Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Influence in a United States Election (the E.O.), issued on September 12, 2018, and relies upon a classified assessment of the 2022 federal election that was prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), pursuant to section 1(a) of the E.O. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security release of the declassified 1(b) report follows ODNI’s release of a declassified version of the 1(a) report on Dec. 18, 2023. The section 1(a) report, as required by the E.O., assesses information indicating that a foreign government, or any person acting as an agent of or on behalf of a foreign government, has acted with the intent or purpose of interfering in the 2022 U.S. federal election, but it does not assess the impact of any such efforts on the outcome of the election. In contrast, the section 1(b) report analyzes the extent to which foreign interference targeting election infrastructure or infrastructure of, or pertaining to, political organizations, candidates, or campaigns, materially affected the security or integrity of that infrastructure, the tabulation of votes, or the timely transmission of election results. The section 1(b) report does not address the impact of efforts to sway voters or influence opinion. While the government detected some foreign government-affiliated and criminal cyber activity targeting election infrastructure, including activity by suspected People’s Republic of China cyber actors and activity claimed by pro-Russian hacktivists, there is no evidence that this activity prevented voting, changed votes, or disrupted the ability to tally votes or to transmit election results in a timely manner; altered any technical aspect of the voting process; or otherwise compromised the integrity of voter registration information or any ballots cast during the 2022 federal elections. Additional identified activity involved Russian, Iranian, and Chinese government-affiliated cyber actors scanning and, in some instances, accessing political campaign infrastructure, that is, information and communications technology and systems used by, on behalf of, or closely associated with a political organization, campaign, or candidate. However, there is no evidence that any information obtained through such activity was used in any foreign influence operation or was otherwise deployed, modified, or destroyed. During the 2022 Federal election cycle, federal, state, local, and territorial governments, as well as private sector partners, worked together to improve cybersecurity, partnerships, and public messaging that enhanced the security and resilience of election infrastructure. The section 1(b) report includes recommendations to continue such efforts throughout the 2024 Federal election cycle. The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security remain committed to continuously strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, supply chain risk management, public-private partnerships, and election literacy to enhance the resiliency of our democratic institutions ahead of the 2024 Federal election cycle.


title: Man Involved in Hartford Drug Deal That Resulted in Shooting Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS AQUILES, Jr., 37, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a heroin trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on December 21, 2016, Hartford Police officers responded to a report of a person shot at a car wash located at 156 Franklin Avenue in Hartford. At the car wash, officers encountered an employee of the car wash who was suffering from two gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries, The investigation, which included analysis of a surveillance video, revealed that Hector Alfonso arrived at the car wash shortly before the shooting to conduct a heroin transaction with Aquiles and Ruben Rodriguez. Alfonso and Rodriguez were both armed with handguns. A dispute and subsequent struggle between Alfonso and Aquiles occurred during the transaction, and Alfonso shot the employee as he attempted to run from the car wash. Alfonso was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 10, 2017. A search of his Manchester residence on that date revealed cocaine residue on a toilet seat, cocaine, and crack cocaine residue in another part of home, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale. Alfonso pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and, on March 22, 2019, he was sentenced to 153 months of imprisonment for both offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction. Rodriguez was arrested on September 27, 2017. On that date, a search of his Meriden residence and vehicle revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol, numerous rounds of ammunition, approximately 133 grams of heroin, approximately 170 grams of cocaine, and $61,909 in cash. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and, on March 21, 2019, was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment. Aquiles, who was on state parole with the state of Connecticut in December 2016, absconded in January 2018 and remained a fugitive until he was arrested in New York in August 2022. On April 18, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. He is currently detained in state custody. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel and Trial Attorney Brian P. Leaming of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: BioTelemetry and LifeWatch to Pay More than $14.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations that LifeWatch Billed More Expensive Services than Physicians Intended to Order

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – BioTelemetry, Inc. and its subsidiary, LifeWatch Services, Inc., headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania and Rosemont, Illinois, respectively, have agreed to pay $14,734,628 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when LifeWatch, through its marketing and enrollment process for remote cardiac monitoring services, knowingly submitted false claims to federal health care programs for a higher level of remote cardiac monitoring service than physicians had intended to order or which was medically necessary, thus resulting in a higher level of reimbursement to LifeWatch. Specifically, the United States contends that, during the period July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2020, Defendants marketed LifeWatch’s ACT-3L device (also known as the LifeStar ACT-3L and the MCT-3L) to doctors as being capable of performing three different types of heart monitoring services: Holter, event monitoring, and telemetry. Of these, Holter provided the lowest rate of reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, and telemetry provided the highest rate of reimbursement. The United States contends that Defendants knew the design of LifeWatch Connect (the online enrollment portal for this device) caused unwitting clinical staff to select options that would enroll the patient in telemetry, even when the doctor intended to order a less expensive service. The United States also contends that Defendants’ sales personnel instructed clinical staff to select these options—even when Defendants knew the clinic’s physicians intended to order event monitoring for many or all patients—and then provided and billed for telemetry services. Defendants also allegedly disregarded notes clinics included in their enrollments that specifically requested event monitoring and did not consistently comply with clinics’ instructions about the appropriate handling of their enrollments, even after such issues were brought to Defendants’ attention. Companies that bill Medicare and other federal healthcare programs must ensure that they are billing for the services actually ordered by medical providers, rather than the most expensive service,” said Jacqueline C. Romero, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This office will continue to pursue cases that will reduce costs for the government while ensuring that patients receive consistent and quality care, as prescribed by their physicians.” “Companies are required to submit accurate claims based on patient needs,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, to investigate allegations of the False Claims Act.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Michael Pelletier, an individual employed by one of Defendants’ customers, and SFP I, LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. SFP I, LLC v. LifeWatch Corp., et al. , No. 2:19-cv-2169 (E.D. Pa.) and United States ex rel. Pelletier et al. v. LifeWatch Services, Inc., et al. , No. 2:18-cv-11391 (D.N.J.). The EDPA qui tam resolved for $1.78 million. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The EDPA matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Lindgren and Auditor Dawn Wiggins. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Over $118,000 In Fraud Proceeds Seized and Will Be Returned to Victim

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 29, 2023 United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry entered a Final Judgment of Forfeiture against more than $118,000 worth of cryptocurrency seized from an individual involved in a pervasive computer-based scheme. The money will be returned to the victim. According to the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in Rem filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in about January 2023, unidentified criminal actors colluded to access, without authorization, a computer belonging to a resident of the Eastern District of Louisiana. This unlawful access caused a pop-up message to appear on the victim’s computer screen instructing the victim to call a number purporting to be Apple Support for further assistance. The victim called the number and a hacker, impersonating Apple Support personnel, told the victim that hackers had accessed the victim’s computer and made unauthorized financial charges to that account. The victim was instructed to enter a series of commands in the terminal screen so the computer could run an activity monitor and remove the purported hackers’ access to the victim’s computer. Approximately one week later, another criminal actor impersonating a financial institution representative, called and advised the victim that the Federal Reserve had instructed the victim to transfer money from the financial institution to Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange platform. The impersonator said that the Federal Reserve advised that the transfer must occur for safekeeping purposes until the Apple Support activity monitor program was complete. As a result, between July 29, 2022, and August 8, 2022, the victim transferred approximately $118,753.47 to a Coinbase account. Shortly thereafter, the victim became concerned about the legitimacy of the scheme and contacted the Federal Reserve, Consumer, Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General (OIG CFPB OIG). OIG CFPB OIG and United States Secret Service analysts successfully traced funds to the victim’s Coinbase deposits and learned that the funds were quickly laundered through a series of cryptocurrency addresses. Through the issuance of legal process and, ultimately, the Final Judgment of Forfeiture, the funds were recovered and will soon be returned to the victim. Civil forfeiture prevents unjust enrichment where criminal prosecution is unfeasible. Cyber incidents and data breaches such as this are increasingly common and continue to proliferate globally. But they can be prevented. Here are some tips: Configure your firewalls to block access to known malicious IP addresses. Update operating systems, software and firmware on devices. Be on the lookout for requests to transfer funds, especially if the request is pronounced with a sense of urgency. Be cautious with strangers. Don’t send payments to unknown people or organizations seeking monetary support or urge immediate action. For more information visit the Secret Service’s Preparing for a Cyber Incident page. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Reserve, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra Giavotella, Asset Forfeiture Coordinator, of the Monetary Penalties and Recovery Unit, handled this case.


title: Anti-Doping Charges Filed Against Two Defendants In Manhattan Federal Court

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging DEWAYNE BARRETT and O’NEIL WRIGHT under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (“RADA”), which proscribes doping schemes at international sports competitions including the Olympic Games. The Indictment alleges that BARRETT and WRIGHT obtained various performance enhancing drugs (“PEDs”) and distributed those PEDs to certain athletes in advance of, and for the purpose of cheating at, the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. In addition to the charge under the Rodchenkov Act, BARRETT and WRIGHT are alleged to have conspired to violate the drug misbranding and adulteration laws of the U.S., and BARRETT is separately charged for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). BARRETT was taken into federal custody last Thursday and presented in federal court in Manhattan before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. WRIGHT was taken into federal custody last Wednesday and was presented on Thursday in the Northern District of Georgia before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Barret and Wright’s supposed ‘coaching’ services included providing Olympic-level athletes with prohibited, performance-enhancing drugs. Supplying illegal drugs to athletes is dangerous and illegal. This Office is committed to rooting out corruption in international sporting events. We will continue to prosecute those who engage in illicit doping schemes to the full extent of the law under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Performance enhancing substances deprive competitors of a level playing field. At a moment when the games offered thousands of athletes validation after years of training, Dewayne Barrett and O’Neil Wright allegedly schemed to ruin that moment by peddling illegal drugs. Let me be clear, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not yield in our efforts to disrupt criminal enterprises that seek to corrupt international competition.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] The charges in this Indictment arise from an investigation of a scheme to provide Olympic athletes with PEDs, including drugs widely banned throughout competitive sports such as human growth hormone, clenbuterol, and the “blood building” drug erythropoietin, in advance of and for the purpose of corrupting the 2020 Olympic Games that convened in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. BARRETT and WRIGHT purported to coach athletes, including Olympic-level athletes competing on behalf of Nigeria (“Athlete-1”), Switzerland (“Athlete-2”), and the United Kingdom (“Athlete-3”), but instead, in order to obtain an unfair and unlawful advantage, BARRETT and WRIGHT provided those athletes with prohibited, performance-enhancing drugs that were obtained and administered without valid prescriptions. BARRETT was a track and field coach and personal trainer based in the New York City area who operated a fitness facility located in Manhattan. WRIGHT, a former Olympic-level sprinter, was a track and field coach based in Atlanta, Georgia. Neither BARRETT nor WRIGHT are doctors. CC-1, an individual who held himself out as a naturopathic doctor, but was not a licensed doctor, supplied banned drugs to athletes at BARRETT and WRIGHT’s behest. The Rodchenkov Act, which was signed into law in December 2020, prohibits any person, other than an athlete, to knowingly carry into effect, attempt to carry into effect, or conspire with any other person to carry into effect a scheme in commerce to influence by use of a prohibited substance or prohibited method any major international sports competition. 21 U.S.C. § 2402. BARRETT is also charged with his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans through PPP. As alleged in the Indictment, between 2020 and 2021, BARRETT submitted online applications seeking over $2.5 million on behalf of individuals whom he represented to be independent contractors on the loan applications. BARRETT provided a falsified Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 in support of each application, showing an inaccurate annual income for the applicant in the prior tax year. In many cases, BARRETT was directly paid by the applicant for having submitted the fraudulent paperwork. * * * DEWAYNE BARRETT, 41, of Elmont, New York, and O’NEIL WRIGHT, 43, of Snellville, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Rodchenkov Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and one count of conspiracy to violate the misbranding laws, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. BARRETT is further charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the FBI’s Integrity in Sports and Gaming Initiative. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York City Police Department, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for their assistance in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Mortazavi, Benjamin Gianforti and T. Josiah Pertz are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Albany Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Sexual Exploitation Of Children

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHNNY ROMAN was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children and conspiring to sexually exploit children, including while incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. On May 23, 2023, ROMAN pled guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Johnny Roman used multiple fake online personas to convince and, in some cases, threaten young women to create and send him heinous videos in which the women performed oral sex on minors, many of them infants and toddlers. Once he was arrested and detained for that conduct, he continued his disturbing scheme from jail using contraband cellphones. This lengthy prison sentence holds Roman accountable for his horrific crimes and the extraordinary harm and trauma he caused to many minor victims and their families.” According to the Indictment, court documents, and based on statements made in open court: Since at least 2020, ROMAN used multiple fake online personas to contact young women about the prospect of a “job” sexting with an older man on encrypted messaging applications and to manipulate the women into creating disturbing pornographic videos in which they performed oral sex on minors, many of them infants or toddlers. ROMAN communicated with at least 3,000 different women on one user account alone. Through that broad outreach, at least eight individuals performed oral sex on minor victims based on ROMAN’s requests or threats. At least 11 minor victims — ranging from 16 years old to four months old — were victims of ROMAN’s criminal conduct, which resulted in the creation of over 50 videos in which women performed oral sex on minors. On December 22, 2020, ROMAN was arrested on the instant charges. While detained, ROMAN continued to induce women to film themselves performing oral sex on minors using at least three contraband cellphones. * * * In addition to his prison term, ROMAN, 37, of Albany, New York, was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca T. Dell is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Boston Woman Pleads Guilty to Failing to Appear to Serve a Federal Prison Sentence

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former Boston woman, who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021, pleaded guilty today to failing to surrender to serve her sentence. Yris Sanchez, 54, pleaded guilty to failing to appear to serve a federal sentence. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2024. Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022 and arrested in Laredo, Texas in March 2023. In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanchez requested release on conditions and to self-report to serve her sentence. The Court granted this request and released Sanchez on an appearance bond. Following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez. The charge of failure to surrender provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence on this charge will be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on her prior case. 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; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy on Criminal Complaints Against Alleged Sex Buyers in Boston Commercial Sex Ring Prosecution

body_text: “Our office made it clear when we announced charges of a commercial sex ring case on Nov. 8, 2023, that the investigation was ongoing and that there would be accountability for the buyers who fuel the commercial sex industry. Today, a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer with the Cambridge Police Department submitted applications for complaints against 28 sex buyers with the Cambridge District Court. Until probable cause has been found, no names will be released. If probable cause is established and criminal charges are issued by the Court, referrals will then be made to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. In addition, we are working closely with Virginia state authorities to begin the referral process of sex buyers from the Virginia locations in this case. The referral processes will remain ongoing.”