title: Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession  with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court documents, Jeremy Lovell, 44, was found in possession of approximately 630 grams of methamphetamine, and two firearms on May 3, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant at Lovell’s residence. Lovell has prior convictions for burglary of a commercial building and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Lovell to possess any firearm. Lovell is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case. 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.


title: Court Approves City of Holyoke Settlement Addressing Pollution in Connecticut River

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A consent decree requiring the City of Holyoke to reduce future sewage discharges into the Connecticut River from sewer collection and stormwater systems has been approved in U.S. District Court. The consent decree was the result of an enforcement action brought by the Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. As stated in the consent decree, Holyoke discharges pollutants from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Connecticut River in violation of its federal and state wastewater discharge permits. In full cooperation with federal and state environmental agencies, the City has taken steps in recent years to address these discharges, including finalizing a CSO long term control plan and eliminating the Jackson Street CSO. The consent decree requires the City to undertake further sewer separation work that will eliminate or reduce additional CSO discharges. Holyoke will also conduct sampling of its storm sewer discharges, work to remove illicit connections, and take other actions to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. The consent decree also includes a $50,000 penalty for past permit violations as a result of CSO discharges. In 2019, at the request of the Department of Justice and the Massachusetts Attorney General, the court entered a partial consent decree whereby Holyoke agreed to develop a long-term plan for reducing sewer discharges. The consent decree approved by the court on Aug. 31, 2023 represents the parties’ final plan for Holyoke to reduce sewer discharges and supersedes the prior decree. “Protecting our precious waterways from dangerous pollutants is a vital part of the Department’s work. This consent decree will better ensure that Holyoke residents and every single community that enjoys the Connecticut River is safer,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We commend Holyoke for their ongoing cooperation in developing this improvement plan and for their commitment to protecting the future of the Connecticut River moving forward.” “The U.S. EPA is very pleased that the work called for under this settlement will achieve a cleaner and healthier environment for people living in and downstream from Holyoke. This work is especially important because Holyoke includes historically disadvantaged communities. It’s a significant priority for EPA to help ensure that all our citizens are able to enjoy a clean and healthy environment,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “We are grateful to our federal partners for working with us to reach this settlement that will improve the water quality of the Connecticut River, and thus the overall health of Holyoke residents,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “My office is committed to creating healthier, safer communities across Massachusetts by fighting environmental injustices like contaminated water and we appreciate the City of Holyoke’s parallel commitment to these important efforts.” Holyoke owns and operates a sewer collection system that services approximately 70% of the City, two-thirds of which carries both sewage and stormwater. Most of the time, the combined system transports all wastewater to the facility for treatment. However, during periods of heavy rain the wastewater volume can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or the treatment facility and the excess wastewater will discharge to the Connecticut River without treatment. CSO discharges contain raw sewage and are a major water pollution concern. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; EPA Regional Administrator Cash; Attorney General Campbell; and MassDEP Acting Commissioner Gary Moran made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit; Assistant Attorney General I. Andrew Goldberg of Campbell’s Environmental Protection Division; Tonia Bandrowicz of EPA; and Henry Friedman of the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice handled the matter.


title: Meridian Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for  Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon

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

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court documents, Waltravious Leeandre Watson, 31, was found in possession of nine firearms by officers of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on February 19, 2020, during a search of his home. Watson has a prior felony conviction for burglary of a dwelling. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Watson to possess any firearm. Watson pled guilty on March 21, 2023, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Allen and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case. 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 .


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 27 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Ammunition Possession

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 11, 2023, Gabriel Lebron, 32, of Florence, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III to a sentence of 27 months’ imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Lebron previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. According to court records, on October 12, 2022, Lebron was arrested while attempting to flee a residence in Bennington, Vermont, during the execution of a search warrant. Law enforcement recovered from Lebron’s person a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun.” The firearm had a round in the chamber and a fully loaded 15-round magazine. Lebron was also found to be in possession of fentanyl packaged for sale. In 2021, Lebron received multiple felony convictions in Massachusetts for firearms and other weapons offenses, which prohibited him under federal law from possessing the ammunition loaded in the ghost gun seized on October 12, 2022. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bennington Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Corinne Smith. Mr. Lebron was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.


title: Camden County Man Admits Conspiring to Commit Bank Fraud and Credit Card Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted participating in schemes to negotiate fraudulent checks with forged signatures and to use credit cards without authorization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Emmanuel Yirenkyi, 29, of Pine Hill, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of access device fraud conspiracy. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Yirenkyi conspired with Misty Sarfo-Adu, Eugene Koranteng, and others to commit bank fraud by obtaining blank checks containing the names and account information of unsuspecting customers of a credit card company. They made the checks payable to members of the conspiracy, forged the customers’ signatures on the checks, and negotiated the checks at financial institutions. In a separate scheme, Yirenkyi and Sarfo-Adu also conspired to use credit cards without the account holders’ knowledge or authorization. Yirenkyi admitted that the fraud schemes caused a loss to the credit card company of more than $150,000. The count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2024. Sarfo-Adu previously pleaded guilty before Judge Kugler to his participation in the same conspiracies and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 28, 2023. Koranteng remains charged by complaint. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint against Koranteng are merely accusations, and Koranteng is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked the Moorestown Police Department for its assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden. yirenkyi.information.pdf


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for 2022 Bank Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Uriah Davis was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Davis, 32, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to bank robbery on Feb. 13, 2023. According to court documents, on the morning of May 2, 2022, Davis entered the Wells Fargo Bank located on Central Ave and made a verbal demand for money to the teller and repeatedly told her to hurry. The teller handed Davis $4,900.00 in United States currency. A large amount of that United States currency was in one hundred-dollar bills due to a previous customer’s transaction. Davis took the currency and left the bank on foot heading west. Later on May 2, the FBI received a tip through the National Threat Operation Center that led agents to Davis’ location. On May 4, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on a room at the Tewa Lodge motel in Albuquerque, where Davis was found and taken into custody. During a subsequent interview, David admitted to robbing the bank and claimed that he had spent the money on a pistol and fentanyl pills. Davis told agents he had been clean for seven or eight years but had recently started using again. Upon his release from prison, Davis will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Violent Crimes Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Anderson Hatfield is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-218


title: Carlsbad Man Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child Porn

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joseph Crutcher was sentenced to 70 years in prison and ordered pay $50,000 in restitution. Crutcher, 59, of Carlsbad, pled guilty on Feb. 27 to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2022, a Task Force Officer (TFO) was monitoring a fetish website that is known to be used to meet, discuss and trade child sexual abuse material (CSAM) when they were contacted by a private user. The user offered and provided the TFO with several images of a minor performing sexually explicit conduct. On Nov. 9, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the user of the account as Rachel Crutcher and obtained a search warrant for Crutcher’s residence in Carlsbad. During the execution of the search warrant, agents spoke to Crutcher and his wife Rachel. Joseph admitted he was the one who had taken the pictures of him sexually abusing the children and claimed Rachel was unaware of his conduct. Rachel initially denied knowledge or involvement, but during a later interview she admitted she had been involved. Through diligent investigation, agents determined that both Joseph and Rachel had sexually abused three minor children they had access to from the time they were infants with the intent of producing CSAM and that Joseph, posing as Rachel, was the individual who sent the images to the TFO. The investigation also revealed that Joseph had recruited other men to sexually abuse one of the children. Upon his release from prison, Crutcher will be subject to lifetime supervised release and must register as a sex offender. On Feb. 27, 2023, Rachel Crutcher pled guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Rachel must register as a sex offender. Roswell Resident Agency and Albuquerque Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Matilda M. Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. # # # 23-219


title: Former Alabama Department of Corrections Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses for Assaulting a Restrained Inmate and Lying to Cover It Up

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) lieutenant pleaded guilty today to using excessive force on an inmate and lying afterwards in an official report to cover up his abuse. According to the plea agreement, former William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility Lieutenant and Shift Commander Mohammad Shahid Jenkins, who had more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, used excessive force on inmate V.R. Specifically, on Feb. 16, 2022, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate V.R. of his right to be free from excessive force by kicking him, hitting him, spraying him with chemical spray, striking him with a can of chemical spray and striking him with a shoe, while V.R. was restrained inside of a holding cell and not posing a threat. Jenkins admitted that, over the course of approximately five minutes and outside the presence of other officers and inmates, Jenkins repeatedly re-entered the holding cell that V.R. was in and re-assaulted him numerous times. Jenkins used a dangerous weapon — chemical spray and the can of chemical spray — on V.R. and his attacks on V.R. caused V.R. to suffer bodily injury. Following his assault on V.R., Jenkins authored a false incident report. In it, he gave a false account of where, in Donaldson, he transported V.R. to and he omitted entirely his use of force on V.R. from his report. As part of the factual basis, Jenkins further admitted that he lied to investigators by denying using any force on V.R. Further, as part of the factual basis, Jenkins admitted to using force on another inmate on a different occasion at Donaldson. Specifically, on Nov. 29, 2021, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate D.H. of his right to be free from excessive force by repeatedly spraying D.H. with chemical spray while D.H. was handcuffed behind his back and compliant, by hitting D.H. in the head with the can of chemical spray and by delivering an open-hand strike to D.H.’s head while D.H. was suffering from the effects of chemical spray. “Senior law enforcement officers set the tone for junior officers whom they supervise,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant abused his position of power to carry out a violent assault on a restrained inmate, in an isolated location of the prison. The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officers who violate the civil rights of any American, including those who are incarcerated in our jails and prisons.” “There is zero tolerance for corrections officers who commit these egregious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute and bring to justice those who abuse their authority and prey on vulnerable people who they are sworn to protect and keep safe.” “The civil rights of all must be protected, including those who are in the trusted custody of law enforcement officials,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “To willfully deprive any individual without due process or subject the same to cruel and unusual punishment can’t be tolerated or perceived to be so commonplace it’s considered normal inside of our institutions. The FBI will remain committed to holding those who swore an oath to protect and serve, but instead willfully abused their privileges and abandon their responsibilities as law enforcement officers, accountable.” Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19. Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the excessive force charge related to his assault of V.R. and 20 years in prison on the obstruction charge. He also faces up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Martin for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Stephens County Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, CAITLYN CHEYENNE DOWNS , 24, of Stephens County, pleaded guilty to child abuse in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Downs, charging her with murder in the second degree and two counts of child abuse. The indictment alleges that between May 11, 2022, and September 20, 2022, Downs willfully failed to protect two minor children from harm or threatened harm and that Downs was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the children. The harm resulted in the death of one of the children. On August 29, 2023, Downs was charged by a one-count Superseding Information with child abuse. At a hearing on Monday, September 11, 2023, before United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot, Downs pleaded guilty to the single-count Superseding Information. At the hearing, Downs admitted that she was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the minor children and failed to protect them from harm to their health and safety. This case is in federal court because Downs is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the alleged crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. At sentencing, Downs faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $5,000.00. As part of a plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the Indictment at sentencing, based on her guilty plea to the Superseding Information. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days. This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Duncan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for more information.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Serve 70 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MANUEL RAMIREZ-HARO , 51, a Mexican national living in Idaho at the time of his arrest, was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, on November 12, 2022, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department stopped Ramirez-Haro on Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City. Officers searched the vehicle and located approximately: 18.2 kilograms of methamphetamine; 2.4 kilograms of cocaine; 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl; and 1.56 kilograms of heroin. On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a 5-count indictment against Ramirez-Haro, charging him with drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. On April 18, 2023, Ramirez-Haro pleaded guilty to Count 3 of the indictment. At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Ramirez-Haro to serve 70 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the serious nature and circumstances of the offense. This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dain Barnett prosecuted the case. Reference is made to the public record for additional information.


title: Dermatology Management Company to Pay $8.9 Million to Resolve Self-Reported False Claims Act Liability

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Texas entity that manages and operates dermatology practices, surgical centers, and pathology laboratories across the United States has agreed to pay the United States $8.9 million to resolve allegations, which were self-reported, of potential violations of the Physician Self-Referral Law (the Stark Law) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. The United States contends that these potential violations resulted in liability under the False Claims Act. Per the terms of a civil settlement executed on September 12, 2023, Oliver Street Dermatology Management LLC will pay the government $8,892,079.72 – including $5,928,053.15 in restitution—within 10 days of the settlement. The settlement credits Oliver Street for its self-disclosure and collaboration with government investigators. The self-reported conduct was unknown to the United States at the time of the self-disclosure, and was specific as to the nature of the potentially problematic transactions, the personnel involved, and the potential financial impact on the Government. According to the settlement agreement, from January 2013 to July 2018, Oliver Street – doing business as U.S. Dermatology Partners (USDP) -- acquired numerous dermatology practices across the United States. In September 2021, the company voluntarily self-disclosed to the Department of Justice that it had discovered credible evidence suggesting that former senior managers had offered (or agreed) to increase the purchase price of 11 acquired dermatology practices in exchange for an agreement by the provider at the practice to refer services to USDP-affiliated entities following the acquisition. Claims for certain of those referred services were later submitted to Medicare for payment. The United States contends that this conduct violated the AKS and the Stark Law, and resulted in the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare. The AKS prohibits offering or paying remuneration to induce the referral of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Stark Law prohibits healthcare entities from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the entity has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. Both the AKS and the Stark Law are intended to ensure that medical judgments are not compromised by improper financial inducements. “Decisions about where medical specimens are analyzed should be made with the best interests of patients, not providers, in mind,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We applaud this company for self-reporting its potential violations and cooperating with government investigators, allowing us to reach a swift settlement.” This resolution is the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Civil Chief Kenneth Coffin. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. ### For more information, please contact NDTX Public Affairs Officer Erin Dooley at 214-659-8707 or erin.dooley@usdoj.gov .


title: Charlotte Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Gerell Michael Hart-Smith, a/k/a “Rell,” 22, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Evidence presented to the court showed that in the Spring of 2020, agents with Lancaster County Drug Task Force and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division were assisting Charlotte-Mecklenburg authorities by looking for Hart-Smith on outstanding state armed robbery warrants when they received information that he was staying with his girlfriend in her Lancaster, SC, apartment. On the morning of March 20, 2020, agents went to the Lancaster apartment and knocked on the door, announcing that they were police and there to arrest Hart-Smith. The girlfriend confirmed that Hart-Smith was inside, as were her children. After approximately 13 minutes, Hart-Smith came out and was placed under arrest on the outstanding state warrants. The girlfriend told authorities that Hart-Smith had a gun inside the apartment, which she turned over to them. She later admitted that he had been staying at the apartment with her for the past month and kept the gun inside the apartment. DNA analysis linked the loaded gun to Hart-Smith. Federal law prohibits Hart-Smith from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his October 2019 North Carolina conviction for larceny of a motor vehicle. Hart-Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. He also faces up to 3 years of court-ordered supervision following his prison term. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Hart-Smith after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)-Charlotte, Lancaster County Drug Task Force, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case. ###


title: DRUG TRAFFICKER LANDS TWENTY THREE YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A 58-year-old resident of Port Orchard, Washington was sentenced today after being found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine in Lake County last year, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy sentenced David Loren Waldeck to 23 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. A jury found the defendant guilty in April 2023. “We all know the consequences that accompany the distribution of dangerous drugs in our Montana communities. We are committed to helping our law enforcement partners, federal, state, local and tribal, hold traffickers like David Waldeck accountable as we continue to work to stem the tide of poisonous substances from entering our state.” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on Oct. 24, 2022, Flathead Tribal police officers stopped and arrested an individual on outstanding warrants and learned that a person, named “David,” was in Kalispell and coming back to Polson that day with meth and fentanyl to distribute. The police officers stopped Waldeck later that day and located 4,212 fentanyl pills, approximately 837 grams, or 1.8 pounds of meth, and approximately 489 grams, or a little more than one pound, of cocaine in his vehicle. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Flathead Tribal Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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: Charges filed in multi-million dollar fraud and money laundering conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Five individuals have been taken into custody for their roles in a $13 million fraud and money laundering conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The final man charged - William Warren Stredney, 65 - has now surrendered to federal authorities. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray at 2 p.m. today. Authorities arrested Edward Seung Ok, 56, Soran Lim, 55, Anthony Seung Ok, 55, and Wes Moon Ok, 52, in California Sept. 8. All are currently in custody pending further criminal proceedings. A federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment Aug. 31. It alleges Edward Seung Ok and Anthony Seung Ok, both of Rolling Hills Estates, California; Lim, Villa Park, California; and Wes Moon Ok, Los Angeles, California, committed one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Stredney, Peoria, Arizona, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, the conspiracy involved a scheme to defraud clients of Bluebell International LLC and Bluebell National LLC which included a Houston-based energy company. Edward Ok and the others falsely claimed they had the ability to provide billions of dollars in loans because they were connected to high net worth international family offices, according to the allegations. They allegedly charged their clients large upfront fees to apply for the loans knowing they had no intention of providing them. The indictment alleges they diverted the monies for their own personal use. Edward Ok, Soran Lim, Anthony Ok and Wes Ok then allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to launder the fraudulent proceeds for the purchase of expensive real estate and luxury items. On the date of the arrests, authorities also seized over $1.2 million from a bank account, high-end items alleged to have been purchased with the fraudulent proceeds to include two multi-million dollar homes and a condominium as well as multiple vehicles such as two McLarens, a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche and BMW. The indictment also alleges Edward Ok committed the offense while incarcerated in prison with the assistance of the others. Conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a possible sentence of up to five years in federal prison, while convictions of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering have 20-year possible terms of imprisonment. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Justin R. Martin is prosecuting the case. AUSA Brandon Fyffe is handling forfeiture matters. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Kidnapping and Murder of Osage Nation Citizen Results in 9 Convictions

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – The last of multiple defendants involved in the abduction and death of an Osage Nation citizen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to murder in the second degree in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, 29, of Webb City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to second degree murder for the killing of Osage citizen Jolene Walker Campbell. Ackerson faces up to life in federal prison with no possibility of parole. “Tre Ackerson, along with codefendant Breanna Sloan, conspired to kidnap and brutally murder the victim. Then they conspired with additional codefendants to threaten witnesses and destroy evidence in an extensive effort to cover up their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This final conviction reflects three years of work and commitment from our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors to provide justice for the victim and her family.” “Jolene Campbell was only 35 when she was brutally murdered, a young woman with a long life ahead of her. She left behind a grieving family that deserves justice, and after three long years and 9 convictions, we hope they can finally begin to heal from this tragic loss,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, the defendants are now facing decades in prison for their involvement in this horrific crime.” In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, codefendant Breanna Sloan and Ackerson were driving around Joplin, Missouri. Ackerson spotted Campbell walking on the side of the road and stated, “that’s that bitch!” Ackerson told Sloan he had robbed Campbell just a few hours earlier, and Sloan asked whether he wanted to lure Campbell into the vehicle. Ackerson agreed. Sloan drove past Campbell to let Ackerson hide in the woods. She then waited in the car for Campbell to reach her location and offered her a ride After Campbell got into the front passenger seat, Ackerson emerged from the woods armed with a gun, climbed into the rear seat, and told Sloan to drive. Ackerson attempted to rob Campbell again, but she had nothing more for him to steal. Campbell suggested they go meet someone else she knew in Oklahoma City to obtain the money Ackerson wanted. During the drive from Missouri through Oklahoma, Campbell fell asleep. They stopped at a gas station in Tulsa before Sloan took a fateful detour into Mayes County, Oklahoma to go to another destination for supplies. Before they reached the intended destination, Ackerson instructed Sloan to turn into a rural field and stop on a dead-end dirt road. Ackerson then got out of the car and opened the rear passenger door, causing a still-sleeping Campbell to partially fall out into the road. Ackerson then forced Campbell into the field and killed her. The victim’s body was discovered on July 15, 2020, in the same Mayes County field where Ackerson killed her, within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation. A year later, on July 20, 2021, 11 defendants from the Joplin, Missouri, area were charged for their various roles related to the kidnapping that led to the death of the victim and for conspiring to obstruct the ensuing federal investigation, including tampering with witnesses by using and threatening physical force. Ackerson admitted that he intentionally shot the victim multiple times, cut her throat, and hit her head several times with a tire jack until she died from the injuries. He further admitted to conspiring with the other codefendants to obstruct, threaten, and tamper with witnesses that had information relating to the kidnapping and murder. Ackerson has been and will remain in the custody of the Marshal Service pending formal sentencing at a future date and faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The additional defendants in this case, all currently in custody, are as follows: Breanna Lynn Sloan, 24, pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2022, and admitted that from July 4, 2020, to July 5, 2020, she aided and abetted codefendant Ackerson, in the kidnapping of the victim and that the victim died as a result of the kidnapping. Sloan faces up to life in prison. Chloe Louise Stith, 23, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force. Stith admitted that she helped another person in a separate incident in the use of force against two other witnesses with the intention of keeping them from communicating with federal law enforcement about Campbell’s disappearance and subsequent murder. She admitted to covering the two witnesses’ eyes with duct tape and driving the witnesses against their will to a remote location where one witness was physically assaulted by the other person who had accompanied Stith. The incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2020. Stith faces up to 30 years in prison. Sarah Michelle Humbard, 26, and David William Morris, 35 each pleaded guilty to witness tampering by using the threat of physical force. Humbard and Morris both admitted that they threatened a witness by referencing Campbell’s murder and that the witness was “playing with fire.” The two further admitted to luring the witness to drive to the Precious Moments Hotel in Carthage, Missouri, where codefendant Lane Bronson confronted the witness. Bronson, who is Ackerson’s brother, then demanded the witness change testimony regarding codefendant Ackerson, and if not, the witness would pay for it. Humbard pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022, and Morris pleaded guilty May 13, 2022. They each face a maximum of 20 years. Lane Ryan Bronson, 30, pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bronson admitted to assaulting and using physical force on witnesses with the intention of preventing them from communicating with federal law enforcement officers about his brother’s involvement in Campbell’s kidnapping and killing. Morgan Lee Bowman, 28, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2022, to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bowman admitted that on July 7, 2020, she, Megan Louise Detherage, and Bronson bound, blindfolded, and kidnapped two witnesses from a Joplin home and drove them to a remote location in Seneca, Missouri, that was occupied by Ackerson and Sloan. She stated that while at that location, Ackerson used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at one of the witnesses and told the witness to “dance.” The second witness, who was still bound and blindfolded, was forced to listen. Bowman stated that after the shooting, she, Sloan, and Detherage took the witnesses’ personal belongings and wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach with the intention of destroying DNA and fingerprint evidence. Bowman admitted that at the time of the crime, she understood that a federal proceeding was likely to evolve in relation to the kidnapping and killing of Campbell and that they threatened the witnesses with the intent to prevent communication with law enforcement about the crimes. Jacob Ryan Scribner, 35, pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2023, to conspiracy to retaliate against a witness and informant, and he is facing 20 years in prison. Scribner admitted to having a recorded jail call with Stith regarding a witness that had been talking to the FBI. They believed the witness was also going to be placed in custody at the same jail facility as Scribner. Stith told Scribner that she would pay a $75 bounty to anybody to “relay a great message” to the witness. Scribner agreed to relay the bounty around the facility with the understanding that Stith was offering to pay money for someone to assault the witness for talking to the FBI. Megan Louise Detherage, 29 pleaded guilty on May 10, 2022, to misprision of a felony and faces a maximum of three years. Detherage admitted that she failed to inform law enforcement about her participation in a kidnapping for the purpose of intimidating witnesses of a drug trafficking offense. On July 7, 2020, she, Bronson, Bowman, and two witnesses were present at a house in Joplin. She stated that at Bronson’s direction, she and Bowman blindfolded the two witnesses and they drove the witnesses to a trailer in Seneca, Missouri, where Ackerson and Sloan were located. She stated that Ackerson and Bronson left with one of the witnesses, then returned and parked behind the trailer. She, Sloan, and Bowman then wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach at the direction of Bronson. During that time, she claimed that she heard gunshots fired in the direction of where Ackerson and one of the witnesses were located, causing the second witness to become fearful. She stated the only firearm she saw during the kidnapping was a short-barreled rifle carried by Ackerson. Charges were dismissed on the remaining 2 defendants pursuant to diversionary agreements. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Joplin Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish and George Jiang prosecuted the case.


title: Methuen Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Firearms from Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Methuen, Massachusetts man was sentenced in federal court in Concord for his role in a conspiring to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Jaythean Diaz, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 24 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. Diaz was also ordered to pay $5,100 in restitution. On April 13, 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee. One of Diaz’ co-conspirators, Gary Ortiz, pleaded guilty to similar charges on May 1, 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2023. “It is criminals, like the defendant and his co-conspirators, that put illegal guns on our streets and often into the hands of dangerous people,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Their crime also has a direct financial impact on legitimate firearm commerce and our federal firearms licensees, like the victim in this case, Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry. The defendant’s lengthy incarceration sends a strong message that the illegal firearm market will not be tolerated in the Granite State.” “Diaz and his co-conspirators targeted a local gun dealer in order to steal and resell guns on the street. This sentence is proof of ATF’s relentless resolve to bring to justice anyone who would victimize members of our community and put illegal guns into circulation,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division. “Federal firearms licensees are law-abiding citizens who make their livelihood providing a safe and legal means to responsibly bear arms, criminal acts against these businesses will be met with the full weight of the law.” On December 8, 2021, the Diaz and his co-conspirators broke into Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry, New Hampshire and stole 12 firearms—11 pistols and one rifle. Videos recovered from the phone of a co-conspirator show Diaz holding the stolen firearms, and messages recovered in another search show attempts by Diaz to sell at least one of the stolen firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (“ATF”) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Derry Police Department, Atkinson Police Department, Plaistow Police Department, Kingston Police Department, Windham Police Department, Hooksett Police Department, and Salem Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results. ###


title: Pinedale Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Sheldon Livingston was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Livingston, 23, of Pinedale, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child under 12 on April 18, 2023. According to court documents, in December 2020, Livingston engaged in a sexual act with a child who had not attained the age of 12. The victim disclosed the abuse to a forensic interviewer in April 2021. According to the victim, Livingston was told to stop, but he did not; instead, he told the victim to “be quiet.” The victim was eventually able to push Livingston off and run away. Following the incident, Livingston attempted to remain in contact with the victim, but they refused. When confronted by police, Livingston downplayed his criminality, expressing he mainly just kissed and held hands with the victim, and that everything was done with consent. Livingston denied that the victim told him to stop but did admit that he told them not to tell anyone. Upon his release from prison, Livingston will be subject to five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-220


title: Orange County Man Convicted of Federal Child Pornography Violations

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bridge City man has been convicted of federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Dereck Wayne Winstead, 34, was found guilty by a jury of possession of child pornography following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 12, 2023. According to information presented in court, in 2020, federal agents received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with information that an individual in Orange County, Texas, had been accessing and possessing images of child pornography. An investigation revealed the accounts accessing the child pornography were connected to Winstead. On March 30, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a consensual search at Winstead’s residence and located four electronic devices, including a custom-built gaming computer. A search of the custom-built gaming computer by a computer forensic analyst revealed over 300 images of child pornography including images of children under the age of 12. Under federal statutes, Winstead faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Beaumont Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Grove and Jonathan Lee. ###


title: Justice Department Awards $192.8 Million in Grants to Support Community Responses to Gender-Based Violence

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced today $192,819,214 in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Congress appropriated approximately $700 million for the implementation of VAWA in Fiscal Year 2023, and additional grant awards will be announced in the coming weeks. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), created under VAWA, has administered over $9.5 billion in grant funds since its inception, supporting communities in implementing effective strategies that prevent and respond to these crimes. “We must confront the continued prevalence of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today the Justice Department is marking nearly three decades of the Violence Against Women Act by awarding $192.8 million in resources that will go directly to making our communities safer by supporting and gaining the trust of survivors and holding accountable those who have harmed them.” The Department awarded a total of $172,932,681 across all 50 states and six territories under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program , one of VAWA’s inaugural grant programs. The grant is designed to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. “I was privileged to work on the original passage of VAWA and took to heart the government’s paramount obligation to protect its citizens,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “For nearly 30 years, VAWA has afforded rights and safeguards to survivors of sexual violence while ensuring the criminal justice system holds their perpetrators to account. The Justice Department has furthered its promise by awarding nearly $10 billion in funding – including the newest grants announced today – to communities across the country to respond to gender-based violence.” “Everyone has the right to live without the threat of gender-based violence, and with VAWA’s expansion and 2022 reauthorization, we are improving victim services and reaching more survivors, including survivors in marginalized communities, LGBTQI+ survivors, older adults, and those with disabilities,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This is an important step toward our goal of bringing these crimes to an end, once and for all.” “Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory. Last year’s reauthorization, as well as strong congressional and Administration support, has bolstered the Office on Violence Against Women’s efforts to provide increased funding to local communities nationwide, strengthening partnerships to support innovative programs and increase pathways to safety, justice, and healing.” Additional awards announced today include: Grants for Training and Services to End Violence Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program (Disability Grant Program) : Fourteen grants totaling $8,339,438 will support services for individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals. This includes but is not limited to: providing specialized training, outreach, cross-training for various agencies, and developing model programs to strengthen organizational capacities in assisting survivors. Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations : Seventeen grants totaling $10,066,724 will support services that enhance population-specific victim services, outreach strategies, and organizational capacities and provide training for criminal and civil justice systems to address the specific needs of underserved populations. Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program (Abuse in Later Life Program) : Three grants totaling $1,480,371 will support projects that provide training to criminal justice professionals to enhance their ability to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These grants also offer cross-training opportunities to professionals working with older victims, establish or strengthen a coordinated community response to elder abuse, and enhance services for victims who are 50 years of age or older. Organizations interested in applying for these and other grants are encouraged to visit the OVW website for more details and application guidelines.


title: West Virginia man sentenced for methamphetamine and firearms charges

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Hugh Kendall Shumaker, age 64, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents and statements made in court, Shumaker, also known as “Kenny,” was identified during an investigation as a source of crystal methamphetamine for other distributors in Hampshire County and elsewhere. Officers conducted a search of his home and found methamphetamine, 31 firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and cash. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence, David Roy Bolinger, 49, was identified as a person distributing methamphetamine in the Davenport, Iowa, area during 2022. On April 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bolinger’s residence in Davenport. Law enforcement recovered approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. Bolinger admitted to officers on the same day of the search that he knowingly took part in a conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with other individuals. Following his term of imprisonment, Bolinger will be required to complete five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.


title: Bronx Gang Member Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison For Double Murder And Shooting Of 16-Year-Old

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KAI JOHNSON was sentenced today to 40 years in prison in connection with his participation in the murders of Price Tunstall and Malik Tunstall in the vicinity of the James Monroe Houses in the Bronx on August 31, 2021, and a non-fatal shooting of a 16-year-old in the vicinity of the James Monroe Houses in the Bronx on April 4, 2021. On January 20, 2023, JOHNSON pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy and attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In broad daylight, Kai Johnson callously murdered two brothers — Price Tunstall and Malik Tunstall — in the courtyard of the James Monroe Houses. He committed these murders just a few months after shooting and injuring a 16-year-old in the same neighborhood. Today’s lengthy sentence sends an important message to gang members who commit violent crimes that they will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” As alleged in the Indictment and based on statements made in open court: KAI JOHNSON is a member or associate of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Stevenson Commons Crew.” In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Stevenson Commons Crew committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gangs, including murder and assault; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them. On August 31, 2021, JOHNSON murdered Malik Tunstall and Price Tunstall in the vicinity of 805 Taylor Avenue in the Bronx, New York. On April 4, 2021, JOHNSON shot at rival gang members in the vicinity of 877 Taylor Avenue in the Bronx, New York, which resulted in a 16-year-old being grazed in the head with a bullet. * * * In addition to his prison term, JOHNSON, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Department of Investigation, and the New York City Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, Emily A. Johnson, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution.


title: South Carolina Woman Who Coordinated Drug Deals With Prison Inmate Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evin Rae Davenport (32, Greenwood, South Carolina) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Davenport’s co-defendant, Zachariah Luke, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 16, 2023. Both Davenport and Luke face minimum mandatory terms of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. According to Davenport’s plea agreement, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina. Using contraband cellphones, Luke communicated with Davenport who assisted him in acquiring and selling illegal drugs on the street. Receiving direction from Luke, Davenport delivered drugs three times to a Florida-based drug dealer, including approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine that she supplied to him outside of a department store in South Carolina. Once Davenport delivered the kilogram of methamphetamine, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, Florida, a deputy observed a traffic offense and signaled the dealer to pull over. The dealer initially appeared to be looking for a place to stop, but instead accelerated and raced down the streets of a residential neighborhood. A police helicopter tracked the speeding car, and the pilot observed an object being thrown from the car and directed another deputy to that specific location. Following the directions of the pilot, the deputy found a backpack on the side of the road. Inside, the deputy found approximately 985.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine that laboratory testing would later show was 100% pure. After attempting to dispose of the drugs, the dealer continued to drive, but eventually reached a dead end. He then abandoned the car to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested. After that arrest, correctional officers in South Carolina seized multiple cellphones from Luke, which he was prohibited from possessing in prison. Investigators searched those phones and recovered text communications with both Davenport and the Florida-based dealer, concerning when, where, and from whom drugs were to be supplied and delivered. This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.


title: Former CEO of International Investment Advisory Firm Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Roberto Gustavo Cortes Ripalda (Cortes) pleaded guilty to participating in a years’ long conspiracy to defraud clients of Biscayne Capital, an international investment advisory firm that operated in the United States, South America, and the Caribbean. Today’s plea took place before United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon. When sentenced, Cortes faces up to 20 years in prison and as part of his plea agreement will pay forfeiture in the amount of $3.4 million. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Kareem A. Carter, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. (IRS-CI); and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. Field Office (HSI), announced the guilty plea. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, between approximately 2013 and 2018, Cortes, together with others at Biscayne Capital, orchestrated a scheme to defraud Biscayne Capital clients through a series of material misrepresentations and omissions about how Biscayne Capital client funds would be used, including falsely claiming that their funds would be used to develop luxury real estate in Florida. As part of the scheme, Cortes and his co-conspirators used client money to pay promised investment returns to other Biscayne Capital clients. According to the indictment, by September 2018, the scheme collapsed and Biscayne Capital went into liquidation, causing more than $155 million in losses to Biscayne Capital clients. Co-conspirators Ernesto Heraclito Weisson Pazmino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April 2022; Gustavo Trujillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in April 2019; Juan Carlos Cortes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in July 2022; Fernando Martinez Gomez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in March 2022. They are awaiting sentencing. Co-conspirator Fernando Haberer Bergson was arrested in Argentina in September 2021 and is facing extradition to the Eastern District of New York. The IRS-CI Global Illicit Financial Team and HSI are investigating the case. The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). Assistant United States Attorneys Drew G. Rolle and Benjamin Weintraub, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Randall Warden and MLARS Trial Attorney Chad Davis are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance in the case. The Defendant : ROBERTO GUSTAVO CORTES RIPALDA Age: 56 Key Biscayne, Florida Co-Conspirators Who Previously Pleaded Guilty: ERNESTO HERACLITO WEISSON PAZMINO Age: 55 Miami, Florida FERNANDO HABERER BERGSON Age: 50 Argentina E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-458 (CBA) GUSTAVO TRUJILLO Age: 43 Miami, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-134 (CBA) JUAN CARLOS CORTES Age: 45 Boca Raton, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-288 (CBA) FERNANDO MARTINEZ GOMEZ Age: 45 Ecuador E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-65 (CBA)


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison Related to Threats Against a Public Official

body_text: CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A Cedar Rapids man was sentenced on Friday, September 8, 2023 to over six years in federal prison for threatening a federal official and committing interstate communications with intent to injure. According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, John Edward Miller, 42, was identified through a law enforcement investigation surrounding a threat received by a federal official through their personal Facebook account on November 19, 2020. The message was threatening and harassing in nature and also included threatening and/or harassing information regarding other federal officials. The same day, Miller shot a flare gun at the Northern District of Iowa United States Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, causing a fire on the barriers in front of the building. Following Miller’s arrest, Miller admitted to sending the threatening messages through Facebook and to firing the flare gun at the federal courthouse. After completing his term of imprisonment, Miller will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Miller was also ordered to pay restitution pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3663A. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Muscatine Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine Charges

body_text: DAVENPORT, IA – A Muscatine man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents, on May 22, 2022, law enforcement observed Benjamin Stuart Gomes, 49, receive a package from another man at that man’s residence in Buffalo, Iowa and drive away from the residence. Shortly after Gomes left the Buffalo residence, law enforcement made a traffic stop in Muscatine County of Gomes who was driving his vehicle. During the traffic stop, Gomes was found to be in possession of approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. Gomes admitted he knowingly possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it to others. Pursuant to a subsequent search warrant of Gomes’s vehicle seized during the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered approximately sixteen pounds of methamphetamine from the vehicle. Following his term of imprisonment, Gomes will be required serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.


title: Mescalero Man Charged with Domestic Assault

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Ashton Louis Apachito appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangling and/or suffocating an intimate partner. Apachito, 19, of Mescalero and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing set for September 15, 2023. According to the criminal complaint, on July 19, while at his mother’s residence in Mescalero, Apachito allegedly lost his temper and choked and bit the victim on the cheek. Apachito’s family intervened and reported the incident to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), but officers were only informed that Apachito was causing a disturbance, not of the assault. Following the incident, the victim left the residence to stay with her mother. Over the next several days, Apachito allegedly harassed the victim by phone and threatened to throw all of her belongings in the road. On July 29, the victim returned to the residence to collect her belongings, at which time Apachito allegedly attacked the victim, pushing her to the ground, kicking her in the stomach multiple times and choking her. The next morning, the victim called her mother and asked her to pick her up. The victim’s mother reported the domestic violence to BIA and the victim was transported to the Lincoln County Medica Center for treatment. When interviewed by BIA officers, Apachito admitted to biting, hitting, choking, and pushing the victim. A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charge, Apachito faces up to 10 years imprisonment. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-221


title: Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possessing a Firearm

body_text: DAVENPORT, IA – On September 6, 2023, a Clinton man was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on the evening of November 24, 2021, Clinton Police stopped a truck for an equipment violation. David Jon Kinkaid, 41, was the driver. A drug-detecting police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics in the truck. A search of the truck revealed that Kinkaid had more than 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded, .45 caliber pistol. Kinkaid had the pistol to protect himself, his drugs, and his drug proceeds. Following his imprisonment, Kinkaid will serve five years of supervised release. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Clinton Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.


title: Burbank Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Firearms and Methamphetamine Out of His DTLA Hookah Lounge Business

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Burbank man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for running an illegal firearms business out of a downtown Los Angeles hookah lounge he owned – which included the sale of so-called “ghost guns” – and for possessing with intending to distribute methamphetamine. Hovik Dagesian, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, from October 2020 to January 2021, Dagesian illegally sold 11 firearms – including firearms not bearing serial numbers, weapons that are commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” The firearms Dagesian illegally sold included a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15-type rifle with no serial number, and a 9mm handgun. Dagesian also admitted to selling methamphetamine to a buyer on October 30, 2020. The illegal firearm and drug sales took place at Dagesian’s hookah business in downtown Los Angeles. In total, Dagesian sold $34,250 worth of firearms and methamphetamine to a buyer. In January 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Dagesian’s business. During the search, law enforcement seized 163.3 grams (5.8 ounces) of methamphetamine, a digital scale, approximately 215 rounds of ammunition, and many firearms he was willing to sell, including a sawed-off shotgun. Dagesian has never been licensed as a dealer, manufacturer or importer of firearms. United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi scheduled a January 8, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Dagesian will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the drug distribution count. The illegal firearms dealing count carries a penalty of up to five years in federal prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.


title: Chicago Man Pleads Guilty To Murder-For-Hire

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Latrel Jackson (26, Chicago, Illinois), aka “Kobe,” today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate murder-for-hire resulting in death and interstate murder-for-hire resulting in death. Jackson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. His co-defendant, Marvin Harris, Jr., aka “Mesh,” pleaded guilty to the same charges last week. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in December 2023. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, in 2019, Harris, Jr. hired two individuals, Jackson and unindicted co-conspirator D.S. (deceased), to travel from the Chicago-area to Fort Myers to commit murder in exchange for $10,000. Harris, Jr.’s motive was to retaliate against individuals who he believed had previously robbed a Fort Myers residence from which he and others associated with him sold drugs. The individuals Harris, Jr. suspected of committing the robbery and shooting belonged to a Fort Myers gang known to law enforcement as “Bucktown.” Jackson and D.S. traveled to Fort Myers from Chicago aboard a commercial airline on October 28, 2019. Upon arrival, Harris, Jr. picked Jackson and D.S. up from the Southwest Florida International Airport and provided them with firearms to accomplish their task. Initially, Jackson and D.S. stayed at Harris, Jr.’s “trap house” (a residence used primarily to distribute drugs from) in Fort Myers but later moved to a local motel on Palm Beach Boulevard. During that time, Jackson, D.S., and others attempted to find members of Bucktown to murder in the retaliatory scheme. On November 2, 2019, Harris, Jr. obtained a vehicle for Jackson and D.S. to use during the commission of a murder. Jackson and D.S. proceeded to a known Bucktown hangout in Fort Myers and observed the victim, K.U., standing in front of the home near the curb of the street. Jackson and D.S. quickly circled the block and returned, and at close range opened fire on K.U., killing him in front of the residence with a gunshot wound of the head. The next day, Jackson and D.S. returned to Chicago via bus, while possessing the firearms used to commit the murder. During a search of Jackson’s Chicago-area home on November 21, 2019, law enforcement recovered two firearms from an attic space of his bedroom. Expert testing and examination of the firearms confirmed that both matched shell casings recovered from the murder scene and the murder vehicle, and that one of the firearms had fired the bullet which had been recovered from K.U.’s head during his autopsy. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department, with the assistance of the Joliet (Illinois) Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman. 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: U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Five Individuals For Over $20 Million Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, And Kickbacks Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging acupuncturists JUNYI LIU, a/k/a “Jenny,” and HONGXING WANG, as well as physical therapists JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO and insurance company employee VICTOR MAN, a/k/a “Mr. Wen,” with operating an over $20 million health care fraud scheme at medical offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (the “Offices”). As part of the fraud scheme, MAN referred patients to the Offices in exchange for kickbacks and also assisted in paying kickbacks to the patients (the “Paid Patients”), who were insured by Medicare and/or other insurance providers (collectively, the “Insurance Providers”). The defendants and their co-conspirators then billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were unnecessary or never performed. LIU was additionally charged with unlawfully enriching herself and a family member through a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme. LIU and WANG were previously indicted and arrested on these charges in September 2021. LAQUI, BALDOVINO, and MAN were arrested earlier today and presented and arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants allegedly perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which they fraudulently billed for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were never rendered. Thanks to our law enforcement partners and the dedicated work of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants are now facing an array of serious charges in federal court.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Health care providers who submit fraudulent claims to federally funded insurance plans and bribe patients to participate in kickback schemes put health care benefits for older people and vulnerable populations at risk. HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] Between 2018 and 2021, JUNYI LIU, a licensed acupuncturist, operated the Offices from which LIU and her partners fraudulently billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were not rendered in the manner represented or not rendered at all. LIU partnered with other licensed medical professionals, including JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO, both of whom were licensed physical therapists, and HONGXING WANG, who was a licensed acupuncturist (collectively, the “Partners”). The Partners’ roles in the scheme typically included: (i) allowing the Offices to use their enrollments with the Insurance Providers to submit to the Insurance Providers materially false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for physical therapy and acupuncture services; (ii) creating materially false medical documentation, which stated that certain physical therapy and acupuncture services had been rendered, when such services in fact were not rendered in the manner represented or were not rendered at all; and (iii) contributing financing for the Offices, including for the payment of cash kickbacks to the Paid Patients to induce those patients to provide their insurance information and receive medically unnecessary and/or non-existent services at the Offices. In furtherance of the scheme, LIU paid cash kickbacks to MAN and others in exchange for recruiting and referring the Paid Patients, all beneficiaries of the Insurance Providers, to the Offices. The beneficiaries also received cash kickbacks, paid by MAN and others, in exchange for their insurance information and their signatures on sign-in sheets and other documents. In some instances, these Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed in, and received unnecessary physical therapy and acupuncture services. In other instances, the Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed a sign-in sheet and other documents, and then left without receiving any services at all. In yet other instances, the Paid Patients did not visit the Offices at all and instead signed sign-in sheets and other documents brought to them elsewhere by MAN and others. Regardless of whether the Paid Patients received any services or even visited the Offices at all, LIU and her co-conspirators used the Paid Patients’ insurance information to fraudulently bill the Insurance Providers for unnecessary and/or never rendered services. While LIU and her co-conspirators were defrauding the Insurance Providers of millions of dollars, from April 2020 through September 2021, LIU also engaged in a scheme to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits for herself and a family member (the “Family Member”) by fraudulently submitting and causing to be submitted to the New York Department of Labor materially false online applications and certifications for COVID-19 benefits. Among other things, the applications and/or certifications represented that LIU was unemployed when, in fact, she continued to operate the Offices for all or nearly all of this period, and the applications and/or certifications represented that the Family Member was unable to work because of COVID-19 during a five-month period when the Family Member was in China. * * * JUNYI LIU, 69, of Great Neck, New York, JONATHAN LAQUI, 46, of Rahway, New Jersey, MITZY BALDOVINO, 46, of the Bronx, New York, HONGXING WANG, 63, of Brooklyn, New York, and VICTOR MAN, 60, of Queens, New York, are all charged with conspiring to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. LIU, LAQUI, WANG, and MAN are also charged with conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. LIU is additionally charged with wire fraud, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and theft of Government funds, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. MAN is further charged with violating the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG’s New York Office and the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General for their assistance. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Superseding 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 constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Miami-Based Businessman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate Russia-Ukraine Sanctions and to Commit International Money Laundering

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Sergey Karpushkin, 46, of Miami, a resident of the United States and a citizen of Belarus, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions and commit money laundering by conducting transactions for the purchase and acquisition of metal products valued at over $139 million from companies owned by Sergey Kurchenko, a sanctioned oligarch. According to court documents, Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating Ukrainian state assets or economically significant entities. According to the allegations in the information and other public filings: between in or about July 2017 and in or about August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with others to purchase and receive over $139 million in metal products from two companies that Karpushkin knew were owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Karpushkin and his business associates, acting through the Florida-based company Metalhouse LLC, entered into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these companies, received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies, and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. Karpushkin and his business associates intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Karpushkin pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd in Orlando, Florida, to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Karpushkin also agreed to forfeit $4,723,625 in proceeds that he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment charging alleged co-conspirator and Metalhouse president John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, with one count of conspiring to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, in violation of IEEPA, 10 counts of violating IEEPA, one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, and 10 counts of international money laundering was unsealed on April 17, and Unsalan has been detained pending further court proceedings. The FBI Tampa Field Office and the International Corruption Unit of the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI Miami Field Office. Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case. The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.


title: Hartford Man Who Possessed Loaded Ghost Gun Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CAMRON HILL, 36, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a federal firearm offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Hartford Police Department conducted an investigation of a business located at 136 Barbour Street in Hartford that was suspected of trafficking narcotics. The business, a purported clothing store, had an awning that read “The HOLE Ex-Con 360 the movement.” In October 2022, investigators made two controlled drug purchases of marijuana from the store. On October 5, 2022, Hill and others were in the store when investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the store and seized quantities of suspected crack cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, synthetic opioid films, fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, MDMA, drug packaging and processing materials, U.S. currency, and five handguns. One of the handguns seized was a loaded 9mm privately made firearm (“PMF” or “ghost gun”) that was found behind the counter of the store in a black satchel-type bag. Surveillance video the morning of the search showed Hill using keys to open the store and carrying a black satchel-type bag. Subsequent forensic testing of the firearm revealed Hill’s DNA. Hill has a prior felony conviction. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. On April 18, 2023, Hill pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a felon. Hill, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on October 17. This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Reed Durham and Brendan J. Keefe.


title: Houtzdale Resident Indicted on Charges of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm/Destructive Device and Conspiracy to Maliciously Destroy Property by Explosive

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, PA - a resident of Houtzdale, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges of possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device and conspiracy to maliciously destroy property by explosive, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named Kris Joseph Nevling, age 46, as the sole defendant. Nevling is currently incarcerated for unrelated state offenses. According to the Indictment, between October 3, 2019, and October 4, 2019, Nevling unlawfully possessed a destructive device and also conspired with at least one other person to destroy property by using explosives. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $250,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.