title: Evansville Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison After Recording Himself Sexually Abusing a 4-Year-Old

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Michael Hines, 39, of Evansville, Indiana, has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, on May 17, 2017, Michael Hines used his smart phone to record videos of himself engaging in sexual acts with Minor Female A. At the time of the offense, the Minor Victim was 4 years old. “The sexual abuse of a toddler is as heinous a crime as a person can commit,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “The public and the victim are safer today because this defendant will spend many years in federal prison. I commend the work of the FBI, the Evansville Police Department, and our federal prosecutor to ensure that this dangerous pedophile is held accountable for his actions.” “This sentence ensures the defendant can no longer prey on innocent children and our community will be a much safer place without him on the streets,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “We are committed to working alongside valued partners like the Evansville Police Department to protect our children from predators such as this.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young ordered that Hines be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison. Additionally, Hines must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, and goes to school. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc ###


title: Sarasota Man Sentenced To 10 Years For Possessing Child Exploitation Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Keith Critchfield (68, Sarasota) to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possession of child exploitation material. The court also ordered Critchfield to forfeit a laptop, which was used in the commission of the offense. Critchfield had pleaded guilty on May 30, 2023. According to court documents, Critchfield is a registered sex offender based on a 1998 state of Florida conviction for lewd or lascivious exhibition and using a child in a sexual performance. In May 2020, after receiving cybertips regarding child exploitation material, agents searched Critchfield’s residence and found that he possessed child sexual abuse images. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Sarasota). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Who Trafficked, Beat Multiple Women Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Dallas man who sex trafficked multiple young women was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Demetrius Lewaun Byrd, 39, who called himself “Staxx Diego,” pleaded guilty in March 2022 to sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion. He was sentenced last Thursday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay. “HSI will spare no resource in ensuring that those who exploit children face justice for their egregious crimes,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “We remain dedicated to protecting the children of our communities.” According to plea papers, Mr. Byrd admitted that he trafficked one 17-year old girl and two 18-year old girls between 2016 and 2018. Testimony at the hearing revealed that Mr. Byrd used social media platforms to recruit 17- and 18-year old girls to work with him in the commercial sex trade, often coercing them by pretending they would be his girlfriend. Mr. Byrd also used social media and text messages to shame and manipulate the women if they tried to leave him. He told one victim that he wanted to date her, then drove up to Oklahoma and drove her back to Texas. During the trip, Mr. Byrd stopped the car at a hotel, handed her a room key, and told her to go into the room, take the money, and do whatever the man inside wanted. Shocked and terrified, the girl complied. Mr. Byrd kept the money. For the next six months, Mr. Byrd posted commercial sex ads for the girl online, forced her into sex with customers, and pocketed the proceeds. When she told him she wanted to leave, he punched her in the face and pinned her against a fence. When she did manage to escape, he staged his own suicide to pressure her to return. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myria Boehm prosecuted the case with the help of former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Ricketts, Melanie Smith, and Cara Foos Pierce.


title: St. Louis County Woman Admits Fraudulently Buying Two Cars and Leasing a Home

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted using others’ identities to buy two cars and lease a home. Amia Hill, 26, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud. She also helped someone else fraudulently obtain a $6,500 loan, causing total losses of between $40,000 and $95,000. On Dec. 13, 2021, Hill used the name and personal information of someone identified in the plea agreement as “S.A.” to buy a Dodge Charger for $29,989. On March 18, 2022, she did the same thing, using a different person’s name and information, to buy a $35,800 Dodge Durango. On March 7, 2022, Hill used S.A.’s information to lease a home in the 3500 block of Park Chateau Lane in Florissant. She lived there until July 1, 2022, costing the landlord $5,768. Hill also helped a woman obtain a $6,500 loan from First Community Credit Union on March 19, 2022 using someone else’s personal information. That woman has been indicted separately and her case is pending. Hill is scheduled to be sentenced November 29. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Homeland Security Investigations, the Breckenridge Hills Police Department and the Ellisville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy is prosecuting the case.


title: Hyannis Man Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Hyannis man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Timothy Lee Galvin, 31, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to the charging documents, on or about June 2, 2023 in Barnstable, Galvin possessed three rounds of 9mm ammunition; 11 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition; and 47 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Galvin is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to three prior drug distribution convictions. The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: St. Louis Man County Man Arrested in Connection with 2022 Carjacking

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man accused of a July 2022 carjacking has been arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday. La’Vontray Hayes-Williams, 19, of Jennings, was indicted on Nov. 16, 2022 on one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was arrested August 24, 2023 and pleaded not guilty Tuesday. The indictment accuses Hayes-Williams of stealing a 2018 Nissan Sentra on July 7, 2022 in St. Louis County. A motion seeking to have Hayes-Williams held in jail until trial says the St. Louis County Police Department quickly spotted the car after the victim ran to a nearby gas station and called police. Hayes-Williams was caught after a chase that reached speeds of 112 mph and found with a .45-caliber Glock pistol in his satchel, the motion says. The carjacking charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The firearm brandishing charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, consecutive to all other charges, and a maximum of life in prison. Hayes-Williams also faces charges in St. Louis County Circuit Court. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and are not proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Correctional Officer Indicted on Federal Charges of Conspiracy, Bribery, and Bringing Contraband into Montgomery County Jail

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service for the Middle District of Alabama announced that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned a three-count indictment charging former Montgomery County Detention Facility (MCDF) Correctional Officer Mario Avery, 43, with conspiracy to provide contraband to an inmate in prison, bribery, and providing contraband to a federal inmate. The indictment alleges that Avery conspired with others to provide a federal inmate at MCDF with prohibited items. The indictment further alleges that Avery accepted cash in return for smuggling contraband into the detention facility and in fact provided the contraband to the inmate in November of 2022. The United States Marshals Service arrested Avery on Monday, August 28, 2023. Avery is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court later this afternoon. If convicted on all three counts of the indictment, Avery faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The United States Marshals Service investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Accounting Manager at Everett manufacturing company sentenced to three years in prison for $2.5 million embezzlement

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 40–year-old Kent, Washington, woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison for wire fraud and tax fraud related to a 10-year embezzlement scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Christin Guillory, an Accounting Manager at an Everett-based manufacturing company, stole more than $2.5 million from her employer by transferring funds to accounts Guillory set up in the names of fake companies, and then routing the funds to her own bank accounts. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez noted that Guillory’s theft was driven by drug addiction but added, “you’ve known your entire life that you had an addiction issue, but you never took any steps on your own to deal with it.” “Ms. Guillory betrayed colleagues who were also her friends,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “For nine years she engaged in a meticulous scheme to hide her theft. Over those nine years, she deliberately chose to steal from the company 867 times. And she did it while working side-by-side with colleagues who trusted her.” According to records in the case, in April 2013, Guillory set up an account with payment processor Square that used a display name that made it appear it was an account of a commercial shipping company. Between 2014 and 2019, Guillory secretly paid $1,695,591 to that account and then transferred the money to her own bank accounts. She made false entries in the company books to conceal the theft. In 2019, Guillory stopped using Square for her fraud and instead used two PayPal accounts. She gave one of the PayPal accounts a display name similar to that of her employer. For the second account, she used the name of a shipping company with which she had no affiliation. In 2020 and 2021, she orchestrated the transfer of $604,000 to the PayPal accounts and made false accounting entries to cover her tracks. She then transferred the bulk of the money for her own use. Becoming more brazen, between August and November 2021, Guillory transferred $247,000 directly from company accounts to her own bank accounts. Again, she made fraudulent accounting entries and reused legitimate invoices to make it appear the payments were for appropriate business purposes. In all, Guillory made at least 867 secret transactions using interstate wires that totaled $2,536,086. The scheme was detected when a financial institution reported irregularities. Guillory used the stolen money to support her prescription drug addiction. Writing to the court, Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson noted that the theft betrayed the trust of those Guillory worked with. “The Victim company and its management and employees entrusted Guillory with access to its corporate funds..... Guillory worked closely with (company leaders) and other colleagues each day for years. The whole time Guillory knew she was secretly stealing, placing the company’s financial security – and her colleagues’ jobs - at risk.” Guillory also filed false tax returns, failing to report the more than $2.5 million in income she embezzled. For example, for the tax year 2019, Guillory represented that her income was $38,022, but failed to report the $615,392 in income she received that year from her embezzlement. In all, Guillory failed to pay $590,850 that she owed in taxes. Judge Martinez ordered restitution of $2,536,086 to the company, and $590,850 to the U.S. Treasury. He directed that she be on three years of supervised release to follow prison. “Though sometimes undetected for years, fraud and embezzlement schemes have real consequences for all involved,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office. “Ms. Guillory’s sentencing today is continued proof that IRS:CI is committed to investigating unjust fraud wherever it may occur.” “Ms. Guillory carried out her embezzlement for years, ultimately stealing more than $2.5 million from her employer” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “She endeavored to cover up her actions and violated the trust, not only of her employer, but also of people who considered her a friend. I appreciate the work of our investigators and those of our partners who finally brought an end to her scheme.” The case was investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service: Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.


title: Qakbot Malware Disrupted in International Cyber Takedown

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced a multinational operation involving actions in the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Romania, and Latvia to disrupt the botnet and malware known as Qakbot and take down its infrastructure. The Qakbot malicious code is being deleted from victim computers, preventing it from doing any more harm. The Department also announced the seizure of approximately $8.6 million in cryptocurrency in illicit profits. The action represents the largest U.S.-led financial and technical disruption of a botnet infrastructure leveraged by cybercriminals to commit ransomware, financial fraud, and other cyber-enabled criminal activity. “Cybercriminals who rely on malware like Qakbot to steal private data from innocent victims have been reminded today that they do not operate outside the bounds of the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Together with our international partners, the Justice Department has hacked Qakbot’s infrastructure, launched an aggressive campaign to uninstall the malware from victim computers in the United States and around the world, and seized $8.6 million in extorted funds.” According to court documents, Qakbot, also known by various other names, including “Qbot” and “Pinkslipbot,” is controlled by a cybercriminal organization and used to target critical industries worldwide. The Qakbot malware primarily infects victim computers through spam email messages containing malicious attachments or hyperlinks. Once it has infected a victim computer, Qakbot can deliver additional malware, including ransomware, to the infected computer. Qakbot has been used as an initial means of infection by many prolific ransomware groups in recent years, including Conti, ProLock, Egregor, REvil, MegaCortex, and Black Basta. The ransomware actors then extort their victims, seeking ransom payments in bitcoin before returning access to the victim computer networks. These ransomware groups have caused significant harm to businesses, healthcare providers, and government agencies all over the world. “The FBI led a worldwide joint, sequenced operation that crippled one of the longest-running cybercriminal botnets,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “With our federal and international partners, we will continue to systematically target every part of cybercriminal organizations, their facilitators, and their money – including by disrupting and dismantling their ability to use illicit infrastructure to attack us. Today’s success is yet another demonstration of how FBI’s capabilities and strategy are hitting cyber criminals hard, and making the American people safer.” The victim computers infected with Qakbot malware are part of a botnet, which is a network of compromised computers, meaning the perpetrators can remotely control all the infected computers in a coordinated manner. The owners and operators of the victim computers are typically unaware of the infection. “Working with partners here and abroad, the Department of Justice disrupted a botnet that at various times included hundreds of thousands of victim computers around the world, seizing $8.6 million in ill-gotten profits to return to the many entities victimized by Qakbot’s criminal actions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This work builds on the Criminal Division’s continuous efforts to protect the American people from cyber threats, and once again shows that we will use all available tools to aggressively dismantle the operations, infrastructure, and finances of these cybercriminals.” As part of the takedown, the FBI was able to gain access to Qakbot infrastructure and identify over 700,000 computers worldwide, including more than 200,000 in the United States, that appear to have been infected with Qakbot. To disrupt the botnet, the FBI was able to redirect Qakbot botnet traffic to and through servers controlled by the FBI, which in turn instructed infected computers in the United States and elsewhere to download a file created by law enforcement that would uninstall the Qakbot malware. This uninstaller was designed to untether the victim computer from the Qakbot botnet, preventing further installation of malware through Qakbot. “An international partnership led by Justice Department and the FBI has resulted in the dismantling of Qakbot, one of the most notorious botnets ever, responsible for massive losses to victims around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Qakbot was the botnet of choice for some of the most infamous ransomware gangs, but we have now taken it out. This operation also has led to the seizure of almost 9 million dollars in cryptocurrency from the Qakbot cybercriminal organization, which will now be made available to victims. My office’s focus is on protecting and vindicating the rights of victims, and this multifaceted attack on computer-enabled crime demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding our nation from harm.” The scope of this law enforcement action was limited to information installed on the victim computers by the Qakbot actors. It did not extend to remediating other malware already installed on the victim computers and did not involve access to or modification of the information of the owners and users of the infected computers. Valuable technical assistance was provided by Zscaler. The FBI has partnered with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Shadowserver, Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit, the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance, and Have I Been Pwned to aid in victim notification and remediation. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) conducted the operation in close cooperation with Eurojust. Investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions provided crucial assistance, including Europol, French Police Cybercrime Central Bureau and the Cybercrime Section of the Paris Prosecution Office, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police and General Public Prosecutor’s Office Frankfurt/Main, Netherlands National Police and National Public Prosecution Office, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Romania’s National Police, and Latvia’s State Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Milwaukee Field Office provided significant assistance. CCIPS Trial Attorneys Jessica Peck, Ryan K.J. Dickey, and Benjamin Proctor, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Khaldoun Shobaki and Lauren Restrepo for the Central District of California led the U.S. efforts. Additional information and resources, including for victims, can be found on the following website, which will be updated as additional information and resources become available: www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/divisions/national-security-division/qakbot-resources .


title: Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Coercing a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty today to coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court documents, in April 2023, James Wentworth, 31, engaged in multiple sex acts with a minor. Law enforcement additionally discovered an email address Wentworth used to exchange sexually explicit messages with the minor. The emails included discussions regarding Wentworth’s intentions to use sex toys, bondage rope, and bondage tape to restrain the minor during sex acts. The emails further included directions for the minor to delete emails they had previously exchanged. Wentworth is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2024. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after U.S. Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-98.


title: Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Returns Four Indictments Charging 34 Defendants

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury in Louisville charged 34 Louisville and Southern Indiana residents in four indictments involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Jones of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the first indictment, Thomas Gunter , 39, Desmond Allen , 37, Byron Mayes , 49, David Carter , 41, and Lauren Baum , 31, all of Louisville, and Brandon Traughber , 41, of Georgetown, Indiana, and Jason Hill , 40, of Corydon, Indiana, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gunter is also charged with ten counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Allen , Mayes , Baum , and Hill are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Carter is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Traughber is also charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the second indictment, Adrian Hamilton , 51, Antonio O’Neal , 47, Randall Dilley , 49, Keith Dewayne Settles , 51, Coy Tucker , 32, Jaiquinton Wordlaw , 40, Heather Boling , 25, Dontray Bard , 38, Todd Allgood , 54, and Imani Tennyson , 21, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Hamilton and Tennyson are also each charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. O’Neal is also charged with five counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Dilley is also charged with four counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture and three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Settles is also charged with three counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture. Tucker is also charged with six counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture and one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wordlaw is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boling is also charged with four counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture, two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bard is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Allgood is also charged with six counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture. According to the third indictment, Dennis Rice , 44, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Tomerriel Macklin Jr. , 23, Damon Fortney , 44, Dominique Kinnard , 33, Curnesha Smith , 30, Derrik Goodman , 26, Bruce Boerner , 56, and Dawn Burns , 55, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as March 28, 2023, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Rice, Macklin Jr. , and Goodman are also each charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Fortney is also charged with six counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kinnard is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Smith is also charged with seven counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boerner is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Burns is also charged with five counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to the fourth indictment, Kendall Shaw , 41, Jaron Collier , 45, Ryan Mitchem , 41, Saentay Sheard , 46, Stephen Piercy , 46, Sean Underwood , 51, Christopher Shanahan , 33, Jason Cheser , 48, and Lacy Elliot , 35, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Shaw is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Collier is also charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mitchem and Sheard are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Piercy is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Underwood and Elliot are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Shanahan is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Cheser is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Twenty-six of the 34 defendants have been arrested and will make their initial court appearances today and tomorrow before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The following eight defendants have not yet been arrested: Bard , Mayes , Shaw , Wordlaw , Kinnard , Boerner , Shanahan , and Hill . If convicted, the defendants each face minimum sentences ranging from 10 to 35 years, and all each face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The cases are being investigated by the FBI, HSI, the IRS-CI, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Shepherdsville Police Department, the Jeffersonville, Indiana Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Porter and Frank Dahl are prosecuting the cases. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty To Unlawfully Possessing A Firearm And Cocaine

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Keith Dewayne Drayton, Jr. (27, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine. Drayton faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the firearm offense, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the drug offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, on the night of June 17, 2023, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Drayton was the front-seat passenger. The vehicle did not stop, and by the time the officers caught up to the vehicle, both the driver and Drayton had fled from the vehicle on foot. On the ground near the front passenger door of the vehicle, officers found a loaded Glock handgun. Inside the vehicle, officers found a satchel which contained a prescription pill bottle bearing Drayton’s full name, as well as a baggie containing almost a half-ounce of crack cocaine. Drayton was later located by officers hiding in a nearby dumpster. As a convicted felon who previously served time in federal prison for a firearms offense, Drayton is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. 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: Lee Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison For Child Exploitation

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Lee man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Joshua Olsen, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 136 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Olsen was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. “Our office, together with our state and federal law enforcement partners, remains dedicated to ensuring the protection of our children and communities from predators like the defendant,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “Today’s lengthy sentence sends a strong message that the sexual exploitation of children in New Hampshire will not be tolerated.” “The sexual exploitation of children by predators like Joshua Olsen requires decisive action which is why the FBI acted so quickly in this case,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence certainly does not erase the harm Mr. Olsen inflicted upon his victims, but it does ensure that others will be protected from his abuse.” Olsen engaged in sexually explicit online chats with an undercover federal agent in November of last year. During the chats, Olsen distributed images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the undercover officer. A phone later seized from Olsen was found to contain additional CSAM. Olsen also made admissions during a voluntary interview with law enforcement regarding his sexual abuse of an eight-year-old child. This conduct is the subject of separate state charges. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Leslie Russell Burney, 36, of Groveport, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 20, 2021, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Burney on Interstate 77 in the area of Ripley, West Virginia. After the officer approached the vehicle and asked for his driver’s license, Burney drove off in an attempt to flee. Officers pursued Burney’s vehicle until he stopped off of the interstate and fled on foot with a red backpack from his vehicle. Officers located and captured Burney, and seized the backpack. Burney admitted that the backpack contained more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Burney further admitted that he was going to receive payment to deliver the drugs in the backpack, and fled the traffic stop because he did not want the drugs to be discovered. Burney is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Ripley Police Department, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Alexander A. Redmon are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-91. ###


title: Serial Armed Robber Convicted at Trial

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern


title: 19-Year-Old Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Jordan Hills, age 19, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced August 11, 2023, after pleading guilty March 15, 2023, to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Evidence in the case reveled in the summer of 2021, Hills and two others, harassed a woman in front of a bar, and when the woman’s friend came out of the bar to help her, he was shot to death by one of the three men (not Hills). Hills was convicted for harassment resulting from the incident on December 7, 2021, and sentenced to one day in jail. Despite a significant criminal history, Hills was shown leniency, and sentenced to a deferred judgment, Hills continued to illegally possess firearms. His unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon was discovered on April 15, 2022, when he began drinking heavily while armed with the firearm and passed out with the firearm on his person. When a woman attempted to make the weapon safe, Hills’ twin-brother, Jalond Hills, wrestled with the woman, resulting in the woman being shot with the firearm. When law enforcement responded, Jordan Hills lied to police and said an unknown black man had entered the apartment and shot the woman. On April 26, 2022, Hills still had the weapon, and on another occasion, actually fired the weapon at the woman who was shot in an apparent attempt to scare her into silence. Despite being just 19 years old Hills has a lengthy criminal history, including failure to obey law-enforcement, interference with official acts, failure to appear, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and the 2021 harassment charge for his role in the July 4, 2021 killing. Hills was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Hills is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4062. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory Alan Haston II, 39, of Scott Depot, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 2, 2023, Haston was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer in the St. Albans area. During a search of the vehicle, the officer seized a bag that he found on the floor near Haston’s feet. Haston admitted that the bag contained approximately 76 grams of fentanyl, which he possessed with the intent to distribute. Haston is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-136. ###


title: Executive Charged in International Oil and Gas Trading Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the District of Connecticut returned a superseding indictment today charging a Connecticut-based oil and gas trader for his role in an alleged scheme to pay bribes to Brazilian officials to win contracts with Brazil’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras (Petrobras). According to court documents, Gary Oztemel, 66, of Riverside, was the owner and president of Oil Trade & Transport S.A. (OTT) and the owner of Petro Trade Services Inc. (Petro Trade), both of which operated in Connecticut. From 2010 through 2018, Gary Oztemel, his brother Glenn Oztemel, Brazil-based intermediary Eduardo Innecco, and others allegedly paid bribes to Petrobras officials for their assistance in helping two Connecticut-based trading companies and OTT obtain and retain business with Petrobras. As part of the scheme, a Petrobras official provided Gary Oztemel, Glenn Oztemel, Innecco, and others with confidential information regarding Petrobras’ fuel oil business. Gary Oztemel also used his company Petro Trade to conceal the proceeds of the scheme. The original charges against Glenn Oztemel and Innecco were unsealed on Feb. 15. In addition to the original charges against Glenn Oztemel and Innecco, the superseding indictment charges Gary Oztemel with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy to violate the FCPA charge, a maximum of 20 years in prison for money laundering conspiracy and the first money laundering charge, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the second money laundering charge. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Avery for the District of Connecticut, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Allison L. McGuire and Clayton P. Solomon and Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McGarry for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Cincinnati man sentenced to 17 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, cocaine

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who was convicted at trial in December 2021 of trafficking narcotics was sentenced in federal court here today to 204 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Lelon Campbell, 30, distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents and trial testimony, from June through October 2018, Campbell possessed more than 130 grams of fentanyl and approximately 27 grams of cocaine. As a career criminal, Campbell was either on bond or under community control when he committed the offenses in his federal case. Campbell was charged federally in 2019. At the time of his arrest, he attempted to get to two handguns before being stopped by SWAT officers. Campbell also had a large number of high capacity, high powered weapons in two “go-bags” in his basement. In video surveillance, Campbell threatened to shoot a witness. The video played at trial shows Campbell directing a drug buyer to pull up his shirt so Campbell could check for a wire. He told the witness that he would shoot him if he was working for the police. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Zachary Kessler from the Cincinnati City Solicitor’s Office represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: Caribou Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Jason Cunrod , 41, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Cunrod knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy. To date, seven of the 21 defendants in this and related cases have been sentenced and nine of the remaining 14 defendants have pleaded guilty. Cunrod faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million followed by three years to life of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: High level drug trafficker sentenced to ten years in prison for leadership role in drug distribution conspiracy

body_text: Seattle – A 38-year-old Kent, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Omar Vazquez-Limon was arrested in August 2020 in northern California as he transported kilos of heroin and methamphetamine to Western Washington. Vazquez-Limon was indicted as part of a larger drug ring in December 2020 . At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed five years of supervised release to follow the prison term. “Mr. Vazquez-Limon’s drug trafficking widened the circles of those touched by the opioid epidemic, spreading meth, heroin and fentanyl in Western Washington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “He not only trafficked narcotics, he was also a source of firearms for the drug ring. As we struggle with an increase in gun violence, those who arm themselves to protect their drug supply contribute to the problem.” According to records filed in the case, Vazquez-Limon was a high-level distributor of narcotics who was in direct contact with suppliers in Mexico. Vazquez-Limon made multiple pound drug deals and often directed other drug ring members to make the deliveries or made the deliveries himself. In intercepted phone calls, Vazquez-Limon was heard arranging delivery of thousands of fentanyl pills and multi-pound amounts of methamphetamine. In one call, he said he had as much as 75 pounds of methamphetamine ready for distribution. Members of the drug conspiracy distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, smuggling the drugs into the U.S. from Mexico and then transporting them up the west coast for distribution in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. In connection with this drug distribution ring, law enforcement seized 143 pounds of methamphetamine, 15 pounds of heroin, 35,000 fentanyl pills, 24 firearms, $778,000, and a bank account valued at $100,000. Vazquez-Limon’s federal sentence will run concurrently with the Shasta County six-year sentence he received when arrested with a load of drugs in northern California. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Residence Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Tacoma Police Department, Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force (SRDTF), the Skagit County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The investigation was supported by the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and the DEA Special Operations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in Federal Prison for Driving a Bomb to Carroll County, Maryland with the Intent to Kill a Romantic Rival

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Clayton Alexander McCoy, age 32, of Chesterland, Ohio, to 262 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transporting explosives with intent to injure and to possession of an unregistered firearm/explosive device, in connection with an explosion at a home in Carroll County, Maryland. A resident of the home was the boyfriend of a woman in whom McCoy had a romantic interest. Judge Gallagher also ordered that McCoy pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, which is at least $96,378.38. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker. According to his guilty plea and court documents, McCoy built a bomb in his home in Ohio, then drove the bomb to Victim 1’s home in Carroll County, Maryland, intending to kill the victim. McCoy knew the victim and a woman, who was Victim 1’s girlfriend, for a number of years through a live action role-playing battle game/social club. In October 2020 McCoy expressed romantic feelings for the woman, who informed McCoy that she was in a relationship with Victim 1 and did not share McCoy’s romantic feelings. Following his rejection by Victim 1’s girlfriend, McCoy devised a plan to build and deliver a bomb to Victim 1’s house with the intent to kill Victim 1. McCoy made shrapnel for the inside of the bomb, cutting scrap metal into small, triangular pieces, to increase the deadliness of the pipe bomb when it exploded. McCoy placed the homemade bomb into a white gift box, tied a red ribbon around the box, and armed the firing mechanism so that the bomb would explode when the gift box was opened. McCoy placed the gift box containing the bomb into a larger cardboard box with a shipping label, but no return address. On October 30, 2020, McCoy drove approximately seven hours from Ohio to Victim 1’s residence and placed the bomb on Victim 1’s front porch just prior to 8:30 a.m. Victim 1’s grandfather saw the package, brought it inside the house and put it on the kitchen counter, where it remained until Victim 1’s return. That afternoon, Victim 1 returned home and saw the cardboard box that was addressed to him. He opened the cardboard box and saw the white gift box inside. Victim 1 texted his girlfriend to ask her if she had sent him a present, then took both boxes into his bedroom to open his “gift” in private. As Victim 1 opened the gift box, the bomb detonated. Victim 1 was struck in the front of his body by shrapnel and sustained injuries to his chest, legs, and front of his body. After being released from the hospital Victim 1 had to use a walker and underwent multiple surgeries. Multiple pieces of shrapnel remain inside Victim 1’s body. The explosion at Victim 1’s residence caused extensive damage to the dwelling and contents, forcing Victim 1 and his grandparents to live elsewhere. The insurance company suffered a loss of $70,061.26 as a direct result of the explosion. “This case is an excellent example of local, state and federal law enforcement coming together and bringing Mr. McCoy to justice,” said Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Laurel County Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. — A London man, Dana Jones, 60, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, following his convictions for production of child pornography. According to his guilty plea agreement, in December 2020, Jones enticed two minors to participate in a sexually explicit video, which Jones captured on one of the victim’s cell phones. Jones then took the sexually explicit images and uploaded them to the social media application Snapchat. Prior to this incident, Jones engaged in a pattern of grooming behavior, which regularly involved supplying the victims – who were just 12 and 14 years old at the time – with alcohol and drugs, including alprazolam (Xanax) oxycodone (Percocet), and cocaine. The investigation also revealed that Jones had engaged in sexual contact with one of the victims over the course of their association. Under federal law, Jones must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Sheriff Jon Root, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by DEA, KSP, and Laurel County Sherriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Dotson. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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. -END-


title: Man Sentenced for Threatening Maricopa County Election Official and Then-Attorney General of Arizona

body_text: An Iowa man was sentenced yesterday to two and a half years in prison for sending threatening communications to an election official on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and to the then-Attorney General of Arizona. “This sentence makes clear that individuals who illegally threaten election officials and others associated with the electoral process will face meaningful penalties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will diligently investigate and prosecute attempts to illegally threaten, intimidate, and coerce the individuals administering the nation’s free and fair elections.” According to court documents, on or about Sept. 27, 2021, Mark A. Rissi, 64, of Hiawatha, said the following in a voicemail message he left for Clint Hickman, an election official with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors: “Hello Mr. Hickman, I am glad that you are standing up for democracy and want to place your hand on the Bible and say that the election was honest and fair. I really appreciate that. When we come to lynch your stupid lying Commie [expletive], you’ll remember that you lied on the [expletive] Bible, you piece of [expletive]. You’re gonna die, you piece of [expletive]. We’re going to hang you. We’re going to hang you.” “Those who weaponize election protests threaten our civility and our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “Thanks to our partners with the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force and the FBI for ensuring accountability.” Additionally, on or about Dec. 8, 2021, Rissi said the following in a voicemail message he left for then-Attorney General of Arizona Mark Brnovich: “This message is for Attorney General Mark Brnovich . . . . I’m a victim of a crime. My family is a victim of a crime. My extended family is a victim of a crime. That crime was the theft of the 2020 election. The election that was fraudulent across the state of Arizona, that the Attorney General knows was fraudulent, that the Attorney General has images of the conspirators deleting election fraud data from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors computer system. Do your job, Brnovich, or you will hang with those [expletive] in the end. We will see to it. Torches and pitchforks. That’s your future, [expletive]. Do your job.” Rissi pleaded guilty to two counts of sending a threatening interstate communication. “The FBI works to ensure that threats to election officials will not impact election results, but will result in legal consequences,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing represents the FBI and our partners’ dedication to keeping American elections impenetrable from criminal influences.” The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Omaha Field Office, Cedar Rapids Resident Agency. Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean K. Lokey for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers – whether elected, appointed, or volunteer – are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide. Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.


title: Former Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mainers’ Identities As Part of Unemployment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A former Arizona man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to six counts of wire fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft. According to court records, from January to November 2020, James McAuliffe , 55, filed false claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. McAuliffe filed fraudulent applications for UI payments with the Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation using others’ personal identifying information without their knowledge and consent. As a part of the scheme, he caused fraudulent applications for replacement drivers licenses to be filed with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles and changed the drivers’ mailing addresses, using the falsified licenses as proof of identification in support of the fraudulent UI claims. McAuliffe had the UI benefits loaded onto debit cards and wired into an account he opened in another person’s name and withdrew the funds at ATMs in Arizona. At the time of his arrest, McAuliffe was living in Kansas. McAuliffe faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to a $250,000, followed by up to three of supervised release on each count of wire fraud. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft counts, which must be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on the wire fraud counts. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. “The prosecution of Mr. McAuliffe is one of numerous cases brought by the Department of Justice nationwide to bring to justice those who sought to exploit COVID-19 relief fund programs,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee . “The important work of identifying and prosecuting anyone who stole taxpayer funds set aside for pandemic aid remains a priority for my office and Maine’s federal law enforcement agencies.” “James McAuliffe engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance funds by using the stolen identities of Maine residents and others. McAuliffe stole benefits set aside by the federal government to assist American workers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard Department of Labor programs from those who seek to exploit them,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud: On August 23, 2023 the Justice Department announced the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud. The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country. Many of the cases in the enforcement action involve charges related to pandemic unemployment insurance benefit fraud and fraud against the two largest pandemic Small Business Administration programs: the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Additional matters involved pandemic healthcare billing fraud, fraud against the Emergency Rental Assistance program, and fraud committed against the IRS Employee Retention Credit program (ERC), a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. ###


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Scott Jeremy Savage, 46, of Nitro, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 17, 2022, and March 9, 2023, Savage conspired with others to distribute quantities of fentanyl while living in Putnam County. Savage admitted to purchasing fentanyl from a co-defendant who lived in the Charleston area and to arranging transactions with this co-defendant by cell phone. Savage further admitted that the co-defendant often fronted him the fentanyl and he would pay the co-defendant back after he sold it. On October 17, 2022, Savage sold approximately 2.23 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at his residence. On October 18, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Savage’s residence and seized approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl, 2.2 grans of methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. On January 27, 2023, Savage exchanged phone calls and text messages with the co-defendant to arrange the purchase of a one-quarter ounce of fentanyl. Savage admitted that he believed he would have an easier time mixing that quantity with cutting agents to increase its volume and maximize his profits. Savage further admitted that he agreed with the co-defendant that he owed $445 from prior fentanyl transactions. During a phone call the next day, Savage told the co-defendant that customers had complained about the fentanyl he had purchased the day before and asked the co-defendant to provide stronger fentanyl. Savage admitted that the co-defendant agreed to provide him with 4 to five grams of fentanyl. On March 9, 2023, Savage sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Putnam County gas station. Savage is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Savage is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash. Nineteen of the defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31. ###


title: Boone, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jason Ian Kendrick, 44, of Boone, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell also ordered Kendrick to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in January 2021, an undercover agent with the FBI observed that Kik Messenger user “jik2cool”,” later identified as Kendrick, was participating in private group chats dedicated to the distribution of child pornography. On multiple occasions, Kendrick also used Kik Messenger to access and view images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. In October 2021, the FBI also received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning the same Kik Messenger username, indicating that the user had shared files through the app that depicted child pornography. On January 24, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Kendrick’s residence. Over the course of the search, an FBI agent conducted a voluntary interview with Kendrick at his residence, where Kendrick admitted that he used Kik Messenger to access and view child pornography. Kendrick further admitted that he did not store child pornography locally, but instead he would download the app, locate child pornography, and then delete the app after viewing it. According to court records, Kendrick’s offense involved hundreds of images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers and infants. On April 20, 2023, Kendrick pleaded guilty to possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography containing a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Mark T. Odulio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.


title: Browning man admits assaulting two persons with a knife on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS —A Browning man accused of holding a knife to a person’s throat and of stabbing another person who attempted to help admitted to assault charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jaylin John Ridesatthedoor, 19, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Ridesatthedoor faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Jan. 25, 2024 and ordered Ridesatthedoor detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on June 28, 2022 near Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Ridesatthedoor pursued a vehicle that was occupied by his ex-girlfriend, identified as Jane Doe, and others. Ridesatthedoor slashed two of the tires, broke out a window and tried to pull Jane Doe out of the vehicle. Once Jane Doe left the vehicle, Ridesatthedoor attempted to persuade Jane Doe to go with him. When she refused, Ridesatthedoor started swinging a knife he was holding at Jane Doe and then held it against her throat. Another occupant of the vehicle, John Doe, tried to pull Ridesatthedoor off Jane Doe, and Ridesatthedoor stabbed him in the chest. John Doe was flown to an area hospital for life-saving surgery. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Health Care Company and Cheshire Pharmacy Pay $500K to Resolve Controlled Substances Act Allegations

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that Clarest, LLC, doing business as Clarest Health, ProCare LTC New England LTC, and ProCare LTC Pharmacy of Connecticut LLC (“ProCare”), have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and have paid $499,525 to resolve allegations that they violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). In passing the CSA, Congress took steps to create “a closed system” of distribution for controlled substances in which every facet of the handling of the substances – from their manufacture to their consumption by the ultimate user – was to be subject to intense governmental regulation. This mission was taken against the backdrop of trying to prevent the diversion and abuse of legitimate controlled substances, while still ensuring that an adequate supply of those substances meet the medical and scientific needs of the United States. ProCare LTC Pharmacy of Connecticut, LLC, is a pharmacy located in Cheshire, Connecticut, and is owned by ProCare LTC New England, LTC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarest, LLC d/b/a Clarest Health. Clarest Health consists of eight pharmacy locations in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the U.S. ProCare LTC Pharmacy of Connecticut services 65 long-term care (“LTC”) facilities, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living locations, and rehab and nursing practices in Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition to filling prescriptions, it also fulfills orders for controlled substances for LTC facilities’ emergency stock needs. This emergency stock is commonly referred to as a facility’s “emergency box.” The settlement resolves allegations that between September 2020 and September 2022, ProCare violated the CSA and its implementing regulations when supplying controlled substances for LTC facilities’ emergency box stock. The government contends that ProCare distributed controlled substances to practitioners that were not registered to dispense those controlled substances on 96 occasions. The government also alleges that ProCare failed to record certain required information on DEA Form 222s (order forms) on numerous occasions, such as dates, numbers of containers furnished, and DEA registration numbers, and that ProCare failed to reject order forms that were not properly prepared, were incomplete, or had been altered. “Strict compliance with the recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act is a key part of preventing diversion and ensuring the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Pharmacies play a vital role in ensuring controlled substances are properly handled, accounted for, and dispensed. This settlement demonstrates our office’s continued commitment to hold pharmacies accountable for their responsibilities under federal law.” “The DEA is committed to ensuring that all registrants, including ProCare, are in compliance with the required regulations, which are enforceable through the Controlled Substances Act,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. DEA pledges to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are followed.” As part of the settlement, ProCare has agreed to enter into a three-year Corrective Action Plan with the DEA that is designed to ensure future compliance with the requirements of the CSA and its implementing regulations. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kaczmarek.


title: Five Defendants Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act Offenses for Obstructing Access to a Reproductive Health Services Facility

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted five defendants today of federal civil rights offenses in connection with a reproductive health care clinic invasion in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2020. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offense. According to evidence presented at trial, Lauren Handy, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia; John Hinshaw, 67, of Levittown, New York; Heather Idoni, 61, of Linden, Michigan; William Goodman, 52, of Bronx, New York; and Herb Geraghty, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and others, engaged in a conspiracy to blockade the reproductive health care clinic to prevent it from providing and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. The evidence at trial showed that Smith, Hinshaw, Idoni, Goodman, Geraghty and Handy traveled to Washington, D.C., from various states to participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook. The defendants conspired to and did forcefully enter the clinic and block access to the clinic using their bodies, furniture, chains and ropes. Once the blockade was established, footage of the activities was live-streamed. Evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using force and physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services. The defendants each face up to a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $350,000. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston and Detroit provided valuable assistance. The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York and Southern District of New York provided valuable assistance.


title: Asphalt Paving Company and President  Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A Michigan company and its president pleaded guilty today for their roles in two separate conspiracies to rig bids for asphalt paving services contracts in Michigan. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, Clarkston-based F. Allied Construction Company Inc. (Allied) and its president, Andrew Foster, conspired with two asphalt paving companies and their employees to rig bids in each other’s favor. Allied and Foster participated in the two conspiracies from June 2013 through June 2019, and from July 2017 through May 2021, respectively. The co-conspirators coordinated each other’s bid prices so that the agreed-upon losing company would submit intentionally non-competitive bids. These bids gave customers the false impression of competition when, in fact, the co-conspirators already had decided among themselves who would win the contracts. “These guilty pleas demonstrate our commitment to protecting Americans from schemes that undermine competition in the transportation infrastructure sector,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the division will continue to seek justice when corporations and their leaders deprive customers of fair and open competition.” “The additional judicial actions taken to thwart this bid rigging scheme demonstrate our commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to investigate anticompetitive practices in the transportation industry,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrea M. Kropf of the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Midwestern Region. “These plea agreements should send a clear message that dishonest and deceitful behavior will not be allowed.” “Activities related to bid-rigging and collusion do not promote an environment conducive to open competition which harms the consumer,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “The guilty pleas in this case represent a win for all law enforcement agencies who investigate those who engage in this type of harmful conduct to ensure that justice is served." Allied and Foster each pleaded guilty to two counts of violating Section One of the Sherman Act. The maximum penalty for individuals is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for corporations is a $100 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Allied is the first company and Foster the second individual to plead guilty as a result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the asphalt paving services industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office, DOT-OIG and USPS-OIG. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: Man Sentenced for Stalking and Threatening Congressman Kevin Hern and his Wife

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA Okla. – A Bartlesville man was sentenced today to three years in prison for stalking and threatening Congressman Kevin Hern and his wife, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Keith Charles Eisenberger, 40, to three years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking, threatening to kidnap and assault a member of Congress, and threatening to kidnap and assault the spouse of a member of Congress. “Eisenberger threatened a member of Congress and his family in an attempt to interfere with and undermine our democratic process and the duties of that official,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Online threats of violence meant to intimidate elected officials, or any member of our community are criminal acts and will be investigated and prosecuted.” For nearly four years, the Hern family had to deal with stalking, harassment, and threats from the Defendant, both online and in person, from Tulsa to Washington, D.C.. Beginning in late 2018, Eisenberger began making a series of harassing phone calls and in-person visits to both the Tulsa and Washington D.C. offices of Congressman Hern, which led to him being removed by U.S. Capitol Police on several occasions. Eisenberger stated he had a personal vendetta against Congressman Hern, because he believed the congressman had been appointed to the OK-1 congressional seat without Eisenberger being considered for it. In 2020, Eisenberger began voicing his grievances in dozens of social media posts. In Nov. 2020, Eisenberger made a post again voicing his anger about the election and further suggesting that the congressman deserved to be “federally executed” and that if that was not feasible then the resignation, death, or expulsion of Hern was acceptable. In a lengthy Oct. 2021, social media video post, he touted that he was going to assault and hospitalize the congressman, whether it be at a debate, a conference, or elsewhere. In a May 11, 2022, social media post, Eisenberger stated that he knew where the Hern family lived and that he hoped to break into the residence to kidnap Hern and his wife. He further wished death would come to the congressman’s wife and children. During his plea, on Aug. 10, 2022, Eisenberger admitted to using electronic devices and cellular devices to send threats through cyber space with the intent to harass, intimidate, and threaten United States Representative Kevin Hern. Eisenberger further admitted that he threatened to assault and kidnap Representative Hern and his spouse with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Representative Hern while he was engaged in his official duties, and to retaliate against the Representative. Eisenberger will remain in the custody of U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.


title: Hawksbill Sea Turtle Successfully Rescued in Juana Díaz

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 25, 2023 federal and local authorities worked in conjunction with a local conservation group to rescue an adult hawksbill sea turtle in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico and return it safely to its habitat, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Stephen Clark, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) were alerted that an individual had taken a hawksbill sea turtle away from the Singapur Community beach in Juana Díaz during the evening of August 24, 2023. The turtle was allegedly transported utilizing a wheelbarrow. After responding to the scene, FWS agents successfully identified the individual involved, the location of the individual’s home, and confirmed that the turtle was still alive. (See photograph below) In conjunction with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) and personnel from Tortugueros del Sur, the FWS agents successfully returned the hawksbill sea turtle to its nearby habitat. (See photographs below) The primary responsibility of the FWS is to manage fish and wildlife resources in the public trust for the people today and future generations. With that goal, the FWS works to protect species from extinction, restore habitats, foster biological diversity, and enforce United States conversation laws, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Fish and Wildlife Service is an active member of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force and routinely works in conjunction with local authorities, including the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and local conservation groups to respond when protected species are reported as being taken, harmed, possessed, or sold. The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle that inhabits tropical and sub-tropical waters, including those surrounding Puerto Rico. The name comes from their beak-like mouth, which resembles a hawk and is used to find food in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. Adult hawksbill sea turtles can be 2-3.5 feet long and can weigh 100-150 pounds. Their lifespan is estimated to be 50 years or more. Every 1 to 5 years, the female hawksbill will lay three to five nests containing 130 to 160 eggs. They typically nest at night on small or isolated beaches. Hatchlings orient seaward by moving away from dark landward dunes toward the brighter ocean horizon. Hawksbill sea turtles face threats from fishing gear, direct harvest of turtles and eggs, loss and degradation of nesting habitats, predation of eggs and hatchlings, vessel strikes, ocean pollution, and climate change. The hawksbill sea turtle is recognized as an endangered species by the United States government, meaning that it is illegal to take, possess, sell, deliver, carry, or transport pursuant to the ESA, specifically Title 16, United States Code, Section 1538. The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) also forbids the trade of any turtle products on the international market, including sea tortoise shells (which are sometimes sold as “tortoiseshell”). You can help hawksbill sea turtles and other endangered species by reducing ocean trash, keeping your distance, protecting sea turtle habitats and nesting sites, and reporting marine life in distress. To report marine life in danger or distress, please contact the Puerto Rico office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (787) 749-4338 or the national tip line by telephone at 1-844-FWS-TIPS, by email at fws_tips@fws.gov , or via www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips . Special thanks are provided to Tortugueros del Sur, a non-profit Puerto Rico entity whose mission is to help sick or injured sea turtles, to aid in conservation programs in the south of Puerto Rico, and to educate the public about sea turtles. ###


title: Former Monaca, PA Resident Indicted on a Charge of Violating a Federal Narcotics Law

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Monaca, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal narcotics law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Martinis Ramon Lee, 36, formerly of Monaca, PA, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about July 19, 2022, Lee possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance; fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance; and fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue and a Schedule I controlled substance. The Indictment also alleges that Lee possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, a term of supervised release of at least 5 years or a combination thereof. 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 Attorney Benjamin C. Dobkin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police 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.