title: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Bank Robberies, Illegal Firearm Possession, and Conspiracy to Retaliate Against an Informant.

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on April 13, 2023, United States District Court Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Antoine L. Jackson (age 30) to 16 years in federal prison after Jackson was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, three bank robberies, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and conspiracy to retaliate against an informant. The evidence presented at trial showed that between September 15, 2021, and December 23, 2021, the defendant was part of a robbery crew that committed multiple bank robberies in Milwaukee. The defendant was directly involved in three bank robberies, all at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 7600 West Hampton Avenue. During the robberies, the defendant and his co-actors passed notes to the bank tellers, threatening that unless they were given money, they would blow up the building or kill everyone inside the bank. Among other evidence, the government presented forensic evidence recovered from two of the crime scenes tying the defendant to the robberies. The evidence also showed that the defendant possessed a firearm—and left his DNA on three parts of the firearm—when he was not legally allowed to possess a firearm due to having previously been convicted of a felony crime. Finally, the evidence also showed that after the defendant was arrested on January 26, 2022, he made calls from jail in which he provided instructions to have a suspected informant seriously injured. At sentencing, Judge Adelman discussed the defendant’s extensive criminal history, which includes prior convictions for bank robbery. The judge also noted the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct in this case, the trauma he brought upon the employees of the banks he victimized, and the concerning nature of the defendant’s role in recruiting and training younger men to conduct bank robberies. The judge acknowledged that the defendant’s prior sentences failed to deter him from committing further crimes, and he indicated that the 16-year sentence in this case is an effort to justly punish Antoine Jackson and deter him and others from committing violent offenses in the future. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Margaret B. Honrath and Assistant United States Attorney Kate M. Biebel. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700


title: Two Former LASD Deputies Charged with Violating the Civil Rights of 23-Year-Old Skateboarder Who Was Falsely Imprisoned

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Two former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on federal charges alleging they violated the civil rights of a young man at a skatepark by falsely imprisoning him and then obstructing justice to cover up the illegal detention. Miguel Angel Vega, 32, and Christopher Blair Hernandez, 37, both of whom were deputies assigned to LASD’s Compton Station, surrendered this morning to federal authorities after being named in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 21. That indictment, which was unsealed this morning, charges both defendants with conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, witness tampering, and falsification of records. Vega alone is charged with an additional count of falsification of records. According to the indictment, Vega and Hernandez were on patrol on April 13, 2020, when they unlawfully detained and falsely imprisoned the then-23-year-old victim in the back of their patrol vehicle. The victim remained confined in the back of the vehicle during a subsequent chase, which ended when Vega crashed, injuring the victim. The indictment further alleges that the defendants obstructed justice in multiple ways to conceal and cover up their unlawful detention and false imprisonment of the victim. “The indictment alleges that these two deputies violated a young person’s constitutional rights by willfully and illegally detaining him without just cause,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Officers who abuse their power must be held accountable, and my Office is committed to prosecuting violations of civil rights by those who violate their oaths and victimize those who they were sworn to protect.” “Officers of the law are sworn to protect the communities they serve, not to create crimes and victimize residents,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The civil rights violations alleged in the indictment – including false imprisonment, falsification of records and witness tampering – corrode trust in law enforcement and undermine efforts by the vast majority of law enforcement professionals who serve their communities honorably.” The incident started at Wilson Park in Compton, where the victim – identified in court documents as “J.A.” – was in an enclosed skatepark when the deputies arrived and contacted two young African-American males outside the skatepark. After J.A. yelled at the deputies to stop bothering the young males, one or both defendants pulled J.A. through an opening in the skatepark fence and confined J.A. in the back of the patrol vehicle, according to the indictment. “Vega and Hernandez did not handcuff J.A., did not secure J.A.’s seatbelt, did not tell J.A. that J.A. was under arrest, and did not inform J.A. of J.A.’s rights at any time,” the indictment alleges. According to the indictment, after leaving the park, Vega, who was driving the LASD patrol vehicle with Hernandez in the front passenger seat and J.A. confined in the backseat, allegedly told J.A. that the deputies were going to set up J.A. and drop J.A. in gang territory, and Hernandez added that J.A. would be beaten. Not far from the skatepark and while J.A. was still confined in the back of the patrol vehicle, Vega began pursuing a young male on a bicycle down an alley, where Vega crashed into a wall and another vehicle, causing J.A. to sustain a cut above his right eye. Following the collision, Vega removed J.A. from the patrol vehicle and told him to “get the [expletive] out of here,” or words to that effect, according to the indictment. J.A. then walked to a nearby residence that was unknown to J.A. to seek assistance. According to the indictment, after the traffic collision, Vega reported over LASD radio that a person purportedly with a gun, whom Vega described as wearing clothes similar to J.A.’s clothing that day, had fled through the alley near 130 th Street and Mona Boulevard. The indictment alleges that, even though Vega also reported the traffic collision, neither Vega during the radio calls, nor Vega or Hernandez during a subsequent conversation with their supervisor, disclosed that J.A. had been in the patrol vehicle during the collision in the alley. It was only after J.A. had been independently detained on a neighboring street by other LASD deputies as the purported gun suspect that Vega informed his supervising sergeant that J.A. had been in Vega’s LASD patrol vehicle during the crash, falsely reporting to his supervisor that J.A. had been detained because he was suspected of being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to the indictment. J.A. was transported to the hospital to receive treatment for the injury he sustained from the collision, and the indictment alleges that Hernandez directed a deputy at the hospital to issue J.A. a citation for being under the influence of methamphetamine. The allegations stemming from the April 13, 2020 incident form the basis of the conspiracy, deprivation of civil rights, and witness tampering charges in the indictment. The falsification of records charges pertain to two incident reports prepared and filed with LASD in mid-April 2020. The first report, which Vega prepared with Hernandez’s assistance, allegedly falsely stated that J.A. exhibited symptoms of a person under the influence of a stimulant; that J.A. had threatened to harm people in the skatepark, as well as Vega and Hernandez; that a crowd of people were moving toward the LASD patrol vehicle as the defendants drove away after unlawfully detaining J.A; and that, following the crash in the alley, Vega checked J.A. for injuries and J.A. was placed in another patrol vehicle of an assisting LASD unit until paramedics arrived. Vega prepared a second report, according to the indictment, in which he falsely claimed to have transferred J.A. to the second patrol vehicle. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. The conspiracy count alleged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, while the civil rights offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The offenses of witness tampering and falsification of records each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years. The FBI is conducting the investigation into this matter. The LASD’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and Internal Affairs Bureau provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jamari Buxton and Brian R. Faerstein of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Assaulting Two Military Police Officers with His Car

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for assaulting two U.S. Air Force military police officers with his car. Hal Wander, 26, of Port Charlotte, Florida, pleaded guilty by teleconference on Feb. 8, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, to an information charging him with assault on two federal officers using a deadly and dangerous weapon, namely, a motor vehicle.


title: Westport Investment Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Tax Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS PACILIO, 64, of Westport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to six months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for a federal tax offense. Judge Nagala also ordered Pacilio to pay a $50,000 fine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2011, Pacilio and his partner started Clapboard Hill Advisors LLC, a financial services business headquartered in Westport. In 2013, Pacilio created Alcamo Holding Corporation Inc. (“Alcamo”), an 1120S corporation, and transferred his Clapboard Hill Advisors partnership interest to Alcamo. In 2014, Pacilio, through Alcamo, and his partner, through a separate 1120S corporation, sold Clapboard Hill Advisors to McGladrey Wealth Management LLC (“McGladrey”). Under the sale agreement, McGladrey agreed to make a lump sum payment at closing. Thereafter, Pacilio was to become an employee of McGladrey for three years subject to a non-competition provision. In addition to being paid a salary by McGladrey, if Pacilio remained an employee, Pacilio would receive a $350,000 payment on each anniversary of the sale for three years. He would also receive a portion of McGladrey’s annual gross revenue of up to $150,000 for the first year, $350,000 for the second year, and $450,000 for the third year. On January 5, 2023, Pacilio pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return and admitted that, for the 2015 through 2018 tax years, he filed individual income tax returns that omitted installment payments related to the sale of Clapboard Hill Advisors to McGladrey. In total, he omitted approximately $1,476,425 that should have been reported either as ordinary income or as capital gains, which resulted in a tax loss of $286,328 to the IRS. Pacilio has paid the taxes he owed. Pacilio who is released on a $350,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 12. This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.


title: Community Engagement Efforts Surge as U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Multiple Events within a Week

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – It was a busy week for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section, which held three significant events over a four-day period in early April. “This is something you just don’t see very often,” said LEC/COS Chief J.D. Smith. “We’ll usually host one big event per week, with other smaller ones interspersed throughout. But to host this many large events and to be spread out over our agency’s footprint was a real challenge.” Smith and crew first hosted a Farm Share Drive-Thru Food Distribution at Wells Recreational Center in Riviera Beach, Fla. Groceries and resource materials were given to nearly 500 families. These food drives—held each Tuesday—have gone on for years and helped thousands of South Florida residents. Next up was a Re-Entry Simulation also held at Wells Recreational Center on April 5. More than 100 community stakeholders attended the event to get a better perspective on what former inmates face when attempting to re-enter society. “This will be unlike any training you’ve experienced,” Smith told participants. “I went through it twice and it was physically and mentally challenging both times. You’re going to get various types of customer service. Not everyone is going to be helpful.” Stations had been set up prior to the participants’ arrival and were labeled bank, employer, transportation, and counselor, among others. Each participant had a folder with bio, background situation, education level, and limited resources to navigate the course. They had to find housing, pay rent, pass drug tests, acquire health care, and try not to end up back in “jail,” which was located in a corner of the gymnasium. “You have to be able to play the game,” said Re-entry and Community Outreach Specialist Keisha Bazile. “This training is a unique way to bring light to the hardships of re-entering society. Hopefully, it will spark compassion in those who come in contact with returning citizens.” Most participants had no clue what they were in for as the event unfolded. It was intended to be frustrating to navigate, exactly how it is for returning citizens. Several threw up their hands in disgust because customer service wasn’t as helpful as they thought it should be. The point of the training was to open the minds of the community stakeholders in hopes that the system can change … that the path for returning citizens can be made easier, which benefits everyone. “Most attendees are apprehensive at the beginning of the training because it’s set up to be difficult,” said Bazile. “But once it was over, several people expressed how much they enjoyed it. For me, that’s a success.” The week culminated with the 3 rd Spring Classic Youth & Cops Basketball Tournament at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla. Ten teams participated and were comprised of law enforcement personnel and local kids who had been recruited via community outreach efforts. “Each year I’m amazed at the talent we see from both the adult players and the kids,” said Smith. “The games are very entertaining to watch but for me the most special thing to see is how the adults and kids interact and work together as teammates.” Miramar Police Department took the title with a win over North Miami Police Department. The basketball was great, but in the end, it was about creating and fostering relationships. “The main goal of this tournament is to develop a level of togetherness between youth and law enforcement,” said Bazile. “Usually, law enforcement interacts with youth when they are in trouble. However, this gives them an opportunity to meet under different circumstances. It’s about building trust. Law Enforcement Coordination Specialist Mark McKinney unpacks frozen chickens in preparation for a recent Farm Share Drive-Thru Food Distribution where more than 500 families were served. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida gives closing remarks following a Re-Entry Simulation held at Wells Recreational Center in Riviera Beach, Fla. The simulation gave community stakeholders a view into what former inmates face when trying to re-integrate into society. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida takes a moment to pose with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s basketball team during the recent 3 rd Spring Classic Youth & Cops Basketball Tournament at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla. ###


title: Middleburg Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Cody Mack McCormick (35, Middleburg) today pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. McCormick faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to court documents, on December 12, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a search warrant authorizing the search of McCormick’s home. The next day, McCormick agreed to be interviewed by a Special Agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. During the interview, McCormick told the agent that there were no firearms in his home, but that there was ammunition. McCormick admitted that he was a convicted felon and confirmed that he knew that he could not legally possess firearms. After interviewing McCormick, law enforcement searched his home, during which they located 317 rounds of ammunition on shelves in McCormick’s bedroom. When asked, McCormick provided the combination to a safe, which was also in his bedroom. Inside the safe, agents found 43 additional rounds of ammunition and the registration to McCormick’s car. As a previously convicted felon, McCormick is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. 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: Four People Indicted for Roles in Romance and Internet Frauds, Illegal Money Transmitting

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A husband and wife formerly of Burlington County, New Jersey, and a Nigerian national were indicted for their roles in an online romance fraud and other internet frauds, resulting in the loss of $4.5 million to over 100 victims, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Martins Inalegwu, 34, of Philadelphia, Phildelphia, Steincy Mathieu, 26 of Brooklyn, New York, and Moses Chukwuebuka Alexander of Nigeria, were indicted on April 6, 2023, for various charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, transacting in criminal proceeds, and tax evasion. A fourth defendant, Oluwaseyi Fatolu, of Springfield, New Jersey, was indicted for conducting an unlawful money transmitting business. Fatolu was arraigned on April 12, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden federal court. Inalegwu and Mathieu are scheduled to be arraigned before Judge King on April 20, 2023. Alexander remains at large. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Between April 2016 and May 2020, Inalegwu, Mathieu, Alexander and their conspirators, several of whom reside in Nigeria, allegedly participated in an online romance scheme, defrauding more than 100 victims throughout the country. The conspirators made initial contact with victims through online dating and social media websites, then corresponded with victims via email and phone, pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with victims, wooed them with words of love, and then requested the victims send money to them, or their associates, for fictitious emergency needs. In all instances, the individuals whom the victims believed they were speaking to did not exist, and instead they were speaking to the conspirators of this scheme. Inalegwu, Mathieu and their conspirators engaged in apartment rental scams wherein they advertised the rental of a property, not owned or controlled by them, for the purpose of collecting money from the victims in the form of application fees and security deposits. After Inalegwu, Mathieu and conspirators collected the money, the victims never heard from them again. Conspirators used myriad email accounts and phone numbers to communicate with the victims and instruct them on where to wire the money, including recipient names, addresses, financial institutions and account numbers. Victims wired money to bank accounts held by Inalegwu and Mathieu in the United States, and also mailed checks directly to Inalegwu and Mathieu. Some victims transferred money to the conspirators via money transfer services, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, and others wired money to bank accounts held by conspirators overseas. Federal law enforcement agents have identified more than 100 victims who sent a total of $4.5 million directly to Inalegwu and Mathieu, who spent the money on personal expenses, withdrew money in cash, transferred money to other bank accounts they personally controlled, and transferred money to bank accounts held by Alexander and other conspirators in Nigeria and Turkey. Inalegwu also used the unlicensed money transmitting business run by Fatolu to send money to Nigeria. Fatolu operated a “hawala system,” wherein she directed Inalegwu and other customers to deposit money into her bank accounts and the accounts of her associates in the United States, and thereafter facilitated the movement of corresponding money into the destination bank account overseas, as directed by the customer. Fatolu charged a fee for this service. Inalegwu and Mathieu failed to report the income derived from the victims, and evaded the payment of tax on the entirety of this victim money. The counts of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of transacting in criminal proceeds is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of tax evasion are each punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The count of unlicensed money transmitting is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha K. Nye of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Trenton office. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. inalegwu.indictment.pdf


title: Wyoming felon sentenced to prison for possessing unregistered sawed-off shotgun

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Wyoming man who admitted to possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun after an attempted traffic stop and chase on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Tyler Dale Medicine Horse, 38, of Gillette, Wyoming, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in November 2021, Bureau of Indian Affairs officers attempted a traffic stop of a van driven by Medicine Horse because of reports that the van was speeding toward Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. A BIA officer attempted to stop the van, which was speeding and swerving, but Medicine Horse fled. After a brief chase, Medicine Horse crashed. A blood draw determined that Medicine Horse had alcohol and methamphetamine in his blood. During a search of the van, officers recovered a sawed-off shotgun, with a barrel length of 6.5 inches and an overall length of 18 inches. Medicine Horse also was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous federal felony conviction for sexual abuse of a minor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and BIA. XXX


title: Missouri Man Admits Machine Gun Sales Conspiracy

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

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Stoddard County, Missouri on Thursday admitted being involved in a conspiracy to sell devices that convert AR-15-style rifles into fully-automatic weapons. Edward Hardin, 41, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. to a charge of conspiracy to distribute machine guns. Sidney Brianne Scowden, of Stoddard County, pleaded guilty in February to the conspiracy charge and three counts of transferring a machine gun. Both admitted that Scowden sent a Snapchat message to a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Aug. 3, 2022 offering to a sell a “lightning link,” or device that converts a semi-automatic AR-style weapon into a fully-automatic weapon. Scowden said she was selling the link on behalf of someone else. Eight days later, Scowden sold three of the devices for $1,500 to the informant, saying her source bought a link for $10,000 and made copies. Scowden sold three more devices on Sept. 19, 2022 and another on Oct. 19, 2022. Investigators were able to determine that Hardin was Scowden’s source. Scowden is scheduled to be sentenced May 9. Hardin is set to be sentenced July 13. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. The transfer charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Both carry a possible fine of up to $250,000. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.


title: Dubuque Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison. Daniel Arsenio Rodgers, age 34, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 31, 2022, jury verdict finding him guilty on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The evidence at trial showed that Rodgers knowingly possessed a Beretta 9mm handgun on June 25, 2021. On that date, Rodgers shot at a residence on West Locust in Dubuque before ditching the car he was driving. Later that day, Rodgers shot at a residence on W. 11 th Street as a passenger in a different vehicle. Dubuque police officers were able to track that vehicle using traffic cameras from W. 11 th Street to a local restaurant where Rodgers was arrested on an outstanding warrant a short time later. The Beretta used in both shootings was found in the vehicle in which Rodgers traveled to the restaurant. Rodgers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Rodgers was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Rodgers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-1013. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Four Indicted in Scheme to Deliver Drugs into State Prisons by Drone

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — An indictment, brought on Feb. 16, 2023, has been unsealed, charging four defendants in a scheme to use drones to deliver drugs and other contraband into state prisons, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Michael Ray Acosta, 48, an inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and using a cellphone in aid of racketeering. Jose Enrique Oropeza, 34, of Colton in San Bernardino County, is charged with conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, possessing with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana, owning and operating a drone that is not registered, and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate. Rosendo Rene Ramirez, 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, serving and attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. David Ramirez Jr., 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and owning or operating a drone that is not registered. According to court documents, between Jan. 1, and Dec. 10, 2021, Acosta used a contraband cellphone to coordinate multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Pleasant Valley State Prison and other prisons across the state. Oropeza, Rosendo Ramirez, and David Ramirez Jr. flew drones over the prisons and dropped packages of contraband into the prisons. Acosta and his associates would then recover the contraband for further distribution throughout the prison population. The packages that Acosta helped to smuggle into the prisons included methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, cellphones, cellphone accessories, butane oil, and various other items. Acosta’s conspirators took various steps to prevent corrections officers from detecting and intercepting the contraband. They planned drone drops when it was night and the drones were less likely to be seen. Rosendo Ramirez flew the drones from concealed positions in the fields surrounding the prison. The incursions included the following facilities: Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran; Salinas Valley State Prison, High Desert State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison, California State Prison, Sacramento; and California State Prison, Corcoran. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case. If convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. If convicted of possessing with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana or distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, the defendants face a statutory penalty of five to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone, serving, owning or operating a drone that is not registered, attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, or using a cellphone in aid of racketeering, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Milton Man Charged With Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Robert A. Kohl, age 48, of Northumberland County, PA, was indicted on charges of production of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Kohl produced child pornography four separate times between August 2021 to September 2022. The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources." Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty under federal law for the charge of receipt of child pornography is twenty years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant. # # #


title: Waterloo Opioid Dealer Sent Back to Federal Prison for Twenty Years

body_text: A Waterloo man that distributed fentanyl and heroin was sentenced April 12, 2023, to twenty years in federal prison. Damien L. Cobbins, age 43, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 30, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony. In a plea agreement, Cobbins admitted that on May 10, 2022, and May 17, 2022, he distributed fentanyl to another person in Waterloo. On May 19, 2022, law enforcement stopped Cobbins’s vehicle, and they recovered over $2,200 from Cobbins, which Cobbins admitted were proceeds from the sale of fentanyl and heroin. Cobbins continued to distribute fentanyl and heroin. On August 18, 2022, law enforcement again stopped Cobbins’s vehicle, and they recovered over $2,700, which Cobbins admitted were proceeds from the sale of fentanyl and heroin. Cobbins was arrested and, during a search at the Waterloo Police Department, officers seized over 60 grams of a fentanyl, heroin, and metonitazene mixture from Cobbins’s person. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Cobbins had four previous convictions for distributing controlled substances, including a prior federal conviction in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Cobbins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cobbins was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve an eight‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Cobbins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-02048-LTS. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Harborer linked to deceased migrant sent to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican woman illegally residing in Edinburg has been sentenced for her role in harboring aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Sanjuana Yurit Garcia-Salazar pleaded guilty Nov. 2, 2022. Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced her to a total of 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Garcia-Salazar is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Garcia was an indispensable link in the chain of events that led to the death of a migrant. In handing down the sentence, the court noted alien smuggling is an inherently dangerous crime, and the harborers, transporters and money launderers in the conspiracy all understand the risks migrants face as they must walk through the South Texas brush in sweltering heat. “Leaving a migrant’s dead body on the side of the road is a growing and common tragedy along the southern border and shows the callousness of human smugglers,” said Hamdani. “Today’s sentence is a message that our office will aggressively prosecute those who smuggle migrants and harbor migrants, treating them as chattel and endangering their lives solely for profit.” Law enforcement had discovered the body of a deceased Guatemalan citizen in Edna near FM 234. The investigation revealed the victim had been harbored at a residence in Edinburg before transportation further into the United States. Authorities went to a residence believed related to the crime residence Sept. 13, 2022, where they encountered Garcia-Salazar. A subsequent search led to the discovery of 21 individuals illegally present in the United States. Garcia-Salazar admitted she harbored 50 to 60 individuals per week for two years for financial gain. She further acknowledged knowing about the Guatemalan male whom she had harbored at her residence. She noted he had a really bad cough before being transported away from her residence. Garcia-Salazar has been in custody since her arrest where she will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of the Missing Migrant Program (MMP). Established in 2021, MMP’s objective is to review migrant smuggling fatalities and determine if there is the possibility of further investigation and prosecution.


title: Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Human Smuggling Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Connecticut man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to conspiring to commit human smuggling. Fagner Chaves De Lima, 41, of East Hartford, Conn., pleaded guilty to one count of attempted human smuggling. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2023. De Lima was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022. “Mr. De Lima’s human smuggling operation exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals who sought his services to come to the United States for a better life. He exploited these vulnerable individuals in order to reap tens of thousands of dollars in profit,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This case should serve as a reminder that our office will identify and prosecute those whose actions cause danger to human life and threaten our nation’s security.” “Fagner Chaves De Lima admitted today to taking advantage of those seeking a new life in America by conspiring to exploit, endanger, and extort them,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No human being should ever be treated as a commodity but that is exactly what this man did. He lied to his victims to make hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not sit idly by and let that happen. We will leverage the full force of the federal government to ensure those who engage in human smuggling are held accountable for their crimes.” De Lima conspired with others to illegally smuggle individuals from Brazil into the United States for money and profit. In exchange for payments of thousands of dollars, De Lima and conspirators made travel arrangements for clients to illegally enter the United States from Brazil by plane or bus, and arranged lodging accommodations for clients during their travel. In addition, De Lima extorted clients while their journey to the United States was underway by threatening to harm them and/or their family if they did not pay additional money. De Lima and his conspirators also created and transmitted false documents that were used as part of the illegal smuggling operation. In May and June 2022, an undercover agent-initiated communications with De Lima over WhatsApp under the guise that the agent sought to have his sister and niece smuggled into the United States. The undercover agent offered to pay $15,000 for De Lima’s services, and De Lima agreed to the arrangement. De Lima stated during these communications (translated from Portuguese) that he had been engaged in human smuggling “for 20 years,” and that he will smuggle individuals “whether you have a visa, no visa, or if . . .[they] are wanted by the police.” De Lima also acknowledged in later messages that human smuggling is “dangerous.” On June 16, 2022, De Lima traveled to Worcester to meet with the undercover agent, during which De Lima accepted two checks for the agreed upon total of $15,000 in exchange for his smuggling services and requested the sister’s passport and Social Security number. The charge of conspiracy to commit human smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three 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. U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Yuma Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations in Yuma; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and the Marlborough, Worcester, Hartford (Conn.) and East Hartford (Conn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human smuggling/trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.


title: Falls Church Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered Silencers

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church man was sentenced today to 3 years in prison for unlawful possession of unregistered silencers. According to court documents, Hatchet Speed, 41, began panic buying firearms in early 2021. From February to May 2021, Speed purchased at least twelve firearms and spent more than $40,000 at stores that sold firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition. According to court documents, the defendant began stockpiling weapons after participating in the incursion at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, a time when he anticipated civil war and spoke of the need for political violence. In March 2021, during the midst of his firearm purchases, Speed purchased three silencers from a company in Georgia. While the silencers were marketed as “solvent traps” ostensibly to be used in cleaning the barrel of a firearm, they were actually designed to serve as silencers. The silencers were not registered to Speed in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. By circumventing the registration requirements for silencers, Speed was able to take possession of the silencers within a week of purchasing them. In early 2022, Speed met with an undercover employee of the FBI. During these meetings, Speed discussed his anti-Semitic, anti-government ideologies with the FBI undercover employee. Speed also discussed taking violent action in furtherance of his ideologies. Speed praised the approach of jihadists and suggested that their approach would be an effective way to “wipe out” the opposition, referring to Jewish people. Speed discussed his efforts to identify targets who were “reachable” by someone like him, stating that he thought about using a “mock trial” to decide which people to add to “the list.” During this discussion, Speed confirmed to the FBI undercover employee that he believed his “solvent traps,” meaning his unregistered silencers, would come in handy for this purpose. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael H. Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division; and Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Traxler and Amanda Lowe prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-165.


title: Member and Associate of Newark Street Gang Charged with Unlawful Possession of Machinegun used in Shooting of Three People

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a Newark street gang made his initial court appearance today on firearms charges related to the shooting of multiple victims, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced. Munir Muhammad, aka “Mu,” 18, of Newark, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a machinegun and possession of an unregistered firearm. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since 2021, law enforcement officers have been investigating a series of retaliatory shootings between rival neighborhoods in Newark involving individuals in the area of Clinton Place and Weequahic Avenue, which is known on the street as “Cake Block.” These individuals are aligned with others who operate in the area of Vorhees Street and individuals who operate around the Bradley Court Housing Complex. Muhammad is a member and associate of this neighborhood street gang. He and his fellow gang members have committed numerous shootings that targeted individuals who operate in the area of the Oscar Miles Housing Complex and Goodwin Avenue. On April 8, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a shooting in the area of the Oscar Miles Housing Complex and discovered three shooting victims, one of whom remains in critical condition. On April 12, 2023, after the investigation identified Muhammad as a primary suspect in the shooting, law enforcement arrested Muhammad while he was in possession of a 9mm handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. A subsequent ballistics analysis of the machinegun confirmed that the machinegun fired 28 rounds during the April 8, 2023, shooting at the Oscar Miles Housing Complex. The charge of possession of a machinegun carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of an unregistered firearm carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Fritz Fragé; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and special agents of the Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Freaney, New York Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jose Riera, Newark Field Office, with the investigations leading to the charges. This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Board of Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, in Newark. The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. muhammad.complaint.pdf


title: RGV area home health care company owner sent to prison

body_text: McALLEN, Texas ‐ An owner of a Rio Grande Valley area home health company has been ordered to prison for his conviction of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Miguel Angel Contreras, 44, McAllen, pleaded guilty April 14, 2016. Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Contreras to serve a 45-month sentence to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. Contreras was also ordered to pay $1,037,353.78 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, Judge Alvarez noted the lengthy duration of the fraud and the multiple ways in which the fraud was committed. Contreras was an owner and administrator for Sambritt Home Health LLC. As part of his plea, he admitted he submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for reimbursement of home health services that were not provided, that a physician had not authorized and/or were not medically necessary. The false and fraudulent claims Contreras submitted to Medicare totaled $724,056.02. As a result of the false and fraudulent claims, Medicare paid approximately $1,037,353.78. Contreras further admitted he paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for patient information, including patient Medicare numbers. He and/or his co-conspirators would then use the fraudulently obtained Medicare numbers to submit claims to Medicare in order to receive reimbursements. As part of his plea, Contreras admitted he forged and/or caused others to forge the signatures of physicians on the referral forms or 485 forms, knowing the physicians did not authorize the need for home health services and/or that the beneficiaries did not need or qualify for home health services. Contreras directed employees to create “ghost notes” for patient files which were intended and calculated to make the fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare appear legitimate. Contreras also admitted he directed employees and/or co-conspirators to bill Medicare for home health services with 485 forms which were missing physician signatures. Contreras was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Department of Health and Human Services‐Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day is prosecuting the case.


title: Fredericksburg Man Sentenced for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, from at least December 11, 2018, through April 8, 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online and enticed and coerced the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos and send them to Lehofer. After the minor tried to break off contact with him, Lehofer pretended to be a different person and continued to communicate with the minor online. Lehofer sent threatening messages to the minor, telling the minor that if the minor did not send him sexually explicit videos, he would expose the minor to others, including the minor’s mother and friends. Lehofer claimed to be watching the minor’s house and would send the minor messages indicating he knew the minor’s location and he would be waiting at the minor’s home. In response to these threats, the minor produced a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lehofer. After obtaining a warrant to search Lehofer’s cell phone, law enforcement discovered that his phone contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. Lehofer was previously convicted in Connecticut in 2006 for state offenses involving his sexual abuse of two minors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zoe Bedell and Lauren Halper, as well as Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo from the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, prosecuted 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 . In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov . 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. 1:22-cr-82.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced for Role in Two Richmond Armed Robberies

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his role in two armed robberies. According to court documents, Ricardo Horne, 41, and his co-defendants Michael Brown, 40, and Rashanda Booker, 38, both also from Richmond, robbed a Family Dollar on April 17, 2022 and a Dollar General on April 28, 2022. On April 17, 2022, Horne and Brown forcefully grabbed a Family Dollar employee as he sought to empty trash prior to the store opening. Brown, holding a semiautomatic pistol that belonged to his sister, guided the employee to a safe inside the store and held him at gunpoint near the safe while emptying it. Horne stood watch and maintained control over a customer as well as another terrified Family Dollar employee. Altogether, they obtained approximately $10,000 from Family Dollar—money they used to buy high-end shoes at a boutique shoe store. Between the two robberies in this case, Horne and Brown directed Booker to purchase new pistol for the second robbery. She did so on April 22, 2022. Six days later, Horne and Brown committed another armed robbery of a Dollar General. Brown entered the store carrying the semiautomatic pistol purchased by Booker alongside Horne. After Horne grabbed control of one of the employees, the two men took her to find the Dollar General manager who could open the safe. Brown held the manager at gunpoint near the safe while Horne maintained control of the other employee. Notably, several customers, including a woman and her young son, were shopping in the store at the time of the robbery. A GPS tracker was installed inside some of the money taken from the Dollar General. Brown and Horne exited the store with the United States currency, entered Booker’s car, and then drove off. As Booker drove, Brown and Horne changed their clothing. Law enforcement began to follow the GPS tracker and discovered, Booker, Brown, and Horne in Booker’s Blue Toyota sedan. Among the items recovered by law enforcement were the clothing worn during the armed robbery of the Dollar General by Brown and Horne of the Dollar General, the Taurus, Model G3C, 9mm, semi-automatic pistol used during that robbery, and a Family Dollar bag. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Jessica Wright prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-122.


title: Judge Sends Convicted Mercer County Drug Dealer to Prison for 15 Years

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH – Joshua Peters was sentenced to 180 months in prison for committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes in Mercer County, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Peters, age 37, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Judge Schwab ordered Peters to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Peters was convicted at the conclusion of a jury trial in December 2022 of committing the following crimes on March 15, 2022: (1) possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and (3) possession of a firearm and ammunition after a prior felony conviction. The trial evidence demonstrated, among other things, that Peters was distributing cocaine and fentanyl from a house in Greenville, Pennsylvania, in 2022. The house was searched by the Mercer County Drug Task Force on March 15, 2022. Thirty-four grams of cocaine, six guns, and over $2,500 in cash were found inside the house on that date. The investigation established that Peters was responsible for the distribution of over 500 grams of cocaine and over 80 grams of fentanyl as part of a continuing course of conduct in 2021 and 2022. The investigation also revealed that he, at times, distributed cocaine and fentanyl in return for guns and sexual acts. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case. This case was prosecuted as 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 of Justice 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: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Goldsboro, NC pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Charles Triplin, age 45, of Goldsboro, NC, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment, before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, on or about June 21, 2021, Triplin attempted to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for August 29, 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Triplin.


title: Champaign, Illinois, Gun Offender Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Violating Supervised Release Conditions

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Champaign man, Prentiss Jackson, 40, of the 3300 block of Stoneway Court, was sentenced today to 36 months’ imprisonment for violating his conditions of supervised release by possessing a firearm as a felon, along with narcotics. At the time law enforcement agents discovered Jackson with the firearm, he was on supervised release for a 2010 federal narcotics case. The revocation sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid. At the hearing on the petition to revoke supervised release, the government presented evidence that Jackson illegally possessed the firearm, as well as MDMA (ecstasy) and marijuana. Those actions violated his supervised release conditions, which mandated that he not commit any new crimes. Those who fail to abide by the conditions of supervised release risk penalties for violations, including additional penalties for the commission of new crimes. Along with the supervised release violation, Jackson was previously charged with possessing a firearm as a felon in a new criminal case. Earlier this week and following Jackson’s guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce sentenced Jackson to 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, in that case. Judge Shadid ordered that 12 months of the 36-month revocation sentence be served consecutively to that 72-month sentence of imprisonment, with the remainder to be served concurrently. In imposing that sentence, Judge Shadid noted certain mitigating factors but also pointed out that Jackson had only been on supervised release for a short time before his violations. Jackson faced up to three additional years of imprisonment for violating his supervised release. The violations in this case were brought to light by the investigative efforts of the Urbana Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.


title: Elmira Man With Prior Child Sex Conviction Arrested On Federal Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eugene R. Criss, Jr., 55, of Elmira, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography by an individual with a prior sex offense conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 23, 2023, Criss shared suspected child pornography on a peer to peer sharing network with an undercover law enforcement employee. On April 5, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Criss’ residence, during which investigators seized multiple electronic devices to include a cellular telephone, laptop computer, USB thumb drive and a tablet. A review of the thumb drive recovered more than 1,000 files in more than 700 folders of suspected child pornography. Criss made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pederson and was held pending a detention hearing on April 14, 2023. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Receipt Of Child Pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nathan Follett, 36, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between February 2016, and December 16, 2021, Follett used Instagram, Kik, and Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit communications with 11 minor victims, knowing each victim was under the age of 18. During these conversations, Follett coerced the minor victims to produce images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct and send those images and videos to him via Instagram, Kik, and Snapchat. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak. Sentencing is scheduled for August 23, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Assaulting an Intimate Partner

body_text: A man who punched the mother of his children in the face twice was sentenced today to over a year in federal prison. Dawson Davenport, age 42, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 21, 2022 guilty plea to assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. Information from the case showed that on January 24, 2022, Davenport was intoxicated and involved in a fight with another man. The victim, who was the mother of three of Davenport’s children, tried to separate the two men. She then retreated into a nearby house and sat on the couch. Davenport entered the home and punched the victim in the face twice, striking near her left eye each time. He attempted to punch her a third time but missed and fell onto the victim. Davenport has previously been convicted of domestic assault five times in state court. Davenport was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Davenport was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Davenport is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-cr-66.


title: Greece Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charges

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Lane, 28, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in July and August 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips from Yahoo that a user uploaded approximately 260 files of possible child pornography to a Yahoo email account. NCMEC forwarded the information to the New York State Police and a subsequent investigation traced the files to an IP address belonging to Lane, a former Town of Greece police recruit, who was terminated following a probationary period. The files include an image of a partially nude preschool-aged child, which appears to have been taken at a childcare facility in the Rochester, NY, area. The files also include sexually explicit images of two minor victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2), that appear to have been taken by Lane. On August 9, 2022, the NYSP executed a search warrant at a residence in Brighton, NY, and seized a cellular phone belonging to Lane. A second search warrant was executed at a residence in Greece, NY. A forensic analysis of the phone recovered child pornography. A search warrant was also executed on Lane’s Yahoo account. That search recovered additional images of child pornography that were produced by Lane, in images that Lane obtained via the internet, and images of students at Spencerport High School that appear to have been take surreptitiously by Lane when he worked as a security guard at the school. The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Geraci. # # # #


title: Brewer Woman Faces Up to 30 Years for Wire Fraud, Making False Statements to a Lending Business & Making Straw Purchase

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Brewer woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to wire fraud and making false statements to a mortgage lending business. She also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of making a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer. According to court records, between November 2020 and April 2021, Carol Bragdon, 49, provided false statements and representations to a residential mortgage lender for the purpose of obtaining a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) backed loan. She used Google email accounts to communicate with the lender and the VA and to transmit documentation as part of the scheme. The emails were transmitted from Maine to another state. In August 2021, Bragdon purchased five firearms at Maine Military Supply in Brewer, falsely stating that she was the actual purchaser of the firearms. She was accompanied by an individual who directed her to specific firearms and who was later arrested with one of the firearms, a Walther model PK380 .380 caliber pistol. That individual was prohibited from purchasing a firearm under federal law. Straw purchasing typically involves a buyer who can lawfully purchase firearms but who then provides them to another person who is legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, therefore allowing the prohibited person to illegally obtain firearms and avoid the national background check system. Bragdon faces up to 30 years in prison and up to five years of supervised release. She 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 VA Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the cases. # # #


title: Last Defendant In Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Is Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Rebecca Lynn Barker, 50, of Sylva, N.C., was sentenced today to 188 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug conspiracy charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to filed documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between April 2019 and August 2021, federal, state, and local law enforcement determined that Barker was part of a drug conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine in Haywood, Buncombe, and Jackson Counties as well as Georgia. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement used controlled buys, seizures, and the execution of search warrants to determine that the drug conspirators were responsible for trafficking more than 36 kilograms of methampehetamine in Western North Carolina. Law enforcement also seized thousands of dollars in drug proceeds and nine firearms. Court records show that Barker was responsible for distributing more than 230 grams of actual methamphatamine and over 3,100 grams of methamphetamine mixture. Law enforcement also seized from Barker a handgun and a shotgun, and more than $7,200 in cash. On August 4, 2022, Barker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containig methamphetamine. She is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Barker’s co-defendants were previously sentenced as follows: Robert Allan Burnette was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Angela Vance Carver was sentenced to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Derek Michal Cluff was sentenced to 30 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Marcus Brandon Cobaugh was sentenced to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Lindsay Nicole Cobb was sentenced to 135 months in prison and five years of supervised release. David Hunter Creson was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. William Joseph Craig was sentenced to 179 months in prison and ten years of supervised release. Arthur Shane Douville , was sentenced to 188 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Jaime Gamez, was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Justin Caroll Gibson was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Jane Ivison Gill was sentenced to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Roberty Illerma Ibarra was sentenced to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Elizabeth Gabrielle Mann was sentenced to 84 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Jose Andress Martinez was sentenced to 130 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Keith Allen McMahan was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Nicholas Ray Miller was sentenced to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Ryan Warren Muster was sentenced to 132 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Kelly Woodrow Ross was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release. Richard Anthony Swanger was sentenced to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Christy Helen Trull was sentenced to 57 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Michael Kevin Vanlandingham was sentenced to 12 months of probation. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited an investigation led by the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and thanked United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Buncombe County Anti-Crime Task Force, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Waynesville Police Department, the Canton Police Department, the Maggie Valley Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their investigative efforts. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Kent, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.


title: Additional Charges Filed in Connection with Violent Armed Robbery on Martha's Vineyard

body_text: BOSTON – A superseding indictment has been filed in Boston in connection with the Nov. 17, 2022 armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury, Mass. Miquel Antonio Jones, 31, of Edgartown, Mass. and Tevin Porter, 27 of Bridgeport, Conn., were charged in a superseding indictment with one count each of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and one count of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Romane Andre Clayton, 21, of Jamaica, was also charged in the superseding indictment with one count of bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Jones and Clayton will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court in Connecticut, Porter was detained pending a 11:30 a.m. hearing tomorrow. Jones and Clayton were initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2022. Jones and Clayton were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury along with alleged co-conspirator Omar Johnson on March 16, 2023. “These defendants terrorized and spread panic across the communities of Martha’s Vineyard, and we have now charged a fourth person involved,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We believe these men worked together in an armed bank robbery that involved at least two deadly semi-automatic firearms – one of which was held to an employee’s head – and went to great lengths in attempt to conceal their involvement. Massachusetts residents deserve to live and work without fear. We will hold violent individuals accountable, particularly when they use firearms during their crimes.” “Today, the FBI arrested the fourth member of a crew that is accused of committing a violent armed bank robbery on Martha’s Vineyard, which terrorized innocent bank tellers and bystanders just trying to go about their daily lives. It’s incredibly fortunate no one was hurt,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Bank robbery is not an easy payday, it is a federal crime, and FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, like we did in this case.” According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, Porter, Jones and Johnson forced their way through the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. The men were allegedly armed with at least two semi-automatic handguns and wearing dark colored clothing and white masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees, forced that employee to open the bank’s vault and took approximately $39,100. It is alleged that the bank employees were bound with duct tape and plastic zip ties while their belongings were searched and the robbers demanded access to one of their vehicles. The charging documents further allege that Jones, Porter and Johnson then left the bank premises in an employee’s car and drove to the Manuel Correllus State Forest, where they abandoned the vehicle in a parking lot and fled in another vehicle that had been left there for purposes of their escape. It is also alleged that Porter and Clayton then left Martha’s Vineyard together on a ferry later that morning. Meanwhile, Johnson and Jones allegedly drove to a local farm with the equipment that had been used during the bank robbery. It is alleged that, at the farm, two firearms used in the robbery were found buried in a hole in the ground and the remainder of the robbery equipment, including the plastic masks, were found burned. After the evidence was disposed of, Jones returned home to his residence where he allegedly hid the approximately $39,100 that had been stolen from the bank, in his bedroom under a bureau. It is further alleged that Johnson left Martha’s Vineyard, reconvened with Porter and Clayton in Woods Hole, Mass. and then drove together to the area of Johnson’s home in New Hampshire. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three 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. U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by United States Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; United States Customs and Border Protection; Massachusetts State Police; Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office; and the Tisbury, West Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Aquinnah, Canterbury (N.H.) and New Haven (Conn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Utah Gymnastics Coach Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment yesterday charging a Utah gymnastics coach and owner of USA Gymnastics World with child exploitation offenses. According to the complaint, agents with Homeland Security Investigations arrested Adam Richard Jacobs, 33, of Woods Cross, Utah, last week. As stated in the court documents, an employee twice found a device in a unisex restroom at USA Gymnastics World. The employee discovered the device was a hidden camera with a micro-SD card and contacted police. A subsequent law enforcement investigation recovered approximately 120 video files of individuals ranging in age from toddler to adult using the restroom at USA Gymnastics World, and videos depicting the lascivious display of children’s genitalia. Additionally, approximately 40 videos show Jacobs setting up the cameras in his home and at USA Gymnastics World. Due to the volume of evidence, the investigation is ongoing. Jacobs is charged by indictment with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance April 14, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from Woods Cross Police Department, the Utah Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Kaysville Police Department, Clearfield Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Davis County Attorney’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Carl Hollan and Assistant U.S. Attorney, Carol A. Dain, of the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Dominican National Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl Analogue

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM VALERIO-PALERMO, also known as “Willy,” 37, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment for trafficking acetylfentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, law enforcement received information that Valerio was trafficking kilogram-quantities of fentanyl and was using his Hartford auto-repair business to launder drug proceeds. On July 12, 2018, a court-authorized search of a West Hartford apartment that Valerio rented revealed approximately six kilograms of acetylfentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics, and approximately $49,000 in cash. Valerio has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2018. He pleaded guilty on July 6, 2021. Valerio faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Covington Man Charged with Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans, announced that MARC QUIROZ (“QUIROZ”) , resident of Covington, Louisiana, was charged by bill of information on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, with one count of wire fraud. According to the charging document, QUIROZ co-owned and operated a company called VetAttend of Jackson where he purported to provide services to Veterans for home aid and assistance. QUIROZ’s co-conspirators, James Thomas Sinyard, Jr., a/k/a Jay Sinyard, and Mary Gigi Sinyard, a/k/a Gigi Sinyard, were charged by bill of information on February 14, 2023. According to the bill of information, QUIROZ submitted fraudulent affidavits for home aid services provided when he knew that those services were not actually provided. As part of the scheme to defraud, beginning in or about April 2013 and continuing until at least July 2018, QUIROZ did knowingly devise and intend to devise a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Affairs). The purpose of the scheme was to obtain money and property by submitting false affidavits and applications to Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans and their spouses, claiming that VetAttend had provided home services to the veterans, when in fact, it had not. During the scheme, Veterans Affairs issued funds to over 300 veterans and/or their surviving spouses from whom QUIROZ fraudulently appropriated monies, without the knowledge of the veterans, totaling approximately $4,065,969.18. If convicted, QUIROZ faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, up to five years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count. “These charges were brought as a result of the hard work of VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agents who remain vigilant in investigating all who seek to benefit improperly from programs meant to assist deserving veterans,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Patrick Roche of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South-Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this joint investigation.” U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh, Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Middlessex County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography, Obstruction

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Charles F. Browne, 55, of South River, New Jersey, convicted at trial on June 27, 2023, of receiving child pornography, soliciting child pornography, possessing prepubescent child pornography, and concealing objects to impede the FBI’s investigation.


title: Canadian Fugitive Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man was sentenced on April 10, 2023, to 97 months in prison and five years of supervised release for distributing and possessing images of child sexual abuse. Perth De, aka Parthasarthie Kapoor, 53, pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.


title: Memphis Man Charged with Committing  Sex Trafficking Offenses Against Two Minors and Two Adults

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging MACEO ROBERTS , age 24, from Memphis, Tennessee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. In Count One of the indictment, ROBERTS was charged with conspiring with Jeremy Talbert and Dominique Peeples to traffic an adult victim and a 14-year-old victim for commercial sex purposes between at least August 2020 and January 2021, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c). In Counts Two and Five, ROBERTS was charged with trafficking two different adult victims for commercial sex purposes by means of force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591. Count Three of the indictment charged ROBERTS with Coercion and Enticement of an Individual to Travel to Engage in Prostitution from the Eastern District of Louisiana to Texas, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(a). Count Four charged ROBERTS with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity from the Eastern District of Louisiana to Texas, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a). If convicted, ROBERTS faces up to life imprisonment as to Count One. Counts Two and Five carry a mandatory minimum of fifteen years up to a maximum of life in prison. As to Count Three, ROBERTS faces up to twenty years in prison. Count Four carries a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison. As to each count, the defendant also faces supervised release for a term of five years up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, a requirement that the defendant participate in the sex offender registration and notification program, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.