title: Providence Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who was found in possession of nearly half of a kilo of fentanyl that he kept stored inside an apartment he shared with five other individuals, including two babies, has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha Stanli S. Arias De La Rosa 31, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 71 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. He pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024, to a charge of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Arias was arrested by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force in March 2023, six months after being arrested by the York County Sheriffs’ Office in Nebraska during a traffic stop after discovering approximately 10 kilos of cocaine inside a vehicle that he was driving. Arias failed to return to Nebraska to face those charges after being released following his court arraignment. According to information presented to the court, in March 2023, a West Warwick Detective who also served a member of the DEA Drug Task Force developed information targeting the location of a high-level drug supplier. On March 10, 2023, authorities conducted a court-authorized search of Arias’ Providence residence and found narcotics strewn about the apartment. Seized were approximately 454.9 grams of fentanyl, 43 grams of cocaine, 14.5 grams of crack cocaine, digital scales, and other items used in the preparation and distribution of narcotics. Present in the apartment at the time of the search were two mothers and their infants and an adult male. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christine D. Lowell. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force and the Smithfield Police Department. ###


title: Charlotte Woman Is Charged With Using Stolen Identities To Obtain Multiple College Student Loans For Family Members

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A grand jury has charged Tammy Cox, 52, of Charlotte, with multiple federal charges for stealing the identities of her co-workers to obtain college student loans for family members, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cox was in federal court this morning for her initial appearance. Jason Krizmanich, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, from August 2019 through at least July 2023, Cox engaged in a scheme to steal the identities of five co-workers, including their Social Security Numbers, which she used to fraudulently obtain college student loans for family members. The indictment alleges that Cox falsely claimed that her co-workers were cosigners on the loan applications and falsely represented that her co-workers had agreed to be equally responsible for the loans. The indictment further alleges that, during the scheme, Cox fraudulently applied for at least 13 college student loans seeking more than $250,000. Cox is charged with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution and seven counts of financial institution fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Cox is also charged with five counts of disclosure of Social Security Numbers, which carry a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charged offense. The charges against Cox are allegations and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The USPIS and CMPD investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.


title: Former TPS District Chief Learning and Talent Officer Sentenced for Stealing More Than $593k

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Former District Chief Learning and Talent Officer sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud after defrauding Tulsa Public Schools and the Foundation for Tulsa Public Schools, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Devin Darel Fletcher, 40, to 30 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Further, Judge Hill ordered Fletcher to pay his victims a total $593,492.32 in restitution. “Fletcher’s embezzlement was methodical and a complete abuse of power from a person in a position of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Simply put, there is no justification for his actions. This money could have funded several teachers' salaries, which would have directly benefited students.” “The defendant betrayed the trust of the citizens of Tulsa and intentionally stole funds meant for the betterment of students,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The sentence imposed today holds him accountable for his actions and sends a message that abuse of power for personal gain is not acceptable to the American people.” Fletcher began working for Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) in August 2016, until he resigned as the District’s Chief Learning and Talent Officer in June 2022. While employed, Fletcher was responsible for human resources and educational performance issues throughout TPS. Fletcher was entrusted with limited hiring and firing authority for specific personnel, including consultants, for whom he also had expenditure approval authority. In October 2023, Fletcher pled guilty to devising a scheme to defraud TPS and the Foundation for Tulsa Public Schools. Fletcher, who holds a master’s degree in professional accounting, skillfully and deceitfully abused his authority. He created and altered fraudulent invoices, purchase orders, and supporting documentation. From August 2018 through March 2022, a co-conspirator received more than $448k in fraudulent payments for fake services. Even with a generous annual salary of $167k, Fletcher stole for himself an additional $137k during that time. Fletcher was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at a later date. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Secretly Recording Children in the Bathroom

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Matthew Allyn McDaniel, age 39, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison after entering guilty pleas to two counts of attempting to sexually exploit a minor. McDaniel entered his guilty pleas on August 29, 2024. According to court documents, in the month of December 2023, law enforcement received a tip from an internet service provider that there was an online storage account associated with an address in Theodore, Alabama, which contained child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). The email address associated with the account was “pedvid7@gmail.com.” On December 12, 2023, law enforcement obtained a state search warrant allowing them to search the account associated with pedvid7@gmail.com. In that account, law enforcement discovered approximately 249 videos of CSAM. On January 9, 2024, law enforcement obtained a state residential search warrant for the address associated with email address and the online storage account. Present at the address was McDaniel. A cell phone was recovered from under the mattress in McDaniel’s room. McDaniel was interviewed. He admitted that the cell phone found belonged to him, and he admitted hiding it when he heard law enforcement enter the residence. A forensic examination was performed on McDaniel’s cell phone. The examiner discovered evidence that McDaniel had used email addresses pedvid1, pedvid2, pedvid3, etc., up through pedvid15@gmail.com. There were approximately 25 images of CSAM found on the phone. Importantly, there were 7 images that appeared be taken via a hidden camera in a bathroom, in front of a shower. The images show two different minor females drying off and getting dressed. The minors were identified, and were 13 years old at the time of the recording. At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Beaverstock imposed a 360-month sentence of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon his future release. During his term of imprisonment, McDaniel will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. McDaniel will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. McDaniel was ordered to pay $200 in special assessments and to pay $1,337 in restitution to his victims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources


title: Orlando Man Indicted For Possessing An Unregistered Machinegun As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Timothy Stephens (25, Orlando) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered machinegun. If convicted of the felon in possession offense, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison. If convicted of possessing an unregistered machinegun, Stephens faces up to 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on October 17, 2024, Stephens, having previously been convicted of a felony, was found in possession of a Glock Model 30 with a machinegun conversion device installed. As a convicted felon, Stephens is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Additionally, the machinegun was not registered to Stephens in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. 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: Marion County Convicted Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Marcus Cleaver Morgan, Jr. (24, Ocala) to four years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Morgan entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024. According to court documents, on January 14, 2023, officers from the Ocala Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Morgan. Morgan failed to stop and a high-speed pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into an embankment. Officers located a backpack near the open driver’s side door where Morgan had been seated. The backpack contained two loaded handguns, approximately 239 grams of marijuana, 33.5 grams of MDPV, and a scale. Testing by the FBI confirmed Morgan’s DNA on the trigger, grip, and slide of one of firearms. Morgan has a previous state felony conviction for carrying a concealed firearm. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Independence Attorney Pleads Guilty to $857,000 Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., attorney pleaded guilty in court today to evading payment of $857,000 in income taxes. John C. Carnes, 69, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of tax evasion. By pleading guilty today, Carnes admitted that he willfully attempted to evade paying his personal income taxes for tax years 2012 through 2018. Carnes kept his income in his attorney trust accounts, then withdrew cash from his attorney trust accounts to pay for personal and business expenses. An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients. It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property. Carnes had two trust fund accounts. He withdrew $444,527 in cash from one account from 2016 through 2019, and he withdrew $144,364 from the second account from 2013 through 2015. Carnes used the cash to gamble and pay personal expenses. Carnes deposited $232,000 in fees received for services provided in the sale of the former Rockwood Golf Course property in November 2017 and the Missouri City Power Plant project, and other income, into his attorney trust accounts. The total tax loss to the IRS for tax years 2012 through 2018, because of Carnes’s tax evasion, totaled $618,949. In addition, relevant conduct consists of unpaid federal income tax for the tax years 1990-1993, 1996-2003, and 2005, totaling $175,590. Relevant conduct also includes the state of Missouri unpaid income taxes, totaling $62,922. The total relevant conduct is $238,513, resulting in a total tax loss of $857,462. From 2009 to 2020, the IRS continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes’s outstanding tax liabilities. Under federal statutes, Carnes is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Transfer Obscene Material To A Minor

body_text: Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Imran Siddiqi (40, North Port) to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and committing a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. Siddiqi entered a guilty plea on July 22, 2024. According to court documents, between January 31 and March 6, 2024, Siddiqi engaged in a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Siddiqi repeatedly described his desire to have sex with the child, sending multiple explicit photographs of himself along with images of adult pornography to the undercover officer. Siddiqi, a registered sex offender, previously was convicted in state court of traveling to meet a parent to solicit/entice a child to commit a sex act in 2016. “This recidivist predator once again attempted to violate the innocence and vulnerability of a child,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners at all levels, is steadfast in our commitment to work tirelessly investigating anyone who attempts to exploit children.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Rutland Woman Sentenced to 29 Months for Distribution of Cocaine Base

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 21, 2024, Stephanie Horvath, 39, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 29 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Horvath previously pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine base to a law enforcement confidential informant in June 2023, in Rutland. According to court records, starting in 2017-18 and continuing until her arrest in the current case in August 2023, Horvath “middled” drug sales for a rotating group of drug suppliers who were armed and dangerous. Horvath was involved in the distribution of cocaine base and heroin/fentanyl at the Highlander Motel in Rutland in 2022 and 2023. Horvath would distribute controlled substances herself, as well as have others distribute drugs from her hotel room. During the investigation that led to Horvath’s arrest, five controlled purchases were conducted by the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force involving the defendant’s room between December 2022 and June 2023. Records also indicate that in November 2022, Horvath’s acquisition of a large supply of cocaine and heroin/fentanyl from another drug supplier was associated with the violent assault of one of her associates. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, the Rutland City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan A. Ophardt. Horvath was represented Natasha Sen, Esq.


title: Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Seven-Figure Fraud Against COVID Relief Program

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Raleigh businessman Wilson Alfredo Olivera Borda pled guilty to nine counts of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for over $1 million. At sentencing, Olivera faces a statutory maximum of 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000. According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020 and 2021, Borda received nine PPP loans for five separate companies. To obtain those loans, Olivera submitted applications falsely claiming that each business had substantial employees and operations. Olivera bolstered those falsehoods by submitting fabricated tax returns supporting his applications. In truth, two of the companies, The Insurance Centers.Com and The Insurance Centers LLC, were not separate businesses, but trade names used by a different company for which Borda had already applied for and received COVID relief funding. The other three, Realty Vestors LLC, US-Kaizen LLC, and Ecobuild LLC, had little or no operations and no employees. After obtaining the loans, Borda made additional false statements to obtain forgiveness. All nine loans were fully forgiven and paid off by the U.S. Small Business Administration. “This businessman pocketed over $1 million in PPP relief funds by submitting bogus tax returns suggesting his business had legitimate operations and employees. When the FBI dug in, the house of cards came tumbling down,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We should be proud to live in a nation that cares for the needy and moves quickly to handle the greedy. Law enforcement is working daily to root out fraud on public programs.” Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the arraignment by United States District Judge Terrence Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Cogburn prosecuted the case for the government. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-215-BO.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bank Fraud, Passport Fraud, And Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Gary Dale Thrasher (56, Georgia) to four years and nine months in federal prison for bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture for $25,200, the amount representing the proceeds of Thrasher’s fraud offenses. Thrasher entered a guilty on June 27, 2024. According to court documents, between May and June 2023, Thrasher obtained and used, or attempted to use, fraudulent identification documents, including fraudulent United States passport cards, containing the personal information of others. Thrasher used the fake identification documents to make cash withdrawals from the accounts of the victims at multiple branches of four different federally insured financial institutions in the Middle District of Florida. “Identity theft is not a victimless crime, and these fraud schemes undermine the trust in our financial systems and damage the lives of innocent people,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI, alongside our state and local partners in Florida, are committed to seeking these fraudsters out and holding them accountable for their actions.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Ocala Police Department, the Wildwood Police Department, the Leesburg Police Department, and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.


title: Colorado Man Sentenced To 20 Years in Prison For Sexually Exploiting Children Over the Internet and Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern


title: Ocala Tax Preparer Sentenced To Federal Prison For Defrauding Clients And IRS

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Steven Cabrera to three years in federal prison for assisting in preparing false tax documents, submitting false tax documents, and willfully failing to file tax returns. Cabrera entered a guilty plea on August 16, 2024. According to court documents, Cabrera worked as a tax preparer in the Ocala area. From 2017 to 2019, Cabrera engaged in widespread tax fraud, adding unauthorized and fraudulent deductions and credits to his clients’ tax returns without their knowledge and then embezzling the additional tax return proceeds for his own use. Cabrera also defrauded clients directly by telling them to make out checks to “IRS” and pledging that he would send the funds to the IRS himself. Instead, he deposited those checks into an account he controlled for a fictitious business, “International Resort Services.” Cabrera’s years of fraudulent activity caused total losses of nearly $1 million. “It’s certainly a bold move to invoke the name of the ‘IRS’ when attempting to defraud not only the government, but people who are putting their trust in you,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “The real ‘IRS’ is always going to show up, investigate, and put a stop to these types of scams. If your return preparer exhibits any of the behaviors shown in this case, please visit IRS.gov and click on the ‘Get your tax record’ button. From there, you can verify the accuracy of the information on your tax record and, if necessary, report any fraudulent or inaccurate information.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.


title: Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies, Illegal Firearm Following Police Chase

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing two armed robberies and illegally possessing a firearm after fleeing from police officers in a pick-up truck. Duke A. Yates, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to two counts of robbery and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Yates robbed a Quik Trip and a Walgreen’s, both in Independence, at gunpoint within 10 minutes of each other at about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023. Yates stole a total of between $500 and $700 in cash and a dozen packs of cigarettes from the stores. A police officer spotted Yates driving a white Ford F350 pickup truck with a missing headlight, matching the description of the vehicle used in the robberies, traveling eastbound on U.S. 40 Highway near Blue Ridge Cutoff. Yates fled at the presence of the officer, with the lights now blacked out on the vehicle. The officer turned on his lights and sirens and initiated a pursuit that reached speeds over 100 miles per hour. During the pursuit, the truck failed to stop for posted stop signs and drove over medians. The truck slid onto 23 rd Street facing eastbound in the westbound lanes, causing another motorist to drive onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. Yates drove into oncoming traffic and veered at a marked police vehicle that was attempting to deploy stop sticks. Yates failed to negotiate a turn at 24911 E. Truman Road and went off-road, colliding with a power pole and breaking it at the base. Yates fled on foot and resisted arrest while being taken into custody. Officers searched the stolen truck and found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s side floorboard. Under federal statutes, Yates is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Essex County Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Defrauding Victims in Car Theft and Fraudulent Resale Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for defrauding victims by orchestrating a multistate car theft and fraud ring, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Warren Guerrier, 47, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From November 2016 to June 2020, Guerrier and several conspirators acting at his direction orchestrated a scheme to steal and then fraudulently sell vehicles to unsuspecting buyers. Guerrier and his conspirators identified vehicles to steal, then photographed, tracked, and advertised them for sale on the internet. The buyer victims were provided with electronically programmed keys and falsified certificates of title for the stolen vehicles in exchange for a negotiated purchase price in cash. Buyer victims also were provided with fraudulent identity documents utilized by conspirators to obscure their true identities. The scheme involved the theft of at least 40 stolen vehicles, approximately 30 of which were sold by Guerrier and his conspirators to buyer victims. As a result of the scheme, Guerrier and his conspirators collected approximately $285,000. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Guerrier to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $291,637. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil in New Orleans, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the Criminal Division in Newark.


title: Mesa Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempted Smuggling of Weapons and Drug Trafficking with a Firearm

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Nestor Hernandez-Morales, 27, of Mesa, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hernandez-Morales pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, and Attempted Smuggling of Firearms to Promote Drug Trafficking Activity on June 18, 2024. On February 1, 2023, Hernandez-Morales made arrangements with individuals from Mexico to purchase a .50 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a 5.56x45mm caliber belt-fed rifle for $26,000. Hernandez-Morales intended to purchase these particular weapons because these individuals were involved in drug trafficking organizations in Mexico and knew these types of guns were valuable to promote and support their drug trafficking activities. Hernandez-Morales paid $26,000 for the two rifles as part of an undercover sting, and was soon after arrested by federal and local law enforcement. A subsequent search of his residence revealed 6.6 kilograms of a substance that contained methamphetamine. Law enforcement discovered that he also possessed a Beretta handgun that he admitted he used to protect himself while he traveled and to secure the drugs, money, and munitions he stored at his residence. An additional nine firearms were discovered at his residence. This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Arizona Strike Force located in Tucson. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00285-TUC-AMM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-162_Hernandez-Morales # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Madera Man Previously Convicted in Washington D.C. for Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Offenses Sentenced in Fresno for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Benjamin Martin, 46, of Madera, was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison today for illegally possessing several firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today. Martin was convicted of the firearms charges following a one-day trial in Fresno. According to evidence presented at the trial and other court records, in September 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence in Madera and arrested him on charges filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for the breach of the United States Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. During the search, the FBI found eight firearms, including an AR‑15‑style rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines for the AR-15, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing these items because of his prior domestic violence conviction, and resulting restraining order, for choking his then girlfriend and dragging her back into the house after she tried to flee. Shortly after his arrest, Martin was caught on a recorded jail call where he instructed his current fiancée to lie to authorities and tell them that the firearms seized from his residence belonged to her and her father and that he did not know about them. She agreed to do so. Martin received an enhancement to his sentence for this witness tampering. Martin also recently went to trial in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., where the evidence showed that he held a door to the Capitol open while officers tried to close it. He kept the door open so that other rioters could spray chemical irritants and throw objects at the officers. Martin was convicted on five counts. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton, Robert Veneman-Hughes, and Michael Tierney prosecuted the case. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 20, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. Martin faces additional imprisonment and fines in that case. The actual sentence will 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 press release for Martin’s conviction in the Capitol breach case can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/california-man-convicted-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-actions-during-jan-6-capitol .


title: Ohio Man Indicted in South Carolina for Exploiting and Stalking Minors on Social Media

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging Jack Keegan Davis, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, with coercion and enticement of minors, production, distribution, and possession of child pornography*, and cyberstalking. The indictment alleges that from August 2022 through October 2024, Davis used at least four social media platforms and 130 social media display names to pose as a minor and interact with minors on social media. Davis used those accounts to persuade minor victims to engage in sexual conduct and to produce child sexual abuse material. Davis allegedly received that material, possessed it, and distributed some of that content to other minors, including classmates of one of his victims. He also allegedly used the material to harass and threaten at least one of his minor victims and their family. Although one minor obtained a restraining order, Davis continued to contact the minor and the minor’s family after the no contact order was served on Davis. Davis also allegedly threatened to kill one minor and the minor’s family, including: “Im going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “[Victim] ur ded,” “Im going to f***ing kill [Victim],” “I am not kidding I am going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “If [Victim] doesn’t answer me I’m going to [Victim’s] house,” and “I won’t stop until you’re dead.” Davis allegedly shared the victim’s home address, said he would be there when the minor’s father was out of town, promised “revenge if it’s the last thing I do,” and wrote, “lol I just want [Victim] to suffer.” Davis is alleged to have minor victims in multiple states, including South Carolina. FBI agents arrested Davis in the Southern District of Ohio, where he was ordered detained following a contested bond hearing. He was transported by the U.S. Marshals to South Carolina and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett in Columbia, where he was ordered detained pending trial. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson will preside over the case. Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on the production of child pornography charge and a maximum of life on the coercion and enticement charge. Davis also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution, a special assessment of $5,000, supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for a period of up to life following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Kershaw County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and critical assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### NOTE: While the current federal statutes still contain the term “child pornography,” experts in the field now recognize “child sexual abuse material” as the more accurate terminology.


title: Three Indicted in $1.4 Million PPP Loan Fraud Scheme

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment charging three Metro East men for engaging in a PPP loan fraud scheme in East St. Louis. Dana C. Howard, 52, of O’Fallon, Richard Scott Myers, 63, of Edwardsville, and Glenn Sunnquist, 53, of Swansea, are each facing one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Howard is also facing charges for making a false statement, two counts of bankruptcy fraud and three counts of willful failure to pay taxes. The grand jury also charged Myers with one count of monetary transaction in funds derived from a specified unlawful activity and three counts of bankruptcy fraud. “In one of the most prevalent and widespread fraud crimes in American history, any greedy individuals who sought to steal from the federal government under false pretenses and enrich themselves with PPP funds will be held accountable under the law,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. In response to financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration utilized the Paycheck Protection Program to offer relief and forgivable loans to struggling businesses. Under PPP, business owners could apply for loans to offset operational costs for payroll, employee benefits, facility expenses and other bills. According to court documents, Howard and Myers were co-owners of construction company Zoie, LLC, and freight company Zade Trucking, both in East St. Louis. Sunnquist was employed as a bookkeeper for both businesses. In April 2020, Howard and Myers applied for and received a PPP loan for $1,426,500 and asserted more than $1.3 million of the funds would be used to keep Zoie operational and employees paid during the pandemic. Howard and Myers are accused of using the large loan for their personal use and to the benefit of another business they owned and not the intended use of the funds. “COVID fraud was massive in scale and ultimately the cost will be paid by American taxpayers for generations to come,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “The FBI has opened thousands of investigations across the country targeting COVID-related fraud, working diligently in collaboration with our partners to hold thieves accountable.” The indictment further alleges that in 2020 both Meyers and Howard filed for bankruptcy indicating they had little to no PPP loan funds left when in fact combined they had $450,000 available to them through cashier’s checks. Howard and Myers are also alleged to have applied for a second PPP loan for more than $1.4 million in January 2021, falsely indicating they were not involved in any bankruptcy proceedings and thereafter also sought forgiveness of the first loan. “The nation as a whole may have moved on from COVID, but IRS Criminal Investigation continues to track down fraudsters who stole money from pandemic relief programs to enrich themselves,” said St. Louis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Bill Steenson. “Those individuals must be held accountable.” Sunnquist is accused of falsifying Zoie’s expense records and manipulating old invoices to support the loan’s forgiveness application. In September 2022, SBA denied forgiveness of the loan. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The FBI Springfield Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation are contributing to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.


title: Kilo Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Christopher Gibson, 41, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for trafficking more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine in the Wilmington area. He pled guilty on August 13, 2024, to a drug conspiracy involving more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine. According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 18, 2021, the San Diego Airport Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) San Diego Field Division, and the San Diego County Integrated Narcotics Task Force received information that an individual was attempting to transport fentanyl from California to North Carolina. That information led agents to Gibson at the airline gate in California. Gibson was in possession of $10,635 and a United States Postal Service (USPS) receipt. Using these postal receipts, USPS agents located a package that Gibson had attempted to send to an address in Wilmington. A search of the package revealed two kilograms of cocaine. On April 27, 2023, a Wilmington Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gibson. As the officer approached Gibson's car, Gibson fled at a high speed, exceeding 80 miles per hour, and failing to stop at a stop sign. He eventually stopped the vehicle in a cul-de-sac. A K-9 officer responded to the scene and alerted law enforcement to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search revealed cash and multiple cell phones. While fleeing, Gibson discarded a bag containing approximately 18 grams of cocaine, 195 bindles of fentanyl, and three grams of methamphetamine. On October 10 and 20, 2023, law enforcement conducted two controlled purchases of 110 grams of methamphetamine each, from Gibson. On October 24, 2023, another controlled purchase of 193 grams from Gibson occurred. On October 30, 2023, a Wilmington Police Department officer conducted another traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gibson. During this stop, a K-9 officer alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle uncovered approximately a gram of fentanyl on the driver's side floorboard. Additionally, a search of Gibson’s person revealed eight baggies containing approximately 10 grams of fentanyl. He was also in possession of multiple cell phones and cash. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement discovered that from 2020 to 2021, Gibson had multiple kilograms of cocaine shipped from both California and Arizona to Wilmington, where he operated several stash houses. In 2023, it was determined that he imported more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine to various locations in Wilmington for distribution. Gibson has a previous federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 50 grams of cocaine, as well as dihydrocodeinone. He also has prior charges for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-00039.


title: Jury Finds Windermere Attorney Guilty Of Wire Fraud And Bank Fraud

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Amaris Marie Delapena (50, Windermere) guilty of 15 counts of wire fraud and 22 counts of bank fraud. Delapena faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of wire fraud. Her sentencing hearing is set for February 19, 2025. According to evidence and testimony presented during the four-day trial, Delapena used illegal wire transfers and check deposits to embezzle funds during her employment as a paralegal for an Orlando law firm. Her fraud centered on re-routing checks from and to law firm clients and vendors into accounts Delapena controlled and transferring client payments from the law firm’s account to accounts Delapena controlled. Between the time Delapena committed the offenses and her trial, she earned a law degree and became a licensed attorney in Florida. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.


title: Missouri Felon Admits $830,000 Fraud, Gun Crimes

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon has admitted illegally acquiring dozens of guns and bilking two investors out of a total of $830,000. Dennis Latour, 41, pleaded guilty November 20 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon and 13 counts of wire fraud. Jennifer Keegan, 50, pleaded guilty Monday, November 25, in U.S. District Court to one felony count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon. Keegan admitted that starting at least in February of 2023, she and Latour began purchasing multiple firearms. Keegan filled out the required paperwork, despite knowing that many of the guns would be possessed and/or used by Latour, a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms. On Feb. 24, 2023, Latour tried to buy a Barrett .50-caliber rifle and ammunition from an online firearms retailer but was rejected because of concerns about his criminal history. On March 1, 2023, Keegan and Latour bought a Barrett rifle and another rifle from a retailer in St. Charles, Missouri. Three days later, Keegan bought two rifles from a St. Charles, Missouri sporting goods store. On March 21, she bought five more guns from a Springfield, Missouri sporting goods store, and the next day she returned and bought a pistol. On April 4, 2023, Keegan picked up a rifle and two pistols from a Pevely, Missouri gun store after buying them online. Latour was with her and had a pistol. Fifteen days later they returned and purchased a shotgun. On Sept. 26, 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) performed a court-approved search of the home the couple shared in Des Peres, Missouri. They found 27 firearms in a “vault” room, and two pistols in the couple’s bedroom, their plea agreements say. Latour also admitted as part of his plea agreement than beginning in June 2022, be hatched a scheme to bilk investors. Latour falsely claimed to have made successful investments in the cannabis industry and told two victims that they could participate by “piggybacking” on his investment. Latour used the money to fund his personal lifestyle and to pay for items such as firearms, vehicles, and jet skis. One victim lost $718,271 and the other lost $112,340, Latour’s plea agreement says. Latour is scheduled to be sentenced March 12, 2025. Keegan is scheduled to be sentenced March 11. The felon in possession charge and conspiracy charge each carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Trading Firm Executive Sentenced To 23 Years For Defrauding Victims In Colorado And Worldwide

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Bryant Edwin Sewall, 57, formerly of Little Elm, Texas, was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being found guilty by a federal jury in May of 2024 on 14 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Michael Shawn Stewart, 61, of Scottsdale, Arizona, who was also found guilty on the same counts, will be sentenced at a later date. Evidence presented at the three-week trial showed that Stewart and Sewall were owners and executives of companies operating on various Caribbean islands under the names Mediatrix Capital and Blue Isle Markets. As part of the scheme Stewart and Sewall provided false and fraudulent information about an algorithm-based foreign currency exchange (“ForEx”) trading program to potential investors and to salespeople they were using to solicit investors. For example, Stewart and Sewall falsely represented that Mediatrix had a history of successful ForEx trading going back to 2013 with no months of losses when, instead, Mediatrix did not exist until 2014 and its trading history included many months of net losses. Mediatrix promised its investors “100% Transparency,” “100% Liquidity” and “World Class Returns.” Additional evidence at trial showed that after luring investors into the scheme Stewart and Sewall fraudulently induced them to stay by manipulating account statements to show only positive trades while intentionally hiding massive losses that substantially reduced those investors’ accounts. By the end of the scheme, Stewart and Sewall had promised investors over $179 million but had only $9.8 million in their accounts, a gap that they internally referred to as “the hole.” Even as they lost approximately $32 million in trades, Stewart and Sewall rewarded themselves with approximately $28 million in performance fees. They also used their brokerage, Blue Isle, to fraudulently convert investor money into over $45 million in markup fees. They spent the money on real estate, boats, cars, jewelry, and other luxuries. Sewall was ordered to pay approximately $93 million in restitution. “This is a serious sentence for a serious crime,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Justice was done for the many people who were victimized Sewall’s outrageous crimes.” "Mr. Sewall and his co-defendants orchestrated an elaborate foreign currency investment fraud scheme that caused extensive financial harm to unsuspecting victims. He convinced investors by deceiving them with calculated lies about the profit potential and then created an illusion while he used their money for his own personal gain,” said FBI Denver Special Agent In Charge Mark Michalek. “The FBI will continue to investigate and seek justice for individuals who fall victim to financial criminals who cheat and lie.” A third partner involved with Mediatrix and Blue Isle — Michael Young — previously pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison earlier this year. United States District Court Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Edgar, Bryan Fields, and former AUSA Pegeen Rhyne handled the prosecution. Case number: 21-cr-00034-WJM


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun Charge Following Accidental Shooting

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Contaurus Dermont Smith, 46, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence presented to the court showed that on June 30, 2023, Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a shooting on the 900 block of House Street. Upon arrival, officers found Smith laying in the street with a gunshot wound to his leg. CPD’s Real Time Crime Center surveillance camera in the area captured the incident and showed Smith accidentally shooting himself in the leg. The surveillance also showed another person go back to the spot of the accidental shooting, pick up an object, and move it inside the home at 940 House Street. Based on that footage and a statement from another witness, CPD officers secured a search warrant for that home. Inside, they found four different firearms, including one with a machinegun conversion device attached to it that would allow it to function as an automatic weapon. Smith accepted responsibility for possessing the firearm with which he shot himself as a convicted felon and the court held him responsible for possession of the machinegun found alongside that pistol. Smith is convicted felon and is unable to lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Smith to 63 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Based primarily on Smith’s lengthy record of violence convictions and a prior federal conviction for the same firearm possession charge, Judge Currie granted in part the Government’s motion for an upward variance and imposed a sentence above the guidelines for this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Activists Sentenced in Red Powder Attack on U.S. Constitution at the U.S. Archives and Vandalizing Art at the National Gallery

body_text: WASHINGTON – Donald Zepeda, 35, of Maryland, and Jackson Green, 27, of Utah, were sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison and 18 months respectively in the February 14, 2024, attack on the U.S. Constitution housed at the National Archives in Washington D.C. The sentencings, which occurred earlier this month, were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Zepeda pleaded guilty on August 15 to felony destruction of property for dumping a fine red powder over a display case containing the U.S. Constitution in the Rotunda of the Archives building. The cost of cleaning up after the stunt, which was intended to draw attention to climate change, exceeded $58,000. In addition, the offense closed the Rotunda for four days, preventing students, visitors, and D.C. residents from visiting. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Zepeda to serve 24 months of supervised release, to pay restitution in the amount of $58,600, to complete community service, a portion of which must include cleaning up graffiti, and ordered him to stay out of the District of Columbia and all museums nationwide. Green also pleaded guilty on August 13 to felony destruction of property for the red powder attack on the U.S. Constitution and, in addition, pleaded guilty to one count of injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit for his November 14, 2023, defacement of a memorial to Black Civil War soldiers, Augustus Saint-Gaudens’s Shaw 54 th Regiment Memorial (1900). Green had been charged in the assault on the Shaw Memorial only 13 days before Zepeda joined him in soiling the Archives. In addition to the prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Green to serve 24 months of supervised release, to pay restitution in the amount of $58,600, to complete community service, a portion of which must include cleaning up graffiti, and ordered him to stay out of the District of Columbia and all museums nationwide. In addition to his role in the attack on the Constitution, Zepeda helped organize and filmed the attack on the Shaw memorial. Zepeda was also involved in the April 2023 attack on the display of Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen at the National Gallery of Art. According to court papers, Zepeda and Green are members of Declare Emergency, a group of activists that purport to raise awareness regarding climate change by engaging in a variety of criminal offenses, primarily in Washington, D.C. Green (left) and Zepeda posed for photographs on February 14, 2024, after dumping red powder on a display case housing the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives. Zepeda and Green’s criminal actions predate the attacks on the U.S. Constitution. During the week of April 24, 2023, Zepeda and other members of Declare Emergency orchestrated an escalating series of offenses in Washington, D.C. that included blocking rush hour traffic on April 24, 2023, and April 26, 2023. Zepeda also helped plan and participated in the April 27, 2023, attack on the National Gallery of Art exhibition of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen . Zepeda filmed as two group members smeared red and black paint on the case, base, and floor surrounding the exhibit. Zepeda purchased the paint used in the offense one week before the defacement. Zepeda has hosted trainings for individuals who were interested in participating in similar attacks. . On November 14, 2023, Green defaced The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial which commemorates the Civil War efforts of one of the first regiments of African Americans in our country’s history. On November 14, 2023, Green, Zepeda, and other members of Declare Emergency, entered the National Gallery of Art (NGA), and approached Augustus Saint-Gauden’s The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial , which commemorates the Civil War efforts of one of the first regiments of African Americans in our country’s history. Green then hand-painted “Honor Them” in red paint on the wall next to the mural, below the inscribed names of the Regiment. Zepeda and other members of Declare Emergency filmed Green’s actions. NGA reported that it cost $706 to repair the damage. On February 6, 2024, Green self-surrendered and made his initial appearance before the Honorable G. Michael Harvey. As a condition of Green’s release, Judge Harvey ordered Green to stay-away from Washington, D.C. and also to stay away from all museums and public monuments. While under oath, Green stated that he understood these conditions and agreed to them. Despite his express acknowledgment of his release conditions, on February 14, 2024, Green, accompanied by Zepeda, entered the National Archives at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Green and Zepeda stood in front of the display of the U.S. Constitution and emptied bags containing red powder on themselves and the case. The offense was captured by several video cameras. Green and Zepeda were still covered in powder when law enforcement arrested them. Zepeda (left) and Green were photographed covered in red powder after their attack on the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives in Washington D.C. The National Archives was closed from February 14, 2024, to February 17, 2024, to allow for repairs which cost approximately $58,646.25. On February 16, 2024, Green appeared in Court, still covered in red powder from his attack on the Constitution. Green was detained until a hearing on February 21, 2024, after which he was released to the custody of a farm in Virginia. On August 15, 2024, Green pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to both counts of the indictment against him. Despite that, he immediately violated his conditions of release, wandering around Washington, D.C., including around the monuments which he was barred from visiting. At a hearing held on August 30, 2024, Green indicated to the Court that he would not abide by his release conditions and was remanded into custody. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Jackson Green (left) and Donald Zepeda.


title: Multi-Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Collaborative Dismantles Four Criminal Organizations Operating Throughout Southwestern Baltimore

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland joined the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City (SAO) — and its Major Investigations Unit — the Mayor’s Office, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to share details about the largest takedown in Baltimore in decades. This investigation uncovered four separately operated criminal organizations whose primary enterprise was trafficking narcotics. Ivan Roman and Andre Berry are facing federal charges for firearm-related offenses and possession with the intent to distribute narcotics. The SAO announced charges against 40 individuals for drug trafficking and firearm offenses that occurred throughout southwest Baltimore City. This takedown is part of the City’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). Ongoing violence in these areas was the catalyst for the investigation. While examining violent feuds in these regions, law enforcement uncovered the existence of at least four separate criminal organizations that engaged in the daily street-level distribution of narcotics. During the course of the nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement employed various investigative methods. This included executing search-and-seizure warrants and recovering approximately 65 firearms of varying calibers, including ghost guns and firearms equipped with rapid-fire trigger activators, which allow the firearms to operate as fully automatic weapons. Additionally, law enforcement recovered body armor, approximately 7.25 kilograms of suspected cocaine, approximately three kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 110 pounds of suspected cannabis, approximately $373,275.50 — believed to be proceeds from the sale of narcotics — and 15 stolen automobiles. “Operation Tornado Alley comes on the heels of our newly executed Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force memorandum of understanding between the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “This operation proves that we’ve taken the Strike Force to the next level in combating violent crime in the Baltimore region. Violent offenders better beware, we are a force-multiplier for the work of our state and local partners on the ground.” These four criminal organizations conducted criminal activity in the surrounding areas of the 1700 block of Lemmon Street, 2000 block of W. Pratt Street, 500 block of Millington Avenue, and 2800 block of Edmondson Avenue. The SAO has secured 38 state indictments with 35 defendants, involving four conspiracies. “The dismantling of multiple criminal organizations and the arrest of numerous individuals accused of committing violence in our city is a significant victory for the people of Baltimore. Simultaneously taking down this many criminal enterprises requires skilled collaboration across various levels of law enforcement, and this achievement underscores the exceptional effectiveness of our prosecutors, agents, investigators, detectives, police officers, and community partners working tirelessly to make our city a safer place,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “Dismantling these operations marks a significant step forward in our mission to protect our communities from the dangers of illegal drugs and violence. We are not only disrupting the flow of dangerous narcotics but also sending a strong message that Baltimore will not tolerate criminal operations that threaten the safety and well-being of our residents. Our office remains committed to fighting crime on all fronts and working with our community to create a safer, healthier Baltimore for all.” “This takedown is a powerful example of what we can achieve through strong partnerships and focused investigations,” said Police Commissioner Richard Worley. “By removing dangerous individuals, illegal firearms, and drugs from our streets, we are taking significant steps toward making Baltimore a safer city. The hard work and dedication of our officers and partner agencies highlight our shared commitment to the Group Violence Reduction Strategy and working together to reduce violence and protect our communities. We remain relentless in our pursuit of those who bring harm to our neighborhoods.” “We are battling an unprecedented drug poisoning epidemic that has claimed thousands of American lives. I’m talking about the Opioid/Fentanyl Poisoning Crisis. Together, we are sending a powerful and direct message to drug trafficking organizations, their leaders, and those who enable their illegal and violent activities: We will not tolerate these actions and are committed to relentlessly pursuing justice against them,” said SAC Jarod Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division. “ATF is proud to collaborate with our state and local partners to investigate these violent criminal organizations. These charges are a critical step forward in holding those who would commit violence in the city of Baltimore accountable. ATF remains dedicated to bringing those who illegally possess and use firearms to justice,” said SAC Toni Crosby, Baltimore Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This is what GVRS’s accountability component looks like. Working together, sharing intelligence, collaborating with prosecutors on law enforcement investigations, and leveraging our collective resources to hold those who violate the strategy’s mandate to put down the guns and make the decision to perpetuate harm and violence accountable,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “I want to thank State’s Attorney Bates, US Attorney Barron, Governor Moore, GOCCP, our Federal partners at the ATF and DEA, BPD’s Group Violence Unit, Anne Arundel County Police, Baltimore County Police, and our team at MONSE for doing the investigative and enforcement work necessary to incapacitate violent groups plaguing our communities.” Law enforcement identified multiple sources supplying fentanyl and cocaine, some of whom were importing large quantities of narcotics from outside of the state. This included approximately 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine couriered from New York into Maryland on behalf of the criminal organization operating in and around the 500 block of Millington Avenue. The criminal organization maintained caches of firearms to protect their supply of narcotics and secure their territory. In March 2024, BPD executed search warrants in the 500 block of Millington Avenue, which resulted in the seizure of five rifles, three handguns, and body armor. A rival organization — operating in and around the 1700 block of Lemmon Street — engaged in drug trafficking, firearm trafficking, and car thefts to finance and further their enterprise. As a result of proactive enforcement during this investigation, law enforcement thwarted numerous violent incidents, including the prevention of an armed robbery and shutting down a violent territorial dispute. On November 19, 2024, BPD executed 16 search-and-seizure warrants with the assistance of the DEA, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Maryland State Police (MSP), the Baltimore County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, the Harford County Police Department, the Baltimore City Fire Department, and the Baltimore City Health Department Animal Control, pertaining to the criminal organizations operating in and around the 2800 block of Edmondson Avenue, the 500 block of Millington Avenue, and the 1700 block of Lemmon Street. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 525 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 340 grams of suspected cocaine, six firearms varying in caliber, and $9,701, believed to be proceeds from the sale of narcotics. Defendants have been charged with offenses such as Managing and Participating in a Criminal Organization, Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics, Firearm Drug Trafficking, Unlawful Sale of a Regulated Firearm, Firearm Possession by a Prohibited Person, Distribution of Fentanyl, and Distribution of Cocaine. Some have also been charged with offenses such as Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Attempted Murder, and Armed Robbery. The investigation is ongoing concerning additional acts of violence committed by members of criminal organizations to further the interests of their enterprise. 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. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations to reduce drug-related and/or gang violence in the Baltimore metropolitan and surrounding areas. The Baltimore Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, ATF, and FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked the Baltimore Police Department, other law enforcement agencies, the Assistant State’s Attorneys with the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Drug Offenses After Selling Drugs to an Undercover Officer

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today to drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution on the North Shore. Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 29, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog, and methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 17, 2025. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024. Bratini-Perez was on probation following his release from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. Following his arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at Bratini-Perez’s residence and recovered over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. 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. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Man Accused of St. Louis Carjacking

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Venice, Illinois appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Monday to answer an indictment accusing him of a September carjacking in the Tower Grove East neighborhood of St. Louis. Harry Moore, 20, was indicted November 20 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one felony count of carjacking and one felony count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. He pleaded not guilty Monday. The indictment accuses Moore of stealing a 2022 Subaru Outback at gunpoint on Sept. 9, 2024. A motion seeking to have Moore held in jail until trial says he was in a stolen Cadillac CTS with two others at the time of the carjacking and ordered the victim to unlock his cellphone and provide the PIN number to his ATM card, which Moore used a short time later to withdraw cash at a gas station. The motion also says Moore was caught on camera later that morning along the western edge of Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis, sitting on the window frame of the passenger door of the Subaru and firing shots at a man running away. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The carjacking charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The brandishing charge is punishable by seven years to life in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and the St. Clair County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Tax Preparer Charged in 16-Count Indictment for Falsifying Tax Returns for Customers and Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs for Small Businesses

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey tax preparer was charged in a sixteen-count indictment for using false information to increase client tax refunds, and fraudulently obtaining money from Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Anne Bonilla, aka “Anne Davinovish,” 53, of Linden, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with thirteen counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of wire fraud. Bonilla was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and pleaded not guilty. According to the indictment: Bonilla was a tax preparer at Anne Accounting Services Inc. who created fraudulent tax returns on behalf of multiple clients by falsifying various expenses. As a result, those clients’ returns requested higher tax credits and higher refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. Bonilla prepared at least 46 fraudulent tax returns that caused approximately $340,000 in refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled. Bonilla also arranged for a conspirator to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Electronic Filer Identification Number (EFIN) using the conspirator’s personal identifying information. The fraudulent EIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $195,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, and the fraudulent EFIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $595,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, including tax refunds totaling more than $100,000 in the names (including variations of the names) of Bonilla and her associates. In June 2020, Bonilla and a conspirator submitted a fraudulent EIDL application, which resulted in the Small Business Administration (SBA) paying $110,000 in COVID-19 related proceeds. In July 2020, Bonilla and the conspirator submitted another fraudulent EIDL application, which resulted in the SBA paying $131,200 in COVID-19 related proceeds. The July 2020 application was submitted under another person’s name to conceal the involvement of Bonilla and her conspirator, but law enforcement was subsequently able to link the July 2020 application back to Bonilla. Bonilla also sent a lender altered bank statements in connection with the purchase of real property in Florida. Each of the 13 counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. bonilla.indictment.pdf


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Trailer Manufacturer to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims and Announces a New Resource for Lawful Permanent Residents

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Great Dane LLC (Great Dane) resolving the department’s determination that Great Dane’s plant in Wayne, Nebraska, violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The department determined that Great Dane discriminated against non-U.S. citizens by asking them for additional and unnecessary documents, or information from those unnecessary documents, to prove their permission to work. The department also announced the release of a new fact sheet to help lawful permanent residents learn about discrimination protections under the INA. “It is unlawful for employers to add discriminatory barriers in the hiring process because of a worker’s citizenship or immigration status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that workers enjoy the protections the law provides, including where barriers to employment are discriminatory.” After opening an investigation based on a complaint from a lawful permanent resident, the department determined that Great Dane asked non-U.S. citizens, including the worker who submitted the complaint, to provide additional and unnecessary documents to prove their permission to work, because of their immigration status. For example, the department determined that even though the worker who filed the initial complaint provided sufficient information and documents to prove his permission to work — his state ID and unrestricted Social Security card — the company nevertheless wanted him to provide additional information from a Permanent Resident Card. The department determined that Great Dane failed to hire non-U.S. citizens who were unable to comply with the company’s unnecessary requests. Finally, the department also determined that Great Dane discriminated against non-U.S. citizens already working for the company by asking them for documents to prove their ongoing permission to work, even though it was unnecessary. Lawful permanent residents (sometimes referred to as “green card holders”) can use different types of documentation to prove their permission to work. Lawful permanent residents do not have to show a Permanent Resident Card (or “green card”) or prove their immigration status when demonstrating their permission to work. As explained in the department’s new fact sheet, the INA protects lawful permanent residents from discrimination when an employer is verifying their permission to work. Employers cannot limit the valid documentation that a lawful permanent resident may show when verifying their ability to work. The fact sheet also explains how lawful permanent residents can get help if they are being discriminated against. Under the terms of the settlement, the company will pay $218,000 in civil penalties to the United States and establish a backpay fund of $218,000 to compensate victims of the company’s discriminatory practices, including those whom it failed to hire or who lost work because they could not comply with the company’s discriminatory document demands. The agreement also requires Great Dane to train its personnel on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. People who think they may qualify for back pay under the settlement should contact the Civil Rights Division at Claims.GD@usdoj.gov . The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the antidiscrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; or retaliation and intimidation . IER’s website has more information on lawful permanent residents’ rights under the INA and how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; email IER@usdoj.gov ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un fabricante de remolques para resolver acusaciones de discriminación relacionadas a inmigración y anuncia un nuevo recurso para residentes permanentes legales

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Great Dane LLC (Great Dane) que resolvió la determinación del Departamento de que la planta de Great Dane en Wayne, Nebraska, vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad. El Departamento determinó que Great Dane discriminó a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. al pedirles documentos adicionales e innecesarios, o información de esos documentos innecesarios, para demostrar su permiso para trabajar. El Departamento también anunció el lanzamiento de una nueva hoja informativa para ayudar a los residentes permanentes legales a conocer las protecciones contra la discriminación en virtud de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés). «Es ilegal para los empleadores crear barreras discriminatorias durante el proceso de contratación debido al estatus de ciudadanía del trabajador», comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a garantizar que los trabajadores disfruten de las protecciones que les proporciona la ley, incluyendo donde las barreras al empleo son discriminatorias». Después de iniciar una investigación basada en una queja de un residente permanente legal, el Departamento determinó que Great Dane preguntó a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU., incluido el trabajador que presentó la queja, para proporcionar documentos adicionales e innecesarios para demostrar su permiso para trabajar, debido a su estatus migratorio. Por ejemplo, el Departamento determinó que, aunque el trabajador que presentó la queja inicial proporcionó suficiente información y documentos para demostrar su permiso para trabajar, su carné de identidad estatal y su tarjeta de Seguro Social sin restricciones, la empresa, sin embargo, quería que proporcionara información adicional de una tarjeta de residente permanente. El Departamento determinó que Great Dane no contrató a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. que no pudieron cumplir con las solicitudes innecesarias de la empresa. Por último, el Departamento también determinó que Great Dane discriminó a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. que ya trabajan para la empresa al pedirles documentos que demostrasen su permiso continuo para trabajar, aunque fuera innecesario. Los residentes permanentes legales (a veces denominados «titulares de tarjetas verdes») pueden utilizar diferentes tipos de documentación para demostrar su permiso para trabajar. Los residentes permanentes legales no tienen que mostrar una tarjeta de residente permanente (o «tarjeta verde») ni probar su estatus migratorio al demostrar su permiso para trabajar. Como se explica en la nueva hoja informativa del Departamento, la INA protege a los residentes legales permanentes de la discriminación cuando un empleador verifica su permiso para trabajar. Los empleadores no pueden limitar la documentación válida que un residente permanente legal puede mostrar al verificar su permiso para trabajar. La hoja informativa también explica cómo los residentes permanentes legales pueden obtener ayuda si se les discrimina. En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, la empresa pagará $218,000 en sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos y establecerá un fondo de pagos retroactivos de $218,000 para compensar a las víctimas de las prácticas discriminatorias de la empresa, incluidas aquellas a las que no contrató o que perdieron trabajo porque no pudieron cumplir con las solicitudes documentales discriminatorias de la empresa. El acuerdo también requiere que Great Dane capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración departamentales. Cualquier persona que crea que puede calificar para los pagos retroactivos en virtud del acuerdo debe enviar un correo electrónico a la IER a la siguiente dirección de correo electrónico: Claims.GD@usdoj.gov La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles, es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . El sitio web de IER tiene más información sobre los derechos de residentes permanentes legales en virtud de la INA y cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación ilegal al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 o para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea en línea en vivo o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.