title: Wheatfield man sentenced for his role in debt collection scheme

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Greg MacKinnon, 58, of Wheatfield, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. MacKinnon was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,067,341 to the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, who handled the case, stated that between June 2011, and April 27, 2017, MacKinnon operated Vantage Point Services, a debt collection business. MacKinnon and others involved in the conspiracy fraudulently and unlawfully collected on debt, earning income exceeding $10,000 every year from such criminal activity. The criminal activity included using illegal tactics to collect on debt, such as coercion by making false threats of arrest to debtors; collecting more than was owed on a debt; and attempting to collect on debt that had already been paid in full. MacKinnon, and his co-conspirators, diverted money that represented the unlawful proceeds of illegal debt collection activities employed by Vantage Point Services to other debt collection business entities controlled by co-conspirators. The money was diverted, and made to appear as ordinary business expenses, to avoid reporting income exceeding $10,000 in any year from criminal activity and paying income taxes. The total tax loss to the United States was $3,067,341. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.


title: Grand jury indicts Buffalo man on charges of production of child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Mark Nash, 35, of Buffalo, NY, with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on three occasions between July 2021, and May 2022, Nash coerced Minor Victim 1 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. In addition, between July 2, 2021, and April 12, 2023, Nash possessed a cell phone containing sexually explicit images of Minor Victim 1. The defendant was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Carjacking Leads to 9 1/2 Years in Prison for St. Louis Man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine E. Perry on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis, Missouri man who stole a car at gunpoint in 2022 to nine and one-half years in prison. Demetrius Nettles, 49, pleaded guilty in September to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Nettles admitted approaching a woman in the 4600 block of Dewey Avenue, in the Dutchtown neighborhood, on May 15, 2022. Nettles demanded the victim’s keys before pointing a revolver at her stomach. Nettles then drove off in the woman’s 2020 Hyundai Elantra. Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spotted the car on Kingshighway Boulevard at Natural Bridge Avenue and conducted a traffic stop. They then arrested Nettles, who had a loaded Taurus .38 Special revolver in his waistband. In a letter to Judge Perry, the victim said she was packing her car to go to a picnic and planned to offer Nettles a sandwich, a bottle of water and a job before noticing the gun pointed at her stomach. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane prosecuted the case.


title: Former City of Chicago Alderman Convicted on Federal Racketeering, Bribery, and Extortion Charges

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted former City of Chicago Alderman EDWARD M. BURKE on racketeering, bribery, and extortion charges for abusing his position while an alderman to solicit and extort private legal work and other benefits from companies and individuals with business before the city. Burke, 79, of Chicago, was found guilty on 13 counts: racketeering; corruptly soliciting, demanding, accepting, or agreeing to accept things of value; using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity; and attempted extortion. A co-defendant, real estate developer CHARLES CUI, 52, of Lake Forest, Ill., was found guilty on five counts: corruptly offering or agreeing to give things of value; using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity; and knowingly making a false statement to the FBI. A third defendant, PETER J. ANDREWS, 74, of Chicago, an aide in Burke’s 14th Ward office, was acquitted of all charges against him. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall set sentencing for June 17, 2024, for Cui, and June 19, 2024, for Burke. The racketeering and extortion counts are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The counts for corruptly soliciting and accepting things of value are punishable by up to ten years, while the maximum for both using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity and making a false statement to the FBI is five years. The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The City of Chicago Inspector General’s Office and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Streicker, Diane MacArthur, Timothy Chapman, and Sushma Raju, as well as Amarjeet Bhachu, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption Section. Evidence at the six-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago revealed that Burke corruptly solicited work for his private law firm from companies involved in redevelopment projects at the Old Main Post Office in downtown Chicago and a Burger King restaurant on the city’s Southwest Side. Burke also corruptly attempted to assist Cui with a development on the city’s Northwest Side shortly after Cui told Burke that he would hire Burke’s private law firm, Klafter & Burke, for legal work. Klafter & Burke specialized in seeking property tax reductions for corporate clients. The evidence further revealed that Burke threatened to oppose an admission fee increase at the Field Museum in Chicago because the museum failed to respond to Burke’s inquiry about obtaining an internship at the museum for a child of Burke’s friend. Cui was convicted of steering the private legal work to Burke in an effort to influence and reward him in connection with permitting and tax increment financing for Cui’s development. The corruption schemes occurred in 2016, 2017, and 2018, while Burke was Alderman of the 14th Ward and Chairman of the Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee. Burke served in the City Council from 1969 until earlier this year.


title: Rutland Woman Indicted on Drug Charges

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Maria Alvarez, 43, of Rutland, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Burlington on December 21, 2023. Previously, a federal grand jury sitting in Rutland, Vermont returned a one-count indictment on November 15, 2023, alleging that Alvarez possessed cocaine with intent to distribute it. Alvarez was arrested on December 20, 2023 and made an initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Alvarez was ordered detained pending further proceedings. According to court records, Rutland police responded to a call on September 26, 2023 regarding potentially unresponsive people in a vehicle. Police found Alvarez in the front passenger seat and another individual in the driver’s seat. Police observed on the driver’s lap what appeared to be a rock of crack cocaine. When police effected Alvarez’s arrest, they saw her place in the adjacent door a container with several rocks of what appeared to be crack cocaine. All of the apparent crack cocaine field-tested positive. Police arrested the driver and Alvarez, secured the vehicle and obtained a state court search warrant to search the vehicle. When police executed the search warrant on the vehicle, they found three bags in the footwell where Alvarez had been seated in the front passenger seat. From those bags, police recovered a variety of items, including: Alvarez’s non-driver’s ID, a key to a lockbox which contained over 600 grams of powder cocaine, over $5,000 in cash and suspected drug packaging. From the vehicle, police also recovered two scales, among other items. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Alvarez remains presumed innocent unless and until she is convicted of a crime. If convicted, Alvarez faces a maximum possible penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence following any conviction will be advised by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code. The investigation has been led by the Rutland Police Department. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Ophardt and Colin Owyang. Alvarez is represented by Richard C. Bothfeld, Esq.


title: West Bend Man Sentenced for Federal Child Sexual Abuse Charge

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on December 20, 2023, United States District Judge Brett H. Ludwig sentenced Steven M. Stathas, (age: 33) of West Bend, Wisconsin, to 180 months’ imprisonment (15 years), after he pleaded guilty to Using a Computer to Attempt to Persuade, Induce, and Entice a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). Stathas’s term of imprisonment will be followed by ten years of supervised release, and he will also pay a $100.00 special assessment. According to court filings, Stathas, who was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of two felony sex offenses against minors, began communicating online with a fifteen-year-old who lived in Kentucky in late 2021. Between September and November 2021, Stathas travelled from the Eastern District of Wisconsin to Kentucky on multiple occasions and engaged in various sex acts with the victim. Finally, on November 28, 2021, Stathas drove to Kentucky, picked the victim up from her family home without her parent’s consent or knowledge, and drove her to his home in Wisconsin, where he was apprehended by the West Bend Police Department. When imposing sentence, Judge Ludwig observed that because of Stathas’s behavior “a permanent scar has been left on the victim’s life.” Judge Ludwig also noted that “[t]here is no justification for what occurred,” and that [t]his was a vulnerable young girl who was victimized by a man who was twice her age.” Judge Ludwig additionally stated that “[g]rown men cannot victimize teenage girls, and if they do, a price has got to be paid.” This case was investigated by the West Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Paulson and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the United States Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood, marshals, federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $600,734 grant from Justice Department for agencies, organizations to support youth

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced that the Department of Justice has awarded $600,734 to the state of Montana to fund agencies and organizations that support youth and their families. The grant, administered by the Montana Board of Crime Control, is from the Fiscal Year 2023 Title II Formula Grants Program, the Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention. “This grant -- and the organizations it will support—serves an important role in our efforts to help prevent youth from ending up in our criminal justice system and to improve their chances for success if they do. While the U.S. Department of Justice seeks to hold people accountable for their criminal conduct, supporting at-risk youth and their families contributes to the overall public safety and well-being of Montana communities, which is why this grant is so important,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. Montana’s FY23 Title II program will support efforts to advance the mission of the Youth Justice Council, the state’s advisory group, to improve the juvenile justice system. The Montana Board of Crime Control intends to monitor compliance with the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act, provide training and technical assistance, improve policies and procedures and award grants to evidence-based promising programs. The Youth Justice Council has prioritized community-based programs; delinquency programs; mentoring, counseling and training programs; school programs; mental health and substance use treatment; and Native American Tribal programs. These activities are expected to prevent delinquency, divert youth from system involvement, reduce recidivism, improve outcomes for youth involved in the justice system and increase public safety. This grant serves hundreds of at-risk children and youth ages 0 to 17 each year. Many of these youth have experienced poverty, trauma, family dysfunction, substance use and mental health issues. The Montana Board of Crime Control anticipates awarding funding to 14 agencies: Families First Learning Lab, Missoula; CASA of Missoula; Friendship House of Christian Service, Billings; YWCA of Missoula; Billings Public Schools; Center for Restorative Youth Justice, Kalispell; Chippewa Cree Tribal Court, Box Elder; Bitterroot Ecological Awareness Resources, Hamilton; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Butte, Yellowstone and Kalispell; and Boys and Girls Clubs, Havre, Missoula and Great Falls. The service area will cover eight counties, the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and portions of the Flathead Indian Reservation. XXX


title: Essex County Woman Charged with Stealing over $1 Million in Federal Retirement Benefits Intended for Deceased Aunt

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman was arrested today for allegedly stealing over $1 million of federal benefits meant for her deceased aunt over a 25-year period, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Janis Miller, 77, of South Orange, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. She appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 1998, Miller’s aunt died. Unaware of her death, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) paid approximately $1.01 million in retirement and survivor benefits to the bank account of Miller’s deceased aunt. By debit card, cash withdrawals, and forged checks made out to a company Miller controlled, Miller unlawfully disbursed virtually all of those embezzled funds. In 2022, to continue her unlawful receipt of the benefits, Miller, in a telephone conversation with an SSA employee, impersonated her deceased aunt and provided her aunt’s approximate birthdate. OPM and SSA discovered the fraud and discontinued the benefits in 2023, around 25 years after Miller began stealing those benefits. The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of the greatest of either $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott, and U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Paul Kimball, with the investigation leading to today’s charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. miller.complaint.pdf


title: New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Harass and Intimidate Two Journalists

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Hampshire man has pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate two journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). The harassment and intimidation of the victims included the vandalism – on five separate occasions – of the victims’ homes and the home of one of the victims’ parents with bricks, large rocks and red spray paint. Tucker Cockerline, 32, of Salem, N.H., pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and the use of a facility of interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2024. Cockerline was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Michael Waselchuck and Keenan Saniatan. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury along with Eric Labarge in September 2023 . According to the charging documents, after a year-long investigation, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article in March 2022 detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is alleged to be a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Saniatan, Cockerline and Waselchuck allegedly agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members. Among other things, the indictment alleges that: On or about April 22, 2022, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., using a brick and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of the home; On or about April 22, 2022, Saniatan allegedly agreed to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H., and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan allegedly spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home; and he allegedly threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home; On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge allegedly solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, allegedly recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence; and On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house. Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal grand jury indicts Buffalo man and woman on COVID fraud charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Damone Hennings, 31, and Analyse Spencer, 23, both of Buffalo, NY, with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a minimum penalty of two years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between on or about August 11, and September 7, 2020, Hennings and Spencer conspired to illegally obtain pandemic related benefits from the New York State Department of Labor. Hennings and Spencer used false identification information, including the social security numbers of other individuals, to submit 10 applications to state labor department. As a result, Hennings and Spencer received 10 debit cards containing federal funds that they were not entitled to receive. Hennings and Spencer attempted to obtain $412,606, but actually obtained approximately $362,268. The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Linder. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced on Fraudulent Credit Card Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months’ probation with 6 months’ home confinement on his conviction of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Hector Ofelio Podio Gutierrez, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada. According to information presented to the court, Podio Gutierrez used counterfeit credit cards encoded with stolen bank account information to purchase MasterCard gift cards at Sam’s Club stores in the Pittsburgh area, as well as in Florida and California. During the month of December 2017, Podio Gutierrez and his codefendant, Yoandy Pou Torres, using an encoding device, created counterfeit credit cards, and then used the cards to make fraudulent gift card purchases totaling more than $382,000 at various Sam’s Club locations, approximately $170,000 of which were purchases conducted at Pittsburgh area stores. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that Podio Gutierrez, since his arrest and while on bond pending trial, had been living a productive and law abiding life, and had provided noteworthy support to his family and his community. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gutierrez.


title: Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on December 20, 2023, on a charge of Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced. Troy D. Arnold, age 57, was sentenced to five years of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised released by United States District Judge Robert J. Colville. The court was advised that on or about August 15, 2022, Arnold possessed more than 2,700 images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. These images and videos included the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age as well as material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence, and the sexual abuse or exploitation of infants or toddlers. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pittsburgh Office of Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Arnold. 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Buffalo man sentenced for his role in narcotics conspiracy that led to an overdose death

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Steven Gonzalez a/k/a Steven Hernandez, a/k/a Steve, a/k/a Stevie, a/k/a Unc, 47, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Gonzalez was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $7,058.60 to the family of overdose victim L.K. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case stated that between June 2019, and September 2019, Gonzalez conspired with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl. During the conspiracy, Gonzalez sold quantities of heroin and fentanyl for profit, with the assistance of a known co-conspirator identified CC-1. CC-1 arranged drug deals and drove Gonzalez to drug deals, and Gonzalez provided CC-1 with heroin/fentanyl for CC-1’s personal use. On July 17, 2019, CC-1 made a controlled call to Gonzalez regarding CC-1’s sworn testimony related to the overdose of a person identified as L.K. CC-1 told Gonzalez that CC-1 believed that investigators did not believe CC-1’s false story accusing a source of supply named “Freddy.” Gonzalez told CC-1 to “stick to the same story that you’ve been telling them.” On September 24, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at West Avenue residence, during which they recovered approximately 19 grams of heroin from Gonzalez’s possession. Gonzalez utilized the West Avenue residence to facilitate his drug trafficking activities. In April 2022, Gonzalez was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking by coercion, and drug distribution charges. Those charges remain pending. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. # # # #


title: Jamestown man pleads guilty to distributing child pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandon G. Uber, 23, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that in March 2021, Uber sent a Snapchat user image and video files of a 16-year-old minor female victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Uber also received images and videos of child pornography from other users of social media applications. In addition, Uber had online conversations with another known minor female victim, during which he persuaded the victim to create sexually explicit videos of herself to send to him. Uber stored the child pornography he received and distributed on various electronic devices that were seized during the investigation, including two cell phones and two tablets. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski. Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2024, before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Two Men Charged in Connection with Kidnapping of New Jersey Resident

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two men have been charged in connection with their respective roles in an armed kidnapping for ransom of a Paterson, New Jersey, resident, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Julio Cesar Paniagua, 27, is charged by complaint with one count of kidnapping. Paniagua appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was detained. Joel Ramon Garcia, 33, was previously charged by complaint with one count of kidnapping. Following his arrest on Nov. 20, 2023, Garcia made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Nov. 15, 2023, Paniagua and Garcia kidnapped the victim in Paterson and then drove the victim to Massachusetts, where they held the victim for ransom. During the kidnapping, Paniagua and Garcia both brandished firearms. Shortly after the kidnapping, the kidnappers contacted the victim’s father and threatened that the victim’s fingers would be cut off if the ransom was not paid. The kidnappers ultimately released the victim on Nov. 17, 2023. The charge of kidnapping carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the FBI’s New Jersey field office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked members of the FBI’s Boston field office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen; the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Isa M. Abbassi; members of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik; members of the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi; members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mark Musella; and members of the Cedar Grove Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief John J. Kennedy, for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Maloy of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. garcia.complaint.pdf paniagua.complaint.pdf


title: Norfolk Man Convicted of Armed Robbery of Federal Firearms Licensee

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man today on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jamique Mays, 30, conspired with a former girlfriend, Jaclyn Inge, 44, and a friend, Desmond Littlejohn, 37, to rob Inge’s employer, a federal firearms licensee. On October 9, 2017, the three co-conspirators drove to Inge’s employer’s business in Virginia Beach. They waited until Inge’s employer and another co-worker arrived. Mays and Littlejohn approached the two victims and brandished firearms. They demanded a black bag they knew would contain a large sum of money the business earned during a weekend gun show held in Philadelphia. Once they obtained the bag, they ran back to the vehicle where Inge was waiting. As they fled the scene, Mays threw items out of the car window, including a black ski mask. Littlejohn’s DNA was found on the mask. Mays later confessed to committing a robbery to a friend while on Facebook Messenger. Mays faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on April 19, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Littlejohn was previously convicted of the same charges in February 2019 and was sentenced to 189 months in prison. Inge pled guilty to illegally purchasing and possessing the firearm used by Mays in the robbery and was sentenced to 78 months in October 2020. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller are prosecuting the case. Miller also serves as a Virginia Assistant Attorney General. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-123.


title: Former Army lieutenant colonel pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Dec. 20, Edgar Ali Cerda, 49, of Cooper City, Florida, a former Army lieutenant colonel pleaded guilty in federal district court in Fort Lauderdale to possession of child pornography. At the time of the crimes, Cerda was employed with the United States Army. On March 10, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a residential search warrant at Cerda’s home. An examination of Cerda’s electronic devices revealed multiple images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of children under 12 years of age, with one victim as young as four years old. Forensic evidence also revealed that Cerda shared some of the images within a group chat. Law enforcement officers arrested Cerda, who was home at the time. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Cerda faces up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) announced the guilty plea. FBI Miami and BSO investigated the case with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay J. Alexander is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60115. ###


title: Owner of Marketing Companies Admits Role in $24 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Ohio man and owner of several marketing companies today admitted his role in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced. James D. Feeley, 46, of Grafton, Ohio, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From June 2017 through September 2020, Feeley participated in a scheme with pharmacies, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit false claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, based on a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes. Feeley controlled several marketing companies though which he and his conspirators identified Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries to target for expensive drugs. The marketing companies spoke to beneficiaries by telephone to pressure them to agree to try expensive medications, regardless of medical necessity. Company employees would deliberately conceal the name of the prescribing doctor – whom the beneficiary had never met before – to increase the likelihood that the beneficiary would agree to accept the medications. Portions of the telephone calls were recorded. Feeley and his companies then paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies, which in turn paid kickbacks to doctors, to obtain prescriptions for the medications. Feeley transmitted to the telemedicine companies the beneficiaries’ medical information, the telephone call recording, and pre-marked prescription pads for particular drugs that would yield exorbitant reimbursements. Feeley, the marketing companies, and the pharmacies with which they had relationships chose particular drugs for the prescriptions largely based on reimbursement amount and not medical need. The doctors paid by the telemedicine companies signed the prescriptions regardless of medical necessity, often without ever speaking to the patient. Feeley and his conspirators then directed the prescriptions to pharmacies with which Feeley and his business partner, Mark Belter, had additional kickback arrangements. The pharmacies submitted claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs including Medicare and TRICARE, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Feeley and his companies as payment for the prescriptions generated through the conspiracy. In total, Feeley and his conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs totaling more than $24 million of prescription drugs. Belter previously pleaded guilty to an information charging conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Feeley and his companies received kickbacks and bribes totaling more than $6 million in exchange for prescription referrals to Apogee Bio Pharm LLC, a pharmacy located in Edison, New Jersey. The principals of Apogee – William Welwart, Ethan Welwart, and Gary Kaczka – are charged with health care fraud and related offenses in a separate indictment. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and William Welwart, Ethan Welwart and Gary Kaczka are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Elan Yaish, former president of Apogee, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute. The conspiracy charges are each punishable by a maximum of five years in prison, along with fines, restitution, and penalties as to both counts. Both charges are punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2024. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Solecki, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. feeley.information.pdf


title: Okeene Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, RANDAL WADE LAUBACH , 55, of Okeene, was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 18, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Laubach. Count one charged him with transportation of child pornography, and Count 2 charged him with possession of prepubescent child pornography. The Indictment alleges that on June 9, 2022, Laubach knowingly possessed child pornography. Public record reflects that Laubach possessed more than 50 terabytes of child pornography, stored using various digital mediums including his cell phone. On July 26, 2023, Laubach pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment. As part of his plea, Laubach admitted he had possessed child pornography for the last 20 years. At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Laubach to serve 78 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release. He has been in federal custody since July 26, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Payette Man Sentenced to Over 7.5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Joel J. Martinez, 35, of Payette, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, the investigation began when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received numerous CyberTips from Google. A CyberTip is a report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC gathers leads and tips regarding suspected online crimes against children and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. HSI determined that Google accounts, later identified as belonging to Martinez, had uploaded child pornography. HSI obtained a search warrant for the contents of the Google accounts and located over 200 videos of child pornography within the accounts. HSI later executed a federal search warrant at Martinez’s residence in Payette. HSI seized several cellphones and a SD card belonging to Martinez. HSI located additional files of child pornography on the devices. During an interview, Martinez admitted to downloading and viewing child pornography and to paying for access to a website that contained child pornography. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Martinez to 10 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to a victim in the images he possessed. Martinez will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction. “Protecting our children from internet predators is, and must be, a priority for both the government and internet service providers,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “CyberTips like the one that led to this conviction exemplify the value of public/private cooperation. My Office will continue to prioritize these prosecutions and hold accountable those who would exploit children.” “In safeguarding our community, we stand united against those who exploit innocence. Martinez's sentencing is a testament to the resilience of collaboration, reminding us that protecting our children is not just a duty, but a shared commitment to their well-being and the strength of our community bonds,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI is proud to work closely with the Idaho ICAC team along with the Payette Police Department to effect this judgement.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of HSI, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Payette Police Department, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Albuquerque Man Charged with Coercion and Enticement of Minors

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Adrian Puentes appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with 2 counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. Puentes, 24, of Albuquerque, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the indictment, between June 29, 2021, and December 1, 2021, Puentes coerced Jane Doe 1, a minor, to engage in sexual activity. Also, between October 19, 2021, and March 23, 2023, Puentes coerced Jane Doe 2, a minor, to engage in sexual activity. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Puentes faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment # # # 23-296


title: Readout from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez’s Meeting with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Representatives from Federal Agencies

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Last week, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and federal prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) hosted New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and representatives from 13 federal agencies that serve New Mexico. The meeting focused on ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime in Albuquerque by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the partnership between federal and state law enforcement agencies to increase public safety. U.S. Attorney Uballez opened the meeting by outlining the unique and close relationship between federal, state, and local law enforcement in New Mexico wherein federal law enforcement surgically targets drivers of violent crime for federal investigation and prosecution. Governor Lujan Grisham expressed her wholehearted support for federal criminal enforcement, and enthusiasm for the partnership, while noting that previous broadly targeted efforts to arrest had negligible impacts on violent crime. U.S. Attorney Uballez offered that the reason why federal resources are best used in a targeted fashion at the worst drivers of violence, freeing up state law enforcement to address lower-level crimes. U.S. Attorney identified the USAO’s policy of community violence intervention as the only law enforcement approach to result in statistically meaningful reductions in violent crime. This coordinated focused deterrence model identifies drivers of violent crime and offers support to those who chose peace, and federal criminal enforcement to those who chose violence. To highlight law enforcement efforts, Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office discussed the Violent Crime Task Force, a partnership between federal and state law enforcement agencies where federal agents and cross-designated Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local and state law enforcement agencies work together to target drivers of violent crime. Next, Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber from the ATF’s Phoenix Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Boshek from the ATF’s Dallas Field Division discussed crime gun intelligence efforts including crime gun tracing and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which captures and compares ballistic evidence to aid in solving crimes. Next, Assistant Special Agent in Charge John E. Gonzalez from the DEA discussed their data-driven Operation Overdrive which targets violent criminals and drug traffickers linked to overdose deaths. Finally, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Russell Lashley highlighted Operation North Star where Marshal’s deputies arrested violent offenders with outstanding warrants. U.S. Attorney Uballez summarized that cross-designation is the key to the relationship—TFOs from state and local law enforcement and Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) from local district attorney’s offices are a force multiplier and a critical bridge between agencies. The federal agencies also discussed the pernicious threat posed by transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) operating human smuggling operations on New Mexico’s southern Border. Criminal Chief Aaron Jordan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office, described the combined efforts of the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security in Joint Task Force Alpha to target command-and-control elements of TCOs, charging their leadership and seizing their money. Chief Jordan also described the USAO’s focused effort to charge all migrants and smugglers who pose a demonstrable threat to public safety in New Mexico. Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Good from U.S. Border Patrol Deputy and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens from Homeland Security Investigations described how the number of migrant deaths in the El Paso Sector doubled from 2022 to 2023, how smuggling organizations recruit minors to drive migrants, how the conditions in “stash houses” where migrants are kept are inhumane, and how migrants face extortion, violence, and rape at the hands of their smugglers. Other attendees from federal agencies included Chief U.S. Probation Officer Ronald Travers from U.S. Probation and Parole, Special Agent in Charge William Mack from the U.S. Secret Service, Resident Agent in Charge Brenda Gonzales from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress from the Internal Revenue Service, Assistant Inspector in Charge Greg Torbenson from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Special Agent in Charge Victoria Owens from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All of the participants expressed a commitment to partner with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to address violent crime in not only Albuquerque, but the entire state. # # # 23-297


title: Sun Valley Man Arrested on Complaint Alleging He Sent  Emails Threatening to ‘Unabomb’ the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging he sent a series of threatening emails to the FBI, including ones in which he threatened to bomb the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and referenced the notorious “Unabomber.” Mark William Anten, 52, of Sun Valley, is charged with making threats by interstate communication, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. FBI agents arrested Anten without incident this morning at his residence. A federal magistrate judge this afternoon ordered Anten jailed without bond and scheduled an arraignment for January 11, 2024 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, since July 2023, Anten has sent numerous threatening communications to the FBI, including emails that reference bombing the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office in Westwood. Specifically, on November 2, 2023, Anten allegedly emailed FBI agents saying he “embrace[d]” that he was voted most likely in his graduating class to become the next Unabomber – a reference to Theodore John Kaczynski, whose 20-year bombing campaign killed three people and injured nearly two dozen more. Kaczynski was convicted of federal crimes, spent the bulk of his prison sentence in the “SuperMax” federal prison in Colorado, and died in prison on June 10. In the November 2 email, Anten allegedly listed similarities between himself and Kaczynski, proclaimed that he was working on a manifesto, and signed his email “Unabomber.” On November 20, two FBI Task Force Officers interviewed Anten in front of his residence. During the interview, Anten admitted to sending the previous communications and the officers admonished him to stop contacting agents, the affidavit states. Despite the admonition, Anten’s conduct escalated. On December 5, Anten allegedly sent a string of threatening emails to FBI agents, in which he threatened to “Unabomb” the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. In one email sent on December 6, Anten allegedly emailed agents, “I can go on a mass murder spree. In fact, it would be very explainable by your actions” and signed it, “SuperMax or Death.” He also sent an email that included an image depicting the results of a Google internet search for “how to make a dirty bomb.” Later on December 6, Anten visited the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and later emailed agents that he visited their building and would continue to do so. Surveillance footage confirmed Anten’s presence there. A criminal complaint contained allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney J’me K. Forrest of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $152,772 grant from Justice Department for Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office

body_text: BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced that the Department of Justice has awarded $152,772 to the Billings Police Department and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office for supplies and equipment. The grant is from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, FY23 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. “Our top priority in Billings is fighting violent crime and we cannot do this effectively without the brave men and women of the Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office. They deserve our unwavering support and as far as the U.S. Department of Justice is concerned, we are putting money where our mouth is by providing them this grant to help keep officers safe and protect our community from dangerous criminals,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. The grant award is for a joint application from the Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, with the police department acting as the grant administrator. The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office plans to use its $20,611 grant allocation to purchase equipment and supplies for its office and detention facility, including rechargeable flashlights and charging docks for the detention facility, batteries used for its tactical robot, helicopter and other radios and miscellaneous supplies. The sheriff’s office also plans to use the money to fix hail damage on the helicopter and to buy a portable radio. The Billings Police Department plans to use its allocation of $132,161 to purchase patrol SUV equipment, simulation ammunition, Point Blank vests, TASER training cartridges, uniforms, batteries, first aid supplies and promotional items. XXX


title: Brooklyn Park Man Pleads Guilty to $2.3M Romance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man has pleaded guilty to facilitating a national romance fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, beginning in May 2018 through June 2022, Dodzi Kwame Kordorwu, 37, helped facilitate an online romance fraud scheme that targeted primarily elderly victims and lured them into sending money under false pretenses. The scheme relied on perpetrators impersonating a real or plausible but fictitious person, such as a senior U.S. diplomat or military official, that contacted the victims through online social media applications. The scheme participants then sought to forge a romantic connection with the victims. If successful, the scheme participants would then ask the victims for money purportedly to assist the false persona with some problem or need. Occasionally, the scheme participants would even introduce the victims to a purported third-party intermediary who would corroborate the false persona’s story and assist in defrauding the victims. The victims eventually were directed to send large sums of money by mail or other commercial means to a specified name and address. In total, Kordorwu received over 90 victim packages containing approximately $2,231,998 in fraud proceeds throughout the scheme. Kordorwu kept some of the proceeds for his personal benefit and disbursed the remainder of the proceeds to other scheme participants. Kordorwu pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of mail fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and a Digital Forensic Investigator with Hennepin County. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis are prosecuting the case.


title: Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison for Threatening U.S. Congresswoman

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Michael David Fox was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. Fox, 60, of Las Cruces, pleaded guilty to interstate transmission of threatening communication on Sept. 20, 2023. According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Fox left a voicemail for the office of a congresswoman for the District of Texas, calling her a “tranny and a pedophile” and threatening to “put a bullet” in her face. Law enforcement was able to trace the call to Fox. On May 26, 2023, Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed Fox at his residence in Las Cruces and he admitted to making the threat. Fox claimed to believe that transgender individuals had infiltrated the government and other institutions and that he was part of a movement aimed at “eradicating” those people. At sentencing, the court found that Fox intentionally selected the congresswoman as a victim because he mistakenly believed she was transgender, and therefore the court applied a hate crime motivation enhancement to his sentence. In his plea agreement, Fox acknowledged that he was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs when he made the call and that he was not merely making a political argument, idle talk, an exaggeration, or a joke. “While everyone is entitled to believe irrational ideas, no belief entitles someone to threaten violence,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Hate crimes drive division and fear and we have no room for either. Federal law enforcement will stand up for our community by delivering very real consequences to very real threats, even when they are driven by fantasy.” “Hate crimes are not only an attack on a victim; these violent acts threaten and intimidate an entire community.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. “The FBI and our partners will not tolerate crimes motivated by hate, and we will vigorously pursue those that commit them.” Upon his release from prison, Fox will be subject to 3 years of supervised probation. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindy Carpenter is prosecuting the case. In response to growing incidents of hate, Attorney General Merrick Garland directed the Justice Department to develop the United Against Hate (UAH) community outreach program. Led by U.S. Attorneys, the program improves hate crime and incident reporting by teaching community members how to identify, report, and prevent acts of hate. The program also helps to build trust between community and law enforcement and strengthens local networks to combat unlawful acts of hate. # # # 23-298


title: Waterbury Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PIERRE JOSHWAN RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Ochy,” 42, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for heading a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force determined that Rodriguez headed a cocaine trafficking operation in which parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine were concealed within boxed Bluetooth speakers and shipped through the U.S. mail from Puerto Rico to multiple addresses in Waterbury. Rodriguez distributed the cocaine in the Waterbury area and mailed money parcels back to Puerto Rico. Felix Ortega-Pagan assisted Rodriguez by frequently picking up the cocaine parcels and delivering them to Rodriguez at various stash locations. Alejandra Santiago-Miranda was a frequent mailer of cocaine parcels from Puerto Rico to Waterbury and was also the recipient of multiple money parcels. Rodriguez and Ortega-Pagan also converted some of the cocaine into crack cocaine. Investigators seized approximately 28 kilograms of cocaine during the investigation. On November 20, 2020, investigators searched Rodriguez’s residence and seized evidence of the cocaine distribution conspiracy, $56,008 in cash, and jewelry. Rodriguez remained at large until February 17, 2021. He possessed $5,540.00, four cellphones, and jewelry at the time of his arrest. In total, law enforcement seized from Rodriguez a total of $455,308.83 in cash and from a bank account, jewelry appraised at $509,045, a 2019 Polaris Slingshot, a 2013 BMW X6, a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 2020 Can Am Spyder Roadster, and a 2015 Toyota Sienna. Rodriguez’s criminal history spans more than 25 years and includes multiple drug convictions. In 2013, he was sentenced in state court to 15 years of incarceration, suspended after 90 months, for possession with intent to sell. Rodriguez has been detained since February 17, 2021. On August 18, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. Ortega-Pagan and Santiago-Miranda pleaded guilty to related charges and have been sentenced. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, and Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Rodríguez was designated as a Regional Priority Organization Target (RPOT) under the OCDETF Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Fresno Man Admits He and Coconspirator Murdered Family of Five in Their Home, including Three Children

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 21, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Christopher Baltezar Hernandez of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and another man stalked and fatally shot a family of five – including three children - in their Tijuana home on December 3, 2021. According to court records, Hernandez traveled from Fresno, California, to Tijuana, Mexico, through San Diego, armed with an assault rifle, .223 caliber ammunition, and two revolver speed loaders on December 3, 2021. That same day, Hernandez met up with codefendant Victor Aguilar, who has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Both Hernandez and Aguilar, armed with a .223 assault rifle and revolver and wearing dark clothes and gloves, traveled to the victims’ residence in Tijuana. According to the plea agreement, which identified the victims by their initials, the defendants shot and killed J.H. and her eight-year-old daughter, A.M.M., in the kitchen. G.M.V. was shot and killed while attempting to shield the other two children behind a bedroom door. The door was forced open and nine-year-old A.M. and four-year-old S.M. were each shot in the head. Prior to the murders, Hernandez and Aguilar had researched the victims’ address and the surrounding area over 200 times. Hernandez also bought the parts and built a fully functional .223 caliber assault rifle as well as a pair of revolver speed loaders. On the day of the murders, Hernandez and Aguilar acquired a revolver in Tijuana, Mexico. A sentencing hearing for Hernandez is scheduled for March 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. Aguilar’s sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for June 26, 2024, also before Judge Lopez. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario Peia, Matthew Brehm and Fred Sheppard. DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr778-LL Christopher Baltezar Hernandez Age: 27 Fresno, CA Victor Armondo Aguilar Age: 22 Tijuana, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Murder – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1117 Maximum penalty: Life in prison Stalking Resulting in Death – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2261A Maximum penalty: Life in prison AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego County Sheriff’s Department


title: Shiprock Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Courtney Frank was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Frank, of Shiprock, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter on September 14, 2023. According to court documents, on September 28, 2022, 19-year-old Frank was intoxicated when she drove a car over the center line of a country road in Shiprock and struck an oncoming car head-on. The other driver survived the initial impact but died at the scene. The decedent’s son was also injured in the wreck. Frank’s BAC was .327. Upon her release from prison, Frank will be subject to three years of supervised release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement # # # 23-299


title: Federal Jury Convicts Massachusetts Man of Kidnapping and Interstate Violation of a Protective Order

component: Criminal Division

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Brighton, Massachusetts man was found guilty on Wednesday of kidnapping and transporting a woman into Maine against her will. The verdict came after a three-day trial in the U.S. District Court in Portland with Chief Judge Jon D. Levy presiding. According to evidence presented during the trial, on December 15, 2019, Stephen Pilson , 56, drove the victim, with whom he had a relationship, from Massachusetts to Maine against her will. Throughout the trip, Pilson drank heavily and told the victim they were going to Canada where she would die. He tied the victim to the vehicle’s gear shift with her scarf and struck her when she tried to escape. On I-95 near Arundel, she succeeded in breaking the vehicle’s key off in the ignition, forcing Pilson to pull over. The victim fled along the highway with Pilson initially following her before fleeing into the woods. Maine State Troopers were alerted to the incident by at least five concerned motorists who each called 911. Troopers later found Pilson with the aid of a K-9. On December 12, 2019, three days before the kidnapping, Pilson had pleaded guilty in Waltham District Court to five charges, including kidnapping the same victim, for which he had been sentenced to time served and probation. A no-contact order was also imposed, prohibiting Pilson from contacting the victim. The federal jury found Pilson guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for violating the Massachusetts order. Pilson faces up to life in prison and a fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Maine State Police investigated the case. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available via the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or via the Hotline’s website at https://www.thehotline.org/ . Mainers experiencing domestic violence can also contact the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) at 1-866-834-HELP (4357). The MCEDV website, https://www.mcedv.org/ , also has information about member organizations all over the state. ###


title: California man sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor, possessing child pornography

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man who traveled to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old he met online was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 204 months in prison. Kameron E. Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography. According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to a home in Jackson, Ohio after Tolbert had jumped through the minor victim’s bedroom window when he was discovered in her bedroom by family members. Tolbert fled on foot and then by vehicle. The next day, the principal at the victim’s local high school identified Tolbert’s vehicle in the school parking lot and notified a school resource officer who detained Tolbert at the school. Tolbert admitting being there at the school to see the minor victim. Tolbert had first met the victim online six months prior and began chatting with her via different social media applications, including Discord. He admitted to flying from Sacramento, California, to Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 2022, to meet the victim at her home in Jackson. Tolbert parked nearby her residence and snuck into the victim’s home through her bedroom window to avoid security cameras at the front door. He admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with her at her home on August 21 and August 22. A forensic examination of Tolbert’s digital devices revealed more than 500 images and 1,100 videos depicting child sexual abuse of both prepubescent and pubescent minors. Images and videos of the 14-year-old minor victim engaged in sex acts with Tolbert were also recovered. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati division; and Jackson County Sheriff Tedd Frazier announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Former Cincinnati city councilman sentenced to 24 months in prison for accepting bribes

body_text: CINCINNATI – A former Cincinnati city councilman was sentenced in federal court here today to 24 months in prison for honest services wire fraud. While serving as a city councilman in fall 2018, Jeffrey Pastor, 39, of Cincinnati, received a $15,000 cash bribe in return for his official action to advance development projects in the city. According to court documents, in September 2018 Pastor and his associate flew to Miami, Florida, on a private plane to meet with investors regarding a real estate development project. Pastor never paid for or disclosed the trip. During the trip, Pastor explained he would ensure favorable action on behalf of the city for the project and could receive money through his associate’s non-profit entity (which had been incorporated two weeks prior). Pastor discussed “compensation” and agreed to accept $15,000 for helping with the project. He said the purpose of his associate’s entity was to “sanitize” the money. After flying back to Cincinnati, Pastor called the investor to “negotiate a monthly retainer” and said that $15,000 would be the retainer fee for providing official action. On Oct. 4, 2018, Pastor accepted $15,000 in cash. After receiving the money, Pastor continued to solicit bribes on multiple occasions for an eight-month period. Pastor and Tyran Marshall were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020. Pastor pleaded guilty in June 2023 and Marshall pleaded guilty in December 2023. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hastings Resident for Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, PA - A resident of Hastings, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The three-count Indictment named Penny Woodley, age 55. According to the Indictment, the defendant possessed with the intent to distribute and distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine on three separate dates. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and up to life, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Homeland Security Investigations. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced To Seven Years For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Dwayne Eric Thompson (39, Jacksonville) to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Thompson was found guilty by a jury of this charge on July 11, 2023. According to the evidence presented at trial, Thompson was arrested by Jacksonville Sherriff’s Officers and his car was searched. A loaded pistol was found in the center console. During the stop, Thompson and other passengers all denied knowledge and ownership of the firearm. DNA evidence presented at trial showed that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm and the loaded magazine. Thompson is a multiple convicted felon, and at the time he possessed the firearm, he was on federal supervised release due to him previously possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. 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: Jacksonville Man Sentenced To Five Years In Federal Prison For Possessing Multiple Narcotics

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida –United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced D’Trevious Sharron Epps (26, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Epps pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023. According to court documents, Epps sold narcotics to different confidential informants both in Duval and Nassau Counties during September and October of 2022. On October 13, 2022, Epps was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol while he was on his way to sell methamphetamine. He possessed at least 148 grams of methamphetamine, 19 grams of fentanyl, and 24 grams of cocaine, and three firearms. As part of his guilty plea, Epps agreed to forfeit the firearms seized by law enforcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. 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: Ten Individuals Indicted on Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Charges

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, PA - Ten residents of Western Pennsylvania and three residents of New York, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of narcotics trafficking, firearms violations, and money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The sixteen-count Indictment named the following thirteen individuals as defendants: • Juan Duran, 34, of Brooklyn, NY • Jason Lynn, 37, of Altoona, PA • Miguel Arce, 39, of Brooklyn, NY • Scott Daughenbaugh, 41, of Tyrone, PA • Kurtis Dively, 38, of Claysburg, PA • Douglas Hillegass, 61, of Duncansville, PA • Daniel Paz, 32, of Queens, NY • Joshua Pote, 41, of Roaring Spring, PA • Tonya Settlemyer, 38, of Altoona, PA • Andrew Stowell, 65, of Altoona, PA • Brian Weakland, 65, of Coalport, PA • Lesley Wilt, 37, of Glen Richey, PA • Danielle Nepa, 48, of Gallitzin, PA According to the indictment, the named conspirators include leaders, members, drug suppliers, and associates of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing narcotics throughout Western Pennsylvania. According to the Indictment, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and quantities of cocaine and heroin beginning in September 2022 and continuing through September 2023. The Indictment. alleges individual drug trafficking violations against Stowell, Pote, Lynn, and Nepa as well as a firearms violation against Lynn. Finally, the Indictment further alleges that Duran laundered the monetary proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking activity. For all defendants except Nepa, the law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and up to life, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant. For Nepa, the law provides for a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Illegally Distributing Over $16M of Adulterated HIV Medication

body_text: MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for his role in a nationwide scheme to illegally distribute at least $16.7 million of adulterated HIV drugs that were ultimately dispensed to unsuspecting patients throughout the country. According to court documents, Armando Herrera, 43, of Miami, and his co-conspirators established companies in Florida, Texas, Washington, and California, which they used to sell and distribute adulterated prescription drugs, primarily HIV medications, to wholesale pharmaceutical suppliers. Herrera and his co-conspirators created false documentation to make it appear as though the drugs were acquired legitimately when, in fact, they were not. The pharmaceutical suppliers then sold the drugs to pharmacies, which dispensed the adulterated prescription drugs to unwitting patients. As part of the investigation, federal agents seized more than $1.5 million worth of adulterated prescription drugs from Herrera, including more than 16,000 tablets of adulterated and misbranded HIV medication. Herrera pleaded guilty on Sept. 25 to one count of conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Atlanta Region; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement. HHS-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and the FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20264. ###


title: Wilton Man Who Sent Child Pornography to Minors Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who distributed child pornography to multiple minors was sentenced December 20, 2023, to more than seventeen years in federal prison. Benjamin Mockmore, age 37, from Wilton, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 4, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography. Information presented at the sentencing hearing and in a plea agreement showed that in 2021 and 2022 Mockmore had online sexual communications with multiple minors. During some of the conversations, Mockmore sent images and videos of child pornography to the minors. One of the minors with whom Mockmore communicated was a 15‑year‑old autistic girl, from whom Mockmore had requested “nudes.” Mockmore also sent naked pictures of himself to multiple minors, including to the 15‑year‑old autistic girl. In March 2022, an adult female posing as a 12‑year‑old girl from Wilton communicated with Mockmore. During the conversations Mockmore stated that he wanted to have sex with the 12‑year‑old and that he would be home alone on March 20, 2022. The adult woman confronted Mockmore on March 19, 2022, at which time Mockmore admitted that he had sent a picture of his penis to the person he believed to be the 12‑year‑old. Mockmore also offered the woman money not to report him to law enforcement. Four days after his encounter with the adult woman in Wilton, Mockmore had an online conversation with another adult woman who was posing as a 13‑year‑old girl. Mockmore sent that person a photograph of his penis and requested that the girl send him a photograph of herself in the shower. A search of Mockmore’s residence on March 29, 2022, resulted in the seizure of two of Mockmore’s cellular phones. Searches of those phones revealed 181 images and 50 videos of child pornography, and 61 online conversations during which Mockmore sent child pornography to another person. Over 30 of the people to whom Mockmore sent child pornography had represented themselves to be juveniles. Mockmore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Mockmore was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $9,000 in restitution. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Mockmore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Shelby County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑00029‑CJW‑MAR. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Felon Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm Possession

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher Evans, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced December 21, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Evans to 24 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Evans’ release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On January 29, 2022, Omaha police officers observed a vehicle fail to signal its turn. Officers conducted a traffic stop and upon contact with the vehicle observed an open container of alcohol in Evans’ lap and another open container in the center console. Co-defendant Bath Kuol was seated in the front passenger seat and Evans was the driver. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a Glock 19x 9mm handgun with a loaded 33 round magazine inside of the center console. Evans admitted to law enforcement that he knew the firearm was in the vehicle and admitted to handling it. Prior to January 29, 2022, Evans had been convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance. Bath Kuol was sentenced on February 17, 2023, to 63 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. 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.


title: Man Sentenced in Firearms Conspiracy Case

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kenneth D. Blair, 21, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced December 21, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for his participation in a firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Blair to 21 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Blair’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Rodolfo Falcon owned a house that was the central location for the distribution of marijuana, marijuana derivatives, and cocaine. Falcon rented that house out to several younger drug dealers including Kenneth Blair, Alexis Bernal-Lopez, and Keland Strong. Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force performed a search of the residence and recovered cocaine, marijuana, currency, drug paraphernalia, and several firearms. Falcon, who has a distinctive tattoo on his hand, was seen in photos posing with firearms. One of the firearms shown in the picture was recovered from the residence. Agents also located a stolen firearm and AR15 rifle. At the time of the search, Kenneth Blair was in the basement of the residence along with two apparent narcotics customers. Drugs and cash were also recovered from that location. Keland Strong used an upstairs room that contained numerous firearms. Falcon lived on the main level of the home where agents recovered cash, cocaine. and personal identification documents. Evidence of significant marijuana distribution such as wrappers for large quantities of marijuana were also recovered. This, along with the text messages between the group members revealed that the home was being used as a main distribution hub and that Bethow, Bernal-Lopez, Strong, and Blair all worked together to sell drugs, particularly marijuana to ‘serves’ (their code word for narcotics purchasers) and would drive each other to sales and work together to get the right types of THC cartridges and marijuana to customers. On September 28, 2023, Majok Bethow: plead guilty to firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is January 11, 2024. On October 27, 2023, Rodolfo Falcon plead guilty to firearms conspiracy and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is January 19, 2024. On November 17, 2023, Keland Strong plead guilty to firearms conspiracy and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is February 8, 2024. On November 20, 2023, Alexis Bernal Lopez plead guilty firearms conspiracy and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is February 16, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.