title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced To Over 4 Years in Federal Prison For Participating In Multi-State Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - A man from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was sentenced yesterday for his role in a multi-state, million-dollar unemployment insurance fraud scheme aimed at defrauding the U.S. Government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, of funds earmarked for unemployment assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Adrian Fluellen, 29, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $900,000 in restitution in the sentence handed down by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman. According to court records, Fluellen and a co-defendant conspired to, and did, defraud the federal government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland of roughly $1 million in funds intended to support individuals who had lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair committed their crimes through the use of interstate wires and the unauthorized possession and use of social security numbers and other means of identification belonging to other individuals. Fluellen pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in February 2024. Fluellen and his co-defendant, using stolen personal identification, filed hundreds of false unemployment claims with state unemployment insurance agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in the names of other individuals without their knowledge or consent. The defendants then received hundreds of Bank of America prepaid debit cards in the names of those individuals loaded with roughly $1 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds at addresses in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Fluellen, his co-defendant, and their accomplices then successfully unloaded more than $930,000 from the cards via cash withdrawals and purchases that included jewelry, drugs, at least one vehicle, and at least one firearm. “Taxpayer unemployment assistance funds diverted to the pockets of criminals during the pandemic resulted in less money and fewer resources being available for those genuinely in need at that challenging time” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Along with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to work to hold individuals who have committed and are committing such crimes of fraud, greed, and avarice responsible. “ "This sentence underscores the FBI's commitment to investigating complex financial crimes," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We will not tolerate the greed and selfish conduct demonstrated by those who chose to defraud the unemployment insurance system, especially when we faced an unprecedented global pandemic. The FBI and our federal partners remain steadfast in holding criminals accountable and protecting government assistance programs. The pandemic may be in our rearview mirrors, but our investigations continue to move forward in the name of justice." “Pandemic Unemployment assistance granted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was meant to be a lifeline for those affected the most by the global covid-19 pandemic, not as an unlimited well of funds for Adrian Fluellen,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Not only did Mr. Fluellen defraud the US government, but he also stole the identities of hundreds of victims, jeopardizing the personal security of countless hard-working Americans. CI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to holding accountable those who intend to game the system to feed their own unchecked greed.” "Adrian Fluellen defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by using stolen identities to obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. We will continue to work with our law enforcement and state workforce agency partners to protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. Gilmer-Hill and Jessica A. Nathan. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.


title: U.S. Attorney recognizes outstanding agents for work with victims

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Oxford, MS – Two FBI agents were recognized on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oxford, Mississippi for their outstanding work and service on behalf of crime victims. FBI Special Agents Molly Blythe and Ryan Berthay were recipients of the inaugural Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award given by U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner in observance of Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Both agents Blythe and Berthay were specifically recognized for their work on behalf of child exploitation and human trafficking victims. The award, which is named in memory of long-time victims’ rights advocate Carolyn Clayton, will be given annually by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to recognize agents or individuals who have demonstrated tremendous efforts and service to crime victims. Clayton, who founded Survival Incorporated after a tragedy in her own personal life, championed victims’ rights in Mississippi and worked tirelessly to bring about changes to laws affecting those touched by violent crime. “I can think of no more fitting name for this award given in observance of Victims’ Rights Week than the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award, and no more deserving agents to receive it this year than Molly Blythe and Ryan Berthay,” remarked U.S. Attorney Joyner. “Ms. Clayton and Special Agents Blythe and Berthay have devoted themselves to ensuring that crime victims are heard and protected and that justice is served on their behalf. For all the work that Carolyn Clayton did on behalf of victims during her lifetime and for all of the work that Agents Blythe and Berthay are currently doing, we are immensely grateful.”


title: Biloxi Man Sentenced to over 11 years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. -- A Biloxi, Mississippi, man was sentenced to 136 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Christopher Lee Parker, 36, was sentenced on April 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. In addition to Parker’s term of imprisonment, the Court ordered restitution for victims in the amount of $31,000, and imposed an assessment of $2,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. According to court documents, Parker was identified in Cyber Tipline Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as the user of social media accounts discussing the trading of child exploitation materials. These Cyber Tipline Reports were forwarded to law enforcement for investigation. A federal search warrant obtained for Parker’s Biloxi residence resulted in the recovery of Parker’s cell phones, in which Parker, at times using mobile applications, possessed over 5,000 visual depictions, in still and video formats, of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct with some images including minors who had not reached 12 years of age. Parker was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pled guilty on December 18, 2023, to possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance from the Cyber Crime Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Biloxi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Indianola Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Backyard Burgers

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

body_text: Greenville, MS – An Indianola man was sentenced today to more than six years in prison for his role in the armed robbery of a Backyard Burgers restaurant in Cleveland, Mississippi. According to court documents, Leequinn McCloud, 25, previously pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of Hobbs Act robbery pertaining to the armed robbery of the Backyard Burgers restaurant in Cleveland. McCloud was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown to 77 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Following sentencing, McCloud was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. McCloud’s co-defendant, Ladarius Snipes was previously sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, where he was facing additional charges. Snipes was sentenced to 120 months in prison for his role in the armed robbery of the Backyard Burgers, in addition to 35 months in prison for his Minnesota charges. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will do everything in its power to ensure that those who choose to commit violent gun crimes are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We thank ATF and the Cleveland, Mississippi Police Department for their work on this case and will continue to work alongside our federal, state and local partners to help keep our communities and citizens safer by aggressively investigating and prosecuting violent criminals.” “ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are dedicated to pursuing and combating those career criminals whose violent criminal activities threaten and severely detract from the welfare of our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “This is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cleveland Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Two Murfreesboro Men Sentenced in Conspiracy to Ship Massive Quantities of Methamphetamine to New Zealand and Australia

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Steven Weaver, 51, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 140 months in prison and five years of supervised release, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Weaver previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession and distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Weaver’s co-defendant, Jamie Woods, was sentenced last week to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. According to the indictment and other documents filed with the Court, in July 2019, an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined that multiple parcels had been shipped from Murfreesboro to Australia and New Zealand that contained methamphetamine. In most instances, the methamphetamine was packaged in cake mix boxes and the parcels were identified as a “Birthday Gift.” Although some of the parcels were successfully delivered to their destination, law enforcement intercepted 12 of the parcels, which contained a total of more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, some of which bore the defendants’ fingerprints. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger found that an estimate of 50 kilograms of methamphetamine was appropriate and described it as a “tremendous amount of incredibly pure methamphetamine.” “This prosecution and the sentences imposed, are a testament to the fantastic work of the federal and local law enforcement agencies who investigated this case,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Methamphetamine is an incredibly dangerous drug. We will continue to hold accountable those who distribute it, either here in the Middle District or abroad.” “The sentencing of these defendants illustrates HSI’s mission of investigating the movement of illegal narcotics through importation and exportation, either to or from the United States,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “This sentencing showcases the investigative work HSI conducts alongside our partners, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Services, to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations who threaten the stability of communities domestically and abroad.” Two of the parcels were determined to have been mailed from the mail room at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, on June 25, 2019. The identification of the origin of these parcels led investigators to video footage from MTSU which captured a vehicle and two individuals and aided in the subsequent identification of the defendants. Investigators were also able to capture surveillance footage of Weaver and Woods buying copious amounts of cake mix boxes from Walmart. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations with support from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the MTSU Police Department, the Murfreesboro Police Department, and Walmart Global Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Box Elder Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Box Elder, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on April 26, 2024. Vincent Alberto Barrios, 43, was sentenced to life in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Judge Schreier imposed a 30-year sentence on each Sexual Exploitation charge, a life sentence on each Enticement charge, and a 20-year sentence on each Receipt charge. Judge Schreier further ordered the sentences to run concurrently. Barrios was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He was found guilty of all charges following a three-day jury trial in December of 2023. Barrios was arrested and federally indicted following the undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages with a person Barrios believed to be a 13-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Barrios proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Barrios went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest. During this time Barrios was also chatting with two other undercover agents Barrios believed to be 14-year-old girls. After a review of Barrios’ phone, law enforcement located a text message conversation with a local 14-year-old girl and child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, HSI, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case. Barrios was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Honduran National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Doanin Reyes-Diaz, age 24, of Honduras, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Reyes-Diaz was previously removed from the United States on September 3, 2019, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on March 16, 2024, Reyes-Garcia was encountered in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Two Los Angeles Men Plead Guilty to Criminal Charges for Using Instagram to Solicit Account Holders to Deposit Stolen Checks

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles men pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for defrauding banks and credit unions out of at least $2.7 million by depositing checks stolen from the mail into bank accounts belonging to accomplices they recruited through Instagram. Carlos Corona, 36, of South Los Angeles, and Jose Luis Edeza Jr., 31, of Sunland, the two lead defendants in this criminal case, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to their plea agreements, from October 2020 to August 2023, Corona, Edeza and other co-conspirators engaged in an elaborate bank fraud scheme using third-party bank accounts and stolen checks. Some co-conspirators stole checks from the U.S. mail stream, including from post office mail collection boxes located outside post offices. The conspirators took possession of the stolen checks. They, along with others, then solicited bank account holders through social media to provide their debit cards and bank account information, promising these account holders a cut of any fraudulent funds deposited into their accounts. To circumvent the fraud protections of the banks and credit unions, Corona, Edeza and others specifically requested bank accounts that had been open for a certain amount of time so they could get access to the stolen funds more quickly. Bank account holders responded to the social media advertisements and provided members of the conspiracy with the information requested on the ads, including bank account numbers, PIN numbers, debit cards and online banking log-in information. Corona, Edeza and other co-conspirators exchanged the bank account holders’ information with each other, and then they deposited the stolen checks into these bank accounts. In most cases, the stolen checks were falsely endorsed in the original payee’s name. Sometimes, the checks were washed or altered to make the payee name correspond to the bank account into which the checks were being deposited. Corona, Edeza and other co-conspirators then rapidly depleted the fraudulently deposited funds from the account holders’ accounts by making cash withdrawals, electronic transfers and/or debit card purchases. To conceal the fraud, members of the conspiracy instructed account holders – if the banks and credit unions contacted them about the fraudulent deposits – to claim that their accounts had been compromised. During the scheme, Corona and Edeza intended to cause at least $5.3 million in losses to the banks and credit unions and caused actual losses to lenders of at least $2.7 million. United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled July 8 sentencing hearings for Corona and Edeza, at which time each defendant will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the bank fraud conspiracy count and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count. The United States Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah E. Spielberger and Alexandra Michael, both of the General Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.


title: Guatemalan Citizen Indicted For Illegally Reentering The United States

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Oseas Froilan Gomez-Tebalan, age 29, a Citizen of Guatemala, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Gomez-Tebalan was previously removed from the United States on March 18, 2017, through Phoenix, Arizona, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on March 21, 2024, Gomez-Tebalan was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 20 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Cumberland County Men Charged With Drug Trafficking And Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William L. Nalley Jr., age 27, of Boiling Springs, PA, and Rafael Orihuela, age 22, of Carlisle, PA, were indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges related to the distribution of controlled substances and unlawful possession of firearms. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Nalley possessed with the intent to distribute marijuana, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocin. It is also alleged that Nalley possessed two firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The indictment further alleges that Orihuela maintained a premise for the purpose of unlawfully storing, distributing, and using the controlled substances listed above. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Middlesex Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty Nalley faces under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Orihuela faces a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Former Chief Operating Officer of Illinois Hospital Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Hospital Funds

body_text: CHICAGO — The former Chief Operating Officer of an Illinois hospital has been sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison for illegally pocketing more than $620,000 in hospital funds. ROBERT SPADONI was an attorney who worked as a Vice President and COO of the hospital. From 2013 to 2021, Spadoni orchestrated a scheme in which he approved payment of invoices to a vendor company that purportedly provided the hospital with administrative support and compliance services. In reality, the vendor company – Medical Education Solutions, Inc. – had been established by Spadoni for the purpose of executing the scheme. Spadoni’s family member opened a bank account in the company’s name and steered the hospital’s payments into it. Spadoni concealed the fraud scheme by paying $1,500 a month in cash to another hospital employee to actually provide the administrative and compliance services. As a result of the fraud scheme, Spadoni obtained approximately $622,500 in payments from the hospital. Spadoni used the money for his own benefit, including restaurant meals and hotel stays, as well as transferring $225,805 into a 401(k) account he controlled. Spadoni, 59, of Darien, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a mail fraud charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly on Tuesday ordered Spadoni to pay $622,500 in restitution to the hospital. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chester Choi.


title: Wheeling Man Gets 13 Years for COVID Fraud, Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Anton Demetrius Matthews, age 40, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for wire fraud, cocaine trafficking, and a supervised release violation. According to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Matthews obtained nearly $50,000 in CARES Act loans after misrepresenting his income and occupation while he was incarcerated. Matthews submitted a loan application in which he claimed to have established a food truck business in Wheeling in January 2019 even though he was in federal prison from November 2016 until October 2020. Following his release from prison in 2020, Matthews sold cocaine both inside and outside of the Third Alarm Bar on Wheeling Island in Ohio County. “We have noticed an uptick in drug traffickers who are also engaging in white collar crime, committing acts such as COVID fraud or income tax fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Mr. Matthews is a good example of this trend, and he will pay a steep price for committing two serious, but very different, crimes.” Matthews was ordered to pay $54,999 in restitution and a money judgment of $49,999. He will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennie Conklin and Carly Nogay prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The investigations were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Fugitive Felon Who Possessed Loaded Gun Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELLIOTT OTERO, 34, of Manchester, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 25, 2021, Otero was charged in state court with failing to appear in connection with a probation violation as part of his sentence for a 2018 conviction for criminal possession of a pistol/revolver. On February 25, 2022, employees of a private bail enforcement company encountered Otero outside of a liquor store in Manchester and attempted to apprehend him. During a struggle, a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 caliber pistol fell from his waistband. Manchester Police arrived shortly thereafter and took custody of Otero and the pistol. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed that it been stolen from a pickup truck in Wolcott in December 2021. Otero’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm, robbery, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Otero has been detained in state custody since his arrest. On February 15, 2023, he pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Las Vegas Woman Sentenced To Prison For $1 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman, Henrietta Binford, 54, was sentenced Monday to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,250,223.39 in restitution for defrauding the State of Nevada Medicaid healthcare benefit program by falsely billing for services not provided. United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey presided over the sentencing hearing. Binford had previously plead guilty in November 2023 to one count of Health Care Fraud. According to court documents and admissions Binford made in court, from January 2017 to August 2017, she devised and executed a scheme to defraud the State of Nevada Medicaid (“Nevada Medicaid”). In connection with Binford’s application to enroll her company Shepherd’s Heart Services, as a medical provider, she did not disclose her criminal history, including prior misdemeanor and felony convictions. As a result of her false statements on the application, Shepherd’s Heart Services was enrolled in Nevada Medicaid. As part of her scheme, Binford submitted false bills to Nevada Medicaid for services, including counseling services and training, not rendered. In total, Nevada Medicaid paid Shepherd’s Heart Services in excess of $1,000,000 for services not provided to patients. “Through her misrepresentations and fraudulent deeds, the defendant bilked over $1,000,000 from Nevada Medicaid,” said United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “Due to the diligent investigative and prosecutorial work by our partners and Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the defendant was brought to justice and will be held accountable for her crimes, along with others who seek to exploit health care programs for their own financial gain.” “Nevada Medicaid is a critical health insurance program for eligible members of our community, providing access to medical care that would otherwise be unobtainable,” said Carissa Messick, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Phoenix Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is dedicated to investigating anyone attempting to defraud this program and those who rely on it.” “My office will always defend against efforts to defraud Nevada Medicaid. Attempts to game the system or con Nevada Medicaid for services are particularly despicable as this program allows members of our community to access health care that would otherwise be inaccessible,” said Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Washburne and Steven W. Myhre prosecuted the case. ###


title: Washington man sentenced to five years in prison for fentanyl trafficking in Great Falls area

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Washington man who admitted to bringing large quantities of fentanyl pills to the Great Falls area and other Montana cities for redistribution was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Joseph Allen Conner, aka Street, 40, of Yakima, Washington, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on June 23, 2023, in University Place, Washington, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Conner’s residence and recovered pills, a money counter, firearms, and ammunition. Conner admitted in an interview that beginning in September 2022, he made multiple trips to Montana, including to Great Falls, Missoula, Lincoln, and Haugen, to sell fentanyl and other controlled substances. The investigation determined that Conner distributed large amounts of pills to multiple sources and possessed “buckets full” of fentanyl pills. Conner also mailed large amounts of pills to distributors and was seen with what an individual described as a “volleyball size bag” of pills. Law enforcement also seized approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills and meth from a vehicle being driven by a co-conspirator and determined that the drugs came from Conner. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Great Falls Police Department and Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Cincinnati man sentenced to more than 6 years in prison for leading conspiracy involving 56 firearms purchased online with stolen credit cards

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 79 months in prison for crimes related to buying firearms with stolen credit card information and leading a conspiracy to pick up the firearms in illegal straw purchases, as well as separately obtaining a fraudulent COVID-relief loan. Zephaniah Jones, 21, was convicted of conspiring to make false statements on federal firearms forms, committing aggravated identity theft, and making false statements to the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to court documents, from April through July 2022, Jones and others used stolen credit card information to place online orders for firearms with Guns.com and other online retailers for delivery to Cincinnati. Under federal law, the firearms could not be shipped directly to Jones or a coconspirator; they had to be shipped to a local federal firearms licensee (FFL). At the FFL, Jones’s coconspirators lied on ATF Form 4473, a form required when purchasing a firearm from an FFL, by pretending to be the actual buyer of the firearms. In fact, the firearms were for Jones, who intended to resell them. In total, Jones and his coconspirators completed online orders for 56 firearms and succeeded in obtaining at least 37. Some of the firearms involved in the conspiracy were traced to crimes within a short period of time. For example, just 15 days after purchase, one pistol was used to shoot into an occupied residence in Columbus; it was later also used in a shots-fired incident and a separate felonious assault. Another pistol was recovered from a juvenile less than three months after purchase, after being used in a different shots-fired incident in Columbus. Separately, in February 2020, Jones submitted a fraudulent application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, falsely claiming that he owned a business called Jones Lawncare LLC. As a result, Jones was awarded a PPP loan for nearly $21,000 that was later forgiven. Jones was ordered to pay $20,643 in restitution to the SBA. The amount of restitution to be paid to the FFLs whose firearms were stolen will be determined at a later hearing. Jones pleaded guilty in January 2024. Five other coconspirators in the straw-purchasing conspiracy have been charged federally. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance from the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. # # #


title: Darknet Vendor Who Sold Millions of Counterfeit Xanax Sentenced

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who sold millions of counterfeit Xanax pills on the Darknet to 24 months in prison, fined him $10,000 and ordered him to forfeit nearly $1 million. Brandon Adams, 27, will also be on supervised release for three years after he gets out of prison. Adams pleaded guilty in September to three felony counts: conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance via the internet, conspiracy to sell misbranded/counterfeit drugs and selling counterfeit drugs. Adams admitted that between at least October 2019 and May of 2021, he sold millions of counterfeit and/or misbranded pills on the Darknet using the name “BenzoBoys.” Adams primarily sold counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and its generic equivalents. He used a pill press with imprints that were substantially indistinguishable from those used by pharmaceutical companies selling generic forms of Xanax and the color, shape and size pills designed to deceive or confuse buyers. Adams maintained a manufacturing operation at a secluded lake house outside Sullivan, Missouri. Customers placed orders using an encrypted messaging service and paid with cryptocurrency. Adams would then mail the pills or place them at “dead drop” sites for customers to pick up, his plea agreement says. Adams sold millions of pills, including hundreds of thousands to customers who would then re-sell the pills. After investigators made undercover purchases from Adams, they conducted a court-approved search of his apartment in Sullivan and the lake house. They found the pill press, tens of thousands of misbranded pills and bags labeled alprazolam, the active ingredient in Xanax, and clonazolam, a derivative benzodiazepine. They found about $630,000 in cash and two rifles at his apartment and seized about $330,000 in Bitcoin. Adams has agreed to forfeit the gun, cash and Bitcoin. “Brandon Adams was one of the most prolific manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit Xanax pills in the United States,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Counterfeit pills often contain unknown substances and pose a huge risk to consumer health because they evade regulatory oversight.” “The pervasiveness of these fake pills is a problem that cuts to the core of Missourians and the American public,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon of the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division. “DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantle and destroy these types of enterprises that hide in the shadows and operate in the dark corners of the web. I urge people to talk to their loved ones about the threats and dangers of fake pills.” The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Private Citizens’ Right to Sue Under Voting Rights Act of 1965

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced that it has filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania supporting the right of private plaintiffs to bring a lawsuit to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This filing is one of many recent briefs by the Justice Department supporting the longstanding principle that private plaintiffs are authorized to bring lawsuits to vindicate important rights protected by the Voting Rights Act. “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and it is the right on which all other rights depend,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Since the enactment of the landmark Voting Rights Act in 1965 to protect this precious right, private parties have enforced the law in courts across this country, enabling countless Americans to vote free from unlawful discrimination. The Justice Department will continue vigorously enforcing the Voting Rights Act and defending the right of private citizens and organizations to do the same.” “The Voting Rights Act gives private citizens a voice to stand up to unlawful voting discrimination by their government,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “My office will continue to enforce the civil rights statutes like the Voting Rights Act, and proudly partners with the Civil Rights Division in protecting a private citizens’ right to enforce that Act.” The department filed its statement of interest in Aquino and Lopez v. Hazleton Area School District , a case in which plaintiffs allege the at-large method of electing the nine-member school board of directors unlawfully dilutes the ability of Hispanic voters to elect candidates of their choice. The school district seeks to dismiss the case, arguing that private parties like the plaintiffs are not able to file lawsuits under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The department’s statement of interest argues that private parties may enforce the Voting Rights Act directly, as well as through another civil rights law on which plaintiffs often rely. The Justice Department has filed 18 statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal district courts and courts of appeals since January 2021 supporting the right of private parties to file suits under the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act to protect the right to vote. In all, since January 2021, the Justice Department has filed 32 statements of interest in courts across the country to protect the right to vote. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Individuals may report possible violations of the federal voting rights laws through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone toll-free at 800-253-3931.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted For Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Chad Allen Pease (48, Fort Pierce) with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and committing a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender. If convicted on all counts, Pease faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Pease that the United States intends to forfeit assets which were used in commission or are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to court documents, on February 3, 2024, Pease, a registered sex offender, began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) whom Pease believed to be the father of a 13-year-old girl. Over the course of the conversation, Pease made plans to meet up with the UC and his “daughter” so that Pease could have sex with the child. On February 4, 2024, Pease traveled to the prearranged meeting spot. He was later arrested. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Elara Caring Agrees to Pay $4.2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations That It Billed Medicare for Ineligible Hospice Patients

component: Civil Division

body_text: Elara Caring, and its wholly owned subsidiaries JHH/CIMA Holdings Inc., CIMA Healthcare Management Inc., CIMA Hospice of Texarkana L.L.C., CIMA Hospice of East Texas L.L.C. and CIMA Hospice of El Paso L.P., have agreed to pay $4.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims and knowingly retaining overpayments for the care of hospice patients in Texas who were ineligible for the Medicare hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill. “The hospice benefit under Medicare provides critical services to vulnerable patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to ensure that this benefit is used to assist those who need it, and not to line the pockets of those who seek to abuse it.” The settlement resolves allegations that Elara Caring’s Texarkana, Texas, location, which previously operated as CIMA Hospice, knowingly submitted false claims for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible for the hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill. The patients at issue in the settlement were at the Texarkana location between 2014 and 2019 and in 2020. The settlement also resolves allegations regarding two patients at other Texas locations between 2015 and 2021. The settlement further resolves allegations that Elara Caring knowingly and improperly concealed or avoided obligations to repay overpayments for these patients. “I appreciate the Department of Health and Human Services for their assistance in this litigation and helping to protect victims of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Settlements like this hold offenders accountable and encourage anyone who suspects fraud involving the Medicare program to exercise their protected rights as whistleblowers.” “Hospice care is intended to provide comfort and relief for the terminally ill and taking advantage of the system in order to make more money is intolerable,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue health care providers who jeopardize the integrity of hospice care by prioritizing illegitimate profit over medically necessary services.” The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Aneko Jackson, a former Elara Caring employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Jackson v. CIMA Healthcare Management, Inc., et al ., Case No. 1:20-cv-00368 (W.D. Tex.). Ms. Jackson will receive $672,000 in connection with the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Trial Attorneys Martha N. Glover, Kristen M. Murphy and William E. Olson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Parnham Jr. for the Western District of Texas handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Centerville man who made online threats to commit school shooting sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing machine gun

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Centerville, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 72 months in prison for possessing a machine gun. The defendant used an uzi-style weapon during a YouTube video in which he threatens to commit a mass shooting at a California school. The Court imposed an upward variance from the sentencing guidelines in the sentence imposed today against Alex Jaques, 23. According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2022, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip about a video Jaques posted on YouTube. In the video, Jaques uses multiple firearms to shoot a Chromebook computer and threatens to attack Washington Middle School in Salinas, California. The Chromebook has a Washington Middle School sticker affixed to it. Before shooting the computer, Jaques stabs it multiple times with a screwdriver and uses a power drill on it. The video shows an uzi-style weapon being discharged in rapid succession and multiple shots fired from a rifle-style weapon. Law enforcement communicated with school officials in Salinas, California, and discovered that Jaques had been a student at a school within the same county. Jaques says in the video that he plans to return to the area to “fill out my list of duties” and has kept “names and addresses of people who have wronged me.” Just before shooting the computer, Jaques says, “yeah okay so Washington Middle School you are next.” Other videos on Jaques’s YouTube page depict the defendant driving while shooting a pistol at street signs. Jaques also commented publicly on a YouTube video of family members of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida in which 17 people were killed. Jaques commented “Bullies families get their final day in court” and “I will do my own parkland.” While executing a search warrant on Jaques’s residence, vehicle and person, FBI agents seized eight firearms, including an uzi-style weapon, hand grenades and other explosives equipment. Jaques was arrested in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to a superseding bill of information in March 2023. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Mahy and Nicholas Dingeldein are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Jefferson County Contractor Admits Aiding Financial Exploitation of Elderly Victim

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted helping to defraud an elderly St. Louis woman out of more than $500,000. Austin James, 27, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one felony count of identity theft. He admitted knowingly possessing or using, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person to commit bank fraud and the financial exploitation of the elderly. James admitted aiding Gino Rives in exploiting the 80-year-old victim, who had hired Rives sometime before Jan. 17, 2021 to repair her roof for $7,500. Rives falsely claimed to be a licensed contractor and the victim hired him to renovate the interior of her home. Rives told the woman to write checks to himself, James and others that totaled more than $550,000 for renovations on the one-bedroom, one-bath, 1,100 square-foot home that was worth no more than $135,000 in 2021. James received eight checks totaling $94,606 between January 2021 and March 2023 for purportedly performing work on the victims, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, basement and foundation. But he did not do the work for which he had been paid. Due to the volume of checks being written on the victim's account and being cashed by Rives, James and others, her bank contacted the St. Louis City Building Inspector’s Office, which determined that any work done on the house was worth no more than $50,000, if it included and plumbing or electrical work. Rives, 36, of Edmundson, in St. Louis County, pleaded guilty last year and admitted defrauding two elderly victims. He and his mother, Zella Rives, pleaded guilty to separate charges this year and admitted falsely claiming that Rives was too disabled to work. They are scheduled to be sentenced next month. James is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case. Anyone with concerns about suspected abuse or neglect of the elderly or disabled should contact Missouri’s Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-392-0210.


title: Jones County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Assault on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jones County man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for assault with intent to commit a kidnapping on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. According to court documents, Tyreese Khalia Kejuan Smith, 23, assaulted an adult tribal female in the Bogue Homa Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023 and pled guilty to the assault on January 30, 2024. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force which is comprised of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Choctaw Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Department, and various state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: Sodinokibi/REvil Affiliate Sentenced for Role in $700M Ransomware Scheme

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to 13 years and seven months in prison and ordered to pay over $16 million in restitution for his role in conducting over 2,500 ransomware attacks and demanding over $700 million in ransom payments. “As this sentencing shows, the Justice Department is working with our international partners and using all tools at our disposal to identify cybercriminals, capture their illicit profits, and hold them accountable for their crimes,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Deploying the REvil ransomware variant, the defendant reached out across the globe to demand hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. victims,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “But this case shows the Justice Department’s reach is also global—working with our international partners, we are bringing to justice those who target U.S. victims, and we are disrupting the broader cybercrime ecosystem.” “Today, the FBI’s close collaboration with our worldwide partners has again ensured that a cybercriminal who thought he was beyond our reach faces the consequences of his actions,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue cyber criminals like Vasinksyi wherever they may hide, while we disrupt their criminal schemes, seize their money and infrastructure, and target their enablers and criminal associates to the fullest extent of the law.” According to court documents, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, also known as Rabotnik, 24, conducted thousands of ransomware attacks using the ransomware variant known as Sodinokibi/REvil. Ransomware is malicious software designed to encrypt data on victim computers, allowing bad actors the ability to demand a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. The co-conspirators demanded ransom payments in cryptocurrency and used cryptocurrency exchangers and mixing services to hide their ill-gotten gains. To drive their ransom demands higher, Sodinokibi/REvil co-conspirators also publicly exposed their victims’ data when victims would not pay ransom demands. “Yaroslav Vasinskyi and his co-conspirators hacked into thousands of computers around the world and encrypted them with ransomware,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Then they demanded over $700 million in ransom payments and threatened to publicly disclose victims’ data if they refused to pay. Although the conspirators attempted to cover their tracks by laundering the payments from victims, Vasinskyi could not hide from law enforcement. Vasinskyi’s sentence today should serve as a reminder to ransomware actors everywhere: we will track you down and bring you to justice.” “Using ransomware, malicious actors from around the globe can paralyze U.S. companies in a matter of minutes,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “But as cybercriminals work together to deploy these attacks, law enforcement throughout the United States stands ready to dismantle their criminal enterprises. The dedicated prosecutors from the Northern District of Texas and the skilled agents at the FBI Dallas Field Office proved once again today to ransomware actors everywhere: When you hit targets in the United States, the Justice Department and its partners will come after you.” Vasinskyi previously pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Texas to an 11-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers, damage to protected computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was previously extradited to the United States from Poland. Relatedly, in 2023, the Department obtained the final forfeiture of millions of dollars’ worth of ransom payments obtained through two related civil forfeiture cases, which included 39.89138522 Bitcoin and $6.1 million in U.S. dollar funds traceable to alleged ransom payments received by other members of the conspiracy. The FBI investigated the case. Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri N. Rocha for the Northern District of Texas assisted with the related civil forfeiture cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Polish authorities to secure the extradition of Vasinskyi.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Daylight Armed Bank Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ronald Lamont Jenkins, 35, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to the daylight armed robbery of a Northeast Washington D.C bank branch in June 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Jenkins pleaded guilty today to a charge of bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss, who scheduled sentencing for August 21, 2024. According to court documents, Jenkins entered the bank branch on 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue on June 13, 2022. Jenkins approached the counter, stated “open the drawer,” and lifted the front of his shirt to reveal the handle of a black-and-gold handgun tucked into his waistband. As the teller opened the register, Jenkins reached over the counter and grabbed a large amount of cash before quickly leaving the bank. FBI Agents traced Jenkins’ flight path and recovered a pair of neon yellow gloves, a black hooded sweatshirt, a pair of brown shoes, a pair of sweatpants, and a black face mask – all of which matched the clothing worn during the robbery. A subsequent laboratory review discovered Jenkins’ DNA on that clothing, and he was arrested on November 15, 2023. Jenkins has been detained since his arrest. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.


title: Violent Felon Sentenced for Possession of an Illegal Rifle

body_text: WASHINGTON – Travis Wicks, 48, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for possessing a Sig Sauer P-365 handgun that had been converted into a rifle and equipped with a drum magazine loaded with forty-rounds of ammunition, along with a laser sight. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Wicks pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The plea represents his fourth gun charge. In addition to the 57-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, ordered Wicks to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on May 1, 2023, MPD officers executed a search warrant at the Southeast Washington D.C. apartment where Wicks was known to stay. The search recovered one round of 9mm ammunition in a kitchen cabinet, a black firearm laser sight on a living room coffee table, nine loose 9mm rounds inside a bedroom closet, a drum-style magazine containing 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the bedroom closet, and a Sig Sauer P-365 semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number inserted into a rifle conversion kit, also found on the bedroom closet floor. Subsequent DNA analysis linked Wicks to the weapon. According to the sentencing memo, Wicks has a long and varied history of violent behavior that now includes four gun charges. In October 2005, Wicks was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of voluntary manslaughter while armed for stabbing an unarmed man 20 times in a restaurant. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yasmine Emrani and Cameron Tepfer. sentencing_memorandum_travis_wicks.pdf modified_sig_sauer.pdf


title: Former Greensburg Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former police officer for Greensburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in a drug conspiracy, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Regina McAtee, 51, of New Kensington pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of her guilty plea, McAtee admitted that she conspired to distribute methamphetamine (in the form of fake “Adderall” pills) with former Greensburg Chief of Police Shawn Denning and other drug suppliers. McAtee admitted that she and Denning would order the pills from online suppliers, that McAtee would pay for the pills, and that the pills would be delivered to McAtee’s residence. McAtee sold some of the pills back to Denning, who would then distribute the drugs to others. Denning pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge on April 16, 2024, also before Judge Bissoon. “As a sworn police officer, Regina McAtee’s job was to stop drug dealing,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Instead, she worked with her boss at the time, Shawn Denning, to push more methamphetamine out into the community. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute drug dealing, regardless of whether it’s being committed by citizens on the street or those who wear a badge.” Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Mexican citizen imprisoned for downloading sexually explicit videos of minors

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican man residing in Donna has been sentenced for using peer-to-peer (P2P) applications to download child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Angel DeJesus Torres pleaded guilty Jan. 19. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Torres to serve 72 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information that Torres used numerous P2P applications to download child pornography. Torres was found in possession of 43 videos child pornography which equated to 3,225 images including prepubescent children aged four to nine as well as minors subjected to acts of bondage. Torres was further ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to the victims. He will also serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. Torres will also be ordered to register as a sex offender and as a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings. In October 2018, authorities conducted an investigation identifying persons using P2P software to traffic in child pornography. During that time, they identified an IP address in Donna offering to participate in the distribution of images and child pornography. In May 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the address in Donna and identified Torres as one of the occupants. At that time, law enforcement seized two cellphones including Torres’ personal phone. Forensic analysis of Torres’ phone revealed 43 videos of child pornography including prepubescent minors under the age of 12. Torres admitted to frequently downloading, receiving and possessing child pornography. Torres will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Browning man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for sexual abuse, domestic assault

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning who admitted sexually abusing a teenager and domestic abuse in two separate cases on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Merlyn Roger Lee Marceau, 41, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to aggravated sexual abuse and to domestic assault by habitual offender. A plea agreement reached in the cases calls for both matters to be sentenced at the same time and for the sentences in each case to run concurrent to each other. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on June 27, 2023, Marceau forcefully sexually abused a 13-year-old, identified as Doe, in a shed at a residence. The government also alleged that on June 24, 2023, Marceau and a separate victim, identified as Jane Doe and with whom he had been in a romantic relationship, began arguing. Marceau assaulted Jane Doe by striking her repeatedly. Marceau disclosed the assault to the FBI in an unrelated interview. Marceau had two prior domestic assault convictions from Browning Tribal Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Blackfeet Child Protective Services investigated the sexual abuse case, and the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the domestic assault case. XXX


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Repeatedly Possessing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Springfield, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly possessing and distributing photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse. Randy Lee Cook, 43, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release. According to court documents, in 2006, Cook was convicted of state child pornography charges in Missouri and served a significant prison sentence for sending child sexual abuse material to a minor, engaging in sexual chats with the minor, and then engaging in additional sexual chats with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a minor and propositioning the decoy minor for sex. Following his release from prison, Cook was required to register as a sex offender. In the summer of 2020 and spring of 2021, investigators learned that Cook had resumed distributing child sexual abuse material online, this time using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging mobile application. Investigators traced multiple Kik accounts to Cook and learned he was residing in Springfield. On June 11, 2021, investigators executed search warrants on Cook’s residence, truck, and person. Cook’s phone was found to contain approximately 194 images and 63 videos depicting child sexual abuse. In July 2021, Cook was charged by criminal complaint with possessing and distributing child pornography and arrested. On July 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene indicted him on the same charges. In December 2023, while Cook’s case was being litigated, an FBI task force officer in Louisiana investigating an unrelated matter began conversing with an individual on Kik who was later determined to be Cook. In conversations online with the officer, Cook claimed to have engaged in sex acts with children and sent the agent an explicit video of a child. On December 14, 2023, Cook was arrested a second time when he was leaving his Springfield residence to plead guilty in federal court. On January 24, 2024, Cook pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. This case was investigated by the FBI Eugene Resident Agency with assistance from the FBI New Orleans Field Office, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Shreveport Police Department. It was prosecuted by William McLaren, Marco Boccato, and Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Extradited Nigerian National Convicted of Business Email Compromise Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, convicted a Nigerian national today for operating a business email compromise scheme out of multiple countries, including the United States. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, 39, and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications to obtain money. They utilized unwitting and witting “money mules” to receive fraud proceeds in their bank accounts, and then transferred those funds to accounts under the control of Osuji and his co-conspirators or to convert the stolen proceeds to cash for further transfer. Over the course of the scheme’s years-long operation, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds into bank accounts the victims believed were under the control of legitimate recipients of the funds as part of normal business operations, when in reality, the bank accounts were controlled by Osuji and his co-conspirators. As a result of the scheme, losses and intended losses totaled over $6.3 million. “Osuji led a network of scammers in Malaysia and elsewhere in a sophisticated business email compromise scheme to defraud victims of millions of dollars,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction is another example of how the department’s collaboration with international law enforcement partners enables us to bring cybercriminals to justice in the United States.” “While it is often difficult to identify and bring to justice cybercriminals operating overseas, today’s verdict demonstrates the expertise of the FBI and Stamford Police in uncovering this criminal network, and the shared commitment of our counterparts in Malaysia to ensure that fraudsters are held accountable in a court of law,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We will continue to work to root out those who engage in internet fraud schemes, no matter where in the world they operate, and achieve justice for victims of these crimes.” “The defendant perpetrated a complex international business email compromise scheme and laundered millions in stolen proceeds,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy R. Langan Jr. of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “This conviction is the result of hard work and close collaboration between the FBI and our local and international partners. Together, we will work aggressively to bring to justice anyone who engages in fraud and theft against Americans, no matter where they are in the world.” “Today’s verdict provides a bit of closure to some victims of these often financially crippling crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “It also displays our international ability to bring criminal actors to justice despite the complexities of their crimes. We want to thank all of our law enforcement partners here and abroad, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office, for their dedication to serving justice.” The jury convicted Osuji of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years on the identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison on the wire fraud and conspiracy counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the United States in 2022. His alleged co-conspirator, John Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is pending extradition proceedings. Another co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, pleaded guilty on Feb. 16. The FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police, and Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Osuji. Trial Attorney Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret M. Donovan for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Doherty for the District of Connecticut provided valuable assistance to the investigation. If you believe that you have been victimized by Valentine Osuji, John Wamuigah, or Tolulope Bodunde, please contact the FBI New Haven Field Office at 203-777-6311 and ask for FBI Task Force Officer Michael Stempien. Please note that defendants are believed to have used the following accounts in perpetuation of their crimes (partially redacted where necessary, to obscure the names of stolen identities): Ew---leeu------rrg@gmail.com Lui-fra----la@gmail.com shawncarta@gmail.com agoggiia@gmail.com ksniper100@gmail.com or kindsnipes@gmail.com To learn more about business email compromise scams, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise and www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230609 . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leon Eugene Smith Jr., 43, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2023, Smith sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in the Lenark area of Raleigh County. Smith admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on three occasions between December 19, 2023, and January 3, 2024, all in the Lenark area. On January 8, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. Officers found fentanyl, marijuana, a pill bottle containing oxycodone, a pill bottle containing black tar heroin, three cell phones, a security system, $1,170 and scales, money counters, vacuum sealers, and other items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also found six long guns, two pistols, a 50-round drum magazine, a 30-round drum magazine, two 30-round rifle magazines and assorted ammunition. Smith admitted to possessing the firearms, magazines and ammunition and further admitted that the drug paraphernalia items were used in the distribution of fentanyl. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-22. ###


title: Kentucky Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Advertising Child Pornography

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Kentucky man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for advertising child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the dark web. Scott Allison, 59, of Glasgow, Ky., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Allison was also ordered to pay restitution of $100,000. In September of 2023, Allison pleaded guilty to one count of advertisement of child pornography. Allison was initially charged by criminal complaint in November 2021 in the Western District of Kentucky and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in December 2021. “Mr. Allison deserves to be behind bars for a very long time. He is a reprehensible cog in the market built around the shameful and devastating abuse of innocent children. There is nothing worse. He regularly advertised the sexual abuse and exploitation of kids thinking he was wrapped in the cloak of anonymity in his online world. He also possessed literally hundreds of thousands of images exploiting children on his computer. Child pornography is not a victimless crime – it is an all too active marketplace that thrives on real abuse inflicted upon real children. Each time a sexually explicit image or video of a child is viewed, accessed, possessed, received, sent or produced, that child is being re-victimized. Today’s sentence should make that message clear. Our office and our federal, state and local partners will never cease in our efforts to relentlessly pursue those who engage in this market,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Scott Allison is a predator who used the exploitation of children as currency to further his horrific enterprise. He and others used the perceived anonymity of the dark web as a safe haven from the public and from law enforcement. As Allison and many others have and will find out, the dark web is no match against the will of law enforcement to protect our children,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. In April 2021, Allison was identified advertising and posting links to CSAM, including images of boys as young as approximately two years old, via a website on the dark web for which he served as a moderator. Allison used at least two different usernames on various websites on the dark web. On one website, Allison was responsible for moderation of the website, this included greeting and socializing with guests, reviewing messages and images and ensuring the safety and success of the website. During a search of his home in November 2021, an external hard drive plugged into a computer in his bedroom was found to contain approximately 130,000 images and videos of CSAM. Allison also had the content or text of approximately 108,000 posts to child pornography websites saved on his computer. Additionally, a box containing boy’s underwear, diapers and condoms as well as a silicone mold of a boy’s buttocks with partial genitalia were also found during the search. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky; and Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Nashville made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Luke A. Goldworm of the Criminal Division are 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Omar Sexton, 43, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Evidence presented to the court showed that a K-9 trained to detect narcotics alerted on a package at a mail shipping center in Louisville, Kentucky. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the package and discovered the package contained approximately one kilogram of a white powdery substance that was determined to be cocaine, and what appeared to be mushrooms and marijuana. The package was shipped from Los Angeles, California on June 19, 2023, and was addressed to a residence in North Charleston. The government obtained surveillance footage of Sexton shipping the package at the shipping center. Airline records also indicated Sexton travelled between Charleston and Los Angeles several times during the summer of 2023, including from Los Angeles to Charleston on June 19, 2023. Phone records indicated that the subscriber of the phone number on the package was Omar Sexton. SC DMV records showed that Omar Sexton resided at the same address to which the package was sent. United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Sexton to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Holmes is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Shiprock Woman Sentenced for Drunk Driving Crash that Killed Grandchild

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman was sentenced to five years in prison for a tragic rollover accident in Shiprock, New Mexico which resulted in the death of her young granddaughter and serious injuries to another. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on July 1, 2021, Evelyn Bustamante , 60, drove her grandchildren from Shiprock and Farmington. Neither of the children were properly restrained in seatbelts or car seats. Around 3:00 PM, Bustamante lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over and eject all three occupants. First responders rushed the trio to the Northern Navajo Medical Center where Bustamante admitted to consuming alcohol and methamphetamine earlier that day. Toxicology tests confirmed the presence of these substances in her system. Jane Doe 1 suffered severe head trauma and was placed on a ventilator at the University of New Mexico Hospital. After five days, she succumbed to her injuries. Jane Doe 2 sustained a skull fracture and subdural hemorrhage but has since recovered. Bustamante suffered multiple injuries, including lacerations and fractures, and underwent reconstructive surgery on her hand. Upon her release from prison, Bustamante will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Ivan J. Satterfield, 30, was sentenced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to 72 months in prison, for five counts of possession of firearms by a prohibited person, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of fluorofentanyl. According to his plea agreement, between April 14 and October 31, 2022, law enforcement utilized confidential informants to make multiple firearm and controlled substance purchases from Satterfield, which included purchases of fentanyl, cocaine, and fluorofentanyl, as well as the purchase of six firearms. Satterfield knew he had prior felony convictions, for receiving stolen property under $10,000 from Fayette Circuit Court in July 2016 and for theft by unlawful taking under $10,000 from Nelson Circuit Court in November 2013, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Under federal law, Satterfield must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP), jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Former Guatemalan congressman guilty of international drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A former Guatemalan congressman has pleaded guilty to his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs of the Eastern District of Texas. Jose Armando Ubico Aguilar, 45, a former senior Republic of Guatemala official, pleaded guilty to an international drug trafficking conspiracy violation before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Priest Johnson on May 1, 2024. Ubico Aguilar arrived in the United States from Central America earlier this week and was arrested. According to information presented in court, Ubico Aguilar served as an elected member of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala from 2016 to 2024. He also served as an elected Deputy and was the President of the National Defense Committee of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala from 2018 to 2023. “As a senior leader in the Republic of Guatemala, Ubico Aguilar was entrusted to further the fight against drug traffickers pushing illegal narcotics north to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “Even more so, as the President of the National Defense Committee of the Congress of Republic of Guatemala, Ubico Aguilar was responsible, in part, for his own country’s national security. Instead, Ubico Aguilar betrayed his country when he chose to partner with known drug traffickers and other corrupt officials. We are grateful to our foreign law enforcement partners for ensuring Ubico Aguilar, and those like him, will not be allowed to hide behind their positions of power.” “The arrest of this corrupt official who allegedly brokered and facilitated cocaine shipments into the United States shows the swift justice criminals will meet through DEA Dallas’ efforts to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations across the world,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “We are proud to collaborate with our DEA offices around the world as well as our international counterparts who collectively share the same goal – enforce the rule of law and ensure consequences come to those who profit from illicit drug distribution in our communities.” On March 3, 2021, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas indicted Ubico Aguilar charging him with federal drug trafficking violations. During his plea hearing, Ubico Aguilar admitted his role in the conspiracy, including relaying drug-related information and U.S. currency to another Guatemalan official on behalf of an international drug trafficker. These actions resulted in the safe passage of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine through Guatemala for distribution in the United States. Ubico Aguilar faces from 10 years to life in federal prison at sentencing. The statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is being investigated by the North Texas Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Strike Force Group Two; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Division; the DEA’s Guatemala City Country Office and the DEA’s San Jose (Costa Rica) Country Office; the FBI’s Dallas Field Office; the Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas and Guatemala Field Offices; the U.S. Marshals Service’s Dallas Field Office; and Customs and Border Patrol’s San Diego Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division also provided assistance in furthering the prosecution. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Eason. ###