title: Multi-convicted felon sentenced to prison for committing numerous armed robberies while on federal supervised release

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 9, a South Florida multi-convicted felon was sentenced to 324 months, followed by five years of supervised release, for convictions of armed bank robbery, armed credit union robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, while on federal supervised release. On April 6, 2022, Javonne Wilks, 42, of Miami, Florida, and two co-conspirators entered a bank, in Cooper City, Florida, wearing dark colored skull hats, dark face masks and coveralls, and carrying an AR-15 style long gun and two handguns. Upon entering the lobby, Wilks and his co-conspirators approached two bank tellers who were behind the counter, jumped the counter, and demanded access to the cash drawers and vault. Wilks and his co-conspirators then forced two bank employees to lie face down on the ground at gunpoint. Wilks and his co-conspirators fled after stealing $242,113. On June 6, 2023, Wilks and a co-conspirator entered a credit union, in Miami Springs, Florida, wearing sweatshirts, long pants, masks and bicycle helmets, and carrying a semiautomatic handgun and a revolver. Wilks and the co-conspirator entered the credit union waving their firearms and ordering the employees to go to the lobby. Wilks and the co-conspirator then ordered one of the tellers and the manager to open the vault at gunpoint and demanded money. After Wilks and his co-conspirator had placed the manager on his knees and patted him down, the teller complied and put money from the vault into Wilks and his co-conspirator’s duffel bag. Then, Wilks and his co-conspirator demanded more money, so another teller put additional money into the duffel bag. Wilks and the co-conspirator fled after stealing around $29,000. Later that day, law enforcement officers arrested Wilks. Inside of Wilks’s vehicle, law enforcement officers found about $11,395 in cash, three coveralls consistent with the ones worn during the bank robbery, and bait money (bills with known serial numbers that are used by banks to aid the tracing of bank robbers) from the credit union robbery. In 2005, Wilks was sentenced to 212 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was on federal supervised release when he committed the armed robberies. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miami Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Gardens Police Department, South Miami Police Department and Miami Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay J. Alexander is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Roberto Delgado is handling asset forfeiture. 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. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60123. ###


title: Waterbury Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Theft of Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OLAJUWON HARRINGTON, also known as “OJ Harrington,” 31, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for his theft of pandemic unemployment benefits. According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who are not eligible for other types of UI due to their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for residents of Connecticut. Numerous fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which used identifying information of real persons (“victims”) without their knowledge, were submitted to CT-DOL. Relying on the applications, CT-DOL awarded unemployment assistance in the form of debit cards in the names of approximately 43 victims and mailed the debit cards to addresses provided in the applications. Over an approximately 20-month period, Harrington obtained those debit cards issued in victims’ names and unlawfully used the cards for his own benefit. Judge Williams ordered Harrington to pay restitution of $793,254. Harrington was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 30, 2022. On May 10, 2023, he pleaded guilty to access device fraud. This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General; and the Connecticut Department of Labor. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser. Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Castor Man Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine and Numerous Firearms

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jereaud Egans , 38, of Castor, Louisiana , has been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 195 months (16 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for drug possession and illegal possession of firearms. Egans pleaded guilty on February 22, 2023, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to information presented in court, in October 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating the suspected drug trafficking activities of Egans. Law enforcement agents were able to seize methamphetamine purchased from Egans and had it tested at a DEA laboratory. The results of the testing confirmed that it was a net weight of over 360 grams of methamphetamine. On another instance in January 2023, agents conducted a traffic stop of Egans near his residence in Castor due to traffic violations committed by him. During the traffic stop, agents conducted a consensual search of the vehicle and found a loaded Canik 55 TP-9 9mm pistol under the driver’s seat. Agents also found and seized two vacuum sealed plastic bags containing approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a compartment under the front middle seat. The seized narcotics were tested at the DEA laboratory and confirmed to be methamphetamine with a net weight of over 444 grams. A short time later, law enforcement agents obtained a search warrant for Egans’ residence and during the search recovered approximately 51 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 584 grams of suspected marijuana, 530 gross grams of cannabis pre-roll cigars, 528 gross grams of THC edibles, 104.3 gross grams of THC “moon rocks,” and marijuana seeds. In addition, agents recovered 18 firearms, one of which had been reported as stolen. The case was investigated by DEA, ATF and the Bienville Parish Sheriff's Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian C. Flanagan. # # #


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Small Business Administration to Obtain COVID Relief Loan while in Federal Custody

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, ADONIJAH LINDSAY , 38, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment, which charged Lindsay with two counts of wire fraud. According to the Indictment, on June 24, 2020, Lindsay applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which provided loans to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indictment alleges that in his loan application, Lindsay claimed to own a business with revenue of more than $200,000 in 2019. In fact, Lindsay did not own a business. The Indictment explains that Lindsay spent most of 2019 incarcerated in federal prison and applied for the loan while in a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry center in Florida. Based on his false statements, Lindsay’s application was approved by the SBA, and $74,000 was disbursed to a banking account in Enid, Oklahoma in June 2020. Today, Lindsay pleaded guilty to the Indictment, and admitted he provided false information to defraud the SBA. At sentencing, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20-member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program and EIDL program. The PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Grand Jury Returns Five Indictments

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wisconsin Man Charged with Possessing Destructive Devices James Morgan, 30, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with unlawfully possessing destructive devices. The indictment alleges that Morgan possessed the devices on December 21, 2023. If convicted, Morgan faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Janesville and Whitewater Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin for the Western District of Wisconsin, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Illinois Man Charged with Drug Crimes Jerry Tate, a/k/a/ “Blue,” 51, Waukegan, Illinois, is charged with drug crimes involving fentanyl and methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that between September 22, 2022 and May 4, 2023, Tate distributed fentanyl on four occasions and distributed a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and methamphetamine on one occasion. The indictment further alleges that on May 5, 2023, Tate possessed 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, Tate faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the charge of possessing 50 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine for distribution. He faces maximum penalties of 20 years on each of the distribution charges. The charges against Tate are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse, Campbell, and Onalaska Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case. Eau Claire Man Charged with Distributing Methamphetamine Joshua Reedy, 30, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that Reedy distributed methamphetamine on September 28, 2023 and October 2, 2023. The indictment also alleges that on October 4, 2023, Reedy distributed methamphetamine and possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, Reedy faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the charge of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces maximum penalties of 20 years on each distribution charge. The charges against Reedy are the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Eau Claire Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington is prosecuting the case. Janesville Man Charged with Distributing Cocaine and Possessing Firearms as A Felon Taiwan R. Edwards, 28, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine for distribution, and possessing firearms as a felon. The indictment alleges that Edwards distributed cocaine on August 29, 2023 and September 15, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Edwards possessed 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute on October 4, 2023. Finally, the indictment alleges that on October 4, 2023, Edwards possessed four firearms as a felon. If convicted, Edwards faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the charge of possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine for distribution, a maximum of 20 years on the cocaine distribution charges, and a maximum of 15 years for possessing firearms as a felon. The charges against Edwards are the result of an investigation by Janesville Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case. Madison Man Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes Joseph P. Rehbein, 32, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing methamphetamine for distribution and possessing a firearm as a felon. The indictment alleges that Rehbein possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on August 3, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Rehbein possessed a loaded 9 mm handgun the same day. If convicted, Rehbein faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the charge alleging possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm has a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The charges against Rehbein are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the prosecution. The cases against Rehbein and Edwards have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms. # # # #


title: Portsmouth Man Sentenced to 50 Months for Firearms and Drug Offenses

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison after illegally possessing two firearms, narcotics, and narcotics paraphernalia in a highly residential area close to downtown Portsmouth. According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration began surveillance on Danny Marcus Collins, 35, to assist the Portsmouth Police Department in arresting Collins as a result of two state summonses. While conducting surveillance, the investigative team observed Collins meet with multiple individuals and conduct hand-to-hand transactions from his vehicle. After noticing police, Collins rolled up the window of his vehicle and fled on foot. Collins was taken into custody. Shortly thereafter, a Portsmouth police narcotics K9 conducted a narcotics sweep of Collins’ vehicle, which resulted in a positive alert. The vehicle was searched and approximately 27 grams of cocaine, 8.3 grams of crack cocaine, 2 grams of cocaine, and 7.5 grams of suspected marijuana were recovered. Two firearms (one loaded), $1,183, packaging material, ammunition, and a digital scale were also recovered. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney prosecuted the case. This case was part of the DEA’s Operation Overdrive , an initiative aimed at combatting the rising rates of drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths plaguing American communities. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-38.


title: Big Lake Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Big Lake woman has pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Sharon Denise Ross, 53, was the executive director of House of Refuge Twin Cities, a St. Paul-based non-profit which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. Ross claimed that House of Refuge operated distribution sites at a dozen locations throughout the Twin Cities that served food by a vendor called Brava Café, a restaurant in Minneapolis run by Hanna Marakegn. Between September 2021 through February 2022, Ross falsely claimed to be serving thousands of children each day at her House of Refuge sites. In total, Ross fraudulently claimed to have served nearly 900,000 meals and received approximately $2.4 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ross distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to family members and used the rest of the money to fund her lifestyle, including to pay for vacations to Florida and Las Vegas, to purchase a suite at a Minnesota Timberwolves game, and to purchase a house in Willernie, Minnesota. Ross, who is the 17 th defendant to plead guilty to charges relating to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, appeared today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Chelsea A. Walcker, Matthew S. Ebert, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.


title: District Man Sentenced to 42 Years in Prison for 2019 Shooting of Four People in Northeast Washington D.C.

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - Travis Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 42 years in prison for the July 5, 2019, shooting of three men and a woman in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He was sentenced by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Littlejohn was found guilty by a jury on March 10, 2023, of all charges in the 28-count indictment, following a two-week trial in the Superior Court. Specifically, the jury found Littlejohn guilty of four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury, along with related firearms offenses. According to the government’s evidence, on the night of July 5, 2019, after getting into a verbal and physical altercation with a group of people gathered in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, D.C., Littlejohn drove to a nearby apartment and returned to the block minutes later armed with a handgun. After exchanging words with the group again, Littlejohn fired at least seven rounds at them from a semiautomatic firearm from a short distance away. Four people in that group were struck before two members of the group returned gunfire. Three of the victims suffered significant injuries, but one victim was more seriously injured. This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department the Sixth District Detectives with valuable assistance from Sixth District Patrol Officers who initially responded to the scene. The case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Samuel White, and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCarthy of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Renee Prather, Debra McPherson & Crystal Waddy, SA Nelson Rhone of the Case Investigation Unit, and Litigation Technology Specialist Lief Hickling.


title: DEA Controlled Buys Lead to 6-Year Sentence for Violent Massachusetts Felon

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Worcester, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Devon Ashton , 28, to 72 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Ashton pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023. According to court records, between January and March 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted four controlled purchases of fentanyl from Ashton, for a total of approximately 192 grams. At the end of March 2023, Ashton was stopped for speeding in Lewiston, and $8,000 and approximately 59 grams of cocaine were seized. He was arrested in May 2023. Ashton has previous convictions for unlawful firearms possession and assault, among other offenses. While awaiting sentencing, he was involved in an altercation at the Strafford (NH) County Department of Corrections and has been indicted in New Hampshire state court for the crime of Assault by Prisoner. The DEA investigated the case. ###


title: St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography in  Cyberstalking and Child Exploitation Case

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to producing a video depicting his sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, beginning in July 2019 through February 2023, Chedor TV, 39, created multiple online personas on apps such as Discord and Snapchat in order to cyberstalk a minor victim. He used aliases such as “Chang Vang” and “Hailey Ly” to pose as a minor and communicate with the minor victim, sending her sexually explicit pictures. During this time, while the minor victim was unaware that TV was cyberstalking her using these online aliases, TV also secretly recorded the minor victim while she was naked in the shower at his residence. TV also recorded a sexually explicit video depicting the minor victim while she was asleep at his residence. When the minor victim tried to cease contact with TV’s online persona “Chang,” TV threatened to share publicly explicit videos and images he took of the minor victim without her knowledge, causing her substantial emotional distress. TV pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and St. Paul Police Department. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Reginald Alphonso Hopkins, age 52, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, today to two years in federal prison, followed by one year of home confinement as part of three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program, administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance did not have to be repaid, and small businesses could receive an advance, even if they were not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount was $10,000. According to his plea agreement, Hopkins fraudulently obtained $1,007,224 in PPP funds and $9,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds for various purported businesses he controlled—a transportation business, a car sales business, and an assisted living facility. He also attempted to fraudulently obtain more than $3,132,224 in PPP and EIDL funds. As detailed in the statement of facts submitted as part of the plea agreement, between June 11, 2020 and March 23, 2021, Hopkins, with the assistance of a co-conspirator submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for Prestige Executive Transportation, Prestige 24/7 Auto Sales & Services LLC (“Prestige 24/7”), and Prestige Assisted Living Inc. (“Prestige Assisted Living”), all businesses owned by Hopkins. Each loan application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including as to the number of employees and average monthly payroll. Fabricated IRS tax forms and bank records were also submitted in support of the loan applications. In fact, IRS tax records reveal that none of the companies reported paying wages to any employees. Based on the fraudulent submissions, the PPP loans were funded. Approximately $291,090 was distributed to Prestige Transportation’s bank account; approximately $294,771 was distributed to Prestige 24/7’s bank account; and approximately $421,363 was distributed to Prestige Assisted Living’s bank account. All the bank accounts were controlled by Hopkins. Hopkins agreed to pay the co-conspirator a kickback payment for his work in submitting the false applications. Hopkins provided the co-conspirator: a check for $58,000, approximately 20 percent of the PPP loan amount for the Prestige Executive Transportation loan; eight checks totaling $75,000 or 25 percent of the Prestige 24/7 loan; and five checks totaling $44,000 or approximately 10.5 percent of the Prestige Assisted Living loan. Hopkins admitted that he spent the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds in various ways unrelated to job retention or other business expenses, including the $177,000 in kickbacks paid to the co-conspirator, providing PPP funds to various friends, family members, making large cash withdrawals for himself, and paying off various personal debts. Hopkins also used $30,000 of the PPP funds to purchase an auto body repair shop called B&G Auto Repair LLC, for which he planned to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan. In addition to obtaining the PPP loans discussed above, Hopkins also conspired with the co-conspirator to fraudulently obtain PPP loans for various other purported businesses, including Prestige Executive Protection Services, LLC, Prestige Paradise Promotions, LLC, Prestige Executive Protection Services II, LLC, Prestige Real Estate & Development, LLC, and B&G Auto Repair LLC. Hopkins repeatedly sought the co-conspirator’s assistance in obtaining PPP loans for these entities, but the loans never closed. Hopkins further admitted that he caused to be submitted numerous fraudulent EIDL applications, including for Prestige Executive Transportation and Prestige Executive Protection Services II. Both of those loans, as well as others, were ultimately declined, but Hopkins received an EIDL advance of $5,000 and $4,000, for Prestige Executive Transportation and Prestige Executive Protection Services II, respectively. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”). Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley, who prosecuted the federal case. Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Man Found with Methamphetamine Hidden Under Car Hood Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who committed a drug trafficking offense was sentenced on January 10, 2024, to fourteen years in federal prison for possessing large quantities of methamphetamine. Cody James Darland Heinrichs, age 34, from Newton, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 1, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. After Heinrichs was traffic stopped by police in Waterloo, Iowa, they located over 1,200 grams of methamphetamine hidden under the hood of his vehicle and $2,000 on his person. Heinrichs was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Heinrichs was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Heinrichs is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Black Hawk County Sherriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR- 2017. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Oregon Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Conspiracy to Engage in Animal Crushing Resulting in the Torture, Mutilation and Murder of Monkeys

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—An Oregon man pleaded guilty today in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to produce and distribute videos depicting the torture, mutilation and murder of monkeys in exchange for money raised by an online animal abuse group the man administered. David Christopher Noble, 48, of Prineville, Oregon, pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in animal crushing and creating and distributing animal crush videos. According to court documents, from an unknown date no later than January 19, 2022, and continuing until February 2, 2023, Noble conspired with others in the District of Oregon and elsewhere to send multiple online payments to co-conspirators overseas to fund the production of videos depicting the torture, mutilation and murder of monkeys. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Noble administered an online group wherein members would raise funds to produce, discuss ideas for, and share animal abuse videos. In 2006, Noble, a former United States Air Force Officer, was dismissed from the Air Force and ordered to serve six months in military custody following a court martial for fraud and an unprofessional relationship. In early February 2023, following the investigation in this case, investigators executed a search warrant on Noble’s residence and found approximately 50 videos depicting animal abuse, along with several firearms and ammunition. On May 18, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Noble with conspiring to engage in animal crushing and creating and distributing animal crush videos, creating animal crush videos, and illegally possessing a firearm as a dishonorably discharged person. After his home was searched, Noble relocated from Prineville to Henderson, Nevada, and, on June 13, 2023, was arrested in Henderson. The next day, he made his first appearance in federal court in Las Vegas and was ordered detained pending his transfer to Oregon. On July 21, 2023, after arriving in Oregon, Noble was again ordered detained based on the nature of his offenses, including the extreme violence associated, and his possession of firearms. For his role in the conspiracy, Noble faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on April 24, 2024. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Pierce County repeat offender pleads guilty to illegally possessing firearms – including machine guns

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A Pierce County, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to unlawful possession of a machine gun and unlawful possession of firearms related to his October arrest at a Fife, Washington auto glass firm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Brady Lee Eltz, 39, is scheduled for sentencing before Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo on April 12, 2024. According to records filed in the case, on October 4, 2023, Fife Police were dispatched to an auto-glass repair shop where workers at the shop reported seeing firearms in the trunk of a vehicle Eltz brought in for repair. Workers also reported seeing bullet holes in the vehicle. After law enforcement took Eltz info custody, they checked the bathroom at the business. Eltz had gone into the bathroom when he saw police arrive. In the cabinet below the sink police found two firearms – 9 mm handguns. One, a Glock, had an illegal switch known as an “auto-sear” installed. The switch allows the gun to be fired automatically, making it a machine gun. The Glock had been reported stolen. Fife Police towed Eltz’s vehicle and applied for a warrant to search it. During the search of the vehicle’s trunk, they found three additional firearms – including a stolen rifle that had been modified to fire automatically, making it a machine gun. Police then discovered a bag with two improvised explosive devices. Pierce County Sheriff’s Office bomb technicians were called in to evaluate the devices and make them safe. One was an explosive simulator likely stolen from the U.S. Army. It can cause serious bodily injury if exploded in a confined space. The second explosive was a thick cardboard tube filled with a black powder that appeared to be flammable. After the explosives were made safe, police continued their search of the trunk and found two additional rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, latex face masks, body armor, gun sites, holsters, and other firearms accessories. Eltz also had GPS trackers, several knives, and a voice-changing device. All of the guns, ammunition and auto-sear devices are being forfeited to the government. Eltz is prohibited from possessing any firearms because of criminal convictions including a 2013 conviction in the Western District of Washington. Eltz was sentenced to five years in prison for that crime. Illegal possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Possession of a machine gun is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Fife Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. The Washington State Patrol assisted with locating and arresting Eltz on a federal warrant after he posted bail and left state custody. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci L. Ellsworth.


title: Jury Finds Virginia Man Guilty of First-Degree Burglary In Northwest Washington

body_text: WASHINGTON – James Miller, 41, of Virginia, has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree burglary, simple assault, and destruction of property in a break-in that took place in Northwest Washington in the middle of the night, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned on January 10, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Robert A. Salerno scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on September 19, 2023, at approximately 1:42 a.m., Miller broke into his pregnant ex-wife’s home by breaking through the front door. Immediately upon breaking into her home, the defendant charged at his ex-wife and assaulted her by grabbing her by the throat and throwing her to the ground. After she got back up, the defendant grabbed her by her bathrobe and threw her onto the couch. The victim and her 22-year-old-daughter (who witnessed Mr. Miller standing over her mother) called 911. Police arrived quickly at 1:49 a.m. and arrested Miller on scene. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Hyde and Matthew Covert.


title: Brighton Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Steven Darbee, age 50, formerly of Brighton, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for tax evasion. According to the plea agreement, the defendant last filed a tax return with the IRS in 2014. Beginning in April of 2013, and continuing until January of 2021, the defendant evaded the assessment of federal income tax by submitting to his employers false Form W-4s claiming multiple dependents so that his employers would not withhold federal income tax. While the defendant was only allowed to claim two allowances, during the relevant time period the defendant claimed up to 99 dependents and in 2021 claimed he was “exempt” from paying federal taxes. The defendant had an opportunity to pay all taxes due and owing for each calendar year by the April filing date and did not do so. Nor did he file a tax return for any of the years in question. The IRS’s attempts to bring the defendant into compliance were unsuccessful. “Our office will hold tax cheats accountable,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “Everyone must pay their taxes, and if you don’t, there will be consequences.” “Attempting to defraud the IRS by falsifying Form W-4s unfairly shifts the tax burden to honest American taxpayers and criminals must know they will not get away with it,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge, Todd Martin. “CI special agents identified more than $5.5 billion in tax fraud last year and we will remain committed to holding tax cheats accountable.” United States District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang sentenced Darbee on January 10, 2024. In addition to his term of incarceration, Darbee was ordered to pay $308,370.59 to the IRS in taxes, interest, and penalties. Darbee was also ordered to serve 3 years on supervised release after his custodial sentence. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Martha A. Paluch handled the prosecution of the case. Case Number: 23-cr-00099


title: Oswego County Man Sentenced to 135 Months for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcus Lombardo, age 40, of Hannibal, New York, was sentenced today to serve 135 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). As part of his earlier guilty plea, Lombardo admitted that on February 18, 2021, during a visit at his home from his United States Probation Officer, Lombardo possessed at least 180 image and video files of child pornography on an SD card found inside a cell phone that he was prohibited from possessing under the conditions of his supervised release. Lombardo was on federal supervision following a 2012 federal conviction for receipt and possession of child pornography and commission of a felony offense while on pretrial release. He was sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment in 2019 for violating the conditions of his release on a prior occasion and was sentenced to 16-month term in 2021 for the violation that occurred on February 18, 2021. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Lombardo is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $12,000 to victims depicted in the images and videos he possessed. Lombardo will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender. This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office (Syracuse) and the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Starkville man sentenced for drug trafficking

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for selling pounds of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Willie Saul Dean III, a/k/a “Buck Dean”, 45, of Starkville, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Dean was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown to 121 months. He was further sentenced to 5 years supervised release following his release from prison. As a part of the sentence, Dean was also ordered to forfeit $16,500. “Citizens should have an expectation that drug dealers who peddle poison in their communities will be held accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This office will continue to join with DEA and our state and local partners to combat the distribution of illicit drugs that destroy lives in our communities.” “Drug trafficking organizations use every method they can to distribute their poisoning,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. “The sentencing of this offender should be a warning to anyone selling methamphetamine in Mississippi. The DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, is watching and you will be held accountable.” This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. Agencies assisting with the investigation included the United States Marshal’s Service and Clay County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.


title: Prior sex offender sentenced for new crimes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREENVILLE, Miss – A Nettleton, Mississippi man was sentenced today to more than 13 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse materials. According to court documents, Clyde Lee Hall, 49 years old, was originally charged with failure to register as a sex offender in the Northern District of Mississippi after absconding from the Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center while on federal supervised release. A later Cybertip revealed that Hall had been transporting and viewing child pornography on his mobile device following his release from prison. Hall had over 180 videos stored in his Google account, many of which portrayed the sexual abuse of victims under the age of 12. Hall’s prior child pornography conviction enhanced the penalties available to the Court. On Wednesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Hall to 162 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will do everything possible to see that criminals who victimize children or who take pleasure in watching children being victimized are held accountable for their abhorrent crimes,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We applaud the work by the United States Marshals Service and the FBI in helping to bring this offender to justice and hope that this sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who would consider transporting or viewing child pornography.” The United States Marshals Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Finds St. Albans Man Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A St. Albans man was found guilty this week of conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances. The verdict came after a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor with Judge Lance E. Walker presiding. According to evidence presented at trial, between June 2017 and February 2018, Adam Johnson , 32, participated in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl in central Maine. Johnson would travel out of state to meet the source and pick up fentanyl that he would then bring back to Maine to package and sell to dealers. The amount of fentanyl exceeded 400 grams. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is a potentially lethal dose. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison followed by five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. ###


title: Springfield, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 54 Months for Bank Robbery

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Heather Horrighs, 44, was sentenced on January 10, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 54 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for bank robbery. At the sentencing hearing, the Court found that Horrighs and co-defendant Theodis Parnell jointly planned to rob the Alliance Community Bank located at 6530 North IL-29 in Springfield, IL. On September 13, 2021, Parnell drove Horrighs to the area of the bank where he remained in the vehicle with the engine running. Horrighs then entered the bank with a package that she said contained a bomb. After receiving money from two tellers, Horrighs left the bank and Parnell acted as the getaway driver. The pair stole a total of $12,888 from the bank. Parnell was previously sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. Horrighs was indicted in November 2021 and pleaded guilty in January 2023. She has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal Service since her arrest. The statutory penalties for bank robbery are up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Springfield Police Department and the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Horrighs and Parnell 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: Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Richard Allan Knight, 53, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Knight to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Knight’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Judge Buescher ordered Knight to pay restitution in the amount of $3,000. Knight will also be required to register as a sex offender. On June 29, 2021, an officer with the Omaha Police Department responded to a radio call of found property by the owner of a residence on Curtis Avenue, in Omaha. Between May 2, 2021, and June 29, 2021, Knight had been living in the residence and a white 2011 Forrest River camper trailer parked at the residence. The officer conducted a search of the home and trailer where he found a digital hard drive in the trailer, which was owned by Knight. The homeowner also gave the officer a cellular phone belonging to Knight found in the garage of the residence. A search warrant was obtained for digital hard drive and the cellular phone. Forensic review of the devices revealed images and videos depicting minors, some under the age of 12, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. There were also numerous images and personal information found on the devices confirming Knight’s ownership of both. Knight was convicted on March 14, 1997, of 1st Degree Sexual Abuse in Marion County, Oregon. Knight was also on federal supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender when the instant offense occurred. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Nine Indicted in Federal Health Care Fraud Probe

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – A November 2023 indictment, returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Roanoke, Virginia charging nine people with healthcare fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and obstruction of justice, has been unsealed following the arrest and initial court appearances of all nine defendants. According to court documents, Carolyn Bryant-Taylor, 59, of Clinton, Maryland; Kafomdi “Josephine” Okocha, 48, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Samuel Okocha, 50, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Shekita Gore, a.k.a. Shekita Steele, 38, of Clinton, Maryland; Berthe Feuzeu, a.k.a. Berthe Djuni, 48, of Manassas Park, Virginia; Anthony Kanu, 57, of Bladensburg, Maryland; Elizabeth Ilome, 41, of Stafford, Virginia; Eno Utuk, 47, of Stafford, Virginia; and Rhabiatu Kamara, 45, of Fort Washington, Maryland, are all charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Bryant-Taylor, Josephine Okocha, Samuel Okocha, and Gore also are charged with one count of health care fraud. Additionally, Bryant-Taylor is charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of money laundering. Josephine Okocha is charged with three counts of money laundering. According to the indictment, Bryant-Taylor, Josephine Okocha, Samuel Okocha, and Gore are owners and operators of 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare Service, a Medicaid-enrolled home health agency providing private duty nursing, personal care, and respite care services throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, including in the Western District of Virginia. Feuzeu, Kanu, Utuk and Kamara were employed by 1 st Adult as nurses and Ilome as a medication technician. The defendants are alleged to have conspired to submit false claims to Medicaid for services that were not provided to patients, including falsifying records and documentation in support of the fraudulent claims submitted for reimbursement. First Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement today following the indictment’s unsealing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case, with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Terry, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pill Dealer Sentenced To 25 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl-Laced Tablets

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Nathan Ott, 28, of Moncks Corner, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison last week after pleading guilty to distributing a pill which was sold as “Roxy” (a street name for Roxicodone, a pharmaceutical drug which is an opioid that contains oxycodone hydrochloride). The pill Ott sold contained fentanyl. Ott pled guilty to violating a section of Title 21, the Controlled Substances Act. The indictment specifically charged that he distributed "fentanyl,” a Schedule II controlled substance, which resulted in the death of Matthew Hearne on May 27, 2021. Information presented during the hearing showed that the victim had suffered painful injuries from a motorcycle accident three weeks prior to his death. On May 27, 2021, his girlfriend, Victoria Racioppa (also charged in the case) found Hearne in the morning, unresponsive and called 911. The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner’s Office, and EMS all responded to his residence and found that Hearne had died during the night. The investigation revealed that Ott had “dropped off” what he claimed to be four “Roxy” pills for both Racioppa and Hearne. Hearne had run out of his prescription medicine and was seeking to relieve the pain from his injuries. He took one of the pills during the evening of May 26, 2021. The autopsy showed that Hearne had a lethal amount of fentanyl in his body, which caused his death. During the hearing, the prosecution noted that the nation was experiencing a surge in opioid and fentanyl poisoning deaths and argued that the tragic death of Matthew Hearne warranted a substantial sentence. Ott, the prosecutor said, knew or should have known that was selling a deadly product. After Hearne’s death, Ott continued to sell “Roxy.” “Dealers like Ott, who know they are selling fentanyl-laced pills, show a callous disregard for human life,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “The fentanyl epidemic and the use of opioids is affecting our families, friends, and communities. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue people who push pills and advocate for strong sentences in federal court.” United States District Court Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Ott to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Gergel also ordered restitution to be paid to the victim’s family in the amount of $8,000 for funeral and related costs. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, members of the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad and the Berkeley County’s Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Virginia man admits to selling ghost guns in the Eastern Panhandle

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Michael Reckert, 29, of Purcellville, Virginia, has admitted to possessing and selling privately-manufactured and unregistered firearms. According to court documents, Reckert was advertising and selling the firearms on social media. Reckert was found with a privately manufactured short-barreled AR-15 style rifle that wasn’t registered. As a part of the plea agreement, Reckert will forfeit dozens of firearms, firearms parts, rounds of ammunition, and tools. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; and the Loudon County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.


title: Former VFW Commander Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

body_text: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Over $40,000 From Oklahoma Veterans OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MICHAEL BRUCE COLLEY , 65, of Marlow, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On September 19, 2023, Colley was charged by Information with wire fraud. According to the Information, Colley worked as commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1192 in Duncan, Oklahoma. The VFW is a nonprofit, dedicated to veterans’ service and military and community service programs. The Information alleges Colley controlled the finances for the post, and made over 30 unauthorized withdrawals from VFW accounts, which he used to pay his own personal expenses. The withdrawals totaled more than $40,000 and many of these fraudulent withdrawals occurred at Oklahoma casinos. Yesterday, Colley pleaded guilty to wire fraud. As part of his plea, Colley admitted that between January of 2019 and June of 2021, he defrauded the VFW Post 1192 of over $40,000. At sentencing, Colley faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City field office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Jacksonville Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Devan Franklin Hall (33, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Hall had pleaded guilty on September 29, 2023. According to court documents, between 2022 and 2023, FBI and HSI special agents investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in the Jacksonville area. In 2022, the agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from an associate of Hall’s in Jacksonville. During these transactions, the agents identified Hall as the supplier of the methamphetamine and observed Hall traveling to Ocala before meeting with his associate in Jacksonville. Further investigation confirmed that Hall was supplying his associate in Jacksonville and sourcing the methamphetamine from Ocala. Between April and June 2023, agents observed Hall distributing between 150 and 500 grams of methamphetamine to his associate in Jacksonville. On July 26, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at Hall’s residence and found multiple firearms and more than $2,000 in drug proceeds. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Frank Talbot.


title: Convicted Felon Indicted For Attempting To Purchase A Firearm

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the returned an indictment charging Roberto Roman Ramirez (50, Orange Park) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm. If convicted, Ramirez faces up to five years in federal prison. According to the indictment, Ramirez completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from Academy Sports, a federally licensed firearms dealer. Ramirez indicated on the required paperwork that he was not a convicted felon. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Ramirez was previously convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. 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 is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to purchase a gun. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot. 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: Justice Department Releases Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure Elections

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: In advance of this year’s federal election cycle, and consistent with longstanding Justice Department practices and procedures, the department today is providing information about its efforts, through the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division (NSD), and U.S. Attorneys’ offices throughout the country, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process, and to ensure that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign influence and interference. Civil Rights Division The department’s Civil Rights Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right. This work is often performed in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ offices. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; the Help America Vote Act; and the Civil Rights Acts. Among other things, collectively, these laws: prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose or a discriminatory result on account of race, color, or language minority status; prohibit intimidation of voters; allow voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or inability to read or write to receive assistance from a person of their choice (other than agents of their employer or union); require minority language election materials and assistance in certain jurisdictions; require accessible voting systems for voters with disabilities; require that provisional ballots be offered to voters who assert they are registered and eligible to vote in the jurisdiction, but whose names do not appear on poll books; require states to provide for absentee voting for uniformed service members serving away from home, their family members also away from home due to that service, and U.S. citizens living abroad; and require covered states to offer the opportunity to register to vote through offices that provide driver licenses, public assistance, and disability services, as well as through the mail, and to take steps regarding maintaining voter registration lists. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability. The ADA applies to all aspects of voting, including voter registration, selection and accessibility of voting facilities, and the casting of ballots on Election Day or during early voting, whether in-person or absentee. The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter interference based on race, color, national origin, or religion. Throughout the election cycle, Civil Rights Division attorneys in the Voting, Disability Rights, and Criminal Sections in Washington, D.C., will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces. The Civil Rights Division will work closely with counterparts at U.S. Attorneys’ offices and other department components to review and take appropriate action concerning these complaints. Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the Justice Department’s toll-free telephone line at 800-253-3931, and can also submit complaints through a link on the department’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov/ . Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at ada.gov. Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities are contacted. Criminal Division and the Department’s 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices The department’s Criminal Division oversees the enforcement of federal laws that criminalize certain forms of election fraud and vindicate the integrity of the federal election process. The Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorneys’ offices are responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws that prohibit various forms of election crimes, such as destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, alteration of votes, and malfeasance by postal or election officials and employees. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ offices are also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting unlawful threats of violence against election workers, and prohibiting voter intimidation and voter suppression for reasons other than race, color, national origin, or religion (as noted above, voter intimidation and voter suppression that has a basis in race, color, national origin, or religion is addressed by the Civil Rights Division often in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices). U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country designate Assistant U.S. Attorneys who serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in their respective districts. DEOs are responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their districts, and for coordinating with the department’s election-crime experts in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Attorneys’ offices work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible election crimes are handled appropriately. Specifically: In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the DEOs in U.S. Attorneys’ offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI special agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public. Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorneys’ office or the local FBI field office. A list of U.S. Attorneys’ offices and their telephone numbers can be found at www.justice.gov/usao/districts/ . A list of FBI field offices and accompanying telephone numbers can be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us . Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations. All complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911. After alerting local law enforcement to such emergencies by calling 911, the public should contact the Justice Department. National Security Division The department’s NSD supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting or relating to national security, including any cases involving foreign malign influence and interference in elections or violent extremist threats to elections. In this context: NSD oversees matters involving a range of malign influence activities that foreign governments may attempt. NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section oversees matters involving covert information operations (e.g., to promulgate disinformation through social media); covert efforts to support or denigrate political candidates or organizations; and other covert influence operations that might violate various criminal statutes. NSD’s National Security Cyber Section oversees such matters when they are cyber-enabled (i.e., when online platforms, such as social media and other online services, are central to the commission of the offense), as well as those involving computer hacking of election or campaign infrastructure. NSD’s Counterterrorism Section oversees matters involving international and domestic terrorism and supports law enforcement in preventing any acts of terrorism that impact Americans, including any violent extremism that might threaten election security. As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats. Attorneys from National Security Division sections will be partnered with FBI Headquarters components to provide support to U.S. Attorneys’ offices and FBI field offices to counter any such threats. The Department of Homeland Security also plays its own important role in safeguarding critical election infrastructure from cyber and other threats. Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911 and, after local authorities are contacted, then should be reported also to the department. Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities. For more information about the department’s work to ensure compliance with federal civil and criminal laws related to voting, please visit Voting | Department of Justice and Election Crimes Branch | Department of Justice .


title: EDVA Settles Lawsuit Against Property Management Company and Landlord for Violating Servicemembers’ Rights

component: Civil Rights - Housing and Civil Enforcement Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A property management company operating throughout Hampton Roads has agreed to pay $13,225.65 to settle a complaint alleging that the company and one of its landlord-homeowners violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). According to court documents, McGowan Realty LLC, doing business as RedSail Property Management (RedSail), agreed to settle a complaint that it and one of its landlord-homeowners violated the SCRA by imposing early lease termination charges and additional rent on a servicemember. The United States alleged that the company had a policy of refusing to honor servicemembers’ lease terminations when the servicemember received permanent change of station (PCS) orders to a new duty station that was less than 35 miles (radius) from the dwelling unit. “Our servicemembers sacrifice greatly, moving and deploying often in support of our nation’s defense. Such moves should never create financial hardship for our servicemembers,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case should put all housing providers on notice that if a servicemember meets the requirements of the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, they are entitled to all its benefits, regardless of what any state law may provide,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of our servicemembers and their families to ensure they do not face any unlawful treatment by housing companies or any other entities.” The SCRA allows a servicemember to terminate a residential lease early if the servicemember receives permanent change of station orders or enters military service during the term of the lease. If the tenant terminates a lease pursuant to the SCRA, the landlord may not impose any early termination fee or rent beyond the effective termination date. The SCRA places no mileage restrictions on a servicemember’s residential lease termination rights. State statutes cannot deprive servicemembers of the full scope of their rights under federal law. EDVA launched its investigation after a Navy legal assistance attorney reported that RedSail and the landlord had refused to honor the SCRA residential lease termination of a U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class and were assessing early lease termination charges and additional rent against him. RedSail allegedly erroneously insisted that the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA) placed a 35-mile limitation on a servicemember’s SCRA residential lease termination rights. The complaint alleges that the Petty Officer paid $3,408.55 in early termination charges and additional rent to RedSail, which placed a considerable financial burden on him. Under the proposed consent order, RedSail will pay $10,225.65 to the Petty Officer referenced in the United States’ complaint and a $3,000 civil penalty. The consent order also requires that RedSail provide SCRA training to its employees and develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA. In the proposed consent order, RedSail and the landlord have agreed to refrain from imposing or attempting to impose the VRLTA’s 35-mile limitation on servicemembers who lawfully terminate a lease under the SCRA, imposing or seeking to collect any early termination charges from servicemembers or their dependents who lawfully terminate a lease pursuant to the SCRA, and denying SCRA lease terminations from servicemembers who qualify for lease termination under the SCRA. The proposed consent order is subject to approval by the court. This case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre G. Brou. Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at https://legalassistance.law.af.mil/ . The Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers . A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER . The civil claims settled by this Servicemembers Civil Relief Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability .


title: American Cruise Lines Agrees to Improve Fleet Accessibility in ADA Settlement

component: Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with American Cruise Lines, Inc., headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, to resolve allegations that the company was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). This matter was initiated based on six complaints received by the U.S. Department of Justice that American Cruise Lines was not accessible to or usable by individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs. American Cruise Lines owns and operates 17 passenger vessels. The complaints alleged that American Cruise Lines failed to provide cruise ships that were fully accessible to passengers in wheelchairs, failed to provide for safe embarkation and disembarkation procedures for passengers in wheelchairs, and failed to provide wheelchair-accessible ground transportation for passengers during shore excursions. This settlement agreement addresses accessibility on all 17 vessels and implements accessibility standards and policies to provide greater access during cruises. As a result of the settlement agreement, American Cruise Lines will submit a comprehensive remediation plan to improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities aboard all ships within 18 months. The United States will have the opportunity to review and approve the plan before renovations begin. In addition, the agreement requires American Cruise Lines to adopt ADA-compliant policies, procedures, and training; assign an ADA compliance officer; and establish an accessible website. Finally, the agreement requires American Cruise Lines to provide safe and accessible boarding and disembarking procedures and staff training, publicly available “accessibility request” and reservation procedures, and portable communication devices to alert deaf passengers when there is an emergency aboard ship. Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including cruise ships, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the Justice Department to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties. U.S. Attorney Avery noted that American Cruise Lines has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address the ADA issues without litigation. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to safeguarding civil rights, including those protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Businesses are required, under the ADA, to appropriately serve a diverse customer base, ensuring that individuals are able to access and enjoy restaurants, service establishments, retail stores and other places of public accommodation. That includes cruise ships. We appreciate American Cruise Lines’ commitment to increasing access to its ships for individuals with physical disabilities and mobility challenges.” Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Brown, Jr. and Stewart Dearing of the District of Connecticut, in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Florida Housing Complexes for Discrimination Against Families with Children

body_text: The Justice Department announced today a settlement with three cooperative housing corporations in Hallandale Beach, Florida, to resolve allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by discriminating against families with children. The department’s lawsuit alleged that Isle of Paradise “B” Inc., Isle of Paradise “C” Inc. and Isle of Paradise “E” Inc. maintained and/or enforced policies prohibiting children under age 12 at their respective properties on an island known as the Isle of Paradise during certain times since 2015. The properties are 30-unit multifamily buildings known as the Monticello, at 450 Paradise Isle Blvd. (owned by Isle of Paradise “B” Inc.), the Georgetown, at 460 Paradise Isle Blvd. (owned by Isle of Paradise “C” Inc.) and the Williamsburg, at 465 Paradise Isle Blvd. (owned by Isle of Paradise “E” Inc.) “The Fair Housing Act outlaws familial status discrimination, including discrimination against families with children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing the Fair Housing Act and seeking relief for families harmed by unlawful policies and practices that unfairly exclude them.” “These settlements represent the tireless efforts of attorneys with the Justice Department’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who endeavor to fulfill the promise of fair housing for all, as envisioned by Congress in its enactment of the Fair Housing Act,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “One settlement provides compensation to a realtor, and her clients, a prospective renter with a young child, who the complaint alleges were denied an opportunity to lease a unit due to unlawful policies and practices of Isle of Paradise “B” Inc., which prohibited families with children under age 12.” Under the agreements, in the form of three separate consent decrees that were approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the defendants will pay a total of $52,000, including $39,000 to individuals who are alleged to have been harmed by the defendants’ practices and civil penalties to the government to vindicate the public interest. The defendants also agreed to undergo fair housing training and to submit periodic reports to the department. The department conducted an investigation and filed this lawsuit after a woman and her real estate agent informed the department that she was turned away from renting a unit at the Monticello building because she had a son under age 12. The department’s allegations were based, in part, on evidence generated by the department’s Fair Housing Testing Unit, in which individuals pose as prospective renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices. Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been discriminated against at these properties because they have children should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at IsleofParadise@usdoj.gov or fairhousing@usdoj.gov ; or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291, selecting option 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 1 for housing discrimination, and then option 7 for Isle of Paradise. The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on familial status, race, color, national origin, religion, sex and disability. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, emailing the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submitting a report online . Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint with HUD online . complaint_isle_of_paradise_filed_2023-11-30.pdf isle_of_paradise_b_consent_decree_-_entered_1-8-2024.pdf isle_of_paradise_c_consent_decree_-_entered_1-8-2024.pdf isle_of_paradise_e_consent_decree_-_entered_1-8-2024.pdf


title: Owner of Oregon Payroll Services Company Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Employment Tax Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Oregon man was sentenced yesterday to 27 months in prison for willfully failing to pay employment taxes owed to the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, Robert Kohnle, of Lake Oswego, was the president, secretary and chief executive officer of Real Benefits Group Inc. doing business as Aliat. Aliat was a professional employer organization that provided payroll and payroll-related services for its clients. Pursuant to service agreements with its clients, Aliat was responsible for receiving and paying to the IRS the payroll taxes withheld from wages the client businesses paid their employees, including federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes. Beginning with the fourth quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2022, Kohnle received funds from Aliat’s clients that represented payroll tax withholdings, but kept the money rather than pay the IRS, as required by law. Kohnle instead used the money to pay Aliat’s other expenses and creditors, including himself. In total, Kohnle caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $22.6 million. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut for the District of Oregon ordered Kohnle to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $14,092,693.42 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Patrick Burns and Regina Jeon of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeren Danielle Canterbury, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Canterbury twice sold quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant, in Nitro on March 3, 2023 and in Charleston on March 15, 2023. Canterbury is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams 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. 3:23-cr-138. ###


title: Orlando Man On Federal Supervision For Distributing Drugs Charged With Distributing Kilograms Of Cocaine And Fentanyl In Polk And Osceola Counties

body_text: Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the charging of Maximo Espinosa (44, Kissimmee) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and fentanyl. If convicted, Espinosa faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Because Espinosa was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense, he will also face an additional sentence for violating his terms of supervised release. According to the criminal complaint, on November 9, 2023, December 5, 2023, and December 7, 2023, Espinosa and others were part of a criminal conspiracy that distributed kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl throughout the Middle District of Florida, including Polk and Osceola Counties. On January 2, 2024, Espinosa again attempted to distribute controlled substances, and was arrested with 10 kilograms of cocaine and 2 kilograms of fentanyl. A search warrant executed at Espinosa’s home revealed another kilogram of cocaine, a half kilogram of fentanyl, two firearms and several hundred pills. A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Winter Haven Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diego F. Novaes and Adam J. Nate.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 102 Months for Possessing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – United States Federal District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby sentenced a Washington County man to over eight years imprisonment followed by three years supervised release, after he admitted to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. According to court documents, Cruzberto Alballar, 33, of Santa Clara, Utah, was confronted by officers at his residence during a search for a stolen truck in April 2023. Using GPS tracking, the truck was detected inside Alballar’s detached garage. Alballar told officers that someone he knew asked if he could keep the truck at his residence and Alballar gave him permission to do so but noticed it did not have any keys and the driver’s side window was smashed. While executing a search warrant inside Alballar’s residence officers found 160 grams of methamphetamine, a large jar of marijuana, ammunition and multiple firearms, one of which was reported stolen. The firearms and ammunition include a Smith and Wesson magazine with ammunition; a Smith & Wesson M&P firearm; a box of 9mm Fiocchi Luger ammunition with loose rounds of ammo inside; an Astra A 100 handgun, a Smith & Wesson M&P Compact 911 handgun; and a Diamond Back AR15 556 rifle. Officers also located multiple large capacity magazines for the guns, including a double-drum magazine. During a second search warrant of Alballar’s vehicle, officers also found a methamphetamine pipe and several bags of methamphetamine. “As the U.S. Attorney, community safety is my top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Mr. Alballar not only illegally possessed and intended to distribute narcotics in the community but unlawfully possessed firearms, as a previously convicted felon. We will work with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who are a threat to our communities.” Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department The case is being investigated jointly by the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department and the Washington County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton, of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. cruzberto_alballar_sentencingmemo.pdf