title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping 13-Year-Old Girl at Gunpoint

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint last year in San Antonio, admitting that he drove her to California, threatened her with a firearm, and sexually assaulted her multiple times before his arrest in Long Beach. Steven Robert Sablan, 62, of Cleburne, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. Sablan has been in federal custody since July 2023. According to his plea agreement, on July 6, 2023, in San Antonio, Sablan abducted the victim, held her, and transported her in his gray Nissan Sentra to Long Beach, California. The victim told Sablan she was 13 years old. During this ordeal, Sablan used a firearm to threaten and control the victim. Sablan confined the victim until she was rescued on July 9, 2023, in Long Beach after a Good Samaritan called 911 after seeing her holding a “Help Me” sign in the window of Sablan’s car. Sablan admitted in his plea agreement that during the Texas-to-California journey, he sexually assaulted the victim. At the time of the crime, Sablan had no legal custody or familial relationship to the victim. United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an October 25 sentencing hearing, at which time Sablan will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department investigated this matter. The Cleburne (Texas) Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: San Carlos Resident Charged With Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – David Scott Cacchione was arrested and has been charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with an investment fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. According to the complaint, Cacchione, 59, of San Carlos, worked with another person to solicit investors in what they called an “Accounts Receivable Factoring Program.” The complaint alleges Cacchione and an unnamed co-conspirator told victims that investment funds would be used to purchase investment grade accounts receivable, and that investors would be repaid once the receivables were paid. According to the complaint, investors were promised as much as 2 percent per month in interest on the investment and were told that Cacchione himself was a large investor in the program. The complaint alleges these representations were false and the investment funds were not used to purchase accounts receivables. From at least November 2021 through September 2022, at least four victims were cheated out of a total of about $1.1 million, according to the allegations. The complaint also states that, instead of investing the money as promised, Cacchione and his co-conspirator spent the money on personal and living expenses. The criminal complaint charges Cacchione with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Cacchione was arrested on January 16, 2024, and made his initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco on January 17, 2024. Cacchione remains in custody pending further proceedings in the case. Cacchione’s next scheduled appearance is at 9:30 a.m. on January 19, 2024, for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Lisa J. Cisneros. A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate, for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Hire is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Aarian Beiti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by CI and the FBI. complaint_filed-signed-copycacchione.pdf


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Quintin Ferguson, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to arson, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Ferguson was sentenced to 240 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in January of 2021, Ferguson intentionally set fire to an apartment unit in Granger, Indiana. The fire spread from that unit to the rest of the building, affecting over a dozen apartments. Due to the rescue efforts of citizens and police and fire personnel, apartment residents escaped uninjured. Ferguson was not only captured on video starting the fire, but the coordinates from the GPS monitor he was wearing at the time placed him at the scene of the fire. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire and Explosives with assistance from the Mishawaka Fire Department, the Mishawaka Police Department, and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Jerome W. McKeever.


title: Crow Agency meth trafficker sentenced to five years in prison for role in large conspiracy based on Crow Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Crow Agency man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine as part of a large, multiple-state conspiracy that was based on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jeffrey Prettypaint, 30, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court allowed Prettypaint to self- surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. In court documents and in court, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking organization that was centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one known as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Reservations and the Billings community from about January 2022 to March 2023. Prettypaint is one of approximately two dozen defendants charged in the conspiracy and was considered to be in the mid-level of the conspiracy. The government alleged that Prettypaint was directly involved with major players above him in the drug distribution ring and could go to Spear Siding and other property to get meth. In February of 2023, Prettypaint sent the following text message to one of the main co-conspirators and suppliers: “..we picked up 3oz this morning but we need 4oz, Hahaha, ask [co-conspirator] if he can tip me hahaha 3+3+4=10 zips in 5 days, and Tell [co-conspirator 2] may I please have an Xmas bonus or some crystal tips. Pretty sure [co-conspirator 3] n I clesring [sic] a quarter pound a day not. Everyone coming to us.” Prettypaint also was aware of a co-conspirator having a “safe house” where they could get fentanyl and meth. In September 2022, Prettypaint told an individual that the person could buy a pound of meth from Spear Siding for $6,000. The individual went to Spear Siding and purchased a half a pound of meth for $3,000. Further, Prettypaint excelled at dealing meth and suggested in his own messages ways to make it better. In discussing expanding the business with Prettypaint, a top co-conspirator told Prettypaint to be thinking about a “few other peeps who might want to purchase or who can be great distributors,” as well other locations. Prettypaint responded that they needed to “expand to other locations and start using cash apps.” Throughout the investigation, law enforcement determined that Prettypaint was being supplied meth from sources for Spear Siding and was redistributing meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $30.7 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 19, 2023 SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California collected $30,730,539.87 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $27,973,011.98 came from criminal actions and $2,757,527.89 from civil actions . Additionally, the Southern District of California worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect $845,298.42 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. “We pursue every possible means to compensate victims for loss and trauma suffered as a result of criminal acts,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Over the past year we joined forces with investigators and victim rights advocates to maximize restitution and return assets as quickly and efficiently as possible.” For example, in United States v. Glenn Arcaro, 21CR2542-TWR, the government recovered and subsequently sold bitcoin controlled by the defendant, resulting in $17,647,813 in restitution paid directly to the victims of his criminal activity. The U.S. Attorneys’ Office also secured an additional $1,003,900.17 in forfeited funds for victims. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/victims-bitconnect-scheme-receive-more-17-million-compensate-losses . The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California , working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $9,072,677 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.


title: Former Bookkeeper for Mukilteo flooring company convicted of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The former bookkeeper of a Mukilteo, Washington, flooring company was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of four counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jodi Hamrick, who now resides near Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted following a five-day jury trial. The jury deliberated about eight hours before returning the guilty verdicts. According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Hamrick conspired with David M. Gluth, the co-owner of Gluth Contract Flooring, to steal from the company and defraud the silent partner who had put up the money for the business. In the jury trial, prosecutors detailed how Hamrick and Gluth carried out the scheme by embezzling more than $400,000 from the commercial flooring business. Between 2011 and 2016, Gluth and Hamrick raided the company accounts to pay for everything from a home mortgage, to luxury vacations, to Nordstrom bills. The two not only raided company funds, they also defrauded financial institutions by taking out loans without the knowledge or permission of the company’s co-owner. The two used the company funds for a variety of personal expenses. The lies and deceit in this scheme involved forged signatures, forged documents, altered records, secret bank accounts, secret credit cards, false bookkeeping entries, and false statements in declarations and court filings. The evidence in the case includes years of Skype instant messages between Hamrick and Gluth, showing the planning and execution of the fraud in minute detail. Ultimately, the company co-owner had to go to court to try to get the truth about the embezzlement from the company. The flooring company went bankrupt in 2016, and the victimized business partner was left with nothing but debt. In closing arguments prosecutor Jessica M. Ly told the jury, Hamrick’s role was “cooking the books, and keeping the money moving.” They noted that for four years, Hamrick paid her home mortgage with company funds. “Committing fraud was as routine for Jodi Hamrick as having her morning cup of coffee,” Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion told the jury in closing. Judge Jones scheduled Hamrick’s sentencing for April 26, 2024. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years in prison. Aggravated Identity Theft carries a mandatory minimum two years to follow any other sentence imposed in the case. Gluth was charged in November 2020, and pleaded guilty in January 2021. Gluth was sentenced in 2021 to two years in prison and agreed to a restitution figure of $325,000. The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly.


title: Former Puyallup man who conspired to cut power for burglary scheme sentenced to probation and home confinement

body_text: Tacoma – A 32-year-old former Puyallup, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three years of probation including one year of home confinement for Conspiracy to destroy energy facilities, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Matthew Greenwood pleaded guilty in April 2023, admitting that he and co-defendant Jeremy Crahan, 40, vandalized four power substations and plotted to fell trees to take out power lines. Both men were arrested before the tree plan was put into action. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said the crime was very serious, but he also recognized that the defendant had made great progress since his arrest. Prosecutors joined with U.S. Probation in recommending the probationary sentence so that Greenwood could continue his progress toward a drug free and law-abiding life. According to the facts in the plea agreement, Greenwood and Crahan hatched the scheme to disrupt power so they could break into ATMs and businesses and steal money. On December 25, 2022, they damaged four substations: Hemlock Substation in Puyallup, Washington, owned by Puget Sound Energy. Here, the two cut through a fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch damaging equipment and cutting power for 8,000 customers. Elk Plain substation in Spanaway, Washington, owned by Tacoma Power. The men cut padlocks on the gate and Greenwood manipulated breakers to damage equipment and cause an outage. Graham substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Tacoma Power. The men cut through a perimeter fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch to damage equipment. This outage, combined with the Elk Plain substation outage, caused more than 7,500 customers to lose power. Kapowsin Substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Puget Sound Energy. The men cut through a fence and Greenwood tampered with a switch causing sparks, flame, and a power outage. Co-defendant Jeremy Crahan was not successful in drug treatment and was sentenced in December to 18 months in prison. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Federal Protective Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.


title: Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Multiple Machine Guns

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pleaded guilty today to one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, Timothy Lawrence Carll, 67, possessed four fully automatic machine guns, including an AK-style rifle, a Thompson M1 submachine gun, a Sterling submachine gun, and a PPSh-41 submachine gun. Carll also possessed four metal tubes that he knew were designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, specifically for use as part of Sten submachine guns of various models. Carll did not have a valid Federal Firearms License or a Special Occupational Tax when he possessed these machine guns. Carll is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda St. Cyr is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-5.


title: Foreign National Sentenced for Human Smuggling and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal - Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Israeli national was sentenced today to two years in prison for his leadership role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment. According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, organized and worked with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators then assisted the noncitizens in traveling to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen and his co-conspirators at malls in Virginia and Maryland, despite entering the United States in a visa status that did not allow them to work. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also provided the noncitizens housing and transportation to and from work in the United States. The conspiracy involved the smuggling, transporting, or harboring of at least 25 unlawful foreign nationals. Cohen and his co-conspirators also made foreign and domestic financial transactions in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme. Cohen pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and one count of conspiracy to launder money. Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August 2023, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capitol Region, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton announced the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty and Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the government of Israel to secure the arrest and extradition of Cohen. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-114.


title: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Role in International Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Victims

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two residents of Las Vegas, Nevada, were sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan sentenced Roderick Feurtado, 57, to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and Tarek Bouanane, 47, to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. The Court also ordered restitution totaling $258,520 to 16 victims. Feurtado and Bouanane were convicted after a five-day trial in September 2023. Evidence at trial established that the defendants traveled to the Pittsburgh area in September 2021 to execute a scheme to defraud elderly victims of large amounts of cash. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy contacted numerous victims and falsely claimed that a family member of the victims, usually a grandchild, had been detained in connection with a legal proceeding and needed money for bail. The victims were directed to withdraw cash and provide it to a “courier” who would visit them at their homes. In reality, the victims’ family members had not been detained, and the “courier” was actually a member of the conspiracy. Tarek Bouanane acted as one of these “couriers,” while his co-conspirator Roderick Feurtado acted as the “safehouse,” providing directions to the couriers and collecting the money that had been obtained from the victims. During the trial, the jury heard recorded instructions from one of the defendants’ co-conspirators, directing that “couriers” park far away from the victims’ homes and wear masks to obscure their identities. The defendants kept a portion of the fraud proceeds for themselves, and they had plans to pass along the rest to other co-conspirators, including by converting it to cryptocurrency. During the investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police seized approximately $220,000 from the defendants. Prior to imposing the sentences, Judge Ranjan emphasized that the harm caused to the victims by the offense was emotional, not just financial. As to Feurtado, the Court noted the defendant’s lack of remorse and his record of misrepresentations to the Court and the jury during his testimony at trial. Separately, three residents of Panama have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their alleged roles in masterminding the fraud scheme involving Bouanane and Feurtado, among other co-conspirators, which spanned multiple locations throughout the United States in addition to the Western District of Pennsylvania. Stefano Zanetti, Samuel David Ferrer Avila, and Cesar Javier Chourio Morante were arrested and extradited to Pittsburgh in August 2023, and their cases remain pending before Judge Ranjan. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. “This office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to vigorously pursuing offenders who target elderly and other vulnerable citizens of Western Pennsylvania through sophisticated financial fraud schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “The lengthy prison sentences imposed on Bouanane and Feurtado send a clear message that this conduct will not be tolerated and hopefully will provide some measure of justice and closure to the victims and their families.” “Today’s sentencing of Roderick Feurtado and Tarek Bouanane is the culmination of an incredible partnership between HSI Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bethel Park Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Investigations and prosecutions as complex as this one are only successful when teams are truly dedicated to protecting vulnerable members of our society. This type of interagency cooperation has proven to be law enforcement’s most effective tool in bringing these cases to prosecution. Holding accountable financial fraudsters while safeguarding our seniors from exploitation is a preeminent goal of our law enforcement professionals.” Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey R. Bengel and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, and Bethel Park Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Feurtado and Bouanane. Anyone with information about allegations of elder fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 833–372–8311. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer- protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/assistant?orgcode=USDOJEFH or at 877-FTC-HELP.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Prison on Drug and Gun Charges

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A convicted felon was sentenced on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Ernesto Mayo-Huerta, 31, of Attalla, to 99 months in prison. Mayo-Huerta pleaded guilty in September 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on August 1l, 2022, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) agents and Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force agents executed a search warrant at a residence in Attalla, Alabama. Upon entering the residence, agents located Mayo-Huerta in the living room and immediately detained him without incident. Agents found approximately $4,489 in cash on Mayo-Huerta. In addition, $1,800 of buy money was co-mingled with the cash found on Mayo-Huerta from the “buy-walk” executed by an ALEA agent. From one room, agents recovered large totes containing packages of marijuana; a Glock, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol; a GSG - 5 .22 caliber rifle; a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun; a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Springfield Arms 16-gauge shotgun; an HW7, .22 LR caliber revolver; an Arminius, .38 special revolver; a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver; and a semi–automatic shotgun. From a second room, agents recovered a bag of marijuana; a Tactical Innovations T-15 rifle; a Mossberg .22LR caliber rifle; a Rock Island Armory .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol; an Anderson, Model AM-15 pistol; a Zip-loc bag containing $13,792 in cash; and a fanny pack containing $14,912 in cash. In total, agents recovered $33,193 dollars in cash, 14 firearms, and 57.5 pounds of marijuana from the residence. The ATF investigated the case along with ALEA SBI, ADETF Region F, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office and Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius C. Greene prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Chinese Nationals of Drug Conspiracy for Illegally Trafficking Black-Market Marijuana from Oklahoma Grow Operation

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Conspiracy Connected to Nearly 28 Tons of Black-Market Marijuana Shipped from Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted JEFF WENG , 46, of China and Brooklyn, New York, and TONG LIN , 28, of China, of drug trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Weng and Lin with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana plants. On January 18, 2024, after a two-day trial, a federal jury deliberated about an hour before it found Weng and Lin guilty of drug conspiracy. Between December 2022 and May 2023, evidence at trial indicated that Weng managed a marijuana grow in Wetumka, Oklahoma, and licensed by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. Evidence showed that Lin managed matters when Weng was not present. One witness testified that, as part of their participation in the drug conspiracy, they drove delivery vans disguised as commercial vehicles, including one disguised as an “Amazon” delivery van, to the Wetumka Grow 10 to 15 times between December 2022 and March 31, 2023. The witness further testified that they picked up between 150 and 200 pounds of marijuana each time from the Wetumka Grow, and that Lin helped load the fake “Amazon” delivery van with marijuana. The witness testified they transported the marijuana to a stash house in Oklahoma City. Every Friday, the witness transported the marijuana from the stash house to a warehouse in Oklahoma City. There, they loaded more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana at a time into a semi-truck trailer, which transported the marijuana from Oklahoma to the East Coast. Over approximately seven months, the witness shipped upwards of 56,000 pounds of marijuana out of Oklahoma via semi-truck. Evidence also showed that law enforcement searched the Wetumka Grow in May 2023 and located 19,661 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, more than $100,000 of vacuum-sealed cash hidden in Weng’s closet attic space, and a firearm. “A license under state law to grow marijuana is not a license to traffic tons of black-market marijuana inside or outside Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Simply put, these defendants engaged in an orchestrated trafficking scheme to flood communities with illegal drugs. I commend the law enforcement and prosecutors who diligently investigated this case and held these defendants accountable.” “Oklahoma has one of the largest illegal marijuana industries in the United States, and the FBI recognizes the devastating impact these illicit operations have on our economy and the safety of our communities,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The convictions announced today are just a small piece of the long-running, multi-agency investigation into a prolific criminal enterprise, one that is responsible for supplying large quantities of illegal marijuana to violent gangs across the country. I want to thank our many local, state, and federal partners for their invaluable contributions to this complex investigation. We will continue to use a whole-of-government approach as we work to eradicate the damage caused by illegal marijuana cultivation and the violence it brings to our communities.” “We cannot overstate the importance of these investigations and prosecutions. These cases send a powerful message that Oklahoma is not a safe haven for black market marijuana traffickers,” said Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director, Donnie Anderson. “My agency is committed to working alongside our federal partners to identify and dismantle these trafficking organizations that try to hide and operate within Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program.” Weng and Lin face mandatory-minimum sentences of 10 years, and up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $10,000,000 each. At sentencing, the United States will seek to forfeit the Wetumka Grow property and more than $100,000 in cash seized during the execution of a federal search warrant in connection with the case. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, along with assistance from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. It is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wilson D. McGarry and David Nichols, Jr. are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Holdenville Resident Sentenced For Murder

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael David Patton, age 31, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole Lighthorse Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. On February 22, 2023, Patton pleaded guilty to Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. According to investigators, on October 19, 2022, Patton entered a Wewoka residence by force, and stabbed the sleeping victim over ten times. EMS responders transported the victim to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries. The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The diligence and fairness of the legal process has guaranteed Michael Patton will be held accountable for this senseless act of violence,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “I hope this well-deserved prison sentence will bring some measure of closure to the victim’s family. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never stop working to ensure those who cause harm in our communities are brought to justice.” “I commend the coordinated investigative efforts of local, tribal, and federal law enforcement in this case,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Due to their efforts, federal prosecutors were able to pursue criminal charges against Michael Patton and he now faces the just consequences of his heinous act.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Patton will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.


title: Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Oscar Ulises Quiroz Ayon, 32 of Mexico was sentenced January 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine and fentanyl drug conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ayon to 33 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ayon’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. Beginning in August 2021 and continuing to November 4, 2021, Ayon agreed with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of meth actual and over 100 grams of fentanyl analogue. Throughout the day on November 4, 2021, agents conducted surveillance on Ayon’s codefendant Colleen Wiand. That afternoon, Wiand drove to the Supermercado, located at 3548 Q Street, in Omaha, where she parked. Shortly after, Ayon arrived in the parking lot, parking next to Wiand.. Ayon placed an item in Wiand’s car then both cars departed. Omaha Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop in Wiand’s car and recovered a box containing approximately 13.4 pounds of pills marked ‘M-30,’ suspected fentanyl in pill form. Wiand was then taken into custody. Officers conducted a traffic stop on Ayon near 30th and Chandler Streets in Omaha. After receiving his Miranda warnings, Ayon admitted that approximately two months ago he arrived in Omaha from Sinaloa, Mexico for the specific purpose of receiving controlled substances. The morning of November 4, 2021, Ayon admitted that he received a phone call from someone in Mexico who instructed him to go to the Casey’s located at 72nd and Grover Streets, in Omaha, to meet a white male who gave him a TV box. The same person in Mexico then told Ayon to meet a woman at the Supermercado located at 36th and Q and deliver the TV box. The following codefendants have all previously pled guilty to the drug conspiracy and been sentenced: Wiand, Mayra Rendon, Darbelio Lorenzo-Genchi, Iris Gallardo-Salado, Samantha Cawyer, Giovana Cisneros and Emidio Becerra. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Man Sentenced in Firearms and Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Case

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Rodolfo C. Falcon, 45, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced January 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for his participation in a firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Falcon to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Falcon’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Rodolfo Falcon owned a house that was the central location for the distribution of marijuana, marijuana derivatives, and cocaine. Falcon rented that house out to several younger drug dealers including Kenneth Blair, Alexis Bernal-Lopez, and Keland Strong. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force performed a search of the residence and recovered cocaine, marijuana, currency, drug paraphernalia, and several firearms. Falcon, who has a distinctive tattoo on his hand, was seen in photos posing with firearms. One of the firearms shown in the picture was recovered from the residence. Agents also located a stolen firearm and AR15 rifle. At the time of the search, Kenneth Blair was in the basement of the residence along with two apparent narcotics customers. Drugs and cash were also recovered from that location. Keland Strong used an upstairs room that contained numerous firearms. Falcon lived on the main level of the home where agents recovered cash, cocaine. and personal identification documents. Evidence of significant marijuana distribution such as wrappers for large quantities of marijuana were also recovered. This, along with the text messages between the group members revealed that the home was being used as a main distribution hub and that Bethow, Bernal-Lopez, Strong, and Blair all worked together to sell drugs, particularly marijuana to ‘serves’ (their code word for narcotics purchasers) and would drive each other to sales and work together to get the right types of THC cartridges and marijuana to customers. On September 28, 2023, Majok Bethow: pled guilty to firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced on January 11, 2024, to 24 months imprisonment to run concurrently with a federal case charging him with possessing a machinegun. On September 28, 2023, Kenneth Blair pled guilty to firearms conspiracy and was sentenced December 21, 2023 to 21 months imprisonment. On November 17, 2023, Keland Strong pled guilty to firearms conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is set for February 8, 2024. On November 20, 2023, Alexis Bernal Lopez pled guilty to firearms conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; sentencing is set for February 16, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Nicole D. Hamzeh, 32 of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on January 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hamzeh to 54 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hamzeh’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On December 11, 2021, law enforcement observed a 2018 Dodge Charger driving in Omaha without valid license plates. Officers initiated a valid traffic stop and made contact with Hamzeh, the driver of the vehicle, and her passenger, Randall Bates. Officers smelled marijuana emanating from the vehicle and Hamzeh also reported to the officer that there was a fireball whiskey ‘shooter’ open in the vehicle. Hamzeh indicated that she had borrowed the vehicle from a friend and did not have the registration, but when officers ran a data check on the vehicle, the system showed that the vehicle was reported stolen. Hamzeh’s driver’s license was suspended, and Bates had an outstanding arrest warrant. Officers arrested Hamzeh and located 184 grams of actual meth on her person. During a post-Miranda interview with law enforcement, Hamzeh admitted that she had been trafficking 6 pounds of meth during the prior 3 weeks—to include the 184 grams of actual meth seized. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 8 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ivan Lima-Olivarria, 43, of Nayarit, Mexico, was sentenced January 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Lima-Olivarria to 96 months’ imprisonment. Lima-Olivarria also forfeited any claim he had to $14,770 in U.S. currency seized during his arrest. After Lima-Olivarria’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. On November 23, 2022, law enforcement went to a Bellevue motel room after receiving information that a Hispanic male was staying there with more than 2 pounds of meth. Officers contacted Ivan Lima-Olivarria after knocking on the motel room door. Lima-Olivarria was found to be the sole occupant and gave consent to search the room. Officers located approximately 11.5lbs of meth and $14,770 in cash. It was determined that Lima-Olivarria was in the country illegally and had previously been deported for a drug offence. A search of cell phones found in the motel room revealed drug related content during the last year. This case was investigated by the Bellevue Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to more than 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jose Arevale-Villalobos, 39, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced January 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Arevalo-Villalobos to 151 months’ imprisonment. After Arevalo-Villalobos’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. On May 19, 2022, Omaha Police officers executed a search warrant on a South Omaha residence after obtaining information that 5 pounds of meth was located inside. The search revealed one pound of meth hidden in a bedroom that officers determined had been occupied by Arevalo-Villalobos. Another four pounds of meth was found in a storage room and a gun was found in the basement. On May 27, 2022, Arevalo-Villalobos was arrested in Omaha after being found in possession of a controlled substance. During a post-arrest interview, Arevalo-Villalobos was asked about the May 19, 2022, search warrant and admitted to handling the one-pound package of meth found in the room he had been staying in. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Crime

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raheem Travon Walker, age 21, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The Indictment alleged that on October 28, 2023, Walker possessed a pistol and ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year. The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the United States Marshal Service. The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Walker remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending a sentencing hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Arkansas Resident Sentenced For Federal Drug Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raylon Sharrod Triplett-Armstrong, age 33, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the McAlester Police Department. On February 22, 2023, Triplett-Armstrong pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance that contained a detectable amount of fentanyl. According to investigators, Triplett-Armstrong traveled from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to McAlester, Oklahoma, intending to conduct a drug transaction. When Triplett-Armstrong arrived in McAlester, officers initiated a traffic stop and a search of the vehicle revealed over 900 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. “The illegal distribution of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl poses a tremendous danger to our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute offenders.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Triplett-Armstrong will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.


title: Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty To Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devon Leroy Battiest, age 43, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with Murder in Indian County—Second Degree. The Information alleged that Battiest unlawfully killed the victim with malice aforethought. According to investigators, on May 6, 2023, Battiest entered a Broken Bow residence armed with a firearm. Battiest confronted the victim, who was a guest at the house, and shot the victim multiple times. The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Broken Bow Police Department, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police. The Honorable Gerald Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The Battiest was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Gainesville fentanyl dealer sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison

body_text: GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Lyedrekus Bailey, a multi-convicted felon who trafficked cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Gainesville, Georgia area for approximately two decades, has been sentenced to federal prison for nearly 20 years. “Drug dealers like Bailey act in callous disregard of the grave threat to life that results from their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Fentanyl and heroin trafficking is causing untimely deaths in and devastation to our communities. Bailey’s significant sentence should serve as a warning to others that our office is determined to expand our efforts, working together with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, to prosecute purveyors of illicit drugs like Bailey.” “This case serves as a strong reminder of our commitment to working with local, state, and federal partners to remove deadly poisons, like fentanyl, off our streets,” said Chris Hosey, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The GBI will continue our work to make an impact on the current drug distribution crimes in Hall County and all of Georgia to promote a safer place for productive citizens.” “Those who distribute fentanyl and other deadly drugs create serious risks to our communities. DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these dangerous drug traffickers from our streets,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Often, people view drug crimes as victimless; however, this is never the case, as illegal drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl, destroy our youth and disrupt lives,” said Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch. “While our agency has made numerous state felony drug cases against the offender; he always seemed to receive probation, time served or a minimal sentence. It has taken a partnership with federal authorities for this criminal to finally face a true sentence where he will be removed from the community he has preyed upon and profited from for years.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Lyedrekus Bailey sold fentanyl-laced heroin to an undercover GBI agent on five occasions between October 2020 and February 2021. All of the transactions were audio and video recorded. On one occasion, when he could not deliver the drugs himself, Bailey directed the undercover agent to a house in Gainesville that he operated as a distribution hub. Later, during a March 2021 traffic stop of a car Bailey was driving, a Hall County, Georgia deputy sheriff recovered approximately four ounces of heroin Bailey had hidden in clothing worn by his passenger. Bailey was convicted of multiple drug trafficking crimes dating back to 2005. While on probation and parole for these offenses, he continued to commit crimes, such as drug trafficking, evidence tampering, and obstruction of law enforcement. On January 12, 2024, Lyedrekus Onetaye Bailey, also known as “Lala,” was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to 19 years, seven months in prison to be followed by seven years of supervised release. Bailey was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, namely fentanyl and heroin, after he pleaded guilty on October 6, 2023. The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gainesville Police Department, and Georgia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Noah R. Schechtman prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Justice Department Releases Report on its Critical Incident Review of the Response to the Mass Shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the release of a report on its critical incident review of the law enforcement response to the tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary School. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the review shortly after the tragedy on May 24, 2022, in which 19 children and two teachers died at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The report provides a thorough description of the critical incident review that has taken place over the past 20 months. The report is intended to provide the most comprehensive assessment available of the law enforcement response to the horrific incident on May 24, 2022, as well as the emergency medical response, communications, and trauma services in the wake of the tragedy. It begins with a minute-by-minute timeline reconstructing key events before, during, and immediately following the shooting. The report addresses many previously unanswered questions, builds on the existing knowledge base for responding to incidents of mass violence, and identifies generally accepted practices for effective law enforcement responses. In doing so, this report endeavors to honor the victims and survivors of this tragedy, as well as offer recommendations to improve future responses in other communities. “The victims and survivors of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School deserved better,” said Attorney General Garland. “The law enforcement response at Robb Elementary on May 24th, 2022 — and the response by officials in the hours and days after — was a failure. As a consequence of failed leadership, training, and policies, 33 students and three of their teachers — many of whom had been shot — were trapped in a room with an active shooter for over an hour as law enforcement officials remained outside. We hope to honor the victims and survivors by working together to try to prevent anything like this from happening again, here or anywhere.” “Uvalde is a community that is healing, and getting clear on the facts is part of healing,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “As I made clear last April when I came to Uvalde to meet with families and reiterated to them last night, we promised that our report would honor the victims and survivors; provide a detailed, independent, and authoritative accounting of the events; and would not only look backward but would also identify lessons learned and recommendations for other communities to prevent something like this from happening again.” “The observations and recommendations in this report are based on national standards, generally accepted standards and practices, current research, and the expectations of communities,” said Director Hugh T. Clements, Jr. of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). “Reports like this are critical to law enforcement and, by extension, to the community. As agencies constantly strive to do better and be more fully prepared, detailed observations and recommendations like those within this report are invaluable to agencies planning for the future.” The report examines the multiple failures in the response to the tragedy, including the breakdowns in leadership, decision-making, tactics, policy, and training that contributed to those failures. It describes the responding officers’ most significant failure as not treating the incident throughout as an active shooter situation and using the available and sufficient resources and equipment to push forward immediately and continuously to eliminate the threat. Although several of the first officers on the scene initially acted consistent with generally accepted practices to try to engage the subject, once they retreated after being met with gunfire, the law enforcement responders began treating the incident as a barricaded subject scenario rather than as an active shooter situation. In all, there was a 77-minute gap between when officers first arrived on the scene and when they finally confronted and killed the subject. The report also examines the communications challenges during and after the shooting, including the inaccurate narrative that was initially delivered. It also documents the trauma and support services that were provided, as well as those that were not provided, to victims, survivors, family members, and responders. The critical incident review was led by the COPS Office, with the support of leading subject matter experts with a wide variety of relevant experience. The team established the following areas of focus: (1) incident timeline reconstruction; (2) tactics and equipment; (3) leadership, incident command, and coordination; (4) post-incident response and investigation; (5) public communications during and following the crisis; (6) trauma and support services; (7) school safety and security; and (8) pre-incident planning and preparation. The team collected and reviewed more than 14,000 pieces of data and documentation, including policies, training logs, body camera and CCTV video footage, audio recordings, photographs, personnel records, manuals and standard operating procedures, interview transcripts, investigative files and data, and other documents. The team also spent 54 days onsite in Uvalde and conducted over 260 interviews of individuals who either played a role or had important information related to areas of the review. Those interviews included personnel from the law enforcement agencies involved in the response to the mass shooting; other first responders and medical personnel; victims’ family members; victim services providers; communications professionals and public information officers; school personnel; elected and appointed government officials; survivors and other witnesses; and hospital staff. The report, in both English and Spanish, as well as profiles of the victims and additional resources, is available on the COPS Office website at cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde . The team took great care to be intentional about the words used in the report to convey the facts, observations, and recommendations. Nevertheless, the descriptions may be activating for some readers due to the explanations of this mass casualty incident, including the age of the victims. For resources, including free and confidential emotional support, please visit www.988lifeline.org or call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.


title: El Departamento de Justicia publica un informe de su análisis de incidentes críticos sobre la respuesta al tiroteo masivo en la Escuela Primaria Robb en Uvalde, Texas

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy la publicación de un informe de su análisis de incidentes críticos sobre la respuesta de las fuerzas del orden público al trágico tiroteo escolar en la Escuela Primaria Robb. El Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland anunció el análisis poco después de la tragedia del 24 de mayo de 2022 en la que fallecieron 19 menores y dos maestras en la Escuela Primaria Robb en Uvalde, Texas. El informe proporciona una descripción exhaustiva del análisis de incidentes críticos que se ha llevado a cabo en los últimos 20 meses. El informe pretende ofrecer la evaluación más completa disponible de la respuesta de las fuerzas del orden público al terrible incidente del 24 de mayo de 2022, así como de la respuesta médica de emergencia, las comunicaciones y los servicios especializados en traumas después de la tragedia. Comienza con una cronología minuto a minuto que reconstruye los acontecimientos clave antes, durante e inmediatamente después del tiroteo. El informe aborda muchas cuestiones que hasta ahora habían quedado sin respuesta, amplía la base de conocimientos existente sobre la respuesta a incidentes de violencia masiva e identifica las prácticas generalmente aceptadas para una respuesta eficaz de las fuerzas del orden público. Con ello, este informe pretende conmemorar a las víctimas y a los sobrevivientes de esta tragedia, así como ofrecer recomendaciones para mejorar las respuestas futuras en otras comunidades. "Las víctimas y los sobrevivientes del tiroteo masivo en la Escuela Primaria Robb merecían algo mejor", afirmó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. "La respuesta de las fuerzas del orden público en la Escuela Primaria Robb el 24 de mayo de 2022 – y la respuesta de los funcionarios en las horas y días posteriores – fue un fracaso. Como consecuencia del fracaso del liderazgo, la capacitación y las políticas, 33 estudiantes y tres de sus maestras – muchos de los cuales habían recibido disparos – quedaron atrapados en una sala con un tirador activo durante más de una hora, mientras que los funcionarios del orden público permanecieron fuera. Esperamos honrar a las víctimas y a los sobrevivientes al trabajar juntos para intentar evitar que algo así vuelva a ocurrir, aquí o en cualquier otro lugar". "Uvalde es una comunidad que se está sanando, y aclarar los hechos es parte de la sanación," expresó la Fiscal General Asociada Vanita Gupta. "Como dejé claro el abril pasado cuando vine a Uvalde para reunirme con las familias, y les reiteré anoche, prometimos que nuestro informe honraría a las víctimas y los sobrevivientes; proporcionaría un recuento detallado, independiente y fidedigno de los hechos; y no sólo miraría hacia atrás, sino que también identificaría las lecciones aprendidas y las recomendaciones para otras comunidades, para evitar que algo como esto vuelva a suceder". "Las observaciones y recomendaciones de este informe se basan en las normas nacionales, las normas y prácticas generalmente aceptadas, la investigación actual y las expectativas de las comunidades", declaró Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Director de la Oficina de Servicios Policiales Orientados hacia la Comunidad (Oficina COPS, por sus siglas en inglés). “Estos informes son fundamentales para la aplicación de la ley y, por ende, para la comunidad. A medida que los organismos se esfuerzan constantemente por mejorar y estar mejor preparados, las observaciones y recomendaciones detalladas como las contenidas en este informe son de un valor incalculable para la planificación de las agencias para el futuro". El informe examina los múltiples fallos en la respuesta a la tragedia, incluidos los fallos de liderazgo, toma de decisiones, tácticas, políticas y capacitación que contribuyeron a dichos fallos. Describe como el fallo más significativo de los agentes que respondieron al incidente el no reconocer inmediatamente que se trataba de una situación de tirador activo y no utilizar los recursos y equipos disponibles y suficientes para avanzar de inmediato y de forma continuada a fin de eliminar la amenaza. Aunque varios de los primeros agentes que llegaron al lugar actuaron inicialmente de acuerdo con las prácticas generalmente aceptadas para tratar de enfrentarse al sujeto, una vez que se retiraron después de ser recibidos con disparos, las fuerzas del orden público comenzaron a tratar el incidente como una situación de sujeto atrincherado y no como una situación de tirador activo. En total, transcurrieron 77 minutos entre el momento en que los agentes llegaron al lugar y el momento en que finalmente se enfrentaron al sujeto y lo mataron. El informe también examina los problemas de comunicación durante y después del tiroteo, incluida la versión inexacta que se ofreció inicialmente. También documenta los servicios de apoyo y especializados en trauma que se prestaron, así como los que no se prestaron, a las víctimas, los sobrevivientes, los familiares y los respondedores. El análisis de los incidentes críticos fue dirigido por la Oficina COPS, con el apoyo de destacados expertos en la materia con una amplia variedad de experiencia pertinente. El equipo estableció las siguientes áreas de interés: (1) reconstrucción de la cronología del incidente; (2) tácticas y equipos; (3) liderazgo, mando del incidente y coordinación; (4) respuesta e investigación después del incidente; (5) comunicaciones públicas durante y después de la crisis; (6) servicios especializados en trauma y de apoyo; (7) seguridad y protección escolar; y (8) planificación y preparación previas a incidentes. El equipo recopiló y analizó más de 14,000 datos y documentos, entre ellos políticas, registros de capacitación, grabaciones de vídeo de cámaras corporales y de circuito cerrado de televisión, grabaciones de audio, fotografías, registros de personal, manuales y procedimientos operativos estándar, transcripciones de entrevistas, archivos y datos de investigación y otros documentos. El equipo también permaneció 54 días en el lugar de los hechos en Uvalde y realizó más de 260 entrevistas a personas que desempeñaron un papel o tenían información importante relacionada con las áreas del análisis. Entre las personas entrevistadas se encontraban personal de las agencias del orden público que participaron en la respuesta al tiroteo masivo; otros primeros respondedores y personal médico; familiares de las víctimas; proveedores de servicios a las víctimas; profesionales de la comunicación y funcionarios de información pública; personal escolar; funcionarios electos y designados; sobrevivientes y otros testigos; y personal hospitalario. El informe, tanto en inglés como en español, así como los perfiles de las víctimas y recursos adicionales, está disponible en el sitio web de la Oficina COPS en https://cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde . El equipo ha tenido mucho cuidado con las palabras utilizadas en el informe para transmitir los hechos, las observaciones y las recomendaciones. No obstante, las descripciones pueden resultar activadoras para algunos lectores debido a las explicaciones de este incidente con víctimas en masa, incluida la edad de las víctimas. Para obtener recursos, incluido apoyo emocional gratuito y confidencial, visite a www.988lifeline.org o llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 988 para ponerse en contacto con la Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis disponible las 24 horas al día, siete días a la semana, 365 días al año.


title: Businessman Arrested for Scheme to Illegally Export Semiconductors and Other Controlled Technology to Russia

body_text: Ilya Kahn, 66, a citizen of the United States, Israel and Russia, and resident of Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles, California, was arrested yesterday in Los Angeles for his alleged involvement in a years-long scheme to secure and unlawfully export sensitive technology from the United States for the benefit of a Russian business. The business was sanctioned by the U.S. government following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and whose clients include elements of the Russian military and the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. According to court documents, Kahn is charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). Kahn will make his initial appearance in the Central District of California. “Mr. Kahn stands accused of repeatedly exporting sensitive technology to Russia before, during, and after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Violations of U.S. sanctions and export control laws that aid Russia and other hostile powers endanger our nation’s security and will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.” “This arrest reflects our continued aggressive enforcement of export control violations involving the Russian military and the Federal Security Service,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “Stopping the flow of semiconductors and sensitive technologies to those aiding Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine is a critical priority for BIS and our Disruptive Technology Strike Force partners.” “As alleged, Kahn illegally sent specialized technology from the United States to a Russian semiconductor manufacturer with ties to multiple other sanctioned Russian entities and did so by circumventing U.S. export laws and regulations,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Evading U.S export regulations to send goods to benefit the Russian military complex presents a danger to our national security and our allies and partners abroad. We will continue to use all of our law enforcement and national security tools to hold these enablers, both individuals and corporations, accountable for flouting the rule of law.” “This arrest marks the end of Ilya Khan's alleged involvement in a years-long scheme to secure and export millions of dollars’ worth of sensitive technologies from the U.S. to Russia to be used by its military and intelligence services,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI's National Security Branch. “Any attempt to circumvent U.S. laws, sanctions, and regulations will not be tolerated, and thanks to a coordinated interagency effort, our national security and our partners' are stronger than ever.” According to court documents, Kahn is the owner of Senesys Incorporated, which is based in California, and Sensor Design Association, which maintains a contact address in Brooklyn. As alleged in the complaint and other public filings, Kahn operated these two businesses – ostensibly involved in “security software development” and the testing of silicon wafers for military avionics and space users – through which he engaged in a years-long conspiracy to acquire and export sensitive and sophisticated electronics from the United States to a sanctioned Russian business without acquiring the appropriate licenses. The Russian business, Joint Stock Company Research and Development Center ELVEES (Elvees) was added to the Commerce’s Department’s Entity List in March 2022 and was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in September 2022 because of its critical role in facilitating Russia’s military and its invasion of Ukraine. For example, according to the complaint, in 2019, Kahn exported multiple U.S.-origin microcontrollers to Elvees in Russia, and in 2022, he exported U.S.-origin network interface controllers and a radio-frequency transmitter to Elvees in Russia by way of a Hong Kong-based shipping company. Each of these items required an export license from the Commerce Department, which Kahn did not obtain, and were controlled for national security and anti-terrorism reasons. As alleged, Kahn also arranged for Elvees to continue to receive semiconductors manufactured in Taiwan following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Specifically, after the Taiwanese company that manufactured Elvees-designed semiconductors refused to ship those semiconductors to Russia, Kahn arranged for the semiconductors to be sent to the United States and then re-exported them to Russia, often through a shipping company based at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. Kahn also used Hong Kong and other locations around the world as transshipment points to evade U.S. export laws and regulations and to conceal the Russian end users. Even after Elvees was added the Entity List, Kahn continued to work with the company. In May 2022, Kahn emailed design guidance for an Elvees-branded microchip to a Taiwan manufacturer. Subsequently, Kahn shipped thousands of units of this microchip – through a New York-based shipper – to a Hong Kong shipping company, and then to a company located in mainland China. Kahn noted in communications with the Hong Kong shipping company that he received a “call from Russia” about the Chinese business to which he was directing the goods. If convicted, Kahn faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to violate the ECRA. The FBI and Department of Commerce’s BIS New York Field Office are investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Artie McConnell, and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Joseph Levin and Mary Clare McMahon. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Kahn complaint


title: Exporter Sentenced to Prison for Shipping Heavy Equipment to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for criminal conduct in connection with a scheme to unlawfully export heavy equipment from the United States to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Jalal Hajavi, 60, of Sterling, was convicted by a jury in September 2023, of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), smuggling, and unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods from the United States to Iran without a license. “Mr. Hajavi illegally shipped industrial equipment to the Iranian regime, smuggled restricted goods through the UAE to Iran, and caused a shipping company to submit false information to the U.S. government. He has been held to account for his crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “As this case shows, the Justice Department remains committed to enforcing U.S. sanctions and export control laws to deny Iran the commodities that fuel its malign activities abroad and threaten our nation’s security.” “Shipping items to Iran is against the law, regardless of whether done directly or by way of a third country,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “As demonstrated by this sentencing, when proliferators falsify export records to support illicit Iranian procurement schemes, they get caught and they do prison time.” “Hajavi’s conduct was particularly egregious because he was previously informed on at least two occasions that his conduct was prohibited,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Instead of heeding the warnings, he continued to divert U.S. goods to Iran. Trade sanctions against Iran comprise a critical component of U.S. foreign policy designed to keep our country and citizens safe. Criminal actors like Hajavi, who seek to profit by evading these prohibitions and jeopardize our national security, will be prosecuted.” According to court documents, Jalal Hajavi and a co-conspirator located in Iran conspired to evade U.S. sanctions by exporting U.S. heavy machinery through the UAE to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Hajavi, through his company JSH Heavy Equipment LLC, located heavy equipment for sale in the United States, such as bobcats and wheel loaders, and sent information about his findings to the co-conspirator in Iran. Hajavi purchased the items from U.S. sellers and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the United States to the UAE, where his Iranian co-conspirator diverted the machinery to Iran in circumvention of the U.S. export license requirement. In addition to evading OFAC licensing requirements, Hajavi concealed his activities with the co-conspirator by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S. government database containing information about exports from the United States. Hajavi falsely claimed that the items were destined for his supposed UAE customers, which typically were general trading companies located in free trade zones in the UAE, but in reality, the items were destined for Iran. At one point, Hajavi met with a Special Agent from the Bureau of Industry and Security who informed Hajavi about the U.S. sanctions against Iran, including the prohibition to transship U.S. goods through third countries to Iran. Undeterred, Hajavi continued his unlawful conduct. One of the items that Hajavi purchased and unlawfully caused to be shipped was an Ingersoll Rand Blasthole Drill, which is a type of heavy machinery used in construction to drill holes in the ground usually filled with controlled charges. Hajavi purchased the drill from a U.S. company and, as part of a sham transaction, purportedly sold the drill to a UAE company. Hajavi hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the United States to the UAE. During the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information provided by Hajavi to AES about the shipment. Hajavi falsely told the freight forwarder that the UAE company was the ultimate consignee and provided the false ultimate destination of the UAE, when Hajavi knew that the Iranian co-conspirator was the true buyer and that Iran was the ultimate delivery destination. The Iranian co-conspirator subsequently shipped the drill from the UAE to Iran. The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement conducted the investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Another Defendant Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges in Fatal Tractor Trailer Smuggling Case

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to four counts related to his involvement in the smuggling of at least 66 migrants in June 2022, which resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children. According to court documents, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 31, was a member of the human smuggling organization responsible for the failed smuggling attempt that illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the U.S. In the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce coordinated with other members of the organization regarding the migrants who were being smuggled to Laredo for further transport to San Antonio. Additionally, he traveled from Houston to accompany the loaded tractor trailer as it transported the migrants north on Interstate Highway 35, ultimately ending up at the unloading location on Quintana Road in San Antonio, where it was discovered that many of the smuggled migrants had died. Covarrubias-Ponce pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy; one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death; and one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Another defendant in the case, Christian Martinez, 29, pleaded guilty to the same charges in September 2023. Other co-defendants whose cases are still pending include Homero Zamorano Jr., 47, who served as the driver of the tractor trailer; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 29; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 38; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 54. Relatedly, Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao pleaded guilty to the same charges as Martinez and Covarrubias-Ponce in addition to a firearms charge in June 2023. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division made the announcement. HSI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and has received tremendous support from Customs and Border Protection; Border Patrol; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; the San Antonio Police Department; the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office; the San Antonio Fire Department; the Marshall Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Amanda Brown are prosecuting the case. These charges resulted in coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is part of the JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. ###


title: Six Defendants Arrested and Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Multiple Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Six defendants were arrested on January 17, 2024, in connection with a conspiracy to distribute cocaine sent through the U.S. Postal Service to New Hampshire. The defendants were indicted on December 20, 2023, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Three defendants appeared in federal court in Concord for an initial appearance on January 17, 2024. The remaining defendants will appear in federal court for initial appearances on a later date. The following defendants were indicted in connection with these charges: Lewistone Baez Miranda, 48, of Manchester, NH. Baez Miranda is in custody. Joshua Baez Core, 25, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Baez Core is in custody. Euris Rosario Rodriguez, 38, of Manchester, NH. Rosario Rodriguez is in custody. Siul Mary Rosa Cruz, 28, of Manchester, NH. Rosa Cruz is in custody. David Orme, 51, of Manchester, NH. Orme is in custody. Sasha Ramirez Muniz, 42, of Manchester, NH. Ramirez Muniz is in custody. According to the charging document and statements made in court, each of the defendants was involved in a drug trafficking organization that shipped large amounts of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire, using the United States Postal Service. Members of the organization would pick up the packages of cocaine in Manchester and provide them to Lewistone Baez Miranda and others for distribution. The largest mail parcel shipped by the drug trafficking organization recovered by the United States Postal Inspection Service contained 4 kilograms of cocaine. The charging statute for the drug offense provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of at least three years, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Owner of Physical Therapy Clinic Convicted by Federal Jury of Health Care Fraud Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former owner of several physical therapy clinics in Greater Boston has been convicted by a federal jury of health care fraud charges. Chang Goo Yoon, 61, a South Korean national residing in Queens, N.Y., was convicted yesterday following a seven-day jury trial on two counts of health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2024. Yoon was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2021. “This was about stealing and greed, pure and simple. Mr. Yoon exploited our healthcare system, and billed for fictitious treatments on dates that he was traveling abroad or holed up in a casino,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This conduct was as brazen as it was illegal. Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. We all pay higher costs because of these types of fraudulent scams. Our office will continue to relentlessly pursue fraudsters and hold them accountable.” “Chang Goo Yoon orchestrated a brazen scheme, abusing his position of trust as a health care provider to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments for work he did not do. We thank the jury for its swift and prudent verdict,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This conviction sends an unambiguous message that anyone who cheats our health care system will not get away with it.” “This is exactly why the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts was created over thirty years ago to combat insurance fraud and specifically this type of insurance fraud that increase the cost of insurance premiums for consumers in the state of Massachusetts. This case was borne out of a collaborative effort by our investigative partners. The perseverance and hard work done by all involved in this case is a demonstration that insurance fraud will not be tolerated in Massachusetts,” said Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. “Mr. Yoon repeatedly lied and billed for services he never provided. Actions which were fueled by nothing more than his greed,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “We are pleased with the jury’s guilty verdict in this matter and thank them for their service. It is our hope that this case serves as a warning to others who may use the U.S. Mail to further their criminal activities.” Yoon was the owner and operator of several physical therapy clinics in Allston, Waltham and Brookline between 2014 and 2018. Yoon billed patients for non-existent physical therapy appointments, including approximately $150,000 in claims billed on dates when Yoon was traveling in South Korea, Los Angeles and Toronto. Yoon also billed $50,000 in claims on dates when he was gambling at casinos including the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, N.J., MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Additionally, Yoon submitted approximately $30,000 in physical therapy claims for himself after three automobile accidents. Most of those claims falsely listed one of Yoon’s employees as the servicing physical therapist. The remaining claims listed Yoon as both the patient and the servicing physical therapist. The charge of health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, IFB Chief DiPaolo and USPIS INC Larco-Ward made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Q. Wan and Patrick M. Callahan of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Illegally Armed, Nine-Time Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Zachary Hutchinson, 39, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, on September 22, 2020, parole agents with the Indiana Department of Corrections and officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department conducted an unannounced home visit at Hutchinson’s residence. At the time of the visit, Hutchinson was on active parole for a felony battery conviction in 2010. When agents identified themselves and knocked, Hutchinson opened the front door. Almost immediately, agents saw a handgun lying in plain view on top of the couch located directly behind Hutchinson in arm’s reach. Recognizing the danger, agents instructed Hutchinson to place his hands behind his back. Rather than comply, Hutchinson took several quick steps backward toward the sofa, began reaching toward the handgun and stated, “Kill me now.” Agents safely detained Hutchinson. During a search of Hutchinson’s person, they located a cigarette box in his front left pants pocket that contained approximately two grams of methamphetamine. In Hutchinson’s bedroom, investigators also located a 12-gague shotgun in a case. At the time of his arrest, Hutchinson had nine felony convictions in the state of Indiana, including for strangulation, battery, residential entry, robbery, and resisting law enforcement. “This defendant’s many felony convictions and years served in jail have not deterred him from continuing to illegally arm himself,” said Zachary A. Myers U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Illegally armed felons are a preventable source of the gun violence that threatens our neighborhoods and takes far too many lives. A successful return to the community from prison requires compliance with the law, including never again possessing a gun. I commend the ATF, IMPD, and the Indiana Department of Corrections for keeping the community safe by ensuring parolees comply with the law.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Hutchinson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and be subject to a $900 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted this case. ###