title: District Man Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison for Illegally Recording and Publishing Grand Jury Proceedings

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alexander Hamilton, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight months in prison for illegally recording and publishing secret grand jury proceedings while he served on the Grand Jury in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Hamilton to serve 12 months of probation following his release. Hamilton pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023, to contempt and obstruction of justice under federal and District of Columbia law. Hamilton, a former special police officer who worked as an armed guard at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, was sworn in as a grand juror in D.C. Superior Court on September 9, 2022. His grand jury service ended on October 13, 2022, after an MPD officer monitoring public Instagram accounts saw an account called “moefromthezzz,” posting video from the Grand Jury room. Hamilton, whose account had nearly 10,400 followers, posted videos of at least 14 different grand jury investigations and at least 18 different witnesses within the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Grand Jury room. He indicated he knew what he was doing was illegal, boasting that his actions could land him in prison for three years. When he was sworn in, Hamilton had been instructed to keep the proceedings secret from family, friends, or any other members of the public. Hamilton took an oath stating that he would keep the proceedings secret. However, as Hamilton raised one hand to take the oath, he filmed himself—using his cell phone in the other hand —and stated, “I’m about to lie.” Hamilton then sent that video to various people via text message. While the swearing in took place at Superior Court, the grand jury sits in a suite at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hamilton was both verbally instructed and given written materials explaining that cell phones were not permitted in the grand jury room. Despite these warnings, Hamilton posted portions of grand jury testimony on Instagram Stories and broadcasted significant periods of testimony on Instagram Live. Hamilton often overlaid his Instagram stories with rat emojis and terms such as “hot” or “snitches.” He continuously showed contempt and disdain for any individual who would testify before a grand jury. On multiple occasions, Hamilton filmed portions of testimony where the witness stated their name—revealing the identity of the witness to his followers. At different times in the videos, he zoomed in on evidence that was presented on the screen. During the broadcast, Hamilton had a conversation with followers where he said the witness was the one who should be considered “guilty.” On October 11, 2022, Hamilton sent messages stating, “They can lock you up for this . . . Having your phone back here.” On at least three occasions, Hamilton referenced receiving three years in prison for bringing his phone into the grand jury room and recording testimony. The MPD discovered the Instagram videos. Personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s office recognized the individual as Hamilton. During a consensual interview with law enforcement, Hamilton admitted to recording grand jury proceedings and posting them to his Instagram account. Hamilton indicated that he filmed the proceedings using one of two phones that he owns. Hamilton also sent dozens of messages via text message and Instagram discussing his grand jury service. Hamilton was arrested on November 17, 2022. In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Unit (CIIU). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Gold. Valuable assistance was provided by former U.S. Attorney CIIU Special Agent Geoff Guska, U.S. Attorney CIIU Special Agent Sean Ricardi and CIIU Supervisory Special Agent Tina Lukens. Notable assistance was provided by Investigative Analyst Chris Fagioli and Special Agent Durand Odom of the CIIU. ##


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Putnam County Man Sentenced and Detroit Woman Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking Case

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Scott Jeremy Savage, 46, of Nitro, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and Dashounieque Lashay Wright, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. Both admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 17, 2022, and March 9, 2023, Savage conspired with others to distribute quantities of fentanyl while living in Putnam County. Savage admitted to purchasing fentanyl from a co-defendant who lived in the Charleston area and to arranging transactions with this co-defendant by cell phone. Savage further admitted that the co-defendant often fronted him the fentanyl and he would pay the co-defendant back after he sold it. On October 17, 2022, Savage sold approximately 2.23 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at his residence. On October 18, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Savage’s residence and seized approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl, 2.2 grans of methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. On January 27, 2023, Savage exchanged phone calls and text messages with the co-defendant to arrange the purchase of a one-quarter ounce of fentanyl. Savage admitted that he believed he would have an easier time mixing that quantity with cutting agents to increase its volume and maximize his profits. Savage further admitted that he agreed with the co-defendant that he owed $445 from prior fentanyl transactions. During a phone call the next day, Savage told the co-defendant that customers had complained about the fentanyl he had purchased the day before and asked the co-defendant to provide stronger fentanyl. Savage admitted that the co-defendant agreed to provide him with 4 to five grams of fentanyl. On March 9, 2023, Savage sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Putnam County gas station. Savage has a long criminal history that now includes 13 felony convictions. Savage’s prior felony convictions include attempt to operate a clandestine drug laboratory, exposure of children to methamphetamine manufacturing, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, fleeing in a vehicle from a law enforcement officer in reckless indifference to the safety of others, fraud and related activity in connection with an access device, and breaking and entering. Wright admitted that she spoke by cell phone on November 28, 2022, with a co-conspirator who directed her to deliver what turned out to be approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine to a customer in Charleston. The co-conspirator gave Wright directions to the customer’s residence by phone. Wright admitted that she knew she was participating in a drug transaction and that the bag she gave the customer contained a controlled substance, but that she did not know the quantity of the substance or that it was methamphetamine. Wright collected money from the customer before leaving the residence by vehicle. Law enforcement officers pulled over the vehicle following the transaction, and found an additional 6.1 pounds of methamphetamine during a search of the vehicle. Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Savage and Wright are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. Savage and Wright are among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:23-cr-31 (Savage) and 2:23-cr-195 (Wright). ###


title: Westmoreland County Resident Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Commit Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. On January 8, 2024, United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines sentenced Ronnell Taylor, Jr., 41, to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. Taylor was also ordered to pay restitution to 27 victims of the fraud scheme in the total amount of $193,111. According to information provided to the court, Taylor admitted that, from March 2016 to August 2017, he participated in an IRS impersonation fraud conspiracy involving call centers located in India. As part of this fraud scheme, victims in the United States received recorded messages fraudulently claiming that the call was from the IRS concerning the victims’ failure to pay taxes and directing victims to call a U.S.-based telephone number to resolve the matter. Calls to these U.S.-based telephone numbers would be automatically forwarded to call centers in India, and those who answered told victims that they owed money to the IRS and demanded immediate payment via gift card or other means. To assist in this fraud scheme, Taylor activated and programmed cell phones to automatically forward calls to the foreign call centers. Taylor also hired associates, including his co-defendant Michael Galanis, to program hundreds of cell phones for this purpose. After Taylor learned that co-conspirators in India had been charged with conduct related to the fraud scheme, Taylor destroyed evidence related to the scheme, including prepaid credit cards, cell phones, and other documents. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Haines stated that the fraud conspiracy impacted numerous victims and lasted for almost 18 months. Judge Haines further noted that victims of the scheme were threatened and some suffered “financial destruction” as a result of the defendant’s offense. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Taylor. 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: California Man Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Submitting False Sexual Assault Declarations To Court In $100 Million Lawsuit

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROVIER CARRINGTON was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni to four years in prison for submitting false declarations to the Court in connection with a civil lawsuit. CARRINGTON previously pled guilty to making a false declaration before a court. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rovier Carrington submitted fake evidence and lied in an effort to win a $100 million sexual assault lawsuit. Carrington now faces prison time for his brazen attempt to manipulate the court system.” According to the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings and filings: CARRINGTON filed a civil lawsuit (the “Civil Case”) in which he accused Hollywood executives of sexually assaulting and defrauding him. CARRINGTON sought $100 million in damages in the Civil Case. To support his allegations, CARRINGTON submitted several falsified email chains that purported to show that he had been sexually assaulted and defrauded. When confronted about those fake emails, CARRINGTON submitted a false affidavit to the Court in the Civil Case, swearing that the emails were real. To cover up his lie, CARRINGTON deleted two of the email accounts, returned the phone he had used to send the emails to Apple, and failed to appear for the Court’s questioning about the emails. The Court in the Civil Case ultimately dismissed the Civil Case and imposed sanctions on CARRINGTON, ruling, “these emails were fabricated, and that was bad enough, but the deactivation of the accounts, the efforts undertaken to really foreclose what is necessary discovery in this case, and the stream of lies to me, necessitate the sanctions that I am imposing.” After the Court in the Civil Case imposed those sanctions, CARRINGTON attempted to pursue his claims in another court, violated an injunction issued by the Court in the Civil Case, and accused the Court in the Civil Case of taking bribes. Then, even after pleading guilty in this case, CARRINGTON filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 billion and making similar allegations. * * * In addition to the prison term, CARRINGTON, 34, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Thomas S. Burnett are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Lawsuit Concerning Treatment for Gender Dysphoria in Correctional Settings

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia challenging the denial of treatment sought for gender dysphoria in a correctional setting. The statement explains that gender dysphoria falls within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s definition of “disability” and affirms that correctional institutions cannot deny medically appropriate care for people with gender dysphoria, no matter their particular circumstances, consistent with the Eighth Amendment. “People with gender dysphoria should be able to seek the full protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act, just like other people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring constitutional conditions inside our jails and prisons so that those detained inside these facilities, including people with gender dysphoria can live safely and receive needed medical care. The U.S. Constitution requires that people incarcerated in jails and prisons receive necessary medical care, treatment and services to address serious medical conditions.” Doe, an incarcerated transgender woman, alleges that the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has violated her rights under the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and the U.S. Constitution by denying necessary medical care to treat her gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a serious medical condition that arises when a person experiences significant distress or impairment because of an incongruence between their gender identity and assigned sex. Left untreated, individuals with gender dysphoria can experience significant adverse mental health outcomes. Doe alleges that the GDC has denied her adequate medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, including gender-affirming surgery that has been recommended by four clinicians and consistent hormone therapy. Because of the inadequate care and exacerbation of her gender dysphoria, Doe has engaged in repeated self-harm, including attempts at suicide and self-castration. Doe seeks a preliminary injunction that would grant her access to medically necessary treatment for her gender dysphoria. “The protections of the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act do not stop at the doorsteps of our jails and prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our office remains committed to ensuring that all people with disabilities, including those with gender dysphoria, continue to receive access to such medically necessary treatments, even while they are in custody.” The department’s statement of interest clarifies that gender dysphoria can be a covered disability under the ADA and does not fall within the ADA’s exclusion of gender identity disorders. The department’s statement also explains that prison officials violate the Eighth Amendment when they categorically refuse to provide medically necessary gender-affirming surgery to incarcerated individuals with gender dysphoria, no matter a person’s particular circumstances. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the civil and constitutional rights of LGBTQI+ individuals is available online at www.justice.gov/crt/lgbtqi-working-group . Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov . doe_v_gdc_statement_of_interest_2024.01.08.pdf


title: Four sentenced for drug trafficking in Eastern Panhandle

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four people have been sentenced for drug trafficking crimes in the Northern District of West Virginia. Gary Weldon, also known as “Fatboy,” age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 100 months for two heroin charges. James Davis Graham, also known as “JD Graham,” age 41, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months for selling heroin and fentanyl. Jeanette L. Henkel, age 32, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months for charges of selling heroin and fentanyl. Jonathan Ross Blankenbaker, age 32, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years of probation for eutylone trafficking. According to court documents and statements made in court, Weldon, Graham, and Henkel were working with others to transport heroin and fentanyl from Baltimore to Hampshire County, West Virginia. Court documents show that in addition to the sale of drugs, firearms were trafficked and traded for drugs. The investigation yielded several firearms, ammunition, and thousands of dollars in cash. In a separate case, Blankenbaker sold eutylone in Berkeley County and elsewhere. According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators searched a motel room in Martinsburg that was being used to sell eutylone and methamphetamine and found both drugs and more than $12,500 in cash. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the Weldon, Graham, and Henkel investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated the Blankenbaker matter. The Task Force consists of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Ranson Police Department; and the Charles Town Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Hebron Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

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

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Dario Giambro , 75, to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also fined $250,000. Giambro was found guilty by a federal jury on October 11, 2023, following a two-day trial. According to evidence presented during the trial, in January 2022, Maine State Police executed search warrants at Giambro’s residence in Hebron. Investigators seized, among other things, 856 firearms—including shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and rifles—and a large amount of ammunition from the residence. Giambro is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior federal conviction in the District of Maine for possessing an unregistered firearm, a felony offense. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives administratively forfeited the 856 firearms and ammunition found in Giambro’s home. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police investigated this case, with assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and Norway Police Department. ###


title: Ponzi Scheme Cost Investors in Missouri, Elsewhere Millions, Indictment Says

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former Texas-based investment adviser has been indicted in St. Louis and accused of running a Ponzi scheme that cost investors tens of millions of dollars. Siddharth Jawahar, 36, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Dec. 21, 2023, on three counts of wire fraud and one count of investment adviser fraud. The indictment was sealed until Monday, when the FBI arrested Jawahar in Miami, Florida. He made an initial appearance later in the day in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida. The government is seeking to have Jawahar held in jail until trial. Jawahar ran a Texas-based investment company called Swiftarc Capital LLC. From July 2016 through roughly December 2023, Jawahar took in more than $35 million from Swiftarc investors, but spent about $10 million on investments in companies, the indictment says. Jawahar used the money from new investors to repay older investors and to fuel an extravagant lifestyle that included flights on private planes, stays at luxury hotels and expensive outings at lavish restaurants, the indictment says. “The losses alleged in the indictment would make this one of the largest Ponzi-schemes in the history of the Eastern District of Missouri,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., said, “At the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we are laser-focused on combatting white collar crime, just like our federal partners. Our top-notch team followed the money and developed a significant investigation uncovering allegations of fraud that spread far beyond New York. We were pleased to assist the Eastern District of Missouri on this investigation which led to a major federal indictment.” "Some fraudsters come up with sophisticated schemes that are hard to detect," said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We still encourage searching the person’s name and company on the internet for any red flags and trusting your gut." Swiftarc had initially invested in a diverse array of securities, but in 2015, Jawahar began investing the majority of client funds in a single investment, Philip Morris Pakistan (PMP). Eventually, 99% of client funds were consolidated into the PMP investment, the indictment says. Jawahar did not inform investors of a dramatic decline of the value of PMP, instead falsely representing to investors that shares were trading at a much higher price, it says, and misleading investors about their profits. The indictment accuses Jawahar of misleading someone in eastern Missouri into believing that a series of investments totaling $175,000 would go into specific companies. A New York investor was told the same about $350,000 and an Ohio investor heard the same about $250,000, the indictment says. On June 7, 2022, the Texas State Securities Board revoked Swiftarc Capital’s authority to conduct investment activities and ordered Jawahar to “cease and desist from engaging in fraud.” The indictment says Jawahar did not notify investors about that cease-and-desist order before taking their money and continued to fraudulently solicit and receive investor funds, including $1 million from an investor weeks after the state board’s order. The wire fraud charges are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. The investment adviser fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The FBI and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: District Sex Offender Pleads to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Humphrey, 41, a registered sex offender from Southeast Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to uploading to the internet graphic videos of himself sexually abusing a five-year-old girl. The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Humphrey pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual exploitation of a child. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and supervised release of at least five years. Humphrey previously was convicted on a charge relating to the sexual abuse of a child. On March 10, 2020, he was convicted of third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since May 2022, Humphrey has been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia as required by law. According to the government’s evidence, in July 2023, Google LLC reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that two Google accounts, later identified as Humphrey’s, had uploaded material depicting child sexual abuse to Google servers. NCMEC turned that information over to the investigators from the FBI Washington Field Office and the MPD. Investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Humphrey’s Google accounts and discovered three videos that show Humphrey sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Washington, D.C. during June 2023. Humphrey was arrested on August 11, 2023, and has been held since. After he was taken into custody, investigators obtained Humphrey’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Amy Larson, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. ##


title: Orleans and Jefferson Parish Men Indicted for Violations of the Federal Controlled  Substances and Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – NAIROBI DAVIS , age 24, JACOB ESTEM, age 21, KENNELIUS BROWN , age 35, and DORNELIUS BROWN , age 33, all of New Orleans, and DEJON RICHARDSON , age 27, TYREESE QUINCY , age 24, and DARIUS QUINCY , age 26, all of Terrytown, Louisiana, were indicted on November 11, 2023, in a 12-count superseding indictment, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. All were charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. According to the superseding indictment, from late 2022 until May of 2023, DAVIS, ESTEM, KENNELIUS BROWN, DORNELIUS BROWN, RICHARDSON, TYREESE QUINCY, and DARIUS QUINCY distributed fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area and possessed marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl. Throughout this investigation, loaded firearms were found nearby the controlled substances, indicative of the firearms’ use in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes. DAVIS was also charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1). ESTEM was also charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). KENNELIUS BROWN was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl , in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, in violation 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). RICHARDSON was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) and Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1). TYREESE QUINCY was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A). DARIUS QUINCY was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Those charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana, ( list names ) face a minimum of five years imprisonment up to forty years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release. Those charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, DAVIS, ESTEM, and KENNELIUS BROWN , face up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Those charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, DAVIS, KENNELIUS BROWN, RICHARDSON, and TYREESE QUINCY, face a minimum of five years imprisonment up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Those charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, DAVIS and ESTEM, face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. Those charged with Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, DAVIS and RICHARDSON , face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. RICHARDSON, TYREESE QUINCY, and DARIUS QUINCY , who were charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years supervised release. KENNELIUS BROWN , who was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute, faces a minimum of five years imprisonment up to forty years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release. As to each count with which a defendant is charged, that defendant faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Father and Son Sentenced for Laundering Drug Trafficking Bitcoin Proceeds Intended for Federal Forfeiture

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Joseph Farace, age 72, of Sparks, Maryland today to 19 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for a money laundering conspiracy. On January 5, 2023, Judge Griggsby sentenced his son, Ryan Farace, age 38, of Reisterstown, Maryland, a previously convicted felon, to 54 months in federal prison for the same charge. The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees; Washington County Sheriff Brian K. Albert; and Chief Teresa Walter of the Havre de Grace Police Department. According to their guilty pleas and other court documents, in November 2018, Ryan Farace was convicted in U.S. District Court in Maryland for a scheme to manufacture and distribute alprazolam tablets (sold under the brand name “Xanax”) in exchange for Bitcoin through sales on darknet marketplaces. Cryptocurrency tracing techniques established that, in all, wallets associated with R. Farace, and/or his vendor name “XANAXMAN,” received over 9,138 Bitcoins from addresses associated with darknet marketplaces. Prior to his sentencing for the 2018 crimes, R. Farace met with representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, for the purpose of helping the government gain access to R. Farace’s drug proceeds, particularly cryptocurrency and cash, which had not yet been seized. R. Farace repeatedly stated that he did not recall the location or means by which he could access any additional Bitcoins about which the government was not already aware. At R. Farace’s sentencing for the 2018 crimes, he argued that he had been cooperative with the government’s efforts to obtain his assets. Nonetheless, after R. Farace was sentenced, the government recovered additional drug proceeds in the form of Bitcoin. Specifically, in early 2020, law enforcement recovered over 24 Bitcoin. As detailed in his guilty plea, despite R. Farace’s claims to the government that he could not access any other Bitcoin proceeds related to his 2018 drug trafficking conviction, from October 2019 to April 2021, while incarcerated for his 2018 crimes, R. Farace conspired with his father, J. Farace, and others to launder additional proceeds of crimes through a series of financial transactions. For example, in 2019, R. Farace sent approximately 71 Bitcoin from digital wallets he controlled to online exchanges and retailers. Financial records from one such retailer indicated that R. Farace used some of the drug proceeds to benefit his father, including sending $3,341.65 worth of gift cards. R. Farace used a contraband cell phone in prison to communicate with J. Farace about these purchases, using an encrypted email service. In August 2020, while he was incarcerated, R. Farace asked J. Farace to transfer more than 2,874 Bitcoin to a third party, so that the funds could be moved into a foreign bank account. R. Farace provided J. Farace with the wallet address by typing it into the back cover of a prison library book and mailing it to J. Farace. As detailed in their plea agreements, R. Farace (while incarcerated) and J. Farace used email and phone calls to discuss the transfer of bitcoin using coded language. In September 2020, J. Farace completed the transfer of over 2,874 Bitcoin to the third party, all of which were proceeds of R. Farace’s 2018 drug crimes. On February 10, 2021, federal agents seized all of the 2,874.90419597 Bitcoin that J. Farace had transferred, the market value of which was between $65 million and $150 million at the time of seizure. On May 11, 2021, the government seized 58.742155166 Bitcoin that was also proceeds of R. Farace’s drug trafficking. Both R. Farace and J. Farace must forfeit all of the Bitcoin seized during the investigation. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the DEA, the IRS-CI, the Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Narcotics Task Force, the Havre de Grace Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the United States Postal Inspection Service, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Federal Bureau of Prisons for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao and Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy Inside Stillwater Prison

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – An inmate has pleaded guilty to conspiring with a corrections officer to distribute methamphetamine inside the Stillwater prison, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Axel Rene Kramer, 36, an inmate who is currently serving a 288-month sentence for second degree murder, conspired with Faith Rose Gratz, 26, a former Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Stillwater corrections officer, to distribute methamphetamine within MCF – Stillwater, Minnesota’s largest high security prison facility. As part of the conspiracy, Kramer obtained wholesale quantities of prepackaged methamphetamine from sources of supply outside the prison. After Kramer and another co-conspirator inmate worked with the drug suppliers to arrange meet up times and locations, Gratz would pick up the drug packages. Gratz used her position as a prison guard to smuggle the drugs into the secure facility and then provide the drugs to Kramer while she was on duty guarding him. Gratz did this on approximately six different occasions. Gratz also smuggled into the prison multiple cell phones that she provided to Kramer. Kramer used the cell phones to communicate with people inside and outside the prison and to facilitate his drug distribution network from within the prison. According to court documents, Kramer and Gratz exchanged hundreds of text messages with each other. The messages included communications about the drug distribution conspiracy as well as discussions about their romantic relationship. Gratz also warned Kramer about upcoming searches of inmates’ cells. Kramer pleaded guilty on January 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bayport Police Department, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Matthew D. Evans are prosecuting the case.


title: Westwego Resident Sentenced to Probation for Theft of Stolen Mail

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TYREN TYRONE SHENALL (“SHENALL”) , age 19, was sentenced on January 5, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to serve five years’ probation, 100 hours of community service and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for theft or receipt of stolen mail matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. According to court documents, on November 15, 2022, SHENALL , along with his co-conspirators Eric Williams and Kelan Gennings, stole U.S. Mail from post office mailboxes located at the Covington Post Office by using a postal arrow key to obtain access. SHENALL and his co-conspirators then used the checks and other financial documents stolen from the mailbox to commit check fraud. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearm in Hopkinsville

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A Ripley, Tennessee, man was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Hopkinsville. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Nicholas Bryant Starks, 44, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On October 24, 2021, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Starks possessed a Taurus, model PT 738, .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Starks was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2002 felony conviction for Armed Bank Robbery out of the Western District of Tennessee at Memphis. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: St. Paul Man Charged for Armed Robbery of Postal Employees

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint for armed robbery of postal employees on two separate occasions, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on November 18, 2023, Rubin David Adams, 26, approached a USPS letter carrier in Edina, pointed a handgun at them, and demanded the “mailbox key,” which the victim did not have. Instead, the victim handed over two sets of USPS vehicle keys. The following day, Adams approached another USPS letter carrier in Brooklyn Center. Adams pointed a handgun at the victim’s head, demanded and stole two USPS mailbox keys. Mailbox keys are valuable to criminals who use them to steal mail, cash, checks, and other financial instruments. Mailbox keys are the property of USPS, and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. “This is part of an alarming trend that law enforcement is seeing around country, including here in the Twin Cities,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “We take this issue very seriously and will continue to ensure postal employees are safe and free from violence as they serve their communities.” The complaint charges Adams with two counts of assault and attempted robbery, while putting a person’s life in jeopardy with the use of a deadly weapon. The charge of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Adams made his initial appearance last week in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. A preliminary and detention hearing has been scheduled for January 9, 2024. “The safety and security of Postal Service employees and customers is core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and this incident is a tremendous example of how local, state, and federal partners can join together to quickly and safely resolve situations like this,” said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove. “Mr. Adams’s alleged crimes showed blatant disregard for human decency and overall greed. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts.” Law enforcement encourages anyone who may have mailed letters or checks from Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park that did not reach their destination to contact the USPIS Tip Line at 612-884-7962 or uspismntips@uspis.gov. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Edina Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the St. Louis Park Police Department, and the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New York Men Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme Involving Hartford Apartment Buildings

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two New York men were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford for engaging in a wide-ranging mortgage fraud scheme involving 24 mortgage loans on numerous multifamily housing properties in Hartford totaling nearly $50 million. JACOB DEUTSCH , 58, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 62 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and ARON DEUTSCH , 63, of Monsey, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $1 million fine. According to court documents and statements in court proceedings, Jacob Deutsch and Aron Deutsch work at B H Property Management, LLC (“BHPM”), a property management company that manages numerous multifamily housing properties in Hartford. From September 2016 through May 2021, Jacob Deutsch, who ran the day-to-day operations BHPM, and Aron Deutsch engaged in a scheme to defraud several financial institutions, government-sponsored enterprises Federal Home Loan Mortgage Company (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) by providing them with false information overstating the value of multifamily housing properties managed by BHPM in connection with loans secured by those properties. As part of the scheme, Jacob Deutsch provided false rent rolls and falsified leases to the victim financial institutions and their appraisers, which either overstated the number of renters by listing fictitious renters or others not actually living there, or falsely inflated the amount of rent paid by occupants. Jacob Deutsch deceived inspectors into believing that unoccupied apartments were occupied by staging the apartments with furniture and by requiring BHPM employees to falsely tell inspectors they lived there and to lie to inspectors if asked whether there were vacancies. For instance, a rent roll and income and expense summary submitted by Jacob Deutsch to CBRE Capital Markets, Inc. (“CBRE”) in June 2018 falsely represented that 16 Evergreen Avenue was 100 percent occupied when, in fact, not a single tenant resided there at the time. Later, Jacob Deutsch e-mailed CBRE pictures of money orders and checks purporting to reflect rent payments from fake tenants on the falsified rent rolls for 16 Evergreen Avenue to show proof of payment of rent when, in fact, the money orders and checks had been purchased by Aron Deutsch or BHPM employees at Aron Deutsch’s direction. Jacob Deutsch also provided the victim financial institutions with false and inflated income statements and financials for the properties, doctored bank statements, doctored or false documents overstating the purchase price of various multifamily housing properties, and doctored checks and invoices showing false or overstated capital improvements made to those properties. The false information provided by Jacob Deutsch induced the victim financial institutions to issue loans that they otherwise would not have issued on the requested terms, or for amounts larger than they would have authorized had they been provided with truthful information. In addition, the false information induced Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to purchase the resulting loans from the victim financial institutions, and induced HUD to issue a mortgage insurance commitment to a victim financial institution. Jacob and Aron Deutsch were arrested on May 19, 2021. After his arrest and while released on bond, Jacob Deutsch victimized another lender to secure an $11 million loan. Jacob and Aron Deutsch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution on July 12, 2022, and June 1, 2022, respectively. Jacob Deutsch is required to report to prison on March 8. Jacob Deutsch’s criminal history includes a wire fraud conviction in the Eastern District of New York stemming from an insurance fraud scheme. In October 2003, he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment for that offense. This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, and HUD’s Office of Inspector General for Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Sarah Gruber.


title: Washington man accused of conspiring to unlawfully kill and sell bald and golden eagles arraigned on charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Washington man suspected of conspiring to unlawfully kill bald and golden eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and then illegally sell them on the black market across the United States and elsewhere appeared for arraignment today on multiple charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Washington, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy, unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and Lacey Act violations. If convicted of the most serious crime, Branson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Branson appeared on a summons and was released pending further proceedings. Co-defendant, Simon Paul, failed to appear on a summons, and the court ordered that a warrant be issued for his arrest. As alleged in the indictment, from about January 2015 until about March 2021, near Ronan, on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul and Branson conspired to illegally kill and offer for sale bald and golden eagles. Investigators uncovered messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles by stating, “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” and telling buyers he was on “a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales. Paul, Branson and others hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Reservation and elsewhere. In total, the defendants killed approximately 3,600 birds, including eagles. Paul and Branson then illegally sold eagle feathers and parts on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere. The indictment further alleges that Branson traveled from Washington to the Flathead Reservation to shoot bald and golden eagles, and that Paul was a “shooter” and “shipper” of eagles for Branson. The indictment also alleges that on Dec. 17, 2020, Branson sent a text message to a purchaser with a photo of a golden eagle tail set. On the same date, Branson received a PayPal purchase for the golden eagle tail set. Two days later, Paul mailed the golden eagle set from St. Ignatius, Montana, to Texas. On Dec. 21, 2020, Branson received a text message from the purchaser that said, “Got that thang from Simon. And the mirror feathers. Tnks.” In addition, the indictment alleges that on March 13, 2021, Branson and Paul returned to a previously killed deer to lure eagles and that Branson shot a golden eagle. Paul cleaned the golden eagle and both defendants placed various golden eagle parts in a vehicle for transport. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not only a bird of biological interest but also this country’s national symbol. In 1962, Congress extended the Act to protect golden eagles. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan G. Weldon and Randy Tanner are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Flathead Tribal Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-55. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl XXX


title: Bogalusa Man Sentenced to 229 Months for Involvement in  Mass Shooting and Drug Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – VINCERT PETERS, age 33, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was sentenced on January 3, 2024 to a total of 229 months in prison for federal firearm and drug violations. On September 13, 2023, VINCERT PETERS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to Counts 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9 of an indictment pending against him. Count 1charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, for his participation in a May 16, 2020 mass shooting in Bogalusa. He also pled guilty to drug distribution charges and another firearm charge stemming from an investigation by the Bogalusa Police Department and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. Specifically, in Counts 3, 5, and 8, he was charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 9, he was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). According to court documents, on May 16, 2020, an “Unauthorized Assembly” during Phase I of the COVID-19 Pandemic Re-Opening occurred. This assembly consisted of several hundred people, attending a “Celebration of Life,” event to honor a recent murder victim. During the celebration, a shootout took place between two groups. In total, thirteen (13) people were shot and four (4) sustained serious injuries. Ten separate firearms were discharged during this shootout. VINCENT PETERS admitted possessing and firing a gun during this incident. During a follow-up investigation, agents also learned that PETERS was selling illegal drugs and were able to make several controlled drug purchases from him. A subsequent search of PETERS’s residence uncovered additional drugs and a firearm. As a result of his crimes, PETERS was sentenced to serve 120 months as to Count 1 (Felon in Possession of a Firearm); 169 months as to Counts 3, 5, and 8 (Distribution of Drugs); and 60 consecutive months as to Count 9 (possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime). He was also placed on supervised release for three years and ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $500.00. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bogalusa Police Department, and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Five Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Five individuals were sentenced today for drug trafficking and firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Two fentanyl dealers sentenced for interstate drug trafficking Juan Alejandro Comparan-Guzman, 28, of Kerman, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Rita Ann-Marie Louis, 32, of Carnation, Washington, was sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. According to court documents, a nine-month investigation into a drug-trafficking organization operating in California and trafficking drugs to Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington revealed that the two sentenced today, along with 11 others, were involved in trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin pills, and heroin. Approximately 7 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, 137 pounds of methamphetamine, and over 34,000 pills containing fentanyl were seized, as well as $142,000 in cash. This case was the product of an investigation by the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), composed of personnel from the FBI, the California DOJ, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, the Sheriff’s Offices of Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, and the CHP. Fresno man sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in connection with selling fentanyl Armando Chavez Jr., 22, of Fresno, was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Chavez sold counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl on Snapchat, a social media platform. After a nonfatal overdose was reported, federal law enforcement agents working in an undercover capacity contacted Chavez and ordered oxycodone pills from him. Chavez agreed to sell the pills and drove to a predetermined meeting location. Once he arrived, Chavez and his car were searched, and law enforcement found approximately 100 fentanyl pills. Agents then executed a federal search warrant at Chavez’s residence. Inside his bedroom, law enforcement found over 1,300 fentanyl pills packaged for distribution and a loaded handgun. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, and the Fentanyl Overdose Response Team. The case was part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. Two sentenced for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in EDCA and Oregon Adrian Arredondo Alvarado, 34, of Orosi, was sentenced today to eight years and seven months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Ivan Vasquez, 35, of Oregon, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Alvarado was the main target of a lengthy federal investigation into a drug trafficking ring. During the investigation, Alvarado was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine and marijuana distributor as well as a marijuana cultivator. Alvarado negotiated and then supplied over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to Vasquez, who traveled from Oregon into the Eastern District of California to obtain that methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute to others in Oregon. Alvarado directed other co-defendants to go to Southern California to obtain the drugs and another to collect Vasquez’s drug payment. Alvarado was growing a substantial amount of marijuana. During a search of Alvarado’s residence, officers seized a stolen handgun, ammunition, and a half kilogram of marijuana. On the other properties that Alvarado used for marijuana cultivation, officers found over 400 marijuana plants, nine firearms, and several hundred kilograms of processed marijuana. Co-defendant Alexis Melchor-Guzman, 30, of Orosi, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and co-defendant Adrian Lopez, 39, of Orange Cove, was sentenced to one year in prison for maintaining a drug-involved premises. This case was the product of an investigation by the DEA with assistance from the Visalia Police Department and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted these cases.


title: Appleton Woman Charged with Producing & Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 4, 2024, a federal criminal complaint was issued alleging that Charlotta A. Belgum (age: 38) of Appleton, Wisconsin, produced and distributed child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(b). According to the criminal complaint, between approximately December 2021 and June 2022, Belgum produced CSAM of a minor child which she then shared with a male acquaintance in Texas via the internet. The complaint further alleges that Belgum frequently engaged in online conversations on a “fetish” website centered around the sexual abuse of children. Belgum faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the production charge. She also could be fined up to $250,000. This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Appleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security, San Antonio Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Former Army National Guard Recruiter sentenced to ten years in prison for sexual abuse of minor

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A former Air Force Special Agent was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison for enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joshua Carl Harrod, 44, of Spanaway, Washington, was charged in July 2021 and pleaded guilty in October 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle said the crimes were “sadistic” and “indescribably cruel.” According to records filed in the case, between October 2017 and April 2018, Harrod sexually molested a young child left in his care. The conduct occurred in the location where he resided on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction. Harrod separated from the Air Force in 2018 and prior to his arrest in this case, served as a recruiter for the Army National Guard in Lakewood, Washington. Harrod also pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a government agency for his efforts to falsify phone records related to evidence in the case. In addition to the ten-year prison term, Judge Settle ordered Harrod to be on lifetime supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Settle said, “The consequences of many crimes before me do not have the impact that this one does…Victims of these crimes carry with them a life sentence.” The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Joint Base Lewis-McChord Military Police Investigations, the Lakewood Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Elyne Vaught.


title: Gardena Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Spree He Committed While on Parole for Armed Robbery

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A convicted murderer was sentenced today to 324 months in federal prison for robbing and attempting to rob nearly a dozen Los Angeles County businesses – including a veterinarian’s office – at gunpoint during a five-day crime spree in late 2020 while on parole from state prison for armed robbery. Justin Washington, 34, of Gardena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered him to pay $9,019 in restitution and a special assessment of $1,100. Washington pleaded guilty in October 2023 to 10 counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In mid-September 2020, Washington was released from state prison from a 10-year term for armed robbery and possession of a deadly weapon. Less than two months after his release, Washington murdered a rival gang member. Then, from November 30 to December 4, 2020, Washington robbed and attempted to rob 10 businesses in the South Bay and in South Los Angeles. His robbery spree began at the same Gardena grocery store, which he robbed on consecutive days on November 30 and December 1, 2020. From there, in Gardena, Washington robbed a 7-Eleven store, a donut shop and attempted to rob a veterinarian’s office. He then robbed a donut shop in Torrance, and, in South Los Angeles, a wireless phone store, a dry cleaner business, two additional donut shops and, finally, a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store. During his armed robbery of a Torrance donut shop on December 2, 2020, Washington pointed a gun at and then struck a store employee in the head, causing bodily injury. Washington then forced the victim to move to the shop’s back office to facilitate Washington’s search for money, then bound the victim’s hands. While robbing a donut shop at gunpoint in South Los Angeles one day later, Washington pistol whipped an employee, causing serious bodily injury to the victim, then attempted to fire his gun. In total, Washington stole $9,019 in cash and personal property during his five-day crime spree. From December 2020 until July 2023, Washington was in state custody. He ultimately was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison. He has been in federal custody since July 2023. Twenty years of Washington’s 27-year federal prison sentence will run consecutive to his state prison sentence for murder. “This defendant was a walking crime spree and fully deserving of a major federal prison sentence,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Removing violent criminals such as this defendant from our streets is some of the most important work my office handles and we will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals who endanger our community.” “Mr. Washington's short-lived criminal rampage terrorized small businesses and undoubtedly left his victims with lasting trauma,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Federal law enforcement in league with our local partners will hold accountable violent predators who target hardworking business owners and employees, as well as the communities they serve.” “Data shows the average ATF defendant has 7.8 prior arrests and 2.16 prior felony convictions,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Hoffman. “We target career criminals by collaborating with our law enforcement partners to remove these individuals from our communities. The violent crimes they commit will not be tolerated.” The FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Torrance Police Department; the Gardena Police Department; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Vargas of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.


title: 24 Defendants, including a Utah Business Owner, Accused of Running a Drug and Money Laundering Operation from Utah to Mexico and Honduras

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, a federal magistrate judge ordered the last of 23 individual defendants in a large scale drug trafficking and money laundering case detained. The total of defendants now in custody is 22 out of 23 individuals who were charged in a superseding indictment with 33 federal crimes, including laundering millions of dollars via wire transfers from Utah to Mexico and Honduras. A financial intuition is also charged in the indictment. According to court documents, Georgina Espinoza-Grajeda, 40, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, who is the owner and operator of Multiservicios Lokos LLC, located in South Salt Lake City, Utah, along with her employee Jesid Dadiana De Sutter, 50, of Sandy, Utah, were at the center of a complex conspiracy to secretly and illegally wire millions of dollars in proceeds of narcotics trafficking to suppliers in Mexico and Honduras. Espinoza and De Sutter laundered the money by falsifying wire transfer information to avoid detection. Multiservicios Lokos LLC was allegedly the laundering hub for multiple drug trafficking organizations. Court documents allege that from at least January 2022 to November 2023, Espinoza-Grajeda and De Sutter operated their money remitting business and laundered millions of dollars in drug proceeds deposited by their co-defendants trafficking in fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine throughout the Wasatch Front. Through a collaborative law enforcement effort, agents and officers seized 62,000 fentanyl pills, 24.5 pounds of heroin, 8.5 pounds of cocaine, five firearms, and $237,000 in cash. Agents and officers estimate the criminal organization laundered more than $20 million since January 2022. Espinoza-Grajeda and De Sutter are charged with conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to structure transactions to evade reporting requirements, conspiracy to evade suspicious activity reporting and anti-money laundering requirements. Their initial court appearance on the indictment, along with many of their co-defendants, was in November 2023, where the court ordered all except one defendant to remain in custody pending trial. A superseding indictment was filed on Dec. 6, 2023. Two more defendants, Henrry Arita Lozano and Frances Dalyana Power-Escobar were arrested in Washington and brought to Utah. Lozano appeared at his arraignment January 5, 2024, and Power-Escobar appeared at her arraignment January 8, 2024. Lozano and Power-Escobar were both ordered to remain in custody. A jury trial is scheduled for April 16, 2024. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah, and law enforcement partners made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, FBI Special Operations Group (FBI- SOG), IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), United States Marshals Service, Adult Parole and Probation, Park City Police Department, Davis County Metro Narcotics Strike Force, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, American Fork Police Department, Salt Lake City Police Department, Sandy Police Department, South Jordan Police Department, South Salt Lake Police Department, South Salt Lake Business License Department, West Jordan Police Department, West Valley Police Department, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, and the Utah State Bureau of Investigations (SBI). Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan N. Holtan, of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. Remaining defendants named in the indictment : (Name, age, citizenship, last city of residence) Guadalupe Aracely Vargas Ruelas 24, Mexico, West Valley City, UT Multiservicios Lokos LLC South Salt Lake City, UT Rodrigo Andres Droguett-Almendra 26, Chile, Orem, UT Erik Rojas-Moreno 18, Mexico, SLC, UT Fredis Omar Archaga-Ponce 41, Honduras, Sandy, UT Santos Reynerio Lemuz-Ortega 37, Honduras, Sandy, UT Ever Nohe Murillo-Raudales 34, Mexico, Cottonwood Heights, UT Jose Nixon Escoto-Ortez 44, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Vicente Ortez-Zuniga 42, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Wilmer Arnoldo Romero-Soto 45, Honduras, West Valley, UT Rigo Adolfo Melendez-Martinez 43, Honduras, West Valley, UT Cristian Antonio Valle-Acosta 22, Honduras, West Valley, UT Yahir Acosta-Melendez 20, Honduras, West Valley City, UT Isaac Antonio Arteaga-Acosta 39, Honduras, Midvale, UT Edilberto Melendez-Ponce 37, Honduras, SLC, UT Henry Arita-Lozano 34, Honduras, Midvale, UT Frances, Dalyana Power-Escobar 31, Honduras, Midvale, UT Kevin Ariel Ruiz-Aguilar 34, Honduras, Riverton, UT Milton Ivan Acosta Hernandez 37, Honduras, Sandy, UT Miguel Fierro 48, Mexico, West Jordan, UT Sandy Contreras Espinoza 32, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Cristian Escobar-Gomez 27, Mexico, West Valley, UT The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Concord Man Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Concord man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Ethan Lea, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 14, 2022, Lea pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. “Law enforcement will hold those that poison our communities with dangerous narcotics accountable,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to reduce the supply of fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Hampshire by incarcerating prolific drug dealers.” “Today’s sentence is a win for the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the people of New Hampshire as we work together to remove dangerous drugs and criminals off the street,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. After a motor vehicle stop on June 13, 2021, law enforcement seized approximately 245 grams of methamphetamine and 71 grams of fentanyl from Lea’s car. On July 30, 2021, Lea was caught again with large quantities of drugs and evidence of drug dealing in his car, including 448 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and over $2,000 in cash. He later admitted to law enforcement that the drugs recovered from the car stops belonged to him, and that he intended to distribute them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande prosecuted the case. ###


title: District of South Dakota Awarded $16.3 Million in Grant Funding  from the U.S. Department of Justice in FY23

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that in FY23, the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), awarded 33 grants totaling $16.3 million in funding to the State of South Dakota, various tribal and local governments, and other local entities to support public safety and community justice activities. Nationally, the Justice Department awarded more than $4.4 billion in similar grant funding. Of the $16.3 million awarded in South Dakota, over $8 million was given to the State of South Dakota, including the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Corrections, and Department of Public Safety. Over $5.4 million was awarded to tribal governments, including the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe in the form of grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) grants. Additional grants were awarded to city and county governments, South Dakota State University, and local organizations. “The money awarded to the State of South Dakota, tribal and local governments, and community organizations has the capacity to fund truly impactful work in the area of public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We look forward to collaborating with these entities to grow the impact of their grant funding and improve the quality of life in communities throughout our state.” The more than 3,700 OJP grants awarded in FY23 will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges. Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities: Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust , helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country. More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders. Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse. More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization. Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims. In addition, OJP awarded more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards . ### The Office of Justice Programs is the largest grantmaking component of the Department of Justice and houses the Department’s criminal and juvenile justice-related science, statistics, and programmatic agencies. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, training and technical assistance, research and statistics, and other critical resources to advance work that strengthens community safety, promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, and builds trust between law enforcement and communities.