title: Seattle man who distributed thousands of fentanyl pills in Whatcom County sentenced to six years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 33-year-old Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for distributing fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ahbdurman Ahmed was one of six people indicted in April 2023 for a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Whatcom County. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, it was critical that he protect the public. Judge Jones told Ahmed, “I can’t imagine how you would feel if someone sold fentanyl to your children.” “This defendant sold thousands of fentanyl pills in Whatcom County, pills that nearly killed him in an overdose,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Even after that brush with death, he continued to sell – putting others at risk. Drug suppliers must be held accountable for their conduct, whether driven by addiction or by greed – in this case it appears it was both.” “DEA, along with our Federal, state, local, and tribal partners, works tirelessly to safeguard our communities by holding people like Mr. Ahmed accountable for distributing death in the form of fentanyl,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will go to any lengths to take armed traffickers off the streets and create a safe environment for Whatcom County and Lummi Nation residents, as we showed in this case.” According to court records, law enforcement officers observed various drug transactions and interdicted the drug loads. On December 30, 2022, law enforcement was called to a mini mart where Ahmed and another person had overdosed on fentanyl and had to be revived and transported to the hospital. Nevertheless, ten days later Ahmed was seen trafficking fentanyl pills once again. In mid-January 2023, law enforcement seized bags containing 1,000 pills from two of Ahmed’s customers. In March of 2023, law enforcement seized a total of 3,000 fentanyl pills from Ahmed. Ahmed was armed at the time of the second seizure -- a Glock handgun with an extended magazine was found with him in the car he was driving. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior criminal convictions. “The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is committed and will continue locating dangerous drug traffickers that are poisoning our communities with potentially deadly substances,” said Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley. “Losing one community member to an overdose, fatal or otherwise, is one community member too many – we are all family. We will also continue to work with our community partners to guide those affected by addiction to needed resources.” The other defendants in this case are: Robel Sisay Gebremedhin A/K/A Robel Sisay Gebremedhui, 41, of Burien, WA is charged with: possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; unlawful possession of a firearm; and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is being sought by law enforcement. Mohamed Abdirisak Mohamed, 35, of Seattle, WA is charged with: possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; unlawful possession of a firearm; and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Trial is scheduled for March 2024. Matthew Anderson, 35, of Bellingham, WA is also charged with: two counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. His trial is scheduled for March 2024. Daniel John Faix, 41, of Bellingham, WA pleaded guilty yesterday to Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of firearms, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 29, 2024. Natasha Parkhill, 38, of Bellingham, WA was arraigned on the indictment for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in November 2023 and remains detained pending trial. In asking for a seven-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs wrote to the court, “Ahmed was involved in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Whatcom County. Many of these drugs ended up being distributed on the Lummi Indian reservation, a community hard hit by the fentanyl pandemic. The Court is certainly aware of the dangers that these drugs – particularly fentanyl – pose to those who use them. Ahmed himself, as a drug user who has overdosed on fentanyl, was obviously aware of the risk of death or injury this drug presents. Ultimately, Ahmed – for whatever reason – was willing to personally profit from the distribution of an addictive and often deadly controlled substance.” This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, and the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Hartford Man Charged with Making Threats to West Haven VA Facility, Members of Congress, Other Federal Employees

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut today announced that AUBREY WAYNE ROSE, JR., 43, of Hartford, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with making threats against the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in West Haven, certain U.S. members of Congress, and other federal employees. Rose appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was detained until a hearing scheduled for January 8. As alleged in court documents, on March 7, 2023, Rose sent a threatening email to the Defense Finance Accounting Service, which is the U.S. Department of Defense agency that, among other things, maintains and pays military retirees their monthly retirement and disability benefits and Combat Related Special Compensation. He also sent the email to the offices of four members of the United States Congress. In the email, he asked for a formal appeal of his military pay and stated, “If not[,] the 2d Amendment is in our Constitution for a reason. . . . ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. I PICKED UP A RIFLE TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY BEFORE. I WILL MAKE SURE I PICK IT UP FOR MYSELF. IM TIRED OF GAMES YALL CAN FIX IT OR NOT. MY DECISION HAS BEEN MADE[.]” In addition, according to court documents, on the morning of December 20, 2023, Rose entered the VA Medical Facility in West Haven wearing a tactical vest and carrying a bullhorn. As VA police officers followed him, he stated, “Next time I come back, I’m bringing a weapon.” Later that morning, Rose went to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven office and told an agent that if he did not get assistance from the VA, he would have “to go back to the VA with a firearm.” Court documents also describe other instances of threatening behavior. On May 30, 2023, Rose sent an email to several individuals, including an employee of the Connecticut Superior Court. The email contained a draft of another email he was planning to send to an unnamed member of Congress stating, “Your continued refusal to acknowledge fact and ignore me will leave me with no other choice but use my 2nd Amend Rights to force this GOVT to do the right thing. . . . Your continued non compliance will only solidify my decision and force me to act with the only decision that yourself and other govt agencies have left. To force you comply or be killed in the process.” Then on June 5, 2023, Rose attempted to gain access to the Connecticut office of a Member of the United States Congress. He was wearing a tactical vest on his chest and what appeared to be two knives strapped to the back of the tactical vest. Office staff was able lock the door before he entered. He returned later that afternoon, stood outside the office, and yelled through the intercom in a threatening manner. The complaint charges Rose with making threats against federal officials, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Sean P. Mahard.


title: Louisville Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking a Fentanyl Analogue

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Louisville woman, Autumn Leslie Childress 42, was sentenced on Friday, to 10 years in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession of 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue with intent to distribute. According to her plea agreement, law enforcement received information that Childress would be transporting controlled substances from South Carolina to Louisville, and then to Cincinnati to distribute. On November 16, 2022, law enforcement stopped Childress in Boone County and located over a kilogram of a fentanyl analogue divided into multiple packages prepared for distribution. A subsequent search of her residence uncovered additional drugs and drug trafficking paraphernalia. In all, she possessed more than 1.5 kilograms of illegal drugs. Under federal law, Childress must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: California Man Accused of Defrauding the Federal Government Over $100,000 in Unemployment Benefits During COVID-19

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed after a California man was arrested and is scheduled to appear in a Salt Lake City federal courthouse. The eight count indictment charges the defendant for unlawfully collecting unemployment insurance during COVID-19 from California while living and working in Utah. He also allegedly assisted others in committing the same acts for a cut of their unemployment insurance funds administered under the CARES Act. According to court documents, Robert James Waff, 49, of Sacramento, CA, allegedly submitted an online application for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits on June 19, 2020, through the California Employment Development Department (EDD) website, while he was a resident of Clearfield, Utah. Waff listed his residence and mailing address as Fair Oaks, CA. Waff also claimed he had lost employment due to COVID-19 and that before losing employment his annual income was $44,000, and that he planned to return to work for his previous employer. Waff’s fraudulent California EDD application and continued renewal of his California EDD benefits resulted in Waff receiving over $36,000 in fraudulent payments. Beginning in July 2020, Waff also allegedly helped three coconspirators apply for COVID-19 related California unemployment benefits through the California EDD website. None of the applicants lived or worked in the state of California. In return, Waff requested a cash payout from each applicant as compensation for assisting with the false application. As a result of the fraudulent filings, the actual loss resulting from fraudulent UI benefit claims exceeded $100,000. Waff is charged with one count of wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud aiding and abetting, and four counts of mail fraud aiding and abetting. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Division and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (OIG). Assistant United States Attorney Brian Williams of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . 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: Memphis-Based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Methodist Healthcare-Memphis Hospitals Pay $7.25 Million to Settle Allegations that They Violated the False Claims Act

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis announced today that Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Methodist Healthcare-Memphis Hospitals (“Methodist”) have paid $7,250,000 to resolve allegations that Methodist violated the False Claims Act. This settlement resolves allegations that Methodist caused the submission of false claims to Medicare that resulted from improper financial arrangements between Methodist and the West Clinic, PLLC (“the West Clinic”), including kickbacks that Methodist paid to the West Clinic as part of its affiliation with the West Clinic. “Federal law prohibits money from influencing where a doctor refers a patient for treatment to keep doctors focused solely on what is best for the patient,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “We contend that Methodist’s affiliation with the West Clinic ran afoul of that law. When hospitals pay kickbacks to physician practices, regardless of what form those kickbacks take, they can expect to be the focus of our enforcement efforts.” In its complaint, the United States alleged that, from December 2011 until February 2019, Methodist had a multi-agreement affiliation with the West Clinic and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The affiliation agreements with the West Clinic included an Asset Purchase Agreement, Management Services Agreement, Leased Employee and Administrative Services Agreement, and Professional Services Agreement. According to the complaint, Methodist used these agreements as a vehicle to pay kickbacks to the West Clinic in part to induce the West Clinic to refer Medicare beneficiaries to Methodist. The affiliation ended in 2019 and is no longer ongoing. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jeffrey Liebman and David Stern. Liebman was a former president of Methodist University Hospital, and Stern was a former Dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The Act also permits the United States to intervene and take over the litigation and receive a portion of any recovery, such as the United States did here. Liebman and Stern will receive a share of the recovery. The qui tam is captioned United States ex rel. Liebman v. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, et al ., Case No. 3:17-cv-00902 (M.D. Tenn.). The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combatting healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre. The claims settled by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. # # # # #


title: Nicholasville Man Sentenced to 25 Years  for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Cory Johns, 42, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Johns was identified, in November 2015, when the Lexington Police Department connected with him via a file sharing program and downloaded images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Thereafter, on April 16, 2016, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) also connected with the Johns via a file sharing program and downloaded images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. KSP then obtained a search warrant for the location associated with the IP address from the downloads, which led to the home where Cory Johns was living. A forensic exam of various electronic devices located in his residence uncovered additional images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the KSP, and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of the Lexington Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the HSI, KSP, and the Lexington Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Roth and Mary Melton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . -END-


title: St. Louis County Bankruptcy Attorney Accused of Mail, Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A bankruptcy attorney appeared in U.S. District in St. Louis Wednesday to answer charges accusing him of defrauding the state of Missouri and lending institutions. Michael Toscano, 42, was indicted Dec. 20, 2023, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on three counts of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. He turned himself in Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The indictment alleges that from roughly April 1, 2018, though Dec. 19, 2023, Toscano devised a scheme to defraud the state of Missouri and lending institutions by falsely claiming bankruptcy filers’ vehicles had been abandoned, and then selling some through his used car dealership. Toscano also obtained referrals from other bankruptcy attorneys whose clients sought to surrender their vehicles to creditors rather than to continue to pay their vehicle car loans, according to statements made in court Wednesday. Toscano told debtors to deliver their vehicles to his office in Creve Coeur or to a St. Charles County storage facility, the indictment says. He also picked up some vehicles that were inoperable, it says. Toscano then mailed documents to the Missouri Department of Revenue and the holders of liens on the vehicles falsely claiming that they had been abandoned and that he’d incurred towing and storage fees, the indictment says. He demanded payment, writing that he would seek an abandoned motor vehicle title or mechanic’s lien if the fees were not paid within 30 days, the indictment says. In some cases, Toscano delayed notifying lienholders for as long as 45 days, causing storage fees to exceed $2,300, the indictment says. If payment was not made, Toscano submitted false and fraudulent documents to the contract license offices of the DOR seeking the issuance of abandoned vehicle titles or mechanic lien titles and then offered the vehicles for sale through his used car dealership, the indictment says. The vehicles referenced in the indictment are a 2006 Audi A8, a 2018 Chevrolet Impala and a 2017 Kia Forte. The mail fraud and wire fraud charges are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. 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 Missouri Department of Revenue and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Assaulting Mail Carrier in Mosby Court

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man and woman pleaded guilty today and yesterday to assaulting a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) City Carrier while delivering mail. According to court documents, on the evening of May 22, 2023, Quintin Morris, Jr., 31, and Jumeka Jones, 21, assaulted the USPS carrier on the 1900 block of Accommodation Street in Richmond. The altercation began after Jones’ dog, which was off leash outside, caused the carrier to fear for his safety. Jones and the carrier engaged in a verbal disagreement that escalated when Morris adopted a fighting stance and approached the carrier. During the fight, Morris, and Jones wrestled the carrier to the ground, Morris punched the carrier with a closed fist, and Jones stomped on the carrier several times with her foot. The carrier suffered a sprained neck, shoulder, and cuts to his face. Morris pleaded guilty today is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16. He faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison. Jones pleaded guilty yesterday and is also scheduled to be sentenced on April 16. She also faces a maximum penalty of 8 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 Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Day 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. 3:23-cr-142.


title: 2 Indicted in $8.5 Million Nationwide Airbnb/Vrbo Scam that Allegedly Defrauded 1000s of Victims and Discriminated Against Renters

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted two men on federal fraud charges that allege a double-booking, bait-and-switch scam run through online property rental platforms – primarily Airbnb – that brought in more than $8.5 million through misleading listings and fraudulently canceling reservations, which included discrimination against Black people, the Justice Department announced today. Shray Goel, 35, of Miami, and Shaunik Raheja, 34, of Denver, were charged Wednesday in a superseding indictment that accuses them of fraud in connection with more than 10,000 reservations linked to nearly 100 properties across 10 states. Goel was initially charged in an indictment returned on December 13. He was arrested in Florida on December 27 and was released on bond the following day. Raheja was added as a defendant in the superseding indictment. Both defendants are expected to be arraigned in United States District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. The superseding indictment alleges that Goel and Raheja owned and operated a short-term property rental business that they used to defraud Airbnb, Vrbo and guests renting properties through those platforms. The business operated under various names, including Abbot Pacific LLC. Goel, Raheja and others who worked with them are alleged to have owned and leased properties throughout the United States for the rental business, including properties in Los Angeles; Malibu, California; Marina Del Rey, California; Denver; Chicago; Davenport, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Bloomington, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; Cleveland; Nashville, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; Dallas and Milwaukee. By 2019, according to the superseding indictment, they were managing nearly 100 properties across the United States. To carry out the fraudulent scheme, Goel and Raheja allegedly double-booked properties through multiple listings of the same property on Airbnb and Vrbo, and then invented bogus last-minute excuses – often claiming plumbing problems – to cancel overbooked guests or trick them into moving to inferior replacement accommodations. According to the superseding indictment, members of the conspiracy profited from the scheme by running a secret bidding war for the properties – meaning they posted multiple listings for the same property at different prices for the same night, allowed the highest bidder to rent a particular property, and then cancelled or switched the lower-paying guests to a different property in the area. The scheme also allegedly allowed Goel, Raheja and their co-conspirators to keep all of their properties in any given area at maximum capacity by using popular listings as bait to trick guests into booking those listings, and then steering overbooked guests at the last minute to less popular and open listings in the same area. The superseding indictment further alleges that “Goel and Raheja made decisions about which guests to keep and which to cancel based in part on their racial prejudices and discrimination.” The defendants, according to the indictment, tried to avoid renting to guests they perceived to be Black and “in this way depriv[ed] these guests of their property interest in the reservations and otherwise caus[ed] these guests to suffer monetary losses when their reservations were cancelled.” “This deplorable scheme victimized thousands of consumers and families across the country, some of whom allegedly were discriminated against because of racial bias,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Fueled by greed, the defendants deceived consumers about the locations and conditions of properties, canceled reservations to double-book properties and based on racial prejudices, and lied to victims leaving them scrambling to find last-minute replacement accommodations. The sheer number of victims is astonishing, as is the millions of dollars earned though the scheme that took advantage of the reputations of online rental platforms that offer a valuable service.” “The defendants are charged with preying on unsuspecting travelers and robbing them of time and money, leaving them with no choice but to settle for inferior lodging at the last minute,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The conspiracy charge alleging that the defendants discriminated against potential renters based on their skin color is a reprehensible abuse which must not be tolerated in the United States. The FBI will work with our federal partners and with the private sector to ensure business practices in the vacation rental industry are free of fraud and bias.” “This indictment charges defendants for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud Airbnb, Vrbo, and guests renting properties through those platforms,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). “FDIC-OIG remains steadfastly committed to protecting our nation and innocent victims by identifying and bringing to justice individuals who orchestrate these types of fraudulent schemes.” According to the superseding indictment, Goel, Raheja and their co-schemers used fake host names and, in certain instances, other people’s identities to list properties. They allegedly used these fake host accounts to conceal their own identities, to double-book properties, and to post fabricated positive reviews of their properties. They were also allegedly using the fake host accounts to continue to list properties after they had been banned from Vrbo in 2015 because of repeated host cancellations and guest complaints. In some cases, according to the superseding indictment, Goel, Raheja and their accomplices listed fake addresses, addresses that did not have any rental housing, were unaffiliated with the schemers, or did not exist at all – using these fake addresses to create duplicate listings for a single purported property. The fake addresses also allegedly allowed them to evade local rules and regulations governing short-term rentals, and to control who had access to properties. To further their fraud, Goel and Raheja allegedly took steps to prevent negative reviews from affecting their business by falsely discrediting such reviews and otherwise trying to hide them from prospective future guests. According to the superseding indictment, they would post bogus negative reviews about the guests who had panned their listings or called out the fraudulent and deceptive listing practices, and they would remove negatively reviewed listings and then re-list the properties using new listing identifiers, thereby purging the bad reviews from the properties. According to the superseding indictment, Goel and Raheja used these and other lies and misrepresentations to trick guests into booking properties they would not have otherwise booked and to keep payments from guests entitled to refunds. The last-minute nature of the cancellations also caused guests and the rental platforms to suffer losses when guests were forced to find alternative lodging at the last minute. “In 2018 and 2019, in the course of the scheme and in furtherance of it, defendants Goel and Raheja and others working with them and at their direction booked more than 10,000 reservations through Airbnb, receiving more than $7 million in payouts on those reservations; they booked additional and sometimes conflicting reservations through Vrbo and received more than $1.5 million in additional payouts from those reservations,” according to the indictment. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The superseding indictment charges Goel and Raheja with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud. Goel is additionally charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft. The conspiracy and wire fraud charges each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. There is a two-year mandatory consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft counts. The FBI and FDIC-OIG are investigating this matter. The Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General is assisting in the investigation. Both Airbnb and Vrbo are cooperating with the government in this investigation, and the government recognizes and appreciates that cooperation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case.


title: Jefferson Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARREN FLOWERS , age 25, a resident of Metairie, pleaded guilty on January 3, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jane T. Milazzo, to federal drug and weapons violations. Specifically, FLOWERS pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on January 6, 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) conducted surveillance in the 500 block of N. Elm Street in Metairie. FLOWERS was observed selling drugs, both individually and with his co-conspirators, to customers who arrived in the area. When JPSO detectives made contact with FLOWERS , he fled and discarded a loaded Ruger nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun during the chase. When FLOWERS was apprehended, he had six rocks of cocaine base and $855 in cash in his pockets. As to his convictions for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances, FLOWERS faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a minimum of three years of supervised release on each count. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, FLOWERS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Florida Man Is Sentenced For Money Laundering Stemming From A Business Email Compromise Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Pierre Yvelt Almonor, 51, of Miami Gardens, Florida, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to launder illegal proceeds from a business email compromise scheme that defrauded law firms and other companies of more than $1 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. A business email compromise scheme, or BEC, is a sophisticated scam, often targeting businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by fraudsters compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause employees of the victim company or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers. According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, from August 2014 through November 2017, as part of the money laundering conspiracy, Almonor arranged to have nearly $395,000 in real estate closing proceeds stolen through a BEC deposited in a business account over which he exercised control, utilizing it as a “money mule” bank account. Money mule bank accounts are accounts used by fraudsters as a pass-through means of moving fraudulently obtained funds. Almonor then facilitated wires to Spain and South Africa totaling more than $200,000 and withdrew more than $50,000 in proceeds as compensation for his role in the conspiracy. In May 2022, a federal jury convicted Almonor of engaging in a conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, international concealment money laundering, and transactional money laundering. Almonor will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence, upon designation of a federal facility. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Warren and Maria Vento of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Former Stoneham Police Officer Sentenced for Defrauding Three Landlords

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former detective sergeant for the Stoneham Police Department was sentenced today for concealing his history of evictions and using a family member’s credit report to obtain an apartment lease and then defrauding his landlord by intentionally withholding rent payments. Robert Kennedy, 54, of Stoneham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to two years of probation, with the first 90 days to be served under home confinement with electronic monitoring. Kennedy was also ordered to pay restitution of $14,275. In September 2023, Kennedy pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. “Today's sentence should send a clear message: no one is above the law. We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable those who exploit their positions and engage in fraudulent activities that compromise the very principles they are sworn to uphold,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Former Stoneham Police Department Detective Robert Kennedy broke laws he was sworn to enforce, and in doing so, failed his department, and betrayed the trust of three landlords whom he lied to and defrauded. In no uncertain terms, today’s sentence demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This case also highlights the FBI’s ongoing commitment to root out and bring to justice anyone who deliberately compromises the integrity of their position for personal gain.” From February 2020 through June 2023, Kennedy lied to and defrauded three separate landlords to obtain apartments that he had no intention of paying for. After moving in, Kennedy would intentionally withhold rent payments, despite making $141,000 - $187,000 a year from the Stoneham Police Department. As a result, Kennedy lived in the apartments rent-free by taking advantage of the slow eviction process. Specifically, Kennedy defrauded his most recent landlord by submitting materially false and fraudulent information during the rental application process. The landlord required Kennedy to submit to a tenant screening service, which included a credit check and eviction history check. Instead of providing his own date of birth and social security number to the tenant screening service – which would likely have shown Kennedy’s history of collections, delinquent payments, defaults and evictions – Kennedy provided the date of birth and Social Security number of a relative who shared his first and last name. The landlord relied on the information from the fraudulently obtained tenant screening report to approve Kennedy’s rental application and give Kennedy a lease for the apartment. Additionally, Kennedy immediately and intentionally violated the terms of the lease by giving the landlord bad checks for his rent and security deposit and failing to make subsequent rent payments. Kennedy lived in the apartment for approximately four months without making rent payments and currently owes the landlord approximately $14,000 in overdue rent. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Stoneham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Q. Wan and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Florida Research Hospital Agrees to Pay More than $19.5 Million to Resolve Liability Relating to Self-Disclosure of Improper Billing for Clinical Trial Costs

component: Civil Division

body_text: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Hospital Inc. (Moffitt), a non-profit cancer treatment and research center based in Tampa, Florida, has agreed to pay $19,564,743 to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act for improper claims submitted to federal healthcare programs for certain patient care items and services provided during research studies that were not eligible for reimbursement. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Moffitt took a number of significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. This settlement resolves Moffitt’s civil liability for claims that it submitted to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs during the period from 2014 to 2020 for services that were not reimbursable under Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rules governing reimbursement for clinical care provided in connection with clinical research trials. Specifically, Moffitt billed federal healthcare programs for items and services provided as part of clinical trial research that should have been billed to non-government trial sponsors. After learning of these issues, Moffitt initiated an independent investigation and compliance review and voluntarily provided the government with a written disclosure of its findings. Moffitt cooperated fully with the government’s investigation of the conduct and implemented prompt and substantial remedial measures. The federal share of the settlement is approximately $18.2 million and the state Medicaid share of the settlement is approximately $1.3 million. “Healthcare providers participating in federal healthcare programs must ensure that they comply with applicable rules and regulations, including those relating to the submission of claims in connection with clinical research,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement reflects, when providers run afoul of their obligations, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations and taking appropriate remedial measures.” “Protecting the nation’s healthcare programs is a top priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “When those who receive funds from government healthcare programs discover that they have submitted improper claims, we encourage them to promptly disclose the issues and cooperate fully with investigators to reach an appropriate and swift settlement. That’s what Moffitt did here: self-reported its improper claims, cooperated with government investigators and took action to remediate its billing systems.” “Providers participating in clinical trials funded by federal health care programs must abide by specific guidelines that safeguard these programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Fernando Porras of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Providers will be held accountable if they bill for services outside the rules governing reimbursement. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to maintain the fiscal integrity of federal healthcare programs.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Gary Dyal of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Harwell and Carolyn Tapie for the Middle District of Florida. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Three Charged with 2020 Murder and Kidnapping of Zuni Man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Camille Damon, Ronald Belone and Tyran Begay appeared in federal court on an indictment charging them with first degree murder and kidnapping resulting in death. Begay, 38, of Teec No Pos, Arizona, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. Damon, 44, of Mexican Springs, New Mexico, Belone, 40, of Yahtahey, New Mexico, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for Friday, January 5, 2024. All 3 defendants are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. According to the indictment, between Feb. 6 and Feb. 15, 2020, Damon, Belone and Begay kidnapped John Doe before killing him in a remote location near Smith Lake, New Mexico. John Doe was restrained, beaten, and strangled with a ligature. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Damon, Belone and Begay face mandatory life imprisonment. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment # # # 24-8


title: Owner of insurance company in Rosebud County sentenced to more than four years in prison for defrauding customers

body_text: BILLINGS — A Forsyth businesswoman who admitted defrauding customers through her company, Rosebud County Insurance Inc., by spending their payments for insurance for her own personal expenses was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $155,436 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kileen Moria Hagadone, 57, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court allowed Hagadone to self-report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. “When we pay our insurance premiums, we expect to have coverage when we need it. Here, Hagadone’s clients, including a community college, logically thought they had coverage because they paid for it. But Hagadone did not just cheat them of coverage, she stole their hard-earned money and spent it for her own personal use. The good news is she did not get away with it, and the only reason she didn’t is because of the diligent and collaborative work of the office of the Montana State Auditor, FBI, and Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “This is a shining example of inter-agency cooperation. In this case the Commissioner of Securities & Insurance (CSI) for Montana and the U.S. Attorney’s office on the federal side. CSI opened this investigation and worked closely with our federal counterparts to bring this to an appropriate and just conclusion. Ms. Hagadone was licensed with our agency in a position of trust. She breached that trust and put her clients in harm’s way. We are pleased to see justice for the victims and consequences to Ms. Hagadone,” said State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Troy Downing. The government alleged in court documents that Hagadone’s company, Rosebud County Insurance Inc., was an insurance brokerage business that acted as an intermediary between customers and national insurance companies. Hagadone was to negotiate insurance contracts for her customers and then receive and transmit customer’s payments to the companies for the policies. Hagadone received clients’ premium payments but failed to send the money to the insurance companies, resulting in her customers not being insured. Instead, Hagadone repeatedly lied to her clients and embezzled the money for personal expenses. The scheme ran from about 2020 until April 2023. The government further alleged that one of the victims was the Chief Dull Knife College of Lame Deer, which paid Hagadone $91,883 in 2021 for a whole year of insurance coverage. Hagadone was supposed to send the money to the insurance company. Instead, Hagadone kept the money and set up a fraudulent premium finance agreement by falsely impersonating an employee of the college. This allowed Hagadone to pay for the college’s insurance premium in installments, but she failed to make the installments and the college’s insurance was canceled in April 2022. Hagadone concealed this cancelation from the college. Hagadone continued the scheme and in November 2022, she created a fictitious insurance policy for the college. She charged the college $98,893, which it paid. Hagadone stole the money and spent it. As a result, the college was unknowingly without insurance from about April 2022 until April 2023. The government further alleged that Hagadone cheated and lied to other customers in a similar way, although the amounts paid were typically smaller. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case. The Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, FBI and Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Florida Research Hospital Agrees To Pay More Than $19.5 Million To Resolve Liability Relating To Self-Disclosure Of Improper Billing For Clinical Trial Costs

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Hospital Inc. (Moffitt), a non-profit cancer treatment and research center based in Tampa, Florida, has agreed to pay $19,564,743 to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act for improper claims submitted to federal healthcare programs for certain patient care items and services provided during research studies that were not eligible for reimbursement. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Moffitt took a number of significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. This settlement resolves Moffitt’s civil liability for claims that it submitted to Medicare and other federal healthcare programs during the period from 2014 to 2020 for services that were not reimbursable under Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rules governing reimbursement for clinical care provided in connection with clinical research trials. Specifically, Moffitt billed federal healthcare programs for items and services provided as part of clinical trial research that should have been billed to non-government trial sponsors. After learning of these issues, Moffitt initiated an independent investigation and compliance review and voluntarily provided the government with a written disclosure of its findings. Moffitt cooperated fully with the government’s investigation of the conduct and implemented prompt and substantial remedial measures. The federal share of the settlement is approximately $18.2 million and the state Medicaid share of the settlement is approximately $1.3 million. “Healthcare providers participating in federal healthcare programs must ensure that they comply with applicable rules and regulations, including those relating to the submission of claims in connection with clinical research,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement reflects, when providers run afoul of their obligations, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations and taking appropriate remedial measures.” “Protecting the nation’s healthcare programs is a top priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “When those who receive funds from government healthcare programs discover that they have submitted improper claims, we encourage them to promptly disclose the issues and cooperate fully with investigators to reach an appropriate and swift settlement. That’s what Moffitt did here: self-reported its improper claims, cooperated with government investigators and took action to remediate its billing systems.” “Providers participating in clinical trials funded by federal health care programs must abide by specific guidelines that safeguard these programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Fernando Porras of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Providers will be held accountable if they bill for services outside the rules governing reimbursement. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to maintain the fiscal integrity of federal healthcare programs.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Gary Dyal of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Harwell and Carolyn Tapie for the Middle District of Florida. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Operation leader and 10 others plead guilty in prolific human smuggling and money laundering case

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A Texas woman has pleaded guilty for her role in a scheme to illegally transport hundreds of foreign nationals within the United States and conspiracy to launder proceeds of illicit human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. According to court documents, Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma and Boss Lady, 32, conspired with at least 14 other members of a human smuggling organization Piedra led that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed the migrants from detection by law enforcement authorities. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia, and they or their families paid members of the organization to help them travel illegally to and within the United States. The organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them further into the United States, often harboring the migrants at “stash houses” along the way. Drivers for the human smuggling organization used various methods to transport migrants, including by hiding them in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and by cramming migrants into tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. The methods the organization used to transport migrants placed their lives in danger as they were frequently held in confined spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices. Members of the organization commonly referred to the migrants as “boxes,” “packages” or “pieces.” Typically, the fee paid to the organization was approximately $8,000, with $3,000 paid upfront to smugglers in Mexico and the remainder paid once the migrants entered the United States. Payments were routed through various accounts all over the United States, and the money from those accounts was then transmitted to the leaders of the organization. According to her plea agreement, Piedra admitted to stating during the course of the conspiracy that she made a lot of money from her involvement in human smuggling and was going to continue making a lot of money in the years to come. She also stated that she had been doing this “for a lifetime already” and was not planning to retire. Piedra also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling. The leaders of the organization recruited and utilized straw recipients to accept human smuggling proceeds in the recipients’ bank accounts and then transferred the proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of work payments. The others also incorporated businesses and opened business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. Additionally, co-conspirators recruited individuals in the construction industry who accepted human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts. The superseding indictment in this case also notices the criminal forfeiture of two properties belonging to Piedra with current estimated values of $2,275,000 and $515,000 that were purchased with the illicit proceeds of human smuggling. Serrano is also agreeing to a money judgment of $942,537.00. Piedra is scheduled to be sentenced April 10 and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Ten others previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Kevin Daniel Nuber aka Captain, 42, and Laura Nuber aka Barbie, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport aliens, placing in jeopardy the life of any person and conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain. Christine Dangler aka Tinkerbell, 46, Lloyd Bexley, 53, Jeremy Dickens, 47, Juan Manuel Hernandez Cordova aka Tio, 46, David Scott Tallant, 54, Katie Ann Garcia aka Guera, 40, and Abraham Geber Lopez, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and move aliens, placing in jeopardy the life of any person. Oliveria Campuzano Piedra, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor an alien for profit. The co-conspirators are awaiting sentencing. The indictments and convictions of these defendants are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (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 strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern and Western District of Texas, Districts of New Mexico, Arizona and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA also provided dedicated support which the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) led. Also supporting the efforts are Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), Office of Enforcement Operations, Office of International Affairs and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 260 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 180 convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband – including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, property, vehicles, firearms, ammunition and drugs. HSI Laredo, along with Border Patrol - Laredo Sector and DHS Office of the Inspector General led U.S. investigative efforts and received substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Corpus Christi, New Orleans, Louisiana, Gulfport, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, West Palm Beach, Florida, and its Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., along with Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations - Austin; Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture; Police Departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin, and Round Rock as well as Wiggins, Missouri, and Bogalusa, Louisiana; Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; Sheriff’s Offices in Webb, Bastrop and Caldwell Counties, Harrison, George and Stone Counties, Mississippi, Mobile County, Alabama, and Jefferson and Washington Parishes in Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and Louisiana State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney and JTFA Detailee for the Southern District of Texas Jennifer Day, HRSP Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner and MLARS Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara and the Department of Justice’s Electronic Surveillance Unit of the Office of Enforcement Operations. HRSP Trial Attorney Erin Cox previously provided significant assistance in this case.


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Dewayne Miller, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller participated in the conspiracy from in or about October 2022 to in or about January 2023. Miller’s role in the conspiracy involved distributing quantities of methamphetamine provided by co-defendant Alexandria Jasmine Estep, who acquired pound-level quantities of methamphetamine from co-conspirator Jasper Wemh. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Estep, 22, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on November 15, 2023, and awaits sentencing. Wemh, 39, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 30, 2023, and awaits sentencing. Miller, Estep and Wemh 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. Miller, Estep and Wemh are among 26 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 hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting 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 No. 2:23-cr-33. ###


title: Native Of Mexico Indicted On Illegal Reentry Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Abel Rodriguez-Moreno, age 43, of Chiapas, Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Rodriguez-Moreno was previously removed from the United States on June 27, 2012, through Calexico, California, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on October 29, 2023, Rodriguez-Moreno was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Chambersburg Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark G. Monroe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Two Charged with Stealing Identities, Cash from Credit Union Customers

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: NEW MARTINSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have been indicted for stealing the identities of West Virginians and withdrawing cash from their credit union accounts. Benjamin Britford, 33, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Brandon Watkins, 29, of Douglasville, Georgia have been charged with making unauthorized transactions from accounts at Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union in New Martinsville. In July and August of 2023, Britford and Watkins obtained the personal identifying information and account numbers for numerous credit union customers and then withdrew cash from those accounts. The defendants withdrew more than $10,000 in cash from accounts in West Virginia and withdrew additional funds from accounts of Bayer customers in South Carolina during the same time period. Britford and Watkins are each charged with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank larceny. Watkins faces an additional charge of aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin is prosecuting the case. The FBI investigated. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to 52 Months for Bank Robbery

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, James Stratman, 23, was sentenced on Thursday, to 52 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for bank robbery. According to his plea agreement, on September 26, 2022, Stratman entered a bank in Covington and showed the bank teller a note that indicated he was robbing the bank. The teller gave Stratman $1,583, and after receiving the money, he retrieved the note and fled from the bank on foot. Approximately, one hour after the bank robbery, law enforcement located Stratman in the vehicle, and he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Covington and into Cincinnati. At sentencing, it was determined that the Defendant created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury during his flight from law enforcement. Under federal law, Stratman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Col. Brian Valenti, Chief of Police, Covington Police Department. The investigation was conducted by FBI and the Covington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Illegally Armed Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 22 ½ Years in Federal Prison

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Gary Sistrunk, 42, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 22.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, on November 6, 2019, Gary Sistrunk and an unknown male entered the German American Bank in Columbus, Indiana. After waiting for customers to clear out of the bank, Sistrunk began walking around the bank’s lobby acting as a lookout, while his accomplice approached the register. The men demanded money from the teller and were given $10,293 in cash. The robbers forced the bank tellers and a lone customer into a back room, threatening them not to move for 15 minutes or else they would be killed. On January 28, 2020, Sistrunk entered a Regions Bank in Fishers, Indiana, acting alone. Sistrunk approached the teller counter and brandished a black and silver handgun, leaned into the teller’s window space, and said, “Hurry and don’t make any noise. Give me the money!” The teller complied and gave Sistrunk $10,327.00 in cash. Sistrunk took the money and fled the bank. The following day, Fishers Police Department released a photo and surveillance footage of the robbery to local media outlets. The Department received two tips identifying Sistrunk as the robber. At the time of the robbery, Sistrunk also had an outstanding Marion County warrant for armed robbery and confinement. On January 29, 2020, Sistrunk was arrested on the outstanding Marion County warrant. During the court-authorized search of the hotel room he was living in, investigators located his black and silver Springfield Arms handgun, the clothing Sistrunk wore when he committed the robbery on January 28, 2020, and approximately $4,000 cash. Sistrunk is prohibited from ever possessing a firearm under federal law because he is a convicted felon. Sistrunk was convicted in Marion and Shelby counties of charges including armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and criminal confinement for his role in four separate robberies in 2012 and 2014. “This criminal has engaged in a pattern of violence throughout his life,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Several years in prison for prior armed robberies did not convince him to change his behavior. The sentence imposed here should serve as a warning to repeat, violent offenders—reducing violence is a top priority for this office, and repeat offenders face lengthy terms in federal prison. I commend the FBI and Fishers Police Department, and our federal prosecutor, for their work to quickly arrest the defendant and hold him accountable.” The FBI and Fishers Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Sistrunk be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Thief Ordered to Pay Back Gun Lake Casino Over $80,000 in Stolen Funds

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Jordan Lewis Cook, 26, of Hopkins, Michigan, was sentenced to four months in prison and two years of supervised release for theft from a tribal organization. He was also ordered to pay $84,564 in restitution. “This case reflects my office’s strong commitment to working in partnership with tribal leadership and law enforcement to prosecute crimes that occur on tribal lands, including theft from tribal businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Together we will hold criminals accountable for their wrongdoing.” Between September 2021 and November 2022, Cook stole over $100,000 from the Gun Lake Casino, which is owned and operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe). During his theft scheme, Cook was employed at the Gun Lake Casino. Shortly after being hired, Cook began stealing cash from the cash-out kiosks located around the casino gaming floor. An internal casino audit and security surveillance video footage showed Cook pocketing large amounts of cash when he was supposed to be clearing jammed cash-out machines. Cook’s bank records also revealed a large influx of cash deposits around the same time that the money was being stolen from the casino kiosk machines. “The Gun Lake Tribe is committed to the safety and well-being of all persons within its jurisdiction and welcomes and appreciates the strong commitment and partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and local law enforcement,” said Gun Lake Tribe Interim Director of Public Safety Seth Carter. “ The Gun Lake Tribe is committed to building a safe community and supports comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention, and support services.” "The defendant's alleged theft and fraud actions against the tribal community is disturbing," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan . "Through our local partnerships, the FBI is uniquely poised to investigate cases like those documented in this case. We continue to request the help of the public by reporting violations to 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov ." This case was investigated by the Gun Lake Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The FBI and tribal police across the Western District of Michigan work closely together to prevent, investigate, and refer for prosecution certain crimes that occur on tribal lands. ###


title: 19 Individuals Worldwide Charged In Transnational Cybercrime  Investigation Of The xDedic Marketplace

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the culmination of a transnational cybercrime investigation involving the xDedic Marketplace. According to court documents, the xDedic Marketplace was a website on the dark web that illegally sold login credentials (usernames and passwords) to servers located across the world and personally identifiable information—dates of birth and Social Security numbers—of U.S. residents. Once purchased, criminals used these servers to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity that included tax fraud and ransomware attacks. The xDedic administrators practiced exceptional operational security, operating the website across a widely distributed international network, and utilizing cryptocurrency in order to hide the locations of the Marketplace’s underlying servers and the identities of its administrators, sellers, and buyers. In total, xDedic offered more than 700,000 compromised servers for sale, including at least 150,000 in the United States and at least 8,000 in Florida. Marketplace victims spanned the globe and industries, including local, state, and federal government infrastructure, hospitals, 911 and emergency services, call centers, major metropolitan transit authorities, accounting and law firms, pension funds, and universities. In January 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (Tampa Division) seized xDedic’s domain names and dismantled the website’s infrastructure, effectively ceasing its operation. The international operation to dismantle and seize this infrastructure was the result of close cooperation with law enforcement authorities in Belgium and Ukraine, the European law enforcement agency Europol, the National High Tech Crime Unit from the Dutch National Police, and the German Bundeskriminalamt. In the years that followed the takedown of the xDedic Marketplace, the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated and charged individuals involved in every level of the website’s operation, including its administrators, server sellers, and buyers. For example, Alexandru Habasescu and Pavlo Kharmanskyi were Marketplace administrators. Habasescu, who resided in Chisnau, Moldova, was the lead developer and technical mastermind for the Marketplace, while Kharmanskyi, who lived in Kiev, Ukraine, advertised for the website, paid administrators, and provided customer support to buyers. Habasescu was taken into custody in the Spanish Canary Islands in 2022 and extradited to the United States, while Kharmanskyi was arrested at the Miami International Airport in 2019 as he attempted to enter the United States. Habasescu and Kharmanskyi were sentenced to 41 and 30 months’ imprisonment, respectively. Marketplace seller Dariy Pankov, a Russian national, was one of the highest sellers on the Marketplace by volume, listing for sale the credentials of more than 35,000 compromised servers located all over the world and obtaining more than $350,000 in illicit proceeds. Pankov’s criminal activities were facilitated by a powerful malicious software program he developed named “NLBrute,” that was capable of compromising protected computers by decrypting login credentials. Pankov was taken into custody in the Republic of Georgia in 2022 and extradited to the United States. He was subsequently sentenced to 60 months in federal prison. Nigerian national Allen Levinson was a prolific buyer on the Marketplace who held particular interest in purchasing access to U.S.-based Certified Public Accounting firms. He used the information he obtained from those servers to file hundreds of false tax returns with the United States government, requesting more than $60 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Levinson was taken into custody in the United Kingdom in 2020 and extradited to the United States. He was subsequently sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Many of the charged defendants are foreign nationals and hold citizenship in countries that do not extradite their nationals, requiring the United States to locate and extradite subjects from countries that do. As identified in the table below, to date, 17 defendants have been charged and/or extradited to the United States. Name (Age, Nationality) Offense of Conviction Term of Imprisonment Allen Levinson (31, Nigeria) Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud 78 months T’Andre McNeely (33, California) Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud 78 months Michael Carr (33, California) Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud 78 months Dariy Pankov (29, Russia) Conspiracy to Commit Access Device and Computer Fraud 60 months Glib Ivanov-Tolpintsev (29, Ukraine) Conspiracy to Commit Access Device and Computer Fraud 48 months Alexandru Habasescu (31, Moldova) Access Device Fraud 41 months Adedotun Adejumo (45, Oklahoma) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud 33 months Pavlo Kharmanskyi (32, Ukraine) Access Device Fraud 30 months Joshua Spencer (29, New York) Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud 28 months Ibrahim Jinadu (36, Georgia) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud 27 months Brandon Williams (34, California) Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud 12 months Harold McKinzie (29, Illinois) Wire Fraud 5 years’ probation Bamidele Omotosho (42, Nigeria) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Sentence pending Olayemi Adafin (38, United Kingdom) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Sentence pending Olakunle Oyebanjo (29, United Kingdom) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Sentence pending Akinola Taylor (38, United Kingdom) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Sentence pending Oluwarotimi Ogunlana (29, Texas) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Sentence pending In addition to the individuals above, xDedic Marketplace buyers Olufemi Odedeyi (42, United Kingdom) and Oluwaseyi Shodipe (41, United Kingdom) have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Both and are pending extradition from the United Kingdom. Shodipe has also been charged with making false claims and theft of government funds. If convicted, Odedeyi and Shodipe each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. These cases were led by the Tampa Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Field Office of Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C.), the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Homeland Security Investigations. This investigation also benefited greatly from cooperation with foreign law enforcement in Belgium, Georgia, Germany, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Romania, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Moldova. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel K. Jones, Carlton C. Gammons, and Suzanne Nebesky.


title: Lead Defendant and Ten Others Plead Guilty in Prolific Human Smuggling and Money Laundering Case

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Texas woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a scheme to illegally transport hundreds of foreign nationals within the United States and conspiracy to launder proceeds of illicit human smuggling. According to court documents, Erminia Serrano Piedra, aka Irma and Boss Lady, 32, led a human smuggling organization that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed the migrants from detection by law enforcement authorities. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia, and they or their families paid members of the organization to help them travel illegally to and within the United States. The organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them further into the United States, often harboring the migrants at “stash houses” along the way. Drivers for the human smuggling organization hid migrants in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and crammed migrants into tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers, and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. The methods used by the organization to transport migrants placed their lives in danger, as they were frequently held in confined spaces with little ventilation that became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices. Members of the organization commonly referred to the migrants as “boxes,” “packages,” or “pieces.” Typically, the fee paid to the organization was approximately $8,000, with $3,000 paid upfront to smugglers in Mexico and the remainder paid once the migrants entered the United States. Payments were routed through various accounts all over the United States, and the money from those accounts was then transmitted to the leaders of the organization. According to her plea agreement, Serrano Piedra admitted to stating during the conspiracy that she made a lot of money from her involvement in human smuggling and was going to continue making a lot of money in the years to come. She also stated that she had been doing this “for a lifetime already” and was not planning to retire. Piedra also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling. The leaders of the organization recruited and used straw recipients to accept human smuggling proceeds in the recipients’ bank accounts and then transferred the proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of work payments. The defendants also incorporated businesses and opened business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. The defendants recruited individuals in the construction industry who accepted human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts. Serrano is agreeing to the criminal forfeiture of two properties with current estimated values of $2,275,000 and $515,000 that were purchased with the illicit proceeds of human smuggling as well as a money judgment of $942,537.00. Serrano Piedra is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger made the announcement. The Justice Department also announced the guilty pleas of ten other defendants charged in the case who previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Kevin Daniel Nuber, aka Captain, 42, and Laura Nuber, aka Barbie, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport aliens, placing in jeopardy the life of any person, and conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain. Christine Dangler, aka Tinkerbell, 46; Lloyd Bexley, 53; Jeremy Dickens, 47; Juan Manuel Hernandez Cordova, aka Tio, 46; David Scott Tallant, 54; Katie Ann Garcia, aka Guera, 40; and Abraham Geber Lopez, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and move aliens, placing in jeopardy the life of any person. Oliveria Campuzano Piedra, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor an alien for profit. These defendants are awaiting sentencing. The indictments and convictions of these defendants are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS); Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO); Office of International Affairs; and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 260 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 180 convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband – including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, property, vehicles, firearms, ammunition, and drugs. HSI Laredo, along with CBP’s U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector and DHS Office of the Inspector General, led the U.S. investigation and received substantial assistance from HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco, and Corpus Christi, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; and West Palm Beach, Florida; HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; CBP’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations - Austin; and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture. Police departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin, and Round Rock, Texas; the Wiggins, Mississippi Police Department; the Bogalusa, Louisiana Police Department; the Webb County Constable’s Office; the Webb County District Attorney’s Office; the Webb, Bastrop, and Caldwell County Sheriff’s Offices in Texas; the Harrison, George, and Stone County Sheriff’s Offices in Mississippi; the Mobile County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Jefferson and Washington Parish Sheriff’s Offices in Louisiana; the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Louisiana State Police also provided substantial assistance. HRSP Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day for the for the Southern District of Texas, and MLARS Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara and OEO’s Electronic Surveillance Unit. HRSP Trial Attorney Erin Cox previously provided significant assistance in this case.


title: Man Charged With Sex Trafficking of a Minor in Chicago Suburb

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man on sex trafficking charges for allegedly enticing a minor to engage in a commercial sex act in a Chicago suburb. The two-count federal indictment charges KENNARD CAMERON, 38, of Chicago, with sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. According to the indictment, Cameron recruited and enticed the minor to engage in a commercial sex act in Lansing, Ill., on March 17, 2023. Cameron was arrested last week. U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz on Wednesday ordered Cameron to remain detained pending trial. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor also includes a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cameron indictment


title: Erie Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison on Narcotics and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to seven (7) years in prison on his conviction of violating federal firearm and drug laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Aaron Jovan Raiford, 42. According to information presented to the court, on or about March 25, 2022, Raiford possessed with intent to distribute cocaine, and he possessed three firearms and ammunition while being a convicted felon. In addition, on August 2, 2022, Raiford again possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Raiford.


title: St. Clair County Man Sentenced To 15 Years in Prison For Attempted Online Coercion

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A St. Clair County man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to coerce a minor into producing sexually explicit images online, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. Raymond Alexander Elliott, 35, of Columbus, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain. In 2021, Elliott engaged in a pattern of sexual exploitation online, requesting sexually explicit images of a 13-year-old boy who resided in Missouri. The FBI began investigating Elliott after the victim disclosed abuse and gave agents his cellphone to use to communicate with those contacting him. Elliott reached out to the victim—not knowing it was an FBI agent with whom he was now communicating—requesting that the 13-year-old resume their sexual conversations and send him additional sexually explicit images. The FBI was able to track Elliott down to his home in Columbus, Michigan, after identifying him from the social media accounts through which he was attempting to communicate with the victim. In January 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Elliott’s home. They recovered his electronic devices, which contained numerous files of child pornography and communications with other online users in which Elliott discussed sexually exploiting children and shared and distributed child pornography. Elliott was arrested and admitted to possessing and distributing child pornography online and communicating with the 13-year-old victim in Missouri. “Thanks to the victim’s bravery in coming forward to authorities to disclose his abuse at the hands of online predators like the defendant, the FBI was able to identify and arrest Raymond Elliott and stop his cycle of online exploitation,” U.S. Attorney Ison stated. "The FBI prioritizes the protection of children from dangerous predators and is fully committed to investigating those who seek to harm the most vulnerable members of society,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Those who make the unconscionable decision to victimize innocent children will be brought to justice. We would like to extend our appreciation to our wide network of law enforcement partners for their critical support. The FBI urges the public to report alleged crimes of child sexual or physical abuse by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov." This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Princ.