title: Settlement of Race Discrimination Lawsuit Against Cobb County Fire Department Reached

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: ATLANTA - A settlement has been reached with Cobb County, Georgia, through a consent decree , resolving the United States’ claims that Cobb County’s use of certain screening devices in its hiring process for entry-level firefighters resulted in a pattern or practice of discrimination against African Americans in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also employment practices that result in a disparate impact upon a protected group unless the defendant can prove that such practices are job-related and consistent with business necessity. “Every person, regardless of race, deserves an equal opportunity to compete for jobs. Employers should identify and eliminate policies and procedures that create a discriminatory impact on applicants based on race,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office will continue to devote resources to eliminate prejudicial policies that illegally deprive qualified candidates of a fair chance to compete for employment opportunities.” “This settlement should send a strong message to employers that reliance on a job applicant’s credit history may be discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Consumer credit checks create a Catch-22 for people seeking access to job opportunities. Cobb County’s hiring practices created artificial barriers that prevented qualified Black job candidates from being considered for firefighter positions. Discriminatory barriers, like credit checks, not only cost candidates a fair chance at a job, they also prevent the public from being served by firefighters drawn from the most robust hiring pool possible.” The lawsuit , filed in the Northern District of Georgia, alleges that the County engaged in discrimination with two parts of its entry-level firefighter hiring process. The United States’ lawsuit challenges the County’s use of a credit check to screen out firefighter candidates based on the County’s review of their credit histories. The lawsuit also challenges the County’s past use of a written examination designed to determine placement level in college classes as a method for ranking candidates to move forward in the firefighter hiring process. The County’s use of these employment practices disproportionately removed qualified African Americans from consideration for a firefighter position. The complaint further alleges that the credit check and the use of the written exam to rank applicants do not lawfully identify the best qualified candidates for the firefighter position. Under the terms of the consent decree, which is subject to court approval, Cobb County will no longer use a credit check as part of its firefighter selection process, nor will it resume using the written exam as a rank-order selection device. The County will pay $750,000 in back pay to eligible African Americans who were denied employment because of the challenged employment practices, and will make up to 16 priority hires, with retroactive seniority, from the group of applicants disqualified by the challenged practices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia brought this case in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section. The case was brought by Aileen Bell Hughes, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity and Civil Rights Section, and DOJ Employment Litigation Section attorneys Brian McEntire and Juliet Gray. Ensuring that local, county, and state governments comply with Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Lame Deer man sentenced to three years in prison for sexually abusing a minor; assaulting partner

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who admitted sexually abusing a minor and assaulting his partner on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in two separate cases was sentenced on Wednesday to a total of three years and one day in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. David Benjamin Wick, Sr., 44, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to sexual abuse of a minor and in January, he pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial injury to a spouse, dating or intimate partner. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court sentenced Wick to two years in prison on the charge of sexual abuse of a minor and to one year and a day on the assault charge, to run consecutive to the sexual abuse sentence. In court documents, the government alleged that in 2019, Wick, then 39, had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Wick and the girl had connected through Facebook, and Wick invited her to his trailer to drink alcohol. Wick was charged federally sexual abuse of a minor and released on conditions. In January 2023, Wick assaulted his partner after becoming upset and accusing her of cheating on him. Wick kicked his partner and repeatedly struck her in the face and head while calling her names. The victim was treated for significant trauma. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Sexual Abuse of a 13-Year-Old

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON –Damion Brown, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury on ten felony charges, including first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree child sexual abuse, for sexually abusing the 13-year-old daughter of his long-time girlfriend in February of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned on May 7, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Anthony Epstein scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2024. Brown faces a maximum sentence 36 years in prison for the crimes. According to the government’s evidence, on February 24, 2023, the 13-year-old victim was home alone with the defendant, who was the victim’s mother’s live-in boyfriend. While the victim was changing clothes, the defendant came into her room and began hugging and kissing her and pushed her onto her bed. The defendant performed a number of sexual acts on the child, then left the room laughing. The victim immediately left the apartment and reported to her aunt, who called the police. The defendant was still in the apartment when police arrived. Subsequent DNA testing determined that the defendant could not be excluded from the positive results of DNA found on the victim after the abuse. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Sarah Folse and Robert Platt.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Cobb County, Georgia, to Resolve Allegations of Race Discrimination in Firefighter Hiring Process

body_text: The Justice Department has secured an agreement with Cobb County, Georgia, resolving the United States’ claim that the County violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) by using credit checks and a written exam that discriminated against African American firefighter candidates based on race. Cobb County has stopped using the challenged hiring practices and will pay $750,000 in back pay to applicants disqualified by those practices. The County will also hire up to 16 of those applicants with retroactive seniority. “This settlement should send a strong message to employers that reliance on a job applicant’s credit history may be discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Consumer credit checks create a Catch-22 for people seeking access to job opportunities. Cobb County’s hiring practices created artificial barriers that prevented qualified Black job candidates from being considered for firefighter positions. Discriminatory barriers, like credit checks, not only cost candidates a fair chance at a job, they also prevent the public from being served by firefighters drawn from the most robust hiring pool possible.” “Every person, regardless of race, deserves an equal opportunity to compete for jobs. Employers should identify and eliminate policies and procedures that create a discriminatory impact on applicants based on race,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our office will continue to devote resources to eliminate prejudicial policies that illegally deprive qualified candidates of a fair chance to compete for employment opportunities.” The department’s lawsuit , filed in the Northern District of Georgia, alleges that Cobb County discriminated in its firefighter hiring process in two ways. First, by screening out candidates based on their credit histories. Many employers use credit checks when screening applicants based on a mistaken assumption that credit history is a measure of character or job fitness. As the department alleges, Cobb County could not establish a connection between credit history and job performance or character and thus did not have a lawful reason for using credit history as part of its hiring process. Second, Cobb County ranked candidates based on their performance on a written examination designed to determine placement level in college classes. The department alleges that these practices disproportionately removed African Americans from consideration for firefighter positions without providing any evidence that candidates who advanced based on these practices were more qualified to serve as firefighters. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also prohibits employment practices that result in a disparate impact upon a protected group, unless such practices are job related and consistent with business necessity. The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at www.justice.gov/crt and more information about the division’s Employment Litigation Section can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section . Attorneys Brian McEntire and Juliet Gray of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section and Deputy Chief Aileen Bell Hughes for the Northern District of Georgia’s Public Integrity & Civil Rights Section are handling the matter.


title: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Racketeering, Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in connection with his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Paulo Santos, a/k/a “Bucky,” 35, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison and four years of supervised release. In January 2024, Santos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy), possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members possess, carry and use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds. As part of his role in the gang, Santos and another Cameron Street member assaulted and robbed a rival gang member outside the Dorchester District Court on Dec. 6, 2019. In a video posted on Snapchat later that day, Santos identified the victim as a rival gang member, chased him, and shouted to another Cameron Street member, “Get him!” On the video, the victim shielded his face while he was punched and kicked repeatedly. Santos and the other Cameron Street member then robbed the victim of his sneakers and took them as a trophy. The video included captions that praised Cameron Street and denigrated the victim’s gang. At the time of Santos’ arrest, approximately 900 grams of cocaine, 500 grams of marijuana, a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver and $15,597 in cash were seized from his stash house in Hingham. This is Santos’ third firearm conviction. For his last unlawful possession of a firearm conviction, Santos served a four-to-five-year state prison sentence. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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 . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Covetrus Sentenced for Criminal Misbranding  of Prescription Drugs

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Covetrus North America LLC, a company based in Dublin, Ohio, which sells veterinary products to customers across the United States, was sentenced yesterday to one-year of probation for causing the introduction and delivery of misbranded veterinary prescription drugs into interstate commerce. In addition, the court ordered Covetrus to pay over $23 million in criminal fines and forfeitures. Covetrus will forfeit $21,534,091, pay $1,000,000 to the Virginia Department of Health Professions, as well as a fine of $1,000,000. In addition, Covetrus is obligated to keep in place appropriate compliance measures to prevent future violations. According to court documents, from March 2019 to December 2021, Covetrus shipped over $20 million in prescription drugs from their non-pharmacy locations throughout the United States to end-users that were not authorized to receive prescription drugs. Shipments from non-pharmacy locations to non-authorized end-users or locations are deemed “misbranded.” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge George Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations - Metro Washington Field Office made the announcement. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Virginia State Police investigated the case, with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced To 40 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Roland Vance Watson, 55, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 40 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing child pornography and committing a felony involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Watson was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. The criminal investigation began in January 2023, after law enforcement received information from a concerned adult that Watson had exchanged inappropriate text messages with a minor female. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, investigators determined that, between August 2021 and February 2023, Watson had sexually abused three minor females on multiple occasions. Three cell phones seized from Watson and Watson’s home were forensically analyzed and multiple sexually explicit text messages were recovered between Watson and one of the minors. In some of the texts, Watson induced the minor to send him explicit images and videos of herself in exchange for gifts and candy. The phones also contained child pornography produced by Watson that depicted Watson sexually abusing the minors and other sexually explicit images and videos featuring the minors in various states of undress. According to court records, in 1991, Watson was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in New Jersey. As part of Watson’s sentence, he was ordered to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where he worked or resided. Court documents show that after Watson moved to North Carolina, he failed to register as a sex offender. Watson will remain in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The investigation was conducted by HSI and the Hickory Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Leader of Brooklyn-Based Elite Assassin Millas Gang Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Quandel Smothers, also known as “Chucky,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 23 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in connection with his leadership of the East New York-based Elite Assassin Millas (E.A.M.), a set of the Bloods street gang. Smothers was convicted of the charges by a federal jury in February 2023 following a two-week trial. Smothers conspired with other gang members and associates to deal drugs, commit fraud and to murder or attempt to murder their rivals from 2006 to 2019, resulting in multiple shootings that left one individual dead and several other victims permanently disabled. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence. “Smothers, who fancied himself the gang’s “Godfather” and East New York his ‘Gun Town,’ deserves the decades behind bars imposed today for leading a criminal enterprise that endangered the community with their mindless killing, shootings and assaults of rivals,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office and our law enforcement partners have dismantled the Elite Assassin Millas and will continue the important work of ridding our district of violent groups that have no respect for the law or human life.” Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and the New York City Police Department for outstanding work in the case. As proven at trial, E.A.M. operated primarily in East New York, which the gang referred to as “Gun Town.” The gang made money through fraud and drug dealing, particularly sales of crack cocaine and marijuana. Smothers rose to the leadership position of E.A.M. through violence and fear. E.A.M. members reporting to Smothers referred to themselves as “Homicide Town.” Smothers agreed with other gang members and associates to deal drugs, commit fraud, and to murder or attempt to murder their rivals from 2006 to 2019, resulting in numerous shootings. On April 30, 2011, Smothers, the so-called “Godfather” or “GF” of E.A.M., shot a fellow E.A.M. member in the torso and leg over a drug and loyalty-related dispute, causing the victim’s leg to be amputated. Over the years that Smothers led the gang, his underlings engaged in feuds with other local street gangs in East New York that frequently resulted in shootouts between the groups. As a result of shootings, two individuals were paralyzed by members of E.A.M., and one victim — Michael Tenorio — was murdered. All six other members and associates of E.A.M. that were charged with the defendant have pleaded guilty to crimes including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, assault, and interstate stalking causing life threatening injury. Tyshawn Corbett was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment; Marlon Bristol was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment; Devon Bristol was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment; Desmonn Beckett was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment; and Andrew Campbell was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. Qawon Allen is awaiting sentencing. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Galeotti, Genny Ngai and Jonathan Siegel are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Brittany Wissel. The Defendant : QUANDEL SMOTHERS (also known as “Chucky”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York Defendants Who Pleaded Guilty TYSHAWN CORBETT (also known as “Reck”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York QAWON ALLEN (also known as “40” and “Phorty Wap”) Age: 28 Brooklyn, New York DESMONN BECKETT (also known as “Des”) Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York DEVON BRISTOL (also known as “D”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York MARLON BRISTOL (also known as “Marlo”) Age: 35 Brooklyn, New York ANDREW CAMPBELL (also known as “Phaze”) Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-213 (KAM)


title: Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Announces Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the formation of the Antitrust Division’s Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion (HCMC). The HCMC will guide the division’s enforcement strategy and policy approach in health care, including by facilitating policy advocacy, investigations and, where warranted, civil and criminal enforcement in health care markets. “Every year, Americans spend trillions of dollars on health care, money that is increasingly being gobbled up by a small number of payers, providers and dominant intermediaries that have consolidated their way to power in communities across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Led by Katrina Rouse, the task force will identify and root out monopolies and collusive practices that increase costs, decrease quality and create single points of failure in the health care industry.” The HCMC will consider widespread competition concerns shared by patients, health care professionals, businesses and entrepreneurs, including issues regarding payer-provider consolidation, serial acquisitions, labor and quality of care, medical billing, health care IT services, access to and misuse of health care data and more. The HCMC will bring together civil and criminal prosecutors, economists, health care industry experts, technologists, data scientists, investigators and policy advisors from across the division’s Civil, Criminal, Litigation and Policy Programs, and the Expert Analysis Group, to identify and address pressing antitrust problems in health care markets. The HCMC will be directed by Katrina Rouse, a long-serving antitrust prosecutor who joined the Antitrust Division in 2011. She previously served as Chief of the division’s Defense, Industrials and Aerospace Section, Assistant Chief of the Division’s San Francisco Office, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and a Trial Attorney in the division’s Healthcare and Consumer Products Section. She holds degrees from Columbia University and Stanford Law School, and clerked for federal judges on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Rouse will serve concurrently as the division’s Deputy Director of Civil Enforcement and Special Counsel for Health Care. The Antitrust Division welcomes input and information from the public, including from practitioners, patients, researchers, business owners and others who have direct insight into competition concerns in the health care industry. Members of the public can share their experiences with the Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion by visiting HealthyCompetition.gov . Where appropriate, the division will refer matters to other federal and state law enforcers.


title: Longtime treasurer pleads guilty to stealing nearly $1 million in campaign funds

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who served as a campaign treasurer for more than 100 candidates since the 1980s pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud related to stealing nearly $1 million in campaign funds. William Curlis, 76, was charged by a bill of information in April 2024. He pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud. According to the court documents, from 2008 until June 2023, Curlis defrauded candidates of approximately $995,231 of campaign funds. As part of his plea, Curlis admitted that he wrote checks from the bank accounts of certain candidates and one PAC to himself for personal use. The defendant transferred funds between campaign accounts without candidates’ knowledge to conceal the deficit he created. For example, from 2000 to 2023, Curlis was the primary signatory on at least 111 bank accounts, and of those, he was the only signatory on 108 accounts. Curlis wrote at least 179 checks to himself from campaign accounts belonging to 18 different candidates and one PAC. Curlis sold his home in 2016 to cover the cost of campaign expenses, including campaign media costs and account balances, to prevent the discovery of his theft. Wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. As part of his plea, Curlis will pay $995,231 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, FBI Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the guilty plea offered on May 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Columbus Division of Police and Ohio Auditor’s Office. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office was also an integral part of the investigation. Deputy Criminal Chief Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Climate Nonprofit to Resolve Claims of Employment Discrimination

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Second Nature, a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Second Nature violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by posting discriminatory job advertisements that deterred non-U.S. citizens from applying for open positions. “When employers advertise jobs only to U.S. citizens, they discourage and block other eligible workers like lawful permanent residents from applying, and deny them a fair chance to be considered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will not tolerate national origin or citizenship status discrimination and is committed to knocking down these unlawful discriminatory barriers.” After opening an investigation based on a worker’s complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Second Nature posted a job advertisement inviting applications only from U.S. citizens. In doing so, the company deterred non-U.S. citizens with permission to work (such as people granted asylum or refugee status, and lawful permanent residents) from applying to the job advertisements and being fairly considered for the employment opportunities. The investigation further determined that the lawful permanent resident who filed the complaint was deterred from applying for the job because of the discriminatory language in the posting. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision generally prohibits employers from discriminating in recruiting or refusing to hire workers based on their citizenship status or national origin. Under the settlement, Second Nature will pay a civil penalty to the United States and pay the affected worker lost wages. The agreement also requires the company to train those employees who recruit on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation . Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruitment and hiring on IER’s website . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a free webinar or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una organización sin ánimo de lucro en el sector climático que resuelve acusaciones de discriminación en el empleo

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia ha anunciado hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Second Nature, una organización sin ánimo de lucro con sede en Massachusetts. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Second Nature infringió la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al publicar anuncios de empleo discriminatorios que disuadieron a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. de solicitar puestos vacantes. «Cuando los empleadores anuncian trabajos solo a solicitantes que son ciudadanos de los EE. UU., desalientan y previenen a otros trabajadores elegibles, tales como residentes permanentes legales, que presenten una solicitud y les niegan una oportunidad justa de ser considerados», comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles no tolerará la discriminación por motivos de nacionalidad de origen o estatus de ciudadanía y se compromete a derribar estas barreras discriminatorias ilegales». Después de iniciar una investigación basada en la queja de un trabajador, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, concluyó que Second Nature publicó un anuncio de empleo que pedía solicitudes solamente de postulantes que son ciudadanos de los EE. UU. Al hacerlo, la empresa disuadió a los ciudadanos con permiso para trabajar (como personas con asilo o estatus de refugiado y residentes permanentes legales) de enviar una solicitud como respuesta al anuncio de empleo y de ser considerados de forma justa para las oportunidades de empleo. Más aún, la investigación determinó que al residente permanente legal que presentó la queja que llevó a la investigación del Departamento se le desalentó de solicitar el trabajo debido al lenguaje discriminatorio en la publicación. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA generalmente prohíbe que los empleadores discriminen a la hora de reclutar o negarse a contratar a trabajadores en función de su estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen. En virtud del acuerdo, Second Nature pagará sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos y pagará al trabajador afectado el salario perdido. El acuerdo también requiere que la compañía capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración departamentales. La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en la contratación y el reclutamiento en el sitio web d e la IER . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en el sitio web de la IER . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER.


title: Former Columbus vice detective sentenced to 11 years in prison for depriving victims’ civil rights, obstructing justice

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus vice detective was sentenced in federal court today to 132 months in prison for crimes related to kidnapping victims under the guise of an arrest. Andrew K. Mitchell, 60, of Sunbury, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to two counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights while acting under color of law and one count of obstructing justice. Mitchell was employed by the Columbus Division of Police from 1988 until 2019 and was assigned to the vice unit from 2017 until 2019. As part of his duties in that role, Mitchell conducted law enforcement actions for solicitation offenses. “As a member of the vice unit and a long-serving police officer, Mitchell was well aware of the special vulnerabilities of the sex workers and often drug addicted females with which he came into contact,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Instead of helping them seek refuge, Mitchell was the type of predator who purposely targeted these women. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to upholding the community’s work to connect victimized women to services and to prosecuting those who prey on vulnerable victims, no matter who they are.” According to court documents, in July 2017, Mitchell picked up a sex worker who was working in the Hilltop near Sullivant and Whitethorne avenues. Mitchell was in plain clothes and an unmarked black sedan. He told the victim he was a police officer and acted as if he were doing a check for any outstanding warrants on the victim. Mitchell used this ruse to handcuff the victim to the doorknob of his vehicle. He drove the victim to a nearby parking lot with multiple dumpsters and forcible held and detained the victim against her will before dropping her off at her boyfriend’s residence. Similarly, in September 2017, Mitchell picked up a second sex worker in the Hilltop. Mitchell was again in plain clothes and was driving a dark SUV. He began discussing the victim’s rates for sexual activity before announcing that he was an officer with the vice unit and said she was going to jail. Mitchell kidnapped the victim and drove her to Lindbergh Park, holding her against her will. Mitchell was also sentenced today for obstructing justice. Specifically, during the federal investigation into Mitchell’s civil rights crimes, he directed several individuals to assist him in cleaning out one of the rental properties he owned, located on Denune Ave. The individuals disposed of evidence including photos, clothing, bedding and rental records, and used bleach extensively in the apartment to clean a bed, couch, ottoman and floor. Mitchell was charged federally and arrested in March 2019. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Oklahoma Woman Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Oklahoma woman was sentenced yesterday to 200 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge James M. Moody Jr. presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, during January of 2023, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force learned that Cerina Lynn Boehrer , age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma was transporting methamphetamine from Oklahoma to the Northwest Arkansas area for distribution. On February 3, 2023, detectives intercepted Boehrer as she was traveling in Fayetteville, Arkansas and discovered approximately one pound of methamphetamine and a firearm in her vehicle. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Laboratory and tested positive for methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Robbins prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Dark Web Murder-for-Hire Plot

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Bedford woman who attempted to hire a hitman to kill her boyfriend’s lover was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Michelle Murphy, 58, was charged via criminal complaint in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of murder-for-hire. She was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman. According to court documents, Ms. Murphy used the dark web to attempt to pay a hitman $10,510 in Bitcoin to murder her boyfriend’s lover. Blockchain analysis showed that Ms. Murphy used an ATM to convert cash into cryptocurrency on at least three occasions. On July 27, 2023, she transferred approximately 0.358 BTC ($10,510) to a Bitcoin wallet she believed belonged to the murder-for-hire recipient. Agents subsequently confronted Ms. Murphy and the boyfriend in question. After being read her Miranda rights, Ms. Murphy admitted that when she found out her boyfriend was seeing another woman, she attempted to hire a hit man to kill the woman. At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that it appeared the “hitman” who accepted funds from Ms. Murphy likely never intended to carry out the murder. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bedford, Euless, Grapevine, and Hurst Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht prosecuted the case.


title: Statement Of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams On The Conviction Of Bruce Garelick

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Bruce Garelick was part of a sophisticated group of individuals invited to invest in Digital World Acquisition Corporation (DWAC), a special purpose acquisition company that had raised funds with the intention of later investing in a target company, Trump Media & Technology Group, not yet known to the public. When he was given that opportunity, Garelick promised to keep the information about DWAC’s interest in acquiring Trump Media secret and not use it to trade in the stock market. Garelick was also given a seat on DWAC’s board, which gave him direct access to additional non-public information regarding the acquisition. As a unanimous jury has just found, Garelick blatantly violated the law by using the information that he obtained as an insider at DWAC to trade and tip others. Garelick’s federal conviction is yet another stark reminder that insider trading is always a losing bet.”


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Participating in a Murder

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a handgun and participating in the murder of a man in Chicago on Labor Day weekend in 2022. ANDREI TAYLOR illegally possessed the loaded firearm on the afternoon of Sept. 19, 2022, in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood on Chicago’s Near West Side. Taylor was a passenger in a Kia Optima that had been stolen in a carjacking earlier that afternoon. When a Chicago Police squad car approached the Kia, Taylor and three other occupants fled the vehicle and ran off on foot. Taylor tossed the gun, which had an extended magazine, into the backyard of a nearby residence before he was apprehended by police. Taylor had previously been convicted of three firearm-related felonies in the Circuit Court of Cook County and was not lawfully allowed to possess the gun. Taylor, 27, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. imposed the prison sentence during a hearing Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. In addition to the illegal firearm possession, Judge Tharp found that Taylor participated culpably in the premeditated murder of Kadaivion Jones, who was fatally wounded on Sept. 2, 2022, while standing on a sidewalk in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood. The handgun illegally possessed by Taylor in the Kia was one of the guns used to shoot Jones. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elie Zenner and Simar Khera. Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods , a nationwide initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems in a community. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Recidivist drug dealer returning to prison for distributing cocaine and fentanyl

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, Hopewell police encountered an Audi vehicle stopped in a roadway within a trailer park. When the officers illuminated the vehicle, the driver, Riezon Mekhi Murphy, 24, turned off the headlights of his vehicle and reversed down the roadway to a grassy area. At that time, two other individuals who had been seated together in the front passenger seat of the Audi got out of the car and raised their hands. An officer requested that Murphy lower his window, then observed an open bottle of tequila and currency strewn about the car. During a lawful search of the Audi, investigators located a loaded 9mm pistol under the driver seat and a gray backpack in the back passenger area, which belonged to Murphy. The backpack contained $1000 in cash, along with several individual baggies that contained approximately 45 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, 4.7 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of cocaine, 96 grams of methamphetamine, and 220 grams of marijuana. Murphy was previously convicted of distributing marijuana and possessing a .380 caliber handgun. Six months later, Murphy was convicted for possession of marijuana and a concealed firearm. Four months later, Murphy was again arrested and convicted of selling Schedule I or II controlled substances and driving on a suspended license. Murphy was discharged from supervised probation on Feb. 7, 2022, six months before his arrest in this case. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Greg Taylor, Chief of Hopewell Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter S. Duffey and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted 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-101.


title: Three Arrested in Armed Robbery of Cash Courier

body_text: BOSTON – Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with the February 2024 armed robbery of a cash courier in Swansea, Mass. The defendants are charged with robbing courier at gunpoint; zip-tying and pepper spraying victim; then burning the stolen getaway vehicle. Steven Madison, 38, of Bridgewater; Christopher White, 37, of Raynham; and Quentin McDonald, 35, of Brockton, were each charged with one count of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery; one count of arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce; and one count of conspiracy. In addition, Madison and White were also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendants were arrested yesterday and were detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 13, 2024. According to the charging documents, in the early morning hours of Feb. 19, 2024, two men were seen on video stealing a rental van from a U-Haul Moving & Storage location in Abington, Mass. Later in the day an armed courier who worked for a company that provides secure cash transportation services for licensed cannabis companies arrived at a bank in Swansea, Mass. carrying approximately $436,200 in cash for deposit. It is alleged that the U-Haul van pulled up alongside the courier and a masked man wearing a camouflaged vest exited the van and pointed a firearm at the courier before zip-tying the courier’s hands behind his back. It is further alleged that a second masked man exited the U-Haul van and quickly loaded the cash into the vehicle. After trying to disarm the courier, the two men allegedly forced the courier into the back seat of his own car, pepper sprayed him and closed the door. Surveillance footage showed that the courier managed to remove one hand from the zip-tie restraints while inside his vehicle, draw his firearm and fire four rounds in the direction of the U-Haul van as it fled the scene before calling 911. After leaving the bank, the men allegedly drove the van to a nearby location in Swansea where they met with a third man driving an SUV. It is alleged that the men then transferred the stolen cash into the getaway SUV, burned the U-Haul van and fled. A subsequent investigation allegedly identified Madison, White and McDonald as the individuals involved in both the robbery and arson. It is alleged that during a search of Madison’s residence in Bridgewater yesterday morning, an estimated $5,000 or more in cash was located in various amounts throughout the house, as well as a $47,000 Rolex watch, a sweatshirt similar to that worn by one of the robbers, a firearm, and ammunition. Following a search of White’s residence in Raynham, zip-ties, a black mask similar to that worn by one of the robbers, a firearm and ammunition were recovered. According to the charging documents, both Madison and McDonald have prior state convictions for masked armed robbery, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, and unlawfully possessing a firearm. White has prior state convictions for larceny and receiving stolen property. The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up with 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the Bridgewater, Brockton and Raynham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Eric Lee Bagley Sentenced to Twenty Years for Distribution of Child Pornography and Distribution of a Crush Video

body_text: Chattanooga, Tenn. – Today, Eric Lee Bagley, 44, of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Honorable Charles Atchley, United States District Court Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his incarceration, Bagley will be on a term of supervised release for 10 years, and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions. In addition, he was ordered not to own, possess, or have access to animals. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Bagley agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2); and one count of distribution of a crush video in violation of 18 U.S.C. 48(a)(3). In the plea agreement filed with court, Bagley admitted that, in February 2023, he contacted an undercover officer on an online platform known as Kik, believing the officer was as an adult female who had access to her 8-year-old niece. The defendant wrote that he was interested in sexual contact with both the notional adult female, the notional 8-year-old, and wanted to include a dog in the sexual contact with them both. While communicating with the person he believed was an adult female, and, to entice her and the notional 8-year-old, the defendant distributed several videos depicting minors and dogs engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A sexually explicit image of a non-human animal is defined as a “crush video.” On July 27, 2023, Bagley traveled to Athens, Tennessee intending to engage in sexual contact with the notional adult female and the notional 8-year-old, and he was arrested. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. This case arose out of a crimes against children undercover operation which was part of the FBI’s annual Operation Cross Country. Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Shelbyville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Red Bank Police Department, Chattanooga Police Department, and the McMinn County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James T. Brooks and Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles D. Minor represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.” ###


title: Barbourville Pharmacy and its Pharmacist-in-Charge to Pay $215,000 to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances Act

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Barbourville pharmacy, Smith Family Pharmacy, and its pharmacist-in-charge, Stephanie Smith, agreed to pay $215,000 in civil penalties, to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) by filling prescriptions for controlled substances that had been issued without a legitimate medical purpose, in contravention of a pharmacy’s corresponding responsibility to ensure that only valid prescriptions are dispensed. The CSA was passed to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications. The CSA’s requirements, which apply to entities like pharmacies that purchase, dispense, and sell controlled substances, are designed to protect the public from the dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances that could be diverted into the illicit market. Under the CSA, pharmacies have a legal responsibility to ensure that controlled substances are dispensed only pursuant to valid prescriptions. Prescriptions are only valid if issued by a medical provider for a legitimate medical purpose, acting in the usual course of their professional practice. The CSA requires pharmacists to investigate prescriptions that appear to be invalid, such as those that bear “red flags” for diversion or abuse, and to refuse to fill such prescriptions if the concerns cannot be resolved. According to settlement documents, the Government alleged that, from April 2017 to December 2021, Smith Family Pharmacy, under Ms. Smith’s supervision, filled over 500 prescriptions for highly addictive drugs like oxycodone and oxymorphone, that showed “red flags” for diversion or abuse, but failed to resolve those concerns. The prescriptions displayed several “red flags,” including combinations of commonly abused substances, high dosages of controlled substances, and patients traveling to out-of-state physicians to obtain prescriptions. Some prescriptions with “red flags” that were filled by Smith Family Pharmacy were determined to have been written by out-of-state physicians that have since been convicted of illegally prescribing controlled substances ( United States v. Herrell, et al. , 6:21-cr-13 ). “Under the Controlled Substances Act, pharmacies and pharmacists play a critical gatekeeping function, helping to prevent diversion of controlled substances into the community,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Prescription drug abuse continues to be an enormous challenge to our communities. We simply must ensure that everyone is doing their part to combat this crisis – including pharmacies and pharmacists – and we will continue to enforce these critically important provisions of the CSA.” “Retail pharmacies are the last line of defense against the diversion of controlled medications with a potential for abuse, and Smith Family Pharmacy fell short of their obligation to operate in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “I’m very proud of the hard work done by the men and women of the DEA in this investigation, which led to a substantial fine, as well as safeguards to oblige the pharmacy to compliance going forward.” The DEA and Smith Family Pharmacy also entered into a four-year Memorandum of Agreement as part of the settlement. Specifically, Smith Family Pharmacy agreed to hire a new pharmacist-in-charge, to replace Ms. Smith; agreed to submit quarterly compliance reports to DEA; and agreed to provide employee training, addressing the identification and resolution of “red flags.” The agreement represents an opportunity for Smith Family Pharmacy to demonstrate compliance with its legal requirements under the CSA. The settlement considered the penalties associated with the alleged violations, as well as Smith Family Pharmacy’s and Ms. Smith’s ability-to-pay. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that all levels of the supply chain that manufacture, distribute, and dispense controlled substances will be held responsible for violations of the CSA. Tips from all sources about possible violations of controlled substances laws can be reported to the DEA at www.dea.gov/submit-tip . This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, London Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Stubblebine and Katie Sheridan represented the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Wide-Ranging Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy That Spanned Across the Country

body_text: BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a fentanyl trafficking organization involved in the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl pills that spanned across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Texas and North and South Carolina. Erik Ventura, 35, pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Aug. 1, 2024. Ventura was arrested and charged in February 2022 and has remained in custody since. In September 2019, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Providence, Rhode Island and known to manufacture large quantities of fentanyl pills designed to appear like pharmaceutical grade oxycodone/Percocet pills and distribute them and other controlled substances throughout the United States. The investigation revealed that Ventura was a trusted member of the DTO and maintained one of the drug stash locations. Ventura transported cash and kilogram quantities of drugs to and from New York on behalf of the DTO, distributed thousands of fentanyl pills to wholesale customers in Massachusetts and was paid by the DTO for his work as a drug distributor. In February 2022, two industrial grade pill presses, approximately 20 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, pressed fentanyl pills and other items, including kilograms of pill binder used in the large-scale manufacturing of clandestinely pressed fentanyl pills, were seized. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Providence Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration, Providence Field Office; Rhode Island State Police; and the Cranston, Warwick and West Warwick Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Weinstein and Kunal Pasricha of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Billionaire Chinese National Sentenced to Seven Months in Prison and Removal from United States for Straw Donor Campaign Contribution Scheme and Other Frauds

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Hui Qin, also known as “Qin Hui,” “Hui Quin,” “Muk Lam Li” and “Karl,” a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), who was listed on Forbes Magazine’s List of Billionaires and who operated SMI Culture, a Hong Kong-based entertainment entity, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to seven months’ imprisonment for making political contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud and producing a false identification document. Qin pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2024. As part of his plea, the defendant consented to abandonment of his fraudulently obtained LPR status and removal from the United States immediately after the sentencing. Qin has been incarcerated since his arrest seven months ago on October 2, 2023. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), and Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), announced the sentence. “Qin’s brazen flouting of our political and immigration systems, and his defrauding government agencies resulted in a felony conviction, prison sentence and today, his removal from the United States,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Qin has learned a lesson in American civics the hard way, that no one is above the law.” “Hui Qin violated our democratic norms by illegally attempting to influence election campaigns through fraudulent political donations,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “His unlawful actions and repeated efforts to exploit various government agencies were disrupted by the FBI and such attempts by other threat actors will not be tolerated. Today’s sentence and his removal from the United States should dissuade any future schemers from engaging in similar activity. The FBI is committed to exposing all forms of corruption, especially those that threaten election integrity and our duly elected officials. “Qin interfered with our election system and tried to gain advantage through his straw donations. He furthered his criminal activity by misrepresenting himself on documents to obtain a false Visa, then lived with an illegitimate status in his $5 million Manhattan apartment. It is through our law enforcement partnerships and good police work that Qin was held accountable for behaving like he was above the law,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso. “By flouting laws vital to the sanctity of the federal election and immigration systems, the defendant threatened not only the community's safety, but the democratic foundation on which the United States of America was established,” stated HSI New York Special Agent-in- Charge Arvelo. “Hui Qin’s sentencing today underscores the importance of law enforcement’s collaboration, coordination, and unwavering dedication to one common goal: protecting the public. HSI New York stands united with our partners against any individuals attempting to jeopardize our national security.” As set forth in court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, between December 2021 and December 2022, Qin agreed to reimburse other individuals who made contributions on his behalf to the campaign committees for a candidate for a New York City-wide political office, a member of the United States House of Representatives for a congressional district in the Eastern District of New York and a candidate for a House of Representatives seat in a Rhode Island congressional district. During the scheme, straw donors made approximately $11,600 in contributions on Qin’s behalf, which caused the campaign committees to file false contribution reports with the Federal Election Commission in 2022. Additionally, as part of his plea Qin admitted that, in April 2019, he filed a false application for LPR status with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. In the application, Qin falsely swore, under penalty of perjury, that he had never used another name. In fact, in 2008, a PRC government official provided Qin with the alias “Muk Lam Li” and between 2008 and the filing of Qin’s LPR application, Qin obtained identification documents, including a Hong Kong identification card, a PRC identification card and a Hong Kong passport in the name of the Li alias, which contained Qin’s photograph, but a date of birth different than Qin’s. Around September 2017, Qin used the Li alias to transfer more than $5 million from the PRC to a United States bank account, a portion of which was used to purchase a luxury Manhattan apartment, where Qin resided. Qin also pleaded guilty to engaging in interstate travel to fraudulently obtain a Florida driver’s license. In December 2020, Qin traveled from New York to Florida and applied for a driver’s license at Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). At the time of his travel, Qin was a resident of Old Westbury, Long Island and Manhattan, but he signed an application stating that it was “true and correct” that he resided at an address in Miami, where he had never lived. To bolster this false assertion, Qin presented FLHSMV officials with fake bank and credit card statements bearing the name “Hui Quin” and the false Miami address. After FLHSMV issued Qin a Florida Driver’s License, he presented it to banks and a motor vehicle insurer as identification. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Adam Toporovsky are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : HUI QIN (also known as “Qin Hui,” “Hui Quin,” “Muk Lam Li” and “Karl”) Age: 55 Old Westbury, Long Island and Manhattan, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-100 (JMA)


body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Barbourville pharmacy, Smith Family Pharmacy, and its pharmacist-in-charge, Stephanie Smith, agreed to pay $215,000 in civil penalties, to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) by filling prescriptions for controlled substances that had been issued without a legitimate medical purpose, in contravention of a pharmacy’s corresponding responsibility to ensure that only valid prescriptions are dispensed. The CSA was passed to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications. The CSA’s requirements, which apply to entities like pharmacies that purchase, dispense, and sell controlled substances, are designed to protect the public from the dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances that could be diverted into the illicit market. Under the CSA, pharmacies have a legal responsibility to ensure that controlled substances are dispensed only pursuant to valid prescriptions. Prescriptions are only valid if issued by a medical provider for a legitimate medical purpose, acting in the usual course of their professional practice. The CSA requires pharmacists to investigate prescriptions that appear to be invalid, such as those that bear “red flags” for diversion or abuse, and to refuse to fill such prescriptions if the concerns cannot be resolved. According to settlement documents, the Government alleged that, from April 2017 to December 2021, Smith Family Pharmacy, under Ms. Smith’s supervision, filled over 500 prescriptions for highly addictive drugs like oxycodone and oxymorphone, that showed “red flags” for diversion or abuse, but failed to resolve those concerns. The prescriptions displayed several “red flags,” including combinations of commonly abused substances, high dosages of controlled substances, and patients traveling to out-of-state physicians to obtain prescriptions. Some prescriptions with “red flags” that were filled by Smith Family Pharmacy were determined to have been written by out-of-state physicians that have since been convicted of illegally prescribing controlled substances ( United States v. Herrell, et al. , 6:21-cr-13 ). “Under the Controlled Substances Act, pharmacies and pharmacists play a critical gatekeeping function, helping to prevent diversion of controlled substances into the community,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Prescription drug abuse continues to be an enormous challenge to our communities. We simply must ensure that everyone is doing their part to combat this crisis – including pharmacies and pharmacists – and we will continue to enforce these critically important provisions of the CSA.” “Retail pharmacies are the last line of defense against the diversion of controlled medications with a potential for abuse, and Smith Family Pharmacy fell short of their obligation to operate in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “I’m very proud of the hard work done by the men and women of the DEA in this investigation, which led to a substantial fine, as well as safeguards to oblige the pharmacy to compliance going forward.” The DEA and Smith Family Pharmacy also entered into a four-year Memorandum of Agreement as part of the settlement. Specifically, Smith Family Pharmacy agreed to hire a new pharmacist-in-charge, to replace Ms. Smith; agreed to submit quarterly compliance reports to DEA; and agreed to provide employee training, addressing the identification and resolution of “red flags.” The agreement represents an opportunity for Smith Family Pharmacy to demonstrate compliance with its legal requirements under the CSA. The settlement considered the penalties associated with the alleged violations, as well as Smith Family Pharmacy’s and Ms. Smith’s ability-to-pay. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that all levels of the supply chain that manufacture, distribute, and dispense controlled substances will be held responsible for violations of the CSA. Tips from all sources about possible violations of controlled substances laws can be reported to the DEA at www.dea.gov/submit-tip . This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, London Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Stubblebine and Katie Sheridan represented the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. – END –


title: Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement and Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A registered sex offender residing in North Smithfield admitted to a federal judge on Wednesday that he posed as a 17-year-old boy and engaged in a series of explicit online communications with two young teenage boys living in Florida; that he attempted to obtain sexual explicit videos and images of the boys; that he sent them obscene videos of himself engaged in sexual activity; and that he attempted to arrange a meeting with a person whom he believed to be one of the boys to engage in illicit sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Nicholas Sannicandro, 34, charged by way of indictment pleaded two counts of attempted inducement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, two counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, one count of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, and one count of commission of an offense by a registered sex offender. No plea agreement was been filed in this matter. Sannicandro admitted that beginning in January 2021, and continuing into June 2021, he began separately communicating with two Florida minor, = boys, whom he met through an Instagram account. He admitted that he had sexually explicit communications with each of the boys. During those communications Sannicandro asked each of them to send him sexually explicit videos and image of themselves. Additionally, during what he thought were ongoing communications with one of the boys, but were actually with an undercover officer who had taken over the boy’s account, Sannicandro invited the boy to visit him in Rhode Island; discussed sexual acts that he wanted to engage in with the boy; and twice sent him videos of himself engaged in sexual activity. Sannicandro was arrested at a Warwick marina on June 22, 2021, where he was expecting to meet with the boy. The meeting had been arranged by the North Port, FL, undercover officer posing online as the boy and by the FBI. Sannicandro also admitted to the court that he possessed child pornography on his phone, which was seized from him upon his arrest, and that as a result of prior convictions involving child pornography and attempted dissemination of obscene material to minors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he was a registered sex offender at the time he committed these crimes. Sannicandro is scheduled to be sentenced in this latest matter on September 19, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the FBI and North Port, FL, Police Department. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Rhode Island State Police, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Warwick Police Department for their assistance in the arrest of Sannicandro. ###


title: Former Federal Correctional Officer Indicted for Sexual Acts with an Inmate

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging a former correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Tallahassee with sexual acts with an inmate in federal custody. The indictment alleges that, between June 2023, and August 2023, Kerontrez Lamar Kenon, 22, of Midway, Florida, engaged in sexual acts with an inmate while employed as a correctional officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). “As alleged in the indictment, defendant Kenon exploited his authority as a correctional officer to sexually abuse an adult in custody,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As this charge reflects, the Justice Department will hold accountable officials who abuse their authority over those they are sworn to protect. ” “The sexual abuse of inmates by federal correctional officers is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute any officer who engages in such acts of abuse to the fullest extent of the law.” “Today's indictment demonstrates the Justice Department Office of the Inspector General's ongoing commitment to aggressively investigate allegations of sexual abuse of inmates by Correctional Officers,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz of the Justice Department. If convicted, Kenon faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Steer and James McCain for the Northern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. FBOP is committed to rooting out misconduct within its ranks and working with law enforcement partners to prosecute violations of federal law. The numerous FBOP employees working diligently to ensure justice for the victims of misconduct are critical to the Department's reform efforts.


title: Old Town Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Old Town man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing child pornography involving a child under 12. According to court records, between October and December 2022, Matthew Podlaski , 40, searched the internet for, and downloaded images of, the sexual abuse of young children, storing the images on multiple devices. Investigators seized 14 devices belonging to Podlaski, including laptop computers, flash drives and external storage devices. Podlaski faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, "child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: Ithaca Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Ithaca, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court on May 8, 2024, to charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Noah Oliver Fisch-Lewis, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, beginning on September 23, 2022, and continuing until October 8, 2022, Fisch-Lewis communicated with an undercover agent posing as the mother of a 10-year-old girl. During this period, Fisch-Lewis repeatedly expressed, in very graphic terms, his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor. On October 8, 2022, Fisch-Lewis drove from upstate New York, to Erie, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with the purported 10-year-old, and was taken into custody upon his arrival at the agreed meeting place. Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for October 1, 2024. The law provides for a maximum sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, Erie Police Department, Millcreek Police Department, and Erie County Detectives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Fisch-Lewis. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Solar Energy Company Agrees to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: AUSTIN – Freedom Solar LLC, a solar energy company that installs photovoltaic solar arrays for residential and commercial customers, has agreed to pay $425,710 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act in connection with a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized forgivable PPP loans for small businesses experiencing economic uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic. In most cases, the maximum amount a small business could receive was 2.5 times its average monthly payroll. For purposes of calculating payroll costs, the CARES Act excluded any compensation to an individual employee in excess of an annual salary of $100,000. Freedom Solar applied for a PPP loan in April 2020. The United States alleged that Freedom Solar failed to cap the annual salary of several employees at $100,000 when calculating its average monthly payroll. As a result, Freedom Solar overstated this number on its PPP loan application, which caused it to receive more PPP funds than it was entitled to receive. Freedom Solar later obtained forgiveness for the full amount of its PPP loan. The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Mossburg v. Freedom Solar, LLC, et al ., Case No. 1:23-cv-00908 (W.D. Tex.). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham negotiated the settlement on behalf of the government. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: South Jordan Man Sentenced to 168 Months’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE, Utah – James Weston Fawcett, 43, of South Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, and a life term of supervised release after he admitted to uploading child pornography on a social media platform. According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Fawcett knowingly distributed material that contained child pornography between December 8, 2022 and January 15, 2023. Fawcett admitted he uploaded child pornography on two separate occasions to the social media platform “Wickr.” In total, Fawcett uploaded 18 videos and 11 images of child pornography to two chatrooms on the social media platform. At the time the files were uploaded, one of the chatrooms had approximately 200 members that could choose to preview or download the files to their phones or computers. Several of the videos contained images of children under the age of 12. During a search of Fawcett’s residence, officers found thousands of images of child pornography on his electronic devices. Officers also found an image of child pornography where Fawcett superimposed his face on the adult male pictured with a child. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Allison H. Behrens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to California and Participation in the 2024 RSA Cybersecurity Conference

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to San Francisco this week to participate in the 2024 RSA Cybersecurity Conference and underscore the Justice Department’s efforts to combat cybercrime and other persistent and emerging threats to national security, including the abuse of disruptive technologies, particularly AI. In a keynote conversation at RSA on “Artificial Intelligence: The Ultimate Double-Edged Sword,” the Deputy AG highlighted how the Justice Department is developing guardrails to harness the benefits of AI to fulfill the Department’s mission, while mitigating the risks posed by misuse. She spoke to AI’s potential to help identify, disrupt, and deter criminals, terrorists, and hostile nation-states — and shared how the Department is using AI tools to speed up response times to a variety of threats. She stressed that existing laws offer a firm foundation to confront misuse of AI, even as the legal framework around AI evolves. Deputy AG Monaco warned of AI’s potential to supercharge existing threats to election security — in a year when over half the global population will vote — and she urged vigilance in the face of AI’s potential to accelerate online hate and disinformation, imitate trusted sources of information, and proliferate deepfakes. The Deputy AG was interviewed by former FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce at the 14th Annual Executive Dinner at RSA, where she discussed the progress of the Department’s Justice AI Initiative . Launched by the Deputy AG in February at the University of Oxford, Justice AI brings together stakeholders across industry, academia, law enforcement, and civil society to share expertise on both the promise of AI and the perils of its misuse. At the RSA CEO Roundtable, she joined other senior government officials and leaders across the cybersecurity industry to discuss combating cyber threats, including the importance of public-private collaboration to the Department’s cyber strategy of protecting victims and prioritizing disruptions. Strong public-private partnerships have accelerated both the speed and scale of the Justice Department’s disruptive operations and have proven critical to dismantling nation-state-controlled botnets, taking down darknet marketplaces, and disrupting major ransomware gangs — such as the LockBit group, whose creator and administrator the Deputy AG announced was charged in the latest phase of a targeted international law enforcement operation. The Deputy AG also led a roundtable convening, hosted by the Aspen Institute, with technology, financial, and venture capital executives to discuss the collective risks posed by the theft and abuse of disruptive technologies, especially AI, in a heightened geopolitical risk environment. She emphasized the work of the Justice Department’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force , a multi-agency effort to stop adversaries from siphoning our most critical technologies and innovations. While in California, the Deputy AG visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento. In meetings with U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, his leadership team, and the prosecutors and professional staff of the office, she thanked them for their hard work and dedication to the Department’s mission. Deputy AG Monaco also sat down with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to discuss their collaboration to tackle violent crime and other public safety challenges.


title: Former Osceola Bank VP Pleads Guilty to $1.5 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former bank vice president pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $1.5 million from St. Clair County State Bank in Osceola, Mo. Stacia Wilson, 60, of Osceola, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud. By pleading guilty today, Wilson admitted that she created $1,528,321 in false and fictitious loans, using bank customers’ information without their knowledge. Wilson had authority as a loan processor to access and create loans within the bank’s computer system. She created numerous false and fictitious loans, then diverted the loan proceeds to her own personal use. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Wilson must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $1,528,321, which represents the proceeds she obtained as a result of her fraud scheme. Under federal statutes, Wilson is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.