title: Bowling Green Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced this week to 70 months in prison for trafficking in fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement. According to court documents, on April 6, 2022, LeDrae Smith, 28, possessed with the intent to distribute 326.9 grams of a fentanyl mixture. Following release from prison, Smith was ordered to serve four years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the HSI Bowling Green and the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds Louisville Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: Louisville, KY – Yesterday evening a federal jury convicted a local man of illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 25, 2018, Timothy John Lewis, 52, possessed a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol after having previously been convicted of the following felony offenses: On January 31, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of burglary in the second degree, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking over $500, and tampering with physical evidence; On July 29, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to burglary in the second degree; On September 7, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by unlawful taking (two counts); and On October 19, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of receiving goods by fraud, burglary in the second degree (three counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 (twelve counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 – auto (two counts), receiving stolen property over $300 (three counts), receiving stolen property over $300 - vehicle, criminal possession of forged instrument in the second degree, fraudulent use of a credit card (three counts), tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Lewis is scheduled for sentencing on July 20, 2023, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Lewis remains in federal custody pending sentencing and he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The ATF and LMPD investigated the case and were assisted by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Alcohol Beverage Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Julie Mason. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tytus Lamaar Shields, 34, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Shields admitted to possessing a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his Parkersburg residence on November 22, 2021. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shields knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his multiple prior felony convictions, including for trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of criminal activity in the Washington County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas on October 29, 2014. Shields has a long criminal history that now includes 16 misdemeanor convictions and 17 felony convictions, including several convictions for drug trafficking offenses in Ohio. Shields was under parole supervision as a result of previous felony convictions in Ohio at the time he possessed the firearm. Parole officers searched his residence and found the firearm while arresting Shields on an Ohio warrant on November 22, 2021. Today’s sentence will run consecutively to a prison sentence that Shields is currently serving out of Washington County, Ohio. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-268. ###


title: Realty Company Owner Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of bank fraud and conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Lee Ann Benninghoff, age 44, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Benninghoff owned and operated Complete Escrow and Bella Casa Realty. From February 2014 through March 2017, Benninghoff used her position and connections in real estate financing, and conspired with others in the industry, to submit fraudulent gift letters in support of mortgage loan applications The gift letters misrepresented the source of the funds and their purported purpose. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2023, at 9 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, 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 Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Benninghoff.


title: Malden Man Pleads Guilty to Trying to Hire Contract Killer to Murder His Wife

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Malden man pleaded guilty today to attempting to hire a contract killer – who was actually an undercover federal agent – to murder his wife. Massimo Marenghi, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of murder-for-hire. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2023. Marenghi was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in January 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021. On Jan. 1, 2021, an individual reported to law enforcement that Marenghi had complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him. Marenghi asked the individual for assistance in killing his wife. At the direction of federal agents, the individual introduced Marenghi to an undercover agent who posed as a contract killer. On Jan. 20, 2021, Marenghi met with the undercover agent and sought help to “eliminate” his problem. Marenghi provided the undercover agent with a photograph of his wife’s residence and explained how to evade detection by cameras while approaching the residence. On Jan. 29, 2021, Marenghi again met with the undercover agent and discussed moving forward with the killing of his wife. Marenghi provided $1,500 cash as a deposit for the murder and explained that the sooner the “demolition job” takes place, the sooner he will be able to pay the balance owed. He also provided the undercover agent with a photograph of his wife, the color, model and license plate number of her car, the hours of operation of her place of business and a schedule indicating when he would have custody of his children, which he said would be the “best time for the construction work to start.” The charge of murder-for-hire, in a case in which neither personal injury nor death results, provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $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. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Malden Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Residents of Pennsylvania and Ohio Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Residents of Pennsylvania and Ohio were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The Indictment named Raheem Hurst, 25, of Garfield Heights, OH; Samantha Jones, 40, of Arnold, PA; and Leah Jackson, 37, of New Kensington, PA, as the defendants. According to the Indictment presented to the court, from September 2022, and continuing thereafter to March 2, 2023, Hurst, Jones, and Jackson conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Convicted Felon Charged With Possessing A Gun

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lay Wah, 23, a Burmese citizen living in Buffalo, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 13, 2023, the ATF and Buffalo Police executed a search warrant at Wah’s Newfield Street residence. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement observed Way move quickly from a computer room to a bedroom, where he was spotted reaching in a piece of furniture before pushing the door closed. Moments later, a law enforcement officer outside the residence observed an object, which turned out to be a loaded 9mm handgun, thrown from the same bedroom window. The handgun was equipped with a device which converts semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic machineguns. Inside the residence, law enforcement also recovered a quantity of cash, 9mm ammunition, various packaging materials, and a plastic bag containing numerous suspected counterfeit Percocet pills. In December 2020, Wah was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. Wah made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Joseph Gramaglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Lexington County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Cocaine Found in His Car

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Curley Brooks, Jr., 47, of Lexington, was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Evidence presented to the Court showed that the police were conducting a parcel inspection at the FedEx Express Hub in West Columbia when a K-9 gave a positive alert to a package. As a result of the positive alert, the police opened the package and found it contained approximately two pounds of cocaine. The Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) made a controlled delivery of the parcel. The police maintained surveillance on the package after it was delivered. A truck pulled into the driveway of the residence, and the driver, who was later identified as Curley Brooks, Jr., exited the driver side door, walked to the front door, and took the package. Brooks then carried the package back to his vehicle, where he got in with it. Brooks then backed out of the driveway and attempted to leave. Agents attempted to stop Brooks as he was leaving the residence. Brooks attempted to evade law enforcement by driving into the yard and, when doing so, struck a SLED vehicle. Other agents attempted to block Brooks’ truck from leaving the yard to prevent a pursuit, but Brooks made a sharp turn and almost struck a second police vehicle. When Brooks turned to avoid hitting the police vehicle, he rear-ended a civilian car sitting at a stop sign. Brooks then placed the truck in reverse to try to back up and struck another police vehicle. As Brooks drove off, other agents were pulling up in the intersection, and Brooks drove head-on and struck their vehicle before being stopped. Brooks was then taken into custody. The parcel was recovered sitting on the passenger floorboard of the truck. During the entire incident, Brooks’ two-year-old child was unsecured in the backseat of the vehicle. Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Brooks to 160 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Texas Man Sentenced for $2 Million Medicare Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for conspiring to defraud Medicare of more than $2 million by submitting thousands of fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment. According to court documents, Jordan Thomas Broome, 37, was the owner and operator of Beach Medical Suppliers, LLC (“Beach Medical”), which had its storefront in Virginia Beach. Broome enrolled Beach Medical in Medicare in 2018 and thereafter submitted thousands of fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment such as back and knee braces. Working with other companies and individuals, Beach Medical would unlawfully obtain the personal identifying information of elderly Medicare beneficiaries, mail them braces that they never wanted or needed, and then submit fraudulent bills to Medicare. The scheme included a network of doctors who would “robo-sign” prescriptions for patients the doctors had never met. During the scheme, which lasted until federal agents executed a search warrant at Beach Medical in late 2020, Beach Medical obtained approximately $2,153,200.44 in fraudulent billings involving more than 2,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Broome is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former Naval officer. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Rebecca Gantt and Kevin P. Hudson 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. 2:22-cr-79.


title: Former Burlington, Washington, resident sentenced to 20 years in prison for production of images of child sexual abuse

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 44-year-old resident of Dayton, Nevada, who previously resided in Burlington, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 years in prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Between 2014 and 2020, John Holcomb made sexually explicit videos of a young child left in his care. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik remanded Holcomb to custody saying, “These were serious and violent offenses…. One of the most reprehensible cases the court has seen.” “No sentence can relieve the trauma suffered by the young victim in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “The court recognized a key issue of concern for prosecutors in this case, that the community and other children be protected.” According to records filed in the case, in 2020, law enforcement in Skagit County was investigating Holcomb for an unrelated criminal allegation. As part of that investigation, law enforcement served a court authorized search warrant on Holcomb allowing them to seize his electronic devices. The forensic examination revealed videos depicting child sexual abuse. Law enforcement then sought a new search warrant from a Skagit County Superior Court judge to further review the devices for images of child sexual abuse. The forensic examination revealed three videos of Holcomb sexually abusing a child who was about 6 or 7 years old. Holcomb will register as a sex offender following his release from prison and he will be on federal supervision for the rest of his life. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Burlington Police Department, the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, the Mt. Vernon Police Department, and the Oak Harbor Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton and Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor who is specially designated to prosecute child exploitation crimes in federal court. Appellate Attorneys Teal Miller and Jonas Lerman added critical assistance to the prosecution of this case.


title: San Jose Resident Faces Charge Of Distributing Fentanyl

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Ian Edward Parrish appeared today in United States District Court to face a federal charge that he distributed fentanyl in the form of counterfeit “M30” pills, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. Parrish made his initial appearance today in United States District Court in Oakland before United States Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. The charge was set out in a criminal complaint filed March 14, 2023, and unsealed in federal court today. According to the criminal complaint, Parrish, 28, of San Jose, Calif., sold two counterfeit Percocet pills to an individual in a bar in Fremont. The complaint alleges that the counterfeit pills were in fact laced with fentanyl. The complaint alleges that the individual who purchased the pills consumed one and shortly thereafter died of an overdose. The complaint charges Parrish with distribution of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C). The statutory maximum for the charge is a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum of 3 years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after considerations of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. At today’s hearing, Parrish was ordered detained. His next federal court appearance is scheduled for March 21, 2023, before Magistrate Judge Westmore for a status conference to consider detention and additional issues. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan M. Mateer of the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Karina Ruiz. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and the Fremont Police Department. One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street: One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced For Cambridge Homicide

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Taylor Ruffin Herrington, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 150 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to using a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime which caused the death of Michael Haines, and conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Herrington serve four years of supervised release following completion of his prison term and ordered him to pay restitution to the victims of the offense. Herrington has been incarcerated since his arrest in March 2020. According to public records, between the summer of 2018 and March 2020, Taylor Ruffin Herrington was in the Chittenden County area of Vermont selling heroin and crack cocaine. On March 3, 2020, Herrington had a dispute with the victim, Michael Haines, because Haines had stolen Herrington’s heroin. Angry about the theft, Herrington fired six shots at the front of Michael Haines’s house in Cambridge, Vermont. One of the bullets fired by Herrington pierced the front of the house and struck Haines who was standing in the kitchen. By the time the police arrived, Michael Haines had died of the gunshot wound. This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Herrington was represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels, Esq. The prosecutor was Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced To 48 Months In Prison For Mail Fraud And Identity Theft

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States Judge Christopher C. Conner sentenced Ekow Harley, age 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to 48 months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Harley was a member of a conspiracy in which co-conspirators, using the personal identifying information of unknowing victims, opened Sprint cell phone accounts. In opening the accounts, the co-conspirators would order cell phones and have them shipped to residences, unassociated with the victims or conspiracy members. The tracking numbers for the packages were then sent to co-conspirators, to include Harley, that would pick the packages up from the houses after delivery. Through this scheme, Harley was personally responsible for over $90,000 loss and the use of the identity of at least 33 victims. Gerrit Deku and Joseph Ofori were also members of the conspiracy. On March 23, 2022, Judge Conner sentenced Deku to 34 months imprisonment. On August 16, 2022, Judge Conner sentenced Ofori to one year probation. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Monroe County Man Sentenced To One Year In Prison For Distributing A Designer Drug

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Fausto Hernandez, age 44, of Tobyhanna, Monroe County, on March 15, 2023, to one year in prison for the charge of distributing a “designer drug” which is a controlled substance analog. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hernandez previously pleaded guilty and admitted to distributing a “designer drug” known as “4-chloroethcathinone,” often referred to as “4-CEC,” a controlled substance analog which mimics the effects of other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, in the Monroe County area in June and July 2019. Under federal law, such “designer drugs” are controlled substance analogues, which are chemically similar to controlled substances in Schedule I or II, to the extent they are intended for human consumption, and are treated as controlled substances. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case. This case was 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. # # #


title: Chelsea Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty yesterday to federal firearms offenses. Miguel Reyes, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2023. Reyes was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021 and subsequently charged in a superseding Information on March 13, 2023. On two separate occasions in August 2020, Reyes was found in possession of a Beretta, Model U22, .22 LR caliber pistol and ammunition and a Glock, model 48, 9 mm pistol and ammunition. Additionally, at the time of his arrest in Chelsea in May 2021, Reyes was found in possession of a Glock replica, polymer 80 and ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction, Reyes is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chelsea Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Berwick Woman Ordered to Pay $59,140 in Restitution to SSA, HUD Following Decade-Long Fraud

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud and theft of public money. Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Andreanna Politano , 60, to three years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $49,976.38 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and $9,164.00 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Politano pleaded guilty on September 12, 2022. According to court records, from about March 2009 to February 2020, Politano concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Politano also concealed her husband’s presence from HUD from about January 2018 to June 2021, during which time she received housing voucher subsidy benefits. Politano’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received. In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, Politano falsely represented to SSA that she and her husband had separated in October 2008 and had lived separately since that time. In an interview with law enforcement agents, she admitted concealing her living situation from SSA and HUD because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive benefits. The investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and HUD’s Office of the Inspector General. ###


title: Richmond Man Sentenced for Possession and Sale of Machinegun Conversion Devices

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years in prison for possessing and selling multiple machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock switches, that are designed to convert firearms into fully automatic machineguns. According to court documents, Zantias Tyler, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing and transporting multiple machinegun conversion devices, which are illegal under federal law because they are designed solely to convert a firearm into a fully automatic weapon. In June 2022, the ATF Internet Investigations Branch identified a YouTube channel where Tyler showcased several videos promoting the manufacture and sale of devices specific to “Glock-Style” firearms, commonly referred to as “switches” or “Glock switches.” Previously, in May 2022, Tyler had been stopped and questioned by Richmond police, and during that encounter, the officers recovered two Glock switches attached to Tyler’s key chain. Further investigation by the ATF intercepted packages mailed by Tyler containing more switches. Ultimately, two search warrants were executed on Tyler’s residence. In all, twelve conversion devices were seized by the ATF, along with a package of 30 additional device parts, two firearms, and evidence of dozens of online sales of these devices. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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. 3:22-cr-145.


title: Barnstable Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Barnstable man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sexually exploiting two minor girls who were approximately four years old. Atticus J. Bernard, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 30 years in prison. In November 2022, Bernard pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography “Mr. Bernard’s vile and criminal behavior is a parent’s worst nightmare. He preyed upon, harmed and exploited two defenseless toddlers known to him. These innocent victims were under the age of five years old. That he documented the abuse for this own gross personal gratification is even more disgusting. Predators like Mr. Bernard who seek to sexualize and harm our children are a danger to society. While nothing can stop the pain he has caused, today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Bernard will be removed from our communities and unable to victimize, traumatize or harm any other children for many, many years,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Child exploitation cases are among the most difficult and most important matters we prosecute. These defenseless victims deserve justice and accountability. Today’s sentence is a step closer to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all of our children.” “Bernard’s exploitation of two children was a heinous and irrevocable act. We hope that today’s sentence brings a measure of justice to these families as they heal and move forward,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Homeland Security Investigations remains dedicated to the protection of children through our work with our partners to detect and apprehend predators like Bernard.” On separate occasions in approximately November 2019 and approximately October 2020, Bernard sexually exploited two minor girls under the age of five-years-old and who were known to him. Bernard documented the abuse and exploitation and possessed the child sexual abuse material on his cell phone. A search of Bernard’s phone in January 2021 revealed numerous photos of Bernard exploiting the minor victims. Bernard admitted that he had assaulted approximately five girls and recorded the assaults and that each victim was assaulted four or five times. U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI SAC Millhollin; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Three Men Indicted in Connection with Violent Armed Bank Robbery on Martha's Vineyard

body_text: BOSTON – Three men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the Nov. 17, 2022 armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury, Mass. Miquel Antonio Jones, 39, of Edgartown, and Omar Odion Johnson, 32 of Canterbury, N.H., were indicted on one count each of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Romane Andre Clayton, 21, of Jamaica, was indicted on one count of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery. Jones, Johnson and Clayton will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Following the defendants’ initial arrest and charge by criminal complaint in December 2022, Jones and Johnson have remained in custody and Clayton was released on conditions. According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, three masked and armed individuals forced their way into the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. All three individuals were wearing dark colored clothing and white masks resembling an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. According to witnesses, each of the individuals were allegedly carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns. The video surveillance also showed that one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault. It is further alleged that the individuals entered the vault and took approximately $39,100, then bound the employees with duct tape and plastic zip ties, demanded access to one of their vehicles, and left the premises in an employee’s car. A short time after the robbery, the stolen car was located in a parking lot approximately 2.3 miles from the bank and determined that, minutes after the robbery, the individuals allegedly left the parking lot in another vehicle. Additionally, according to the charging documents, during a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company that employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber band – items consistent with the bank robbery – were recovered. During the search, investigators observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antennae, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper. Within a few feet of the burned area two semi-automatic handguns loaded with 9mm ammunition were discovered buried inches under the ground. These items, including the handguns, were consistent with items possessed by the robbers during the robbery of the Rockland Trust bank. According to surveillance video obtained from the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven, it is alleged that less than 40 minutes after the robbery – at approximately 8:58 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2022 – Clayton was captured arriving in a silver sedan to a parking lot nearby the ferry terminal, parking the vehicle, purchasing ferry tickets and boarding a ferry at 9:21 a.m. Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9:53 a.m., Johnson is allegedly captured arriving to the same parking lot and getting into the driver’s seat of the silver sedan Clayton had previously arrived in and parked before boarding a ferry. It is further alleged that Johnson is later captured driving the silver sedan to the vehicle reservation clerk booth, purchasing a vehicle ferry ticket and boarding a freight ferry in the silver sedan at 12:24 p.m. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 150 months in prison, five 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. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekos; West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone; Edgartown Police Chief Bruce R. McNamee; Chilmark Police Chief Jonathan Klaren; Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle; Aquinnah Police Chief Randhi P. Belain; and Canterbury (N.H.) Police Chief Michael Labrecque made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit are 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: Pawn Shop Operator Pleads Guilty to $3 Million Scheme to Sell Over 100,000 Stolen Items Online

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The former operator of a Kansas City, Mo., pawn shop pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in a $3 million scheme to fence more than 100,000 stolen items and sell them on eBay. Frank J. Santa Maria, 58, of Leawood, Kansas, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Santa Maria operated J’s Pawn, which was owned by his wife, for approximately 20 years until it closed in January 2023. By pleading guilty today, Santa Maria admitted that he knowingly purchased approximately 100,860 items that had been stolen from various retailers in the Kansas City area, such as Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, CVS, and Walgreens. Santa Maria then posted the stolen items for sale on multiple eBay pages and shipped them to purchasers across the country, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $3,079,342. Today’s plea agreement refers to four unidentified “boosters,” or shoplifters, from whom Santa Maria purchased such stolen items as ink cartridges, Crest Whitestrips, Rogaine products, Nicorette products, over-the-counter supplements and medications, Spypoint cameras, Nikon rangefinders, and electric fence systems over a four-and-a-half-year period from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 24, 2021. During the execution of a search warrant at J’s Pawn on Oct. 21, 2021, officers seized 4,749 items that Santa Maria does not contest were stolen property.Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Santa Maria must forfeit to the government all property derived from the proceeds of the offense, including a money judgment of $2,752,352. Santa Maria must also forfeit $302,172 that was seized from his bank account in a pending civil asset forfeiture proceeding. Under federal statutes, Santa Maria is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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 Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Heberle, Matthew Wolesky, and Anthony Brown. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.


title: Georgia man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for hate crime shooting

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Larry Edward Foxworth has been sentenced to federal prison for shooting into Clayton County, Georgia, convenience stores to kill those inside based upon their race and ethnicity. “Foxworth used a firearm to commit a brazen and heinous hate crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He fired repeatedly into convenience stores in his effort to kill those inside based solely on the color of their skin. This abhorrent act of violence and intimidation left the victims, their families, and the community traumatized, and merits the prison sentence Foxworth received. The Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously prosecute hate crimes.” “The defendant fired a gun into a store wanting to kill people who he thought were Black or Arab,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Hate-fueled violence not only traumatizes the victims, but it threatens and intimidates an entire community. This sentence demonstrates the importance of holding accountable those who commit racially-motivated violence. The Justice Department is committed to aggressively prosecuting those individuals who carry out hate crimes in our country.” “Hopefully this lengthy sentence proves that the FBI will not tolerate intimidation and violence against anyone because of their race or ethnicity,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI’s Civil Rights Program will continue to use every resource available to ensure criminals, like Foxworth, that commit bias-motivated violent crimes are held accountable and removed from our streets.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: At approximately 2:35 a.m. on July 30, 2021, Foxworth fired numerous rounds from a Glock pistol through a window and a door of a gas station convenience store located in Jonesboro, Georgia. Just minutes later, at approximately 2:57 a.m., he again fired multiple rounds from the same handgun through the windows and door of a different convenience store located nearby. Both stores were open and occupied when Foxworth fired the shots, but no one was hit by the gunfire. Clayton County Police Department officers arrested Foxworth shortly after the second attack. After his arrest, Foxworth told officers that he had targeted the stores because he wanted to kill Arab and Black people, and he believed that there were people inside the stores who belonged to those groups. Foxworth expressed hope that he had killed his targets, and professed belief in white supremacist ideology. Larry Edward Foxworth, 48, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,000. On December 16, 2022, Foxworth pleaded guilty to the offense of hate crime based on actual or perceived race or color, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 249(a), and the offense of discharging a firearm during the commission of that crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(iii). This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Trial Attorney Alec C. Ward of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case. 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: Mesa Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years for  Assault on FBI Agent with a Firearm

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gabriel Manzo, 40, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 177 months in federal prison. Manzo pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. On April 20, 2020, Manzo drove his truck to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office located in Phoenix, Arizona. He exited his vehicle, approached the north security fence, and fired three rounds from his .380 pistol at the building. He then returned to his truck and drove to the front of the office. He exited his vehicle and fired another 15 rounds, breaking 11 windows, and causing over $98,000 in damages. Manzo returned to his vehicle and started to drive away when he noticed an FBI agent, who was in his government issued vehicle, behind him. Manzo stopped, exited his truck in the middle of the street, and fired three rounds at the agent. This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The FBI conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Keith Vercauteren, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00540-SPL-PHX RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-036_Manzo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Staten Island Man Pleads Guilty to Baby Formula Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Vladislav Kotlyar pleaded guilty to defrauding insurance plans and medical suppliers by fraudulently procuring specialty baby formula. When sentenced for mail fraud, Kotlyar faces up to 20 years in prison. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. According to court filings, Kotlyar submitted forged prescriptions and medical records for specialty baby formula that was paid for by health insurers. Kotlyar obtained prescriptions and medical records for infants who were prescribed specialty baby formula and forged those records to obtain additional specialty baby formula. After receiving the specialty baby formula, Kotlyar fabricated issues with the shipments, including falsely claiming they were damaged or the incorrect formula in order to obtain additional formula at no additional cost. As part of the scheme, Kotlyar and his co-conspirators submitted more than $1.9 million in fraudulent claims to health insurers, including during a national shortage of baby formula. Kotlyar agreed to forfeit approximately $1 million and pay more than $738,000 in restitution. Trial Attorney Patrick J. Campbell of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. The Defendant: VLADISLAV KOTLYAR Age: 43 Staten Island, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket Number: 23-CR-75 (WFK)


title: St. Louis Man Admits Making Rape Threats to Five Women

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis pleaded guilty Thursday to five federal felonies and admitted harassing and threatening to rape five women. Robert D. Merkle, 54, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to all the counts he was facing: two counts of interstate communication of threats and three counts of cyberstalking. He admitted harassing women in the St. Louis area and across the country for months, while he was on parole for similar crimes with different victims. The federal investigation began in January 2022, after a woman told the Town and Country Police Department that a man she’d met on a dating site more than seven years earlier sent a series of text messages in which he said he’d made a copy of her house key and was planning on breaking into her home two days later and raping her. The FBI obtained a court-approved search warrant for Merkle’s home and cell phones, and discovered that he’d used emails, multiple cell phones and a service that can send texts anonymously to harass women. Merkle met several of the women on dating sites and worked with another woman. Both sides have agreed to recommend the maximum penalty for the crime, five years in prison, at Merkle’s sentencing. That sentencing is scheduled for June 21. Merkle still faces a pending felony charge of harassment in St. Louis County Circuit Court. Merkle was charged with harassment in 2017 and 2018 in Jefferson County Circuit Court and St. Louis Circuit Court, resulting in a three-year prison sentence. Merkle was living in a halfway house in St. Louis at the time of his federal crimes. The FBI, the Town and Country Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Police Department and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and the Gulfport Police Department in Mississippi investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.


title: Two Wolf Point residents admit roles in kidnapping, assault of minor girl on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS — Two Wolf Point residents suspected in the kidnapping and assault of a girl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in 2021 today admitted their roles in the abduction, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Dylan Troy Jackson, 22, and co-defendant Kaylee Jade Jackson, 19, each pleaded guilty to kidnapping of an individual under 18. The defendants face a mandatory minimum 20 years to a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other sentencing factors. Sentencing was set for July 26 for Dylan Jackson and Aug. 3 for Kaylee Jackson. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged that on Sept. 15, 2021, a group of individuals lured a 15-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, out of her house in Wolf Point and kidnapped her. That evening, after telling Kaylee Jackson about how Jane Doe had wronged him, co-defendant Cheri Cruz Granbois offered to pay Kaylee Jackson to lure the victim from her house so she could be assaulted. Kaylee Jackson accepted the offer and accompanied Granbois and others, including Dylan Jackson, to Jane Doe’s home. Kaylee Jackson lured Jane Doe out of her house, and the situation escalated. Some of the individuals in the group assaulted the victim. When eyewitnesses yelled that they were going to call the police, some of individuals kidnapped Jane Doe, forcing her into a vehicle and driving to a vacant field where the assault continued. Dylan Jackson helped to seize and abduct the victim. Co-defendants Patti Jo Annunciata Mail, Lavanchie Patricia Goodbird and Elmarie Amelia Weeks have pleaded guilty to charges in the case and are pending sentencing. Granbois has pleaded not guilty to charges and is pending trial. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy A. Johnson and Ryan G. Weldon are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department. XXX


title: Southeast Missouri Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Bank Robbery

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., sentenced Keith Lamar Dunlap to 15 years in federal prison today for robbing the Citizens Bank of Sikeston on October 30, 2020. Dunlap, now 56, was also sentenced to serve a consecutive term of 12 months in federal prison for violating his supervised release in a 2013 bank robbery case. Dunlap pleaded guilty on October 6, 2022, to the bank robbery charge. He admitted robbing Citizens Bank of Charleston on Oct. 30, 2020 after handing a note to a teller stating, “give me all stacks of $100 and $50 or I will shoot you.” Dunlap was pulled over by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Sikeston in a vehicle matching the description of the one used in the robbery. As stated in the plea agreement, a trooper found another threatening note in the vehicle as well as the cash taken in the robbery. Dunlap was twice previously convicted of bank robbery in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, in 2009 and 2013, for robbing banks in St. Louis and St. Louis County, respectively. The FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Hahn handled the prosecution for the government.


title: St. Paul Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as an Armed Career Criminal, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on March 17, 2022, Geraldo Jay Dilworth, 35, was in possession of a Springfield Armory .45 caliber pistol while waiting to board a train at the Union Depot Station in St. Paul. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey and Washington Counties, including domestic assault and terroristic threats, Dilworth is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Dilworth pleaded guilty on November 1, 2022, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm as an Armed Career Criminal. He was sentenced on March 14, 2023, by Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis Park Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Louis Park man has pleaded guilty to two counts of cyberstalking involving two victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, between September 2020 through December 2021, Julyen Alonzo Martin, 30, cyberstalked and threatened to kill, injure, and harass the victims. In violation of orders of protection issued against him, Martin sent numerous threats and unwanted messages via text message and social media applications to a victim. As a part of his cyberstalking scheme, Martin created social media accounts posing as one of the victims online and posted harmful allegations about the victims. According to court documents, Martin also contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”), falsely alleging that one of the victims was using their work computer to view child pornography. Martin emailed and called the victim’s employer several times claiming the victim was a pedophile being investigated for child endangerment. Also, Martin posed as a federal agent in furtherance of his cyberstalking scheme and claimed to be an FBI Special Agent intending to search the victim’s place of work for evidence. Martin pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson to two counts of cyberstalking. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 8, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.


title: Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm in Iowa

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty March 16, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Damian Ortega Rojas, 19, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a drug user. Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on July 22, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Ortega Rojas was driving. Also present in the vehicle were Rojas’s three minor siblings. Ortega Rojas showed signs of driving impaired and as the officer approached the vehicle, he detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Ortega Rojas provided law enforcement with a bag containing approximately ¼ to ½ pound of marijuana. The officer also located a backpack in the vehicle which contained a Glock .40 caliber handgun. Also located and seized in the vehicle were numerous spent .22 casings, multiple .40 rounds, baggies, grinder, tobacco pre-rolls, marijuana pipe, and storage container with marijuana residue. Ortega Rojas admitted to being a user of marijuana and a daily smoker of marijuana. Ortega Rojas further admitted that he stole the backpack containing the handgun from a vehicle in Sioux City. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ortega Rojas remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Ortega Rojas faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4064. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Guilford Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston Field Office, announced that CHRISTOPHER MICHAELSON, 38, of Guilford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to production of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2019, the Guilford Police Department assisted Burrillville (R.I.) Police with the arrest of Michaelson at his residence in Guilford on Rhode Island state charges for child molestation, solicitation and enticement. During the arrest, officers seized Michaelson’s cellphone. A court-authorized search of the seized phone revealed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, primarily boys between the ages of five and 15, and communications between Michaelson and minor victims whom he directed to send sexually explicit photographs of themselves to him. The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for June 2. The Rhode Island state charges against Michaelson are pending. Michaelson has been detained since his arrest. This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, the Guilford Police Department and the Burrillville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nancy V. Gifford. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Cherokee Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Charges

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on March 15, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Christina Gianopoulos-Rohrer, 50, from Cherokee, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Gianopoulos-Rohrer admitted that on December 6, 2021, in Woodbury County, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in which she was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine which Gianopoulos-Rohrer intended, with others, to distribute. Gianopoulos-Rohrer also admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 3 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Gianopoulos-Rohrer further admitted her involvement with others in obtaining methamphetamine from sources in California and Nevada and transporting it back to the Cherokee, Iowa area for further distribution. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gianopoulos-Rohrer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Gianopoulos-Rohrer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4002 and 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Dillon man admits producing child pornography

body_text: MISSOULA — A Dillon man accused of recording himself having sex with a minor girl on multiple occasions admitted to a child pornography charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Blaine Anthony Thomas Burger, 19, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. Burger faces a mandatory minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. A sentencing date was set for July 12 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Burger was detained pending further proceedings. In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agreed that the evidence establishes the commission of two additional counts of production of child pornography involving two additional Jane Does, and that the agreement shall be treated as if Burger had been convicted of the additional counts for purposes of calculating his recommended sentencing guideline range. The government alleged in court documents that between October 2021 and May 1, 2022 in Dillon, Burger was in a dating relationship with a girl, identified as Jane Doe 1, who was under the age of 18. On April 30, 2022, Jane Doe 1 told law enforcement that she had been in an abusive sexual relationship with Burger for the last several months. Jane Doe 1 further disclosed that Burger had sex with her on multiple occasions, recorded them having sex on his phone and kept the videos. When interviewed, Burger admitted to having sex with Jane Doe 1 more than 10 times after he learned that she was underage. Burger further admitted he had naked pictures of Jane Doe 1 on his phone. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Burger’s phone and recovered three videos that were recorded by Burger and depict him having sexual intercourse with Jane Doe 1. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Dillon Police Department, Helena Police Department and FBI. 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . XXX


title: Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty To Drug Conspiracy  Which Resulted In Fatal Overdose

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ryan A. Bloom, 37, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Bloom bought and sold heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine for profit and his own use, utilizing Facebook to conduct his drug trafficking activities. Bloom and co-conspirator, Rachelle Allison, also utilized a Fairview Avenue residence in Jamestown to conduct their drug trafficking activities, selling drugs and running a needle exchange out of the residence. These activities resulted in numerous overdoses occurred at that location. On April 5, 2020, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Hoag Road residence in Ashville, NY, for a possible overdose death. Upon arrival, an individual identified as D.R., was found deceased. A search of D.R.’s cellular telephone revealed Facebook messages between D.R. and Bloom the previous day that were drug related. Bloom admits that he and Allison distributed heroin and fentanyl to D.R. the day before D.R.’s death. On July 19, 2020, Bloom sold heroin and fentanyl to an individual identified as A.R. at the Fairview Avenue residence, resulting in A.R. overdosing. After receiving two doses of Narcan, A.R. and was revived and regained consciousness. On February 12, 2021, investigators conducted an undercover purchase of heroin and fentanyl from Bloom. Rachelle Allison was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2023, before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement to Remedy Race and Sex-Based Harassment of Students in Vermont School District

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice today announced a settlement agreement with the Twin Valley School District in Vermont to resolve its investigation into complaints of student-on-student harassment based on race and sex. The department’s investigation revealed that the school district knew of, and did not respond sufficiently to, individualized harassment and a broader hostile educational environment in Twin Valley Middle-High School. The department’s review, which focused on the school district’s responses to allegations of harassment from the 2019-20 school year to the present identified instances of targeted peer harassment and pervasive documented use of derogatory epithets and comments based on students’ race, sex, sexual orientation and sex stereotypes. Because the school district did not sufficiently address these instances, students were deprived of equal access to the educational opportunities the district provided. “Pervasive racial and sex-based harassment in public schools violates the Constitution’s most basic promise of equal protection,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will help ensure that Black and LGBTQ students can thrive in a safe and supportive educational environment going forward. No student deserves to be subject to unlawful and harmful bullying or harassment, especially once they enter the schoolhouse door.” “Schools should feel safe for all children, but when harassment does happen, schools have an obligation to respond appropriately so that every child has equal access to their education,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest for the District of Vermont. “Here, the school district has agreed to take significant steps to improve its process for responding to harassment and its overall educational environment.” Under the settlement agreement , the school district agreed to implement the following reforms: Modify district policies and procedures to prevent and address peer harassment; Undertake periodic assessments of school climate at Twin Valley Middle-High School and implement responsive programming to remedy hostile educational environments; and Improve training for district employees who receive, investigate or adjudicate complaints of harassment. The school district cooperated throughout the investigation, which was conducted under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This matter was handled jointly by Assistant United States Attorney Jules Torti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and the Educational Opportunities Section of the Department’s Civil Rights Division. Protecting the constitutional rights of public-school students is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/crt , and additional information about the Educational Opportunities Section’s work is available at https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section . Additional information about the District of Vermont’s Civil Rights Program is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/civil-rights-program . To report a possible civil rights violation, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/ . View the agreement here .


title: Billings man admits to producing, possessing child pornography

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man suspected of coercing a minor girl in New York to make and send him sexually explicit images of herself admitted to child pornography crimes today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jeffrey Eugene Herbert, 34, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Herbert faces a mandatory minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, five years to a lifetime of supervised release and special assessments on the charge of production of child pornography. Herbert faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, five years to a lifetime of supervised release and special assessments on the charge of possession of child pornography. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Herbert was released pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2022, a 13-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe 1, and her parents, located in New York, reported to law enforcement that Jane Doe 1 had been coerced to produce child pornography while using the social messaging application, Triller. The girl’s parents reported that someone with a specific Triller account had been sexually exploiting their daughter. In a forensic review of Jane Doe 1’s phone, law enforcement learned the girl was being sexually exploited by another user on Triller with a separate account name, “amberbaby 14141.” There were approximately 870 communications between the two accounts in June 2022. The investigation determined that “amberbaby 14141” was connected to Herbert’s residence. The government further alleged that Jane Doe 1 confirmed to law enforcement that she had communicated with “amberbaby 14141” and was the person in the images and videos sent to Herbert. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Herbert’s residence in October 2022 and collected approximately 20 pieces of electronic media. In an interview with law enforcement, Herbert admitted to using the “amberbaby 14141” account to coerce underage girls to produce sexually explicit content. Herbert also told law enforcement where child pornography would be located on his cellular phone, and investigators found a hidden folder that contained a video depicting a naked girl, approximately 10 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation. XXX


title: Two New Orleans Men Plead  Guilty to Jung Hotel Shooting

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARIUS DANNEL, a/k/a “DD,” and TERRELL MOORE, a/k/a “Rell,” pled guilty to various violations of the Federal Gun Control, the Federal Controlled Substances, and Hobbs Act before the Honorable Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, DANNEL and MOORE pled guilty to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the superseding indictment. Count 1 charged them with attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951 and 2. Count 2 charged them with participating in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute quantities of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(D), and 846. Count 3 charged the defendants with using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c) and 2. Count 4 charged the defendants with participating in a conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). As to Count 1, DANNEL and MOORE face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, and up to three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, and at least two years supervised release. As to Count 3, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, and up to five years supervised release. The prison sentence imposed for Count 3 must be served consecutively to any other prison sentence imposed in connection with this case and any other case. Finally, as to Count 4, DANNEL and MOORE face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, not more than a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each count, DANNEL and MOORE face payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The sentencing for DANNEL and MOORE is scheduled for June 28, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The case stems from a shootout that occurred at the Jung Hotel. On December 28, 2020, during an attempted armed robbery of significant amounts of marijuana, two groups engaged in a shootout in the Jung Hotel- one group who possessed the marijuana, the other group who tried to take the marijuana. In total, over 80 shots were fired and three people were shot. A good portion of this shootout was captured via the hotel security cameras. DANNEL and MOORE admitted to their participation in attempting to rob the drug dealers, and discharging their firearms during the attempted robbery. All six of the robber-perpetrators have pled guilty to their charged crimes before Judge Lemelle. Two of the marijuana distributors have pled guilty to similar crimes before United States District Court Judge Greg. G. Guidry. Judge Guidry sentenced Clarence Santiago to 30-years imprisonment for his role in the crimes on March 7, 2023. As part of the record, the Government introduced video surveillance of the event during Santiago’s sentencing hearing. 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. The case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Indiana Man Indicted on Bank Robbery and Firearms Charges After Robbing Bank in Lisle

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted an Indianapolis man on one count of bank robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence after robbing a suburban Illinois bank in February. As noted within the indictment and the now unsealed criminal complaint, on February 16, 2023, ANTONIO MOORE, 25, of Indianapolis, IN robbed by force, violence, and intimidation a BMO Harris Bank located at 1050 Maple Avenue in Lisle, Illinois. Moore is alleged to have brandished a firearm, pointing it at a bank employee and demanding the employee and another remove money from the bank’s vault. Law enforcement tracked Moore’s location to a Chicago warehouse where he was arrested. Moore has been in custody since. The indictment is announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lisle Police Department, the Chicago Police Department, and the Villa Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sushma Raju. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The bank robbery charge carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, the firearms charge carries a possible sentence of up to life in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.


title: Wyandotte Man Sentenced for Stealing $10,000+ in Grant Funds Allocated for Tribal Youth Programs

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: A man who stole grant funding awarded to the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Travis Neil Patton, 33, of Wyandotte, to five years of probation for theft from Indian tribal organization . He was further ordered to pay $10, 782.60 in restitution. Between June and October 2019, Patton knowingly embezzled $10, 782.60 worth of grant funding that had been awarded to the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma by the federal government. The grant money was allocated to support programs to help tribal youth struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Patton had access to and control of the funds when he committed the crime. The Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General and FBI were the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Cella prosecuted the case.


title: Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy and Making False Statements to the DEA

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristle Walker, aka “Demii,” age 39, of Albany, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit money laundering and making false statements to the Drug Enforcement Administration. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. In pleading guilty, Walker admitted to conspiring with Dwight A. Singletary, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” David Singletary, aka “DB,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” among others, to launder proceeds from the sale of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) in the Capital Region and other locations throughout the United States between at least 2019 and June 2022. Walker laundered the drug proceeds through several means, including sending over $10,000 in money transfers purchased with cash drug proceeds from the Capital Region to Fresno and Clovis, California; exchanging $26,500 in cash drug proceeds consisting of small bills for large bills at a Capital Region credit union; purchasing over $195,000 in cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds; and flying from the Capital Region to Fresno with suitcases full of cash drug proceeds. Walker was charged in an indictment with Dwight and David Singletary, Coles, and 20 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, and Coles have pled not guilty, and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. Federal law requires financial institutions to complete a currency transaction report for cash transactions over $10,000. At Dwight Singletary’s direction, to avoid the reporting requirement and otherwise conceal cash drug proceeds, Walker purchased multiple cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold for cash transactions of over $10,000, but amounting to over $10,000 in total, at different banks and branches on the same day. The cashier’s checks were payable to Dwight Singletary; his company, DAS Empire, Inc.; his lawyer’s firm; a company from which he and Coles purchased real estate; and to a person from whom Dwight Singletary and DAS Empire purchased real estate. In June 2020, Walker attempted to board a flight from Albany to Fresno with a suitcase containing $179,710 in cash drug proceeds, which was seized by the DEA. The cash, as Walker admitted, belonged to Dwight Singletary, but Walker sought return of the cash from the DEA. In a claim form submitted to the DEA, Walker claimed ownership of the cash and that she was not involved in criminal activity, which was untrue. Walker faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 on the money laundering conspiracy count, and up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statements count. Walker may also be required to serve up to 3 years of supervised release. The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Illinois Prison Guard Sentenced to 20 Years of Imprisonment Following Conviction for Civil Rights Deprivation Resulting in Bodily Injury and Death and Obstruction Charges

component: Department of Justice

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Alex Banta, 31, a former correctional officer at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, was sentenced today to an aggregate 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for civil rights deprivation resulting in bodily injury and death and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Larry Earvin, an inmate at the facility. At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government summarized the evidence from Banta’s 2022 trial. During the trial, the government presented evidence that Banta and co-defendants Todd Sheffler, 54, who was a lieutenant at the correctional center, and Willie Hedden, 43, who was a sergeant, participated in the May 17, 2018, assault of Earvin, 65, during their forcible escort of Earvin from the residential housing unit of the prison to the segregation housing unit while he was restrained and handcuffed behind his back and while he posed no physical threat to the defendants or other correctional officers. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Earvin, including multiple broken ribs, a punctured mesentery, and other serious internal injuries, and resulted in Earvin’s death in June 2018. After the assault, all three defendants falsified incident reports that they filed with prison officials and lied to the Illinois State Police by denying any knowledge of or participation in the assault. Also at the sentencing, the government stated that Banta had inflicted the most serious blows leading to Earvin’s death, including jumping in the air and landing on Earvin with both knees. Banta’s co-defendant, Hedden, testified about a prior incident in which Banta assaulted an inmate. And the government also presented statements and testimony from three of Earvin’s family members: his son, brother, and aunt. Banta’s sentence consisted of concurrent 15-year terms of imprisonment on two of the five counts of the indictment: conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation of civil rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and death. He also received five-year terms of imprisonment on the remaining three counts – conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct; obstruction – falsification of a document; and obstruction – misleading conduct – to run concurrent to each other and consecutive to the fifteen-year terms. A federal grand jury had previously returned an indictment against Sheffler, of Mendon, Illinois; Hedden, of Mt. Sterling, Illinois; and Banta, of Quincy, Illinois, in December 2019. At the April 2022 trial, Banta was convicted of all five charges in the indictment. The jury in that joint trial was unable to reach verdicts as to Sheffler, resulting in a retrial in August 2022 at which he was convicted of the same charges. Judge Myerscough ordered that both Banta and Sheffler be detained pending their sentencings. Hedden pleaded guilty in March 2022 to both civil rights charges and to conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Sheffler’s sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2023, at 10 a.m., and Hedden’s sentencing is set for March 22, 2023, at 10 a.m. Both are set to take place at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois. “We hope that the convictions of Todd Sheffler, Alex Banta, and Willie Hedden and today’s sentence for Alex Banta provide a measure of justice for Larry Earvin and his family,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We also hope it serves as a warning to all those who would abuse governmental power that they will be held accountable under the law. Although the vicious and brutal beating of Mr. Earvin cost him his life, and that is a loss that can never be remedied, all of those persons whom the evidence established violated Mr. Earvin’s constitutional rights and caused his death (Sheffler, Hedden, and Banta) have been and are being held accountable. Our prosecution of this case demonstrates our continued commitment to equal justice under the law and to protecting society’s vulnerable, including those in our prisons.” Harris added that his office also wanted to express its appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Office, and highlighted the complete cooperation of the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), for their thorough and professional investigation of this most important civil rights matter. Harris also especially recognized and thanked the efforts of FBI Special Agents Angela Bray and Price McCarty for their tireless efforts, without which a just outcome in this matter would not have been possible. In addition, Harris noted the important testimony of IDOC witnesses who initially participated in the cover up of these offenses, but ultimately came forward and told the truth about the events surrounding Mr. Earvin’s death. Holding the defendants accountable for their murder of Mr. Earvin would not have been possible without their testimony. Finally, Harris noted that the actions of a few here had unfairly tarnished the reputations of the men and women in law enforcement who honorably serve their communities with professionalism on a daily basis. “While the conduct of Alex Banta is not characteristic of the vast majority of those working in law enforcement, it unfortunately undermines the efforts of officers who serve with integrity and who bear the responsibility to respect and defend the rights of those under their watch,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Banta’s actions tarnished the reputation and badge worn proudly by the many hard-working and upstanding officers who abide by their oath. The FBI is unyielding in our commitment to zealously protect the rights of all Americans and to hold accountable anyone charged with safeguarding those rights.” “ISP thoroughly investigates civil rights violations to hold those who break the law accountable,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “This type of conduct is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.” The statutory penalties for each of the civil rights resulting in death charges are up to life imprisonment. The statutory penalties for each of the obstruction of justice charges are up to 20 years of imprisonment. The case was the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, the FBI-Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation, with the cooperation of the Illinois Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and Eugene L. Miller represent the government in the prosecution.