title: Leader Of $8 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme Sentenced To 95 Months In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JULIO ALVARADO was sentenced to 95 months in prison for leading a sprawling scheme to defraud Medicaid of millions of dollars through the billing of fraudulent transportation claims. ALVARADO previously pled guilty to one count of healthcare fraud. U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Julio Alvarado was the leader of a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud Medicaid by filing false claims for medical transportation services that were never provided. He brazenly lined his own pockets with Medicaid funds meant to help the neediest New Yorkers. Today’s sentence makes clear that this type of criminal conduct will be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law.” According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings: From August 2017 to February 2020, KJ Transportation C Services Inc. (“KJ”) was paid more than $20 million for providing transportation services for Medicaid enrollees in the New York City area. A large volume of those claims were fraudulent. In some instances, the Medicaid recipient was deceased or out of the country when KJ claimed it was transporting that person to medical appointments. In other instances, the company used stolen identities, whereby the Medicaid recipient had never heard of KJ and had never taken any rides with the company. In other instances, the Medicaid recipients had received unlawful kickbacks from defendants in exchange for either providing KJ their Medicaid information or for fraudulently scheduling trips they did not take. ALVARADO, who supervised more than a dozen other participants in the scheme, was responsible for billing more than $8 million in fraudulent trip claims. * * * In addition to the prison term, ALVARADO, 63, of Yonkers, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $8,507,115 in restitution and to forfeit $8,507,115. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. He also thanked the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General for its assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Brandon D. Harper are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Civil Forfeiture Complaint Filed Against World War I-Era Documents Stolen From An American University

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the filing of a civil complaint seeking forfeiture of various World War I-era documents, letters, and photographs relating to Russian military personnel, including the diary of a Russian general, for the purpose of returning the antiquities to the American university from which they were stolen. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Antiquities allow us to see and study pieces of history from, in this case, more than one hundred years ago. The University’s important historical research was undercut by the alleged theft and illegal smuggling of these antiquities abroad. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, these records have been recovered and will be returned to their rightful owner.” According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court today: [1] The United States seeks the forfeiture of documentary materials, relating primarily to the 1917 Russian Revolution and World War I Russian military personnel, that were stolen from a university located in New York, New York (the “University”). The stolen materials included the 1919 diary of General Nikolai Iudenitch, a commander of the Russian Imperial Army during World War I, along with other documents, correspondence, and photographs that had been sent to an auction house located in Paris, France, (the “Auction House”) for inclusion in an April 2018 auction of Russian documents and books. The Auction House was not provided with any certificate of authenticity or proof as to the provenance of the materials. After a curator employed by the University recognized the items in a catalog published by the Auction House, the stolen materials were seized by law enforcement. * * * Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation/New York City Police Department Joint Major Theft Task Force/Art Crime Team. In addition, Mr. Williams thanked authorities in France for their assistance. This matter is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger and Benet Kearney are in charge of the case. The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Property Manager Defrauds Program for Elderly & Low Income

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man admits to defrauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Program of approximately $1 million intended to help elderly and low income residents with rental housing expenses. Perry Johnson, 55, of Ozawkie pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on loan or credit applications. Rural Development works with rental property owners to subsize rent and maintenance repair expenses on behalf of low income and elderly tenants. Rural Development has a policy requiring all properties to submit Identity of Interest (IOI) disclosures concerning any personal relationships with vendors performing work on properties. According to court documents, between 2014 and 2017, Johnson worked as the regional manager of a company that managed 47 properties in Kansas. He was responsible for each property’s budget and approval of contracts. Johnson ignored the IOI policy and created approximately $1 million in vendor maintenance and repair invoices in the names of relatives and friends from which he financially benefited. Johnson also created false worksheets claiming his son resided at three different rural housing apartments although his son was never a tenant at any of those properties. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The USDA – Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Health Care Worker Sentenced for Fentanyl Thefts

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A former nurse was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison for stealing fentanyl from two hospitals where she worked. Faith Naccarato, 42, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of tampering with a consumer product and two counts of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge. According to court documents, between January 2020 and April 2020, Naccarato, used her fingerprint to remove vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet in the surgical specialty unit at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park. She replaced the fentanyl with saline solution before placing the vials back in the cabinet. Between February 2020 and April 2020, Naccarato took vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet in the noninvasive cardiology unit at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Meriam. She replaced the fentanyl with saline solution and then placed the vials back in the cabinet. Naccarato told investigators she stole the fentanyl for personal use. “Our medical facilities are not immune from the effects of the growing fentanyl addiction crisis in our country, and as a result, the District of Kansas prosecutes a growing number of cases against health care providers accused of stealing medication intended to go to patients,” said Kate E. Brubacher, U.S. Attorney. “The Justice Department believes stopping these abuses is paramount to guarding the public trust: people must have confidence in the integrity of their health care.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faiza Alhambra and Trent Krug prosecuted the case. ###


title: Fentanyl Trafficking Kingpin Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Overseeing a Sprawling Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A previously convicted drug trafficker was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for leading a drug organization with international ties that trafficked fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine across the country, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, and Charles E. Miller, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, Detroit Division. Maurice Montain McCoy, Jr., 41, of Moreno Valley, California, led a drug and money laundering conspiracy that had distribution hubs in multiple cities across the United States, including Novi, Michigan. The DEA seized more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl and over half a million dollars in cash from the organization’s stash house in Novi. At the time, the DEA’s seizure was the largest fentanyl seizure in Michigan and one of the largest in the United States. The seizure was the result of creative investigative work by federal agents. They traced a UPC code off a Sony PlayStation box that was used to deliver heroin to a drug customer. That UPC code led to the Novi condominium where the PlayStation was active. Agents identified couriers who crisscrossed the United States delivering kilograms, transporting bulk currency, or laundering money, leading to multiple arrests and additional seizures in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Baltimore, Maryland, where the organization also operated. All identified couriers and large-scale drug customers who were indicted have pleaded guilty. McCoy directed the organization’s activity and lived lavishly off the proceeds, purchasing a Porsche Panamera, expensive jewelry, including diamond and gold pendants for some members of his drug organization, and a half million-dollar home in the greater Los Angeles area. McCoy, who previously served ten years in federal prison for a drug conviction in California, faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. McCoy was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg. “Fentanyl is now the leading cause of overdose deaths. The number of lives saved by this seizure is inestimable. Our office will hold drug traffickers accountable for exposing our community to dangerous drugs,” stated United States Attorney Dawn Ison. “The sentencing of Mr. McCoy should serve as a reminder to those who choose to traffic poison in our communities, that they will be held accountable,” stated Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division. “Mr. McCoy, having served a prior term in federal prison, was well aware of the potential consequences of his actions. The DEA will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to target the sources of supply and their drug trafficking networks throughout the state of Michigan and elsewhere.” “The role of IRS Criminal Investigation in narcotics investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle international drug trafficking organizations,” said Charles Miller, IRS Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “We are proud to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice.” The case was investigated by agents of Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Hutting, Craig Wininger, and Gjon Juncaj prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Covenant Healthcare System and Physicians Pay Over $69 Million to Resolve  False Claims Act Allegations Related to Improper Financial Relationships

body_text: DETROIT – A regional hospital system and two physicians have paid over $69 million in three related civil settlements to resolve possible False Claims Act violations, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Northeast Field Office. Covenant Healthcare System, a regional hospital system based in the Saginaw, Michigan area, paid $69 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act of improper financial relationships with eight referring physicians and a physician-owned investment group, resulting in the submission of false claims to the Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and FECA programs. Two of these physicians, neurosurgeon Dr. Mark Adams and electrophysiologist Dr. Asim Yunus will pay the United States $406,551.15 and $345,987.54, respectively, to resolve allegations related to their relationships with Covenant. The Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally-funded programs. The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has an improper financial arrangement, including the payment of compensation that exceeds the fair market value of the services actually provided by the physician and the provision of free or below-market rent. Both the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law are intended to ensure that physicians’ medical judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and instead are based on the best interests of their patients. The settlement with Covenant resolves the following allegations: At various points between 2006 to 2016, Covenant had contracts with Asim Yunus, M.D., Kimiko Sugimoto, M.D., Sujal Patel, M.D., Sussan Bays, M.D., Guy Boike, M.D., and Thomas Damuth, M.D. to serve as medical directors, and none of these arrangements satisfied any exceptions to the Stark Law or the AKS, such that referrals these physicians made to Covenant violated the False Claims Act. From June 1, 2006, to December 14, 2009, Covenant employed Mark Adams, M.D., and this financial relationship did not satisfy any exception to the Stark Law, such that referrals for designated healthcare services by Adams to Covenant were prohibited and violated the False Claims Act. From January 21, 2009, through July 31, 2013, Covenant rented office space to Ernie Balcueva, M.D. Covenant forgave Balcueva’s rent payments, constituting remuneration that Covenant paid in exchange for referrals from Balcueva in violation of the AKS and the False Claims Act, and creating a financial relationship that did not meet any exception to the Stark Law, also violating the False Claims Act. Covenant permitted Covenant Physician Investment Group (“CPIG”), a group owned by Covenant-employed physicians for the purpose of purchasing large medical equipment that CPIG would lease to Covenant, to secure an equipment lease through non-arm’s-length negotiations, in order to induce referrals of patients from these physicians, in violation of the AKS and the False Claims Act. As a result of this settlement, which was finalized in 2021, Covenant paid the United States $67,191,436.39 and the State of Michigan $1,808,563.61. This settlement remained under seal while the United States continued its investigation into Adams and Yunus, which led to the settlements with Adams and Yunus. Consistent with the terms of their respective settlement agreements with the United States, Adams paid the United States $406,551.15, and Yunus will pay the United States $345,987.54. “Improper financial relationships and kickbacks undermine the integrity of federally-funded healthcare programs by influencing physician decision making,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This outcome emphasizes our Office’s commitment to pursuing justice against parties on both sides of those relationships—the hospital seeking to influence the physician via certain compensation schemes and the physician accepting the compensation.” U.S. Attorney Ison added, “I would like to commend the new leadership at Covenant for making things right once its past wrongdoing was brought to its attention by federal investigators.” “Financial relationships that are based solely on monetary gain undermine the trust that we place in our nation’s medical providers and can result in costly reductions to our Federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. “These settlements send a clear message to healthcare providers that the government is vigilantly protecting federal benefit programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce of United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The USPS OIG appreciates our law enforcement partners for their commitment and efforts in this investigation. The USPS OIG will continue to vigorously investigate those who engage in activities that harm federal benefit programs and the U.S. Postal Service.” "Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General," stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. "The settlements announced today demonstrate our ongoing commitment to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of improper financial relationships that place unnecessary financial pressure on the TRICARE system." The civil settlements resolve the claims brought by Stacy Goldsholl, M.D., under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Goldsholl v. Covenant Healthcare System, et al. , No. 12-15422 (E.D. Mich.). The whistleblower will receive a combined $12,384,927.36 from the three settlements. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonny Zajac of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the United States Postal Service-OIG.


title: Two Additional Defendants Charged with Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource Centers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida returned a superseding indictment charging two additional Florida residents with federal crimes arising out of a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy resource facilities in the state. Caleb Freestone, 27, and Amber Smith-Stewart, 23, were previously charged with the same offenses in March. According to the superseding indictment, Gabriella Oropesa and Annarella Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, engaged in a conspiracy to prevent employees of reproductive health services facilities from providing those services. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants allegedly targeted pregnancy resource facilities and vandalized those facilities with spray-painted threats. Some of the co-conspirators are alleged to have spray painted threats, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U,” and “We are everywhere,” on a reproductive health services facility in Winter Haven, Florida. Facilities in Hollywood, Florida, and Hialeah, Florida, were also allegedly targeted. The superseding indictment also alleges that Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, violated the FACE Act by using threats of force to intimidate and interfere with the employees of a reproductive health services facility in Winter Haven because those employees were providing or seeking to provide reproductive health services. The superseding indictment further alleges that Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, violated the FACE Act by intentionally damaging and destroying the facility’s property because the facility provides reproductive health services. If convicted of the offenses, Rivera, Freestone and Smith-Stewart each face up to a maximum of 12 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fines of up to $350,000. Oropesa faces up to a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office, the Miami Police Department, the Hialeah Police Department and the Hollywood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Thelwell for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats, and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Break Into Businesses in Maryland and Illinois to Steal From ATMs

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Robert Reeves III, age 37 of Dallas, Texas, to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods where the defendant and his co-conspirators broke into businesses and stole cash from Bitcoin-related ATMs. Judge Hollander also ordered Reeves to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is $55,316. The sentence was imposed on March 27, 2023. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department. According to his guilty plea, from August 2018 through at least September 13, 2018, Reeves, co-defendants Meleech Neugent and Brandon Davis, and other individuals conspired to travel from the Dallas, Texas area to other parts of the United States, including the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, break into businesses after they closed and steal cash from Bitcoin-related automated teller machines (“ATMs”). Specifically, on August 29, 2018, Reeves, his co-defendants and others traveled from Dallas, Texas to Dulles International Airport and rented a vehicle. In the early morning hours of August 31, 2018 and September 1, 2018, they used that vehicle to drive to locations in Rockville, Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland, where they broke into four separate businesses. Once inside the business, the conspirators stole cash from the ATM machines. As stated in is plea agreement, video surveillance from the burglary locations showed three individuals committed the acts, arriving and departing in a black Jeep Patriot with New Jersey license plates. Records revealed that the vehicle was owned by a car rental company and had been rented at Dulles Airport by Reeves and his co-conspirators. Records associated with Reeves’ internet and cell phone accounts showed that he searched for each victim business while the group was in Maryland. Later on September 1, Reeves and other co-conspirators visited a shopping center in Tysons Corner, Virginia. A video posted to co-defendant Neugent’s social media showed Neugent counting bundles of cash while purchasing shoes at a high-end designer retail store. Reeves and some co-conspirators returned to Texas, flying from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before leaving, the Jeep Patriot that was rented by Reeves was reported as being in a car accident with Reeves and Neugent listed as the occupants of the vehicle. Reeves admitted that on August 23, 2018, he participated in a similar burglary in Illinois. Specifically, Reeves and another man approached a business in Elgin, Illinois, while carrying prying tools. One man pried open the door and the men then pried open the ATM inside the business, removing approximately $3,000 from the ATM. Meleesh Neugent, age 40, and Brandon Davis, age 35, both of Dallas, Texas, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Neugent was sentenced to time served and Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2023. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI Baltimore and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Jury Finds Oklahoma Man Guilty of Smuggling Firearm into Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A federal jury in Pecos convicted an Oklahoma City man last week for illegal smuggling of goods from the United States. According to court documents and evidence presented at the two-day trial, Jesus Soto-Parra, 31, drove into Mexico in December 2022 and was turned back by Mexican authorities due to vehicle registration issues. As Soto-Parra returned through the Presidio, Texas Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers discovered a firearm, body armor and ammunition in his vehicle. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement. CBP and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Cayton and Matthew Ellis are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Firearms

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – William Mejia, 19, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to steal firearms from federal firearms licensees, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today. According to court documents and statements made in court, between August 29, 2021, and October 4, 2021, Mejia conspired with others to steal firearms from three New Hampshire Federal Firearms Licensees. During the course of the conspiracy, more than 40 firearms were stolen from Milford Firearms in Milford, Second Amendment Arms in Windham, and MacPhearson Firearms in Brentwood. Mejia’s fingerprints were found on one of the stolen firearms that was later recovered from a co-conspirator’s residence. Evidence recovered from a co-conspirator’s phone included pictures of Mejia holding stolen firearms as well admissions of his involvement in the conspiracy. Mejia is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2023. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Andover Police Department, the Brentwood Police Department, the Haverhill Police Department, the Lawrence Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Salem (NH) Police Department, the Somersworth Police Department, the Saugus Police Department, the Wellesley Police Department, and the Windham Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Z. Krasinski, John J. Kennedy and Geoffrey W.R.Ward. ###


title: Baltimore Cocaine Dealer, Who Admitted Possessing a Loaded Firearm, Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Khary Owens, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of Owens’ plea agreement, he admitted that he possessed a .45-caliber handgun, loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition, in furtherance of his drug trafficking. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department. According to his guilty plea, in September and October 2020 Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”) detectives conducted covert surveillance on a residence in the 500 block of Sheridan Avenue in Baltimore after receiving information that the house was used for drug distribution. Detectives saw Owens on the front porch of the residence and on the sidewalk in front of the house. During their surveillance, detectives saw Owens supply drugs by engaging in hand-to-hand drug transactions. As detailed in his plea agreement, detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence and for Owens’ person, which was executed on October 7, 2020. Detectives saw Owens arrive at the residence, then hang his vest and backpack on the front porch. When Owens saw the detectives approaching the residence, he ran inside the house and up the stairs, where he threw a package of 58 vials of cocaine out a second story window into the backyard. The package was retrieved by waiting BPD detectives. Officers entered the residence and placed Owens under arrest. From the backpack Owens left on the front porch, law enforcement recovered a .45-caliber firearm, loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition, a medicine bottle filled with a suspected cutting agent to mix with controlled substances, and drug packaging materials. Owens admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Tsuei, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Military Contractors Convicted for $7 Million Procurement Fraud Scheme

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A federal jury in the Northern District of Georgia convicted three military contractors today on one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and two counts of major fraud. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, former Envistacom LLC President and co-founder Alan Carson, former Envistacom Vice President Valerie Hayes, and the owner of another company, Philip Flores, conspired to defraud the United States at least from September 2014 through November 2016, by preparing and procuring sham quotes for government contracts totaling over $7.8 million. Carson, Hayes, and Flores also fraudulently prepared “independent” government cost estimates and other procurement documents for the award of these contracts and made false statements, representations, and material omissions to federal government contracting officials regarding these estimates being legitimate independent cost estimates and the sham quotes being “competitive.” “Today, a jury returned a verdict to hold accountable these defendants who defrauded the federal government,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute individuals who undermine the integrity of government procurement systems at American taxpayers’ expense.” “Contractors are an integral part of our well-functioning government, and we expect them to be honest and forthright,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “The evidence at trial and the jury’s verdict show that these defendants placed their own benefit above honest dealing with the government.” “The convictions of these individuals ensure the integrity of the contracting system that supports our nation’s warfighters,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Southeast Field Office of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “Companies that circumvent the contracting process for personal gain will be thoroughly investigated and held accountable for their fraudulent actions.” “As this case demonstrates, those who attempt to defraud the government will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “Army CID and our law enforcement partners will vigorously enforce laws that protect our government from fraud.” Carson, Hayes, and Flores were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and major fraud. The individuals each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, for conspiracy to defraud the United States. The maximum penalty for major fraud is 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or, if the gross loss to the government or the gross gain to a defendant is $500,000 or greater, a fine of $5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Army CID, and DCIS investigated the case. Trial Attorney Brittany E. McClure of the Antitrust Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations . In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force .


title: Five Arrested in San Antonio for Alleged Drug Trafficking Organization Involvement

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Five San Antonio men were arrested in San Antonio today on criminal charges related to their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization. According to court documents, Cesar Martinez aka Viejito, 66; Bruce Charles Morales, 51; Kelvin Sauls, 41; Juan Alberto Coronado aka Cacheton, 49; and Julio Rodriguez III, 39, were named in a six-count indictment issued by a grand jury earlier this month. Martinez is charged with all six counts in the indictment, to include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; conspiracy to commit money laundering; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and two separate counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Martinez faces punishments of at least 15 years in prison up to life imprisonment. Morales is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Morales faces punishments of at least 10 years in prison up to life imprisonment. Sauls is charged with five counts, to include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; conspiracy to commit money laundering; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Sauls faces punishments of at least 10 years in prison up to life imprisonment. Coronado is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces punishment of at least five years up to 60 years in prison. Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute detectable quantities of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces punishment up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Field Office made the announcement. The DEA is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Nowinski is prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Eagle River Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE – An Eagle River man was sentenced to a high-end guideline sentence of 78 months imprisonment followed by lifetime supervised release by Judge Timothy M. Burgess on Tuesday, March 28. John Daniel Brooks had previously pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography. In September of 2021, the State of Alaska contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Anchorage to report that a state employee was suspected of possessing images depicting child sexual exploitation. Two days later, the FBI conducted a search warrant at Brooks’ residence, where he worked for the state of Alaska remotely as an analyst programmer. The FBI discovered that Brooks had installed an internal hard drive in his State of Alaska computer that was found to contain over 1.2 million images of suspected child exploitation. Those images included depictions of infants and toddlers being tortured and sexually assaulted by adults. All told, Brooks’ collection of child exploitation materials was one of the largest encountered to date by the FBI in Alaska. “Large scale consumers of child sexual abuse materials like Mr. Brooks directly contribute to the exploitation of children worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker, District of Alaska. “The sentence imposed by the court reflects the seriousness of this type of abhorrent behavior and we will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to the hard work of the FBI and APD, in coordination with our State partners, Mr. Brooks has been brought to justice.” “Our investigation revealed Mr. Brooks acquired and possessed one of the largest collections of child sexual abuse materials found in Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Possession of this material is not a victimless crime, and the FBI will use every legal authority we have to root out predators to protect children from these unconscionable offenses.” The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the State of Alaska. The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mario Johnson, 38, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 14, 2022. From May 2021 to August 2021, law enforcement agents conducted four controlled buys of methamphetamine from Johnson. The combined amount of methamphetamine from these controlled buys totaled over one pound. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley stated that Johnson had become involved in “serious drug dealing” for financial reasons and took note of Johnson’s prior criminal history, which included domestic abuse offenses. Ultimately, Judge Conley imposed a 60-month prison term followed by a four-year term of supervised release. He urged Johnson to use his time in prison to seek programming for his mental health, substance abuse, and anger management issues. The charge against Johnson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sun Prairie Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Wegner and Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.


title: ST. JOHN MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF 18 KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Calis Sewer of St. John made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being charged with possession with intent to distribute 18 kilograms of cocaine. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller ordered that Sewer remain in custody pending trial in this matter. According to court documents, on March 21, 2023, Virgin Islands Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop on a Suzuki Vitara driven by and registered to Sewer. During the stop, a drug canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the trunk of Sewer’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a black duffle bag containing 18 brick-shaped bundles the contents of which tested positive for cocaine. Prior to the traffic stop, federal agents observed Sewer traveling down the Brown Bay Trail in St. John’s heading towards the beach, a location known to law enforcement for narcotics and human smuggling. Approximately 30 minutes later, Sewer was observed traveling up the trail carrying a large black duffle bag. Thereafter, Sewer was observed at his residence in St. John as he transferred the black duffle bag from a Dodge Journey and placed it inside the Suzuki Vitara. Sewer then drove the Vitara from his home and boarded the Car Ferry in St. John. Upon arrival in Red Hook, St. Thomas, VIPD immediately initiated a traffic stop of Sewer’s vehicle which led to the discovery of a black duffle bag containing 18 bricks of cocaine. This case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigation and Virgin Islands Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Edwards.


title: UNITED STATES INSPECTOR GENERALS COMMIT TO FIGHTING WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE OF FEDERAL FUNDS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – Dozens of federal Inspector General officials gathered in St. Thomas on March 22-23, 2023, for the first Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General Spring Symposium. The federal oversight and law enforcement officials spent two days collaborating and sharing information as part of their ongoing commitment to protect federal funds awarded to the Virgin Islands. “As a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Territory received tens of billions of federal funds,” United States Attorney Delia L. Smith said. “We are committed to ensuring that these funds are properly utilized to improve the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands.” Sponsored by the United States Attorney Office and the Virgin Islands OIG Council, the symposium focused on identifying strategies to combat waste, fraud and abuse, and to improve efficiency in the federally funded programs in the Virgin Islands. “The symposium was an excellent opportunity to do what the Inspector General community does best: work together to combat fraud, waste and abuse across federal government programs,” said Mark Lee Greenblatt, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior and Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. Greenblatt thanked United States Attorney Smith for bringing together such a diverse array of federal law enforcement organizations. “Collaboration with our on-island partners – including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Virgin Islands OIG and local law enforcement – is critical to the DOI OIG’s success here. I look forward to bolstering those partnerships as we work together to identify and address misconduct in DOI programs in the U.S. Virgin Islands”, Greenblatt said. Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Hannibal “Mike” Ware, added that “the inaugural symposium showcased the unwavering commitment of the Inspector General community to combatting waste, fraud and abuse. With potential fraud on the rise, the IG community has implemented a whole-of-government approach by investing in partnerships to bring wrongdoers to justice and reclaim stolen taxpayer dollars.” “This symposium represents the unprecedented commitment of the IG community and federal and local law enforcement partners to interagency collaboration in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thank you to U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for hosting this historical symposium. We look forward to continued partnership with our local partners in the Virgin Islands to combat fraud, waste and abuse and to protect the integrity of HUD programs", said Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Representatives from 16 Inspector General Offices and federal oversight agencies, including Small Business Administration, Interior, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Treasury, Transportation Security Administration, General Services Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Internal Revenue Service, Transportation, U.S. Postal Service, Energy, Labor, Department of Justice and Commerce, attended the symposium. Federal law enforcement agents and analysts stationed in the Virgin Islands also attended the symposium, as well as representatives from the Virgin Islands Office of the Inspector General. The symposium was held at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Smith Bay, St. Thomas.


title: DISTRICT’S FIRST FENTANYL CONSPIRACY CASE ENDS IN 85 MONTHS SENTENCE OF ST. THOMAS MAN

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Elijah Hakim, 35, of St. Thomas, was sentenced to 85 months of imprisonment in the District’s first prosecution of fentanyl possession. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, or the amount that could fit on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially lethal dose. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from April 2021 to May 2021, Hakim mailed two packages containing fentanyl from Georgia to St. Thomas. The first package, mailed on April 22, 2021, contained 150 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 17.5 grams which were concealed in a vitamin bottle. The package was filled with spray foam and mailed from an Atlanta, GA, post office to St. Thomas. The second package, mailed on May 18, 2021, contained 200 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 25 grams which were concealed inside a Gucci gift box. Like the first package, the second package was filled with spray foam to further conceal the pills and mailed from an Atlanta, GA, post office. Both packages were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protections officers in San Juan, PR and St. Thomas. Court documents further revealed that during this period, a victim on St. Thomas overdosed from consuming pills suspected of containing fentanyl. At trial, the United States introduced fingerprints found on the May package which matched Hakim’s fingerprints. Also admitted at trial was packaging material found in Hakim’s Atlanta apartment, including a spray foam cannister, bubble wrap, vacuum sealed bags and fiber tape consistent with the packaging used to conceal the fentanyl in the April and May packages. At sentencing, the Judge Robert A. Molloy noted that the comprehensive investigation and evidence admitted a trial were more than sufficient for a jury to find Hakim guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. During his allocution, Hakim stated that he did not believe that he could be found guilty by just fingerprints. Judge Molloy responded, however, that it was not just the fingerprints, but all of the other evidence pointing to Hakim as the culprit; the fingerprints simply sealed the deal. “Across the United States, opioids, primarily fentanyl, killed over 80,000 people in 2021 alone,” stated United States Attorney Delia Smith. “Here in the Virgin Islands, we have thus far been spared the worst of the opioid epidemic, but the two shipments of fentanyl involved in this case show that we are not immune. Fortunately, the vigilance and dedication of our law enforcement partners led to the interception of these deadly drugs, and we were able to convict those responsible. We will continue to do everything in our power to keep the Virgin Islands safe from this lethal scourge.” “The defendant’s lawless misuse of the U.S. Mail has finally come to a halt,” said Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to combine our resources and expertise to combat the perils of illegal and dangerous drug distribution.” “Our extraordinary enforcement partnerships allow us to work in unison and combat drug trafficking and the violence this brings,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster. “It’s the DEA’s mission to dismantle and destroy drug trafficking organizations no matter where they originate. We will continue to work diligently with our Federal, state, and local counterparts and to bring to justice those who seek to poison our communities.” The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and Meredith Edwards. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Tampa Felon Charged With Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Leonon Ricky Davis (37, Tampa) with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Davis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. According to statements made in open court, on December 1, 2022, Davis crashed into a parked vehicle while driving drunk on 26 th Street in Tampa. Eyewitnesses reported that Davis was waving a black pistol when he exited the vehicle. Davis fled from the scene of the crash on foot, abandoning the pistol, a bag of crack cocaine, and cash along the way. Officers from the Tampa Police Department responded to the scene and apprehended Davis minutes after the crash. Davis has multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of cocaine, felony battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As such, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms and ammunition. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan. 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Ponte Vedra Beach Contract Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty To Theft Of Mail

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kori Ann Moreno (26, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to theft of mail. She faces up to five years in prison and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Moreno was arrested on November 29, 2022, by the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and subsequently released on a bond. According to court documents, in 2020, Moreno began working as a highway contract carrier delivering U.S. Mail on multiple highway contract routes (HCRs), primarily in the area of Ponte Vedra Beach. In July 2022, the USPS-OIG received multiple complaints regarding a high volume of stolen and undelivered mail on various HCRs handled by Moreno. On July 13, 2022, the USPS-OIG put a greeting card containing two $20 bills in a mail depository for outgoing U.S. Mail at a condominium complex on one of Moreno’s HCRs in Ponte Vedra Beach. Later that morning, while Moreno was processing mail at the condominium complex, USPS-OIG agents determined that Moreno had opened the greeting card. Agents who were in the area approached Moreno and located the greeting card which had been opened and was missing the cash. Moreno subsequently handed the missing money over to the agents. During an on-scene search of Moreno’s car and personal belongings, agents located mail and gift cards that had been stolen out of the mail. During an interview with agents, Moreno stated in substance that since around December 2021 she had been opening mail – two to three letters a day. If the mail contained cash and/or gift cards, she would steal the contents and throw the cards in the trash. She was unsure how much money she obtained through her theft of mail. This case was investigated by United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.


title: Lake City Man Sentenced To Nine Years In Federal Prison For Firearm And Drug Offenses

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced John Nathan Hemingway (52, Lake City) to nine years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base – also known as “crack” cocaine – and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hemingway had pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022. As part of his plea, Hemingway agreed to forfeit the cash, firearm, and ammunition found in his home. According to court documents, on multiple occasions, a confidential informant purchased crack cocaine that had been supplied by Hemingway at his home in Lake City. Following these controlled purchases, a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives obtained a federal search warrant authorizing the search of Hemingway’s home. On February 15, 2022, law enforcement searched the home and located a digital scale, plastic baggies, more than $11,000 in cash, a loaded semi-automatic pistol, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of assets. 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: Butler Township man pleads guilty to gun, drug crimes punishable by at least 15 years in prison

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – Timothy Jefferson, 46, of Butler Township, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to drug and gun crimes that carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison. Specifically, Jefferson pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl that carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. The defendant also admitted to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, a crime that carries a mandatory sentence of five years in prison consecutive to any other penalty. According to court documents, from at least May 2021 until December 2021, Jefferson obtained bulk amounts of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine for resale and distribution in the greater Dayton area. Jefferson and others would travel out-of-state to receive the bulk amounts of narcotics, driving the drugs back to Southern Ohio and staying in hotels along the way. Jefferson’s plea details that he conspired to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Jefferson kept firearms to protect the illegal drugs and the subsequent drug proceeds. As part of his conviction, Jefferson will forfeit three firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, a Chevy El Camino and more than $55,000 in cash. Congress sets the mandatory and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a hearing at a later date. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); members of the Tactical Crime Suppression Unit; Kettering Police Chief Christopher N. Protsman; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, announced the guilty plea entered on March 28 before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced to more than 11 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Karen Barba-Franco, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Barba-Franco to 135 months’ imprisonment. After completing her term of imprisonment, Barba-Franco will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system. On July 19, 2021, Omaha police officers conducted a traffic stop in South Omaha of a vehicle containing Barba-Franco and two co-defendants, Mauricio Canales-Santiago and Antonia Lopez-Tiznado. Consent to search the vehicle was granted and officers located approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine. A subsequent search warrant was executed on their Omaha residence revealing an additional 19 pounds of methamphetamine. All three gave post-arrest statements admitting their involvement in distributing methamphetamine with one another during the prior two weeks. Canales-Santiago has a trial date pending. Lopez-Tiznado pled guilty and was sentenced on February 8, 2023, to 135 months’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Sylvania Woman Sentenced to Prison for Providing False Statements to Law Enforcement Regarding Illegally Purchased Firearm

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

body_text: TOLEDO – Taylor Elysse Corggens, 30, of Sylvania, Ohio, was sentenced on Monday, March 20, 2023, to 6 months in prison by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr after she pleaded guilty to making a false statement in connection with her purchase of a firearm for a felon. According to court documents, on May 24, 2021, Corggens and another individual, who was a convicted felon, entered a federally licensed firearms dealer together in the Oregon, Ohio, area. While in the store, court documents state that the felon picked out and handled a firearm despite being legally prohibited from such activities. Court documents state that Corggens then used her identification to purchase the firearm from the dealer. Records show that the felon was later pulled over by Toledo Police Department officers and found to be in possession of the same firearm that Corggens purchased. Later, in December 2021, federal law enforcement authorities interviewed Corggens about the firearm and asked Corggens if anyone was with her when she purchased the firearm. Corggens stated that no one was with her when she purchased the firearm despite surveillance video evidence from the firearms dealer showing Corggens and another individual arriving together in the same vehicle and entering the dealer simultaneously. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Toledo Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert N. Melching.


title: Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison after Admitting He Destroyed a Police Vehicle and Smashed Bank Windows during Protests in Downtown

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A Pittsburgh resident pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and bank burglary in connection with the downtown Pittsburgh protest on May 30, 2020, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Devin Montgomery, 27, formerly of Birmingham Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15210 pleaded guilty to two counts before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on May 30, 2020, a protest march was held in the downtown Pittsburgh area. The march was related primarily to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police. The march in Pittsburgh began at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Liberty Avenue in the downtown area, and eventually finished at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Centre Avenue near the intersection with Washington Place above the PPG Paints Arena. At that time, many of the participants were agitated, and members of the crowd began to vandalize a marked Pittsburgh Police vehicle (Unit 3212) on Centre Avenue. The crowd eventually set that vehicle on fire and it was totally destroyed. Shortly after the Unit 3212 was set afire, the crowd turned around and began to walk back down Washington Place toward a line of police officers in riot gear. After a brief standoff, the police decided to avoid physical confrontation with the crowd and left the area. However, one of the police vehicles (the unmarked vehicle which is the subject of the charge in the Information) was left unattended, parked at the curb near the Fifth Avenue entrance of the PPG Paints Arena. After the police vacated the area, the crowd immediately descended upon that vehicle and began to vandalize it. Videos obtained during the investigation show a male wearing a number 84 Antonio Brown Steelers jersey near the open rear passenger door of the unmarked vehicle. The person in the Antonio Brown shirt had the same body build, skin tone and facial hair as Devin Montgomery. He also had the same unique tattoo of a black bomb on his left elbow as Devin Montgomery. At one point during one of the videos, the man’s COVID type mask slips below his nose, displaying a facial profile that appears to be identical to Montgomery’s profile. In a jail call from Montgomery to one of his friends on the outside, after Montgomery was detained in May of 2021, Montgomery discusses his frustration about being detained, and says “it’s just property damage, it’s not like I hurt someone.” Video footage of the scene showed that, as Montgomery stands near the unmarked vehicle, there was an unknown male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and facemask standing right next to him. They were each holding and igniting items in their own hands. The unknown male had a small container of lighter fluid in one hand. The unknown male was first to toss his lit item into the backseat area of the unmarked vehicle, and then Montgomery tossed his own lit item into the backseat area immediately thereafter. The fire quickly spread in the interior of the vehicle, and eventually completely destroyed the vehicle. After the second police vehicle was burned, many people from the crowd headed back into downtown, where numerous businesses were vandalized, burglarized, and looted. The Dollar Bank on Smithfield Street was one of those victim businesses. The government has video depicting Montgomery and another individual using rocks to smash the windows and glass entrance doors to Dollar Bank, and then enter the vestibule area between the two sets of doors. Following the guilty plea, Judge Hornak sentenced Montgomery to four years' incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to cover the cost of the police vehicle that was destroyed. Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Bureau of Pittsburgh Police for conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Montgomery.


title: St. Louis Woman Admits Bank Fraud, Pandemic Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis, Missouri on Monday pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and admitted committing both check fraud and pandemic fraud. Nikia A. French, 30, admitted recruiting people on Instagram who were willing to let French use their bank accounts. French created counterfeit checks, deposited them in the accounts to which she had access and then watched until the bank made the money available. She then withdrew money or made debit card purchases before the bank learned that the checks were bogus. Between February 2022 and April 2022, French deposited or attempted to deposit counterfeit checks totaling at least $73,515 and received at least $34,109 in proceeds. In the pandemic fraud scheme, French submitted two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in April of 2021, seeking a total of about $23,000 as a self-employed person. She falsely inflated her gross income, submitted false documents and lied about not having been convicted of a felony involving fraud in the last five years. She used the money at restaurants and clothing stores and took some out in cash, according to her plea agreement. At her August 4 sentencing, French could face up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both. In a 2019 bank fraud case, French was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and ordered to repay nearly $62,000. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Plant City Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Distribution, Receipt, And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Michael Conover (32, Plant City) to 20 years in federal prison for distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Conover was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Conover to forfeit an Apple iPhone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Restitution will be determined at a later time. Conover had pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022. According to court documents, federal agents received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a user on a social media platform distributing images and videos of minors engaged in sexual activity. That same user was also the subject of an additional cyber tip which referenced the hands-on abuse of a child. Federal agents executed a search warrant on Conover’s cellphone and social media accounts and discovered that Conover had sent, received, and viewed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse. “This predator traded child sexual abuse material of very young children online and has caused irreparable harm to his victims,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “The abhorrent actions of child predators will not go undetected, and thanks to the painstaking, tireless efforts of the HSI Special Agents, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, he will be held accountable for his actions.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Agrees to Provide Sign Language Interpreters in Settlement of Claim that it Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today that an agreement has been reached with Orthopaedics, Spine, and Sports Medicine, LLC, d/b/a Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine (Total Orthopedics), under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to resolve allegations that Total Orthopedics failed to comply with its communications obligations for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in places of public accommodations such as medical centers. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing fall within the protection of the ADA. Total Orthopedics is an orthopedic clinic with locations throughout New York City, New Jersey, and on Long Island. The settlement resolves claims made by an individual who is deaf, that Total Orthopedics refused to provide her with appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including a qualified sign-language interpreter, to ensure effective communication during a medical appointment at Total Orthopedics’ location in Massapequa in January 2020. Under the settlement agreement, Total Orthopedics has agreed to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign-language interpreters, to patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. Total Orthopedics also agreed to update and maintain appropriate policies, to revise its training materials and provide annual training to its personnel, to post notices in its medical centers and on its website to inform patients of their right to auxiliary aids and services, and to cooperate with the United States Attorneys’ Office for the Eastern District of New York to ensure ongoing compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement. Total Orthopedics will pay $1,500 to the complainant. “This Office is deeply committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals and will not hesitate to vigorously enforce the laws protecting people with disabilities when necessary,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s resolution ensures that the deaf and hard of hearing will be able to effectively and efficiently communicate with health care professionals at Total Orthopedics locations throughout New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey.” The United States’ case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekta Dharia of the Office’s Civil Division with assistance from Civil Rights Investigator Laura Riley. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that the office of a health care provider or any other place of public accommodation or public entity in the Eastern District of New York is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact this Office via the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/civil-rights .


title: Boyle County Man Pleads Guilty To Agricultural Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Danville, Ky., man, Peter Alex Cox, 33, entered a guilty plea on Monday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to unlawful conversion of loan collateral. According to his plea agreement, starting in 2013, Cox obtained a line of credit from Central Bank Agricultural Credit Association, secured by the Farm Service Agency, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Between 2013 and 2018, Cox applied to increase his line of credit, until it reached $1,057,140.35 in 2018. Cox pledged 800 beef and dairy cattle that he owned, as collateral to secure the loan. Cox admitted in the plea agreement that, between May and October 2019, he sold his cattle to unapproved sellers, using a fictitious farm name, and did not apply the proceeds from the cattle sold to his debt. He further admitted that his intention in using the fictious farm name was to prevent Ag Credit from receiving any of sales or profits of the sales. Cox’s cattle sales totaled $1,106,701.17, without any payments made toward his loan and without providing any notice of the sales. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Salina Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, jointly announced the guilty plea. The investigation was conducted by USDA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith. Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2023. He faces a maximum of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. — END —


title: Man Convicted For Two Armed Robberies Is Sentenced To 10 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced Travon Roary, 37, of Charlotte, to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for committing two armed robberies, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on November 24, 2021, CMPD officers responded to a 911 call for an armed robbery at Bowl 77 Arcade located at 2301 Westinghouse Blvd. in Charlotte. The arcade employee told the officers that an individual later identified as Roary had pointed a firearm at her and proceeded to take cash from the store’s registers. According to filed court documents and proceedings, a few days later, on November 28, 2021, CMPD officers responded to a 911 call for an armed robbery at Z’s Tobacco & Vape store located at 8424 Old Statesville Road in Charlotte. The store employee told officers that two men had walked into the store. One of them, later identified as Roary, asked the store clerk if he could buy a cigarette. Court records show that Roary then came behind the counter, pulled out a black handgun, and pointed it at the victim as the victim was trying to walk away. Roary told the victim not to run or Roary would shoot him. Roary forced the victim back to the cash register, where Roary and his armed co-conspirator took money and fled. On December 8, 2022, Roary pleaded to two counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, also referred to as Hobbs Act robbery. Roary has previous state convictions for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, second-degree kidnapping, second-degree burglary, and assault by strangulation. Roary is currently in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King credited today’s sentence to the investigative efforts of the FBI and CMPD. Assistant United States Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: কুইন্স ম্যান রিয়েল এস্টেট জালিয়াতি স্কিমের জন্য দোষী সাব্যস্ত হয়েছেন

body_text: আজকের আগে, ব্রুকলিনের ফেডারেল আদালতে, রাশিদুন বোখারী (Rashidun Bokhari) একটি কথিত রিয়েল এস্টেট বিনিয়োগ প্রকল্প থেকে উদ্ভূত ওয়্যার জালিয়াতির জন্য দোষী সাব্যস্ত হয়েছেন। বোখারী-কে 2022 সালের অক্টোবরে গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়েছিল। মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের জেলা জজ পামেলা কে. চেন (Pamela K. Chen)-এর সম্মুখে আজকের কার্যক্রম অনুষ্ঠিত হয়। দণ্ডিত হলে, বোখারী-কে 20 বছরের কারাদণ্ডের সম্মুখীন হতে হয়। নিউ ইয়র্কের ইস্টার্ন ডিস্ট্রিক্টের ইউনাইটেড স্টেট অ্যাটর্নি ব্রিয়ন পিস দোষী সাব্যস্ত করার ঘোষণা দিয়েছেন। কোর্ট ফাইলিংয়ে উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে, সেপ্টেম্বর 2015 এবং এপ্রিল 2018 এর মধ্যে, বোখারী ভুক্তভোগীকে লং আইল্যান্ড সিটি এবং কুইন্সের অ্যাস্টোরিয়াতে অবস্থিত চারটি ভিন্ন রিয়েল এস্টেট সম্পত্তিতে প্রায় 935,000 মার্কিন ডলার বিনিয়োগ করতে প্ররোচিত করেছিলেন। বোখারী মিথ্যা দাবি করেছেন যে কথিত রিয়েল এস্টেট লেনদেনে তার বিনিয়োগের বিনিময়ে, ভুক্তভোগী বিনিয়োগকারী সম্পত্তিতে 50 শতাংশ মালিকানা পাবেন। বোখারী রিয়েল এস্টেট লেনদেনের নথি জাল করেছেন যা তিনি ভুক্তভোগী বিনিয়োগকারীকে প্রদান করেছিলেন। প্রায় 1 মিলিয়ন মার্কিন ডলার পাওয়ার পরে, বিবাদী বিদেশে তহবিল স্থানান্তর, বন্ধকী এবং জীবন বিমায় পেমেন্ট এবং এটিএম থেকে নগদ উত্তোলন সহ তার নিজের ব্যক্তিগত ব্যবহারের জন্য অর্থ অপব্যবহার করেন। তার আবেদনের চুক্তির অংশ হিসাবে, বোখারী ভুক্তভোগীকে 935,000 মার্কিন ডলার পরিমাণ ক্ষতিপূরণ দিতে সম্মত হয়েছেন। সরকারের তদন্তে আরো জানা গেছে যে 20 ডিসেম্বর 2020 এবং মে 2022 এর মধ্যে, বোখারী কুইন্সে আরো দুইজন ভুক্তভোগীকে প্রতারণার জন্য একটি পৃথক স্কিমে নিযুক্ত ছিলেন। তার আবেদন চুক্তির অংশ হিসাবে, বোখারী এই দুই ভুক্তভোগীকে 191,100 মার্কিন ডলার পরিমাণ ক্ষতিপূরণ দিতে সম্মত হয়েছেন। বোখারী এর দ্বারা ভুক্তভোগীরা বাঙালি বংশোদ্ভূত এবং তিনি তার স্কিমের জন্য তাদের শেয়ার করা জাতিগত পটভূমিকে কাজে লাগিয়েছেন। যারা মনে করেন যে তারা বোখারী এর দ্বারা সংঘটিত অপরাধের শিকার হয়েছেন, তাদেরকে মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের নিম্নোক্ত অ্যাটর্নি অফিসে যোগাযোগ করতে বলা হয়েছে এই ঠিকানায় https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/report-crime সরকারের মামলাটি ব্যবসা এবং সিকিউরিটিজ জালিয়াতি সেকশনের অফিস দ্বারা পরিচালিত হচ্ছে। যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সহকারি অ্যাটর্নি লরেন বোম্যান (Lauren Bowman) প্রসিকিউশনের দায়িত্বে রয়েছেন এবং তদন্তের নেতৃত্বে ছিলেন নিউ ইয়র্কের ইস্টার্ন ডিস্ট্রিক্টের বিশেষ এজেন্ট মার্টিন সুলিভান (Martin Sullivan)। বিবাদী : রাশিদুন বোখারী বয়স 57 অ্যাস্টোরিয়া, কুইন্স (Astoria, Queens) E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-58 (PKC)


title: Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Real Estate Fraud Scheme

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rashidun Bokhari pleaded guilty to wire fraud stemming from a purported real estate investment scheme. Bokhari was arrested in October 2022. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, Bokhari faces up to 20 years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. As set forth in court filings, between September 2015 and April 2018, Bokhari induced the victim to invest approximately $935,000 in four different real estate properties located in Long Island City and Astoria in Queens. Bokhari falsely claimed that in exchange for his investment in the purported real estate transactions, the victim investor would receive a 50 percent ownership in the properties. Bokhari fabricated real estate transaction documents which he provided to the victim investor. After receiving almost $1 million, the defendant misappropriated the money for his own personal use, including transferring funds overseas, making mortgage and life insurance payments, and withdrawing cash from ATMs. As part of his plea agreement, Bokhari has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $935,000 to the victim. The government’s investigation also revealed that between December 20, 2020 and May 2022, Bokhari engaged in a separate scheme to defraud two additional victims in Queens. As part of his plea agreement, Bohkari has agreed to pay these two victims restitution in the amount of $191,100. Bokhari’s victims are of Bengali descent and he exploited their shared ethnic background in furtherance of his schemes. Anyone who believes they are a victim of a crime committed by Bokhari is asked to contact the United States Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/report-crime The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Bowman is in charge of the prosecution and the investigation was led by Special Agent Martin Sullivan of the Eastern District of New York. The Defendant : RASHIDUN BOKHARI Age: 57 Astoria, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-58 (PKC)


title: North Carolina Man Charged with $7 Million Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A North Carolina man was indicted today on wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering charges related to a $7 million investment fraud Ponzi scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. David Schamens, 65, of Greensboro, North Carolina, is charged by indictment with seven counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and seven counts of money laundering. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Starting in 2014, Schamens fraudulently solicited investments in various entities he controlled, including TD Trading LLC, TFG Trading Fund LLC, Tradestream Analytics LTD, Tradedesk Financial Group Inc., and others, under the promise of annual rates of return of 12 to 30 percent. In 2019, Schamens began to solicit investment in Tradestream Algo Fund, an algorithm-based trading pool that he claimed to have developed. In each instance, Schamens directed investors to wire funds directly or to transfer portions of their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to bank accounts he controlled. Schamens often moved victim funds through several different bank accounts before he ultimately used the funds for some non-investment related purpose. Schamens took several steps to keep his customers’ trust, including sending false account statements; posting false monthly account statements to his companies’ websites showing balances for trading accounts that did not exist; and sending false tax documents reporting earnings that did not exist. Schamens allegedly misappropriated $7 million from at least 25 different individuals, using some of that money to repay earlier investors in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and to pay personal expenses. The count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of securities fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million. The count of money laundering carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Torntore, chief of the Cybercrime Unit, and Sophie E. Reiter of the Cybercrime Unit. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. schamens.indictment.pdf


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former Franklin Man for Sexually Exploiting a Child by Producing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a two-count indictment on March 15, 2023, charging a former Franklin, Kentucky, man with sexual exploitation of a child by producing child pornography and possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to the indictment, Clint Culverhouse, 33, currently of Paducah, Kentucky, formerly of Franklin, Kentucky, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child by producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The defendant made his initial court appearance on March 17, 2023, before a U. S. Magistrate Judge of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Bowling Green. Culverhouse faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the FBI Paducah Satellite Office with assistance from the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Atlantic County Doctor Admits Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, doctor today admitted his role in defrauding New Jersey state and local health benefits programs and other insurers by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced. Brian Sokalsky, 44, of Margate, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud. Sokalsky, pharmaceutical sales representative Vincent Tornari, 49, of Linwood, New Jersey, and former advanced nurse practitioner Ashley Lyons-Valenti, 66, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, were charged in a 33-count indictment in June 2020. Tornari pleaded guilty on March 14, 2023, and Lyons-Valenti pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2023, to their respective roles in the conspiracy. According to court documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Although compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient. The conspirators learned that certain medications made by compounding pharmacies reimbursed for up to thousands of dollars for an individual’s one-month supply. They learned that certain insurance plans – including insurance plans for state and local government employees and certain other insurance plans – covered these medications. Sokalsky agreed to authorize prescriptions for former pharmaceutical sales representative Matthew Tedesco, 47, of Linwood, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy in June 2017, and others working with Tedesco. In exchange for authorizing those prescriptions, Tedesco referred approximately 30 patients to Sokalsky’s new medical practice. Sokalsky, in turn, billed insurance for patient visits for those people steered to his practice by Tedesco. Sokalsky also authorized prescriptions for the medications for existing patients of his practice, which he did to financially benefit Tedesco and encourage him to refer more patients to his new practice. Sokalsky authorized medically unnecessary medications, including libido creams for young females and excessive quantities of the medications with the maximum number of refills selected. When insurance stopped covering certain formulations of the medications, Tedesco informed Sokalsky that he needed to authorize new prescriptions. Sokalsky did so, often without seeing the individual for a follow-up visit or informing the person of the change in medication. In total, insurance paid more than $5 million for fraudulent prescriptions authorized by Sokalsky. Sokalsky faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 22, 2023. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Christina O. Hud, Senior Trial Counsel in the Health Care Fraud Unit; R. David Walk, Jr., Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman. sokalsky.sinformation.pdf


title: Fontana Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Scams that Defrauded His Romantic Partners and Others

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for defrauding eight women – some of whom he developed romantic relationships with – and nine businesses and then laundering the proceeds of his scheme, the Justice Department announced today. Ze’Shawn Stanley Campbell, 35, formerly of Irvine but who now resides in Fontana, was sentenced late Monday afternoon by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who said at the hearing that Campbell’s conduct showed a “shocking level of disrespect for the law” as well as a lack of contrition. Campbell pleaded guilty in October 2022 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. From April 2014 to April 2020, Campbell convinced his victims that he was reliable by befriending them and starting romantic relationships with them. To enhance his purported creditworthiness in their eyes, he told them lies, such as falsely saying that he had millions of dollars and operated successful businesses, including McDonald’s franchises, a security company, and a chain of gyms in Texas. Campbell also boosted his stature with the victims by falsely telling them he was a successful investor in real estate and Bitcoin, as well as claiming he had served as a Navy SEAL in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Once he convinced his victims of his bona fides, Campbell would induce them to provide money and property to him, claiming that he would use the victims’ money and property to support his businesses, fund investments made on the victims’ behalf and pay his purported medical bills. Rather than using the victims’ money as he promised he would, he instead used it to pay personal expenses and to buy luxury items for himself. For example, in December 2017, one victim wrote Campbell a check for $61,452, which Campbell deposited via interstate wires into a Wells Fargo bank account he controlled. Campbell promised the victim that the money would be used for an investment in Bitcoin on the victim’s behalf. Instead, Campbell spent the money on himself, including by making payments on a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz that he had leased in a different victim’s name. Campbell caused 17 different victims, including eight individuals and nine companies to suffer significant financial losses. Judge Scarsi found that the losses caused by Campbell’s criminal conduct exceeded $550,000. He will set a hearing to determine the exact amount of restitution that will be owed to the victims. “[Campbell] is a con man and a predator,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He develops romantic relationships with his victims and then, exploiting the intimacy and trust he cultivates, lies to them to get their money…But the harms [Campbell] caused go further than these significant financial losses. The harms include the serious emotional damage…which [Campbell] inflicted on his victims. Most of [Campbell’s] individual victims were women he began dating, encouraging their affection only to exploit it and leave their self-esteem, as well as their finances, in tatters.” The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein, Chief of the Major Frauds Section, prosecuted this case.