title: Federal Jury in Bridgeport Finds 4 Members of Violent Waterbury Gang Guilty

body_text: A federal jury in Bridgeport today found TAHJAY LOVE , also known as “Goon,” 25; ZAEKWON McDANIEL , also known as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” 25; MALIK BAYON , also known as “Pop” and “Dirt,” 27; and JAMES GRAHAM , also known as “Little Cuz,” 24, guilty of offenses related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang. Today's announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo. In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Love, McDaniel, Bayon, and Graham, and 12 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses. According to the evidence presented during the trial: On October 31, 2017, 960 members were involved in a drive-by shooting in the area of Porter Street and Bank Street in Waterbury in an attempt to murder members of a rival gang. An individual was shot and wounded in the shooting. Investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different firearms at the scene, and also identified the car used by the assailants. McDaniel’s DNA was found on the steering wheel of the car. On November 22, 2017, McDaniel, Bayon, and Love shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury. Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury. Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene. Shell casings connected two of firearms used during the shooting to the shooting that occurred on October 31, 2017, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine that was dropped at the restaurant. On December 29, 2017, shortly before 9:00 p.m., McDaniel shot and injured the father of a rival gang member who was taking out the trash in front of his residence. 960 members videoed themselves wearing masks at the scene minutes before the shooting. On October 19, 2019, Love and Graham, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s admitted role in the November 22, 2017, shooting that resulted in the deaths of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos. The jury found Love, McDaniel, and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances that they killed Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos in the course of a single event, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence. The jury also found McDaniel guilty of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Love and Graham guilty of obstruction of justice; and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Love, McDaniel, and Bayon face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and Graham faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. “We thank the jury for its thoughtful analysis of the evidence presented during this lengthy trial,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “960 gang members murdered and attempted to murder both rival gang members and innocent victims alike. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to using federal law enforcement resources to dismantle violent groups in Waterbury and other cities in Connecticut, and prosecute those responsible for the drug trafficking and persistent acts of gun violence that torment the communities in which they operate. I thank the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its close cooperation in prosecuting this matter, and the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department for their excellent work and partnership during this long investigation.” “This case serves as an important illustration of the importance of cooperation and the sharing of information between various federal and state agencies,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt. “We are extremely thankful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has put forward to aid in the prosecution of these serious and violent offenders. I am also very proud and grateful of the hard work, dedication ,and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office including Supervisor Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo, and Inspector Michael Slavin, and the Waterbury Police Department led by Chief Fernando Spagnolo, which led to today’s verdicts.” This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: “Logistics coordinator” sent to prison for drug trafficking

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 33-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced for her convictions of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to do so, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera deliberated for three days before convicting Brenda Banessa Leal March 7, 2023. The bench trial began Feb. 27, 2023, and concluded March 1, 2023. Judge Olvera has now ordered Leal to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Leal’s testimony at trial was not credible and the evidence against her led to her conviction. During trial, the court heard evidence that since at least 2018, Leal assisted several family members who were part of a drug trafficking organization. She helped transport narcotics, primarily cocaine, from Mexico to Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. The drugs were hidden in the rear differential in tractor trailers. Several members of the organization reside in Cadereyta, Nuevo Leon, Mexico where Leal has lived the majority of her adult life. She also assisted family members in transporting bulk cash money, ammunition and weapons to Mexico. The court saw evidence of text and WhatsApp messages between co-conspirators, jail call recordings and videos detailing Leal’s criminal actions. The investigation revealed that between February 2021 and June 2021, Leal was the logistics coordinator of the drug trafficking organization. In that role, she coordinated drivers, dealers and cover loads on this side of the border. In June 2021, while Leal and co-conspirators were preparing to unload a tractor truck that contained approximately 33 kilograms of cocaine, the organization got robbed (“ripped”) of the cocaine by another drug trafficking organization. Authorities apprehended that group shortly after stealing the cocaine from Leal. The defense attempted to convince the judge that Leal did not have knowledge of the cocaine that was hidden in the tractor trailer and was simply a victim of the “rip crew.” Judge Olvera did not believe those claims and found Leal guilty as charged. Leal will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Alejandra Andrade and former AUSA Ed Rodriguez prosecuted the case.


title: New York Man Admits Role in Theft from Retired Woman’s Bank Account

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MAVANI COLEMAN, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of bank fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Gregory Ivy, of New Haven, began working for a retired woman (“the victim”), doing odd jobs for her. In October 2018, Ivy began to steal checks from the victim’s checkbook while in her home. He then wrote checks payable to himself, forged the victim’s signature on the checks, and deposited the checks into his personal credit union account. Ivy subsequently gave stolen blank checks on which he had forged the victim’s signature to Coleman, and Coleman filled in the name of the payee and the amount to be paid. Ivy and Coleman initially agreed that they would arrange to deposit the checks into other persons’ bank accounts, and Ivy would receive half of the proceeds. Coleman, who worked with others to cash or deposit the stolen checks, would kick back to Ivy amounts typically ranging from $500 to $800. At times, Ivy did not receive his agreed-upon share of the proceeds. Coleman also used the routing number and account number of the victim’s bank account to arrange electronic funds transfers (EFTs) from the victim’s account to make payments for himself, his business, his family members, and other friends and acquaintances. Coleman worked with other individuals, including Lamont Bethea, to cash or deposit stolen checks on which Ivy had forged the victim’s signature, and Bethea also used the routing and account number to arrange EFTs from the victim’s account to make payments for himself and others. Bethea also provided the routing and bank account numbers to other individuals so they could arrange similar EFTs for themselves and others from the victim’s account. Coleman, Ivy, Bethea and other participants attempted to obtain a total of $624,818.28 from the victim’s bank account. Because the victim’s bank account became overdrawn, some attempted check deposits or EFTs were reversed, resulting in a loss to the victim of $479,569.08. Coleman personally stole $33,869 from the victim during his involvement in the scheme, and family members and associates of Coleman were responsible for the theft of $248,423.09 from the account. Coleman was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 6, 2023. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing. Ivy and Bethea previously pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of Bank of America. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon. The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope .


title: Brooklyn Man Convicted for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Over 50 Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brooklyn man was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in which he transported dozens of kilograms of cocaine from New York to Boston. Dinelson Hernandez-Rodriguez, 30, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2024. Hernandez-Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury along with nine others in October 2021. In October 2019, an investigation began into a DTO trafficking cocaine and fentanyl in Boston and Taunton. Intercepted communications established that the DTO was supplied in part by individuals in New York. In August 2020, Hernandez-Rodriguez drove from New York to Hyde Park with kilograms of cocaine hidden in a trap compartment inside his car. One day prior, a co-conspirator also transported kilograms of cocaine from New York to Hyde Park. In total, Hernandez-Rodriguez and his co-conspirator transported more than 50 kilograms of cocaine intended for distribution in Boston. After cocaine was distributed in the Boston area, Hernandez-Rodriguez attempted to transport $240,240 in drug proceeds – again, hidden in the trap inside his car – back to New York but was intercepted by law enforcement. Hernandez-Rodriguez is the ninth defendant to be convicted in this case, either by guilty plea or following a jury trial. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police and the Boston, Taunton and Stratford (Conn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Middlesex County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation, Online Enticement, and Child Pornography

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for allegedly inducing a minor to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos and engaging in sexually explicit conduct over an online chat platform, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jeremy Greenwald, 45, of South Amboy, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Greenwald appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From May 2022 through February 2023, Greenwald used an online chat application to communicate with a minor victim located outside of New Jersey. At Greenwald’s request, the minor victim created and sent Greenwald over the online platform images and videos of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He directed the victim to perform certain sexual activities, even using items Greenwald had purchased and sent the victim to use during the videos, including sex toys and costumes. Greenwald also paid the victim to produce and send to Greenwald the images and videos of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The sexual exploitation charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of online enticement carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. greenwald.complaint.pdf


title: Jackson Man Arrested for Illegal Possession of  Machinegun Conversion Device a/k/a Switch

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

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was arrested today and taken into federal custody for illegal possession of a machinegun by possessing a Glock pistol that had a machinegun conversion device (MCD) attached to it, commonly known as a “switch.” According to court documents, on Friday, February 9, 2024, Kylin Demond Russell, 22, led Capitol Police officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of up to 120 mph, after failing to yield for a traffic stop. When his vehicle ultimately came to a stop, he attempted to flee on foot, was detained, and two Glock pistols with attached MCDs were found in the vehicle. Capitol Police contacted the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The vehicle driven by Russell appears to match the description of a vehicle seen in a video, taken by a citizen in Jackson and widely distributed on-line, showing a person firing a weapon from the vehicle. Russell had his initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge. He was denied bond and ordered detained. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the ATF and Capitol Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case. This arrest is a result of Operation Unified and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), both of which are coordinated efforts between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies. Agencies participating in Operation Unified include the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Narcotics, Capitol Police and Office of Homeland Security; the Jackson Police Department; the Hinds County District Attorney and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office; the Mississippi Department of Corrections; and the FBI, DEA, and ATF, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The PSN Program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Firearm Offenses Richard Wagner , age 25, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 14. According to court documents, on Mar. 13, 2023, the defendant was stopped for a traffic violation by the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP). As the WHP trooper approached the vehicle, he noticed that Wagner was trying to conceal something in the backseat. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock pistol and 9.1 grams of cocaine. Having been previously convicted of a felony, Wagner is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The defendant pled guilty to the charge on Nov. 20, 2023. This crime was investigated by WHP and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom. Domestic Violence Xander Noah Miller , age 20, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation for assault by striking, beating, or wounding. Senior U.S. District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Feb. 12. According to court documents, the defendant and the victim were seasonal employees in Yellowstone National Park and lived in employee housing. Park Rangers were called to their residence for a domestic violence disturbance. The defendant admitted to fighting with the victim and pled guilty on Nov. 11, 2023. The crime was investigated by the National Park Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien Sergio Bucio-Cuellar, age 57, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced to time served, plus up to 10 days to allow for deportation, for illegal re-entry into the United States of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, on Dec. 7, 2023, the defendant was arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department for aggravated assault and battery, bodily injury with a weapon, and strangulation of a household member. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that Bucio-Cuellar had been previously deported and was in the United States illegally. The state charges were dismissed when federal charges were filed. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Feb 14. About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Environmental Justice The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Project Safe Neighborhoods Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. Victim Witness Assistance The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking


title: Baltimore Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Dealing in Firearms

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Mark Ryals, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlicensed dealing in firearms. 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 Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department. According to his guilty plea, in early July 2021, law enforcement received information that Ryals was illegally selling firearms from his residence in Baltimore. That month, an undercover law enforcement agent asked Ryals to sell him firearms. Ryals agreed to make the sale and on July 15, 2021, Ryals sold the undercover officer two privately manufactured 9mm pistols and a .17 caliber firearm silencer for $2,250. Ryals knew that he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a final protective order that was served on him on June 30, 2021. Ryals also knew that he didn’t have a license to deal or sell firearms. According to court documents, between July 15 and August 11, 2021, Ryals sold firearms to undercover law enforcement personnel on six separate occasions, resulting in the purchase of 21 additional firearms from the defendant. As detailed in the plea agreement, on August 12, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ryals’ residence and recovered two privately manufactured 9mm pistols, one of which was equipped with a large capacity magazine; a short barreled 12-gauge shotgun with no serial number; a .22 caliber firearm; 237 rounds of assorted ammunition and $1,190 in cash, most of which was ATF funds used in the controlled purchases. Additionally, officers recovered firearms accessories and tools used in the creation of privately manufactured firearms, including a Dremel press with red plastic shavings on it. Ryals waived his Miranda rights and agreed to an interview with law enforcement, during which Ryals admitted that he had been making firearms and selling them. 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. Attorney Jacob Gordin, 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: Romance Scammers Accused of Taking More than Love from Victims, Approximately $8M

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment today charging seven defendants in a romance scam that cost victims around the United States and the world $8 million in losses. The announcement, made on Valentine’s Day, comes as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts with law enforcement partners to raise awareness and prevent these crimes from taking place. Romance Scam PSA . According to court documents, the defendants include, Bolanle Christina Odeyale, 39, Forney, Texas; Oghenemine Jeffrey Agbroko, 34, of Nigeria; Charles Owhonigho Emurotu, 40, of Ontario, Canada; Jimmy Iwezu, 44, of Forney, Texas; Lori Tsoritse, 38, of Nigeria; Christopher Onyedikachi Okereke, 38, of Nigeria; and Rukevwe Solomon Ologban, 44, of Grand Prairie, Texas. As alleged in the indictment, from March 2018 through June 2019, the defendants worked with a group of individuals in the District of Utah, aka the Utah Money Transmitters, who agreed to help overseas operators launder money obtained from the romance scheme. The primary operators of the alleged romance scams are known as the “Yahoo boys,” and operated in Nigeria. The defendants either helped the Utah Money Transmitters source opportunities to work with Yahoo boys or helped them to transmit the fraud proceeds from the District of Utah to other places within the United States or abroad. Ultimately, the goal of the money laundering activities was to transmit the criminal proceeds to the Yahoo boys overseas, while paying a share of the financial gains to those who help move the funds along the way. As alleged in the indictment, the Yahoo boys typically created a fictitious online persona and used the false persona to pursue online relationships with potential targets of the scam. Once gaining the victims’ trust, the Yahoo boys would use a false pretense, such as a need to buy a laptop for a child in college, the need to repair equipment, pay an emergency medical expense or debt to the government. Many of the victims were elderly and lost their life savings, family inheritances and retirement funds. In return for their generosity, the victims were often promised the money would be returned. An essential role in the romance scam was the Utah Money Transmitters. By operating in the District of Utah, they opened accounts at United States financial institutions to be used to collect money from victims and to distribute money to the coconspirators, to conceal the ultimate destination of the funds and the Yahoo boys’ location and identities. The defendants are charged with various federal crimes, including wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. Their initial court appearance on the indictment will be scheduled for a later date and held before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. Lesueur of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. The FBI encourages those engaged in online relationships to review and become familiar with information about romance scams on its website FBI.gov. Additionally, if you or someone you know has been a victim, file a complaint with the FBI at .ic3.gov . For more information on romance scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams . 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: Salt Lake City Man Accused of Carjacking a U.S. Postal Service Truck and Causing Multiple Car Accidents is Arrested and Charged

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment today charging a Salt Lake City man with federal crimes after he allegedly carjacked a U.S. Postal Service truck from a postal employee and drove recklessly through Davis County. According to court documents, Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 32, a foreign national living in Salt Lake City, Utah stole a U.S. Postal Service mail truck at 594 North Redwood Road in Salt Lake City, on Feb. 5, 2024. According to witnesses, who called Salt Lake City Police Department, a suspicious man, later identified as Hernandez, was checking door handles and breaking into vehicles in the area. Upon officers’ arrival, witnesses and a postal employee told officers Hernandez had stolen his mail truck. When the postal employee saw Hernandez in his truck, and told Hernandez to get out of his vehicle, Hernandez pointed a knife at him and threatened him and other witnesses. One witness attempted to hit Hernandez with a piece of wood, but Hernandez was able to start the mail truck, using the keys that had been left in the vehicle, and flee from the area. The mail truck contained mail including letters and packages. According to the complaint, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and postal employees tracked the stolen mail truck using GPS technology. Hernandez then drove recklessly through Davis County and was involved in several minor traffic accidents with other vehicles. The mail truck was located and stopped by assisting police officers in Davis County. Hernandez was subsequently taken into custody after refusing to get out of the mail truck. Several items within the mail truck were damaged, discarded or destroyed. Hernandez is charged with carjacking, mail theft, and theft of government property. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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: Sioux City Man Sentenced for Theft of Government Funds

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Steven M. Woodall, 64, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, was sentenced February 14, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for theft of government funds. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Woodall to four years of probation. Woodall is also required to pay restitution in the amount of $50,540. Woodall applied for benefits from the Social Security Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration. Based in part on statements provided by Woodall, he was determined to be 100% disabled due to being legally blind and he began receiving benefits. Law enforcement agents discovered Woodall maintained a Nebraska driver’s license during the period when he was received disability benefits due to blindness. As they investigated his claims, the agents further discovered that Woodall had obtained a Nebraska concealed handgun carry permit. That permit requires the person to possess at least the same level of sight as is required to obtain a driver’s license, and the person must pass a written test and a shooting test to demonstrate accuracy with a firearm. Local police reports also listed Woodall as a witness to a few events reported to police in South Sioux City, Nebraska. During surveillance, agents regularly observed Woodall driving and walking around without difficulty and without any aids. An eye examination was performed on August 13, 2020, to determine Woodall’s eligibility for benefits. Woodall was observed by agents driving approximately 86 miles from his home in South Sioux City, Nebraska to the facility where the eye exam was to take place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The agents also observed his wife riding as a passenger in the vehicle. Woodall drove to the facility without any apparent difficulty, parked his car, and then walked to the front door and into the facility without any assistance or aids. During the eye exam, Woodall reported that due to his blindness, he was unable to drive. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.


title: Acusadas 17 personas por plan de contrabando de fentanilo y otras drogas ocultas en extintores a través de la frontera entre EE. UU. y México

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ÁNGELES – Esta tarde está programada una audiencia de acusación formal para el último inculpado al que se arrestó en virtud de la determinación de un jurado de acusación federal, que alega la existencia de un plan para ingresar fentanilo, metanfetaminas y heroína por contrabando desde México a Estados Unidos. Estos narcóticos habrían sido introducidos en extintores de incendios y ocultos en cargamentos de chatarra. La organización de narcotráfico utilizó camiones con acoplado para importar extintores rellenos con drogas a través de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, según surge de documentos judiciales. Durante la investigación, que se extendió por dos años y recibió el nombre de Operación “Smoke Jumpers”, las autoridades realizaron 13 incautaciones en las que se obtuvieron cerca de 680.992 píldoras de fentanilo, 3 kilogramos de polvo de fentanilo, 17 kilogramos de heroína y 10.418 píldoras que contenían metanfetaminas. Nueve acusados fueron arrestados durante operativos policiales que comenzaron el 8 de febrero y continuaron durante el día lunes. Un acusado ya se encontraba bajo custodia de las autoridades estatales. Hay otros siete acusados que están prófugos y se cree que se encuentran en México. “Estos acusados usaron una red sofisticada para el contrabando de grandes cantidades de fentanilo a nuestro país”, señaló el fiscal federal Martin Estrada. “Sabemos que cada píldora de fentanilo puede ser letal, pero a estos acusados no les importaba la destrucción generalizada que estaban causando. Nuestra institución seguirá trabajando de manera inteligente y enérgica para llevar ante la justicia a organizaciones internacionales de narcotráfico”. “La autoridades de aplicación de la ley siguen estando a la altura de los desafíos que plantean las organizaciones de narcotráfico cuyos miembros siempre encuentran nuevas formas de ocultar las sustancias venenosas que importan de México a ciudades y pueblos en Estados Unidos”, expresó Amir Ehsaei, director adjunto interino a cargo de la Oficina de Campo del FBI en Los Ángeles. “El FBI y nuestros socios en el Equipo Especial están buscando a siete fugitivos en relación con este caso y piden que toda persona que tenga información sobre su paradero se ponga en contacto con el FBI”. La imputación formal, que consta de 15 cargos, se publicó el 8 de febrero y acusa a varias personas de cargos de tráfico de drogas y conspiración para el lavado de dinero. Los nueve acusados que fueron arrestados son: Oscar Ahumada Leyva, de 43 años, de México; Miguel Antonio Rabago Valenzuela, de 42 años, de México; Gustavo Rivero Rodríguez, de 39 años, de México; Carlos Espinoza, de 38 años, de Alhambra; Erick Roque Ángeles, de 39 años, de Fontana; David Sánchez Balderas, 26 años, de Denver; Fernando Salgado, de 36 años, de Riverside; Rocío Guadalupe Acevedo Tonche, de 32 años, de Ontario; y Efren Quibrera Espinoza, de 29 años, de Cudahy. Seis de los acusados quedaron bajo custodia en las regiones de Los Ángeles e Inland Empire. Cinco de esos acusados han sido imputados formalmente, se declararon no culpables y se dispuso su vinculación a juicio el 2 de abril. Está previsto que Erick Roque Ángeles sea imputado formalmente en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito en Los Ángeles hoy más tarde. Un décimo acusado —Toniel Báez-Duarte, de 33 años, oriundo de Apple Valley— ya se encontraba bajo custodia de las autoridades estatales. Conforme a una orden que autoriza a examinar un teléfono incautado cuando Carlos Espinoza fue arrestado la semana pasada, la investigación se centró en Carin Trucking, una organización perteneciente a Leyva y con sede en San Diego que operaba al menos seis camiones con acoplado que ingresaban habitualmente a Estados Unidos desde México para llevar a cabo la entrega de presuntos narcóticos en el área de Los Ángeles. Las drogas, que incluían píldoras falsificadas conteniendo fentanilo se encontraban ocultas en extintores inicialmente disimulados como de chatarra y, posteriormente, en extintores que simulaban ser legítimos, según indica la orden de registro presentada el lunes. “Los investigadores han observado múltiples transacciones de drogas que involucran a conductores de camiones y sus camiones con acoplado”, según indica una declaración jurada en apoyo a la orden de registro. “El conductor del camión conducía a Estados Unidos desde México y cruzaba la frontera, generalmente llevando una carga de chatarra, pero oculto entre la chatarra se encontraba un extintor que contenía drogas. El conductor del camión se dirigía entonces a Los Ángeles para reunirse con un mensajero, quien recogería los extintores cargados con drogas para su ulterior distribución”. En el documento de acusación formal se exponen señalamientos de que un inculpado ha cometido un delito. Se presume que todo acusado es inocente hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad en un tribunal de justicia. La acusación alega dos cargos de conspiración relacionada con narcóticos y 12 delitos de tenencia de drogas, para cada uno de los cuales se prevé una pena mínima obligatoria de 10 años en una prisión federal y posible pena perpetua. El cargo 15, que alega la existencia de una conspiración con fines de lavado de dinero, conlleva una pena máxima de 20 años de prisión. La Operación Smoke Jumpers fue dirigida por el Equipo Especial del FBI en Los Ángeles, que es parte de una Iniciativa de Equipos Especiales de los Grupos Operativos contra las Drogas y la Criminalidad Organizada (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, OCDETF) y prevé el establecimiento de grupos operativos permanentes de carácter interinstitucional que trabajan codo a codo en el mismo lugar. Este modelo de ubicación compartida permite que agentes de diferentes organismos colaboren en operaciones en múltiples jurisdicciones basadas en datos de inteligencia para interceptar y desarticular a los traficantes de drogas, responsables de lavado de dinero, bandas y organizaciones delictivas transnacionales más importantes. Además del FBI, participaron en la investigación la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de EE. UU., el Departamento de Policía de South Gate, el sector de Investigación Penal del IRS e Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional. La Administración para el Control de Drogas, la Patrulla de Carreteras de California, el Departamento de Policía de Pasadena, el Equipo Regional Interior de Control de Narcóticos del Departamento de Alguaciles del Condado de San Bernardino, el Departamento de Policía de Alhambra, el Departamento de Policía de Rialto y el Departamento de Policía de Fontana proporcionaron asistencia fundamental. Los fiscales federales auxiliares Christopher C. Kendall y Jehan Pernas de la Sección de Narcóticos Internacionales, Lavado de Dinero y Extorsión impulsan la acción penal en esta causa.


title: Fort Wayne Man Convicted of Drug and Firearms Offenses

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Payne T. Randle, 40 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was found guilty of drug trafficking and firearms offenses following a three-day jury trial, presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A Brady, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Randle by a separate court order. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Allen County Drug Task Force, the Allen County Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Justin C. Sheridan. 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: Michigan Man Convicted of Firearms Offense

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Shauntay Wade, 43 years old, of Niles, Michigan, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon following a three-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Wade is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2024. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Mishawaka Police Department and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah T Jones and Katelan McKenzie Doyle. 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: Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Approximately $10 Million from a New Hampshire-Based Investment Company

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Guatemalan man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to stealing approximately $10 million from a New Hampshire-based investment company, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Roberto Montano, a/k/a Jorge Roberto Montano Midence, a/k/a Roberto Pellegrini, a/k/a Alberto Yardi, 58, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024. Montano was charged by complaint in 2015 and was indicted in 2021. Montano is a Guatemalan citizen who managed two forestry projects in Guatemala for a New Hampshire-based investment adviser between 2007 and 2014. Beginning in approximately late 2009, Montano embezzled the projects' funds by (1) diverting cash and concealing the diversions using altered bank and financial statements; (2) mortgaging the projects’ properties without authorization and investing the proceeds in failed business ventures; and (3) stealing teak forestry subsidies paid by the Guatemalan government. To conceal his embezzlement, Montano altered or deleted entries in financial statements and moved funds back-and-forth between accounts during audits. For example, the defendant provided the victim a false bank statement reporting that one of the bank accounts had a cash balance of approximately $1,147,604 when it actually had a zero balance. After Montano was alerted to an investigation into the fraud in 2014, he participated in a Skype call with the victim in which he admitted to embezzling funds “many years ago.” He admitted he “cooked the books” and “illegally” mortgaged properties. Montano was in Miami at the time and promised that he would travel to New England. He also said he would not flee and added, “If I have to go to prison, I’ll go to prison.” The defendant instead fled the United States for Guatemala. While in Guatemala, the defendant participated in another call with the victim where he again admitted to embezzlement and fraud totaling approximately $10 million. However, the defendant was also wanted by Guatemalan authorities, and he moved to Nicaragua, where he has been living for several years under an alias. Most recently, Montano was known as “Alberto Yardi,” a purported life coach and yoga instructor. Since 2014, the FBI was actively engaged in efforts to locate and arrest Montano. Montano was ultimately arrested on November 1, 2023, at Miami International Airport. Once he was taken into custody, Montano provided law enforcement a five-page document admitting his guilt. The first two sentences read, “I am guilty. I abused the trust [the victim] placed in me.” The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount stolen, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. FBI is leading the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), Republic of Guatemala, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Panama City, Panama, the FBI Miami Field Office, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. State Department, specifically the U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, and the Embassy of Italy in Managua, Nicaragua. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young Announces the Appointment of the First Dedicated Civil Rights Assistant U.S. Attorney

body_text: CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces the appointment of Matthew Vicinanzo as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA). AUSA Vicinanzo will handle civil and criminal Civil Rights matters in the District of New Hampshire. “Assistant U.S. Attorney Vicinanzo comes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a breadth of experience from private practice,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “Matt is a New Hampshire native who cares deeply about our communities. He is eager to expand the Civil Rights practice in this Office, and further support the civil and constitutional rights of Granite Staters.” Most recently, AUSA Vicinanzo represented clients in civil and criminal matters as Counsel at Crowell & Moring LLP, where he handled investigations and litigation related to the federal False Claims Act, anti-fraud statutes, and complex commercial disputes. AUSA Vicinanzo clerked for United States Chief Judge Jeffrey R. Howard, and he attended Georgetown University Law Center. AUSA Vicinanzo is expected to investigate and prosecute civil and criminal Civil Rights matters. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was allocated two new attorney positions to address civil rights, and domestic terrorism/violent crime in New Hampshire. An AUSA focused on domestic terrorism and violent crime was appointed in October 2023. ###


title: Tse Bonito Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gerald Lee was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Lee, 37, of Tse Bonito, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor on Aug. 9, 2023. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Lee on Oct. 12, 2022. According to publicly available court documents, on May 15, 2021, when he was 35 years old, Lee forcibly raped the 15-year-old victim, Jane Doe, at his mother’s house within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. Afterwards, Lee warned Jane Doe not to tell anybody about what he had done, but Jane Doe eventually told a teacher and counselor at her school. Lee initially claimed that he and Jane Doe were in a consensual sexual relationship and that he was intoxicated at the time of the incident before ultimately admitting that he raped Jane Doe. Upon his release from prison, Lee will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case. # # # 24-66


title: Los Lunas Man Who Shot New Mexico State Police Officer in 2022 Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Caleb Elledge pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Elledge, 26, of Los Lunas, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. A federal grand jury indicted Elledge on June 28, 2022. According to publicly available court records, on Feb. 11, 2022, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Lt. Jeremy Vaughan was on duty when he pulled in the Mr. Gas Mart located at 1192 Highway 333 in Edgewood to service his vehicle. While in the parking lot, a Mr. Gas Mart employee approached Lr. Vaughan and informed him that there was a woman in distress in the bathroom and that she was possible using illegal narcotics. Lt. Vaugh called for backup. A short time later Lt. Vaughan observed the woman exit the gas station and enter the passenger side of a silver four-door sedan driven by Elledge. Lt. Vaughan approached the vehicle on the passenger side and knocked on the window. At that time, Elledge shifted the vehicle into reverse and accelerated, striking the front end of Lt. Vaughan’s vehicle, then fled from the gas station, striking another vehicle in the course. Lt. Vaughan returned to his vehicle and initiated pursuit. Lt. Vaughan successfully utilized the pursuit intervention technique (a maneuver that involves intentional, vehicle-to-vehicle contact and consists of a pursuing officer applying lateral pressure with the front corner of their vehicle to the rear quarter panel of the fleeing suspect's vehicle, resulting in a predictable spin) on the sedan and the two cars came to a stop facing southbound with the passenger side of Elledge’s vehicle pinned to the passenger side of Lt. Vaughan’s unit. At that time, Elledge fired a gun into Lt. Vaughan’s unit, striking Lt. Vaughan on the left side of his neck. Lt. Vaughan exited his unit and exchanged gunfire with Elledge before Elledge and the female passenger fled the scene on foot. Emergency medical services arrived on scene and transported Lt. Vaughan to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. Officers from multiple agencies arrived on scene and set up a perimeter designed to locate Elledge and the female passenger, but they were unsuccessful. On Feb. 12, 2022, NMSP received a tip as to Elledge and the female passenger’s whereabouts in Macintosh, New Mexico. Agents from NMSP executed a search warrant on a residence located at 31 Juana Lane and Elledge and the female passenger were taken into custody. As he was escorted from the residence, Elledge apologized for shooting the officer. Inside the residence, agents located the handgun Elledge had used during the incident. As a previously convicted felon, Elledge knew that he could not possess a firearm and ammunition. Lt. Vaughan and many of his colleagues from the New Mexico State Police were in the courtroom when Elledge entered his plea. Per the terms of his plea agreement, Elledge agreed to be sentenced to 9 years in prison. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office, Edgewood Police Department, and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office assisted the New Mexico State Police with the investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-67


title: Domestic Call Leads to 163 Months in Federal Prison for Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Man Illegally Possessed Machinegun Conversion Device, Firearm, and Methamphetamine for Distribution OKLAHOMA CITY – TRAVELLE LAMONT LATHAN , 30, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 163 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, Oklahoma City Police Officers responded to a domestic violence 911 call in November 2022. During the investigation, officers recovered more than 195 grams of methamphetamine, several rounds of ammunition, and a handgun from Lathan’s apartment. An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives determined the firearm had been modified with an illegal machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch”, which converted the semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Public record further reflects that Lathan holds multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and attempting to elude an officer in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2018-1045, and Trafficking in Drugs and Unlawful Use of a Weapon in St. Louis, Missouri, case number 1722-CR-1881-01. On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a five-count Indictment against Lathan, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possession of a machinegun, and felon in possession of ammunition. On May 5, 2023, Lathan pleaded guilty to counts 1, 2, and 4 of the Indictment, and admitted to possessing methamphetamine which he intended to distribute, and the handgun which had been modified with a switch to operate as a machinegun. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Lathan to serve 163 months in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted the significance of Lathan possessing the machinegun along with a 50 round drum and a pistol-caliber ballistic vest and also took into account the domestic assault. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case. This case is part of “Operation 922” and “Project Switch Off”, the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches”, to address the significant danger these illegal devises present, and to remove them from our streets. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises at Motel in Albuquerque

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, announced today that Pragneshkumar Patel and Johnathan Craft were sentenced to 30 and 70 months in prison, respectively, for their part in running a drug-involved premises at a motel in Southwest Albuquerque. Additionally, Patel was ordered to pay fines in the amount of $40,000 and $9,000 in restitution and ordered to forfeit the Best Choice Inn at 7640 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque. Patel, 36, of Mobile, Alabama, pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises and Craft, 37, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm on July 13, 2023. A federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Patel, Craft and their co-defendant Kamal Bhula, on November 5, 2019. According to publicly available court records, between March 2018 and June 2019, Patel leased the Best Choice Inn to Bhula, who took over as the on-site manager. Craft lived and worked at Best Choice Inn as a manager, claiming to be in charge when Bhula was away. Craft sold drugs from his room, allowed others to do the same, and permitted individuals to use drugs on the premises. The Best Choice Inn gained profits by imposing a “visitor fee” on individuals who frequented the establishment. As a manager, Craft knew that many of the people for whom a visitor fee was imposed specifically frequented the business to engage in illegal activity, including selling and using drugs. As the owner, Patel profited from the visitor fees imposed on those using and selling drugs at the Best Choice Inn. “Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “These individuals face enough challenges without predatory business owners using addiction to drive corporate profits. When this greedy out-of-state hotel owner capitalized on the desperation of the most marginalized New Mexicans to line his own pockets, he lost his hotel, tens of thousands of dollars, and his freedom.” “One of our core missions is to make our communities safer and healthier,” said Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “The men and women of the DEA will not tolerate local businesses masquerading as legitimate enterprises in order to carry on their illegal drug trafficking.” “These sentences are a testament to the power of strength in numbers,” said Jason T. Stevens, acting special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “This multi-agency investigation discovered a dangerous threat to public safety. HSI’s drug-trafficking investigative efforts are a top priority, and our special agents are committed to targeting individuals and trans-national organizations that make it their business to poison our communities for their financial gain.” Upon their release from prison, Patel and Craft will each be subject to three years supervised release. Kamal Bhula pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises on July 13, 2023, and remains in custody pending sentencing which is scheduled on March 26, 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Letitia Carroll Simms and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case. # # # 24-68


title: Brownsburg Armed Career Criminal Convicted After Illegally Possessing Firearms and Selling them to an Indianapolis Pawn Shop

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Jason Compliment, 42, of Brownsburg, Indiana, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day trial. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on July 16, 2022, the defendant sold three firearms to a north Indianapolis pawnshop for $725. Video surveillance footage captured him selling the firearms and receiving the pawn ticket in his own name. The jury also found that the defendant was an Armed Career Criminal because of his numerous prior felony convictions in Hendricks and Marion Counties—including eight burglaries, resisting law enforcement, and possession of methamphetamine. In one prior case, the defendant burglarized a church and stole funds meant for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Each one of these previous felony convictions prohibit the defendant from ever legally possessing a firearm again. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. U.S District Court Judge James P. Hanlon presided over the trial and will impose sentence at a later date. The defendant faces fifteen years up to life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, of the Southern District of Indiana, thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Bradley A. Blackington, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Two New York Residents Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking Offense

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that WINIFER ACOSTA JIMINEZ, 29, and OVIDALIS JIMINEZ PUJOLS, 38, both of New York, have been charged by indictment with a fentanyl trafficking offense. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a wholesale supplier of fentanyl and other narcotics with multiple distribution points in the northeastern United States. Investigators arranged a controlled purchase of two kilograms of fentanyl, which Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols transported from New York to Milford, Connecticut, on February 22, 2023. On January 23, 2024, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Jiminez Pujols, who has been detained since his related state arrest on February 22, 2023, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. Acosta Jiminez pleaded not guilty on January 31, 2024, and is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Jocelyn Kaoutzanis through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Government Employee Indicted for Obstruction and False Statements

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Plano man has been charged with obstruction and making a false statement, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Fredrick Antonio Waters, 47, was indicted last week on one count each of obstruction of official proceeding and false statement. He was arrested Thursday and made his initial appearance Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver. According to the indictment, on February 8, 2022, Mr. Waters disclosed to an individual that she was the target of a criminal investigation. When a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations asked Mr. Waters about disclosing the information he responded by saying, “No I was looking up an humanitarian case and typed in the wrong Anumber.” That statement was false because Mr. Waters knew he deliberately typed an Alien number issued to a specific individual to find out if she appeared as a subject in any Department of Homeland Security investigative system. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Waters is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in federal prison. The Homeland Security Investigations – Office of Professional Responsibility – El Paso office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Walters is prosecuting the case.


title: Ian Freeman Ordered to Pay More Than $3.5 Million in Restitution to Victims and to Forfeit Proceeds of His Bitcoin Money Laundering Scheme

body_text: CONCORD – Ian Freeman was ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $3.5 million to 29 victims and forfeit various other assets that were seized during the investigation, U.S Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Ian Freeman, 43, of Keene, was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to pay restitution totaling $3,502,708.69 to 29 victims of his offense. The Court also issued a preliminary order of forfeiture of various other assets that were seized during the investigation. On October 2, 2023, Ian Freeman was sentenced to 96 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and a fine of $40,000. Freeman was convicted by a federal jury on December 22, 2022, following a ten-day trial. “Ian Freeman’s money laundering business caused many vulnerable people unnecessary anguish. Nothing will ever take away the pain he caused these victims, but I am grateful that the dedicated prosecution team on this case was able to make many of them financially whole,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “It is rare for victims of romance scams and other international fraud schemes to have their money returned to them because of the anonymity that businesses like Ian Freeman’s offer fraudsters. I urge everyone to protect themselves and their older loved ones by learning the indicators of these types of scams, so that you are better prepared to prevent being victimized.” "This court order forcing Ian Freeman to pay millions of dollars in restitution to dozens of elderly victims across the country who suffered agonizing losses is a significant step toward justice,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “While no amount of money can make up for the emotional toll Mr. Freeman’s actions have inflicted, it does ensure that he has been held both criminally and financially responsible for what he did. The FBI will never stop working to shut down fraud schemes like this one to protect older folks and help them hang on to their hard-earned money. If you’re being victimized, or know of someone who is, please reach out to the FBI – anonymously, if you like.” Freeman laundered over ten million dollars in proceeds of romance scams and other internet frauds by exchanging U.S. dollars for bitcoin. By failing to register his business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as required by law, disabling “know your customer” features on his bitcoin kiosks, and ensuring that bitcoin customers did not tell him what they did with their bitcoin, among other things, Freeman created a business that catered to fraudsters. By charging exorbitant fees, Freeman made more than a million dollars. Records and exhibits in the 10-day trial proved that as part of the conspiracy, Freeman and his co-conspirators opened and operated accounts at financial institutions in the names of various churches including the Shire Free Church, the Church of the Invisible Hand, the Crypto Church of New Hampshire, and the NH Peace Church. Freeman instructed bitcoin customers, who were often victims of scams, to lie to the financial institutions and describe their deposits as church donations. From 2016 to 2019, he paid no taxes, and concealed his income from the Internal Revenue Service. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. The national Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and the Department of Justice, Tax Division, provided valuable assistance in the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. MacDonald, John Kennedy, and Seth R. Aframe. ###


title: Six Members of Evansville Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking Ring Indicted

body_text: EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging six individuals for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky: Defendant Charge(s) Lovechild McGuire, 30, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Christopher Flax, 47, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Amiee Ranes, 43, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Trent Marion, 38, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Unique Carter, 26, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Camri Outlaw, 28, of Evansville Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine According to the indictment, on numerous occasions between June 1, 2023, through December 5, 2023, the alleged traffickers were responsible for possessing and distributing more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 14,000 fentanyl pills, and 1 kilogram of cocaine. Lovechild McGuire allegedly served as the leader and supervisor of the drug trafficking operation. McGuire obtained the methamphetamine from an unknown source of supply and stored it in homes belonging to Carter and Outlaw. Carter also rented a storage unit in her name to store the controlled substances for McGuire. McGuire’s distributors, Flax, Ranes, Marion, and Carter, sold the drugs throughout Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Vanderburgh Country Drug Task Force investigated this case. This case is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. If convicted, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who is prosecuting this case. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Human smuggler convicted for attempting to transport aliens in tractor bed

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 63-year-old Laredo man for unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Zenen Torres-Perdomo guilty following a day and a half trial. On Aug. 1, 2023 , Torres-Perdomo drove a tractor-trailer to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint. At initial inspection, a K-9 alerted authorities to the sleeper area of the tractor. Law enforcement subsequently discovered eight illegal aliens huddled together in the bed compartment of the tractor. At the trial, Torres-Perdomo testified and argued he had no knowledge of the illegal alien’s presence in his vehicle. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Torres-Perdomo faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Torres-Perdomo was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Young Min Burkett prosecuted the case.


title: Former Tennessee Department of Corrections Officer Sentenced for Writing False Report to Cover Up Another Officer’s Use of Excessive Force

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Sebron Hollands, 33, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release for writing a false report in an effort to cover up another officer’s use of excessive force on an inmate. He previously pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 2, 2023. His co-defendant, former TDOC tactical officer Javian Griffin, pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2023, to using excessive force against the inmate. “The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer to try to cover up another officer’s use of excessive force,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department will hold accountable any official who obstructs a federal civil rights investigation.” “Our country’s commitment to protecting its citizens’ civil rights doesn’t end at the prison gates,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendant in this case violated public trust and used his position of authority to make the entire facility – and the inmates in his care – less safe. This office’s National Security and Civil Rights Unit will continue to prioritize the prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others.” “When correctional officers abuse their authority, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.” According to court documents, Hollands provided false information in his official report about Griffin’s use of unlawful force on an inmate. Hollands was present when Griffin, without justification, punched an inmate in the head, breaking the inmate’s jaw. The inmate did not resist or pose a threat justifying the use of force. Then, after the incident, Hollands provided false information in his official use of force report in order to obstruct the investigation of the incident. The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Matthew Tannenbaum and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: United States Attorney Jane E. Young Announces New Criminal Division Leadership

body_text: CONCORD – United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces the appointments of Assistant United State Attorney Jennifer C. Davis to serve as the Criminal Division Chief and Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. McDonald to serve as the Deputy Criminal Division Chief. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Davis has 30 years of experience serving in the District of New Hampshire, most recently as the Deputy Criminal Division Chief. Prior to her roles in leadership, she conducted complex long-term narcotics investigations as the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and National Opioid Coordinator. She has also served as a mentor for her colleagues as the District’s Senior Litigation Counsel. AUSA Davis has prosecuted a vast array of crimes including health care and security fraud, illegal firearm and narcotic possession, immigration, and white-collar theft. Earlier in her career, AUSA Davis received a detail appointment as the Assistant Director for Criminal Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Education, where she oversaw the implementation of trainings for the country’s federal prosecutors. She is a graduate of Marquette University Law School. “This Office is fortunate to have Jen’s dedication, experience, dependability, and leadership,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “For many years, Jen has served as a mentor to federal prosecutors, both in New Hampshire and nationally, and a dependable ally to our law enforcement partners. These characteristics, coupled with her strong legal and analytical skills, make her exceptionally equipped to lead the Criminal Division.” AUSA MacDonald has served in the District of New Hampshire’s criminal division since 2015. While AUSA MacDonald has prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases throughout her career, she specializes in computer crime, most notably matters involving cryptocurrency. AUSA MacDonald received a detail appointment in 2022 as a founding member of the United States Department of Justice’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which is tasked with investigating and prosecuting the criminal misuse of digital assets. Prior to this specialized assignment, AUSA MacDonald worked on a myriad of criminal cases, including white collar theft, computer hacking, child exploitation, human rights violations, drug trafficking, and human trafficking cases. She also served as the Project Safe Childhood and Human Trafficking Coordinator for the District of New Hampshire. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. “Georgie is a welcomed addition to the leadership team in the District of New Hampshire,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “She is a skilled attorney with impeccable trial and advocacy skills, who also commands the respect of her colleagues throughout the country and in this Office. She will undoubtedly be a beacon for the criminal attorneys given her legal acumen and boundless enthusiasm.” ###


component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Sebron Hollands , 33, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release for writing a false report in an effort to cover up another officer’s use of excessive force on an inmate. He previously pled guilty to the offense on Oct. 2, 2023. His co-defendant, former TDOC tactical officer Javian Griffin, pled guilty on Oct. 11, 2023, to using excessive force against the inmate. “The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer to try to cover up another officer’s use of excessive force,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department will hold accountable any official who obstructs a federal civil rights investigation.” "Our country’s commitment to protecting its citizens’ civil rights doesn’t end at the prison gates,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendant in this case violated public trust and used his position of authority to make the entire facility – and the inmates in his care – less safe. This office’s National Security and Civil Rights Unit will continue to prioritize the prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others." “When correctional officers abuse their authority, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.” According to court documents, Hollands provided false information in his official report about Griffin’s use of unlawful force on an inmate. Hollands was present when Griffin, without justification, punched an inmate in the head, breaking the inmate’s jaw. The inmate did not resist or pose a threat justifying the use of force. Then, after the incident, Hollands provided false information in his official use of force report in order to obstruct the investigation of the incident. The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Matthew Tannenbaum and Andrew Manns of the Justice Department’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Glock That Was Discovered After He Crashed a Stolen Car

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jordan Tyler Alexander, 20, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to illegal possession of a firearm, a charge that resulted after police discovered a Glock 27 in a stolen car that had crashed following a high-speed chase in a vehicle that the defendant was driving. The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Alexander, a previously convicted felon, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to a count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of over one year. The sentencing date is pending. Alexander also faces trial for armed robbery and weapons counts in Prince George’s County, Maryland. According to court documents, a Prince George’s County police officer was on patrol at 2 a.m. on August 9, 2023, when he watched a white Honda Accord pull into the parking lot of a convenience store in Suitland, MD, and then immediately leave. The officer suspected that the vehicle drove away after spotting his marked police cruiser. The police officer later saw the Honda pull into the parking lot of a tobacco store. The officer ran the vehicle’s license plate number and learned the car had been stolen in an armed robbery on July 24, 2023, in Southeast Washington, D.C. The officer followed the white Honda and witnessed it run a red light. The officer switched on his flashers and siren. The white Honda sped off. The officer received authorization to pursue the Honda and followed it into the District at speeds that reached 100 m.p.h. before the white Honda crashed into a guardrail at I-295 Northbound near the exit for Minnesota Ave., NE. Alexander jumped out of the driver’s side door and began running down I-295 as cars drove past him. A second individual, who was sitting in the front passenger side of the vehicle jumped out as well and ran away from the highway and into the grass. The officer exited the vehicle and began chasing the defendant. As the defendant was running, he ran towards a vehicle on I-295 and attempted to enter the vehicle. The operator of that vehicle was an off-duty law enforcement agent who was still in uniform. The defendant then continued running down the street. As the police officer ran past the agent’s vehicle, the agent offered to help and the officer jumped into the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The agent caught up to the fleeing Alexander and maneuvered in front of him. The officer exited the vehicle and Alexander subsequently gave up and was arrested. Inside the crashed white Honda, investigators discovered, in plain view, a Glock 27, 40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine on the driver’s side floorboard. Next to the firearm was a cell phone. On the front passenger seat, there was an additional black Glock 22, 47 caliber handgun lying in plain view. The Glock on the floorboard was loaded with 17 bullets and had one in the chamber. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Alexander has been held since Aug. 10, 2023. This case was investigated by the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhood The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable help provided by paralegal Karla Nunez.


title: United States Attorney’s Office for Western District of Pennsylvania Collects Approximately $56 Million in Civil, Criminal, and Forfeiture Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today that the Western District of Pennsylvania collected $36.8 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $23.7 million was collected in criminal actions and $13.1 million was collected in civil actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, working closely with partner law enforcement agencies, also collected an additional $19.1 million in asset forfeiture actions in 2023. Forfeiture is a process by which criminal defendants are stripped of their criminal proceeds and the property used to facilitate criminal activity. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used for a variety of law enforcement purposes and, where appropriate, restored to crime victims. “Last year, this office recovered and forfeited over $50 million, demonstrating our commitment to holding criminal defendants financially accountable, assisting victims of crime, and protecting the federal treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “I want to recognize and commend the tireless efforts of our financial litigation and asset forfeiture teams, who use all available resources to recover funds in our cases.” The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.


title: Tenderloin Fentanyl Dealer Armed With Ghost Gun Sentenced To More Than Six Years In Prison

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Esmun Moyses Moral-Raudales was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for crimes including distribution of, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. James Donato, United States District Judge. Moral-Raudales, 28, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to two counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of distributing fentanyl, all in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute it, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(vi). According to his plea agreement, Moral-Raudales admitted that, during two drug deals in the Tenderloin in January and February 2023, he sold a total of 103.8 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl and 95 grams (gross weight) of methamphetamine. He also admitted that, at the time of his arrest in Oakland in March 2023, he had 317.7 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl on his person and in his car, and that he had a loaded, privately manufactured, semi-automatic handgun (a “ghost gun”) in his backpack. At the time he committed the offenses for which he was sentenced yesterday, Moral-Raudales was on federal supervised release following a 2020 drug trafficking conviction that also resulted from his sale of drugs in the Tenderloin. “Recidivist drug dealers who prey on the Tenderloin are a clear and present danger to our community, especially those who arm themselves with guns,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “This Office will marshal all resources needed to ensure that repeat players in the Tenderloin drug market face justice.” “Moral-Raudales was given the opportunity to change his life after his first federal drug trafficking conviction. Instead, he recklessly chose to endanger our community by selling poison in the Tenderloin while arming himself with a weapon,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “DEA will be relentless in our pursuit of those who repeatedly and brazenly violate the law.” In addition to sentencing Moral-Raudales to prison, Judge Donato ordered the defendant to serve four years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Erick Machado. The prosecution is the result of a months-long investigation by the DEA and the San Francisco Police Department. One Pill Can Kill : Beware of pills bought on the street. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies.