title: Clay County Men Sentenced for Kidnapping

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – Two Manchester, Ky., men, Kenneth Ray Grubb, 33, and Landon Wagers, 19, were sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 112 months and 84 months in prison, respectively, for kidnapping. According to their plea agreements, a drug dealer offered to pay Grubb to bring an individual to them. To accomplish this kidnapping, Grubb worked with Wagers. Wagers called the victim to arrange a meeting at his residence, under the pretense that Wagers had a firearm that the victim might be interested in purchasing. When the victim arrived at the residence, Grubb and Wagers forced the victim into a vehicle and started driving toward the dealer’s residence. Before reaching the residence, Grubb stopped the vehicle and, along with Wagers, struck the victim multiple times and forced him into the trunk. During this, Grubb used metal knuckles to assault the victim, lacerating his head. The drug dealer provided Grubb and Wagers with methamphetamine as payment for delivering the victim. Under federal law, Grubb and Wagers must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. — END —


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Daniel Matthews, 36, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 228 months, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 400 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, on August 1, 2023, Matthews intended to make a delivery of controlled substances to another dealer that he regularly supplied; but before the delivery could be made, law enforcement stopped his vehicle and seized $3,956 in cash, a large quantity of fentanyl pills (weighing approximately 177 grams), and a loaded pistol, which were in the back pocket of his seat. Thereafter, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Matthews’s residence, where they located more than 15,000 fentanyl pills (approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl) more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Under federal law, Matthews must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. — END —


title: Federal Indictment Alleges Alliance Between Sinaloa Cartel and Money Launderers Linked to Chinese Underground Banking

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department today announced a 10-count superseding indictment charging Los Angeles-based associates of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel with conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds. During the conspiracy, more than $50 million in drug proceeds flowed between the Sinaloa Cartel associates and Chinese underground money exchanges. Following close coordination with the Justice Department, Chinese and Mexican law enforcement informed United States authorities that those countries recently arrested fugitives named in the superseding indictment who fled the United States after they were initially charged last year. The multi-year investigation into this conspiracy—dubbed “Operation Fortune Runner”—resulted in a superseding indictment returned on April 4 and unsealed on Monday charging a total of 24 defendants with one count of conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The superseding indictment alleges that a Sinaloa Cartel-linked money laundering network collected and, with help from a San Gabriel Valley-based money transmitting group with links to Chinese underground banking, processed large amounts of drug proceeds in U.S. currency in the Los Angeles area. They then allegedly concealed their drug trafficking proceeds and made the proceeds generated in the United States accessible to cartel members in Mexico and elsewhere. Lead defendant Edgar Joel Martinez-Reyes, 45, of East Los Angeles, and others allegedly used a variety of methods to hide the money’s source, including trade-based money laundering, “structuring” assets to avoid federal financial reporting requirements, and the purchase of cryptocurrency. Twenty of the individuals charged in the superseding indictment are expected to be arraigned in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks, including one who was arraigned on Monday. “Dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are destroying people’s lives but drug traffickers only care about their profits,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “To protect our community, therefore, it is essential that we go after the sophisticated, international criminal syndicates that launder the drug money. As this indictment and our international actions show, we will be dogged in our pursuit of all those who facilitate destruction in our country and make sure they are held accountable for their actions.” “Relentless greed, the pursuit of money, is what drives the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the worst drug crisis in American history,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “This DEA investigation uncovered a partnership between Sinaloa Cartel associates and a Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Los Angeles and China to launder drug money. Laundering drug money gives the Sinaloa Cartel the means to produce and import their deadly poison into the United States. DEA’s top operational priority is to save American lives by defeating the cartels and those that support their operations. This investigation is the latest example, and there is more to come.” “Drug traffickers generate immense amounts of cash through their illicit operations. This case is a prime example of Chinese money launderers working hand in hand with drug traffickers to try to legitimize profits generated by drug activities,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “We have made it a priority to identify, disrupt, and dismantle any money launderers working with drug cartels and we are committed to our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat drug cartels and those who assist them in laundering drug proceeds.” As part of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately $5 million in narcotics proceeds, 302 pounds of cocaine, 92 pounds of methamphetamine, 3,000 Ecstasy pills, 44 pounds of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), numerous ounces of ketamine, three semi-automatic rifles with high-capacity magazines, and eight semi-automatic handguns. Background The Sinaloa Cartel is largely responsible for the massive influx of fentanyl into the United States over the past approximately eight years, and for the accompanying violence and deaths that have afflicted communities on both sides of the border. The cartel’s activities generate enormous sums of U.S. currency in the United States that belong to the cartel in Mexico. Profits from the drug trade must be repatriated to Mexico for use by the cartel. Chinese underground money exchanges in the United States assist the Sinaloa and other cartels to move their profits from the United States to Mexico by providing a ready market for U.S. currency in the United States. Many wealthy Chinese nationals who live, work, or invest in China wish to transfer assets to the United States for various reasons but are barred by the Chinese government’s capital flight restrictions from transferring the equivalent of more than $50,000 per year out of China. These individuals seek informal alternatives to the conventional banking system to move their funds. To transfer money to the United States, the China-based investor contacts an individual who has U.S. dollars available to sell in the United States. The seller of U.S. dollars provides identifying information for a bank account in China with instructions for the investor to deposit Chinese currency (renminbi) in that account. Once the owner of the account sees the deposit, an equivalent amount of U.S. dollars is released to the buyer in the United States. The sellers of U.S. currency in the United States obtain dollars in a variety of ways. Some of them accept cash from individuals engaged in criminal activity that generates large amounts of bulk currency, including drug trafficking. These U.S. currency brokers charge a percentage commission as a fee to the owner of the criminal proceeds to conceal the nature and source of the funds—typically far less for their services than their competitors. Drug traffickers increasingly have partnered with Chinese underground money exchanges to take advantage of the large demand for U.S. dollars from Chinese nationals. The funds that are transferred in China are then used to pay for goods purchased by businesses and organizations in Mexico or elsewhere such as consumer goods or items needed to aid the drug trafficking organization to manufacture illegal drugs, such as precursor chemicals, including fentanyl. The Superseding Indictment According to the superseding indictment, from October 2019 to October 2023, members and operatives of the Sinaloa Cartel imported large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, into the United States, generating huge sums of drug cash proceeds in U.S. dollars. In January 2021, Martinez-Reyes allegedly traveled to Mexico to meet with Sinaloa Cartel members to strike a deal with money remitters with links to Chinse underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds in the United States. After the deal was struck, the Sinaloa Cartel—through their connections and associates—distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, and other narcotics, generating U.S. dollars as drug proceeds. Martinez-Reyes and other conspirators allegedly then delivered the currency—frequently in amounts of hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars in cash—to other members of the Chinese underground money exchange and remitting organizations to be laundered for a fee. The remitting organizations possessed large amounts of U.S. currency and could help wealthy Chinese nationals evade China’s currency controls. The money remitters allegedly disposed of the drug proceeds by either delivering United States currency directly to their money exchange customers or by purchasing real or personal property, including luxury goods and cars to be shipped to China. Additionally, the remitters also moved illicit drug proceeds through cryptocurrency transactions. They also allegedly used a variety of traditional methods to place the funds into the traditional banking system such as purchasing cashier’s checks, or “structuring,” that is, depositing small amounts at a time into bank accounts opened for this purpose to avoid banks from reporting large cash deposits to the U.S. government. The remaining seven counts charge individual defendants with crimes such as possession of pound quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, structuring funds to avoid federal reporting requirements placed on banks, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon on a federal officer. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of all charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, South Gate Police Department, Downey Police Department, Glendora Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, and El Monte Police Department are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the FBI and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie J. Shemitz for the Central District of California is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Special Operations Unit assisted with the investigation and overseas coordination in the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced a 10-count superseding indictment charging Los Angeles-based associates of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel with conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds. During the conspiracy, more than $50 million in drug proceeds flowed between the Sinaloa Cartel associates and Chinese underground money exchanges. Following close coordination with the Justice Department, Chinese and Mexican law enforcement informed United States authorities that those countries recently arrested fugitives named in the superseding indictment who fled the United States after they were initially charged last year. The multi-year investigation into this conspiracy—dubbed “Operation Fortune Runner”—resulted in a superseding indictment returned on April 4 and unsealed on Monday charging a total of 24 defendants with one count of conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The superseding indictment alleges that a Sinaloa Cartel-linked money laundering network collected and, with help from a San Gabriel Valley, California-based money transmitting group with links to Chinese underground banking, processed large amounts of drug proceeds in U.S. currency in the Los Angeles area. They then allegedly concealed their drug trafficking proceeds and made the proceeds generated in the United States accessible to cartel members in Mexico and elsewhere. Lead defendant Edgar Joel Martinez-Reyes, 45, of East Los Angeles, and others allegedly used a variety of methods to hide the money’s source, including trade-based money laundering, “structuring” assets to avoid federal financial reporting requirements, and the purchase of cryptocurrency. Twenty of the individuals charged in the superseding indictment are expected to be arraigned in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks, including one who was arraigned on Monday. “Dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are destroying people’s lives but drug traffickers only care about their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “To protect our community, therefore, it is essential that we go after the sophisticated, international criminal syndicates that launder the drug money. As this indictment and our international actions show, we will be dogged in our pursuit of all those who facilitate destruction in our country and make sure they are held accountable for their actions.” “Relentless greed, the pursuit of money, is what drives the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the worst drug crisis in American history,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “This DEA investigation uncovered a partnership between Sinaloa Cartel associates and a Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Los Angeles and China to launder drug money. Laundering drug money gives the Sinaloa Cartel the means to produce and import their deadly poison into the United States. DEA’s top operational priority is to save American lives by defeating the cartels and those that support their operations. This investigation is the latest example, and there is more to come.” “Drug traffickers generate immense amounts of cash through their illicit operations. This case is a prime example of Chinese money launderers working hand in hand with drug traffickers to try to legitimize profits generated by drug activities,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “We have made it a priority to identify, disrupt, and dismantle any money launderers working with drug cartels and we are committed to our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat drug cartels and those who assist them in laundering drug proceeds.” As part of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately $5 million in narcotics proceeds, 302 pounds of cocaine, 92 pounds of methamphetamine, 3,000 Ecstasy pills, 44 pounds of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), numerous ounces of ketamine, three semi-automatic rifles with high-capacity magazines, and eight semi-automatic handguns. Background The Sinaloa Cartel is largely responsible for the massive influx of fentanyl into the United States over the past approximately eight years, and for the accompanying violence and deaths that have afflicted communities on both sides of the border. The cartel’s activities generate enormous sums of U.S. currency in the United States that belong to the cartel in Mexico. Profits from the drug trade must be repatriated to Mexico for use by the cartel. Chinese underground money exchanges in the United States assist the Sinaloa and other cartels to move their profits from the United States to Mexico by providing a ready market for U.S. currency in the United States. Many wealthy Chinese nationals who live, work, or invest in China wish to transfer assets to the United States for various reasons but are barred by the Chinese government’s capital flight restrictions from transferring the equivalent of more than $50,000 per year out of China. These individuals seek informal alternatives to the conventional banking system to move their funds. To transfer money to the United States, the China-based investor contacts an individual who has U.S. dollars available to sell in the United States. The seller of U.S. dollars provides identifying information for a bank account in China with instructions for the investor to deposit Chinese currency (renminbi) in that account. Once the owner of the account sees the deposit, an equivalent amount of U.S. dollars is released to the buyer in the United States. The sellers of U.S. currency in the United States obtain dollars in a variety of ways. Some of them accept cash from individuals engaged in criminal activity that generates large amounts of bulk currency, including drug trafficking. These U.S. currency brokers charge a percentage commission as a fee to the owner of the criminal proceeds to conceal the nature and source of the funds—typically far less for their services than their competitors. Drug traffickers increasingly have partnered with Chinese underground money exchanges to take advantage of the large demand for U.S. dollars from Chinese nationals. The funds that are transferred in China are then used to pay for goods purchased by businesses and organizations in Mexico or elsewhere such as consumer goods or items needed to aid the drug trafficking organization to manufacture illegal drugs, such as precursor chemicals, including fentanyl. The Superseding Indictment According to the superseding indictment, from October 2019 to October 2023, members and operatives of the Sinaloa Cartel imported large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, into the United States, generating huge sums of drug cash proceeds in U.S. dollars. In January 2021, Martinez-Reyes allegedly traveled to Mexico to meet with Sinaloa Cartel members to strike a deal with money remitters with links to Chinse underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds in the United States. After the deal was struck, the Sinaloa Cartel—through their connections and associates—distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, and other narcotics, generating U.S. dollars as drug proceeds. Martinez-Reyes and other conspirators allegedly then delivered the currency—frequently in amounts of hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars in cash—to other members of the Chinese underground money exchange and remitting organizations to be laundered for a fee. The remitting organizations possessed large amounts of U.S. currency and could help wealthy Chinese nationals evade China’s currency controls. The money remitters allegedly disposed of the drug proceeds by either delivering United States currency directly to their money exchange customers or by purchasing real or personal property, including luxury goods and cars to be shipped to China. Additionally, the remitters also moved illicit drug proceeds through cryptocurrency transactions. They also allegedly used a variety of traditional methods to place the funds into the traditional banking system such as purchasing cashier’s checks, or “structuring,” that is, depositing small amounts at a time into bank accounts opened for this purpose to avoid banks from reporting large cash deposits to the U.S. government. The remaining seven counts charge individual defendants with crimes such as possession of pound quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, structuring funds to avoid federal reporting requirements placed on banks, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon on a federal officer. If convicted of all charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, South Gate Police Department, Downey Police Department, Glendora Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, and El Monte Police Department are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie J. Shemitz for the Central District of California is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Special Operations Unit assisted with the investigation and overseas coordination in the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Superseding Indictment


title: Bounthavong Sonthikoummane and Ashlyn Arcouette Indicted for Pandemic Loan Frauds

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Bounthavong Sonthikoummane, 42, and Ashlyn Arcouette, 32, both of White River Junction, Vermont, on fraud charges stemming from four loans they obtained on behalf of businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Sonthikoummane appeared yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington and pleaded not guilty to the indictment. United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered that Sonthikoummane remain in custody pending another hearing on June 20. Arcouette is to appear in court today for her arraignment. On June 12, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an eleven-count indictment against the two defendants. The indictment charges Sonthikoummane with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and making false statements. It charges Arcouette with wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. During the coronavirus pandemic, small business owners had the opportunity to apply for federal loans under two different programs. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program was a pre-existing program established by Congress to provide low-interest loans for businesses that suffered financial hardship because of a natural disaster. The Paycheck Protection Plan loan program was established by Congress in the spring of 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The CARES Act contained many provisions that were intended to address the medical, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program was an economic stimulus program intended to help small businesses keep employees on their payroll during the pandemic. It provided billions of dollars in low-interest, unsecured loans that were to be administered through and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Applicants had to certify that the loan proceeds would be used to maintain payroll and pay other business-related expenses. If applicants were able to demonstrate that proceeds were used to keep workers employed, part or all of the loan could be forgiven. Both the EIDL and PPP loan programs were administered by the Small Business Administration. Applicants had to provide the SBA and lending financial institutions with certain documentation demonstrating their entitlement to and qualifications for EIDL and PPP loans. According to the indictment, between July 2020 and February 2021, Sonthikoummane applied for and obtained two PPP and one EIDL loan on behalf of independent contracting businesses he claimed to operate. Arcouette, allegedly with Sonthikoummane’s assistance, applied for an EIDL loan in late July 2020 and it was approved in August. According to the indictment, each of the loan applications submitted by the defendants contained materially false and fraudulent statements and representations about the businesses, and in two instances Sonthikoummane allegedly submitted falsified IRS Schedule Cs that contained false financial information about the businesses. The three loans obtained by Sonthikoummane totaled more than $117,000; the loan obtained by Arcouette was for $56,900. In late 2020, according to the indictment, Sonthikoummane obtained forgiveness of one PPP loan by falsely certifying that he had used the loan proceeds for business purposes in accordance with loan program rules. In fact, according to the indictment, both defendants used most of the loan money to invest in Coinbase, a crypto-currency exchange. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of a residence in White River Junction that Sonthikoummane allegedly bought with fraudulently-obtained loan proceeds. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000. The actual sentences would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines and statutory sentencing factors. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sonthikoummane is represented by Christoper Dall, Esq. Arcouette is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples. Addressing pandemic-related fraud is a priority of United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest and of the Department of Justice. For information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Justice Department Finds That Utah Violates Federal Civil Rights Law by Segregating People with Disabilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its findings that Utah is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily segregating youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) during the day, instead of helping them find work and spend their days in their communities. The department found that the State relies on segregated settings, such as sheltered workshops and day facilities, where people with I/DD have limited interaction with people without disabilities and have little choice in how to spend their time. As a result, thousands of Utahns with I/DD spend their days separated from their communities. Other individuals with I/DD in the State, including youth with I/DD who are transitioning out of children’s services, are at serious risk of unnecessary segregation in these settings. “Full inclusion in society is a central promise of the ADA,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are entitled to full inclusion, and to the dignity and purpose that comes with deciding where to work and how to spend their days.” Utah’s sheltered workshops are often located in large, industrial warehouses. People with I/DD who work in sheltered workshops may spend all day at the warehouse, performing rote tasks — like shredding paper — often for less than minimum wage. In day facilities, people with I/DD may similarly spend all day at the facility with nothing much to do other than craft or watch TV. The ADA and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. require state and local governments to make their services for people with disabilities available in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs. In October 2023, the department issued guidance explaining how this federal requirement applies to publicly-funded employment and day services . The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/ . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Southern California Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Holly Danielle Adams, 34, of Indio, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and to conspiring to launder money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, Adams and co-conspirator Devlin Hosner, 35, operated vendor accounts on the dark web marketplaces known as ToRReZ and Dark0de. Adams and Hosner generated hundreds of thousands of dollars selling counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl, after which they laundered the proceeds using cryptocurrency mixers, wallets, and other online tools. In September 2021, state law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at an address where Adams and Hosner were residing. After officers announced their presence, Hosner attempted to impede their entry while Adams destroyed pills by pouring them into a chemical solution. Adams and Hosner were arrested and subsequently released by state authorities but resumed selling fentanyl on the dark web a few months later while they were unknowingly under investigation by federal law enforcement agents. In March 2022, federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Riverside County where Adams and Hosner were temporarily residing. Officers seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed oxycodone pills and sixty grams of methamphetamine from this hotel room and arrested the conspirators on federal charges. This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case. Hosner is detained pending trial. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Adams is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Sept. 24, 2024. Adams faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $1 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Counterfeit Pills Laced with Fentanyl Get Burgaw Man 16.5 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Timothy Mark Blackmon, a 29-year-old resident of Burgaw, has been sentenced to 198 months in prison for possessing counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl with the intent to distribute them in the Wilmington area. The counterfeit pills were made to look like a variety of prescription drugs, including Percocet, Hydrocodone and Oxycodone. Blackmon pled guilty on August 15, 2023. “Counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl are made in makeshift labs with no quality control. They are driving American addiction and overdoses at a staggering rate,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Never take a pill that wasn’t prescribed by your doctor. It could be your last. This defendant hid fentanyl pills in a bag of M&Ms and stashed thousands of pills in air vents in his home. The DEA and Pender County Sheriff’s Office did incredible work getting these pills off the street and may have saved lives.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, in November of 2021 law enforcement received information that Blackmon was distributing counterfeit fentanyl pills throughout the Wilmington area. Law enforcement began an investigation and learned that Blackmon would travel to California to purchase the pills. Blackmon would then ship the counterfeit pills through the U.S. Postal Service (USPSS) back to the Eastern District of North Carolina for further distribution. During the investigation law enforcement learned that Blackmon had recently traveled to California. On November 18, 2021, law enforcement located Blackmon at the San Diego Airport preparing to board a plane to travel back to North Carolina. Blackmon was found to be in possession of a counterfeit fentanyl pill, more than $7000 in cash, and a USPS receipt for a package that had been shipped on November 16, 2021, destined for Wilmington, N.C. Ultimately, law enforcement located the package which contained more than five thousand of counterfeit fentanyl pills concealed in a package that contained toys and candy, including some pills hidden in a bag of candy. On November 19, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pender County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Blackmon’s residence during which law enforcement seized more than 11,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills concealed in air vents in Blackmon’s bedroom, over $87,000 in cash, and a small amount of cocaine. Flight records for Blackmon obtained by law enforcement also confirmed repeated trips to California and Arizona from March of 2021 through November of 2021. Information presented to the Court established that Blackmon would travel to California approximately once a month to purchase approximately 5,000-10,000 fentanyl pills from his source of supply and have them shipped back to North Carolina for further distribution. A DEA analysis of the pills found in the search confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Pender County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 7:23-cr-00030-FL. ###


title: Romanian National Admits Role in 2007 Connecticut Home Invasion

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEFAN ALEXANDRU BARABAS, 38, a citizen of Romania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a charge stemming from his participation in a 2007 Connecticut home invasion. According to court documents and statements made in court in this case and related cases, shortly before midnight on April 15, 2007, Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Lucian Nicolescu, wearing masks and brandishing knives and facsimile firearms, entered a home in South Kent, Connecticut. The intruders bound and blindfolded two adult victims and injected each with a substance the intruders claimed was a deadly virus. The intruders ordered the victims to pay $8.5 million or else they would be left to die from the lethal injection. When it became clear that the victims were not in position to meet the intruders’ demands, the intruders drugged the two residents with a sleeping aid and fled in the homeowner’s Jeep Cherokee. The stolen Jeep Cherokee was abandoned the next morning at a Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York. On April 21, 2007, an accordion case washed ashore in Jamaica Bay. The content of the case included a stun gun, a 12-inch knife, a black plastic Airsoft gun, a crowbar, syringes, sleeping pills, latex gloves, and a laminated telephone card with the South Kent address of the victims. In 2010, an investigator from the Connecticut State Police connected a partial Pennsylvania license plate, seen by a witness near the victims’ estate on the night of the crime, to a car owned by Michael N. Kennedy. Kennedy had formerly shared an address with Emmanuel Nicolescu, who had been employed by the victim. The investigator then discovered that the data for the cell tower near the New Rochelle Home Depot contained a call by a phone number registered to Emmanuel Nicolescu, minutes after the Jeep was abandoned. Shortly after that, investigators from the State Police and FBI gathered Emanuel Nicolescu’s DNA and found that it partially matched a sample from the Jeep’s steering wheel. As to the accordion case, investigators learned that Kennedy’s father was a professional accordion player, and witnesses later identified the knife in the accordion case as a gift given to Emanuel Nicolescu by his father-in-law. The investigation revealed that Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy worked with Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu to commit the crime. Barabas’ co-conspirators planned the home invasion, which included the research and purchase of implements necessary for the crime, such as two-way radios, stun guns and imitation pistols. On the night of April 15, 2007, Kennedy drove Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Nicolescu to a location near the South Kent home, and then picked them up the following morning in New Rochelle at the location where the intruders abandoned the stolen Jeep. Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, Alexandru Nicolescu, and Kennedy fled the U.S. during the investigation. Emanuel Nicolescu returned to the U.S. and was arrested in Illinois in January 2011. Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy were charged by indictment in February 2011, and Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu were charged by indictment in November 2012. Barabas was a fugitive until his arrest in Hungary on August 16, 2022. Barabas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, the parties have agreed that a sentence of between of between 72 months and 84 months of imprisonment is appropriate in this case. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for September 11. Barabas has been detained since his arrest. On March 22, 2012, a jury in New Haven found Emanuel Nicolescu guilty of attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On August 17, 2012, he was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment. Alexandru Nicolescu was arrested on November 14, 2013, in the United Kingdom. On January 8, 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 15, 2019, he was sentenced to 121 months of imprisonment. Kennedy, also known as Nicolae Helerea, a dual citizen of Romania and the U.S., voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Romania and, on November 5, 2012, pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 4, 2016, he was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and New York City Police Department. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Hungarian authorities, and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Immigration Related Matters

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Guatemalan man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation; Trafficking with Respect to Peonage, Slavery, Involuntary Servitude or Forced Labor; Harboring Aliens; Extortion; and Possession of Firearm by Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 17, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. William Waldemar Godoy, age 32, was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution of $2, 810, as well as $700 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and was also ordered to forfeit $8,750. Godoy was initially indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022, but a superseding indictment was filed in March of 2024. He was convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation; Trafficking with Respect to Peonage, Slavery, Involuntary Servitude or Forced Labor; Harboring Aliens; Extortion; and Possession of Firearm by Prohibited Person after a jury trial on April 4, 2024. The evidence at trial showed Godoy was bringing individuals into the United States illegally to work and then threatening them with physical or financial harm if they did not pay him for the smuggling fee and high interest rates. He was also convicted of illegally re-entering the United States himself after previously being deported. Evidence also showed he possessed firearms belonging to another individual despite being prohibited from doing so because he was unlawfully in the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Godoy was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Sex Trafficking

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Sex Trafficking of an Adult by Force and Coercion. The sentencing took place on June 17, 2024. Odarie Massiah, age 34, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Massiah was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He was found guilty on March 14, 2024, following a three-day court trial. The conviction stemmed from incidents between July 1, 2020, and September 24, 2022, when Massiah recruited and forced an adult woman to engage in prostitution. Massiah used physical and emotional abuse to gain the victim’s compliance. Massiah required the woman to give him the money received from the forced prostitution. Massiah fled the state with his victim after a warrant for his arrest was issued in Minnehaha County for physically assaulting her by strangulation on two separate occasions. Massiah was apprehended in Tennessee with his victim in August of 2022. “Odarie Massiah went to great lengths to keep this victim engaged in prostitution,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “He manipulated her; he physically abused her; and he used the money she made through prostitution to support his own lifestyle. Massiah’s conviction and subsequent sentence demonstrate our office’s commitment to seeking justice on behalf of the victims of these reprehensible crimes. We do this work alongside our local and federal partners, whose persistence in identifying and investigating sex trafficking makes our communities safer places to live.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. Massiah was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Lansing Man Sentenced For Possessing A Machinegun

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Michael Andrew Thomas, 20, of Lansing, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing a handgun that had been modified to a fully automatic firearm using a conversion device. A conversion device, also referred to as a “switch,” meets the federal definition of a “machinegun.” “Gun violence inflicts senseless suffering and lasting trauma on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “The prevalence of machinegun conversion devices is an especially concerning trend. With the single pull of a trigger, these devices can spray 1,000 rounds a minute. Offenders beware: possess these devices and you face the very real prospect of federal prosecution.” Thomas was arrested in January 2024 after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and found a handgun with a conversion device attached. The gun also had an extended magazine loaded with 34 rounds of ammunition. Thomas posted a photograph of himself with the handgun on social media prior to the search. At the time, Thomas was on state bond after being charged in a 2023 incident involving carjacking and assault with a dangerous weapon. Law enforcement previously arrested Thomas in September 2023 during a traffic stop in which Thomas possessed a stolen firearm that also had a conversion device attached. Law enforcement later obtained forensic evidence from Thomas’ cell phone indicating he trafficked conversion devices and firearms. “Machine gun conversion devices are not firearm accessories but machineguns under federal law. A single-shot-function conversion of a weapon poses a severe threat to our community and public safety,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “Mr. Thomas deliberately chose to illegally possess and advertise in his possession an illegally modified firearm. In the end, I urge anyone in Michigan contemplating experimenting with a machine gun conversion device to think of Mr. Thomas who will be spending a considerable amount of time in prison for similar choices and/or behavior. These devices are a clear and present danger to public safety and will be investigated and prosecuted as such.” Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high. Resources and information on the safe storage of firearms can be found by reviewing the U.S. Department of Justice Safe Storage of Firearms guide , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet , and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives pamphlet . Anyone who possesses a gun must follow all local, state, and federal laws. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaToyia Carpenter and investigated by the Lansing Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ###


title: Northern Michigan Physician Assistant Charged  With Covid-19 Pandemic Assistance Fraud

body_text: Todd Kreykes Admitted Using COVID-19 Pandemic Funds Targeted for Patient Care at Boardman Family Practice for His Own Benefit GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Todd Martin Kreykes, 60, of Kalkaska County, was charged in a felony information with theft of government property related to his use of COVID-19 pandemic funding to purchase vehicles, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, remodel his home, and otherwise pay for vacations and his personal expenses. “Every dollar that Todd Kreykes spent on luxury goods and vacations was one less dollar to help businesses struggling during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “This conviction can’t make up for that lost assistance now, but it can vindicate the taxpayers and show that criminals who defraud the government will be held accountable.” Kreykes faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Kreykes has agreed to plead guilty to the felony information and, as part of a written plea agreement, has agreed to make full restitution to the applicable federal pandemic programs prior to his sentencing hearing. According to the felony information, from April 2020, until November 2021, Boardman Family Practice received over $294,000.00 from the United States through various federal programs designed to assist medical providers in providing care and treatment for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, CARES Act Rural Health Center Distribution, Rural Health Center Testing Program, and the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program. Kreykes accepted these federal payments and attested to the accompanying terms and conditions that required the funding to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 testing and vaccination, or to reimburse the recipient for health care expenses or lost revenues attributable to the coronavirus. Instead, Kreykes stole over $200,000.00 of the federal funds and converted them to his own use by spending the federal funds on a new truck, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a camper, and other personal items and expenses, remodeling his home, paying off personal loans, and taking vacations, all in violation of the terms and conditions of the federal programs. “Providers who misappropriated federal funds intended to offset costs associated with medical services during the COVID-19 public health emergency showed disregard for taxpayers and the individuals relying on these vital programs,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) . “Our agency, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to ensuring the integrity of federal programs designed to protect public health.” The U.S. Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case. The charges in a felony information are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Former University IT Director Admits $2.1 Million Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – The former IT director of a St. Louis-area university on Tuesday admitted defrauding both his employer and an IT equipment supplier in a $2.1 million fraud scheme. Ronald Simpson, 54, of St. Peters, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud. As director of information technology for the university, Simpson was responsible for repairing and replacing defective IT equipment used at his employer’s multiple locations. Beginning about Nov. 29, 2018, Simpson devised a scheme to enrich himself at the expense of the University and their equipment supplier. After receiving approval to purchase hundreds of items of IT equipment by falsely claiming the equipment would be used or installed at university locations, Simpson sold that equipment to a third-party. Simpson misappropriated at least a million dollars from the university with this part of the scheme. He also fraudulently obtained 56 items from the university’s IT supplier by falsely claiming that the equipment they originally had supplied was defective. Simpson then sold both the original equipment and the replacement gear. The supplier sent a total of $780,233 worth of replacement IT equipment to the university based on Simpson’s misrepresentations. Simpson was paid a total of $2,188,704 for IT equipment belonging to the university and its supplier. Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced September 17. The wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Both Simpson’s former employer and the IT supplier worked extensively with law enforcement during this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Chicago Health Care Company and Its Former Owners To Pay Nearly $2 Million To Settle False Claims Act Lawsuit

body_text: A Chicago health care company and its former owners will pay nearly $2 million to the United States and the States of Illinois and Indiana to resolve a civil lawsuit arising from the submission of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The settlement resolves allegations that KAREFIRST MANAGEMENT, an independent nurse practitioner group, developed its own proprietary patient charting software and required its nurse practitioners to use it, despite knowing that it resulted in fraudulently upcoded claims being submitted to and paid by Medicare and Medicaid. The suit alleged that KareFirst contracted out nurse practitioners to see patients at skilled nursing facilities across the Chicago area. Those nurse practitioners charted all patient visits using the software developed by KareFirst. The software then generated false, upcoded claims that KareFirst submitted to Medicare and Medicaid for payment. The settlement resolves a civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago by a former employee of KareFirst under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private citizens to bring lawsuits on behalf of the U.S. for false claims, and to share in any recovery. The U.S. intervened in the lawsuit prior to the settlement. As part of the settlement agreement and consent order entered Friday by U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, KareFirst and its former owners agreed to pay $1.99 million to Medicare and Medicaid over the next three years. The settlement and consent judgment were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah F. Terman. The public is reminded that civil allegations are accusations only, and there was no determination of liability as part of the settlement and consent judgment. KareFirst consent judgment and settlement agreement


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison

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

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Vorheese D. Zanders, Jr., 32 years old, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Zanders was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Zanders and his fellow drug traffickers came from Detroit to Fort Wayne where they distributed fentanyl and other drugs throughout 2017 and 2018. Zanders supplied the fentanyl, and the group dealt drugs from several Fort Wayne hotels and residences, while commonly armed with firearms. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Indiana State Police, and the Taylor Police Department in Michigan. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller and Stacey R. Speith. 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: Shiprock Woman Charged with Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman was charged by indictment with straw purchase of a firearm which was later used in a murder following a violent day-long crime spree in Gallup, New Mexico. Brittania Navaho , 28, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the indictment, on April 24, 2024, Navaho knowingly purchased a firearm on behalf of another person, knowing that person intended to use the firearm in furtherance of a felony. If convicted of the current charges, Navaho faces up to 25 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Nation Police Department, the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. View the Indictment An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Starkville Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to over seven years in federal prison for drug trafficking. According to court documents, Lashadus Harris, 33, previously pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Harris to 87 months in prison following his drug trafficking conviction. Upon release from prison, Harris will serve a three-year term of supervised release. Harris was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after sentencing. “This defendant is a repeat offender who continued to sell dangerous narcotics in his community,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Thanks to the hard work of FBI, the Starkville Police Department and AUSA Robert Mims, he will no longer be retailing illegal drugs in Starkville.” “The FBI is committed to ensuring that our communities remain safe,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. “When individuals, like Mr. Harris, continuously introduce illegal narcotics into the community, this becomes a danger to society. It is imperative the FBI, DOJ and our Starkville partners fully prosecute these offenders to the extent allowed.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Starkville Police Department.


title: Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing And Receiving Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Lucio Daza Marquez (73, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession and receipt of child sex abuse material. Marquez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, an undercover FBI agent discovered an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was sharing files containing child sex abuse material. The IP address was traced to Marquez. During the execution of a search warrant at Marquez’s residence, FBI agents located multiple files depicting the sexual abuse of children on Marquez’s laptop and external hard drives. During an interview with the FBI, Marquez admitted to downloading child sex abuse material. Marquez further told the FBI that he had been viewing child sex abuse material for nearly 10 years, and that he preferred young girls approximately 12 years old. He also admitted to viewing videos involving much younger children being sexually abused, including infants. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Antisemitic Harassment of Synagogues, Jewish-Owned Businesses

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Donavon Parish, 29, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to one count of cyberstalking and five counts of abuse and harassment using a telecommunications device. Parish also admitted to a special finding that he targeted his victims based on their actual and perceived religion. According to a June 2023 indictment and superseding information filed last month, during April and May 2022, the defendant used a Voice over Internet Protocol service to make a series of phone calls to synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In these calls, the defendant spoke to individuals answering the telephone calls on behalf of their respective institutions, at which time he repeatedly referenced the genocide of approximately six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, stating, among other things, “Heil Hitler,” “all Jews must die,” “we will put you in work camps,” “gas the Jews,” and “Hitler should have finished the job.” In total, the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $1,500,000 fine and a $600 special assessment. “Cyberstalking is already a serious violation and targeting victims based on their religion is a hate crime, which makes it that much more abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We and our partners will continue to work to hold accountable anyone who criminally misuses today’s technology to spread hate and fear.” “Antisemitism has no place in our society,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s guilty plea reinforces that we will pursue justice against those who threaten members of our communities with such vile threats. The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure our citizens feel safe in the environments they live, work and play in.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Justin Sher with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division (Counterterrorism Section), with assistance from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Melvin Pearson Jones, 40, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2023, Jones sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at his Huntington apartment for $300. Jones admitted to the transaction, and to arranging it beforehand with the confidential informant. Jones further admitted to selling approximately 6.11 grams of heroin and fentanyl to the confidential informant in Huntington on August 9, 2023. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-1. ###


title: Multiple Alabama Individuals Charged for Sex Trafficking and Related Offenses

body_text: A federal judge in the Middle District of Alabama unsealed an eight-count indictment today charging five individuals with sex trafficking and related offenses. According to the indictment, Kimani Jones, 30, Treymane Lambert, 48, and Aleecia Scott, 27, of Montgomery, Alabama, used force, fraud and coercion to compel adult women to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. Jones also used force, fraud and coercion to compel two minors to engage in commercial sex acts during that period, and Joseph Keon Bowe, 37, of Notasulga, Alabama, used force, fraud and coercion to compel a minor to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2018 and March 2019. In addition, the indictment charges Jones with transporting one minor and one adult woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution in November 2016 and January 2020. A fifth defendant, Daryle Gardner, 30, of Prattville, Alabama, is charged with transporting an adult woman for purposes of prostitution in January 2020. If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including substantial prison terms, and mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Patrone of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery Police Department and Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law .


title: Datil Man Pleads Guilty to Retaliating Against a Federal Employee

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Datil man pleaded guilty in federal court to retaliating against a federal employee by knowingly filing a false notice of lien against their property in the amount of $20 million. In his plea agreement, Trapper Killsmany , formerly known as David Goldsmith, 56, admitted that he filed a false notice of lien with the Catron County Clerk's Office against the property of employees of the United States Social Security Administration. This action was in response to the employees' performance of their official duties. The lien was false because the listed debtors had no financial relationship with Killsmany and therefore owed no debt or other obligation to him. Previously, Killsmany had filed fraudulent liens in Alaska, claiming that seven federal employees owed him $950 million in damages. Although he was not criminally charged for filing these fraudulent liens, the United States sued Killsmany and obtained a default judgment in federal court. This judgment prohibited him from filing liens without prior court approval. The Court ordered that Killsmany remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Killsmany faces 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Killsmany will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of Catron County Sheriff’s Office and the Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Justice Department Finds State of Missouri Unnecessarily Institutionalizes Adults with Mental Health Disabilities in Skilled Nursing Facilities in Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Improperly Relies on Guardianship

body_text: Remote video URL The Justice Department announced today its findings that the State of Missouri violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily institutionalizing adults with mental health disabilities in nursing facilities. The investigation also examined the role of guardianships in such institutionalization. The Justice Department determined that there is reasonable cause to believe Missouri violates the ADA by failing to provide the community-based services adults with mental health disabilities need in order to remain in their communities. It also found that the state is improperly relying on guardianship and that this leads to people entering nursing facilities even though community-based services are appropriate for their needs. “People with mental health disabilities should not have to be confined to a nursing facility because they cannot access the community-based services they need,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will safeguard the rights of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities. The state’s reliance on guardianships that serve as a pipeline to nursing facilities, rather than engaging people in community-based mental health services, has led to violations of the ADA.” The department’s investigation found Missouri fails to provide community-based mental health services for many people with mental health disabilities who need them, including services such as: Assertive Community Treatment; Case management; Supported employment; Mobile crisis response; Crisis stabilization services; Permanent Supportive Housing; Peer support; and Supported Decision-Making. Instead, the state makes nursing facility services for these people. Missouri can reasonably modify its system to remedy this violation by expanding community-based services and implementing processes to ensure that individuals can receive those services rather than entering nursing facilities. Individuals with information relevant to this matter can contact the department by leaving a voicemail at 833-610-1242 or emailing Community.Missouri@usdoj.gov . The Justice Department will hold two virtual community meetings on Tuesday, June 25, at 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET and Wednesday, June 26, at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the findings. Please register to join these meetings by clicking on the respective link. If you need an interpreter or accommodation to attend, please email Community.Missouri@usdoj.gov . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-disabilities and www.ada.gov . View the findings report here. View the notice letter here.


title: Nineteen-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Luis Rosado (28, Winter Park) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Rosado faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on August 20, 2023, Rosado was stopped by law enforcement after committing a traffic infraction when officers observed a rifle and shotgun on the front passenger seat. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an additional firearm in the glove compartment, as well as ammunition throughout the vehicle. Rosado was the sole occupant of the vehicle. At the time Rosado possessed the firearms and ammunition, he had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including thirteen convictions for burglary of a conveyance, four for grand theft of a motor vehicle, one for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one for fraudulent-illegal credit card use. As a convicted felon, Rosado is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Rosado has agreed to forfeit a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Radical Firearm 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle, a Silver Eagle 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, and assorted ammunition. This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian. 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: Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty  in COVID-19 Pandemic Loan Scheme

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Pennsylvania man who organized a scheme to defraud the government out of COVID-19 pandemic loan moneys pled guilty on June 14, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alhaji Kundu Aly, age 35, from Chester, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of wire fraud. In a plea agreement, Aly admitted that he and others recruited and assisted various individuals in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for which they did not actually qualify, in exchange for a fee. False, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants. After the PPP applicants received the fraudulent PPP loans, it was part of the scheme to demand a portion of the PPP moneys from the PPP applicants and, if necessary, Aly traveled to demand payment in person. Aly traveled to Iowa and demanded payment in person from a PPP applicant. Aly admitted in his plea agreement that he is responsible for no less than $250,000 in loss based on no less than 21 fraudulent PPP loans as a result of the scheme to defraud. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Aly remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Aly faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-9. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Nearly 21 Years in Prison for Racketeering Involving Attempted Murder

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Daronde Bethea, a/k/a “Freeze,” 32, of Boston and Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 250 months in prison, and three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Bethea pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly known as RICO conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. “This defendant will now pay a very heavy price for all the violence inflicted on our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The number of law-enforcement agencies that work together to secure this conviction and lengthy sentence is a testament to the federal state and local collaboration to combat violent crime and keep the law, abiding men and women who live in these communities safe.” “This is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety," said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. "Sending a career criminal like Daronde Bethea to prison sends a message to the community that violent gang members will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe, which is a top priority for ATF.” “As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and communities,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “These crimes rob the neighborhoods of safety and hold law abiding citizens of Massachusetts hostage to drug fueled lawlessness. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.” "The Boston Police Department is proud to work with our federal and state partners to bring violent criminals to justice. Criminals create gangs and other organized structures to disrupt the lives of residents using violence and intimidation, often targeting the vulnerable. This sentencing is an example of how we in law enforcement can bring our resources together to target those bad actors," said Commissioner Michael Cox, Boston Police Department. "We will continue to work with our partners to do all we can to protect the families and individuals we serve here in Boston." Bethea was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston. According to court documents, Cameron Street members use violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand its territory. They allegedly use social media to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes, and denigrate rival gangs. They allegedly possess, carry and use firearms; distribute controlled substances; commit armed robberies; and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income for the gang. As part of his role in the Cameron Street enterprise, Bethea committed an attempted murder with a firearm of a rival gang member in Dorchester in June 2018. As the victim got into his car, Bethea shot the victim multiple times causing the victim to have a collapsed lung. In addition to the attempted murder, Bethea was involved in two violent home invasion robberies – in November 2017 in Dorchester and July 2018 in Canton. During a chase from the Canton home, Bethea was captured on a police cruiser camera possessing a loaded handgun that was later recovered. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; ATF SAC Ferguson; DEA Acting SAC Belleau; and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Canyon County Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years  for Distributing Cocaine and Methamphetamine

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Tyler J. Pierce, 31, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, in June 2022, City County Narcotics Unit officers received information that Pierce was distributing controlled substances in Canyon County. On three occasions in June and August 2023 Pierce sold a total of 3.24 grams of cocaine and 361.99 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. After Pierce was arrested on an Idaho Department of Correction Agent’s Warrant, he made several calls to his spouse in which they discussed deleting digital evidence material to his case. On the calls, Pierce threatened the life of the undercover officer. Pierce received a sentencing enhancement related to obstructing or impeding the administration of justice. Pierce has a lengthy criminal history, which includes felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, grand theft, and eluding law enforcement. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Pierce to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Pierce pleaded guilty on February 27, 2024. “Having been caught selling poisoning drugs on our streets, this defendant doubled down on his criminal conduct by threatening the life of an undercover law enforcement officer who helped to bring him to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Just as we will not tolerate drug trafficking in Idaho, we will hold accountable anyone who threatens the brave men and women in law enforcement who help keep us all safe.” “This is another example of unity, collaboration, and persistence. I am so proud of our partnerships with our federal counterparts, which continue to pay dividends for all Idahoans by ensuring they can live safely and pursue happiness,” said Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram. “This case is one example that highlights the prevalence of drugs in our state and the need for Task Force officers like those in the Canyon County Narcotics Unit to risk their lives trying to address this growing threat,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “Almost all of these illicit drugs come through our Southern Border through the work of Transcontinental Criminal Organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, and we must continue to the fight to hold accountable those who are involved with spreading this poison on our streets. That includes individuals like Tyler Pierce, but we also must hold those accountable who are complicit in the vast criminal networks responsible for bringing illicit drugs here to Idaho, like international bad actors in China and Mexico.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the City County Narcotics Unit, which is comprised of officers from the Canyon County Sheriff's Office and the Caldwell Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie C. Chong prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position. ###


title: Flandreau Man Sentenced for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Flandreau, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on June 17, 2024. Jeremy James Simon, age 27, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Simon was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024. The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 23, 2021, when Simon intentionally distributed fentanyl to a third party who smoked the fentanyl and died. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. Simon is the second person to be sentenced for the death. Rundial Biliu of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sold the pills to Simon that he ultimately gave to the victim. Biliu was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in April of 2023. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Flandreau Santee Tribal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Simon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Robert McLane Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Auto Dealer Employer

body_text: Burlington, Vermont. - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Robert McLane, 36, of Webster, Vermont, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge of mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss released McLane on conditions pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 31, 2024. Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed an information charging McLane with mail fraud. McLane pleaded guilty to this charge today. According to the information, between approximately March 2019 and September 23, 2022, McLane was employed by Formula Nissan, Inc., an automobile sales and service dealership located in central Vermont. During this period, McLane served as the Parts Manager and then the Director of Parts and Service at Formula Nissan. In his positions, McLane oversaw the parts and service departments; supervised other employees; and ordered, received, and paid for automotive parts needed in Formula Nissan’s operations. In ordering, receiving, and paying for parts, McLane typically communicated with Formula Nissan’s parts supplier, Nissan North America, using dealer management software. Starting around January 2021 and continuing until September 2022, McLane began defrauding Formula Nissan by ordering certain vehicle parts from Nissan North America. Many of the parts McLane ordered were vehicle suspension lift kits. The cost to Formula Nissan of each lift kit was in the $2,300 to $2,900 range. Nissan North America billed, and Formula Nissan subsequently paid, for the lift kits McLane had ordered. As part of the scheme, McLane refrained from ordering the lift kits via the dealer management software parts ordering system. As a result of this bypass, the parts McLane ordered were not entered into Formula Nissan’s inventory of parts-on-hand. Instead of selling the lift kits for the benefit of Formula Nissan, McLane advertised them for sale on Facebook at prices substantially discounted from their wholesale cost to Formula Nissan. Over the course of the scheme, McLane sold more than 200 lift kits to persons around the United States. Purchasers paid for the lift kits via transfers of funds to a personal PayPal account that McLane maintained in his own name. He shipped lift kits to his own customers by using Formula Nissan’s Federal Express account. McLane then used the fraudulently obtained proceeds for his own benefit. As a result of McLane’s fraud, Formula Nissan and its insurance company suffered an out-of-pocket loss of at least $575,000. McLane faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the gross loss caused by the fraud. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. McLane is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Steve Barth. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.