title: Readout of the Justice Department Participation in the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators

body_text: The Justice Department supported campus public safety and law enforcement leaders during the annual International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators Conference (IACLEA) from June 24 through June 27, in New Orleans. The conference brought together police chiefs, public safety directors, and security personnel at higher education institutions who are responsible for protecting millions of students worldwide to explore the latest trends and best practices, as well as the challenges facing institutions and communities. Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led a featured session, “The Road to 2030: The Next Generation of Campus Leadership,” where he discussed the present and future evolution of campus police and public safety leadership. In his remarks, Director Dettelbach said, “It is in our DNA to support you in every effort to both prevent and respond to serious threats on and off your campuses. And we are available to talk through any questions you have about evolving threats or concerns that might be on your mind — whether that is firearm safe storage, ghost gun trends in your communities, keeping students safe off-campus in high crime areas.” Executive Director Paul M. Cell, of the IACLEA said, “IACLEA is proud to be a partner with ATF in addressing the challenges campuses are experiencing today. Under the leadership of Director Dettelbach, the partnership has fostered training opportunities, program development, and collaboration with regional and local ATF agents with the shared mission of creating safe campus learning and living environments.” Acting Director Justin Long of the Community Relations Service’s (CRS) and Director Hugh Clements of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) also attended. COPS representatives led a session on “Facilitated Dialogue as Conflict Response and Conflict Prevention Strategy on Campus,” that highlighted an ongoing collaboration between COPS, CRS and the Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law to develop resources to help public safety agencies and communities engage in meaningful dialogue in the aftermath of critical incidents, such as police use of force, identity-based conflict, or hate crime. COPS and ATF representatives led a panel on the recommendations from the department’s Critical Incident Review on the mass casualty incident at Robb Elementary School, a moderated panel discussion on de-escalation, as well as a session on identifying and documenting privately made firearms (PMFs). FBI representatives led sessions on FBI’s National Domestic Communications Assistance Center’s (NDAC) resources for Law Enforcement in the digital age. NDCAC serves as a knowledge management hub for evidence collection from communications providers and devices, geolocation capabilities, and lawfully authorized electronic surveillance. The FBI also led a presentation on “Responders' Wellness & Resilience,” which focused on responders’ wellness and resiliency after active shooter and mass shooting incidents. With the conclusion of this successful IACLEA conference, the Justice Department emphasizes the importance of partnerships with campus law enforcement and continues to closely collaborate with them to promote public safety across the country.


title: Armed career criminal sentenced for straw purchasing 19 firearms

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

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for making false statements to illegally straw-purchase firearms. According to court documents, Dartanguia Antonious Lee, aka Donte, Dante, Dionte, Snoop, Snookie and Bully, 42, is an armed career criminal with several previous felony convictions, including serious drug crimes and five convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Beginning in December 2019 and continuing until March 2020, Lee used his girlfriend as a straw-purchaser to obtain at least 19 firearms from four federally licensed firearms dealers. As a previously convicted felon, Lee cannot purchase or possess firearms or ammunition. Lee often transferred the firearms to other convicted felons who could not purchase their own. Some of those firearms have already been recovered by law enforcement. Lee was apprehended in Greensboro, North Carolina, in September 2022, months after his federal indictment in Virginia. He was apprehended as part of a drug trafficking investigation that involved multiple firearms. Lee still faces pending charges in North Carolina. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-44.


title: U.S. Attorney Breon Peace Announces New Leadership for Criminal Division and Long Island Division

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today the appointment of Alixandra E. Smith as the Office’s Chief of the Criminal Division as well as John J. Durham as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division. Additionally, in September 2023, Richard K. Hayes was named the Office’s Chief of the Civil Division. “I make these announcements with tremendous pride and excitement. Alix, John and Rich are brilliant legal minds with vast expertise in serving the Office, through both impressive casework and leadership positions. I have the utmost confidence they will continue to do what they do best – inspire and lead their teams in the pursuit of equal justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Peace. Alixandra E. Smith Ms. Smith joined the Office in 2012 and has served in the General Crimes, Organized Crime and Gangs, and Business and Securities Fraud (BSF) Sections, and as a Deputy Chief of BSF, Chief of BSF and a Criminal Division Deputy Chief. Among other roles, Ms. Smith is Vice Chair of the Criminal Division Hiring Committee, Chair of the Office’s e-Litigation Committee and co-teaches the EDNY Prosecution Externship at New York University Law School. Ms. Smith is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Prior to joining the Office, she worked as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and at Jenner & Block LLP, and clerked for the Honorable Faith Hochberg, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, as well as the Honorable Julio Fuentes, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. During her time in the Office, Alix has investigated and prosecuted significant white-collar cases. She co-led the investigation and prosecution of United States v. Shkreli and Greebel , in which the defendants were charged with orchestrating four interrelated schemes to defraud investors in two hedge funds of more than $7 million, to steal more than $10 million from a public company and to manipulate the price and trading volume of the public company’s stock. Both defendants were convicted following back-to-back six-week and 11-week trials in 2017, and Alix successfully argued both appeals. In several cases related to United States v. Odebrecht and United States v. Braskem , Alix led the Office’s team which, along with the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section (Fraud Section), prosecuted two Brazilian-based petrochemical companies that paid almost a billion dollars in bribes to government officials in at least 12 countries in order to win business. Both companies pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and agreed to pay a combined penalty of at least $3.2 billion to resolve charges in the United States, Brazil and Switzerland. A number of individuals were also convicted for their roles in the bribery scheme, including Braskem’s Chief Executive Officer. In United States v. AmerisourceBergen , Alix led the criminal prosecution of the second-largest drug distributor in the United States, which ultimately paid a combined total of $885 million to resolve civil and criminal liability stemming from its distribution, over a period of ten years, of millions of syringes of oncology drugs to immunocompromised cancer patients nationwide that were prepared under insanitary conditions and contaminated. The criminal case was resolved with a $260 million penalty, and a subsidiary of the company pleaded guilty to a criminal violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. And in United States v. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and related cases, which were prosecuted in conjunction with the Fraud Section and the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Alix led the Office’s team in the prosecution of investment bank Goldman Sachs (Goldman), its subsidiary and individuals, who were charged for their roles in a scheme to pay $1.6 billion in bribes to government officials and launder billions of dollars in criminal proceeds. The case was resolved when Goldman’s subsidiary pled guilty to a FCPA violation, Goldman entered a DPA and paid $2.9 billion in criminal penalties as part of a global resolution with eight different foreign and domestic authorities, and a Goldman banker was convicted of FCPA and money laundering charges after a nine-week trial. In addition, Ms. Smith has investigated and prosecuted important violent crimes cases, including United States v. Rivera et al , in which the leader and co-founder of the TF Mafia gang were each convicted of, among other crimes, racketeering, murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of children and firearms offenses following an 11-week trial; and United States v. Lopez. et al. , in which four MS-13 members were convicted of murdering a fellow MS-13 gang member whom they suspected of being a cooperating witness. Among other awards, Ms. Smith is the recipient of the Attorney General’s John Marshall Award for the Trial of Litigation, the Harry L. Stimson Medal, the Assistant Attorney General’s (AAG) Award for Exceptional Service, the AAG Award for Distinguished Service and the EOUSA Director’s Award. John J. Durham Mr. Durham joined the Office in October 2005 and has served in the General Crimes Section and Long Island Criminal Section. Mr. Durham has been appointed to several leadership positions in the Office and the Department of Justice, including Deputy Chief for the Long Island Criminal Section, the Office’s Capital Case Coordinator, the Attorney General’s Review Committee on Capital Cases and Chair of the MS-13 Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. In August 2019, Mr. Durham was appointed to serve as the Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), a Department of Justice initiative to combat La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), where he spearheaded indictments against MS-13’s highest-ranking international leaders. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1998 and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2001. Mr. Durham clerked for United States District Judge Stephen C. Robinson in the Southern District of New York. During his time in the Office, Mr. Durham has investigated, prosecuted and supervised a broad range of federal offenses, including racketeering, murders, terrorism, civil rights, obstruction of justice, armed robberies, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, firearms and public corruption. Most significantly, he has directed the Office’s efforts to dismantle the operations of MS-13 in the EDNY, as well as nationally and internationally. In a series of EDNY indictments, he has led teams of AUSAs and investigators that have arrested and convicted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates, including charges related to more than 65 murders committed in this district between January 2008 and the present. United States v. Amaya-Sanchez, et al .; United States v. Acosta, et al. ; United States v. Cerna, et al .; United States v. Alvarenga et al .; and United States v. Prado et al . As the Director of JTFV, Mr. Durham led a team of AUSAs and law enforcement officers from across the country and secured significant indictments against MS-13’s command and control structure across the United States, Central America and Mexico, including the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders. United States v. Henriquez, et al. (EDNY); United States v. Arevalo-Chavez, et al . (EDNY); United States v. Carias, et al. (SDNY); and United States v. Melgar-Diaz, et al . (EDVA). In addition to his work combatting MS-13, Mr. Durham has prosecuted defendants who attempted to travel to Yemen for the purpose of joining al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and fighting jihad against United States allies ( United States v. Kaliebe/Zea ), and members of numerous other violent criminal organizations, including the Bloods, 18th Street gang, Crips, Salvadorans With Pride and violent narcotics trafficking and robbery crews based in the district. Finally, in addition to his violent crime work, Mr. Durham has prosecuted a number of significant and sensitive public corruption and civil rights matters, including the former Chief of Department for the Suffolk County Police Department ( United States v. Burke, et al .), the former Suffolk County District Attorney and former Chief of Investigations and Chief of the Government Corruption Bureau for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office ( United States v. Spota and McPartland ), a then-sitting Nassau County Legislator ( United States v. Corbin ), a New York City Police Department sergeant ( United States v. Green ) and a Food and Drug Administration official ( United States v. Oliver, et al .). Among other awards, Mr. Durham is the recipient of the Charles E. Rose Award; Henry L. Stimson Medal; EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance; National Association of Former United States Attorneys, Exceptional Service Award; and several Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Awards. Richard K. Hayes Mr. Hayes joined in the Office’s Civil Division in 1991, and since then has litigated nearly every type of case. He had been a Deputy Chief of the Civil Division since 2012 with overall supervisory responsibility for the Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement, Civil Rights, Drug and Listed Chemical, Environmental and Health Care Fraud practices. Prior to serving as Deputy Chief, Mr. Hayes was the Office’s Chief of Affirmative Civil Enforcement. Mr. Hayes graduated from Fordham University School of Law, where he was on the Moot Court Editorial Board and a member of the Fordham Urban Law Journal . He received his B.A. in History and Political Science summa cum laude from Fordham University and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa . Mr. Hayes has handled some of the largest matters with the Office and the Department of Justice stemming from the Financial Crisis. These included the 2012 $25 billion National Mortgage Settlement, which resolved federal and state claims against the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers. In addition to recovering damages incurred by the Federal Housing Administration, the settlement provided for billions of dollars in homeowner relief nationwide. Mr. Hayes also originated and led the Office’s Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) practice, a component of the Department of Justice’s RMBS Working Group. This entailed building teams that at one point comprised more than sixty AUSAs, other attorneys and professional staff which investigated banks that underwrote hundreds of billions of dollars in failed RMBS. Ultimately, six banks and several individuals paid more than $11 billion in penalties and provided $6.6 billion in consumer relief to resolve claims under the Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act. All told, the Office has received over $20 billion in credit for financial crisis era cases that Mr. Hayes handled and supervised. In addition to his financial fraud work, Mr. Hayes has obtained monetary and injunctive relief in a wide range of matters. For example, in United States v. Staten Island University Hospital , he led an investigation of multiple Medicare and Medicaid billing schemes and negotiated an $89 million global settlement of civil fraud claims. In United States v. Lawrence Aviation Industries , Mr. Hayes and his team members obtained a $48 million judgment after trial in a Superfund cost recovery and penalty case. And, in United States v. Local 14 of the International Union of Operating Engineers , he filed and resolved civil RICO claims, securing appointment of a court-ordered monitorship over the mob-infiltrated union. Mr. Hayes is a two-time recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, a two-time recipient of the Director’s Award for Superior Performance, and a recipient of the Henry L. Stimson Medal for outstanding performance as an Assistant United States Attorney.


title: Native of El Salvador Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a native of El Salvador for illegal re-entry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Juan Carlos Portillo, also known as Jose Alberto Zamora Zamora, Jose Alberto Lopez, Jose Alberto Zamora-Penate, Juan Alberto Zamora-Zamora, and Jose Adalberto Lopez-Lopez, 30, to the statutory maximum sentence of 24 months in prison. In February, Portillo pleaded guilty to one count of illegal re-entry after deportation. According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, Homeland Security Investigations Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Birmingham received a tip from ERO San Salvador that Portillo was allegedly residing with one of his sisters, in Columbiana, Alabama. In August 2023, HSI ERO received information that Portillo was at a residence in Chelsea, Alabama, working as a subcontractor. HSI agents searched the residence and found Portillo inside. Portillo was taken into custody. According to HSI, Portillo is currently wanted in El Salvador and has a total of six arrest warrants for aggravated kidnapping, attempted aggravated homicide, illicit association, aggravated extortion, terrorist organization, deprivation of liberty and aggravated homicide. ERO San Salvador reported that Portillo is the alleged leader of one of the most violent cliques of the MS-13 gang in El Salvador. INTERPOL has also issued a Red Notice on Portillo. HSI ERO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted the case.


title: Professor Charged for Operating Multimillion-Dollar Grant Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the District of Maryland returned an indictment yesterday charging a Pennsylvania man for defrauding the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) of approximately $16 million in federal grant funds. According to court documents, Hoau-Yan Wang, 67, was a tenured medical professor at a public university’s medical school, as well as a paid advisor and consultant to a publicly traded Texas biopharmaceutical company. From approximately May 2015 through approximately April 2023, Wang allegedly engaged in a scheme to fabricate and falsify scientific data in grant applications made to the NIH on behalf of himself and the biopharmaceutical company. As alleged, the fraudulent grant applications to the NIH sought funding for scientific research of a potential treatment and diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease and resulted in the award of approximately $16 million in grants from approximately 2017 to 2021, part of which funded Wang’s laboratory work and salary. The indictment alleges that Wang’s work under these grants was related to the early developmental phases of the proposed drug and diagnostic test, typically referred to by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as Phase 1 and Phase 2. Wang’s alleged scientific data falsification in the NIH grant applications related to how the proposed drug and diagnostic test were intended to work and the improvement of certain indicators associated with Alzheimer’s disease after treatment with the proposed drug. Wang is charged with one count of major fraud against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of false statements. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the count of major fraud, 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, and five years in prison for the count of false statements. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Andrew Tyler, Deputy Chief Anna Kaminska, and Assistant Chief Leslie Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Shenandoah Man Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A federal grand jury in Charlottesville, Virginia returned an indictment this week charging a Shenandoah, Virginia man with wire fraud for allegedly stealing over $200,000 from his former employer. According to court documents, unsealed following the defendant’s arrest, Vernon Fisher, 66, is charged with five counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that from approximately 2017 and continuing through 2021, Fisher was employed by Victim Company, a plastics company located in Elkton, Virginia. Fisher served as an accountant and controller and his responsibilities included filing taxes, running payroll, managing cash, bank deposits, and paying company bills on behalf of Victim Company. Fisher is alleged to have engaged in a multi-year scheme involving over 300 financial transactions totaling more than $200,000 to steal from and defraud Victim Company by linking his personal bank accounts to the Victim Company bank accounts. Fisher than funneled company money to his own accounts and used it for personal expenses at Neiman Marcus, Kay Jewelers, Macys, Nordstrom, and other high-end retailers. In addition, Fisher linked his PayPal and Cash App accounts to Victim Company’s accounts and transferred money to those accounts as well. If convicted, Fisher faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Sentenced After Fatal Stabbing in Park

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Jeffrey Wade Anderson, Jr., 35, of Tulsa, to 300 months imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country. Judge Hill further ordered Anderson to five years of supervised release. According to court documents, in June of 2023, Tulsa Police Department officers were dispatched in reference to a stabbing at a public park. Officers located Joe Burton, lying unresponsive with one stab wound to his upper torso. Bystanders were attempting to render aid. Once emergency medical personnel arrived, they pronounced Joe Burton deceased. Multiple witnesses provided officers with a description of the suspect. Anderson matched that description and was detained. During his interview with detectives, Anderson admitted to officers that he “murdered that man” because he thought Joe said something disrespectful. Anderson is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.


title: Former D.C. Corrections Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation  for Assaulting a Handcuffed Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer, Marcus Bias, 28, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release for one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting a handcuffed inmate. Bias previously pleaded guilty in March. “This defendant had a duty to treat people in his custody humanely,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant is being held accountable for violently ramming an inmate’s head into a metal doorframe while the victim was handcuffed, surrounded by six officers and posed no threat. The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute such excessive force against prisoners and will insist that corrections officers respect the civil and constitutional rights of those entrusted to their care.” “Like any other law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect the constitutional rights of anyone who was in his care and custody,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The defendant ignored that responsibility, when he assaulted and seriously injured an inmate who posed no threat. Such assaults are civil rights violations that will be prosecuted.” “Today, Marcus Bias was sentenced for violently injuring an inmate and violating their civil rights,” said Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “The FBI is charged with investigating those who violate a person’s civil rights, and it’s a responsibility the FBI takes very seriously. I would like to thank our partners who worked side-by-side with the FBI on this investigation in order to hold Marcus Bias accountable for his criminal actions.” According to court documents, Bias, intentionally and without provocation, pushed a detainee’s head into a metal doorframe while escorting him within the Department of Corrections on June 12, 2019, causing significant injuries. At the time, the detainee, J.W., had his hands handcuffed behind his back, was suffering from the effects of O.C. spray, was surrounded by five other officers and was not resisting. J.W.’s injuries required emergency medical attention at a hospital. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.


title: Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud After Stealing $90,000+ from Kennebunk Business Over Nearly 2 Years

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A former resident of Atlanta, Georgia pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to committing wire fraud. According to court records, from at least November 2019 through October 2021, Alexis Hodges , 39, fraudulently used the bank account of a Kennebunk business to pay expenses for herself, her family members, and her business. Hodges provided the bank account information to multiple vendors, causing more than $90,000 to be electronically paid out of the account to pay her rent, insurance policies, auto loans, and credit card bills, among others, without the victim’s consent or knowledge. In September 2021, the victim discovered that unauthorized payments were occurring and reported it to the Kennebunk Police Department, who referred the case to the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force for investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not identify victims of crime and is limiting identifying information, including the name and type of business, to protect the victim’s privacy. Hodges faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Kennebunk Police Department. ###


title: Grand Jury Indicts Grandville Man On Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Thomas Aaron Hungerford to Face Three Felonies GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a grand jury returned an indictment charging Thomas Aaron Hungerford, 54, with three federal felony charges relating to Hungerford’s creation and distribution of child pornography. “Sexual exploitation targeting our youngest and most vulnerable is an ongoing threat,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Protecting kids is a critical part of our mission. While we would always want to prevent a child from experiencing harm, we stand ready to hold the predators who commit these crimes accountable.” On May 24, 2024, Hungerford was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography following a federal search warrant that same day. This charge requires a minimum prison term of 5 years and a maximum term of 20 years. Hungerford has been held in custody since his arrest. The Court scheduled his arraignment for July 27, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. A federal defendant has a right to be prosecuted by indictment issued by a grand jury if the offense is punishable by imprisonment for more than a year. Today’s indictment charges Hungerford with additional crimes. Count 1 of the indictment charges Hungerford with sexual exploitation of a child and alleges that he video-recorded a minor engaged in sexually explicit activity on August 16, 2023. If convicted of this count, he would face a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years. Counts 2 and 3 allege that Hungerford distributed child pornography. Each of these crimes require a minimum prison term of 5 years and a maximum term of 20 years. “The defendant’s alleged actions are especially troubling, which range from outright right privacy violations to predatory behavior,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and expose individuals who commit these crimes.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prosecution has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Timothy VerHey. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Fort Dodge Man Convicted for Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Matthew Bradley, 37, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on June 27, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on April 11, 2024, law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa, observed Bradley on a bicycle, wearing a backpack, and knew he had an outstanding arrest warrant. Officers arrested Bradley and seized small baggies of methamphetamine in each of his front pockets. Law enforcement also seized the backpack, which contained a 9mm pistol, and more baggies/vials of small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, plus a digital scale. Bradley was previously convicted of at least five state felony offenses. Bradley admitted to his previous felony convictions and to being a regular user of drugs both of which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Bradley remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Bradley faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-3022. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: FBI and U.S. Attorneys in North Carolina Warn of New Jury Scam

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: The FBI Charlotte Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina are warning the public about a new, more sophisticated jury scam involving fake federal arrest warrants. The scammers call victims or send emails claiming the victims failed to report for jury duty and there is a federal warrant for their arrest. To add additional credibility to their claims, the scammers either text or email a fake arrest warrant with the names of actual North Carolina federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors. The victims are told they can avoid jail time by paying a fine via a virtual currency machine or kiosk. Additionally, they may manipulate caller ID information to make it appear as though the call is originating from a legitimate source, such as the courthouse or a government agency. They may discourage victims from paying the fine in person, claiming the office is closed due to COVID. Legitimate arrest warrants are not emailed or texted, they are served in person by a law enforcement officer or court official and never include a demand for payment. Individuals need to exercise caution and skepticism when receiving unsolicited phone calls, especially ones asking for personal information or payment. The FBI recommends to never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers. To avoid falling victim to common scams: Be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails, or texts. Do not give money or personal information to anyone you don’t know. Trust your instincts and hang up on any caller who makes you feel pressured or uncomfortable. Verify the authenticity of legal claims against you with the appropriate law enforcement agency or court officials. If you believe you have been a victim of a jury duty scam or other fraudulent scheme, file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . ###


title: Sioux City Women Plead Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

body_text: Amy Parks, 57, and Brandy Binneboese, 44, both from Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Binneboese pled guilty on June 7, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine. Parks pled guilty on June 27, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At the plea hearings, Binneboese and Parks admitted their involvement in a conspiracy from January 2021 through June 2023, that distributed over seven pounds of methamphetamine. Evidence showed that on three occasions in 2023, Binneboese and Parks participated in the distribution of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, and on an additional four occasions Parks distributed methamphetamine to that same person. On June 1, 2023, just after one of the meth transactions was completed, Binneboese was stopped by law enforcement and found with two baggies (each containing approximately 8.5 grams methamphetamine) hidden in her bra area and was further found to have $2,500 in pre-serialized buy money that had been used during the drug purchase, moments earlier, in her purse. On June 19, 2023, upon arrest of Parks, law enforcement searched her residence and seized approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine, digital scales, drug use/distribution paraphernalia, cash, and a loaded 9mm firearm. Parks further admitted possessing the handgun in furtherance of her drug trafficking conduct, namely to protect her person and property in connection with her methamphetamine trafficking. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after presentence reports are prepared. Parks remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Binneboese remains (temporarily) on release from custody under the supervision of United States Probation. On the drug conviction, both women face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the firearm conviction, Parks faces an additional mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment (consecutive to any term imposed on the drug conviction) and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4042. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Colorado Man Sentenced to 19 years’ for Possessing Meth and Firearms

body_text: A man who possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessed multiple firearms in furtherance of that crime was sentenced on June 26, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. Esequiel Gomez, 35, from Denver, Colorado, had pled guilty on October 13, 2022. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on April 27, 2022, law enforcement responded to an early morning alarm at the Sioux City Ford Lincoln car dealership. Defendant had broken into the dealership and stolen an F-350 pickup while a codefendant waited in a U-Haul van. Law enforcement ultimately located the pair traveling north on Highway 75 when a high-speed pursuit began. During the pursuit, defendant travelled in excess of 100 miles per hour and the pair were observed discarding items. The pursuit ultimately ended when the pair hit a parked car in Le Mars, Iowa, and sustained varying degrees of injury. Both were transported to Iowa hospitals for treatment. In the vehicles, and along the road, law enforcement discovered over 150 pounds of stolen marijuana from a Colorado dispensary, approximately one pound of methamphetamine, three firearms, and a substantial amount of other stolen items. Gomez has a significant number of warrants for pending charges in Colorado for auto thefts. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment and must serve five years of supervised release following imprisonment. Gomez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4045. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Fact Sheet: Fischer v. United States

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: The following data points are made available in order to provide context with respect to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Fischer v. United States . The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has charged roughly 1,427 individuals with federal crimes arising from alleged criminal conduct committed at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. In more than 82 percent of those cases—involving approximately 1,178 individuals—the defendants were either never charged with or not convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2), the statute at issue in Fischer . Today’s decision has no bearing on those cases. Of the approximately 249 remaining cases, there are zero cases where a defendant was charged only with 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). In other words, in every case potentially impacted by the Fischer decision, the defendant faced other criminal charges—felonies, misdemeanors, or both—for illegal conduct related to the Capitol Breach. Today’s decision will most significantly impact a narrow band of cases: those where the only felony for which a defendant was convicted and sentenced was 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). In total, approximately 52 individuals have been convicted and sentenced on that charge and no other felony; of those individuals, only 27 are currently serving a sentence of incarceration— less than 2 percent of all charged cases arising from the Capitol Breach. ##


title: Retired Georgia Soldier Sentenced to 27 Months for Cyberstalking of Co-Worker

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Castillo Hernandez, 40, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On March 6, 2024, Castillo pleaded guilty to Cyberstalking. Beginning in late 2017 through 2021, Castillo began to harass the victim - a co-worker - and the victim’s family by sending anonymous hateful messages and threats. His campaign of harassment included sending threats along with pictures of the victim to businesses patronized by the victim in multiple states. Castillo also placed a tracker on the victim’s car, and the messages escalated to detailed death threats. The investigation was conducted by Fort Huachuca’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Carin C. Duryee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR 23-CR-01636-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-084_Castillo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Tareen Dermatology Agrees to Pay More Than $1.6 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Tareen Dermatology, P.A., Dr. Mohiba Tareen, and Basir Tareen, CEO (collectively, the “Defendants”) have agreed to pay the Unites States $1.63 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare and other government payors for dermatology services and treatment. The settlement resolves allegations that the Defendants caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare and VA-administered programs in connection with Mohs surgeries, services billed as though performed under the supervision of Dr. Tareen on days she was not physically present in the clinic, office visits for which Defendants inappropriately waived beneficiary co-pays, and the use of certain skin grafts in circumstances in which their usage was not justified as billed. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Carrie Cremin and Susanne Polzin. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of a recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America, et al., ex rel. Carrie Cremin and Susanne Polzin v. Tareen Dermatology P.A., Dr. Mohiba Tareen, and Dr. Basir Tareen, Case No. 19-cv-2457. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen E. Rau handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Seven Charged in Arizona as Part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced criminal charges against seven defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare and Medicaid (specifically AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System). The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges in these cases stem from schemes to obtain, in the aggregate, hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent billings. For example, Rita Anagho, acting primarily though her company, Tusa Integrated Clinic LLC (“TUSA”), was charged for fraudulently billing AHCCCS approximately $69.7 million for behavioral healthcare services. ANAGHO primarily targeted AHCCCS’s American Indian Health Program (“AIHP”) and billed for services that were never provided or not provided as represented. AHCCCS provides health care services to Native Americans through AIHP, and there has been widespread fraud reported in which residential and outpatient treatment centers recruited Native Americans and other individuals to exploit the AIHP under AHCCCS. Many of the patients recruited for TUSA were Native Americans or other individuals who were enrolled in AIHP, and in some cases, patients were switched from their existing AHCCCS insurance plan to AIHP, regardless of whether the patient was Native American. In another matter, Daud Koleosho and Adam Mutwol, acting primarily though their company, Community Hope Wellness Center LLC (“CHWC”), fraudulently billed AHCCCS approximately $57.7 million for behavioral health care services. They too primarily targeted the AIHP, billed AHCCCS for services that were never provided, and overbilled for services that were provided, all to the detriment of the AIHP. In another case, Alexandra Gehrke and Jeffrey King were charged for targeting elderly Medicare patients, many of whom were terminally ill in hospice care, for medically unnecessary wound grafts. Medicare and other health care benefit programs paid over $600 million based on the false and fraudulent claims they submitted for these vulnerable beneficiaries. Gehrke and King were arrested on June 17, 2024, at Sky Harbor International Airport as they were attempting to board a flight out of the country. “It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.” “These cases involve not just massive fraud to steal public funds, but also exploitation of vulnerable victims and the misappropriation of resources earmarked for Native American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Restaino. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners will pursue justice against those who perpetrate these sorts of schemes with the utmost vigor.” The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Restaino are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District to Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here . “We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible. We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.” “Fraud against government funded health care systems not only costs taxpayers billions each year, but as we’ve seen in Arizona, deprives critical care and benefits for our most vulnerable populations,” said Brian Driscoll, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office. “People who participate in this type of fraud will continue to catch the eye of the FBI.” The following individuals have been charged in the District of Arizona as part of this National Enforcement Action: • Alexandra Gehrke, charged by indictment on June 18, 2024; CR-24-01040-PHX-ROS • Jeffery King, charged by indictment on June 18, 2024; CR-24-01040-PHX-ROS • Bethany Jameson, charged by information June 24, 2024; CR-24-01068-PHX-DWL • Carlos Ching, charged by information June 24, 2024; CR-24-01075-PHX-MTL • Rita Anagho, charged by indictment on June 18, 2024; CR-24-01044-PHX-MTL • Adam Mutwol, charged by information June 25, 2024; CR-24-01097-PHX-SPL • Daud Koleosho, charged by information June 25, 2024; CR-24-01098-PHX-MTL Alexandra Gehrke, 38, and Jeffrey King, 49, of Scottsdale, were charged by indictment with conspiracy, health care fraud, receiving kickbacks, and money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare $900 million for highly expensive amniotic allografts. The defendants targeted elderly Medicare patients, many of whom were terminally ill in hospice care, through their companies—Apex Mobile Medical LLC, Apex Medical LLC, Viking Medical Consultants LLC, and APX Mobile Medical LLC. The defendants caused unnecessary and extremely expensive amniotic grafts to be applied to these vulnerable patients’ wounds indiscriminately, without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, without proper treatment for infection, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and in sizes excessively larger than the wound. In just sixteen months, Medicare paid the defendants more than $600 million as a result of their fraud scheme, paying on average more than a million dollars per patient for these unnecessary grafts. The defendants received more than $330 million in illegal kickbacks from the graft distributor in exchange for purchasing and ordering the grafts billed to Medicare. Significant assets were seized upon the defendants’ arrests, including luxury vehicles, gold, and bank accounts totaling more than $70 million. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Bethany Jameson, 53, of Gilbert, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the APX scheme. As alleged in the information, Jameson was paid by Apex Mobile Medical and APX to apply medically unnecessary allografts to Medicare beneficiaries that were procured through kickbacks and bribes. Between November 2022 and August 2023, Apex Mobile Medical and APX billed Medicare over $71 million for allografts applied by Jameson. Medicare paid over $49 million based on those false and fraudulent claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Carlos Ching, 55, of Phoenix, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the APX scheme. As alleged in the information, Ching was paid by APX to apply medically unnecessary allografts to Medicare patients that were procured through kickbacks and bribes. Between June 2023 and January 2024, APX fraudulently billed Medicare over $87 million for allografts applied by Ching. Medicare paid APX over $65 million based on those false and fraudulent claims. And from January 2024 through March 2024, Ching, through his company H3 Medical Clinic LLC, billed Medicare over $5 million for allografts that he procured through kickbacks and bribes and applied to Medicare beneficiaries without medical necessity. Medicare paid over $4 million based on those false and fraudulent claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Rita Anagho, 52, of San Tan Valley, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice in connection with an alleged $69 million scheme involving a substance abuse treatment clinic in Arizona. As alleged in the indictment, Anagho owned Tusa Integrated Clinic LLC (“Tusa”), an outpatient treatment center, which was purportedly in the business of providing addiction treatment services for persons suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. Tusa enrolled as a provider with Arizona’s Medicaid agency, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, and submitted false and fraudulent claims for services that were not provided, were not provided as billed, were so substandard that they failed to serve a treatment purpose, were not used as part of any treatment plan, and were medically unnecessary. Anagho also instructed former Tusa employees to create false therapy notes for sessions they did not conduct in 2023 after she was served with a subpoena for Tusa’s records as part of the government’s investigation of this fraud. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief James Hayes and Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Adam Mutwol, 45, of Tempe, and Daud Koleosho, 44, of Gilbert, were charged by separate informations with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged $57 million substance abuse treatment fraud scheme. As alleged in the informations, Mutwol and Koleosho owned Community Hope Wellness Center LLC (“CHWC”), an outpatient treatment center, which was purportedly in the business of providing addiction treatment services for persons suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. CHWC enrolled as a provider with Arizona Medicaid. To obtain and retain patients for CHWC whose insurance could be billed for substance abuse treatment services, Mutwol and Koleosho offered and paid kickbacks and bribes to owners of residences that housed substance abuse treatment patients, in exchange for these residence owners referring patients for treatment to CHWC. Mutwol and Koleosho submitted $57 million of false and fraudulent claims to Arizona Medicaid for treatment services that were not provided, were not provided as billed, were not provided by qualified personnel, were so substandard that they failed to serve a treatment purpose, were not part of any treatment plan, and were medically unnecessary. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney S. Babu Kaza of the Midwest Strike Force, Assistant Chief James Hayes of the National Rapid Response Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigations in Arizona were conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, are handling these prosecutions. CASE NUMBERS: CR-24-01040-PHX-ROS CR-24-01068-PHX-DWL CR-24-01075-PHX-MTL CR-24-01044-PHX-MTL CR-24-01097-PHX-SPL CR-24-01098-PHX-MTL RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-085_ National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Researcher at University of Montana admits falsifying records in federal investigation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA — A researcher at the University of Montana on June 27 admitted to charges of falsifying documents in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Braxton Alan Norwood, 43, of Marburg, Germany, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with falsification of records in a federal investigation. Norwood faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Oct. 30. Norwood was released pending further proceedings. In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agree that Norwood is responsible for complete restitution and that restitution totals $165,446. If the court accepts the plea agreement at sentencing, the government will move to dismiss the indictment. In court documents, the government alleged that Norwood was owner and CEO of Expesicor LLC, which conducted neurological disorder research at the University of Montana in Missoula. Expesicor received federal grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Norwood was designated the principal investigator, a position that directs a grant project, for federal research grants awarded to Expesicor. Between 2019 and 2021, Expesicor received $515,163 in federal grant funding from the National Institutes of Health. As further alleged, Norwood used Lab Surplus to purchase items on behalf of Expesicor. Over time, suspicions arose over Norwood’s claimed purchases, and federal agencies began an investigation. During the investigation, Norwood knowingly provided a document to case agents that included materially false information. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Blair Taylor Found Guilty of Murdering Two People

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On June 20, 2024, BLAIR TAYLOR, a New Orleans resident, was found guilty by a jury of two-counts of causing a death through the use of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the evidence at trial, TAYLOR killed two individuals on August 10, 2014, in the so-called “Burgundy Massacre.” One of the homicide victims was a sixteen-year-old girl. Five other people were shot and seriously injured, including a 2-year-old child and a 4-year-old child. TAYLOR and two others went to Burgundy Street to retaliate against a narcotics dealer who had stolen drugs from the mother of one of TAYLOR’s co-conspirators. When they arrived, TAYLOR , opened fire on the crowd with a rifle, despite the presence of several young children. One of TAYLOR’s co-conspirators approached the intended target, then shot and killed him. On February 2, 2017, TAYLOR and an accomplice were found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and five counts of attempted second-degree murder after the jury deliberated and returned an 11-1 verdict of guilty as charged on all counts. However, in 2021, they were granted new trials after the United States Supreme Court found that non-unanimous jury votes were unconstitutional. In October of 2022, the State of Louisiana re-tried TAYLOR and he was found not guilty. He was subsequently released from jail in March 2023. Following the not guilty verdict in the state, a federal grand jury investigated the homicides, and indicted TAYLOR , for those murders . As to each count, TAYLOR faces a maximum term of life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for October 3, 2024. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich, Unit Chief Attorney Elizabeth Privitera, and Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger, all of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced for Making False Statement to United States Coast Guard

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DERRICK FREMEN (“FREMEN”) , age 51, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced on June 26, 2024 to a term of thirty-six months probation and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100, after previously pleading guilty, before U.S. District Judge Lance Africk, to making a false statement to the United States Coast Guard, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(3). According to court documents, FREMEN was a licensed merchant mariner and holder of a 100-Ton United States Coast Guard master’s license. In late 2018, FREMEN applied for a job to work on a vessel. The prospective employer required FREMEN to submit to a drug screening, which he failed. In response to the failed drug test, FREMEN submitted an altered prescription to the United States Coast Guard on July 1, 2019, to justify the failed drug test. The case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Gulf Region. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: Florida Resident Convicted of Tax Evasion

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of Florida was convicted of four counts of tax evasion, Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jason Kronick, 50, of Boca Raton, Florida, was convicted by a federal jury on June 26, 2024, of four counts of tax evasion following a trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: From 2010 through 2017, Kronick evaded payment of more than $8.6 million in income and employment taxes, including penalties and interest, despite having earned more than $20 million in taxable income. Kronick also collected approximately $200,000 in payroll taxes from employees of his company, but failed to remit those withholdings to the IRS and evaded his obligation to do so. Kronick evaded these taxes by, among other things, using approximately $1.8 million from accounts controlled by him to buy more than 40 luxury watches; spending more than $4.7 million to pay for home renovations and interior decorating; transferring more than $1.8 million, including funds originating from business accounts, to various casinos, where he converted the money to chips, gambled, and then redeemed chips for approximately $1.8 million in cash; and cashed approximately $159,000 in checks at check-cashing businesses to conceal his income and assets from the IRS. Each of the four counts of tax evasion carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Kronick’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the conviction. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachelle M. Navarro and Christopher Fell of the Criminal Division in Newark.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Offenses

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KEITH BOURGEOIS (“ BOURGEOIS”) , age 53, of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 27, 2024 to TIME SERVED, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by United States District Judge Eldon Fallon. BOURGEOIS previously pled guilty to both possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court records, on April 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant of BOURGEOIS’s residence. During the search, agents seized drug paraphernalia, including scales, packaging material, and razor blades. Agents also seized 27.054 grams of cocaine base, .645 grams of fentanyl, four firearms, several boxes of ammunition, and several thousand dollars in cash. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and Lynn Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Federal Drug and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that GEOURVON SEARS (“SEARS”) , age 26, of New Orleans, was indicted on June 14, 2024 for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts. The court unsealed the indictment on June 26, 2024. According to the indictment, SEARS is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, tapentadol, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). He is charged in Count 2 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). As to the drug trafficking charges in Count 1, SEARS faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to court documents, on or about June 6, 2024, SEARS allegedly possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, tapentadol, and marijuana within the Eastern District of Louisiana. SEARS also allegedly illegally possessed a Romarm/Cugir Model Mini Draco semi-automatic pistol and a Norinco Model SKS rifle, in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute those drugs. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Boston Man Sentenced to More Than One Year in Prison for Drug Trafficking in and Around Public Housing Development

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A man identified as a member/associate of the Heath Street Gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in a public housing development. Michael Van Rader, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 22 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release. In April 2024, Van Rader pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility. On or about Sept. 3, 2023, Van Rader was arrested on the grounds of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, a public housing complex in Jamaica Plain, in possession of a distribution quantity of cocaine. At the time of his arrest, Van Rader was barred by the Boston Housing Authority from trespassing at the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments and was on probation in connection with a state firearm-related conviction. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted 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 .


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARK WILLIAMS (“ WILLIAMS”) , age 22, of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 25, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 66 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession with intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). According to court documents, on May 17, 2023, the FBI executed a search at WILLIAMS’s mother’s residence. WILLIAMS and his brother, Jonathan Gonzalez, a co-defendant in this case, were both present at the residence. They each had loaded firearms and possessed tapentadol pills and marijuana with the intent to distribute those substances. 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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Georgia Chiropractor Admits $14.9 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme Related to Durable Medical Equipment and Cancer Genetic Testing

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia chiropractor who owned or operated multiple durable medical equipment (DME) companies and a cancer genetic testing (CGx) company admitted her role in a health care fraud and illegal kickback conspiracy, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today. Tefylon Cameron, 57, of Powder Springs, Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Cameron and her conspirators owned, operated, and had a financial interest in DME companies through which they obtained doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment, namely orthotic braces, for Medicare beneficiaries without regard to medical necessity. Cameron and her conspirators obtained DME orders using marketing call centers and telemedicine companies (including multiple Florida-based companies), caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and paid illegal kickbacks. Cameron and her conspirators also owned, operated, and had a financial interest in a CGx company through which she agreed to provide a clinical laboratory with leads of beneficiaries who were qualified to receive federal health care benefits for cancer genetic tests. Cameron submitted invoices to the clinical laboratory seeking payment on a per-lead basis, but entered into a sham agreement to disguise kickback and bribe payments. In total, Cameron and her conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $14.9 million. Conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2024. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division. cameron.information.pdf


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Gun Crimes

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ERNEST GREEN (“GREEN”), age 55, a New Orleans resident, was sentenced on June 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). GREEN was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, in September 2020, the Federal Bureau Investigation - New Orleans Gang Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department investigated GREEN for his involvement in a drug distribution operation. The investigation involved numerous controlled purchases of cocaine from GREEN . Additionally, agents executed a search warrant at GREEN’s residence that yielded 28.7 grams of cocaine and two illegal firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Federal Bureau of Investigation - New Orleans Gang Task Force, with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Trillium Capital Manager Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud Scheme Involving Getty Images

body_text: BOSTON – A Mashpee man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a scheme to artificially inflate the trading price of Getty Images Holdings, Inc. and attempting to cover up the scheme. Robert Scott Murray, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for October 3, 2024. Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (Getty) is a visual media company and supplier of images, videos and music, headquartered in Seattle. Getty’s stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GETY. Murray was a long-time investor who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of multiple public companies, including Stream Global Services and 3Com. In April 2023 Murray owned approximately 300,000 GETY shares. Thereafter, Murray issued press releases and sent emails in the name of Trillium Capital LLC – a “venture investment company” located in Massachusetts of which Murray was the sole owner and manager – urging that Getty add Murray to its board of directors. Murray’s efforts to join Getty’s board of directors failed. Murray proceeded to make false and misleading statements, including through press releases and in media interviews, with the purpose of artificially inflating the GETY trading price so that Murray could sell the GETY shares he owned at the artificially inflated price. On Friday, April 21, 2023, GETY shares closed at a trading price of $5.06 per share. On Monday, April 24, 2023, prior to the market opening, Murray caused the publication of a press release in which Trillium Capital made a proposal to acquire Getty for “$10 per share.” When the market opened, GETY shares traded at $7.88 per share, nearly 56 percent above the prior closing price. Murray then sold all the GETY shares he owned within less than one hour for approximately $1,486,467. Murray’s friend, who Murray had previously instructed to buy GETY shares, also sold shares that same morning at Murray’s direction for approximately $558,328. On or about Dec. 6, 2023, Murray instructed his friend to delete all their text messages and to mislead law enforcement agents who had approached her by falsely telling them that they had not exchanged text messages. Murray instructed the friend that text messages are “like virginity, once you delete your virginity you ain’t getting it back.” When approached by law enforcement agents in February 2024, Murray falsely denied telling his friend to buy Getty shares. The charge of securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Murray alleging violations of the securities laws. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Heroin and Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONALD MYLES, a/k/a “D-Ray ,” (“ MYLES”), age 46, a New Orleans resident, was sentenced on June 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. MYLES was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, the Federal Bureau Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department investigated MYLES for his involvement in a drug distribution operation in September 2020. The investigation involved numerous controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from MYLES . The investigation revealed that MYLES conspired with JOHN CRAWFORD, KEVIN JOHNSON, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, and others to distribute heroin and cocaine. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Federal Bureau of Investigation - New Orleans Gang Task Force, with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Former D.C. Corrections Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation for Assaulting a Handcuffed Inmate

body_text: WASHINGTON – Marcus Bias, 28, a former District Department of Corrections Officer, was sentenced today in federal court to 42 months in prison for seriously injuring a handcuffed detainee who was not resisting, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Bias pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024, to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Bias to serve two years of supervised release. “Like any other law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect the constitutional rights of anyone who was in his care and custody,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The defendant ignored that responsibility, when he assaulted and seriously injured an inmate who posed no threat. Such assaults are civil rights violations that will be prosecuted.” “This defendant is being held accountable for violently rammed an inmate’s head into a metal doorframe while the victim was handcuffed behind his back and posed no threat,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Clarke “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute unlawful assaults on vulnerable populations and will stand up for the civil rights of the victims of these crimes.” “Today, Marcus Bias was sentenced for violently injuring an inmate and violating their civil rights,” said David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “The FBI is charged with investigating those who violate a person’s civil rights, and it’s a responsibility the FBI takes very seriously. I would like to thank our partners who worked side-by-side with the FBI on this investigation in order to hold Marcus Bias accountable for his criminal actions.” According to court documents, Bias, intentionally and without provocation, pushed a detainee’s head into a metal doorframe while escorting him from DOC’s dining hall to the medical unit June 12, 2019, causing significant injuries. At the time, the detainee, J.W., had his hands handcuffed behind his back and was suffering from the effects of O.C. spray. J.W. also was surrounded by five other officers and was not resisting. J.W.’s injuries required emergency medical attention at a hospital. After slamming J.W.’s forehead into the corner of the metal doorframe, Bias falsely claimed in an official DOC report that J.W. “pull[ed] away” and “fell” into the doorframe. Bias’s statement was contradicted by DOC surveillance video. Disturbed by what they saw on the video and recognizing that that Bias used deadly force when no force was needed or permitted, DOC officials fired Bias and escorted him out of the facility. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd and former Trial Attorney Rebekah Bailey of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. 22cr380


title: Statement Of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams On The Conviction Of William Washington

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: “Today, Doctor William Washington was found guilty by a unanimous jury of engaging in a widespread scheme to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefits Plan. This scam by former players — some who earned tens of millions in successful NBA careers — and health care providers caused a loss of over $5 million to the health care benefit plan. The players and doctors who engaged in this audacious scheme clearly thought it would go unnoticed — they were wrong. Washington now stands convicted of federal crimes for facilitating fraud and betraying his oath as a health care provider.”


title: Goose Creek Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Materials

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Michele Mancino a/k/a “Mike Mancino,” 41, of Goose Creek, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of child pornography.* Evidence presented to the court showed that in late 2022, Mancino was engaging other pedophiles on the Scruff and Telegram apps in sexually explicit discussions about his grooming and sexual abuse of a 4-year-old. A search of Mancino’s accounts and devices revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse materials depicting Mancino and the 4-year-old discussed in the chats. Mancino also possessed and traded images and videos of child sexual abuse materials of other prepubescent minors as young as infants. During the investigation, Mancino confessed to creating child sexual abuse material by documenting his abuse of the 4-year-old and he also confessed to trading child sexual abuse materials with other pedophiles. “This sentencing reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who exploit the innocence of children.” “Protecting children from exploitation is one of HSI’s top investigative priorities and this sentence is a testament to our commitment to stopping these horrific offenses,” said Cardell T. Morant, special agent in charge of HSI Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “HSI along with its partners will use every resource available to find, arrest and hold accountable predators, like Mancino, that seek to victimize our most vulnerable population.” United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Mancino to 360 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. This is the maximum sentence allowed under the statute. There is no parole in the federal system. Mancino was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes and to pay an assessment into the Trafficking Victims’ Fund. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Charleston Police Department, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Orville is prosecuting the case. ### NOTE: While the current federal statutes still contain the term “child pornography,” experts in the field now recognize “child sexual abuse materials” as the more accurate terminology.


title: Jury Finds Orlando Man Guilty Of Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Patrick Hugh Mitchell (56, Orlando) guilty of possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mitchell faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential source to conduct controlled purchases from Mitchell to identify his drug sources. During one purchase, Mitchell was identified as the source of supply for 892.5 grams of methamphetamine. Mitchell distributed the drugs in the parking lot of a gas station where he was detailing cars and selling food. Mitchell also bragged about the high quality of the methamphetamine that he sold. The methamphetamine was tested by a forensic chemist and was found to be 100% pure methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Testerman and Michael Sartoian.


title: Man Sentenced to 95 Months in Prison for Role in Tobacco Store Robbery

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Twin Cities man has been sentenced to 95 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for aiding and abetting a 2023 Hobbs Act robbery of a tobacco store in Apple Valley, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on January 23, 2023, 32-year-old David Devor Harris aided and abetted Deshawn Terrell Johnson in the robbery of a tobacco store. After the robbery, Harris and Johnson fled in a black Dodge Charger, which Apple Valley Police officers were quickly able to locate in the vicinity. Johnson fled from the car and continued on foot, but Harris was immediately apprehended. Initially, Harris lied to law enforcement and positioned himself as the victim of a carjacking, but officers were quickly able to determine the two had been acquainted for years. A subsequent search of the black Dodge Charger revealed further evidence of their planned robbery scheme, including identification cards left behind, plastic gloves, and license plates that had been removed from the vehicle. Harris was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell. On January 9, 2024, Harris pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery. On September 27, 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of attempted bank robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during an in relation to a crime of violence. He will be sentenced at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Apple Valley Police Department, the Lakeville Police Department, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.