title: Four Men Sentenced in  Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Crimes

body_text: Four men were sentenced this week in federal court for committing sex crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Richard Alan Sisney , 70, of Tulsa, plead guilty on Aug. 8, 2022, to one count of receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Sisney to prison. The Government and Sisney jointly appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting that Sisney be resentenced due to a procedural error. On Oct. 24, 2024, Judge Arias-Marxuach resentenced Sisney to 121 months, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Sisney is required to register as a sex offender. The judge further ordered Sisney to pay $12,000 in restitution. In court documents, Sisney admitted to downloading images and videos of young children being sexually abused by adults. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Ashley Robert prosecuted the case. Kenneth James Loftin , 26, of Sapulpa, plead guilty on July 13, 2022, to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography in Indian Country, and one count of abusive sexual contact of minor children in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Loftin to three 120 month sentences to run concurrent followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Loftin is required to register as a sex offender. Judge Arias-Marxuach further ordered Loftin to pay $3,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, Loftin admitted to downloading and viewing numerous images and videos of child pornography from the internet. He also admitted to sexually abusing a child who was under the age of 12. Loftin is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Valeria Luster prosecuted the case. Jeffery James Bucchino , 44, of Buford, Georgia, plead guilty on Aug. 10, 2022, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor after previously being convicted for solicitation of a minor in Texas. On Oct. 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Bucchino to 300 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Bucchino is required to register as a sex offender. In his plea agreement, Bucchino admitted that he knowingly persuaded a minor living in Tulsa to send him live or recorded videos of herself masturbating over the internet from November 2016 to March 2018. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Deputy Criminal Chief Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case. Matthew Rame Griner Ramsey , 27, of Vinita, plead guilty on May 30, 2023, to abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Ramsey to 120 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Ramsey is required to register as a sex offender. In his plea agreement, Ramsey stated that he knowingly engaged in sexual activity with a four-year-old. He further admitted that the abuse was intended to “arouse and gratify” his sexual desires. Ramsey is a member of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and Vinita Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial prosecuted the case. “The sentences handed down this week demonstrate that our justice system will not tolerate those who victimize children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These terrible crimes cause tremendous physical and psychological trauma on children, our most vulnerable victims. Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will do everything in their power to protect child victims and bring to justice those who exploit children in anyway.” These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation. Initiated in May of 2006, Project Safe Childhood combines law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. There are five essential components to Project Safe Childhood: (1) building partnerships; (2) coordinating law enforcement; (3) training PSC partners; (4) public awareness; and (5) accountability. The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and well-being of our children and has placed a high priority on protecting and combating sexual exploitation of minors. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: U.S. Attorneys Thompson and Ihlenfeld Applaud Funding Announced During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As part of the monthlong observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld are proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $340,618 to West Virginia to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. OVW awarded the $340,618 under the State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program for the 2023 fiscal year to enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault. The awards consist of $108,034 for the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (WVFRIS) and $232,584 for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV). “For decades, both the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Foundation for Rape Information and Services have performed a critical role in providing education, awareness and expertise to their licensed programs, which serve all 55 West Virginia counties,” U.S. Attorney Thompson said. “I am pleased to announce that West Virginia has been awarded this funding from the Office on Violence Against Women.” “Domestic violence offenders are some of the most dangerous individuals in our communities and thus a comprehensive, well-funded response is necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This funding will help us to combat the problem and support survivors throughout West Virginia.” The role by WVFRIS and WVCADV also extends to statewide working groups charged with systemically addressing sexual and domestic violence in West Virginia. They work alongside law enforcement officers, prosecutors, courts, hospitals, colleges and universities, survivors and other advocates to create comprehensive strategies and prevention plans to support victims in their safety and healing. “Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.” Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals. The West Virginia grants are among 496 announced nationwide this week that will reach Tribal nations, historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Vincent Phillips, 52, Rockford, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months for possessing with intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Phillips pleaded guilty to these charges on July 21, 2023. This period of imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Phillips was first arrested for charges related to this case on February 18, 2023, in Columbia County, Wisconsin with over 240 grams of methamphetamine packaged for distribution found in his vehicle. Officers also found drug paraphernalia, including a scale, razor, and baggies in the car. Phillips was charged in State court for this conduct and released from jail on a cash bond later that month. In April, a confidential informant disclosed to law enforcement that Phillips was selling methamphetamine and heroin in the Baraboo area. Law enforcement conducted three controlled buys from Phillips using this confidential informant. Phillips sold about 50 grams of methamphetamine during each buy. After the last buy, which Phillips conducted inside his vehicle, law enforcement arrested him. When he was arrested in April, officers found over 200 grams of methamphetamine and 38 grams of cocaine in his vehicle. In addition, Phillips was in possession of $2,297 in U.S. currency, $800 of which had been provided by law enforcement to the confidential informant to purchase drugs from Phillips. At sentencing, the Judge considered Phillips’s lengthy criminal history. The Judge addressed that Phillips has been in and out of prison for most of his adult life, and that he is considered a career offender. The Judge remarked that previous intervention had done little to deter Phillips’s criminal conduct. The Judge ultimately ordered a sentence that he felt reflected the seriousness of Philips’s criminal history and his conduct in these offenses. This is Phillips’s second federal conviction. In 2002, Phillips was convicted in the Northern District of Illinois for an armed bank robbery and was sentenced to prison. The charges against Phillips were the result of an investigation conducted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Illegal Firearm Following Police Chase

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing the stolen firearm that he threw out of his car during a police chase. Cecil Jason Robinson, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 19 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Robinson was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions. On Jan. 13, 2022, Robinson was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson was in possession of a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine when he was arrested on Jan. 26, 2021, following a high-speed police chase on Interstate 70. ATF task force officers attempted a traffic stop of Robinson, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado with a defective brake light on I-70 west between the St. Charles Road exit and the Highway 63 connector on Jan. 26, 2021. When the officers activated their emergency lights, Robinson’s vehicle exited I-70 onto the Highway 63 connector, where it immediately conducted an illegal U-turn, forcing oncoming traffic to stop. The vehicle entered the I-70 west entrance ramp, accelerating its speed, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. Officers saw Robinson open the driver’s side door slightly and throw out the Sig Sauer handgun into the rocky area between the entrance ramp and I-70. Officers recovered the firearm, which had been reported stolen in Kansas City, Kan. Officers also saw Robinson throw out a baggie of marijuana near the 127.8 mile marker of I-70 west. The pursuit ended in the Columbia Mall parking lot and Robinson was taken into custody. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Robinson has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, and a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Prison For Receipt Of Sexually Explicit Images Of Children

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 97 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for receiving over 125 images of child exploitation on his cell phone. According to court documents, on March 14, 2022, Joshua Kenneth Eshe (34) visited a website known for prostitution advertisements and contacted the poster of an advertisement entitled “Young and Tight.” He solicited who he believed was a 15-year-old child to have sex with him and agreed to pay $100 for sex with the child. Eshe arranged to meet the child at a hotel and he was arrested by law enforcement upon arriving at the room. During a search of Eshe’s cell phone, investigators discovered that Eshe had received 126 images and four videos of child pornography. Eshe pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of receipt of child pornography. He is required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org . ###


title: Troy Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Six Firearms from Walmart

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael C. McDermott, age 30, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to stealing six firearms from a federally licensed dealer. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Gina F. Cocchiara of the Bethlehem Police Department made the announcement. McDermott admitted to forcing his way into the Glenmont Walmart on May 10, 2022, while it was closed overnight, smashing the glass gun case, and stealing six firearms. McDermott also admitted that when employees chased him into the woods, he pointed a firearm at them. United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci will sentence McDermott on February 26, 2024. The conviction carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The ATF and Bethlehem Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 26 was: John Edward Szydlowski IV, 21, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Szydlowski faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Szydlowski was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-124. Steven Edward Schlosser, 53, of Ballantine, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schlosser faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Schlosser was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-123. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 26 was: Juan Jose Romero, 39, of Butte, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Romero faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Romero was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-11. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Honduran National Sentenced for Assault on Border Patrol Agent

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 78 months in prison for assault on a federal agent/officer. According to court documents, Kevin Roney Rodriguez-Sauceda, 29, was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol agent near Eagle Pass on Aug. 3, 2022. During the encounter, Rodriguez-Sauceda assaulted the agent with a knife while another undocumented noncitizen bit the agent. Both individuals were detained as additional agents responded. Rodriguez-Sauceda pleaded guilty on March 6 to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees. “We are once again reminded that our partners in green place their lives on the line each and every day in defense of the United States and the integrity of our border,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our partners at the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol for their dedication to the mission and upholding the law.” “This case is a reminder of the danger U.S. Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers face while working to protect people every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division. “This sentencing is a reflection of the FBI's commitment in partnering with law enforcement at all levels to keep our communities safe.” The FBI and USBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former Attorney Convicted of Bribery Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a former attorney today of engaging in a scheme to bribe the chief of police of Medford, Massachusetts, to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, Massachusetts, paid a bribe to influence the Medford police chief in connection with O’Donovan’s client’s recreational marijuana business. In February 2021, O’Donovan approached Individual 1, a close relative of the chief, and offered to pay Individual 1 $25,000 to speak with the chief about his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. At the time, the chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee to rank such applications on behalf of Medford’s mayor, who would ultimately select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford. After Individual 1 informed the chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the chief immediately alerted federal authorities. Over the course of the investigation, O’Donovan, believing he had an agreement with Individual 1 and the chief, offered to pay Individual 1 approximately $25,000 in exchange for the chief’s favorable action on his client’s application. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, advised and pressured the mayor to select the client to open a retail marijuana store in Medford. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application were successful. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme with Individual 1. The jury convicted O’Donovan of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the federal funds bribery count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As part of the monthlong observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld are proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $340,618 to West Virginia to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. OVW awarded the $340,618 under the State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program for the 2023 fiscal year to enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault. The awards consist of $108,034 for the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (WVFRIS) and $232,584 for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV). “For decades, both the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Foundation for Rape Information and Services have performed a critical role in providing education, awareness and expertise to their licensed programs, which serve all 55 West Virginia counties,” U.S. Attorney Thompson said. “I am pleased to announce that West Virginia has been awarded this funding from the Office on Violence Against Women.” “Domestic violence offenders are some of the most dangerous individuals in our communities and thus a comprehensive, well-funded response is necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This funding will help us to combat the problem and support survivors throughout West Virginia.” The role by WVFRIS and WVCADV also extends to statewide working groups charged with systemically addressing sexual and domestic violence in West Virginia. They work alongside law enforcement officers, prosecutors, courts, hospitals, colleges and universities, survivors and other advocates to create comprehensive strategies and prevention plans to support victims in their safety and healing. “Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.” Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals. The West Virginia grants are among 496 announced nationwide this week that will reach Tribal nations, historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.


title: Former Marketing Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A former account manager at a Memphis marketing firm has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a scheme to defraud her employer of more than $1,000,000. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. On October 18, 2023, United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. sentenced Karen Winkles Crutchfield , 55, of Southaven, Miss. to 75 months incarceration followed by five years of supervised release. In addition, Fowlkes ordered Crutchfield to pay $1,058,266 in restitution to her former employer and other victims. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service. "Financial fraud can happen anywhere, and can be devastating to local businesses,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “The defendant used her position of trust and authority to defraud a small business for her own personal benefit. Thanks to our investigative partners, her callous dishonesty has been exposed. Wherever fraud occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable.” “Small business owners sacrifice every day to help build the United States economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Switzer, US Secret Service, Memphis Field Office. “When a trusted employee steals from their employer, it undermines all the work and opportunity those employers give to their community. The Secret Service appreciates the opportunity to work with our investigative partners to assist in bringing justice to this business in Western Tennessee.” “Financial fraud undermines the integrity of the U.S. tax system and breaks down consumer confidence," said Donald "Trey" Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office Special Agent in Charge. "We, along with our federal partners, will continue to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions." According to the indictment and information presented in court, between 2013 and 2019, Crutchfield was employed as an account manager at Good Advertising in Memphis. In that capacity, she handled company payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Crutchfield used her access to create false invoices, duplicate or fictitious vendors, and more than 620 fraudulent checks, totaling approximately $662,000. In addition, she stole more than $168,740 from the owners’ profit-sharing account and used company credit cards to pay nearly $59,000 in personal expenses and withdraw $82,000 in cash advances. She inflated her wages, telling the company’s payroll processer that her annual salary was $95,000 – more than double the $45,000 she legitimately earned. Crutchfield used her access to the company owners’ personal identifying information to apply for a business loan without permission, in an apparent effort to cover the shortfall caused by her theft. Finally, Crutchfield filed false tax returns with the IRS, failing to declare the income she obtained from her fraud schemes. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Crutchfield in April 2022. Crutchfield appeared before Judge Fowlkes and entered a guilty plea to the charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and filing a false tax return. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Erskine prosecuted this case on behalf of the federal government.


title: St. Louis Woman Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Running Chop Shop

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced a St. Louis, Missouri woman to 54 months in prison for running a chop shop and ordered her to pay $41,196 in restitution. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers and detectives found a total of 12 stolen vehicles over a seven-month period in or near the warehouse where Heather Marty, now 29, was living. Marty admitted in a guilty plea in May that the warehouse, in the 2900 block of North Jefferson Avenue, was being used to house, store and disassemble stolen vehicles. Police found three stolen motorcycles, five pickup trucks, three cars and one SUV, some in various stages of disassembly. On Jan. 29, 2022, Marty was spotted at the Casino Queen in East St. Louis in a 2014 Dodge Ram that had been stolen 23 days earlier. A detective found nine license plates inside the truck, two of which belonged to stolen vehicles. In the week before her arrest, Marty had been in the area of four thefts and one attempted theft of catalytic converters, as well as four burglaries and an auto theft. Marty pleaded guilty in May to one count of transportation of a stolen vehicle and one count of operating a chop shop. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.


title: Tampa Pain Management Physician Edward Lubin Agrees To Pay  $1.5 Million To Settle False Claims Act Liability For Receiving Bribes And Writing Unnecessary Fentanyl Prescriptions

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that pain management physician Edward Lubin has agreed to pay the United States $1.5 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing the submission of claims for fentanyl prescriptions that were written in exchange for kickback payments and that were medically unnecessary. The agreement resolves the United States’ claims against Dr. Lubin under the FCA. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no admission or determination of liability. The allegations in the complaint and the conduct covered by the settlement agreement relate to the submission of claims for a fentanyl-spray medication known as Subsys, which was manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (Insys). According to the complaint, the United States alleges that Dr. Lubin knowingly and willfully accepted approximately $159,580 in kickback payments from Insys in return for prescribing Subsys. The settlement figure is almost 10 times the amount that Dr. Lubin received in kickbacks. The United States alleges that once Dr. Lubin became involved with Insys, he immediately began prescribing Subsys in exchange for kickbacks and regardless of medical necessity. The United States contends that the kickbacks paid to Dr. Lubin were disguised as payment for speaking at sham “events” that lasted a few minutes, never occurred, or had repeat attendees despite the lack of any reason to present the same information multiple times to the same individuals. According to court documents filed by the United States, Dr. Lubin allegedly caused more than 400 false claims for Subsys to be submitted to the Medicare and TRICARE programs, in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the FCA, which paid in excess of $4 million for these claims. In 2019, Insys was prosecuted under a criminal information filed in the District of Massachusetts in a case captioned United States v. Insys Therapeutics, Inc. , Case No. 1:19-cr-10191-RWZ. Pursuant to the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement, Insys’s wholly owned subsidiary, Insys Pharma, Inc., pleaded guilty to five counts of mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud patients and insurers, including Medicare. In its deferred prosecution agreement, Insys admitted that bribes paid to medical practitioners through its speaker program were used to induce practitioners to write increasing amounts of medically unnecessary Subsys prescriptions in exchange for the payment of speaker fees. To date, in addition to the company, at least fifteen doctors, seven former Insys executives, and seven former Insys sales representatives have been criminally convicted for their roles in Insys’s sham speaker program. “The United States will not be thwarted in its efforts to hold doctors like Dr. Lubin accountable for issuing medically unnecessary prescriptions tainted by kickbacks,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg. “We thank our skilled law enforcement partners for their determined efforts to investigate this important case and to make Dr. Lubin face responsibility for his unlawful actions.” “Providers who defraud federal health care programs deplete the Medicare trust fund, potentially negatively impacting their patients and all Medicare program participants,” said Stephen Mahmood, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and the people it serves. We will continue to investigate alleged health care fraud schemes, including those involving kickback payments and fraudulent claims in violation of the False Claims Act.” “The Defense Health Agency is incredibly grateful for the willingness and time spent by the government to take this matter to court, which resulted in settlement terms highly favorable to the government and, by extension, to our agency,” said Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) of the United States Department of Defense. “The efforts of the Department of Justice in cooperation with the DHA in FCA actions are noteworthy and allow our agency to recoup improperly claimed funds for the benefit of TRICARE beneficiaries.” The FCA imposes liability on any person or entity that submits, or causes the submission, of false claims for payment to federal payors. Among other grounds, falsity under the FCA may be established based on claims tainted by kickback payments due to violations of the AKS, as well as claims submitted for medically unnecessary goods or services. The United States’ settlement of this matter illustrates its continued efforts to combat health care fraud using one of its most powerful civil enforcement tools, the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The resolution obtained in this case was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. The FCA case was litigated by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy R. Bloor, Kelley Howard-Allen, and Soma Nwokolo. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Emden litigated Dr. Lubin’s bankruptcy case for the United States. The settlement agreement, which Dr. Lubin’s counsel filed in bankruptcy court today pursuant to a bankruptcy petition previously filed by Dr. Lubin, is available below. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, the bankruptcy court has final approval over the settlement agreement. The FCA case against Dr. Lubin is captioned United States v. Lubin , Case No.8:21-cv-2231. Download Settlement Agreement


title: Former CEO of Sunwest Management Ordered to Pay Over $74 Million in Restitution to More than 1,400 Victims

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that the former CEO of Sunwest Management and associated companies, who previously admitted to orchestrating one of the largest financial fraud schemes in Oregon history, was ordered to pay over $74 million in restitution to more than 1,400 victims. Jon Michael Harder, 58, a resident of Canyonville, Oregon, who pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, was ordered to pay $74,062,211 in restitution to his victims. According to court documents, Harder formerly controlled a network of companies that bought, constructed, and managed assisted living facilities. At its height, the organization, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities that served more than 15,000 residents. As CEO of Sunwest, Harder knowingly and intentionally misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks of their investment in Sunwest housing facilities and development projects. He further misled his investors about the financial health of Sunwest, failing to disclose that the company continuously operated at substantial monthly losses. In total, Harder misled more than 1,400 investors, causing losses exceeding $120 million. On September 18, 2012, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 56-count indictment charging Harder with mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On January 8, 2015, Harder pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. On November 18, 2015, Harder was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. On January 13, 2021, after Harder had served just over five years of his 15-year prison sentence, President Donald J. Trump commuted his sentence to time-served. This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program. Restitution was litigated by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Wiggins Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Wiggins, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on August 9, 2022, in Stone County, Mississippi, Riley Alexander Wallace, 31, sold 20 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 22, 2023. Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking

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

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. According to court documents and statements made in court, Russell Emmett Gibbs, 46, carjacked a male victim at gunpoint on Edgewood Terrace in Jackson in November of 2020. Gibbs was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023. Gibbs is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2024. He faces a minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The case was investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Second Senior Member of the Hoover Criminal Gang Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Role in Violent Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A second senior member of the Hoover Criminal Gang was sentenced to life in federal prison today for conspiring to commit racketeering through various criminal acts spanning decades, including murder, robbery, and drug dealing. Ronald Clayton Rhodes, 38, of Portland, was sentenced to life in federal prison plus 10 years and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, the Hoovers are a criminal street gang operating in Oregon known to engage in acts of violence including murder, robbery, and drug dealing. The Hoovers originated in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and established a presence in Portland in the early 1980s. The gang has a loose hierarchical structure in which members have different amounts of power and influence based on age and gang activity. To maintain and increase one’s position in the gang, members are expected to carry out violence on behalf of the enterprise. The Hoovers are rivals with many Portland gangs, including multiple Blood and Crip sets, and are self-described “everybody killers.” Hoover members are expected to use violence to retaliate any perceived slight or actual act of violence against a Hoover member or ally. Rhodes joined the Hoovers in 2005 and spent 10 of his 11 years with the gang in prison. In the brief periods of time he spent out of custody, he committed one murder, one attempted murder, one home invasion robbery, and dealt drugs. Rhodes, known by fellow gang members as “Big Fly,” played a leadership role in the gang, setting a violent example for multiple “Lil Fly” gang members who, like Rhodes, committed violent criminal acts to elevate their status in the gang. On November 7, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count superseding indictment charging Rhodes; fellow senior Hoover gang member Lorenzo Laron Jones, 50, also of Portland; and two accomplices with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and causing death using a firearm. On October 19, 2022, a federal jury in Portland found Rhodes and Jones guilty on multiple counts including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. Among other criminal acts, Rhodes was proven to have participated in the murder of Portland resident Kyle Polk on December 16, 2015, near a convenience store in southeast Portland. On October 26, 2023, Jones was also sentenced to life in federal prison plus ten years. As part of the government’s ongoing investigation into the Hoover Criminal Gang’s racketeering activities, several other Hoover members and associates face pending federal charges or have been convicted and sentenced in federal court for crimes committed in support or on behalf of the gang’s criminal enterprise. This case was investigated by the FBI, Portland Police Bureau, and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Gresham Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Eugene Police Department, and Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Supplying Fatal Fentanyl to Jefferson County 19-Year-Old

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Friday admitted supplying the fentanyl that killed a 19-year-old in Jefferson County, Missouri, in 2022. William Edward Martin, 23, is the final of four defendants in the case. Martin pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four felonies: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl with a resulting death, distribution of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Martin now faces at least 20 years and up to life in prison for the fatal distribution charge alone when he is sentenced January 26. Martin admitted that on June 23, 2022, he met the victim in the parking lot of a Walgreens in Arnold, Missouri. She got into the car he was driving, a black BMW, and a short time after he provided her with fentanyl, he took the victim out of his car and placed her in the backseat of her own vehicle. The incident was captured on video, and the victim appeared incapacitated and in medical distress. She was found dead early the next morning by her father, who had been searching for her after she failed to come home. Martin would later admit in a text message that, “I could’ve called 911 or could brought her to the hospital… there’s so many things I could’ve done to save her and now she’s dead.” During the investigation of her death, Arnold police spotted the BMW, which sped off. Police later caught the BMW, and the driver, Tanisha Payne, said she’d dropped Martin off at a gas station. Officers found a safe inside the car that contained fentanyl, hallucinogens, prescription drugs and drug paraphernalia. They caught Martin behind a supermarket with a loaded pistol. Steven “Lemon” Littler, 34, and Jacqueline Williamson, 34, admitted supplying fentanyl to Martin and Payne. Littler had been selling the drug to Martin for several months, Martin’s plea says. Littler also warned Martin of the potency of his fentanyl, calling it “deadly strong” and “dangerous,” the plea says. In his plea agreement, Martin admitted selling fentanyl to others. When Williamson was arrested at her home in St. Louis, investigators found both fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as paraphernalia for packaging the drugs for sale. Payne, now 23, also had fentanyl and drug paraphernalia when she was arrested. Littler was sentenced to 210 months in prison earlier this year. Williamson, who pleaded guilty to a fentanyl distribution charge, and Payne, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, have not yet been sentenced. The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arnold Police Department, The U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Louis County Police Department.


title: City of Albuquerque and APD Achieves Another Major Milestone in Policing Reform Efforts

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that the Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque (City) filed a Joint Motion for Partial Termination, seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The motion was filed in recognition of APD’s sustained compliance with significant portions of the consent decree. The motion represents a second major milestone APD has achieved this year following the joint motion filed in April to modify the requirements of the consent decree. Over the last several years, APD has made consistent and sustained progress towards achieving constitutional policing and in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree, including: APD has a clear and reliable process for conducting criminal investigations of critical incidents through the Multi-Agency Task Force; APD significantly professionalized its SWAT team and brought its operations in line with national standards; APD’s investigative units operate with clarity about their scope and mission; through APD’s Field Training Evaluation Program, new officers receive reinforcement about APD’s values and expectations, helping to ensure that officers provide constitutional and effective policing from their first days on patrol; APD and Albuquerque’s civilian oversight agency widely distribute information about filing complaints about police officers, ensuring that people across the city can easily access and submit complaint forms, and that APD and civilian oversight are aware of the issues that people are having with police officers; the Monitor has found that APD has set new standards in police recruiting, increasing interest in joining APD at a time when police departments across the country face challenges in recruiting; and APD’s Behavioral Sciences Section provides industry-standard behavioral health and wellness services to APD personnel and their families, often exceeding the requirements of the consent decree. For many of these provisions, APD achieved compliance two or more years ago, has sustained its compliance, and is monitoring its own compliance with these provisions. Now, the parties have agreed that it is appropriate to terminate sections and sub-sections of the consent decree which APD has been in full compliance for at least two years. The motion sets out the specific paragraphs of the consent decree that the parties have moved to terminate. The partial termination allows the parties and the Monitor to focus their efforts on the remaining areas of the consent decree where APD is still working to attain or maintain full compliance. “This move to partial termination is yet more evidence of the City of Albuquerque’s dogged pursuit of progress,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “Much remains to be done, and the challenges facing us as a community are ever evolving. While we continue to work together to confront those challenges, we applaud the steady and unrelenting drive towards the type of policing that the people of Albuquerque deserve.” “This should put to rest concerns about APD’s ability to self-monitor and continue the reform process past federal oversight,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “APD is proving the department is ready to institutionalize constitutional policing and ongoing reform on its own. Going forward we need to push past the piecemeal approval process and focus on the future beyond the CASA.” The Justice Department is committed to supporting city leaders, community stakeholders and APD as they work together to implement lasting institutional reform and make constitutional policing a reality for the community of Albuquerque. The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about implementation of the consent decree, is available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Investigation into Albuquerque Police Department . # # # 23-253


title: Jamaican Citizen Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegally Reentering U.S.

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre Bowyer, 32, a citizen of Jamaica, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 21 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. Bowyer pleaded guilty to this charge on August 16, 2023. On June 9, 2023, Bowyer was arrested in Grant County, Wisconsin, during a mail fraud investigation where he was using a fake name. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of Bowyer’s presence following a fingerprint match during the booking process. Bowyer admitted to paying a smuggler to bring him across the Mexican border into the United States in April or May of 2022. In 2017, Bowyer was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in the Eastern District of Louisiana. That case involved a scheme to defraud elderly and vulnerable victims of their money through a fake lottery scheme in which members of the conspiracy contacted victims by telephone through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Following his prison sentence in that case, Bowyer was removed from the United States to Jamaica in March 2022. As a condition of his removal and his supervised release from his mail fraud case, Bowyer was ordered not to reenter the United States. Bowyer was still on supervised release in the fraud case at the time of his 2023 arrest and faces revocation in that case. In sentencing Bowyer on the illegal reentry charge, Judge Conley noted that Bowyer came back to the United States in 2022 shortly after his removal. He also expressed concern that it appeared Bowyer had returned to engaging in fraud given the circumstances of his arrest in Grant County, where he was arrested using a false name and attempted to pick up a mail parcel containing $18,000 in cash. The charge against Bowyer was the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Cedar Rapids Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who distributed over ten pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced October 26, 2023, to 21 years in federal prison. Anthony McNeese, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, in November 2020, McNeese threw over 400 grams of ice methamphetamine out of the window of his vehicle as he fled from law enforcement. McNeese drove at a high rate of speed through residential neighborhoods and eventually escaped on foot. Later, McNeese directed his friend to go to the police station and attempt to claim ownership of the ice methamphetamine McNeese threw out of his window; however, McNeese’s scheme did not work. In late November and early December 2020, McNeese obtained at least 10 pounds of ice methamphetamine from his source of supply, which he then redistributed. At times, McNeese knowingly possessed a firearm when distributing ice methamphetamine. On December 7, 2020, law enforcement searched McNeese’s vehicle and recovered an additional 37 grams of ice methamphetamine. McNeese was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. McNeese was sentenced to 251 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. McNeese is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Sixth Judicial District of Correctional Services’ High-Risk Unit and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-00039-CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


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

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Child Pornography Todd David Curington, age 57, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of child pornography, second or subsequent conviction, and ordered to pay $48,000 in restitution. According to court documents, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) received CyberTips indicating child pornography had been downloaded from devices inside Curington’s residence. On Feb. 28, ICAC served a search warrant on Curington’s residence, and found over 700 images of child pornography including infant/toddler, sadomasochism, and bestiality were found on devices belonging to Curington. Curington was indicted in May and pled guilty in August. This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation ICAC Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 24. False Statement Christian Jesus Lopez Sanchez , age 40, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 days in prison for making false statements in an application and use of passport. According to court documents, the defendant was born in Las Vargas, Nayarit, Mexico, and is a citizen of the Republic of Mexico. On Aug. 08, 2022, Sanchez applied for a U.S. passport in Gillette. As proof of identity, the defendant submitted his Wyoming driver license and claimed he had been born in Phoenix, Arizona, using a counterfeit birth certificate. This crime was investigated by the U.S. Department of the State. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 23. Escape From Custody Michael Lee Sunrhodes , age 35, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to a prison term for escape from federal custody. According to court documents, on Mar. 16, Sunrhodes did not return to the GEO Services Casper Re-Entry Center (CRC) from an approved work pass. Sunrhodes was in the CRC serving part of a 46-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sunrhodes was indicted on the escape charge and arrested in May, and he pled guilty in August. Sunrhodes, who has been in jail since May, will remain in federal custody until Jan. 4, 2024. This crime was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Gist. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 26.


title: Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 112.5 grams of methamphetamine. Ronald Charles Glaude, Jr., aka “Bug”, 34, pled guilty on October 26, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, on February 22, 2019, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents utilized a confidential informant to purchase a clear plastic bag containing a total package weight of approximately 112.5 grams of methamphetamine for $1,600 from Glaude at a residence in Moss Point. Glaude is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Systems Engineer Charged with Misappropriating Funds from Houma Company

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the filing of a bill of information today charging SCOTT P. RICHARD , age 47, of Raceland, with access device fraud. This charge stems from RICHARD’S theft from his former employer, a Houma-based company identified as “Company A” in the bill of information. According to the bill of information, RICHARD was a systems engineer for Company A, whose responsibilities included the specification, purchase, installation, and support of equipment and systems used by the company’s technology infrastructure. RICHARD is alleged to have used the corporate credit card issued to him by Company A for his own personal benefit. From January 1, 2012 through September 27, 2021, RICHARD fraudulently diverted $ 526,569.42 from Company A to himself. If convicted, RICHARD could receive up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss, and up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment. He would also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely an accusation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne, Senior Litigation Counsel, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Reseda Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for  Selling Dozens of ‘Ghost Guns’ and Pound Quantities of Meth

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for illegally selling firearms – including dozens of so-called “ghost guns” – and also selling pound quantities of methamphetamine. Julio Ernesto Lopez-Menendez, 27, of Reseda, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. Lopez-Menendez pleaded guilty on February 3 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. He has been in federal custody since April 2022. From January 2022 to April 2022, Lopez-Menendez sold at least 89 firearms and 20 rounds of ammunition over nine transactions to a buyer. The firearms sold included at least 62 firearms that lacked serial numbers and are commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” Of those ghost guns, four were short-barreled rifles whose barrel lengths Lopez-Menendez knew were each substantially less than the legally required 16 inches. During a February 2022 telephone call with a buyer, Lopez-Menendez said the possession of shotguns or rifles with short barrels was “super illegal.” None of these short-barreled rifles were federally registered by Lopez-Menendez. He does not have a federal firearms license and does not have any firearms registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, the central registry for all items regulated under the National Firearms Act, according to court documents. Lopez-Menendez also sold to a buyer a total of 17 pounds of methamphetamine on four occasions, including one sale in which he sold 4.2 kilograms (9.2 pounds) of the drug to the buyer. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Southern California Drug Task Force; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chou of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section prosecuted this case.


title: Snohomish County man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter for gravel pit crash that killed passenger

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 40-year-old Snohomish County man who is an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the February 2, 2020, crash that killed the sole passenger in his truck, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Danny Lee Simpson, Jr. will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on January 24, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. According to the plea agreement, Simpson, his wife, and a mutual acquaintance had been drinking at a bar in Stanwood, Washington on February 1, 2020. After midnight, Simpson drove his truck, with the acquaintance as his sole passenger, to a gravel pit owned by his parents. Simpson had recently modified his truck, so it was suitable for off road use. Simpson had failed to check the braking system on the truck. The sand and gravel pit was poorly lit and had a sheer 40-foot cliff face. Simpson knew about the cliff. The truck overheated and stalled. At about 1:15 in the morning, Simpson backed the truck off the sheer cliff. The truck landed upside down at the bottom of the cliff. The crash killed Simpson’s passenger – another member of the Tulalip Tribes. Simpson admits he knew or could have reasonably foreseen that it was dangerous to drive under the influence of alcohol near the cliff face in a dark, wet, and poorly lit gravel pit. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 18 months in prison. Judge Lin is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence up to the maximum of eight years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Tulalip Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Tate London and Jocelyn Cooney. Mr. London and Ms. Cooney serve as Tribal Liaisons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.


title: Former Attorney Convicted for Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A federal jury in Boston has convicted a former attorney today of engaging in a scheme to bribe the Chief of Police in Medford, Mass. to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana. The jury convicted Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, Mass., of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2024. “Sean O’Donovan’s greed led him to engage in this old school bribery scheme to line his own pocket,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “His plot failed because of the unquestioned integrity of Medford Police Chief Jack Buckley and his brother. Upholding the rule of law and holding lawyers who break the law accountable is an essential priority of this office.” “Today’s verdict proves that Sean O’Donovan went from practicing law to breaking it by engaging in a pay-to-play scheme in which he tried to capitalize on his insider access, in attempting to bribe the Medford Police Chief for his own financial gain. His actions were not only an affront to all the hard-working businesses that play by the rules, but a betrayal of his client’s and the community’s trust,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Rooting out public corruption is a top priority for the FBI, and we are extremely grateful to the Medford Police Chief and his relative who did not hesitate to do what was right by working with us to thwart this nefarious scheme.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, O’Donovan paid a bribe to influence the Medford Police Chief in connection with O’Donovan’s client’s recreational marijuana business. In February 2021, O’Donovan approached Individual 1, a relative of the Chief, and offered to pay Individual 1 $25,000 to speak with the Chief about his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. At the time, the Chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee to rank such applications on behalf of Medford’s mayor, who would ultimately select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford. After Individual 1 informed the Chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the Chief immediately alerted federal authorities. Over the course of the investigation, O’Donovan, believing he had an agreement with Individual 1 and the Chief, offered to pay Individual 1 approximately $25,000 in exchange for the Chief’s favorable action on his client’s application. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the Chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, advised and pressured the mayor to select the client to open a retail marijuana store in Medford. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application were successful. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme with Individual 1. O’Donovan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the federal funds bribery count. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; SAC Cohen; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay with the Public Corruption Unit for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and are prosecuting the case.


title: Jamestown man arrested, charged by criminal complaint with drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Samuel L. Arrington, III, 41, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 12, 2023, New York State Parole Officers conducted a detail at Arrington’s King Street residence. Probation officers knocked on Arrington’s door, several minutes later he answered and exited onto the front porch, and probation officers conducted a “pat down” of Arrington but found no contraband. Probation officers then searched a bedroom in the residence and recovered quantities of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, a large amount of cash, a shotgun, and ammunition. Subsequently, the Chautauqua County Narcotics Unit, Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, and probation officers executed a search warrant at the residence, recovering another firearm, a .38 caliber revolver. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Illicit Money Transmitters Admit Criminal Scheme  to Funnel Money to Nevada Casino

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 27, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Two Mexican nationals and their unlicensed money transmitting business admitted in federal court today that they illegally helped foreign gamblers move money stealthily through the U.S. financial system to avoid scrutiny by U.S. and foreign law enforcement and regulators. Defendants Francisco Alberto Garza-Vargas and Ricardo Najera-Almaguer, both of San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, and Carma de Monterrey SA de CV, a Mexican corporation headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, admitted they conspired to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business on behalf of foreign patrons of the casino industry. Garza-Vargas was previously a registered agent with the Nevada Gaming Commission. Casinos typically contract with such agents to be a liaison between casinos and high-rolling guests. These agents bring players into a particular casino; and in return, they are compensated with commission by that casino. According to court documents, the defendants’ unlicensed money transmitting enterprise conducted more than 115 illegal transfers with bank accounts controlled by the casino industry in the aggregate amount of approximately $8,129,664. These cases bring to 15 the total number of defendants who have admitted wrongdoing in this investigation into money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting, and other crimes, with associated criminal penalties of over $7.5 million. During today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw accepted Garza-Vargas’ and Najera-Almaguer’s deferred prosecution agreements and the corporation’s guilty plea and ordered the defendants to pay criminal fines and other financial penalties totaling $3,198,397. According to court documents, the defendants conducted financial transactions for casino patrons located abroad who sought to gamble in the United States. To have funds available for that purpose in the United States, the defendants transferred the patron’s funds through a series of bank accounts controlled by the corporation defendant and others into casino-controlled bank accounts. The circuitous transfers helped patrons evade laws and regulations designed to prevent money laundering. As a result of not registering their money transmitting business, not maintaining an anti-money laundering program, and not filing required suspicious activity reports or currency transaction reports, the defendants were able to conceal the sources of funds. This conduct obscured the nature of the transactions from other United States-based financial institutions and inhibited the ability of law enforcement and other authorities to investigate. Today’s proceedings follow a similar resolution as that of defendant Juan Carlos Palermo on April 20, 2022, who in a related case admitted to money laundering in the promotion of his own unlicensed money transmitting business. Since October 2012, while acting as an agent for one casino, defendant Palermo operated multiple unlicensed businesses in the United States and abroad that conducted more than 200 transfers with bank accounts controlled by multiple casino entities, over $17.7 million, on behalf of at least 50 casino gambling patrons. Between approximately 2012 and 2020, defendant Palermo and his unlicensed money transmitting business transacted with clients, and related financial accounts, in at least 15 countries, including countries that the United States Department of State has identified as “Major Money Laundering Countries” of “primary concern” like Mexico, Argentina, Cayman Islands, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong. The Palermo money transmitting business’s use of these bank accounts and other financial services allowed clients to conduct international monetary transfers through underground financial networks engaged in transferring funds, exchanging currency, and other money transmitting and remitting services, while circumventing laws and regulations regarding monetary transfer and reporting in the U.S. and elsewhere. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl F. Brooker IV, Christopher Beeler, and Mark W. Pletcher and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force. DEFENDANTS Francisco Alberto Garza-Vargas Age: 59 San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX (Case Number 23-CR-0219-DMS) Ricardo Najera-Almaguer Age: 68 San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX (Case Number 23-CR-0219-DMS) Carma de Monterrey S.A. de CV Monterrey, MX (Case Number 22-CR-0219-DMS) Juan Carlos Palermo Age: 64 Buenos Aires, Argentina (Case Number 22-CR-0859-DMS) SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations IRS-Criminal Investigations, Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Suspect in the Lewiston, Maine, Mass Shooting

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the suspect in the Lewiston, Maine, mass shooting: “This evening, law enforcement recovered the body of Robert Card, the suspect in the horrific mass shooting in Lewiston on Wednesday evening. I want to thank our state and local law enforcement partners, along with the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and other federal agencies who have been working day and night to locate the shooter and keep the affected communities safe. Although we are grateful that the suspect in this case no longer poses a threat, we know that nothing can bring back the lives he stole or undo the terror he inflicted. The FBI will continue to provide victim support resources to those who have been devastated by this attack, and the entire Justice Department will provide ongoing support to our state and local law enforcement partners. As I said yesterday, no community should have to endure these mass shootings which have become routine in our country.”


title: Four Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” Conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Four men from Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Joshua Mallory, age 38; Tyrone Parker Jr., age 24; Gary Grier, age 37; and Robert Natson, age 37 – have been sentenced to federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and related charges. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; James Smith, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville made the announcement. All four defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Mallory, Grier, and Parker Jr. also pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. In previously pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that they were involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” at various times between 2015 and 2020. These defendants and their co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks and dog parks. They stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims and cash checks in drive-through bank lanes. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in drugs. The total loss amount from the conspiracy was over $1 million, with individual co-conspirators held responsible for portions of that loss. Mallory was sentenced on October 27, 2023 to 80 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $364,989.56, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $17,183.90. He was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment. Parker Jr. was sentenced on October 20, 2023 to 65 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $81,737.00, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $8,630. He was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release. Natson was sentenced on October 4, 2023 to 46 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $34,400, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $4,352. He was also ordered to serve a 4-year term of supervised release. Grier was sentenced on August 25, 2023 to 51 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $163,964, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $1,880. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release. Five other defendants were charged in the indictment, all of whom have pled guilty and some of whom have previously been sentenced, as follows: Tyrone Parker (the father of Tyrone Parker, Jr.), age 41, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced on February 13, 2023 to 57 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $132,990, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $7,202. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release. Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York, was sentenced on March 13, 2023 to 65 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $133,190, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $17,648.28. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release. Randall Taylor, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty on June 1, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2023 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who presides over the case. Cedric Lynch, age 38, of Orlando, Florida, pled guilty on June 23, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on November 22, 2023. Keyshawn Arnold, age 27, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty on August 4, 2021 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2023. This case was investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie, Michael F. Perry and Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.


title: Springfield, Illinois Woman Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day For Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Illinois, Central

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois woman, Bridget Hansen, 40, of the 3600 block of Lancaster Road in Springfield, Illinois was sentenced on October 23, 2023, by Senior United States District Court judge Sue. E. Myerscough to 12 months and 1 day in prison for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, Hansen was ordered to pay a total of $45,894.53 in restitution. Hansen was indicted in October of 2020 and pled guilty in January of 2023. At the sentencing, the government provided information that, while employed as the director of Our Redeemer Day Care in Jacksonville, Illinois, Hansen devised a scheme to defraud the day care by transferring money from the business’s bank accounts to her own bank accounts. Hansen would also write checks on the day care’s bank accounts to herself or to cash and use the money for personal expenses. While employed with Our Redeemer, Hansen stole over $45,000, which caused the day care to cut back on the services it offered and contemplate closing the facility. At the hearing, Judge Myerscough indicated that Hansen abused her position of trust and her actions caused, not only internal financial hardships to Our Redeemer Day Care, but had additional consequences by limiting the day care’s ability to obtain grants and other resources that would enhance the programs for the children in their care. The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The Jacksonville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.


title: Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing Glock switch

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Elhanan Omar Pittman, 28, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing a Glock switch. Possessing any weapon or machine gun that can readily shoot more than one shot without manual reloading is against federal law. Parties involved in Pittman’s case have recommended a sentence of 78 months in prison. According to his plea agreement, on June 8, a Wyoming, Ohio, police officer attempted to stop Pittman’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Pittman fled from the vehicle carrying a backpack. After a foot pursuit, Pittman was captured when he was found hiding behind Wyoming Middle School. Pittman had an automatic weapon in the backpack, namely, a handgun with a Glock switch. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Wyoming Police Chief Brooke Brady announced the guilty plea entered Oct. 25 before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Missouri Nonprofit Exec Accused of Multi-Million Dollar Student Meal Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A nonprofit official was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and accused of stealing millions of dollars from a program intended to feed low-income Missouri children, including during the coronavirus pandemic. Connie Bobo, 44, of St. Charles, Missouri, was indicted on three felony counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of obstruction of an official proceeding. Bobo is the executive director of New Heights Community Resource Center, which accepted money to provide meals to low-income, school-age children after school and during the summer. The indictment accuses Bobo and New Heights of fraudulently claiming to have served at least three million meals to children between February 2019 and March 2022 – meals that New Heights neither actually purchased nor supplied. Relying on those false claims, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) paid Bobo about $11 million, the indictment says. Bobo used $4.3 million to purchase a nearly $1 million home for herself, other homes for relatives and to make a $2.2 million commercial real estate investment, the indictment says. She spent more on luxury goods and gave nearly $1.4 million to her romantic partner, who spent $211,907 on a 2017 Mercedes-Benz G550 Wagon, the indictment says. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of the real estate and the SUV. “This indictment shows that we will aggressively pursue those who defraud a program intended to feed needy children, and those who exploited loopholes created by a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “We will seize the houses and luxury vehicles that they buy with those funds and we will seek punishment that is appropriate for the scale of the crime, which by law includes repayment of the funds. Anyone with information about COVID-19 related fraud should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721.” New Heights and other non-profits are required by DHSS’ Food and Nutrition Program for Children to demonstrate proper management standards and ensure fiscal responsibility. They have to submit budgets and annual management plans to DHSS and are required to have a board that meets regularly and has the authority to hire and fire the executive director. The indictment says Bobo submitted false management plans and falsely claimed that three people were serving on New Heights board. It says she submitted budgets that left out the money she was spending on real estate and luxury goods. The indictment also accuses Bobo of forging an invoice from a food vendor to falsely claim that New Heights had purchased hundreds of gallons of milk. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General . Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.


title: Gainesville Man Sentenced To 60 Years In Federal Prison For Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Justin Harold Krumwiede, 42, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 60 years imprisonment for two counts of production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.” In March 2022, law enforcement officers in Gainesville, Florida commenced an investigation of alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl by Krumwiede. A search warrant was obtained for Krumwiede’s cell phones and computers. The devices were examined and found to contained hundreds of images of child pornography. Further investigation led to the identification of two different children whose sexual abuse had been filmed by Krumwiede in New Mexico in 2016 and Texas in 2017. The children had since become adults and were located and interviewed by law enforcement. They confirmed they had been the victim of sexual abuse by Krumwiede and identified themselves in the images that he had created. “This significant sentence is a result of HSI’s relentless pursuit of those who choose to victimize children,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. "Law enforcement partnerships, like the one between HSI and the Gainesville Police Department, as well as our HSI partners in Waco and Pittsburg, are key to identifying and removing predators from our communities.” “This successful prosecution is the result of the hard work and dedication of many law enforcement professionals from both state and federal agencies,” said North Florida ICAC Task Force Commander Chris King. “The safety of our children is a common priority and through unified effort this dangerous child predator was ultimately brought to justice.” Krumwiede’s prison sentence will be followed by a Lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. The case was investigated by Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Gainesville Police Department and Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .