title: Albany Felon Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles E. Williams, age 35, of Albany, was sentenced today to 55 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tracked Williams to a hotel in Albany County to arrest him for a kidnapping. When searching his hotel room on November 18, 2021, Deputy Marshals found a .357 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. Williams was prohibited under federal law from possessing the firearm as a result of a prior New York State felony conviction for assault in the first degree. Since committing this federal offense, Williams has also been convicted of additional felonies for kidnapping, robbery, assault and witness intimidation charges in state courts in Albany and Rensselaer Counties; and he faces additional armed robbery charges in Albany County. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year-term of supervised release. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the North Greenbush Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.


title: Estill County Woman Sentenced to 165 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Irvine, Ky., woman, Ladonna Susan Riddell, 36, was sentenced on Monday, to 165 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to her plea agreement, on July 29, 2022, law enforcement responded to report of a suspected drug transaction. During the investigation, law enforcement located Riddell, discovered she had an active arrest warrant, and took her into custody. A search of her vehicle uncovered 163.32 grams of methamphetamine, which Riddell admitted she intended to distribute. Under federal law, Riddell must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Chris Flynn, Estill County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Estill County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Walker and Brittany Baker are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Founder of South Carolina Construction Firm Sentenced for Convictions Related to Kickback Payments, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – The founder of Berenyi, Inc., headquartered in Charleston, S.C., Antoine “Tony” Berenyi, 63, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 30 months following his convictions for conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Berenyi was convicted by a federal jury in July 2023. According to the evidence presented at trial, beginning in late 2017, Berenyi entered into an illegal kickback agreement with Jaymin Vinson, an employee of Nucor Steel Gallatin, to deprive Nucor of both money and Vinson’s honest services as an employee. Berenyi and Vinson agreed that Vinson would help steer a $14,950,000 construction management contract, for a $650 million Nucor mill expansion project, to Berenyi’s company and provide other services on behalf of Berenyi within Nucor. This agreement was in exchange for Berenyi paying Vinson a 15% kickback on the contract and was reached without Nucor’s knowledge or approval. These secret kickback payments continued into 2019, totaling over $452,000 kicked back to Vinson. In addition to the prison sentence, Berenyi was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, $753,625 in restitution, and $396,500 in a money judgement. Vinson, who has also been convicted, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, and he faces up to 20 years in prison. Under federal law, Berenyi must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Chapman and Kyle Winslow are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Arion Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man, who was found with a firearm after being a convicted felon, was sentenced February 29, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison. Kevin DeWolf, age 34, from Denison, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 21, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Shortly after being indicted for the firearm charge, DeWolf set a vehicle on fire in Crawford County, attempting to fraudulently collect the insurance proceeds. DeWolf was previously convicted of manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver controlled substance, in the Iowa District Court for Crawford County, Iowa on or about July 15, 2022. DeWolf also has a prior assault conviction. DeWolf was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand and was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. DeWolf is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Air Force Employee Indicted for Unlawful Disclosure of Classified National Defense Information

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that David Franklin Slater, 63, of Nebraska, was arrested Saturday, March 2, after having been indicted in the District of Nebraska, for allegedly conspiring to transmit and transmitting classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information or NDI) on a foreign online dating platform beginning in or around February 2022 until in or around April 2022. Slater was a civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska. According to the indictment, Slater worked in a classified space at USSTRATCOM and held a Top Secret security clearance from in or around August 2021 until in or around April 2022, after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army. It is alleged that Slater willfully, improperly, and unlawfully transmitted NDI classified as “SECRET,” which he had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, on a foreign online dating platform to a person not authorized to receive such information. “As alleged, Mr. Slater, an Air Force civilian employee and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, knowingly transmitted classified national defense information to another person in blatant disregard for the security of his country and his oath to safeguard its secrets,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will seek to hold accountable those who knowingly and willfully put their country at risk by disclosing classified information.” “Certain responsibilities are incumbent to individuals with access to Top Secret information. The allegations against Mr. Slater challenge whether he betrayed those responsibilities,” said U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr for the District of Nebraska. “We look forward to continuing our work with the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to ensure the safety of our country.” “The FBI investigates those who choose to illegally use their access to classified information to put our national security at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “When people violate the trust given to them to safeguard our nation's intelligence, they put our country at risk. We will continue working shoulder to shoulder with our partners to protect the American people and uphold the constitution by safeguarding our country's classified information.” According to the indictment, Slater attended USSTRATCOM briefings regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine that were classified up to TOP SECRET//SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION (TS//SCI). Slater then transmitted classified NDI that he learned from those briefings via the foreign online dating website’s messaging platform to his co-conspirator, who claimed to be a female living in Ukraine on the foreign dating website. The co-conspirator regularly asked Slater to provide her with sensitive, non-public, closely held and classified NDI and called Slater in their messages her “secret informant love” and her “secret agent.” In response to these requests, Slater indeed provided classified NDI to her, including regarding military targets and Russian military capabilities relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Slater will make his initial court appearance tomorrow, March 5, in the District of Nebraska. If convicted, Slater faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conspiracy to transmit and the transmission of national defense information. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Omaha Field Office and Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Kleine for the District of Nebraska and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two-Time Carjacker Who Kidnapped Victims Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A carjacker who kidnapped two people in an attempt to avoid law enforcement was sentenced Monday to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Anthony Scott Gordon, 36, was indicted in November 2020 and pleaded guilty in September 2022 to kidnapping, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay. In plea papers, Mr. Gordon admitted that on Aug. 6, 2020, he approached a Ford F150 parked off of Highway 20 in Fort Worth. With a gun in each hand, he ran up to the driver’s side door. As he shot one gun towards the street, he pointed the other at the driver, identified in court documents as M.G., and demanded she turn over the vehicle. Fearing for her life, M.G. exited the vehicle and he sped away. Four days later, Mr. Gordon entered through rear door of a retail store in Richardson, pointed a gun at an employee, identified in court documents as A.J., and demanded her vehicle, which was parked outside. Fearing for her life, A.J. handed over her keys. Mr. Gordon told her he would shoot her if she tried to call the police, then got into the vehicle and drove away. Mr. Gordon further admitted that in late August, he kidnapped a victim, identified in court documents as M.D., in an attempt to prevent her from disclosing his criminal activity to law enforcement. Mr. Gordon refused to leave M.D.’s location, struck her in the head with a firearm, and crushed her iPhone in his bare hands, rendering it inoperable. The following day, he dragged her down a flight of stairs and forced her into his car at gunpoint. She screamed for help and attempted to fight back, but he pushed her into the backseat, then began driving her around Dallas, saying they needed to “get out of the state.” M.D. convinced him to park at a Motel 6, where she managed to flee. Following her escape, the defendant messaged M.D., threatening, “I swear to god ima hurt you bad… I’m tellin u now ima find u I promised I’ll make it long and painful.” In early September, he kidnapped yet another victim, identified in court documents as K.N., in an attempt to evade arrest. Shortly after arriving in Fort Worth to conduct a drug transaction, Mr. Gordon spotted police and fled, jumping over multiple residential fences. He came upon K.N.’s house and entered through back door. He grabbed her by the neck, pointed a firearm at her, and led her at gunpoint towards the front of the house, where law enforcement was located. K.N. was able to break free and ran out the front door, where she was met by police. A subsequent search of Mr. Gordon’s vehicle revealed a Smith & Wesson 40 caliber pistol and a stolen Mossberg 12-guage shotgun. The Fort Worth Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Lo Galbo and Melanie Smith (fmr.) prosecuted the case.


title: Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison on Two Child Exploitation Cases

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Eduardo Luis Marrero Casanova, 53, a religious leader in Cayey, was sentenced on February 27, 2024, by Chief Judge Raul M. Arias Marxuach, to 240 months of imprisonment for two counts of production of child pornography. According to court documents, from December 2022, through January 25, 2023, Marrero Casanova used a cellular phone, as well as internet instant messaging services, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two fifteen-year-old male minors to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, which includes the production of child pornography as defined in Title 18, United States Code. Also, Marrero Casanova did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor, and attempted to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct. In a separate case, Alexander Joel Rivera-Santos, from Salinas, PR, was sentenced by Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa on February 9, 2024, to 51 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession of child exploitation material, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B). According to court documents, an investigation from HSI Phoenix into chat rooms utilizing the Viber chat application to exchange child pornography identified users who were members of a chat that was exchanging child pornography. Several users’ numbers were affiliated with phone numbers from Puerto Rico. Those numbers were referred to HSI San Juan for further investigation. An open-source database search revealed that one of the cellular phone numbers identified as a known member of those chat rooms was being used by Rivera-Santos. The results of the investigation revealed that from on or about May 6, 2021, through on or about June 24, 2022, Rivera-Santos, using a cellphone device which had internet capabilities, knowingly possessed, and accessed with intent to view, material containing images of child pornography, that is, sexually explicit images of minors and minors engaging in sexual acts, including images of prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Rebecca González Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez Lora and Emelina Agrait Barreto prosecuted the cases. ###


title: Porcupine Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Wilbur Morrison, Jr., age 36, of Porcupine, South Dakota, of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 28, 2024. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 30 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life on supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Morrison was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. Morrison sexually abused a juvenile female on the evening of January 12, 2023, near Porcupine. This abuse was witnessed by two juvenile males. As a result of sexual abuse committed by Morrison, syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, was transmitted to the juvenile female victim. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for May 17, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Former School Bus Driver Accused of Igniting a Bus Full of Children is Indicted and Detained

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Austin Ford, 58, of West Valley City, Utah, a former Granite School District Bus Driver, was ordered detained March 1, 2024, by a United States Magistrate Judge after he was accused of setting the school bus on fire on two occasions. Ford was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 21, 2024, for two alleged incidents of arson while driving the bus. According to court documents, in February 2022, Ford allegedly set a Granite School District school bus on fire that had 42 children inside and did so while driving in traffic. As alleged in court documents, Ford used an ignition device to start a fire on the bus and was captured on video continuing to drive the bus, despite smoke billowing past his face towards the back of the bus where children were seated. In April 2023, Ford was again driving a Granite School District bus in traffic when he was captured on video igniting a fire on the bus. Again, Ford continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. Days later, in April 2023, Ford was arrested by Granite School Police and questioned about the fire but was released. Ford is charged with two counts of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds. A jury trial is scheduled for April 29, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Thorpe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Registered Sex Offender Charged with Sexually Exploiting and Online Enticement of Minor

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Bucks County, Pennsylvania, man made his initial appearance on charges of producing videos and images depicting child sexual abuse and coercing and enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Gregory J. Barger, 38, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, was indicted on Feb. 15, 2024, on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography – and one count of coercion and enticement – online enticement of a minor. Barger had previously been charged by criminal complaint with the production offense. Barger was arraigned on Feb. 28, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court and was detained pending trial. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Aug. 5, 2020, through April 7, 2022, Barger – a previously convicted, registered sex offender – used an electronic messaging application to communicate with a minor victim located in the United Kingdom. He induced, enticed, and coerced the minor victim to engage in sexual conduct with Barger. In February 2022, Barger traveled to the United Kingdom and produced images and videos of Barger engaged in sexual conduct with the minor victim. Law enforcement later recovered those images and videos from Barger’s cellular phone, which was seized from Barger at the time of his arrest on April 7, 2022, in Hamilton, New Jersey. Because of Barger’s prior conviction, the charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The charge of online enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, and members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. barger.indictment.pdf


title: Five Passaic County Residents Charged with Armed Robbery

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Five Passaic County, New Jersey, residents were charged with the armed robbery of a residence in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jamere Dixon, aka “Rebels,” 23; Jahad Foxworth, aka “Hadie,” 25; Tyra Jones, 24; Jancarlos Rodriguez, aka “M’s,” 23; and Lanasia Smith, aka “Lay,” 24, all of Paterson, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The defendants appeared on Feb. 28, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court. Dixon, Foxworth, and Rodriguez were detained. Jones and Smith were each released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In the early morning hours of June 28, 2022, Foxworth, Rodriguez, and Dixon entered a residence in Saddle Brook and held two victims at gunpoint. The three defendants stole money, credit cards, and suspected controlled substances, among other items. Prior to the robbery, Smith was a guest at the residence and provided Foxworth, Rodriguez, and Dixon with access to the home by leaving the front door unlocked. The investigation revealed that hours before the robbery Smith sent to Rodriguez a picture of a safe located in the residence. After the robbery, the suspects fled in a vehicle driven by Jones. Rodriguez, Jones, and Smith were later seen on surveillance footage attempting to use the stolen credit cards at gas stations and a convenience store in Paterson. The conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Acting Sheriff Gary Giardina; the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Chief Matthew Finck, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Saddle Brook Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Captain John A. Zotollo Jr.; and with the investigation leading to the charges. This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Passaic County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake A. Nasar of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. rodriguezetal.complaint.pdf


title: Four Missouri Men Accused of Stealing Mail and Committing Fraud with Stolen Checks

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Four Franklin County, Missouri men have been indicted on charges accusing them of stealing mail and using stolen checks to commit bank fraud. Matthew Cahill, 39, of Franklin County, Donald Anderson, 35, Harvey Hale, 47, and Joshua Hopkins, 34, Franklin County, were each indicted February 21 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Cahill was also indicted on one count of possession of stolen mail. He and Hopkins also face multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. Hopkins was arrested Wednesday, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. Cahill was arrested Feb. 23 and pleaded not guilty. Hale and Anderson are already in custody but have yet to appear in court. The indictment alleges that beginning in at least February of 2020, the men obtained checks, bank account information and personal identifying information by stealing incoming or outgoing mail from mailboxes or from homes and vehicles. They would then use that information to alter the stolen checks or create counterfeit checks and use those checks to pay for merchandise at local retailers, the indictment says. They also cashed the checks and on at least one occasion opened a bank account, the indictment says. Each conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge, a fine of up $250,000, or both. The stolen mail charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. 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. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments in the cities of Washington, Union, Eureka, St. Clair and St. Charles investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.


title: Two Men Arrested and Indicted for Illegally Exporting Juvenile American Eels from Puerto Rico

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on February 29, 2024, charging two Dominican nationals with smuggling goods from the United States, Lacey Act trafficking, and failure to heave to, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. According to court documents, on February 21, 2024, Saul Enrique José De La Cruz and Simon De La Cruz Paredes, knowingly exported and attempted to export juvenile American eels from the United States without declaring said merchandise to officials of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554. The defendants were also charged with one count of Lacey Act trafficking for transporting and intending to sell the fish in violation of United States regulations, and one additional count of failure to heave to when they failed to obey the United States Coast Guard’s order to stop their vessel. During a morning patrol, a Customs and Border Protection aircraft detected a suspicious vessel, approximately 39 nautical miles north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The United States Coast Guard responded to interdict the vessel, which was flagless and outfitted for smuggling. Upon approach, the defendants failed to heave to, obligating the United States Coast Guard to neutralize the vessel. The defendants were caught on board in possession of approximately 22 bags of over 5,000 live American eels per bag that were being transported from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic. The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a species of fish native to the Eastern United States and the Caribbean. The American eel is a “catadromous” species, meaning that it reproduces in saltwater systems and matures in fresh water (riverine) systems. American eel eggs hatch in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, after which ocean currents carry the juvenile eels along the eastern American coast. Tidal fluctuations then wash the eels into freshwater river systems, including the rivers of Puerto Rico, after which they migrate upstream. At this juvenile stage, during which the eels are transparent and measure approximately 2-3 inches in length, the eels are referred to as an “elvers” or a “glass eels.” Once a glass eel matures, it will return to the Sargasso Sea in order to spawn. American eels have not been successfully bred in captivity. The commercial market is therefore concentrated on the juvenile glass eel stage. Once captured, glass eels are typically sold to aquaculture facilities in Asia, where they are raised into adults and sold for sushi and other foods. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing federal environmental protection laws and to holding violators responsible for the harm they cause. These laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “This case highlights the extreme measures smuggling organizations are undertaking in violation of U.S. fishing laws to access and sell baby American eels in the international market, an activity that threatens to endanger the American eel population in the Caribbean,” said Cmdr. Gerard Wenk, Sector San Juan chief of response. “We appreciate the close coordination and collaboration of our CBP and Puerto Rico Police partners that was instrumental in achieving a successful interdiction and apprehension of the two suspects.” “One of our highest priorities is to combat illegal wildlife trafficking and investigate individuals and organizations who are involved in the unlawful commercialization of our nation’s fish and wildlife. The illegal harvesting of American eels poses a vital threat to the survival of this essential species and undermines legal fishery management, jeopardizing the ecosystem,” said USFWS Office of Law Enforcement Assistant Director Ed Grace. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. If found guilty, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement are leading the investigation in this case, with the collaboration of the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA). The Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources has also provided valuable assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe, Environmental Litigation Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Greenville Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening a Federal Judge

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. —Alvin Bernard Parks, 42, has pleaded guilty to sending a threatening letter to a federal judge through the mail. According to court documents, Parks is alleged to have sent a letter to a specifically named United States District Court Judge for the District of South Carolina. The handwritten letter contained threats to harm the judge. An excerpt from the letter reads: “I have watched you leave the courthouse numerous times and plotted to get my revenge.” The letter goes on to say, “you best to make sure they lock me away for good cause I’m going to kill you or blow that courthouse up.” The return address on the letter was listed as Alvin Parks with the address to the Greenville County Detention Center, where Parks is detained. The presiding judge accepted Parks’ plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report from the U.S. Probation Office. Parks faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. The case is being investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: North Charleston Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Distribution

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Derrick Maurice Simpson, 33, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Evidence presented to the court showed that beginning in 2020, Simpson arranged shipments of kilograms of cocaine from Harlingen, Texas to various locations throughout the Charleston area. Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Charleston Resident Office learned that with the assistance of his co-conspirators, Simpson would transport drug proceeds to Texas, where he would then arrange for parcels, typically in groups of three or four at a time and containing one kilogram of cocaine each, to be shipped via the United States Postal Service back to Charleston. During the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately eight and a half kilograms of cocaine and $195,000 in cash drug proceeds. Law enforcement estimates that Simpson and his co-conspirators shipped approximately 50 kilograms of cocaine into the Charleston area during the conspiracy. United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Simpson to 336 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 10-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the City of Charleston Police Department (CPD), the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the Town of Summerville Police Department (SPD), the North Charleston Police Department (NCPD), the Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD), and the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Sowards is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to 51 Months of Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile, Alabama man was sentenced today to 51 months of prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, William Corey Sanders pled guilty to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sanders unlawfully possessed three different firearms on three different dates. Today, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Sanders to 51 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. The term of imprisonment will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Former Youth Softball Coach Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing and Transporting Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A Marfa man was sentenced in a federal court in Pecos to 97 months in prison for one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. According to court documents, FBI agents executed a search warrant and discovered Patricio Javier Serrano, 36, was in possession of multiple photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse material stored on his cell phone and in his phone’s web browser. Serrano, who had been a volunteer youth softball coach, was arrested May 11, 2023 and has since remained in federal custody. He pleaded guilty to both charges in the indictment without a written plea agreement in October. U.S. District Judge David Counts sentenced Serrano to 37 months in prison for the possession charge and 60 months for the transportation charge. Serrano will serve both sentences consecutively. “This case demonstrates that predators cannot transmit or receive child sexual abuse material and hide behind their screens without risk of prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration to help make this community and our children safer.” “It’s unsettling when you learn that someone working so closely with our children and in our communities can possess such predatory tendencies,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “The FBI special agents in the Alpine Resident Agency, along with our Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Marfa Police Department make it a top priority to protect children from victimization by working to investigate predators involved with the production, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material and ensure they are held accountable for their heinous actions. FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to identify these individuals and bring them to justice.” The FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Marfa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum and Kevin Cayton 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Rutland Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Robbery Spree

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on February 29, 2024, Brennan Bigelow, age 33, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 80 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Bigelow previously pleaded guilty to two robberies and, at the same change of plea hearing, admitted participation in two additional robberies and one attempted robbery all occurring from August to December 2022 at five Rutland, Vermont businesses: a convenience store on Woodstock Avenue, a gas station on South Main Street, a restaurant and a gas station on U.S. Route 4 East, and a pharmacy on Woodstock Avenue. In each robbery, Bigelow threatened a store employee with violence, brandished a pellet gun that resembled a firearm, brandished a knife, simulated a concealed handgun or threatened to shoot the cashier. According to court records, Bigelow told one of his victims that he would shoot the victim in the face. Another victim remains fearful of being alone, experiencing sadness and anger, and wanting Bigelow to spend “life in jail.” Another of Bigelow’s victims reported replaying the robbery, especially when trying to fall asleep. Another explained the incident with Bigelow “was a short ordeal, but it was truly terrifying.” While detained in connection with this federal case, Bigelow was convicted of assaulting another prison inmate and is awaiting sentencing in that case in New York state court. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the Rutland Police Department for its investigation of this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Ophardt and Colin Owyang. Defendant Brennan Bigelow was represented by Peter Langrock, Esq. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to 70 Months for Unlawful Drug Distribution

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Danielle Simonson, age 52, of Fort Ann, New York, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations, made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty, Simonson admitted that from at least January 2020 through October 2022, she unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to a total of 54 patients. Simonson issued hundreds of unlawful prescriptions, including for the opioids hydrocodone and oxycodone, benzodiazepines (clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam), and the stimulants amphetamine (e.g. Adderall) and methylphenidate. For instance, Simonson admitted that she issued a total of 63 oxycodone prescriptions to two residents of Suffolk County, New York, without treating either of them for a medical condition. The Suffolk County residents usually paid Simonson by mailing her packages of cash concealed within DVD cases. United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a $10,000 fine and ordered Simonson to serve a 2-year term of supervised release following her term of imprisonment. Simonson has already surrendered her nurse practitioner and nursing licenses to the State of New York, and surrendered her DEA registration (which had allowed her to prescribe controlled substances). In a separate civil settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Simonson admitted that she improperly prescribed controlled substances to 105 patients (including the 54 listed in her criminal plea agreement), often without ever examining patients and maintaining medical records justifying her decision to prescribe controlled substances. Simonson paid $200,000 to settle claims that the United States could have brought against her pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act. The DEA and HHS-OIG investigated the criminal case, with assistance from the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted the criminal case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran represented the United States in the civil matter.


title: Swansea Man Sentenced to 5 Years’ Imprisonment for Taking $1.2 Million in SNAP Benefits

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge ordered a Swansea man to repay the Government over $1.2 million after he admitted to using an East St. Louis market in a fraud scheme to obtain SNAP benefits. Almahde H. Nijmeh, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful acquisition of SNAP benefits in August 2023. In addition to repaying the Government, Nijmeh was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment and 2 years’ supervised release. “Millions of Americans rely on SNAP benefits to provide nutritious food for their families, but individuals who misuse the program to commit fraud and enrich themselves are breaking federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. The federal government funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide food benefits to low-income families. According to court documents, Nijmeh had been disqualified from the program in the past, but re-gained admittance into the program by re-applying using the names of various family members. In his latest venture, Nijmeh used East Side Meat Market in East St. Louis to accept SNAP cards loaded with benefits in exchange for cash and other ineligible items from at least August 2017 through November 2021. “Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to investigating individuals who commit financial fraud and attempt to profit from government programs like SNAP,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City. “This sentencing confirms HSI’s commitment to bringing these individuals to justice.” According to the market’s licensing by the state, Nijmeh had put the property and the SNAP license in the names of other family members. Court documents, however, state Nijmeh was the de facto owner and operator of the business. “This sentence serves as just punishment and notice to others who seek to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General is committed to protecting the integrity of USDA’s programs. The USDA-OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who prosecuted the case, Homeland Security Investigations and the Illinois Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigation Division for their assistance with the investigation and helping bring Nijmeh to justice.” Nijmeh and employees under his direction routinely purchased SNAP cards from customers in exchange for cash equal to 50% or less of the benefits. They also accepted SNAP benefits for ineligible items like alcohol and tobacco products, at times up-charging customers for the illegal transactions. In total, the scheme unlawfully acquired $1,239,546.79. USDA-OIG, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Illinois Department of Revenue contributed to this criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed prosecuted the case.


title: Arizona Resident Charged with Bomb Hoax Against Sacramento Area Church

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: salah_complaint.pdf SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Zimnako Salah, 44, of Phoenix, Arizona, charging him with false information and hoaxes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Nov. 12, 2023, Salah entered a church in Roseville and left a backpack affixed to a toilet in the church restroom. Evidence indicates that Salah intended to convey that the backpack contained a bomb. According to court documents, Salah also left a backpack in the sanctuary of an Arizona church in September 2023, and attempted to do the same at a La Mesa, California, church in October 2023 and a Colorado church in November 2023. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from state and local partners. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Scott is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Salah faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Dual Resident Doctor Sentenced to 52 Months in Federal Prison for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Dr. Melissa Rose Barrett, age 49, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Clive, Iowa, to 52 months in federal prison following her conviction for tax evasion. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court imposed a fine of $200,000 and ordered Barrett to serve one year of supervised release. On October 31, 2023, after a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, the jury unanimously convicted Barrett of tax evasion. Barrett, a physician, owned and operated an urgent care clinic known as Stat Care Clinics, L.L.C. d/b/a Central Stat Care. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, for tax years 2007 through 2017, Barrett owed significant taxes totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest and penalties. For more than a decade, the IRS notified Barrett that she owed taxes multiple times and through various means. Barrett undertook various steps to evade the payment of her outstanding tax liability, including preparing and filing a false IRS form, underreporting income, inaccurately detailing her assets, and concealing cash in a safe instead of depositing it in the bank. While owing a substantial tax debt, Barrett purchased millions of dollars of real estate and personal property in the names of nominees. These assets included a personal residence, boats, airplanes, and thousands of acres of farmland and hunting land. U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe said, “ The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals and businesses alike that refuse to perform their civic duty of tax payment. Paying taxes is a responsibility that we all bear as United States citizens in order to enjoy the freedoms they provide. This intelligent individual developed a sophisticated scheme and took advantage of our system; however, her actions were inevitably discovered by our federal partners. I commend the collaborative work between our federal partners and my office in holding this defendant accountable and issuing justice for the citizens of the Middle District of Louisiana.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner, Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth White, and Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Department of Justice Tax Division.


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Supplying Drug Trafficking Biddeford Couple with Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. According to court records, in August 2023, law enforcement encountered Darwin Mateo , 24, while executing a search warrant at the Biddeford residence of Michael and Jessica Bolster . Investigators discovered two large bundles of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl inside the residence. One bundle was located inside a backpack in a locked bedroom. The other bundle was discovered hidden at the bottom of the stairwell, a few inches from where investigators located Mateo. Each bundle contained numerous individual baggies, totaling approximately 541 grams. Mateo admitted to investigators that the backpack was his, and that he had traveled from Massachusetts to Maine to distribute the fentanyl. Darwin Mateo faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million, followed by a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Michael Bolster pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024, for his role in the trafficking conspiracy and faces 5-40 years in prison. Jessica Bolster pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024, and faces up to 20 years. Each of the three defendants will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of possessing ammunition as an armed career criminal, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 12, 2022, law enforcement located Markhel D’John Harris-Franklin, 28 at a supermarket and placed him under arrest. Inside his vehicle, officers found a loaded 9mm privately made handgun with an extended magazine on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Because Harris-Franklin has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey, Dakota, and Anoka Counties, including aggravated robbery, theft, assault, and domestic violence, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, Harris-Franklin was found guilty yesterday on one count of possession of ammunition as an armed career criminal. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn K. Bell and Emily A. Polachek tried the case.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Charge

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on February 28, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Deandre Miller, 36, was found in possession of a loaded firearm. Law enforcement received a report of a stolen vehicle out of the Atlanta, Georgia area. The stolen vehicle was located at a gas station in Davenport. Law enforcement determined Miller was the passenger of the stolen vehicle and had entered the gas station. As officers investigated, Miller attempted to flee out of the store and was taken into custody. Officers determined that prior to fleeing, Miller had been in a walk-in cooler. Inside this walk-in cooler, officers found a loaded firearm. Miller had been previously convicted of a felony offense and was prohibited from possessing any firearms. After completing his term of imprisonment, Miller will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Keokuk Man Sentenced to 720 Months for Child Pornography Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Keokuk man was sentenced on February 27, 2024 to 720 months in federal prison for Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, on or about December 21, 2021, a minor was reported missing from the Keokuk area. Law enforcement identified Christopher Douglas Black, 45, as an individual with knowledge relating to the missing minor. The missing minor was found with Black in Minnesota. Following Black’s arrest, a forensic review of Black’s cell phone was conducted and revealed child sexual assault materials. Following his term of imprisonment, Black will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.


title: Activists Charged in Red Powder Attack on U.S. Constitution at the U.S. Archives

body_text: WASHINGTON – Donald Zepeda, 35, of Maryland, and Jackson Green, 27, of Utah, were charged in a superseding indictment, unsealed yesterday in U.S. District Court, with the February 14, 2024, attack on the U.S. Constitution housed at the National Archives in Washington D.C. Zepeda and Green are charged with felony destruction of government property for dumping a fine red powder over the document’s display case in the Rotunda of the Archives building. The cost of cleaning up after the stunt, which was intended to draw attention to Climate Change, has already exceeded $50,000. In addition, the act closed the Rotunda for four days. Green previously was charged in a separate act of vandalism at the National Gallery of Art that occurred on November 14, 2023. Green was charged with one count of destruction of National Gallery of Art property for that offense. As a result of that offense, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson had ordered Green to stay away from the District of Columbia and stay away from all museums or public monuments. On February 22, Judge Berman Jackson ordered that Green be held in the D.C. jail for violating the conditions of his release. Both incidents were videotaped by supporters of Green and released online. When he was arrested on February 28, 2024, Zepeda was headed to Raleigh, North Carolina, to meet up with another environmental protestor. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, and the National Archives Records Administration OIG, with assistance from the National Gallery of Art Police and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Burlington Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Drug Charges

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa –A Burlington man was sentenced on February 28, 2024 to 200 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between January and October 2022, Hardy Pegues III, 62, conspired with others to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in the Burlington, Iowa area. One of the other subjects was Larry Keith Knotts III. Larry Keith Knotts III, 36, was sentenced on January 23, 2024, to 25 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine. The press release for Knotts’ sentencing can be found at Knotts Press Release . After completing his term of imprisonment, Pegues will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force.


title: District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison  For Drug Distribution and Possession of a Machinegun

body_text: WASHINGTON – Daniel Jahleel Thomas, aka “Dandue,” 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 120 months in prison today, for conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, as well as a detectable amount of oxycodone, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the 10-year prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Thomas to serve four years of supervised release. Thomas pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to court documents, Thomas – who used the nickname “Dandue” in rap videos published on YouTube – advertised marijuana and oxycodone for sale on his social media accounts, and published pictures of himself in holding firearms, including fully automatic machine guns. February 25, 2022, MPD officers saw Thomas’ Instagram story advertising that he had marijuana for sale at the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments in Northeast D.C., and knew that Thomas had a court-ordered stay-away from the complex as a condition of a prior gun arrest. The officers found Thomas standing outside the apartments and, as they approached him, Thomas jumped into the back seat of a parked vehicle. When officers ordered Thomas out of the vehicle to speak with him about the stay-away order, he resisted and pulled away. During the subsequent struggle, officers discovered a firearm in Thomas’ waistband. The firearm was later determined to be a Glock, Model 19, 9mm handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. The handgun was also fitted with a “giggle switch,” which made the handgun capable of fully automatic fire. After placing Thomas under arrest, officers recovered a duffel bag from inside the vehicle and subsequently recovered four one-pound bags of marijuana as well as 81 pills, each of which contained 30mg of oxycodone. Thomas has been detained without bond since his arrest. At the time of his arrest, Thomas was under investigation by the FBI for his role in a variety of federal offenses related to firearms and narcotic trafficking. Coordination between the FBI and MPD led to an indictment charging Thomas and two of his co-conspirators with numerous federal offenses. Five days before his arrest, Thomas exchanged text messages with a co-conspirator about Thomas’ plan to carry out a drive-by shooting in retaliation for a perceived slight. In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Scott, and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI Washington Field Office, and MPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson with valuable help from Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.


title: Buffalo man arrested, charged with selling methamphetamine

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Chemere Barclay, 32, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, a controlled substance. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between August 17 and September 11, 2023, New York State Police investigators conducted four controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Barclay. Independent of the investigation initiated by the New York State Police, the Lackawanna Police Department conducted their own investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Barclay. Between December 21, 2023, and January 5, 2024, Lackawanna Police investigators conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Barclay. Barclay made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained pending a detention hearing. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. 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: Justice Department Informs City of Lexington and Lexington Police Department That Automatically Jailing People for Unpaid Fines Violates Constitution

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department sent a letter today to the City of Lexington, Mississippi, and the Lexington Police Department (LPD) raising significant concerns regarding their practice of jailing people for unpaid fines without first assessing whether they can afford to pay them. Specifically, the department informed the City and LPD that their practice violates the Constitution’s prohibition on wealth-based detention in two ways: first, by requiring people who are arrested to pay down outstanding fines before they can be released from jail, and second, by issuing and arresting people on warrants for outstanding fines. Today’s letter is a part of the Justice Department’s ongoing civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Lexington and LPD. The investigation, opened on Nov. 8, 2023, seeks to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law related to use of force; stops, searches and arrests; discriminatory policing and the right to free speech. Although the investigation continues, the Justice Department determined that it was critically important to identify these violations now rather than waiting until the conclusion of the inquiry. “It’s time to bring an end to a two-tiered system of justice in our country in which a person’s income determines whether they walk free or whether they go to jail,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Unjust enforcement of fines and fees is unlawful, and it traps people and their families in a vicious cycle of poverty and punishment. There is great urgency underlying the issues we have uncovered in Mississippi, and we stand ready to work with officials to end these harmful practices and ensure the civil and constitutional rights of Lexington residents are protected.” “One third of Lexington’s residents live below the poverty line. The burden of unjust fines and fees undermines the goals of rehabilitation and erodes the community’s trust in the justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Each step we take towards fair and just policing rebuilds that trust. Lexington and LPD can take those steps now, while our investigation is ongoing.” Justice Department officials met with city and police leaders earlier today about their unlawful practice, which investigators identified during its ongoing investigation. Lexington officials have pledged to work with the Justice Department to ensure that the collection of fines and fees complies with legal requirements. On April 20, 2023, the Justice Department issued a Dear Colleague Letter on Fines and Fees explaining that before a person can be imprisoned for failure to pay a fine or fee, the Constitution requires courts to first determine whether the person lacks the resources to pay. In most circumstances, if a person cannot afford to pay, imprisonment for unpaid fines or fees is unlawful. Additional information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt . Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s police reform work can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/file/922421/download .


title: Long Island Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Armed Bank Robbery

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Quincy Homere was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 18 years in prison for his role as the mastermind of a November 9, 2015 armed takeover bank robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank branch in Hempstead, New York, which netted Homere and his co-conspirators more than $375,000 in proceeds. Homere pleaded guilty in December 2017 to armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentence. “Homere has been held accountable for committing a violent bank robbery while brandishing an assault rifle, terrorizing the employees and customers, including an elderly woman and young child—actions that easily could have resulted in the loss of life either inside the bank or to the brave responding officers,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Homere has now learned that the true payoff for robbing a bank is a long-term stay in prison.” Mr. Peace thanked the Hempstead Police Department and the Suffolk County Police Department for their assistance on the case. "The sentencing of defendant Quincy Homere for an armed robbery in Hempstead should set an example to anyone considering a similar crime that law enforcement and its partners will never stop and will continue with their investigations until the subject(s) are apprehended. Our communities are safer with defendant Homere incarcerated. Congratulations to all the dedicated investigators and their agencies for a job well done," stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. On November 9, 2015, following extensive planning, Homere and his co-conspirators, including Anael Sainfil, executed the robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank branch on Fulton Avenue in Hempstead, New York. Homere entered the bank brandishing an AK-47 rifle accompanied by three armed co-conspirators, while a fourth co-conspirator stood guard. An armed takeover of the bank ensued. Tellers and customers, including an 8-year-old boy, were zip-tied and held captive, as the bank’s vault was emptied of over $375,000. A fifth co-conspirator monitored encrypted NCPD police radio frequencies in an effort to facilitate the defendants’ escape. Homere was unaware that a teller had placed a wireless GPS tracker with the stolen money. Hempstead Police Department officers initiated a chase of the getaway vehicle that ended with the arrest of one of the co-conspirators that day and recovery of most of the bank proceeds. In November 2016, Homere was arrested in Miami, Florida following an investigation by the FBI, NCPD and SCPD. Co-defendant Sainfil was arrested in December 2016 by members of the FBI and SCPD. In January 2018, Sainfil was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery and brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on February 26, 2020 to 219 months’ imprisonment for his role as a lookout in the robbery. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and Erin Reid are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant Sentenced Today: QUINCY HOMERE Age: 38 Hempstead, New York The Defendant Previously Sentenced: ANAEL SAINFIL Age: 38 Bay Shore, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-652 (S-1) (GRB)


title: Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to $1 Million Counterfeit Check Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a million-dollar bank fraud scheme in which he deposited hundreds of counterfeit checks. Hui Zhang, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2024. Zhang was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2023. From in or around June 2020 through at least May 2022, Zhang opened fraudulent bank accounts under false identities into which he electronically deposited approximately 114 counterfeit checks – totaling more than $1 million. The counterfeit checks were drawn on the account of a Boston-based retailer. Zhang subsequently withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from these accounts via ATMs. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million, or twice the gross proceeds. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Olean man arrested, charged with attempted production of child pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Greg Hirliman, 48, of Olean, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography and transfer of obscene material to a minor, which carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in August 2021, the Olean Police Department received a report from a mother that her 12-year-old daughter (Victim 1) was contacted by Hirliman via text message, Facebook, and Facebook Messenger. Hirliman requested that Victim 1 send him naked photos of herself. In addition, Hirliman sent Victim 1 naked photos of himself, asked Victim 1 to meet him in person, and gave cigarettes to Victim 1. The Olean Police Department executed a search warrant for Facebook accounts associated with Victim 1 and Hirliman and requested assistance from Homeland Security Investigations to review the approximately 14,000 pages of data received from the execution of the search warrant. At the time, Hirliman was incarcerated in New York State on unrelated domestic violence charges. He was released on parole in January, 2024. Hirliman made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. 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: Florida Man Admits over $3.6 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida man admitted his role in a durable medical equipment kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Steve Chicoye, 55, of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty on Feb. 29, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Chicoye and his conspirators solicited and received kickbacks and bribes in exchange for providing durable medical equipment (DME) companies with completed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME, such as orthotic braces. Chicoye and his conspirators utilized the service of telemedicine companies to obtain these prescriptions for DME, and the DME orders were subsequently fraudulently billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs. Chicoye and his conspirators were paid approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks for these DME orders and caused losses to Medicare and other health care benefit programs of at least $3.6 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. chicoye.information.pdf


title: Ocala Gang Member Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Clinton Darnelle Kaham (24, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Kaham faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, on July 6, 2022, officers from the Ocala Police Department discovered Kaham, a gang member, in possession of a loaded firearm. The firearm had previously been reported stolen out of Marion County. A subsequent FBI forensic analysis found very strong support that Kaham was the source of the DNA profile developed from the trigger, grip, frame, and trigger guard of the firearm. Kaham has a prior felony conviction for possession of heroin (2021). As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Commodities Trading Company Will Pay Over $661M to Resolve Foreign Bribery Case

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Gunvor S.A. (Gunvor), an international commodities trading company based in Switzerland, has pleaded guilty and will pay over $661 million to resolve an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Gunvor’s guilty plea stemmed from the company’s corrupt scheme to pay substantial bribes to Ecuadorean government officials to secure business with Ecuador’s state-owned and state-controlled oil company, Petroecuador. In connection with the resolution, Gunvor entered into a plea agreement with the government and pleaded guilty to an information charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Following the plea, the court sentenced Gunvor to pay a criminal monetary penalty of $374,560,071 and to forfeit $287,138,444 in ill-gotten gains. The sentence includes credits of up to one-quarter of the criminal fine each for amounts Gunvor pays to resolve investigations by Swiss and Ecuadorean authorities into the same misconduct so long as the payments are made within one year of today’s date. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland announced today a parallel resolution of its investigation into Gunvor’s misconduct that involved payment of approximately $98 million by Gunvor to Swiss authorities. “Over nearly a decade, Gunvor representatives bribed high-level government officials at Ecuador’s state-owned oil company to enter into business transactions with other state-owned entities that ultimately benefited Gunvor. As a result of this complex bribery scheme, Gunvor obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit profits,” said Acting Senior Counselor Brent S. Wible of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Foreign bribery emboldens corrupt officials and undermines the rule of law. Gunvor’s guilty plea demonstrates that the Criminal Division remains resolute in our efforts to root out bribery and official corruption. We will continue to hold both corporations and individuals who bribe foreign officials to account, in coordination with our international partners.” “Today’s guilty plea and sentencing marks yet another example of this office’s efforts to combat widespread corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Corruption erodes the public’s trust in their government, prevents government officials from acting in the best interests of the people they represent and harms businesses that play by the rules, driving up prices for consumers. The Justice Department, including my office, will not tolerate bribes being paid by American companies or foreign companies misusing the U.S. financial system.” “Gunvor’s years-long bribery scheme involving high-level Ecuadoran officials was both detrimental to the business environment and eroded the public’s trust and confidence in their government,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “This guilty plea and significant fine would not have been possible without significant cooperation from our international partners in the Cayman Islands, Colombia, Curacao, Ecuador, Panama, Portugal, Singapore, and Switzerland. This truly was an international effort.” According to the company’s admissions and court documents, between 2012 and 2020, Gunvor and its co-conspirators paid more than $97 million to intermediaries knowing that some of the money would be and in fact was used to bribe Ecuadorean officials, including Nilsen Arias Sandoval, a then-high ranking official at Petroecuador. As part of the scheme, Gunvor managers and agents attended meetings in the United States and elsewhere. The bribe payments were routed through banks in the United States using shell companies in Panama and the British Virgin Islands controlled by Gunvor’s co-conspirators. Among other things, a Gunvor employee also directed one of the intermediaries to use the money to purchase an 18-karat gold Patek Philippe watch for Arias. In exchange for these bribe payments, high-level Ecuadorian officials helped various state-owned entities, which were acting as front companies for Gunvor, win the rights to a series of oil-backed loan contracts with Petroecuador. This structure allowed Gunvor and its co-conspirators to avoid a competitive bidding process and to obtain contractual terms that it could not have obtained otherwise. Gunvor also received confidential Petroecuador information in exchange for the bribes. In total, Gunvor earned more than $384 million in profits from the contracts it obtained corruptly from Petroecuador. The department reached this resolution with Gunvor based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Gunvor received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included: (i) producing documents to the department from multiple foreign countries expeditiously while navigating foreign data privacy and criminal laws; (ii) providing information obtained through its own internal investigation to the department, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of the department’s investigation; (iii) making detailed, factual presentations to the department; (iv) arranging for the interview of an employee based outside the United States; (v) promptly collecting, analyzing, and organizing voluminous information, including complex financial information, at the request of the department, and producing an analysis of trading activity conducted by multiple outside forensic accounting firms retained by Gunvor; (vi) translating foreign language documents to facilitate and expedite review by the department; and (vii) imaging the phones of relevant custodians at the beginning of Gunvor’s internal investigation, thus preserving business communications sent on mobile messaging applications. Gunvor also engaged in timely and appropriate remedial measures, including: (i) eliminating the use of third-party business origination agents; (ii) enhancing its third party due-diligence process; (iii) developing and implementing a control framework for internal business developers and additional layers of review and approval for counterparty payments; (iv) enhancing the independent compliance committee with responsibility for reviewing high-risk transactions; (v) engaging resources to review its compliance program and test the effectiveness of its overall reporting process, its reporting hotline and the effectiveness of the investigation of reports made through the hotline; (vi) evaluating and updating its compensation policy to better incentivize compliance with the law and corporate policies; (vii) hiring additional compliance personnel; (viii) testing and enhancing its compliance program, including by conducting compliance culture reviews, testing new third party due diligence process and payment controls, and evaluating controls around business development activities; and (ix) developing and implementing a risk-based business communications policy that addresses the use of ephemeral and encrypted messaging applications. The department also considered Gunvor’s history of misconduct. In October 2019, Gunvor reached a resolution with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland concerning a corrupt scheme to bribe officials in Congo-Brazzaville and Côte d’Ivoire to secure oil contracts obtained between approximately 2009 and 2012. As part of the 2019 Swiss resolution, Gunvor admitted that it lacked sufficient controls to prevent the underlying misconduct and failed to take “all the reasonable organizational measures” required to prevent Gunvor’s employees and agents from engaging in bribery. The conduct that is the subject of today’s guilty plea occurred, in part, at the same time as the prior Swiss investigation and resolution. In light of these considerations, the department determined that the appropriate resolution in this case was for Gunvor to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA. The criminal fine calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the 30th percentile of the applicable guidelines fine range, taking into account Gunvor’s cooperation and remediation, as well as its prior history. The department previously secured convictions in the Eastern District of New York of four individuals who were implicated in Gunvor’s bribery scheme, including: Antonio Pere Ycaza, a former consultant for Gunvor, pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Enrique Pere Ycaza, a former consultant for Gunvor, also pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and to violate the FCPA. Raymond Kohut, a former Gunvor employee and agent, pleaded guilty on April 6, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nilsen Arias Sandoval, a former senior Petroecuador official, pleaded guilty on Jan. 19, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. Trial Attorney Clayton P. Solomon and Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith and Deputy Chief Adam J. Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick M. Axelrod, Jonathan P. Lax, and Matthew R. Galeotti for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Mantell and Brendan King for the Eastern District of New York are handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the Cayman Islands, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Portugal, Singapore, and Switzerland provided valuable assistance. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, to use those recovered assets to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. Information Plea Agreement