title: Former First Grade Teacher Admits to Asking Minors for Explicit Images on Snapchat

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former elementary school teacher appeared in federal court Thursday to plead guilty to soliciting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from minors. Jonathan C. Villmer, Jr., 25, of New Baden, Illinois, was charged via criminal complaint in August 2023. Prior to his charge, Villmer was a teacher at New Baden Elementary School and coached girls’ sports teams for Wesclin Community Unit School District 3. “We know child predators lurk in our communities, but it’s especially disturbing when a former first grade teacher and coach admits to asking minors for inappropriate images,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I highly commend the several law enforcement departments who contributed to this investigation and identified an extremely dangerous individual working directly with minors.” The case was initiated by an otherwise unrelated investigation by the Carmi Police Department regarding the distribution of CSAM. The investigation led law enforcement officers to a Snapchat account soliciting CSAM connected to Villmer. According to court documents, after obtaining a search warrant for Villmer’s Snapchat account, police discovered explicit conversations with a 13-year-old minor. Villmer asked the minor for the “sexiest images,” discussed having sex and taking the minor’s virginity, and requested photographs of her genitals. Law enforcement identified other occurrences of sexually explicit conversations and requests for images with other purported minors within Villmer’s Snapchat account. Based upon IP address records associated with the Snapchat account, law enforcement connected the account to Villmer. On Aug. 18, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Villmer’s New Baden residence and seized two cell phones and other electronic devices. Villmer was arrested on scene. “The importance of this case and guilty plea cannot be overstated. Investigations involving the exploitation of children are horrible, but it is particularly troubling when the accused occupies a position of public trust and seeks to exploit the most vulnerable in our society,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “HSI will continue to work closely with our local, state and federal partners to bring those who would sexually exploit children to justice.” Villmer’s sentencing is scheduled for April 24, 2024 at 1:30, and his charge carries a minimum of 5 years, and a maximum of up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation with support from the New Baden and Carmi Police Departments, and the Jefferson County and Clinton County Sheriffs’ Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns is prosecuting 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. ###


title: Fort Pierce armed robbers sentenced to federal prison

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 12, two Fort Pierce armed robbers were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Eugene Jacques, 21, was sentenced to 121 months of prison, and Roderick Anthony Baker, 23, was sentenced to 87 months of prison. U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg also ordered that each of the sentences be followed by three years of supervised release. On April 24, 2023, around 5:54 a.m., the Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD) received a 911 call to report an armed robbery at a gas station and food mart on Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, Florida. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and interviewed the victim of the robbery. The victim advised that Jacques and Baker entered the gas station and food mart and looked around as if they were shopping. Jacques approached her and asked for Advil pills and then waived a small purple and black handgun. Jacques pushed his way into the glass enclosure while Baker followed him. Jacques pointed the handgun at the victim’s face, struck her in the head, and said “Give me the money.” After forcing the victim to open the cash register, Jacques and Baker took about $2,000 and placed the money in a plastic bag they had brought with them. Jacques and Baker also stole a small box containing about $2,200 and fled. Law enforcement officers arrested Baker and Jacques on May 1, and May 4, 2023, respectively. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and FPPD Chief Diane Hobley-Burney, announced the sentences imposed by Judge Rosenberg. ATF Fort Pierce Field Office and FPPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it. This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the community, to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-14027. ###


title: New Jersey Hospital and Investors to Pay United States $30.6 Million for Alleged False Claims

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey hospital and certain of its investors have agreed to pay $30.6 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act and Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act violations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Columbus LTACH d/b/a Silver Lake Hospital (Silver Lake), a long-term care hospital based in Newark, has agreed to pay over $18.6 million, plus interest, to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations for claiming excessive cost outlier payments from the Medicare program. Certain Silver Lake investors have agreed to pay $12 million, plus interest, to resolve alleged Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act (FDCPA) violations for the fraudulent transfer of money by the hospital to its investors. The settlement amounts will be paid over a five-year period; the Silver Lake payment was negotiated based on the hospital’s lack of ability to pay. “Medicare serves to ensure that patients get necessary care, including when that care is very expensive. Medicare is not there for hospitals and their investors to gain unwarranted financial windfalls. As alleged, this hospital falsely reported its costs to Medicare for years and reaped millions in unjustified payments. Along with our partners, this Office is committed to protecting the Medicare system from all forms of fraud schemes.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “Cost-outlier payments were intended to ensure that hospitals would provide care to all patients requiring their services,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said. “These payments were not intended to serve as a private source of enrichment for hospitals unrelated to the actual costs incurred in providing such care.” “The Medicare outlier payment program is designed to provide hospitals with reimbursement for situations where extraordinarily costly patient care is needed,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Instead of using the outlier payment program as intended, Silver Lake was caught fraudulently obtaining enhanced reimbursements from Medicare they were not entitled. Whatever magic trick or sleight of hand hospitals attempt to use to perpetrate fraud, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will diligently investigate and recover any ill-gotten gains.” “When a hospital submits false information to seek higher reimbursements, it can affect the availability of funds and services for others and drive up the cost of taxpayer-funded health care,” Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) said. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that health care providers are held accountable if they attempt to exploit federal health care programs.” In addition to its standard payment system, Medicare provides supplemental reimbursement to hospitals – called “cost outlier” payments – in cases where the cost of care is unusually high. Congress enacted the supplemental outlier payment system to ensure that hospitals possess the incentive to treat inpatients whose care may be unusually expensive. These cost outlier payments are made based on a formula set forth in the relevant regulations that attempt to adjust a hospital’s charges to the hospital’s costs by multiplying the hospital’s current charges by the hospital’s cost-to-charge ratios derived from the hospital’s previously submitted cost reports. Because the previously submitted cost reports may not reflect the hospital’s current cost-to-charge ratios, the Medicare program also provides for a retrospective reconciliation process, whereby after the hospital’s cost-to-charge ratio for the applicable time period is finalized, the hospital may be required to pay back excessive outlier payments that it received. This settlement resolves allegations that Silver Lake improperly distorted the cost outlier payment system by rapidly increasing its charges well in excess of any increase in its costs and far beyond what the hospital had the financial ability to repay once its Medicare cost reports were reconciled to account for these charge increases. The settlement also resolves allegations that Silver Lake transferred millions of dollars in the hospital’s money to its investors without receiving equivalent value in return, at a time when the hospital had reason to believe that it would not be able to repay its debts to the Medicare program. The United States alleged that such conduct violated the FDCPA. According to the settlement agreement, the payments made to resolve the United States’ FDCPA allegations will be made by Dr. Richard Lipsky, Silver Lake’s principal investor, and Columbus Management South LLC, an entity through which other Silver Lake investors received cash distributions from the hospital. This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey; the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, and Office of General Counsel; and the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Kaufman for the District of New Jersey and Civil Fraud Section attorney Daniel Spiro. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. silverlake.settlementagreement.pdf


title: Office of Justice Programs and Department of Education Leaders Tout Progress in Educational Opportunities for Incarcerated Individuals at American Correctional Association Conference

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon joined top leaders from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Department of Education for the Education in Corrections Symposium at the American Correctional Association Winter Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, last week. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona delivered a keynote address to help open the symposium, with Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Director Karhlton F. Moore also delivering introductory remarks. The event featured discussions of efforts to break down barriers that divide correctional education as separate from the larger field of education. OJP has invested heavily in evolving the nation’s approach to corrections and supporting people as they return from confinement to their communities. This work includes improving the reentry potential of those currently incarcerated, issuing new Guidelines for Managing Substance Withdrawal in Jails and supporting recent research that indicates an innovative approach to prison housing is showing promise. The symposium featured Assistant Attorney General Solomon and Assistant Secretary for Education Amy Loyd in a conversation about federal Pell Grant reinstatement for incarcerated students, moderated by BJA Second Chance Fellow Angel Sanchez. Sanchez is a formerly incarcerated person who received a Pell Grant after his release and went on to obtain his undergraduate and law degrees. He is currently working towards his L.L.M. degree at Yale Law School and serves as a visiting fellow with BJA. Solomon also participated in a roundtable with Secretary of Education Cardona, Assistant Secretary Loyd and select state correctional education leaders regarding the Department of Education’s role in supporting correctional education. Starting in 1994, incarcerated individuals were prohibited from receiving Pell funding. Eligibility was restored when the Free Application for Federal Student Aid®, or FAFSA, Simplification Act became law in 2020, granting access to students in federal and state penal institutions, and local and juvenile correctional facilities, beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year. “Postsecondary education improves the likelihood of reentry success. And research bears this out — it’s strongly associated with reductions in recidivism, and it pays for itself four times over,” said Assistant Attorney General Solomon. “It unlocks potential and opens the door to individual growth and development. And it has a multi-generational benefit. Kids are more likely to go to college or trade school when their parents do, so a postsecondary education can actually create a legacy of academic participation that carries over to one’s children and grandchildren.” The conversation also covered current challenges in providing educational opportunities for justice-involved individuals and existing resources available through OJP and the Department of Education . Assistant Attorney General Solomon and Assistant Secretary Loyd discussed the history of collaboration between the two agencies, beginning with the launch of the Second Chance Pell Experiment in 2015. Second Chance Pell enlisted institutions of higher learning to partner with federal and state correctional systems to provide Pell assistance on a pilot basis. Over time, 200 colleges and universities in 48 states joined the initiative, and more than 9,000 students earned postsecondary credentials with the support of Pell Grants. Through funding from OJP, the Vera Institute of Justice has provided technical assistance to participating colleges and corrections departments to ensure that the programs offer high-quality postsecondary education in prison and after release. Assistant Attorney General Solomon and Assistant Secretary Loyd emphasized the importance of partnering with corrections experts, formerly incarcerated students and others to build on the critical momentum that has been gained in expanding opportunities for incarcerated individuals to safely and productively reenter society. OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice, assist victims and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov .


title: Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud by Assuming the Identity of a Deceased Child

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Kenneth Laitman aka John Rodman, 79, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 1984, Laitman left his job as a stockbroker in New York and moved to California where he assumed the identity of John Rodman and worked at an endoscopy practice. The actual John Rodman died in 1950 at the age of four. Laitman subsequently obtained various forms of identification, worked different jobs, opened bank accounts, received government benefits, and took other actions while falsely using Rodman’s identity. This included a U.S. Passport that he obtained in 2004 and used to travel overseas on multiple occasions. He was convicted of attempting to renew that passport. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case. Laitman is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Indian River traffickers of methamphetamine and fentanyl sentenced to federal prison

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 12, two Indian River County men were sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking. Beginning in July of 2022, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) carried out an undercover operation to combat illicit drug trafficking by purchasing cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other illegal substances in Indian River County. During this law enforcement operation, an undercover officer was used to conduct the controlled buys. Between July 2022 and April 2023, Lawrence Oliver Irving II, 38, distributed over six ounces of methamphetamine and 47 grams of fentanyl, and Tyrell Murry Bennett, 37, distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute, over a kilogram of methamphetamine and 75 grams of fentanyl, to an undercover officer. Irving previously pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Irving was sentenced to 215 months in prison. Bennett previously pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Bennett was sentenced to 150 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg also ordered that each sentence be followed by 5 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the IRCSO, announced the sentences imposed. DEA Miami and IRCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Acosta prosecuted it. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html# and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-CR-14021. ###


title: Former West Virginia Coal Broker Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the IRS

component: Tax Division

body_text: A former coal broker pleaded guilty today in North Carolina to attempting to obstruct an IRS audit and criminal investigation. According to court documents and statements made in court, Vondie Brunty owned and operated West Star Management Inc. (WSM), a company that, from 2005 to 2015, co-owned a coal brokerage business. Despite earning taxable income in 2010 through 2013, Brunty did not file individual income tax returns for those years, nor did he report income earned by WSM. Brunty late-filed his 2014 and 2015 tax returns in 2021, after learning he was under criminal investigation by the IRS. Those returns, however, were false, omitting $240,000 and $108,000 of income, respectively. Additionally, on at least four occasions between 2015 and 2020, in an effort to conceal his income, Brunty provided a false social security number to companies that paid him, causing the companies to report inaccurate information to the IRS. When the IRS civilly audited Brunty’s unfiled personal and corporate returns, he knowingly made multiple false and misleading statements, claiming that he had paid an accountant to prepare WSM’s returns and that he never owed any taxes. Similarly, Brunty falsely told IRS criminal investigators that WSM’s tax returns had been prepared each year. In total, Brunty caused a tax loss to the IRS of $204,231. Brunty faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Ashley Stein and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland United States Attorney’s Office Announces Supervisory Appointments

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Erek L. Barron, the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced two new senior supervisory appointments. Alicia N. Washington is joining the office as Special Counsel to the United States Attorney, where she will advise the United States Attorney on matters across the office, especially within the Criminal Division, and on the office’s most complex and sensitive issues. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. has been appointed as the Coordinator of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) Mid-Atlantic Region, which covers Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and District of Columbia. “I am pleased to make these appointments. The hiring of Alicia Washington and promotion of John Sippel adds greater depth of experience and perspective to our decision-making to better serve Marylanders and the mission of the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. Ms. Washington joins the office from the international law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she has served as a litigation partner and member of the firm’s government and internal investigations practice. Prior to her private practice, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York’s Criminal Division, investigating and prosecuting public corruption, white collar, civil rights, violent crime, narcotics, money laundering, firearms, and child exploitation. Prior to joining the Eastern District of New York, Ms. Washington was an associate at Davis+Gilbert LLP and an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Ms. Washington also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Barbara M. G. Lynn of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Ms. Washington received her law degree from Columbia Law School and her undergraduate degree from Yale University with Honors. John Sippel has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Maryland since February 2003, first in the Office’s Civil Division, where he handled civil defensive cases and assisted the Financial Litigation Unit, then transitioning to the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Section (now the Violent Organized Crime Section or “VOC”) in July 2007. While serving in the VOC Section, Mr. Sippel has handled a variety of violent crime and drug-related matters, including large-scale narcotics investigations, firearms cases, carjackings, commercial robberies, and racketeering cases. In 2016, Mr. Sippel received the OCDETF National Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region for the investigation and successful prosecution of the Kedrick Jenifer Drug Trafficking Organization. He also serves one of the office’s Ethics Advisors. Mr. Sippel earned his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Loyola College in Maryland (now Loyola University Maryland). Prior to joining the Office, John was in private practice. Ms. Washington and Mr. Sippel join a management team that includes, First Assistant United States Attorney Phil Selden; Executive Assistant United States Attorney Lillian N. Stewart; and Counsel to the United States Attorney, David I. Salem. As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Phil Selden helps manage the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States. Mr. Selden began his career as an Assistant United States Attorney in 2010, investigating and prosecuting a wide variety of cases, including public corruption, white collar, national security, cybercrime, and violent crime matters. He has received awards from the Social Security Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and multiple Department of Justice Special Achievement Awards, and received the 2020 Homeland Security Investigations Prosecutor of the Year for his efforts in prosecuting domestic and international corruption. Before joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Selden worked in private practice handling complex commercial litigation and white collar matters on behalf of Fortune 500 companies. He began his career working with at-risk youth at the Philadelphia Family Court. Mr. Selden received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, magna cum laude, his Master’s Degree in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and his Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, a Tony Patiño Fellow, and a Paula Jewell Fellow. Mr. Selden has taught as an adjunct faculty member at University of Maryland School of Law, Howard University School of Law, Harvard Law School, and the George Washington University Law School. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Lillian Stewart joined the office in March 2023 and oversees the Civil and Administration Divisions. Previously, Ms. Stewart served as the Executive Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas; Assistant General Counsel handling civil litigation for the FBI General Counsel’s Office; and as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, where she worked in the Civil Division handling various affirmative and defensive civil matters including False Claims Act, Healthcare Fraud and Civil Rights investigations. Ms. Stewart earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School, and her undergraduate degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Tennessee. David Salem was appointed as Counsel to the United States Attorney in January 2023, and has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office since November 1990, serving first in the Civil Division before switching to the Criminal Division in 1994. Since then, Mr. Salem has tried more than 50 felony cases, focusing most recently in areas of white collar and national security matters and served as Senior Litigation Counsel and Collateral Litigation Chief. David also has trained law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense bar and judges in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; Kiev, Ukraine; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Tallinn, Estonia; Riga, Latvia; and Tbilisi, Georgia. He received his joint JD-MBA from the University of Maryland. David was the recipient of numerous Department of Justice and office awards, including the 2020 Deborah A. Johnston Award; the 2015 Department of Justice Award for Criminal Prosecution for United States v. Mikerin ; the 2004 Gary Jordan Award; the 2004 Inspector General Integrity Award for contributions to health care fraud prosecutions; and the 1998 Chief Postal Inspector’s Award for United States v. Bosah . # # #


title: Southern Oregon Hospital System and Physician Agree to Pay $430,000 to Settle Health Care Fraud Allegations

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that Asante Health System, a southern Oregon healthcare corporation, and one of its physicians, have agreed to pay $430,000 to settle allegations that the company and its physician knowingly submitted false claims for payment for certain cardiothoracic surgeries to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. The United States contends that, between January 1, 2015, and January 31, 2021, Asante and Dr. Charles Carmeci, a cardiothoracic surgeon practicing at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, knowingly submitted claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE for cardiothoracic surgeries including decortications, PleurX catheter placements, pericardiectomies, mediastinal mass resections, patent foramen ovale, atrial septal defect closures, and Bentall procedures, knowing they did not meet the criteria for reimbursement or were otherwise improper. Medicare and Medicaid are public health insurance programs administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). TRICARE is a civilian health care program administered by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a joint, integrated combat support agency within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The settlement reached is not an admission of liability by Asante or Dr. Carmeci and both parties deny the government’s allegations. This case was investigated by the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), FBI, and DHA. Both agencies were represented in this matter by Alexis Lien, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Lisa M. Re, Assistant Inspector General for Legal Affairs for HHS-OIG, and Salvatore M. Maida, General Counsel for DHA assisted in this litigation.


title: Asheville, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To 14 Years For Trafficking Methamphetamine And Fentanyl

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jonathan Maurice Logan, 35, of Asheville, N.C., was sentenced to 14 years in prison today followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Interim Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in February 2022, law enforcement learned that Logan was trafficking narcotics in the Asheville area. Upon further investigation, law enforcement determined that Logan was renting a room in a hotel in Asheville which he used to facilitate his drug trafficking activities. On March 31, 2022, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Logan’s hotel room and vehicle, seizing multiple plastic bags containing nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine and more than a kilogram of fentanyl. They further seized a digital scale, a blender, a brick press machine, a vacuum sealer, and more than $10,000 in cash. Logan remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The DEA and the Asheville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Committing Hobbs Act Robberies

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUINCY JONES, a/k/a “Luck,” a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo on January 11, 2024, to 34 months incarceration, three (3) years of supervised release following release from imprisonment and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee, after JONES had previously pled guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce through robbery and attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. According to court records, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward. Thereafter, JONES, along with nine others, were indicted, for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit. * * *


title: Former Employee and Co-Conspirator Sentenced for Embezzling Over $270,000 from WFYI Public Media

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Alicia Wilson, 37, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to three years’ probation, with the first 15 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $270,876 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In April of 2023, Mindi B. Madison, 53, of Indianapolis plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to three years’ probation and also ordered to pay $270,876 in restitution. According to court documents, Wilson and Madison conspired together to embezzle funds from WFYI (“WFYI”) Public Media into their personal checking accounts. Madison began working as an Accounting Specialist for WFYI in January 2018. WFYI was owned and operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media, Inc., and provided television and radio programming throughout Central Indiana. Madison’s co-conspirator, Wilson, was neither an employee nor a vendor of WFYI. As an Accounting Specialist, Madison had access to WFYI’s accounting software, and was trusted to present legitimate expenses, claims, invoices, and supporting documentation along with the unsigned WFYI checks to employees at WFYI who had signature authority for their approval and signature. Instead of presenting legitimate claims that arose out of WFYI’s legitimate business expenses for signature and payment, Madison abused her position of trust, and presented at least 156 fake claims and invoices for payment. In effort to conceal the theft from WFYI and their banking institutions, Madison and Wilson agreed that Madison would falsify invoices using versions of Wilson’s name and businesses connected to her. Madison tendered WFYI checks to Wilson, and they agreed that Wilson would then deposit the checks into her bank accounts. Wilson then withdrew Madison’s portion in cash, and they split the illegal proceeds. Both Madison and Wilson used WFYI’s stolen funds for their own personal expenditures including but not limited to, rent, restaurants, groceries, fuel, and utilities. In total, the pair embezzled approximately $270,876 from WFYI before the theft was discovered. Wilson’s participation in the scheme made it virtually impossible for WFYI to detect the theft. “Complex economic crimes such as these devastate the finances and security of businesses and individuals. The defendants’ theft deprived WFYI of hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for public service and educating the community,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office will continue to work with the FBI to identify and prosecute individuals who scheme and steal to satisfy their own greed.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Providence Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Enticing Minor Children to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who admittedly coerced a 10-year-old Utah girl and more than a dozen other minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct while he recorded their actions via a live internet link that he provided to them has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha According to information presented to the court, Akinola Akinlapa, 23, engaged in online communications with approximately 75 minor females, some of whom had not yet reached puberty, in a similar fashion, coercing 15 of them to disrobe and to perform sexual acts while he watched and recorded them. “This case is a sobering reminder of the ways in which technology enables predators to abuse their victims and inflict harm, even over great distances,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Thanks to the bravery of one young girl, and the diligent work of our law enforcement partners, this defendant will be held accountable for his repeated, persistent and abhorrent efforts to victimize young children for his own gratification.” “What Akinola Akinlapa did -- in sexually exploiting dozens of children-- was cruel and disgraceful, and with this sentence, this predator will not be able to harm any more children for quite some time,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This case is a prime example of how children can be victimized in the safety of their own homes and underscores the importance of talking to kids about the dangers of the internet. Parents, caregivers, and educators, please make it clear to your kids that they are not to blame if they fall victim and please report these incidents, so the FBI and our law enforcement partners can bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.” According to charging documents and information presented to the court, Akinlapa engaged the Utah girl in online communications and text messages, and provided her with a video conferencing link, promising credits for use on an online gaming platform. Once connected, Akinlapa, who hid his face from view, but who could see and hear the young girl, told her that because of their communications he now had her IP address and other personal information. Akinlapa threatened to share the information on the internet if she did not disrobe and perform a sex act. The young girl feigned performing the sex act, and courageously reported the incident to her mother, who in turn contacted the West Valley City, Utah Police Department. West Valley City Police and FBI agents in Salt Lake City and in Providence identified an IP address at Akinlapa’s Providence residence as being the source of communications with the 10-year-old Utah girl. Akinlapa’s pattern of coercion with the 14 other girls was similar. According to information presented to the court, on June 2, 2020, members of the Providence FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a court-authorized search of computers and smart phones belonging to Akinlapa. A forensic review revealed evidence that Akinlapa had victimized the Utah girl and 14 other young girls, and had attempted to do the same with approximately 60 other minor girls, but was unsuccessful. Images and videos of minors engaged in illicit sexual activity recorded by Akinlapa were found on his phone. Akinlapa pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022, to charges of enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced on January 11, 2024, to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by eight years of federal supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah. For more information on sextortion and financial sextortion, visit the FBI’s resources on the threats at: https://www.fbi.gov/sextortion and https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion/financially-motivated-sextortion . ###


title: Jury Convicts Drug Dealer of a Controlled Substance Conspiracy, Distribution and Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 10, a Fort Lauderdale jury found Chad Michael Marlow, 46, of Pompano Beach, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. During the three-day trial, the government put on evidence that showed that Marlow was recorded on two occasions selling a quarter pound and a pound, respectively, of methamphetamine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent in the parking lot of a Broward County shopping plaza. In the recordings, Marlow could be heard discussing at length the great quality of the product and the fact that he used it for his back and hip pain. Marlow and his partner agreed to sell the undercover agent one pound of methamphetamine at a third planned deal, but when Marlow and his partner arrived at the shopping plaza, law enforcement conducted an arrest. Law enforcement searched the vehicle Marlow was driving and found an unzipped backpack immediately behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle –sitting at the top of the backpack was a loaded handgun and an extra loaded magazine and in the bottom of that backpack they found a pound, or nearly 1,000 pills, of fentanyl segregated into dealing sized baggies, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as a bank card bearing Marlow’s name. Law enforcement also found a pound of methamphetamine in a lunch cooler sitting on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Marlow is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2024, before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement. DEA Miami Field Division conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Stone and Brooke E. Latta. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60202. ###


title: Former Arizona Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Stealing Mainers’ Identities as Part of Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A former Arizona man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today after pleading guilty to six counts of wire fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced, James McAuliffe , 55, to 60 months followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $203,616 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023. According to court records, from January to November 2020 McAuliffe filed false claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. He filed fraudulent applications for UI payments with the Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation using others’ personal identifying information without their knowledge and consent. As a part of the scheme, he caused fraudulent applications for replacement drivers licenses to be filed with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles and changed the drivers’ mailing addresses, using the falsified licenses as proof of identification in support of the fraudulent UI claims. McAuliffe had the UI benefits loaded onto debit cards and wired into an account he opened in another person’s name and withdrew the funds at ATMs in Arizona. At the time of his arrest, McAuliffe was living in Kansas. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. “The prosecution of Mr. McAuliffe is one of numerous cases brought by the Department of Justice nationwide to bring to justice those who sought to exploit COVID-19 relief fund programs,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee . “To those who defrauded and stole from American taxpayers in the middle of a global crisis, you should expect that our Office and the Department of Justice will do everything possible to hold you accountable.” “James McAuliffe engaged in a scheme to obtain unemployment insurance benefits by submitting fraudulent claims using the stolen identities of Maine residents and others. McAuliffe stole federal benefits intended to assist unemployed American workers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard Department of Labor programs from those who seek to exploit them,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General . Coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud: On August 23, 2023 the Justice Department announced the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud. The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country. Many of the cases in the enforcement action involve charges related to pandemic unemployment insurance benefit fraud and fraud against the two largest pandemic Small Business Administration programs: the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Additional matters involved pandemic healthcare billing fraud, fraud against the Emergency Rental Assistance program, and fraud committed against the IRS Employee Retention Credit program (ERC), a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. ###


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Drug and Firearm Offenses

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BYRON WILLIAMS , age 39, a resident of New Orleans, was charged January 11, 2024 in a three-count indictment stemming from incidents taking place on November 22, 2023. Count 1 charged WILLIAMS with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 2 charged WILLIAMS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Count 3 charged WILLIAMS with felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted of Count 1, WILLIAMS faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, WILLIAMS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, WILLIAMS faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each count, WILLIAMS also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Fugitive Investment Firm Operator Indicted for Running $100 Million Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - The operator of a supposed foreign exchange trading firm has been indicted on eleven counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with his alleged operation of a Ponzi scheme that stole $100 million from investors, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Darren Anthony Robinson, 53, is a U.S. citizen who previously operated out of the country of Panama. After he was previously charged in a criminal complaint in this matter and released on bond, Robinson is alleged to have improperly removed his GPS tether and become a fugitive. Robinson is currently wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan . Individuals with information regarding Robinson’s whereabouts are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-Call-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. local FBI office nearest American Embassy or Consulate www.tips.fbi.gov According to the indictment and other court records, Robinson operated a supposed trading firm known as “QYU,” which was located in Panama and the Cayman Islands. QYU represented to investors that it was consistently generating stellar investment results. For example, in one QYU document, the firm claimed that a $100,000 investment into its fund in 2014 would have grown to over $2 million by 2021. That same document claimed the fund did not have a single losing month over that same period. QYU investors were promised guaranteed returns and told the firm was only paid on trading profits, not investor principal. It is alleged that QYU was simply a Ponzi scheme and investor funds were largely not used for trading activity. Instead, new investor funds were used to pay other investor distributions, cover QYU business expenses, compensate QYU employees, and fund Robinson’s lifestyle. QYU investors were provided with false account statements and fictious trading data. Court records indicate that QYU obtained an estimated $100 million from investors. Law enforcement has identified many apparent QYU investors from southeast Michigan. Potential victims are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov/QYU_holdings_victims (Please note that the link to the website is case sensitive). “Our resolve is to bring Darren Robinson to account for his alleged multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme with victims around the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “I would like to thank the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, our international partners, and all the law enforcement agencies dedicated to achieving justice in this case. Investment fraud can be crippling for its victims, and the FBI is committed to identifying and working with anyone impacted by Robinson’s scheme.” An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant faces up to twenty years in prison on each charge of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison on the charge of money laundering. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison on Drug Distribution, Gun Charges

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man who was caught with drugs and guns and admitted distributing drugs to 12 years in prison. Christopher A. Calicott, 43, pleaded guilty in April to three felony counts: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. After a multi-agency investigation, a court-approved search of the home of Calicott and his wife, Jodi L. Calicott, in an RV park near Sikeston, Missouri, found drugs, cash and guns. Investigators found two bags that contained a total of 60 grams of cocaine, two bags that contained a total of 247 grams of meth, two bags containing 124 grams of marijuana, a 9mm semiautomatic pistol loaded with 15 rounds, a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with five shotgun shells, $6,600 in cash and drug paraphernalia. Both Calicotts admitted involvement in the drug trade and Christopher Calicott admitted possession of the firearms. Jodi L. Calicott, 38, was sentenced in June to five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.


title: Former Executive Director of victim advocacy organization convicted of two counts of wire fraud

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – The former Executive Director of the Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates (WCCVA) was convicted today of two counts of wire fraud following a six-day jury trial. Cody Benson, 51, formerly of Olympia, Washington, was indicted in July 2021 for her scheme to falsely claim Washington State public grant funding for work that was never done. Jurors deliberated about eight hours before returning the guilty verdicts. U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. According to records filed in the case, Benson was the head of an Olympia-based non-profit organization that was tasked with training advocates to assist crime victims. In 2013, the legislature appropriated money for this work with a grant administered through the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Between 2015 and 2017, Benson submitted fraudulent invoices for reimbursement under the grant. She submitted bills for training events that were never held or supplies that were never purchased. In early 2016, she moved away to Italy, yet in the ensuing years, she repeatedly told representatives of the Attorney General’s Office that she was in Washington State doing various outreach and other work. Those representations were false. By the end of the scheme, WCCVA had only two employees: Benson and her son. The Washington State Attorney General’s Office became concerned about WCCVA’s performance under the grant in early 2018 and began investigating. Benson returned just over $50,000 to the state, but other funds were not recovered. The grant payments ceased, and WCCVA is defunct. In all, prosecutors argued that WCCVA obtained almost $180,000 from Benson’s false invoices, and that Benson herself obtained approximately $257,000 in net salary and other benefits such as health insurance, retirement plan contributions, and health reimbursement account contributions during the fraudulent scheme. The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Kopczynski and Yunah Chung.


title: Illinois Man Accused of Seeking to Arrange Florida Murder

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Illinois appeared in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau Tuesday to face a criminal complaint that accuses him of trying to hire someone to kill a business associate in Florida. Ben Patrick Mullavey, 64, of Mechanicsburg, in Sangamon County, was charged with one felony count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. A criminal complaint and affidavit filed Tuesday accuses Mullavey of offering up to $10,000 for the murder of the Florida man. Mullavey claimed the man owed him $200,000 and a lawsuit over the money was not going well, the charging documents say. The affidavit says the man Mullavey allegedly tried to hire began working with the FBI on January 3, after meeting with Mullavey in Sikeston, Missouri and hearing about his plans. Mullavey would eventually discuss the manner of the murder and supply the name and description of his business partner, a Florida license plate to help the hit man blend in, a crossbow and arrows, expense money, a $1,000 “prepayment” and directions to the restaurant next to the target’s wine bar, the affidavit says. The murder-for-hire charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney Charges Two Men With Firebombing A Mount Kisco Residence And Conspiring To Stalk A Westchester Businessman

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Bryan DiGirolamo, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (“ATF”); Melvin Padilla, the Chief of the Bedford Police Department; and Terrance Raynor, the Acting Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, announced that DAMJAN STANIVUKOVIC and VLADAMIR RADUNOVIC were arrested on January 13, 2024, and each charged with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking. The Complaint charges that on or about January 11, 2024, the defendants transported a homemade destructive device to a neighborhood in Mount Kisco, New York, and dropped the destructive device off in the driveway of the victim’s residence, where it exploded. In addition, the Complaint charges that later that same day, as part of the conspiracy, the victim received a text message that this was his “final warning.” STANIVUKOVIC, the owner of a contracting company, is involved in a long-running legal dispute with the victim. When searching STANIVUKOVIC’s residence, law enforcement seized, among other things, multiple loaded firearms, items matching those used to make the destructive device, and written instructions on how to make explosives. The defendants were presented on January 13, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik and detained without bail. U.S. Attorney Damian William said: “The career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to act around the clock when our communities are threatened. Damjan Stanivukovic and Vladamir Radunovic were in custody just two days after they allegedly planted a destructive device in the driveway of the victim’s residence. This case is a testament to the critical and effective work that our interagency collaborations accomplish on a daily basis. We have no tolerance for violence in the Southern District of New York.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Damjan Stanivukovic and Vladamir Radunovic allegedly tried to resolve a contentious business relationship with threats of violence and a homemade bomb. While business deals aren’t always successful, neither are overt acts of violence that bring forth federal charges. Thankfully, in this case, no one was injured. The FBI will continue to ensure that anyone willing to solve personal grievances with threats and attempts of violence are punished to the fullest extent in the criminal justice system.” ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo said: “Perpetuating violence against others, under any context, is unacceptable behavior. The men and women of ATF NY Hudson Valley Field Office will continue to work alongside our partners at FBI and Bedford Police to address acts of violence in our communities.” Bedford Police Chief Melvin Padilla said: “The safety and security of our residents is our primary focus, and thanks to the diligent work of our detectives and the cooperation and assistance from our federal partners, the defendants were quickly identified and apprehended.” Westchester County Department of Public Safety Acting Commissioner Terrance Raynor said: “I commend all the agencies involved for their skillful and effective collaboration in bringing this investigation to a swift conclusion. This is yet another example of the value and importance of multi-agency partnerships, which help us keep Westchester safe.” As alleged in the criminal Complaint: [1] At approximately 5:11 a.m. on or about January 11, 2024, STANIVUKOVIC and RADUNOVIC traveled through Rockland County, New York, to Westchester County, New York, in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee and dropped a destructive device off at the victim’s residence in Mount Kisco, New York, where the destructive device exploded. Law enforcement recovered a box from the scene, which bore STANIVUKOVIC’s name and address, as well as a 2.5-gallon gasoline can, firework tubing, and firework residue. Later that day, on or about 12:11 p.m., the victim received a text message from a particular phone number, which stated “Knock knock, show up and what do you think is next. This is your final warning.” Around the time that text message was sent, the cellphone associated with that particular phone number was located in the vicinity of STANIVUKOVIC’s business address and the black Jeep Grand Cherokee. A search warrant executed at STANIVUKOVIC’s residence, where RADUNOVIC had been staying, recovered, among other things, gasoline canisters and fireworks matching those used to construct the destructive device, multiple loaded firearms, and a book titled “Make Fireworks and Explosives at Home – The Ultimate Instruction Manual for Beginners and Pyrotechnicians to Build Firecrackers, Fireworks and Explosives from Scratch.” * * * DAMJAN STANIVUKOVIC, 52, of Closter, New Jersey, and VLADAMIR RADUNOVIC, 47, of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, are each charged with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, the ATF, the Bedford Police Department, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, and the Closter, New Jersey Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution. The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man found to be in possession of more than two thousand images of child sexual abuse has been sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A, Cunha. In April 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified law enforcement that Google had provided information that a Google account had been used to upload and store approximately 300 videos and images of minors, including prepubescent minors, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Upon further investigation, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations determined that the account belonged to belonging to Juan C. Funes, 24, of Providence. As part of their investigation, members of law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Funes’s residence on June 4, 2019, and discovered approximately 2,000 additional images of child sexual abuse on Funes’ cell phone. Funes pleaded guilty previously to a charge of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to eighteen months of incarceration to be followed by eight years of federal supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Milind M. Shah and John P. McAdams. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Announces 30-Count Indictment Charging Garment-Manufacturing Executive With Tax Fraud Scheme, Masking Millions In Payroll

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging AI ZHEN XU with criminal tax offenses. XU was the vice president and secretary of the garment-manufacturing company Winner Fashions, Inc. (“Winner Fashions”). XU is alleged to have conspired to perpetrate a long-running scheme to conceal more than approximately $3,800,000 in gross receipts attributable to Winner Fashions and to evade more than approximately $290,000 in federal payroll taxes owed by Winner Fashions to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). XU was arrested this morning and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker this afternoon. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For at least six years, Ai Zhen Xu allegedly engaged in a scheme by which she used the off-the-books services of a check-cashing business to conceal nearly $4 million in gross receipts paid to her company and evade payroll taxes. Thanks to the skillful investigative work of IRS-CI and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendant will be held accountable for her actions.” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “It’s alleged Xu concealed millions to avoid paying the federal taxes that every legitimate business pays. This is not a victimless crime. While this failure to pay business taxes further widens the American tax gap, every other taxpayer is now responsible to cover the cost. Xu’s alleged willful disregard for U.S. law has prompted this arrest, and she will now pay the price for her actions.” According to the allegations in the Indictment: [1] From 2016 through at least 2021, XU and others used the services of a check‑cashing business to cash checks issued to Winner Fashions as payment for its services. XU concealed this cash revenue from Winner Fashions’ accountant, resulting in Winner Fashions’ relevant tax filings omitting substantial amounts of gross receipts. During the same period, XU and others paid Winner Fashions’ employees via a combination of cash payments and payroll checks generated by Winner Fashions’ accountant. XU concealed these cash payments from Winner Fashions’ accountant, resulting in Winner Fashions failing to pay to the IRS payroll taxes associated with these unreported cash payments. * * * XU, 70, of Port Washington, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. XU is also charged with 23 counts of failure to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes, each of which also carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and six counts of aiding and assisting the preparation and presentation of false U.S. corporation income tax returns, each of which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin M. Burkett is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Springfield Rapper Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was part of a local rap group pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms. Ezekiel Josiah King, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. Co-defendant Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. By pleading guilty today, King admitted he was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds, and an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, on Feb. 15, 2022. King was driving a gold Nissan Altima that was stopped by Springfield police detectives. In addition to the firearms, detectives found another extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines under the driver’s seat. Williams, a passenger in the vehicle, admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition in the front floorboard. Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by law enforcement on Oct. 22, 2022. The C3 Defense AR-style pistol was tentatively identified as being used in three shooting incidents in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas, areas. Both King and Williams admitted they regularly smoked marijuana. Under federal statutes, King is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Williams is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing for Williams is scheduled on Feb. 5, 2024. King’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Marrero Man Sentenced for  Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – TIMOTHY BLAYLOCK, age 51, of Marrero, La. was sentenced on January 10, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. BLAYLOCK was sentenced to 104 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, BLAYLOCK ’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement, and a subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 449.7 grams of methamphetamine. The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and J. Benjamin Myers, both of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Justice Department Statements on District Court Decision to Block JetBlue’s Acquisition of Spirit Airlines

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts blocked JetBlue Airways’ $3.8 billion dollar acquisition of Spirit Airlines. The court found that JetBlue’s proposed takeover of Spirit is unlawful because it “does violence to the core principle of antitrust law: to protect the United States’ markets – and its market participants – from anticompetitive harm.” “Today’s ruling is a victory for tens of millions of travelers who would have faced higher fares and fewer choices had the proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit been allowed to move forward,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the nation’s antitrust laws to protect American consumers. I want to thank the Antitrust Division for their excellent work on this case.” “The Court’s decision today reaffirms that the antitrust laws vindicate the economic liberty of the American people,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are particularly encouraged by the court’s acknowledgement of the role of the Justice Department in protecting consumers ‘who otherwise would have no voice’ and the ‘forthrightness, civility, and zealous advocacy’ that ‘assisted the Court in reaching out for justice.’ I am incredibly proud of the Antitrust Division’s staff and our state law enforcement partners whose tireless work ensured another airline merger would not harm American travelers.” The court’s decision follows a 17-day trial that began in October 2023. In March 2023, the Justice Department, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New, Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia sued to stop the merger under Section 7 of the Clayton Act.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Maximillian Keaton, 51, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting making false statements in acquisition of firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 22, 2023, Keaton traveled with Daniel Lee Ferguson to a Barboursville business where Ferguson purchased for Keaton a Springfield Armory model Hellcat 9mm pistol. Keaton admitted that he asked Ferguson to buy the firearm for him because his prior felony conviction prohibits him from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Keaton further admitted that he showed Ferguson the firearm he wanted him to buy and provided Ferguson with the money for the purchase. Ferguson falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the buyer of the firearm when Ferguson knew he was purchasing it for Keaton. Keaton further admitted that Ferguson purchased two other firearms for him at Cabell County businesses, a Bersa model Thunder 380 .380-caliber pistol on August 14, 2019, and a Springfield Armory model Prodigy 9mm on February 25, 2023. Ferguson falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 for each purchase that he was the buyer of the firearm when he knew he was purchasing it for Keaton. Keaton is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Ferguson, 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023, to making false statements in acquisition of firearms and awaits sentencing. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted under the criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. BSCA is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-151. ###


title: Fifteen People Sentenced For Defrauding Unemployment Insurance Agencies  During Covid-19 Pandemic

body_text: DETROIT – A federal judge sentenced Detroit resident James Mayfield today to 2 years and 6 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud state unemployment insurance agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Mayfield is the last of 15 defendants to be sentenced for their roles in related unemployment insurance schemes that were carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ison was joined in the announcement by Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Special Agent-in-Charge of the Great Lakes Region, Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Detroit Feld Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Director Julia Dale, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. According to court records, between February 1, 2020, and January 26, 2021, Sharodney Harrison devised schemes to defraud several states and the federal government by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using other people’s personal identifiable information without their knowledge or consent. Harrison and his co-conspirators used various means to further their schemes. Five of the co-conspirators traveled to California between August and September 2020 and used California mailing addresses, including their AirBnB address, to commit unemployment insurance fraud. The schemes tied to Harrison resulted in the filing of nearly 600 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in 19 states that resulted in a loss of $2,020,851 to state unemployment insurance agencies. If all the fraudulent claims had been approved, the resulting loss would have been $6,920,388. The investigation into Harrison started after the FBI and DOL-OIG began investigating more than one hundred unemployment insurance claims that were filed with the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency from two IP addresses registered to homes in Detroit. As a result of this investigation, 9 individuals were charged together in one case with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and/or aggravated identity theft. All have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced as follows: Sharodney Harrison – Sentenced to 60 months in prison Seandrea Crawford – Sentenced to 30 months in prison Sharrell Harrison – Sentenced to 42 months in prison Sha-Ron Harrison – Sentenced to 46 months in prison Sharease Harrison – Sentenced to 26 months in prison Edward Taylor – Sentenced to 54 months in prison James Mayfield – Sentenced to 30 months in prison Frank Jennings – Sentenced to 24 months in prison Sharonda Griffin – Sentenced to 26 months in prison As a result of this investigation, 6 people were charged in separate cases with conspiracy to commit wire fraud or wire fraud. All have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. As part of their sentences, the defendants were also ordered to pay a total of over $2 million in restitution to the victims of their fraud. “We continue to investigate and prosecute those who took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers, while ignoring the effect on those whose identities they stole,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said. "Sharodney Harrison conspired with a dozen individuals, including James Mayfield, to defraud 19 state workforce agencies of more than $2 million in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to which Harrison and his co-conspirators were not entitled. Harrison and his co-conspirators filed fraudulent UI claims in the names of identity theft victims, enriching themselves by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Irene Lindow, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting the criminals who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by fraudulently obtaining pandemic UI benefits using stolen identities.” “Today’s sentencing finalizes the FBI’s efforts to hold a large-scale network accountable for defrauding unemployment insurance agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “Providing false information to gain access fraudulently to relief funds is a theft of taxpayer money. The FBI remains committed to working with our network of law enforcement partners to investigate and hold those accountable who seek to profit personally and defraud government assistance programs.” “The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency is proud of its role in helping to identify this network of criminals who were brazen enough to steal from taxpayers across the country,” UIA Director Julia Dale said. “Whether a crime is committed in Michigan or also includes programs in other states, our staff works closely with state and federal law enforcement to refer cases for investigation, stop the theft of taxpayer money, and hold fraudsters accountable.” These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Bean and were investigated jointly by the FBI and DOL- OIG.


title: Eight Defendants Sentenced for Their Roles in an East Alabama Drug Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentences of eight individuals for distributing methamphetamine in the Phenix City, Alabama, area. This concludes a series of federal sentencings that resulted from a drug trafficking investigation that began in 2020 and covered east Alabama and west Georgia. The following provides more detail about the various defendants convicted and the sentences imposed. On January 8, 2024, Kahlia Nichelle Washington , 27, from Phenix City, Alabama, received a sentence of 18 months in prison for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute after her July 11, 2023 conviction at trial. On December 27, 2023, Xavier Toombs , 35, also a resident of Phenix City, received a sentence of 60 months in prison for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Toombs pleaded guilty to the charge on June 22, 2023. On December 1, 2023, 38-year-old Andre Tremayne Franklin , from Columbus, Georgia, received a sentence of 320 months in prison. Previously, on July 11, 2023, a jury found Franklin guilty of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute the drug. On November 11, 2023, Justin Garrett , 31, also from Columbus, received a 204-month sentence for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Garrett pleaded guilty to the charge on June 22, 2023. On October 25, 2023, 34-year-old Khourtney Jakeith Brown , another resident of Phenix City, received a prison sentence of 262 months for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Khourtney Brown pleaded guilty to that charge on June 28, 2023. On October 6, 2023, Ryan Brown , 33, also from of Phenix City, received a sentence of 37 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ryan Brown pleaded guilty on June 22, 2023. On October 6, 2023, 34-year-old Lorenzo Miles , another resident of Columbus, received a sentence of 87 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute after pleading guilty to the charge on June 27, 2023. On June 23, 2023, Torrez Jenkins , 28, a resident of Jonesboro, Georgia, received a 64-month prison sentence for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 6, 2023. These cases resulted from a partnership among federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce drug trafficking and violent crime, making our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Abbeville Police Department, the Auburn Police Division, the Eufaula Police Department, the Phenix City Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated these cases, with assistance from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Millbrook Police Department, the Montgomery Police Department, the Prattville Police Department, the United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Muscogee County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin P. Davidson and Brett J. Talley prosecuted the cases.


title: Helena man suspected of threatening to attack Helena Public Schools building admits to illegally possessing homemade bombs, silencer

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Helena man today admitted to illegally possessing homemade bombs and a silencer after being accused of attempting to attack a Helena Public Schools building, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Logan Sea Pallister, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered destructive devices and to possession of an unregistered silencer. Pallister faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each charge. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 22. Pallister was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in May 2022, the Helena Police Department received information from an individual that Pallister possessed multiple bombs, had access to multiple firearms and had been making threats of committing an attack at a local high school. The person also indicated that Pallister discussed a desire to commit a Columbine-style attack at the high school and planned to use pipe bombs in addition to firearms. Further, Pallister had shown the individual numerous firearms and a large amount of ammunition that he kept in his car and had purchased a black trench coat and the same type of duffle bag used by the shooters in the attack at Columbine High School. The government also alleged that Pallister showed the individual a small propane cannister with a fuse sticking out of one end that he had retrieved from his car and had told the person it was a bomb he had made. Pallister also threatened to kill the individual if the person told anyone about the device. The individual reported the encounter to law enforcement. On May 31, 2022 at about 4 a.m., police officers arrested Pallister as he was walking toward his car from his residence, wearing a black trench coat and carrying a bag. During a search of Pallister, officers found eight firearms that were concealed on his person. Law enforcement served search warrants on his home and car. In Pallister’s car, officers found nine additional firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, loaded magazines, firearm accessories, a Fram oil filter that appeared to have been modified to function as a homemade silencer and a green ammunition can that contained four suspected homemade pipe bombs. In Pallister’s residence, officers found additional firearms and ammunition, firearm components, money order documents, receipts and online orders related to chemicals, suspected chemical precursors for making explosives and a suspected homemade explosive mixture known as flash powder. A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives expert examined the pipe bombs, determined that they contained an explosive mixture that, when ignited, would result in an explosion, and concluded the four pipe bombs were destructive devices. An examination of the Fram oil filter found it had a threaded adapter attached to one end, multiple rounds had been previously fired through it and that it was intended to diminish the sound of a firearm, making the device a silencer. The suppressor and destructive devices were not registered as required by law and their possession is a violation of federal firearms laws. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Helena Police Department, Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Lewis & Clark County Attorney’s Office. 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. XXX


title: Cedar Rapids Woman Involved in Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to six years in federal prison. Allison Mills, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 25, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Mills was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Mills received at least five packages from California that each contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine. In exchange for allowing these packages to be delivered to her address, Mills received a pound of methamphetamine from one of her co-conspirators for each box she received. Mills was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Mills was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Mills is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-91. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Senior Operations Executive Pleads Guilty To Defrauding International Cargo Airline Employer

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea today of CARLTON LLEWELLYN in connection with a massive scheme to defraud Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (“Polar”), a leading cargo airline, of tens of millions of dollars in revenue and the honest services of its employees. LLEWELLYN pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Carlton Llewellyn was a senior executive entrusted with running the operations of a leading cargo airline. He betrayed that trust and engaged in a kickback scheme to defraud his employer and enrich himself, and his plea is another step toward rooting out corporate fraud.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings: From at least in or about 2009 through in or about July 2021, LLEWELLYN and nine other individuals participated in a massive scheme to defraud Polar. At all relevant times, LLEWELLYN and three co-defendants were senior executives of Polar (the “Executive Defendants”), and six co-defendants (the “Vendor Defendants”) owned and operated various Polar vendors and customers. LLEWELLYN was the Vice President of Operations, System Performance, and Quality for Polar. The Executive Defendants agreed to accept millions of dollars in kickbacks from the Vendor Defendants and reaped substantial financial benefits as a result of their secret ownership interests in certain Polar vendors, in exchange for ensuring that those vendors received favorable business arrangements with Polar. The fraud they perpetrated, which involved a substantial portion of Polar’s senior management and at least 10 customers and vendors of Polar, led to pervasive corruption of Polar’s business, touching nearly every aspect of the company’s operations, for over a decade. As a result of the scheme, the Executive Defendants, along with two co-conspirators who also worked as senior executives at Polar, received unlawful payments either directly or through various limited liability companies they controlled in excess of approximately $23 million in kickback payments or disbursements as a result of their ownership of conflicted companies. LLEWELLYN is the sixth defendant to plead guilty in the case thus far. * * * LLEWELLYN, 55, of Highland Mills, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. LLEWELLYN also agreed to pay forfeiture in the amount of $347,879.44 and make restitution to Polar in the amount of $305,800. LLEWELLYN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on May 7, 2024. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Reilly, Danielle Kudla, Kevin Mead, and Qais Ghafary are in charge of the prosecution.