title: California Man Sentenced for Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People’s Republic of China Government and Bribery

body_text: John Chen, 71, of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Los Angeles, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for acting as unregistered agents of the PRC and bribing an IRS agent in connection with a plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. According to court documents, from at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, Chen and co-defendant Lin Feng, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC government, including an identified PRC government official PRC Official-1, to further the PRC government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC government, including imprisonment. As part of the PRC's campaign against the Falun Gong, Chen and Feng engaged in a PRC government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’ Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners, the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center. After Chen filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the Chen Whistleblower Complaint), Chen and Feng paid $5,000 in cash bribes and promised to pay substantially more to a purported IRS agent (Agent-1) who was, in fact, an undercover officer, in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither Chen nor Feng notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC in the United States. In the course of the scheme, Chen, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC, was to carry out the PRC government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, Chen and Feng discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if Chen and Feng’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. Chen and Feng also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, Chen and Feng met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, Chen gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. Chen further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit on the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, Feng paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Chen was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $50,000. Feng was sentenced on Sept. 26, to a time-served sentence of 16 months in prison. The FBI and Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard, and Kathryn Wheelock for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to and Sentenced for Making a False Statement

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on November 18, 2024, Brandon Anderson, 34, of Greenwood, Indiana, pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Burlington, to making a false statement to a department or agency of the United States. During the same hearing on November 18, Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Anderson to time-served and one year of supervised release. Previously, on February 22, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Anderson, with two counts of impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States and one count of making a false statement to a department or agency of the United States. According to court records, Anderson, while wearing a tactical uniform with black body armor and a holstered firearm, impersonated a federal law enforcement official on two occasions. Anderson was not in fact a federal law enforcement official during either occasion, but instead was a privately contracted security guard for a federal agency. In addition, investigation of Anderson revealed that, in becoming a security guard for the federal agency, he falsely stated that he had served in the United States Marine Corps and received an honorable discharge, when in fact he had not served in the Marines at all. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Burlington Police Department. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Anderson is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.


title: Naples Woman Sentenced To Federal Prison For Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – United States District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Heidi Torres-Moncaleano (45, Naples) to one year and one day in federal prison for aiding in the preparation of numerous false and fraudulent income tax returns. Torres-Moncaleano was also sentenced to a one-year term of supervised release with a condition that she pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $429,888. Torres-Moncaleano entered a guilty plea on April 17, 2024. According to court documents, from 2018 through 2021, Torres-Moncaleano, through her business “Torres Tax Services,” submitted fraudulent tax returns and Schedule C forms to the IRS. She inflated her clients’ personal and business losses to generate larger tax refunds. The actual tax loss to the IRS exceeded $847,000. “A return preparer who artificially and illegally inflates your tax return is doing you no favors,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Their greed and desire to prop up their business could leave you responsible for all that extra money you receive but which you are not entitled to.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.


title: Boynton Beach Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material Over The Internet

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Timothy Burch Morris (46, Boynton Beach) has pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet. Morris faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2025. According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was working on a particular social media application (app) to identify individuals who were attempting to sexually exploit children. The UC joined an online public chat room on the app posing as an adult with access to a child. App user “timkw37138,” who was later identified as Morris, posted within this public group, “Hi all. 44 very well hung male in Florida. My PM is open.” Later that day, the UC and Morris began texting using the private messaging feature of the app. Morris typed, “I just love stroking to guys [sic] daughters,” and stated that his favorite age is “prob 13-15 give or take a couple years neither side.” When he was told that UC had access to an even younger child, Morris replied, “Ow wow / That could work.” When asked to verify that he was “legit,” Morris sent the UC an explicit photo of himself taken in a hotel room. Five minutes later, Morris sent the UC two videos that depicted minors being sexually abused. During another online conversation, Morris sent the UC another explicit photo of himself. After further investigation, FBI agents arrested Morris near his residence in Boynton Beach. During a search incident to his arrest, agents seized Morris’s phone. A search of the device revealed several photos consistent with those Morris had sent to UC. During an interview with law enforcement, Morris admitted having the “timkw37138” user account on the app for more than five years and stated that he had recently deleted the app from his phone because he started having conversations that he should not be having. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, with the assistance from the Boynton Beach Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Significant Cases From New Interagency Environmental Task Force to Protect Public Health and Safety

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the creation of a new, interagency Environmental Task Force to protect public health and safety, to ensure that everyone enjoys equal protection from environmental and health hazards, and to combat criminal conspiracies that attempt to profit from pollution. “Strong and fair enforcement of environmental and public health laws supports a thriving community for all families,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Environmental and financial crimes are often linked, when individuals and businesses seek to profit by evading laws designed to protect our air, water, and land,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our Environmental Task Force brings key stakeholders together to focus on enforcement that matters the most to our community.” On March 28, 2024, U.S. Attorney Waldref and her team, working with law enforcement agencies as well as federal, state, and local partners launched the Environmental Task Force. The Task Force leverages partnerships between local, state, and federal agencies to effectively investigate and prosecute environmental crimes and cases that impact our public health and safety. The Task Force consists of agency representatives from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office’s Environmental Protection Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division, EPA Office of the Inspector General (OIG), EPA Region 10, Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce OIG, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) OIG, Department of Energy (DOE) OIG, Washington State Department of Ecology, U.S. Department of the Interior OIG, U.S. Forest Service, United States Park Police, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), IRS-Criminal Investigations, Spokane Clean Air Agency, the Benton Clean Air Agency, and others. “I am grateful for the large number of federal, state, and local partners that have joined with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the critical mission of securing public health and environmental protection for all communities,” continued U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Working together, we can protect our natural resources to ensure a healthy, high quality of life and make our region safe and strong.” Significant environmental protection cases filed or pending in the Eastern District of Washington include: In November 2024, four business owners and five companies were federally indicted for smuggling and illegally importing tens of millions of dollars in emission defeat devices from Canada into Eastern Washington. As alleged in the indictment, these illegal devices were sold and distributed to customers throughout the United States, resulting in defendants receiving more than 74 million dollars in revenue through their online sales. In October 2024, a Florida business owner , who created and sold illegal software designed to defeat and disable emission controls on diesel trucks, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. In October 2024, the Department of Justice filed a complaint against a utility company to recover response costs and damages for destroying cultural resources, including archaeological features and Tribal artifacts, when replacing a power pole in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. United States v. Avista Corporation, 2:24-cv-00358. In June 2024, the Department of Justice and EPA filed a lawsuit under the Safe Drinking Water Act against several Lower Yakima Valley dairies for manure practices that endanger neighboring residents who rely on private wells for drinking water. The complaint and July 2024 motion for preliminary injunction alleges the dairies failed to adequately control nitrate contamination from their operations. High levels of nitrate in drinking water can be harmful, especially for infants, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions. The injunctive relief was sought to immediately protect downgradient community members with nitrate contaminated well water by requiring the dairies to test the wells and provide alternative drinking water. In May 2024, two men and their companies were indicted for a scheme to tamper with pollution control systems in violation of the Clean Air Act. In January 2024, the United States filed a complaint in federal district court alleging a government contractor, responsible for fire protection at the Hanford site, was involved in fraudulent overcharging and failed to complete critical fire protection work necessary to protect the public, workers at the site, and the environment from fire hazards. In June 2023, a business-owner was sentenced for criminal violations of the Clean Air Act in connection with improper handling and disposal of asbestos-containing material, and for lying to federal and state regulators, resulting in potential exposure to workers and the public. In September 2022, a Grand Jury indicted a Yakima-area juice manufacturing company and its owner for violating FDA regulations that resulted in improper levels of arsenic, patulin, and other environmental and health hazards into fruit juice sold to school lunch programs. As part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office commitment to effective and responsive environmental enforcement, U.S. Attorney Waldref frequently speaks to community leaders and members about pressing public health and safety concerns in Eastern Washington. In February of 2024, the Office held an Environmental Justice listening session in Spokane with community leaders engaged in conservation, public health and environmental remediation work. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Network and Gonzaga University’s Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment shared information about accessing funding to support environmental protection. Members of the community highlighted concerns and priority areas to ensure compliance and enforcement to protect the environment and the health and safety of our residents. In April of 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office; Gonzaga University’s Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment; and the Gonzaga Law School; celebrated the anniversary of Expo ’74 by co-hosting a conference that included panels focusing on protecting the Spokane River and environmental enforcement. Tribal leaders, community advocates, and state and federal enforcement authorities, discussed how to work together more effectively to prioritize public health and safety. “I am proud to raise my family in a place where we enjoy the great outdoors and appreciate the beauty of our mountains, trees, lakes, and rivers. Indigenous people first lived on these lands, cultivating these resources for future generations,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We work closely with Tribal leaders and law enforcement to protect Tribal Homelands from harm and criminal conduct.” In June of 2024, U.S Attorney Waldref took part in the Lands Council Legislative Summit. In her remarks, U.S. Attorney Waldref spoke about the successes in environmental protection in the 50 years since Expo ’74, as well as the ongoing environmental challenges facing the region and the Environmental Task Force’s coordinated efforts to keep our community healthy and safe. In August of 2024, the Environmental Task Force held a meeting in Spokane to discuss ongoing environmental protection efforts and developed plans to increase and improve collaboration to support cleaner and healthier air quality. Since 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref has chaired the Environmental Justice & Environmental Issues Subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, where she provides critical insight to Department of Justice leadership on the prosecution and litigation of environmental and public health matters throughout the United States. In this role, she has been a leader in training Department of Justice attorneys to identify the nexus between financial and environmental crimes and violations and hold companies accountable who seek to profit from pollution and evade laws designed to protect vulnerable members of the community. U.S. Attorney Waldref and her team are committed to protecting and improving the public’s well-being, health, and safety, now and into the future. Community members who have environmental concerns can share with them with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by emailing USAWAE.Enviroment@usdoj.gov . To submit a concern by telephone, please call (509) 835-6306.


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ryan H. Guerrant, 33, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a shooting at a Beckley residence and found Guerrant in the residence with a Bersa model BP9CC 9mm next to him on a bed. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Guerrant knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, and escape in Raleigh County Circuit Court on January 15, 2010. Guerrant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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. 5:24-cr-93. ###


title: Two Former West Virginia Corrections Officers Plead Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charge Following Death of An Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Johnathan Walters pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights which resulted in the death of Q.B. Corey Snyder pleaded guilty today to the same offense. According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Snyder responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Snyder arrived, officers were using force to restrain and handcuff Q.B. Snyder also began using force, including putting his arm around Q.B.’s neck and taking him to the floor. Snyder and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully punishing Q.B. to retaliate against him for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of that conspiracy, officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Walters joined them. In the interview room, the officers used unreasonable force against Q.B. Specifically, officers struck Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicked, knee-struck, pulled and twisted Q.B.’s finger and sprayed Q.B. with O.C. spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. After the unreasonable use of force in the interview room, officers transported Q.B. to A-Pod. During the transport to A-Pod, Q.B. became limp and was unable to walk on his own. Officers then carried Q.B. by his arms and legs down the hallway to A-Pod. Walters carried Q.B. by one of his arms, leading his co-conspirators and Q.B. to the pod. At the door to A-Pod, Walters admitted to using unjustified force by swinging Q.B.’s head into the metal door and using the force from Q.B.’s head to push open the door. Snyder and Walters each further admitted knowing that the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” at the jail — meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened inside the room. Each also admitted to being aware that, prior to the assault of Q.B. on March 1, 2022, officers brought inmates and pretrial detainees who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots” in the jail, where officers would use unreasonable force without being captured on video. According to their plea agreements, Snyder and Walters each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Snyder and Walters are two of six former correctional officers indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023 in connection with the death of Q.B. Three of those six defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B. On Aug. 8, 2023, Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to violating Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene when other officers used unreasonable force. On Nov. 13, Mark Holdren pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights which resulted in the death of Q.B. Sentencing hearings for Boothe, Toney and Holdren are scheduled for Feb. 5, 2025. Trial for the remaining defendant is scheduled for Dec. 10. The remaining defendant faces charges related to the cover-up of the unreasonable uses of force which caused bodily injury to and the death of Q.B. Prior to the indictment, on Nov. 2, 2023, former Southern Regional Jail correctional officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each separately pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Q.B in connection with this incident. Sentencing hearings for Wimmer and Fleshman are scheduled for Feb. 7, 2025. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, is investigating the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Utah Sales Agent Admits to Defrauding Clients of More than $4.9M

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah County man pleaded guilty to securities fraud after admitting he lied to investors and fraudulently sold investment contracts, which are securities, without a license, to approximately 130 clients, through Utah company Alpha Influence, LLC. According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, from March 2020 to June 2022, Kole Glen Brimhall, 27, of Orem, Utah, fraudulently sold investments in e-commerce stores through Alpha Influence, LLC., a registered Utah corporation. Brimhall was not licensed to offer and sell securities, but as part of the scheme, Brimhall sold the e-commerce stores to purchasers as a passive investment and promised that the stores would make consistent, predictable, monthly returns. Brimhall failed to disclose that the majority of the invested funds went directly to Alpha Influence, LLC and then were distributed to sales agents, including himself, for commissions, and only a small portion was sent to the servicer of the investors’ stores. Brimhall is scheduled to be sentenced March 24, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Woolf, Brian Williams, and Ruth Hackford-Peer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.


title: Head of School at Early Education Center in Northwest Arrested For Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – James S. Carroll, 55, of Washington D.C., was arrested today on a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, charging him in connection with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. Carroll, the Head of School at an early education center in Northwest Washington D.C., is charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He made his first court appearance today before Magistrate Court Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh. According to the criminal complaint, between November 5, 2024 and November 14, 2024, Carroll used the Discord messaging application to communicate with an undercover officer who posed as the father of a young child. Carroll directed the undercover officer to abuse his child over a period of approximately two weeks. Law enforcement agents identified Carroll as the Discord user based on IP addresses that traced back to both his residence and workplace. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie. To report child exploitation, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Washington man sentenced to seven years in prison for trafficking meth, fentanyl on Flathead Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MISSOULA — A Washington man who was convicted of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl on the Flathead Indian Reservation after law enforcement found more than 5,000 fentanyl pills and meth in his car was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Michael Davis Bryant, 48, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that the Northwest Drug Task Force was investigating meth and fentanyl distribution on the Flathead Reservation in 2021 and identified Bryant as a source of the drugs brought into Montana for distribution. In January 2022, agents with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled purchase in Spokane, Washington, of 1,000 fentanyl pills from Bryant. Later that month, law enforcement tracked Bryant to the Flathead Reservation. Law enforcement learned Bryant was in a house and had a large quantity of fentanyl pills he was trying to sell. Bryant fled when law enforcement attempted to contact him. Officers searched Bryan’s car and located 5,636 fentanyl pills, a large quantity of meth and several scales. Bryant was arrested the next day on an outstanding federal warrant. He had a key to his vehicle on a lanyard around his neck. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Northwest Drug Task Force, Flathead Tribal Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, BIA and DEA conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Dorchester Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man residing in Dorchester was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Tommy Raul Jimenez-Perez, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 18 months in prison, to be served concurrent to an already imposed state drug sentence of five to seven years, and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Jimenez-Perez pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a deported alien. On an unknown date, Jimenez-Perez entered the United States from the Dominican Republic without inspection. Thereafter, on two different dates in May 2018, Jimenez-Perez was convicted of two separate narcotics cases before departing the United States on his own, on an unknown date. In February 2020, Jimenez-Perez was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas after it was determined that he had unlawfully entered the United Staes without inspection. Jimenez-Perez was removed from the United States on March 3, 2020. Sometime after his removal, Jimenez-Perez unlawfully reentered the United States before being arrested in January 2023 on new, unrelated charges. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 40 Years in Federal Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL RIOS , 43, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 480 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for possession and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 3, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Rios, charging him with sexual exploitation of children and possession and distribution of child pornography. According to public record, an FBI agent accessed an online encrypted messaging service, where they encountered a profile that had shared child pornography between January 8 and 9, 2024. The FBI linked the profile to Rios, and after executing a court authorized federal search warrant, agents discovered a large library of child pornography on Rios’s digital devices, and he was arrested. At the time of his arrest, Rios was on bond pending trial in Oklahoma County District Court, where he’s charged with manufacturing child porn and possession of obscene material involving the participation of a minor under the age of 18 in case number CF-2022-5095. Rios was accused of recording a minor, without their knowledge, while the minor showered in the bathroom of his home in 2019. On June 3, 2024, Rios pleaded guilty to Counts 2 & 3 of the Indictment and admitted he possessed and distributed child pornography. At the sentencing hearing on November 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Rios to serve 40 years in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the disturbing and demented nature of Rios’ conduct and the danger he presented to the public. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Dell and Iron Bow Agree to Pay $4.3M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Submitting Non-Competitive Bids to the Army

component: Civil Division

body_text: Dell Technologies Inc. and Dell Federal Systems L.P. (collectively Dell), located in Austin, Texas, have agreed to pay $2,300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of non-competitive bids to the Army and thereby overcharging the Army under the Army Desktop and Mobile Computing 3 (ADMC-3) contract. Iron Bow Technologies LLC (Iron Bow), located in Herndon, Virginia, also agreed to pay $2,051,000 for its role in the scheme. The settlements resolve allegations that from May 2020 to April 2024, Dell operated a deal registration program, whereby it gave advantageous pricing to Iron Bow to sell certain Dell computer hardware products to the Army in response to solicitations under the AMDC-3 contract. The United States alleged that Dell also submitted its own direct bids to the Army on the same solicitations, knowing that its prices would be higher than Iron Bow’s, thereby creating a false appearance of competition. The United States further alleged that Dell’s practice of providing higher direct bids influenced the Army’s source selection process and enabled Iron Bow to overcharge the Army for certain Dell products. “The United States relies on competition to get the best value and price for the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to hold accountable those who overcharge the government through collusion or other unlawful conduct.” “Fraud in the government contracting process costs taxpayers untold dollars each year,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “We will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to investigate and pursue those who commit government contracting fraud.” The Dell settlement also resolves a lawsuit filed against Dell under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Brent Lillard, an executive of another IT reseller, to receive a $345,000 share of the recovery from Dell. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Lillard v. Dell Technologies Inc. , No. 5:20-CV-1613-HNJ (NDAL). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General, Army Criminal Investigation Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Blutter for the Northern District of Alabama handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Dell Settlement Iron Bow Settlement


title: Syrian National Charged with Diverting $9 Million in U.S.-funded Humanitarian Assistance to a Terrorist Organization            Affiliated with Al-Qaida

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mahmoud Al Hafyan, 53, a Syrian national, has been charged in a 12-count indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, alleging major fraud against the United States for illegally diverting more than $9 million in U.S.-funded humanitarian aid intended for Syrian civilians to armed combatant groups, including the Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), which is a designated foreign terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jason Donnelly of the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG), and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division. “This defendant not only defrauded the U.S. government, but he also gave the humanitarian aid he stole to a foreign terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “While this foreign terrorist organization fought with the cruel al-Assad regime, the people who were supposed to receive the aid suffered. This office has a history of pursuing criminals around the globe, no matter how many years it takes, and will do all it can to ensure that Mahmoud Al Hafyan is held accountable for these crimes.” “USAID OIG works tirelessly to ensure that US-funded humanitarian assistance does not fall into the hands of terrorist organizations,” said Donnelly of USAID-OIG. “We will continue to work with the Department of Justice and law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who compromise USAID programs for vulnerable populations around the world.” “The FBI’s number one priority is to fight terrorism, including identifying and investigating individuals who are enabling terrorist activities through financial support,” said Virmani of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division. “Al Hafyan diverted millions of dollars in USAID funding to support the terrorist organization Al-Nusrah Front, as well as to line his own pockets. Not only was Al Hafyan supporting violent terrorists, but he was stealing money from the U.S. government that was meant for humanitarian efforts. This public indictment is the culmination of years of work, and I want to thank our partners, specifically USAID OIG, for their work with this investigation.” According to the indictment, Al Hafyan, aka Abu Abdo Al-Homsi, was the head of a non-governmental organization (NGO-1) in the NGO’s regional office in Syria. Al Hafyan managed 160 NGO-1 employees. Syria has been involved in a civil war since 2011 that resulted in a humanitarian crisis. Through USAID, the U.S. Government spent more than $12 billion until 2020 to aid Syrian civilians affected by the war. USAID-funded humanitarian assistance programs are administered by United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. The funding in this case was intended for food and medical supplies. USAID awarded $122 million to NGO-1 between January 2015 through November 2018. That money was intended for food kits for conflict-affected Syrian refugees. Along with at least two co-conspirators, Al Hafyan directed food kits valued at millions of dollars to commanders leading ANF. ANF’s primary objective was the overthrow of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad. ANF was notorious for the atrocities it committed and publicly took responsibility for conducting mass executions of civilians, suicide bombings, and kidnappings. Al Hafyan sold the kits on the black market to the ANF commanders for his personal benefit. Al Hafyan and his coconspirators falsified beneficiary logs and inflated the number of food kits received by war-affected families in the Syrian villages of Bweiti, Lof, Mazratt-Shoukh, and Salamin to fraudulently make it appear that NGO-1 was dispersing the kits according to NGO-1’s guidelines. The case represents one of the most significant diversions of USAID-funded humanitarian aid that USAID-OIG has investigated. The case was investigated by USAID-OIG and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Seifert, Alexandra Hughes, and Jack Korba of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. alhafyan_20cr274_affidavit_in_support_redacted.pdf


title: McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty To Felony Assault Charge

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathaniel Dewayne Meashintubby, age 41, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of felony assault. The Indictment alleged that on March 10, 2024, Meashintubby suffocated or attempted to suffocate an intimate or dating partner. The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Meashintubby will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Gary Man Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Cachun Combs, Jr., 46 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Combs was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on June 2, 2023, an officer with the Gary Police Department approached a running vehicle parked in an alley and observed Combs sleeping inside the vehicle with a loaded rifle on his lap. Comb’s criminal history revealed that he had prior felony convictions for aggravated discharge of a firearm, attempted battery and carrying a handgun without a license, battery resulting serious bodily injury, and a possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Any one of these convictions prohibited him from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski. 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: Chinle Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Child Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ty O’Brien Shorty, 33, of Chinle, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 22 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Shorty pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child on May 16, 2024. On July 23, 2023, Shorty sexually abused a four-year-old child. The victim suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized as a result. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation, of which Shorty is an enrolled member. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Besancon, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-8093-PHX-JJT RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-156_Shorty # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Woodbridge Man Charged with Pandemic Relief Program Fraud Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that YASIR G. HAMED, 59, of Woodbridge, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from an alleged scheme to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hamed was arrested on November 13, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was released on a $500,000 bond. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP was overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and individual PPP loans were issued by private lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Hamed, an accountant, had an ownership interest or representative relationship with several New Haven-based businesses, including Access Consulting and Professional Services Inc.; Connecticut Medical Transportation Inc.; Arabic Language Learning Program Inc.; Institute for Global Educational Exchange Inc.; Access Medical Transport Inc.; Ikea Car & Limo Inc.; Center of the World Tours, North America LLC.; and Sudanese American Friendship Association Inc. Between June 2020 and September 2021, Hamed submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of these companies, overstating employee numbers and average monthly payroll, and making other fraudulent representations. As part of the applications, he submitted false tax filings that had never been filed with the IRS. It is further alleged that Hamed submitted PPP loan applications on behalf of companies owned by his clients. In at least one instance, Hamed convinced the owner of a business, which he knew was not active and had no employees, to seek PPP funding. Hamed prepared the paperwork for the PPP application and then took a significant portion of the loan proceeds. Through this alleged scheme, Hamed received more than $700,000 in loan proceeds for himself and his family, and significant kickbacks from his clients. Hamed used the funds for personal expenses, including education expenses for a family member, and for downpayment on a $880,000 house in Woodbridge that he purchased in October 2020. The complaint charges Hamed with bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and engaging in illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Tucson Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Importing Methamphetamine

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Slone Kelly, 29, of Tucson, was sentenced on November 7, 2024, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 77 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Kelly pleaded guilty to Importation of Methamphetamine on May 1, 2024. On August 14, 2023, Kelly presented himself for inspection at the Port of Entry in Lukeville, Arizona, driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz. Kelly told Customs and Border Protection officers that he was returning to Phoenix after attending a wedding in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico. During the inspection, x-ray detection observed anomalies inside the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered a total of 50 packages of methamphetamine, weighing over 24 kilograms, and 29 packages of fentanyl, weighing over 11 kilograms, concealed inside. Homeland Security Investigations - Sells Office, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan N. Wesley, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR 23-01410-TUC-SHR RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-157_Kelly # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: San Antonio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Endangering SAPD Helicopter with Laser

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court to 37 months in prison for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. According to court documents, Sandra Roberson, 60, used a laser to persistently strike a San Antonio Police Department helicopter on Nov. 3, 2023, endangering the crew and people on the ground. The helicopter was forced to divert from investigating a shooting call due to Roberson's laser attack. Roberson was arrested Jan. 30, 2024 and pleaded guilty Sept. 5. “Shooting lasers at aircraft is incredibly dangerous to the flight crew, passengers, and people on the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This type of illegal behavior risks damaging the pilots’ lives and vision and increases the chances of a crash. My office, and our partner agencies, take this crime very seriously and we will prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.” The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and SAPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg prosecuted the case. ###


title: Brothers Residing in New York and Bangladesh Charged with Running Digital Streaming Piracy Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: On Nov. 15, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned an indictment charging Noor Nabi Chowdhury, 56, of Cheektowaga, New York, and his brother, Mohammad Rahman, 36, of Dhaka, Bangladesh, with conspiracy to provide to the public an illicit digital transmission service; providing an illicit digital transmission service; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from their operation of 247TVStream, an online subscription-based service that permitted users to stream copyrighted content, such as live sports programming and television shows, without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. According to court documents, Chowdhury and Rahman allegedly ran the illegal scheme for years and collected more than $7 million in subscriber fees from 247TVStream subscribers. The estimated harm to legitimate copyright owners caused by 247TVStream is more than $100 million. Chowdhury and Rahman also allegedly used a victim’s identification to facilitate the infrastructure for the scheme. The indictment was unsealed earlier today, following Chowdhury’s arrest, and he appeared for his arraignment in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York this afternoon. An arrest warrant was issued for Rahman, who remains at large. “According to the indictment, Chowdhury and Rahman ran an illicit digital streaming site that infringed upon more than a hundred million dollars of intellectual property owned by legitimate copyright owners,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the work of our prosecutors, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, the illicit digital streaming site no longer exists, and Chowdhury is in custody. These actions demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights by vigorously enforcing the laws against illicit digital transmission services.” “As alleged, the defendants operated a bootleg online streaming service that distributed copyrighted television programs that they stole for their personal enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “My office and the Justice Department are committed to protecting the rights of intellectual property holders from digital pirates like these defendants.” “Noor Nabi Chowdhury and Mohammad Rahman are accused of committing copyright infringement to the tune of over $100 million,” said Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Field Office. “As alleged and in furtherance of their criminal scheme, the defendants stole an unsuspecting victim’s identity to exploit major American businesses, in pursuit of illicit wealth. HSI New York proudly stands alongside our law enforcement and private sector partners, both domestic and abroad, to thwart criminal organizations who seek to financially capitalize on their wrongdoing.” Also today, HSI executed a seizure order from the Eastern District of New York against website domain names used by Chowdhury and Rahman to operate 247TVStream. The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and third parties from using the sites to operate 247TVStream. Individuals, including subscribers, visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the federal government. In addition, in coordination with international law enforcement partners to enforce criminal copyright laws, Dutch and United Kingdom authorities have seized the servers hosting a portion of the 247TVStream infrastructure. If convicted, Chowdhury and Rahman each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy to provide the illicit digital transmission service charge; three years in prison on the providing the illicit digital transmission service charge; 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge; and a mandatory penalty of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, to run consecutive to the other sentences. The HSI New York Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the HSI Buffalo Field Office and their Attaché Offices in Ottawa, The Hague, and London. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also assisted. The Justice Department appreciates the additional assistance provided by the Surrey and City of London Police of the United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Fiscale inlichtingen- en opsporingsdienst of the Netherlands. Trial Attorneys Vasantha Rao and Jeff Pearlman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Schuman for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brevard County Man Sentenced To 10 Years’ Imprisonment For Cocaine Offense

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Jackie Jamal Hines (47, Melbourne) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine. Hines pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024. According to court documents, in December 2023, law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle Hines was driving after he left his storage unit in Melbourne. Hines exited his vehicle and fled on foot from the officers. Once he was detained, officers found a bag containing more than 300 grams of cocaine and two digital scales on his person. A search warrant was then obtained for the storage unit, where agents located a safe with five pressed bricks containing about a kilogram each of cocaine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Melbourne Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Johnathan Walters pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights which resulted in the death of Q.B. Corey Snyder pleaded guilty today to the same offense. According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Snyder responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Snyder arrived, officers were using force to restrain and handcuff Q.B. Snyder also began using force, including putting his arm around Q.B.’s neck and taking him to the floor. Snyder and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully punishing Q.B. to retaliate against him for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of that conspiracy, officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Walters joined them. In the interview room, the officers used unreasonable force against Q.B. Specifically, officers struck Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicked, knee-struck, pulled and twisted Q.B.’s finger and sprayed Q.B. with O.C. spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. After the unreasonable use of force in the interview room, officers transported Q.B. to A-Pod. During the transport to A-Pod, Q.B. became limp and was unable to walk on his own. Officers then carried Q.B. by his arms and legs down the hallway to A-Pod. Walters carried Q.B. by one of his arms, leading his co-conspirators and Q.B. to the pod. At the door to A-Pod, Walters admitted to using unjustified force by swinging Q.B.’s head into the metal door and using the force from Q.B.’s head to push open the door. Snyder and Walters each further admitted knowing that the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” at the jail — meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened inside the room. Each also admitted to being aware that, prior to the assault of Q.B. on March 1, 2022, officers brought inmates and pretrial detainees who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots” in the jail, where officers would use unreasonable force without being captured on video. According to their plea agreements, Snyder and Walters each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Snyder and Walters are two of six former correctional officers indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023 in connection with the death of Q.B. Three of those six defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B. On Aug. 8, 2023, Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to violating Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene when other officers used unreasonable force. On Nov. 13, Mark Holdren pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights which resulted in the death of Q.B. Sentencing hearings for Boothe, Toney and Holdren are scheduled for Feb. 5, 2025. Trial for the remaining defendant is scheduled for Dec. 10. The remaining defendant faces charges related to the cover-up of the unreasonable uses of force which caused bodily injury to and the death of Q.B. Prior to the indictment, on Nov. 2, 2023, former Southern Regional Jail correctional officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each separately pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Q.B in connection with this incident. Sentencing hearings for Wimmer and Fleshman are scheduled for Feb. 7, 2025. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, is investigating the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case. ###


title: OCDETF Investigation Results in Convictions of Six Defendants for Nearly 100 Combined Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: MONROE, La. – An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) case in Monroe has resulted in the convictions and sentencings of six defendants to nearly 100 years (1,200 months) in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the six defendants as follows: Laneython T. Ignont , 29, of Monroe, was sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms during a drug trafficking offense. Jamichael D. Ignont , 29, of Monroe, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. Donterrian M. Lavender , 31, was sentenced to 210 months (17 ½ years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jamarcus G. Jackson , 31, was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Shawn M. Stansbury , 51, was sentenced to 100 months (8 years, 4 months) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Beginning in 2021, narcotics agents learned that Laneython Ignont, a.k.a. “Bandz,” was leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in the Monroe area. In 2022, agents were granted wiretaps to intercept and record phone calls and text messages made to and from Laneython Ignont’s cell phone. These wiretapped conversations showed Laneython Ignont and his co-defendants discussing and coordinating drug transactions. For example, using this wiretap information, on December 7, 2022, agents stopped Laneython Ignont and Donterrian Lavender as they were attempting to fly from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (“DFW”) to Los Angeles International Airport to buy drugs. Agents seized from inside one of their suitcases more than $53,000 cash. On December 13, 2022, and February 28, 2023, agents executed search warrants on multiple Monroe area homes associated with the co-defendants in this case. In total, agents seized approximately 25 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 7 pounds of heroin, and 9 guns from these homes. In particular, agents seized from Laneython Ignont’s home, where he was arrested, approximately 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine, approximately 5 pounds of heroin, 2 semiautomatic handguns, and 2 cars used to traffic drugs. In a separate home, agents located Laneython Ignont’s hidden safe which contained more than $10,000 cash and approximately $262,000 worth of jewelry, including gold and silver necklaces with diamond pendants in the shape of “Hella Bandz” and “HB.” Another defendant, Joshua Bosley , 36, of Monroe, was indicted separately but also in connection with this OCDETF investigation. He was charged and pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in prison. “The boldness displayed by these defendants in their determination to distribute dangerous narcotics such as heroin and methamphetamine in the southern Monroe area was astounding,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “They were brazen enough to attempt to smuggle these drugs through their luggage at the airports in Los Angeles and Dallas but were not successful. The result of this OCDETF investigation is the product of cooperation between many law enforcement agencies, both in Monroe and Dallas. These convictions should send a message to other drug traffickers that this office and the law enforcement agents in the Western District of Louisiana will exude great patience in the pursuit of justice and keeping our communities safe.” This case was investigated by members of the DEA, FBI, ATF, HSI, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and the DFW Airport Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Shannon. The investigation and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. # # #


title: Nebraska Man Indicted and Detained for Kidnapping South Dakota Minor

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Bellevue, Nebraska, man has been arraigned on charges of Kidnapping, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. On November 7, 2024, a federal grand jury issued an Indictment of Sean Carlos Payne, age 33. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on November 18, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the Indictment. Payne was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on October 21, 2024, after he was arrested near Rawlins, Wyoming. There, Payne fled a traffic stop and fled Wyoming law enforcement officers at high speeds, with the minor in his vehicle. Payne is alleged to have used various internet-based applications and chat platforms to communicate with the minor prior to October 20, 2024. He is also alleged to have solicited sexually explicit images of her and sexually abused her before crossing state lines with her to engage in further illegal sex with her. Payne has an extensive multi-state criminal history, including an Iowa conviction from June 2024, for attempted enticement of a minor. He also has been charged in Nebraska with aggravated assault, domestic violence, and terroristic threats. The maximum penalty upon conviction for kidnapping is a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The charges are merely accusations and Payne is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Rawlins Wyoming Police Department, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case. At his arraignment, Payne consented to detention and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Oklahoma City Resident Pleads Guilty To Making A False Statement During The Acquisition Of A Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tamarion Dejhun Adamson, age 30, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm. According to investigators, on July 22, 2024, Adamson attempted to purchase a firearm from Sulphur Pawn in Sulphur, Oklahoma. During that visit, Adamson intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 asserting he was not currently charged with a felony information or indictment. In reality, Adamson faced pending felonies in Oklahoma County at the time of the visit. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Adamson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.


title: West Virginia Doctor Guilty of Tax Fraud

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A Wheeling, West Virginia, physician was convicted today of failing to pay nearly $2.5 million in payroll taxes, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced. A federal jury found Nitesh Ratnakar, age 48, guilty of 41 counts of tax fraud. Ratnakar owned and operated a gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturer in Elkins, West Virginia. Jurors heard testimony that he withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks and failed to make $2,419,560 in required payments to the Internal Revenue Service. Ratnakar also filed false tax returns in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Ratnakar is facing up to five years in prison for each of the first 38 tax fraud counts and up to three years for the remaining tax fraud counts. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod Douglas and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Windber Resident Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Windber, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named Paul A. Marone (Jr.), 45, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, from in and around January 2024 to in and around July 2024, Marone received and attempted to receive images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct using materials that were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. The Indictment further alleges that, during that same time period, Marone coerced and enticed a minor. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Casey Thomas Judd, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 14, 2024, Judd relocated from Charleston to Springfield, Ohio. Judd failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after his relocation. Judd is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 21, 2015. Judd is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. 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. 2:24-cr-164. ###


title: Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for 12 Years and Seven Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Brittany Aguilar, age 33, was sentenced on November 15, 2024, to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Aguilar was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024, and pleaded guilty on August 21, 2024. On November 30, 2023, Aguilar was involved in a traffic stop following a trip to Colorado. During the search of the vehicle law enforcement found over 2,000 fentanyl pills that were intended to be distributed in the Rapid City area. This case was investigated by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Aguilar was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following her sentencing.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024. Tanner Kills Enemy, 26, was sentenced to one year and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a state sentence Kills Enemy is currently serving at Mike Durfee State Prison for Aggravated Assault. Kills Enemy was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in October 2024. Kills Enemy is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as a result of a conviction in October of 2020 for Sexual Abuse in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court. On February 1, 2024, while on federal supervised release for a prior Failure to Register conviction, Kills Enemy left his registered address in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and failed to update the sex offender registry with his new address or location. Kills Enemy’s whereabouts were unknown to registration officials until he was arrested on March 15, 2024. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case. Kills Enemy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Yuba County Man Sentenced to 2 Years and 11 Months in Prison for Submitting False Claims Against the United States in Relation to a COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Toland, 44, of Wheatland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to two years and 11 months in prison for submitting false claims against the United States related to COVID-19 pandemic tax credits, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Toland was also ordered to pay $2,078,462 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). According to court documents, Toland attempted to obtain more than $13.4 million in COVID‑19 pandemic relief funds by filing multiple false tax returns with the IRS seeking refunds for the Employee Retention Credit and the COVID Sick and Family Leave Credit. Toland used shell companies that had no real employees and no actual business activity to seek more than $11 million in such tax refunds to which he was not entitled. In addition, between 2020 and 2023, Toland used the shell companies to fraudulently obtain a total of more than $1.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. All these tax credits and programs were intended to alleviate the economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on real businesses with real employees and operating expenses. Of the more than $13.4 million that he sought through false tax returns and fraudulent loan applications, Toland successfully obtained more than $1.95 million. All the funds Toland received went to his own personal enrichment. “The COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force continues to pursue pandemic fraud, including the abuse of tax credits for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that false claims targeting credits meant for real businesses suffering real consequences of the pandemic will be identified and prosecuted.” “Mr. Toland’s fraudulent and nefarious scheming took aim at funds designated to help both small businesses and American citizens in the midst of a global pandemic,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “IRS-CI does not and will not sit idly by while financial criminals seek to exploit the American tax system. We are the experts in financial investigations, and we build cases that result in justice.” This case was the product of an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation in collaboration with the IRS’s Nationally Coordinated Investigation Unit with assistance from the SBA Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case. This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Sisseton Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlement and Theft Violation

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota, woman convicted of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization. The sentencing took place on November 14, 2024, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Amanda Joy Quinn, age 42, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Quinn was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 24, 2024. From about June 2017 through July 2020, Ms. Quinn, who had been elected Treasurer of the Long Hollow District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe, embezzled approximately $107,295. While working in the capacity of Treasurer, Ms. Quinn processed checks from the Long Hollow District’s bank account, then authorized checks from that bank account for overpayments to herself and others. She negotiated the checks in her name and kept the cash. At her change of plea hearing, Ms. Quinn admitted to the scheme; she acknowledged that she was not entitled to that money and that her receipt of it was unlawful. This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb. Quinn will self-report to the U.S. Marshals Service to serve her sentence at a later date.


title: Tuskahoma Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Russell Richard Fincher, age 53, of Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, was sentenced to three years’ probation for selling ammunition to a prohibited person. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On May 17, 2024, Fincher pleaded guilty to one count of Selling Ammunition to Prohibited Persons. According to investigators, on May 5, 2023, Fincher knowingly sold 60 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition to an individual he had reason to believe was a felon. Fincher also unlawfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license between February 2021 and June 2023. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.


title: Former senior manager of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond pleads guilty to insider trading and making false statements

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Mosley man pled guilty today to committing insider trading and making false statements about his trading to his employer, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (FRBR). According to court documents, Robert Brian Thompson, 43, worked as a bank examiner and senior manager with supervisory duties for the FRBR. Due to his position, Thompson was privy to confidential information about certain financial institutions under FRBR’s supervision, including Confidential Supervisory Information (CSI), which is property of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. As an employee of the FRBR, Thompson was also required annually to file a “Form for Employees Involved with Supervision and Regulation,” also called a “Form D.” Among other things, a Form D requires employees to disclose if they have any assets, including any equity interest in any banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System and/or bank holding companies. According to court documents, from October 2020 through February 2024, Thompson misappropriated confidential information, including CSI, to execute trades in publicly traded financial institutions. In total, Thompson executed 69 trades in seven different publicly traded financial institutions for approximately $771,678 in personal profits. To conceal the scheme, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, Thompson falsely represented on the FRBR’s Form D that he had no equities in any publicly traded financial institutions, and that he had not engaged in any activity that would constitute conflicts of interest, violations of FRBR policies, or violations of law. Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of insider trading and one count of making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the insider trading count and five years in prison for the false statements count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge John Perez of Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG), made the announcement. FRB-OIG is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Della Sentilles and former Assistant Chief Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-164.


title: Nineteen-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Luis Enrique Rosado (29, Orlando) to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rosado to forfeit the firearms that were seized from him on the date of his arrest. Rosado entered a guilty plea on July 1, 2024. According to court documents, on August 20, 2023, Rosado was pulled over after committing multiple traffic violations in Orlando, Florida. When the Orlando Police Department (OPD) officer approached the vehicle and spoke with Rosado, Rosado denied that there were any firearms in the vehicle. However, when Rosado reached for the vehicle’s registration, the OPD officer observed a black rifle sticking up by the front passenger seat of the vehicle. After observing the visible firearm in the vehicle and learning that Rosado was a nineteen-time convicted felon, he was detained, and the vehicle was searched to secure the firearm. During the search, OPD officers located a rifle and shotgun between the front seat and middle console, as well as a pistol in the glove compartment of the front passenger seat, and various ammunition throughout the vehicle. Rosado was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including grand theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and over a dozen burglaries of a conveyance. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Stabbing Brother on Pine Ridge Reservation

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024. Jadan Poor Bear, 31, was sentenced to one year and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Poor Bear’s prison sentence is to be served consecutively to a sentence he received for another assault Poor Bear committed on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A federal grand jury indicted Poor Bear for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in March of 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 27, 2024. On March 23, 2023, Poor Bear used a knife to stab his brother in the upper chest and shoulder, after an argument. The brother suffered serious injury, including a pneumothorax of his chest and intra-abdominal bleeding. He was life-flighted by helicopter to a hospital in Rapid City, where he underwent surgery to repair his injuries. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court, rather than State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. Poor Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Charlotte County Woman Sentenced To Prison For Threatening A Federal Judge

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Alice Marie Pence (68, Port Charlotte) to 10 months in federal prison for threatening a United States district judge in the Northern District of Texas. Pence entered a guilty plea on June 28, 2024, in the Middle District of Florida to the charge of influencing a federal official by threat. According to court documents, Pence made an interstate telephone call from the Middle District of Florida to the chambers of a United States district judge in the Northern District of Texas. In the voicemail, Pence demanded the judge “make the right decision” about a pending case over which the judge was presiding. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Prosecution was initiated by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Weybrecht of the Northern District of Texas. The plea agreement and sentencing were handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan of the Middle District of Florida.


title: Rosebud Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Woman and For Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact and one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024. Eugene Hollow Horn Bear, age 65, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hollow Horn Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. Following a two-day jury trial in August 2024, he was found guilty of two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact. He pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on September 12, 2024. According to the evidence presented at trial, on the evening of July 20, 2023, the victim awoke to Hollow Horn Bear touching her genital area and breasts after she had gone to sleep in an abandoned carwash in Mission, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. The victim called out for help and another individual pulled Hollow Horn Bear off the victim and forced him to leave the carwash. Hollow Horn Bear had failed to update his sex offender registration when he committed this offense. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Hollow Horn Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.