title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Racially Motivated Hate Crime Against Black Man

body_text: An Oklahoma man was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and payment of $68,186.64 in restitution for a racially-motivated attack on a Black victim in Shawnee, Oklahoma. On Jan. 18, 2022, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma returned a two-count indictment charging Devan Wayne Johnson, 28, of Oklahoma City, and co-defendant Brandon Wayne Killian, who are white, with physically assaulting a Black man – as well as the Black man’s white friend – in the parking lot of the Brickhouse Saloon in Shawnee. The indictment alleges that the assault occurred because of the Black man’s race and color. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of committing a hate crime in September 2022. “This defendant is being held accountable for brutally assaulting a Black man because of his race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce our federal civil rights laws to prosecute those who commit violent hate crimes in our country. “Heinous, hate-fueled crimes such as these have no place in our state or country,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “This is the first case sentenced in the Western District of Oklahoma under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and we hope today’s proceedings send a strong message. We will continue to aggressively combat all hate crimes and seek justice for those victimized by hate.” “Hate crimes have a devastating impact on not only the victims and their families, but on entire communities as well,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Today’s sentencing highlights the FBI’s work to ensure everyone feels safe in their own community, without fear of being harmed because of the color of their skin. There is absolutely no place for race-based violence in the state of Oklahoma.” Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Troester and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement. Killian will be sentenced on Aug. 14. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry for the Western District Oklahoma and former Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: In separate cases, two men plead guilty to dealing fentanyl while armed with handguns

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Two men – both involved with firearms and fentanyl -- pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to federal charges that carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jade Alexander Beavin, 33, of Everett will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones on October 20,2023. Lavonta Austin, 30, of Seattle will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on October 17, 2023. “Our office and our investigative partners work every day to stop the flow of fentanyl into our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We pursue large cartel-connected drug rings that import hundreds of thousands of pills, as well as individual dealers whose criminal conduct with guns and drugs undermines the safety of our community. These two defendants who pleaded guilty this week, were caught repeatedly with drugs and guns, conduct that ultimately landed them in federal court.” Jade Beavin was arrested by Everett Police on July 27, 2021, with three kilos of fentanyl powder in the trunk of his car. In the interior of the car was a loaded 9mm handgun. A court authorized search of the car also resulted in the seizure of a scale, ammunition, and drug ledger. Beavin was also arrested with narcotics and a revolver in January 2020 and was arrested with a third firearm in February 2022. When he is sentenced, prosecutors will recommend no more than ten years in prison and the defense has agreed to recommend no less than eight years in prison. Lavonta Austin was first contacted by Seattle Police at 3 rd Avenue and Pike Street in downtown Seattle on August 4, 2022. After selling fentanyl pills to an undercover officer, Austin attempted to run from police when they took him into custody. Austin had methamphetamine, fentanyl, more than $2,000 in cash and a loaded 45 caliber handgun. A few months later, on October 9, 2022, Austin was arrested at a Seattle motel with fentanyl, methamphetamine, $1,770 in cash and a loaded 9mm handgun. Both the prosecutors and defense will recommend a 5-year sentence. In both cases the judge is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. Both men pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The drug possession charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The gun crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison that runs consecutive to the sentence imposed on the drug possession charge. U.S. v. Beavin was investigated by the Everett Police Department and the FBI. U.S. v. Austin was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum of 10 Years for Racially Motivated Hate Crime Against Black Man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma man was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $68,186.64 of a total amount of $113,644.40 in restitution to the Black victim of the offense for his role in a racially-motivated attack in Shawnee, Oklahoma. On January 18, 2022, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma returned a two-count indictment charging Devan Wayne Johnson, 28, of Oklahoma City, and co-defendant Brandon Wayne Killian, who are white, with physically assaulting a Black man - as well as the Black man’s white friend - in the parking lot of the Brickhouse Saloon in Shawnee. The indictment alleges that the assault occurred because of the Black man’s race and color. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of committing a hate crime in September 2022. “This defendant is being held accountable for brutally assaulting a Black man because of his race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce our federal civil rights laws to prosecute those who commit violent hate crimes in our country.” “Heinous, hate-fueled crimes such as this have no place in our state or country,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “This is the first case sentenced in the Western District of Oklahoma under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The judge’s decision to give the maximum penalty in this case sends a strong message, and we will continue to aggressively combat all hate crimes and seek justice for those victimized by hate.” “Hate crimes have a devastating impact on not only the victims and their families, but on entire communities as well,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Today’s sentencing highlights the FBI’s work to ensure everyone feels safe in their own community, without fear of being harmed because of the color of their skin. There is absolutely no place for race-based violence in the state of Oklahoma.” Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Troester, and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement. Killian will be sentenced on August 14. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District Oklahoma and former Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for more information.


title: Nigerian National Based in Maryland Sentenced to 4 Years and 9 Months in Prison and Nigerian House Ordered Forfeited for Schemes to Steal Unemployment Insurance Benefits

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nigerian national Olamide Yusuf Bakare, 26, currently residing in Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Bakare pleaded guilty in January 2023. According to court documents, between June 2020 and July 2021, Bakare, along with co-defendants Quazeem Owolabi Adeyinka and Ayodeji Jonathan Sangode, and others, participated in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims to the States of Maryland and California. More than 200 individual applications were filed with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) indicating that the claimants’ address was the Hyattsville, Maryland, apartment that the defendants shared. During the conspiracy, the conspirators obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of persons who were not eligible for UI or PUA benefits or who did not authorize the conspirators to act on their behalf with respect to seeking such benefits. Such PII included names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. The conspirators then used the PII to submit dozens of fraudulent UI and PUA claims to EDD and MDOL under the putative claimants’ identities and without their authorization. The underlying benefit applications contained fraudulent representations, including, for example, that the claimants had worked for certain employers and supervisors; had specific annual incomes; worked during certain time periods; were self-employed in various occupations; were laid off and had no work; were newly unemployed due to a disaster including the COVID-19 pandemic; and were currently available to work. Most, if not all, of these claims were false because the claimants were not so previously working, employed, newly unemployed, or seeking new employment. The conspirators knew that these representations were false or lacked the knowledge and authority to make such representations. These actions caused EDD and MDOL to approve at least 142 fraudulent UI and PUA claims. For each approved claim, EDD and MDOL deposited benefit funds into a debit card account administered by Bank of America and under the identity of the putative claimant. Bank of America then mailed at least 142 unauthorized debit cards to addresses under the control of the defendants. Bakare then obtained these debit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs for the benefit of himself and his coconspirators. During this conspiracy, Bakare also possessed three additional UI debit cards which had been issued by Maine’s Bureau of Unemployment Compensation, North Carolina’s Division of Employment Security, and Nevada’s Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation. Each debit card was linked to an account that contained UI benefits. Bakare was not the named beneficiary on the cards or for the associated benefits, and he possessed them with intent to defraud the state agencies. The debit cards that Bakare possessed and used during the conspiracy were linked to bank accounts that received a total of at least $2,265,844 in fraudulent UI and PUA benefits. He used this money, in part, to purchase a condominium in Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria for $70 million Naira. As part of the sentence, this asset was ordered forfeited. This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General – Covid Fraud Unit, and the California EDD – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Adeyinka pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and Sangode pleaded guilty to access device fraud. Both are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 22, 2023. Adeyinka faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, and Sangode faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. Their actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of three 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: Kingston Man Sentenced for Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK –Thomas O’Bryan, age 41, of Kingston, New York, was sentenced today to serve 110 months in prison for distributing and possessing of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). As part of his earlier guilty plea, O’Bryan admitted that between March and September 2020, he traded child pornography on a social media application using the screenname “irishbstrdinc.” The defendant also admitted that on September 22, 2020, he possessed child pornography, which included depictions of sadistic and masochistic conduct, as well as the sexual abuse and exploitation of toddlers. United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 15 year-term of post-release supervision, ordered O’Bryan to pay $3,000 restitution to a child victimized in some of his child pornography, and ordered O’Bryan to forfeit the laptop and cell phone that he used to commit his crimes. This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the New York State Police, and the Colonie and Rotterdam Police Departments. Former Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Williams and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Troy Woman Pleads Guilty to Nationwide Marijuana and THC Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rosemary Coles, age 71, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Chief Daniel DeWolf of the Troy Police Department; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. In pleading guilty, Coles admitted to being a member of a marijuana and THC trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region. The packages of marijuana were shipped through UPS and FedEx from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, by Dwight A. Singletary II, aka “Nutt,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” who is the defendant’s daughter. Coles received the shipments of marijuana at her home in Troy and also coordinated the receipt of shipments of marijuana by Victor Turner and JuneAllyson Osman, aka “Juney,” at their homes in Troy. The marijuana in the packages, which were often sealed with eBay packing tape, was concealed in dog food containers and suitcases, and was typically picked up from Coles by David Singletary, aka “DB.” Coles, Turner, and Osman were paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana they received, and Coles routinely delivered payment to Tuner and Osman. Coles typically received payment from David Singletary. Coles admitted to receiving approximately 104 packages containing a total of approximately 811 kilograms (1,788 pounds) of marijuana at her home between August 2018 and May 2022. She also admitted that Turner and Osman respectively received approximately 53 and 30 packages containing a total of 382 kilograms (842 pounds) and 226 kilograms (498 pounds) of marijuana at their respective homes between March 2020 and June 2022. In addition to receiving and delivering packages of marijuana, Coles admitted to selling THC “edibles” shipped by her daughter, McKenzie Coles, from Fresno to Troy. Coles faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million at sentencing. She will also be required to serve at least five years and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Coles was charged in an indictment with Dwight and David Singletary, McKenzie Coles, Turner, Osman and 18 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, McKenzie Coles, and Osman have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. Turner and three other defendants, Kristle Walker , Latrice Mumphrey , and Sammy Olague , previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing. The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced for  Possessing a Firearm as a Drug User

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as an illegal user of a controlled substance was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison. Jacques Simpson, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user and one count of wire fraud. In a plea agreement, Simpson admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm as a drug user. Late at night on November 9, 2021, a Cedar Rapids police officer came across a vehicle parked in a city park containing Simpson and a female. The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. After exiting the vehicle, Simpson admitted he had a firearm in his sweatshirt pocket. A Glock 19 9x19mm caliber pistol was found with a loaded magazine and one round chambered. Four additional loaded magazines of various calibers were found in Simpson’s car. On November 24, 2021, Simpson bought another gun and lied on the ATF form about being a user of marijuana. On November 25, 2021, Simpson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Illinois. Simpson smelled of marijuana and had a BAC of .086%. During a search of Simpson, officers found the firearm purchased the day before. Nine additional loaded magazines of various calibers were found in Simpson’s car. Simpson bought two more guns and again lied on the ATF forms about being a user of marijuana. On December 8, 2021, Simpson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Cedar Rapids. The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Simpson admitted being an unlawful drug user and admitted smoking marijuana earlier that day. During the traffic stop, officers recovered from Simpson’s coat pocket a loaded Glock 29 firearm with a round in the chamber, along with a loaded Glock 21 firearm with a round in the chamber near the center console in the vehicle. Simpson also admitted in the plea agreement to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act is a federal law enacted in late March 2020 that provides emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One form of such financial assistance is the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program. Simpson took out two PPP loans in March 2021 resulting in a total loss of $36,040. Simpson fraudulently claimed on the PPP loan application forms that he had viable businesses which in fact never existed, had no employees or any payroll expenses. Simpson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Simpson was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to pay $19,790 in restitution to Capital Plus Financial, LLC, and $16, 250 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Simpson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-21. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Somerville Man Sentenced to Nearly Nine Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Somerville man was sentenced on July 19, 2023 in federal court in Boston for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. William Velez, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 105 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2022, Velez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. In or about October 2019 through in or about September 2020, Velez and others conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Everett and Boston areas. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Alathea Porter of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Woman Facing Federal Charges for Swindling More Than $300,000 From Her Grandmother

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Florida woman was arraigned on an indictment in federal court on Wednesday charging her for allegedly scamming her grandmother living in Cahokia Heights out of more than $300,000. Tanya M. Aboseada, 38, of Pompano Beach, Florida, is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud. “Financial crimes against the elderly for personal gain are intolerable, and offenders will be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz said, “The FBI remains committed to protecting the elderly in our communities from financial fraud and holding accountable those who exploit them.” The indictment alleges Aboseada convinced her grandmother to wire money into her bank account under false pretenses on at least 12 occasions between November 2021 and August 2022. Aboseada lied about needing money in order to transfer a truck title into her name, pay money she owed to the IRS, pay attorney fees and fines for a vehicular accident she was in, and to pay the family of a child she killed in a vehicular accident to avoid going to jail. In total, the fraudulent transactions exceeded $300,000. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice . The FBI Springfield Field Office is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office organizes gang resistance education and training for local school resource officers

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia partnered with the Georgia Alliance for School Resource Officers and Educators, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, and the Georgia Gang Investigators Association last week to provide an intensive law enforcement training, “G.R.E.A.T.” (Gang Resistance Education and Training), for more than 40 police officers from school systems in the Northern District of Georgia. “Many of law enforcement’s best work happens daily in our schools to keep our children safe while they learn. We are excited to facilitate this training, which will boost the ability of school resource officers to better connect with students in a positive way,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our goal is to successfully divert children from the destructive life of crime that gang activity fosters. G.R.E.A.T. offers real-time skills training aimed at preparing officers for interactions with students who may face decisions regarding gang-affiliation, frequently by force. This training enables our office to expand our multi-faceted approach to stemming youth violence, youth incarceration and gang recruitment, providing an excellent addition to our annual summer youth violence intervention programs.” “The voices of gangs are very loud in our kids' ears. They are robbing them of their opportunity for success. Our voices must be louder! Thanks to the U.S. Attorney, GASROE, GPSTC, and G.R.E.A.T., we can provide our kids with tools to help resist gangs,” said Ronald S. Applin Sr., Chief of Police, Executive Director of Safety, Atlanta Public Schools Police. “It was an honor to work with the G.R.E.A.T. organization to host this gang intervention training with School Resource Officers (SRO) throughout the Northern District of Georgia. This training is another way to enhance our SROs skills and expertise in protecting our youth from gangs. Furthermore, we are grateful to have strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Georgia Alliance for School Resource Officers and Educators, and Georgia Gang Investigators Association to bring trainings such as these to support our SROs in building strong relationships with our youth,” said Chris Wigginton, Executive Director, Georgia Public Safety Training Center. G.R.E.A.T. is an evidence-based gang and violence prevention program built around school-centered, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curricula. Since its inception, G.R.E.A.T. has been used to train thousands of sworn officers from around the United States as certified G.R.E.A.T. instructors. The program is designed to prevent and reduce delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership – particularly for children during those formative years when the threat of introduction into gangs is most acute. The program also seeks to help children develop a more positive relationship with law enforcement and to offer students opportunities to model and practice life skills and attitudes needed to treat others with respect and empathy, make better choices, and set positive and achievable goals. U.S. Attorney Buchanan, during televised remarks this week, emphasized the vital role that positive interactions between school children and law enforcement officers can play in preventing gangs from recruiting children in our communities ( see U.S. Attorney’s Interview ). “As we work to make our schools and communities safer, we know that building trust is critical,” said U.S. Attorney Buchanan. “G.R.E.A.T. will help these police officers develop skills critical in creating meaningful and positive interactions between students and law enforcement officers. These officers are already committed to keeping our children safe, and we believe this additional training will better enable them to speak directly to gang influences.” The training arrived just in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school term. Determined to help keep children in the Northern District of Georgia safe in schools and out of gangs, over 40 school resource officers in metro-Atlanta agreed to participate in this week-long, intensive program. These officers, specifically chosen by their respective agencies, serve at over 70 local schools that enroll over 26,000 students. Several of the officers in attendance remarked on the critical need for law enforcement officers to hone skills in connecting with school children and gaining their trust – a central aim of the G.R.E.A.T. training curricula. The training took place July 17- 21, 2023, at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, and was presented by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, a highly experienced team of professionals from around the country with extensive experience in gang prevention and intervention. This training is also 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 further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Four people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal charges including illegal possession of firearms. The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to the safety and security of our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Removing guns from the hands of violent criminals and convicted felons makes all of us safer.” In the past four years, more than 835 defendants have been federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Those indicted during the July term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Marqus Jamal Flanders , 37, of Brunswick, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and MDMA; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jonathan Duncan , 38, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jaques B. Pope , 31, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and, Chester Morgan , 53, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firarm by a Convicted Felon. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Marshall Lee Cushman , 39, of Augusta, was sentenced to 180 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent retrieved a rifle from an Avera, Ga., residence in September 2021, and Cushman admitted leaving the gun there. Cushman has multiple prior felony convictions. Taipai La’Don Brewer, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brewer in July 2022 after finding a pistol and drugs in his car during a traffic stop as part of the Operation Grace investigation of gang-related crimes in the Augusta area. Trevor Elijah Walker , 24, of Augusta, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies were attempting to serve arrest warrants on Walker in November 2019 when he ran away, dropping a pistol as he fled. Terrance Webster Dunn , 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dunn was arrested in October 2022 when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies investigated a report of a man riding a bike in a shopping center parking lot, taking photos of himself while holding a pistol and found Dunn with a pistol in his waistband. Dunn was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest for a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Lear A. Williams , 33, of Savannah, was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers in September 2022 were investigating reports of a man selling drugs when they found a pistol and ammunition in Williams’ possession. Carl Williams , 52, of Savannah, was sentenced to 31 months in prison and fined $4,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Investigators from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division searched Williams’ residence as part of an investigation into stolen military equipment and found three semiautomatic pistols in Williams’ possession. Williams previously pled guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Connecticut on a felony charge of Conspiracy to Traffic in Stolen Government Property for receiving and reselling gun sights and night-vision equipment stolen from the U.S. Navy. Devonte Malik Jorame , 25, of Aiken, S.C., was sentenced to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and 40 hours of community service after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jorame in June 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop as part of Operation Grace. Jorame has prior state criminal convictions for domestic violence and gun possession. James Travon Walker , 22, of Savannah, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Chatham County Police officers arrested Walker while responding to a report of a vehicle break-in and found a backpack belonging to Walker containing two pistols stolen from the vehicle. Donald D. Walker , 28, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During Attempted Purchase of a Firearm. Walker denied being under indictment when he signed forms required for buying a gun at a Hinesville gun store. Walker’s criminal history includes convictions for assault and family violence. Kerry Akeem Milledge , 37, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Milledge was charged in March 2022 by Savannah Police after a traffic stop of a car in which officers found multiple firearms, drugs and cash in the vehicle. Milledge has multiple prior convictions involving guns and drugs. A passenger in the vehicle, Antron Ozier Charles , 19, of Pooler, Ga., was sentenced to five years’ probation after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Johnny Harris, 23, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was arrested in October 2022 by Savannah Police officers investigating reports of shots fired near Frazier Homes, and determined Harris possessed an assault-style pistol while fleeing the area. Harris previously was convicted of illegal gun possession. Danny Swinney , 29, of Buford, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During Purchase of Firearm. As described in court, Swinney acknowledged acting as a straw purchaser to buy five handguns and shotgun from a Camden County pawn shop. Those guns were recovered days later in New Jersey. Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473


title: Reading Owner of Telemedicine Companies Charged with $44 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Conclave Media (Conclave) and Nationwide Health Advocates (Nationwide) has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a $44 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces, and genetic tests. David Santana, 38, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, between January 2018 and August 2021, Santana, through his companies Conclave and Nationwide, entered into business relationships with telemarketing companies that generated leads by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. The telemarketers then allegedly paid Conclave and Nationwide on a per-order basis to generate orders for DME and genetic testing for these beneficiaries. To arrange for these orders to be signed, Santana allegedly worked with medical staffing companies to find doctors and nurses who were willing to review and sign prepopulated orders, typically without any contact with the beneficiaries. It is alleged that the records falsely portrayed the medical providers as having performed a legitimate examination of the beneficiary. Santana then allegedly provided the signed orders to the telemarketing companies which sold the orders to DME suppliers and laboratories. It is alleged that Santana knew these DME suppliers and laboratories would use the signed orders to submit claims to Medicare for DME and genetic testing that were medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Lauren Graber of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Making Racially-Charged Threats  Against Black Residents

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Wisconsin man was sentenced Thursday in federal court in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for intimidating and interfering with Black residents because of their race and because they were exercising their right to fair housing. According to court documents, William McDonald, 45, of West Allis, vandalized a Black woman’s vehicle parked outside her apartment by slashing her tires and smashing her windshield in March 2021. McDonald then left on her car a note filled with racial slurs, threatening to slash her throat, and demanding she move out of West Allis. A week later, McDonald slashed two of her car tires and left another note filled with racial slurs and giving her an ultimatum – move out of the neighborhood or suffer violence. In April 2022, a Black woman and her two minor children moved into McDonald’s apartment complex. Shortly after they moved in, McDonald vandalized her front door with racial graffiti and left her a note, calling her family a racial slur and demanding she get out of the building. “Every person in the United States has the right to live in their homes and neighborhoods free from the threat of violence based on race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce federal laws that protect all residents against race-based threats like those made by this defendant. This sentence should send a strong message to others who would carry out racially motivated threats and acts of violence that they will be brought to justice.” “The protection of citizens’ civil rights, including the right to live free from race-based discrimination and intimidation, is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “We will continue to work closely with federal, state, and local partners to bring federal resources to bear on those who violate the rights of any of our fellow citizens to live where they choose.” “The 30-month sentence of William McDonald is a direct outcome of the unrelenting efforts and dedication of federal and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors to protect the rights of every Wisconsin citizen to live in a safe and protected environment free from race-based violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Additionally, the Milwaukee Field Office of the FBI along with all its law enforcement partners are unwavering in their joint commitment to combat any and all crimes and discrimination based on race and ethnicity with the goal to make Wisconsin a safer and more inclusive community for everyone.” Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Haanstad and Special Agent in Charge Hensle made the announcement. The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the West Allis Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Ladwig and Philip Kovoor for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes .


title: United States Resolves ADA Case with Warwick School Department  to Ensure Access to Local Playground

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – The Warwick School Department has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to ensure equal access for children and adults with disabilities at the Warwick Neck Elementary School playground, announced Zachary A. Cunha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. This agreement follows an investigation that began after the U.S. Attorney’s Office received a complaint alleging that the Warwick School Department renovated the Warwick Neck Elementary playground in 2019, but in doing so, failed to make access to the renovated playground accessible to individuals with disabilities. This agreement will remedy that problem, and commits the Warwick School Department to making changes that include significant modifications and improvements that will ensure that the playground will be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Those modifications are now underway. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy R. Romero, with the assistance of the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a place of public accommodation or public entity in Rhode Island is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (401) 709-5000 or by email at USARI.CivilRightsComplaint@.gov . . ### ada_title_ii_warwick_neck_school_playground_settlement_agreement_.pdf


title: Metairie Man Indicted for Drug and Weapons Offenses

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the unsealing of a four-count indictment returned on July 20, 2023, against ROOSEVELT COCKHERAN , age 39 and a resident of Metairie, Louisiana. COCKHERAN is charged in Count One with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in violation Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, in Count Two with possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, 841(a)(1) & (b)(1)(C), in Count Three with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c) and in Count Four with Felon in Possession of Firearm in violation of Title, 18 United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The indictment also contains a sentencing enhancement provision which alleges two qualifying prior serious drug felonies. As to Count One, COCKHERAN faces a term imprisonment of not less than 10 years and a maximum term of life, a fine of $8,000,000 and 8 years of supervised release; as to Count Two, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a $1,000,000 fine, and three years of supervised release; as to Count Three, he faces a mandatory consecutive term of five years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release; and as to Count Four, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release . Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller is assigned the prosecution.


title: Former Louisiana Resident Pleads Guilty to Cares Act Fraud and Sentenced to Probation

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – BRANDI WEBER , age 28, formerly of New Orleans, LA and now residing in California, pleaded guilty to one-count of making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. WEBER was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter to two (2) years’ probation. In addition, WEBER was ordered to pay $29,177.50 in restitution to the SBA and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. According to court documents, WEBER made false statements to an approved lender on or about April 2, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. WEBER falsely stated in her PPP application that she was a self-employed esthetician impacted by the pandemic when, in truth, she had no such business in 2020. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Weapons Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On July 20, 2023, PERCY SMITH , age 43, a resident of New Orleans, La., plead guilty to a two-count indictment. Sentencing is set for October 26, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. SMITH is charged in Count 1 and Count 2 of the indictment with possessing a firearm, as a previously convicted felon, on two separate occasions, June 19, 2021, and June 30, 2021, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Chambersburg Man Convicted Of Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Guibbonz Marcellus, age 42, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted, following a four-day jury trial held before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, of 23 counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Marcellus operated a tax-preparation business in Chambersburg called M&M Confident Multi Services from 2013 to 2016. In an effort to increase refund amounts and generate business, Marcellus regularly included false numbers on the returns he prepared and filed. The returns falsely claimed, among other things, the federal fuel-tax credit, business losses, and deductions for charitable gifts and unreimbursed employee expenses. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlo D. Marchioli and Paul J. Miovas are prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for each count is three years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Federal Grand Jury Charges 3 in Molotov Cocktail Attack Last Year on Planned Parenthood Clinic in Orange County

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – Two defendants now named in a four-count federal grand jury indictment are scheduled to be arraigned this morning on charges alleging they conducted a firebombing attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Orange County in March 2022. The two defendants set for arraignment today are Chance Brannon, 23, of San Juan Capistrano, an active duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, and Tibet Ergul, 21, of Irvine. A third defendant now charged in this case – Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida – was arrested Friday by special agents with the FBI. Batten made his initial appearance on Friday in United States District Court in the Middle District of Florida. He was ordered held without bond pending trial. The indictment returned on July 14 and unsealed Friday charges all three defendants with one count of conspiracy and one count of malicious destruction of property by fire and explosion. Additionally, Brannon and Ergul both are charged with one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, which is a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. “The violent and reckless attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic alleged in the indictment is intolerable,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This indictment shows that federal law enforcement will work diligently to uncover and hold accountable those who plan and carry out violent extremist acts against others.” “Those who deliberately put lives at risk and damage property by launching improvised explosive devices into public facilities will be sought and will be held accountable, as this case makes clear,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Anyone with information about the planning of violent attacks on public facilities – or the targeting of individuals – should immediately contact law enforcement in order to potentially prevent an act of violence that could prove deadly.” According to the indictment, in February and March of 2022, the defendants plotted to throw a Molotov cocktail at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa. Brannon and Ergul allegedly chose the target property, obtained the materials necessary to construct a Molotov cocktail, assembled the destructive device, then, during the early morning hours of March 13, 2022, threw the ignited Molotov cocktail at the clinic. The device struck the clinic entrance. Batten allegedly advised and directed Brannon regarding how to build the Molotov cocktail. As a result of the fire, the Planned Parenthood Costa Mesa healthcare clinic was forced to close the following morning and cancel approximately 30 appointments. Security videos described in court documents show that two men wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks approached the Planned Parenthood facility at approximately 1 a.m. the day of the attack, ignited a device, and threw the flaming device at the front door of the building. “The device landed against a southern wall next to the glass door and erupted into a fire, which spread up the wall and across the ceiling above the glass door,” according to court documents. The Costa Mesa Police Department and Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. An analysis of evidence collected at the scene showed that the glass container and other materials contained gasoline. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The conspiracy and malicious destruction counts each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The count of possession of an unregistered destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The intentional damage to a reproductive health facility charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of one year in federal prison. The FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are conducting the ongoing investigation in this matter. The Costa Mesa Police Department provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced To 46 Months’ Imprisonment For Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Perez-Rivera, age 37, of West New York, New Jersey, was sentenced on July 20, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 46 months’ imprisonment on the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Perez-Rivera previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing four kilograms of cocaine for further distribution. The charge stems from an incident on March 23, 2022, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Lackawanna County in which Perez-Rivera and another individual, Kelvin Vazquez-Pagan, age 24, of Passaic, New Jersey, were traveling. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately four kilograms of cocaine found hidden inside the vehicle. Co-defendant Kelvin Vazquez-Pagan is awaiting sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Theft from Interstate Shipment

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – MALIK MACK , age 26, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on July 20, 2023 for theft from an interstate shipment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659. The indictment alleges that MACK unlawfully stole a Ford F-150 Rapture Crew Cab truck with an approximate total value of $80,625.00. If convicted, MACK faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Norfolk Southern Railway Police, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the General Crimes Unit.


title: Chalmette Man Indicted for Federal Gun Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Friday, July 21, 2023, TYREE KING , age 33, a resident of Chalmette, Louisiana, was charged in Count 1 with for being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18 United States Code Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). In Count 2, he was charged with possessing a machinegun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. If convicted of Count 1, KING faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 2, KING faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced To 45 Months’ Imprisonment For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Richard Anthony Trent, age 44, a federal prison inmate, was sentenced on July 20, 2023, by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 45 months’ imprisonment for the offense of assault with a dangerous weapon. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on May 17, 2022, while an inmate at United States Penitentiary, Canaan (USP Canaan), in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, Trent assaulted another inmate with a dangerous weapon, namely, a 7-inch grey metal weapon or “shank,” by repeatedly stabbing down on the victim-inmate, who was seated in a prison common area. Judge Mannion also ordered Trent’s 45-month sentence run consecutively to the federal sentence that Trent was already serving at the time of the assault. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John. # # #


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – JUAN JOSE ARRIAGA-MORENO , a/k/a “Jaime Garcia Matamoros,” age 58, was indicted on July 21, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, JUAN JOSE ARRIAGA-MORENO , (“ ARRIAGA-MORENO ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on November 9, 2018. If convicted, ARRIAGA-MORENO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Colombian National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – JEAN PAUL SABOGAL-ANGARITA , age 26, was indicted on July 21, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, JEAN PAUL SABOGAL-ANGARITA , (“ SABOGAL-ANGARITA ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on September 21, 2016. If convicted, SABOGAL-ANGARITA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: California Man Sentenced To More Than Four And A Half Years In Prison For Directing $2.6 Million Fraud Scheme From Prison

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Ratha Yin was sentenced to 55 months in prison for his part in a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a scheme to defraud the State of California by filing unemployment claims in the names of other people, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge. Yin, 36, pleaded guilty to the charges on November 10, 2022. According to his plea agreement, from June of 2020 to at least September of 2021, Yin conspired with Steven Mavromatis, 28, of San Leandro, Calif., and others, including his wife, Amanda Yin, 33, of Indio, Calif., to submit fraudulent claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for unemployment insurance. Ratha Yin admitted that he was an inmate housed in the California State Prison at Centinela in Imperial, Calif., when he devised the scheme. He used the identities of people from whom he did not obtain permission to fraudulently obtain funds being administered as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (the CARES Act)—a program he has acknowledged was meant to provide unemployment insurance to people who had lost their jobs due to the economic slow-down resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. CARES Act funds were administered in relation to the presidentially declared national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the program, people were permitted to submit claims for unemployment to EDD online and qualified applicants were able to receive benefits by mail on pre-loaded debit cards. Ratha Yin admitted in his plea agreement that he used at least 136 different individuals’ personally identifiable information to claim EDD funds in their names. Yin described the scheme in his plea agreement. For example, Yin admitted most of the people whose identities he used were incarcerated at prisons and other facilities throughout the country. Yin admitted he directed Mavromatis to create email addresses for people whose identities he had obtained and then used the email addresses to submit claims to the EDD online system. After receiving acknowledgements from EDD, Yin certified many of the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and directed Mavromatis to certify other claims, as well. In addition, Yin further directed Marvomatis to rent mailboxes at, among other places, a UPS Store in San Leandro, Calif., to receive the debit cards on which the unemployment benefits were pre-loaded. Mavromatis and at least four other individuals then used the debit cards to withdraw the fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance funds in cash from ATMs. A portion of the fraudulently obtained funds were provided to Yin’ wife who, at Yin’s direction, deposited the cash into various financial accounts, including cryptocurrency wallets, controlled by her or others. Ratha Yin admitted that he and the others involved in the scheme obtained at least $2,646,221 through the fraud. On November 2, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Ratha Yin, Amanda Yin, and Mavromatis, charging each with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and conspiracy to launder proceeds of fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). In addition, Ratha Yin and Mavromatis were charged with an additional three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(A)(a)(1). On November 10, 2022, Amanda Yin pled guilty to conspiracy to launder proceeds of fraud and Steven Mavromatis pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. In addition to the prison term Judge Gonzalez Rogers also ordered Ratha Yin to serve five years of supervised release, to begin after the prison term. Judge Gonzalez Rogers also sentenced Amanda Yin and Mavromatis for their respective roles in the conspiracy, and scheduled a hearing on October 5, 2023, to determine restitution. Judge Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Amanda Yin to five years’ probation, including eight months of home detention. Judge Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Mavromatis to time served (6 days) and five years of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, the California EDD, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Bay Area Special Service Unit, and the Centinela State Prison Investigative Service’s Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Violation of the Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- CHRISTOPHER SHAW , age 35, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted for violating the Federal Gun Control Act by being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, on January 24, 2023, SHAW was in possession of a Glock, Model 43, 9mm semi-automatic pistol after having been convicted in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, on the felony charge of conspiring to pimp a prostitute under the age of 16. If convicted, SHAW faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment to be followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Making Racially-Charged Threats Toward Black Residents

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in announcing William McDonald, 45, of West Allis was sentenced on June 29, 2023, in federal court in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for intimidating and interfering with Black residents because of their race and because they were exercising their right to fair housing. According to court documents, McDonald vandalized a Black woman’s vehicle parked outside her apartment by slashing her tires and smashing her windshield in March 2021. McDonald then left on her car a note filled with racial slurs, threatening to slash her throat, and demanding that she move out of West Allis. A week later, McDonald slashed two of her car tires and left another note filled with racial slurs and giving her an ultimatum – move out of the neighborhood or suffer violence. In April 2022, another Black woman and her two minor children moved into McDonald’s apartment complex. Shortly after they moved in, McDonald vandalized her front door with racial graffiti and left her a note, calling her family a racial slur and demanding that she get out of the building. “Every person in the United States has the right to live in their homes and neighborhoods free from the threat of violence based on race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce federal laws that protect all residents against race-based threats like those made by this defendant. This sentence should send a strong message to others who would carry out similar acts that they will be brought to justice.” United States Attorney Haanstad said, “The protection of citizens’ civil rights, including the right to live free from race-based discrimination and intimidation, is a top priority for the United States Attorney’s Office. We will continue to work closely with federal, state, and local partners to bring federal resources to bear on those who violate the rights of any of our fellow citizens to live where they choose.” “The 30-month sentence of William McDonald is a direct outcome of the unrelenting efforts and dedication of federal and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors to protect the rights of every Wisconsin citizen to live in a safe and protected environment free from race-based violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Additionally, the Milwaukee Field Office of the FBI along with all its law enforcement partners are unwavering in their joint commitment to combat any and all crimes and discrimination based on race and ethnicity with the goal to make Wisconsin a safer and more inclusive community for everyone.” The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the West Allis Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Ladwig and Philip Kovoor for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Three New Orleans Men Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TERRAN WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Funky,” age 25, ALLEN GRAY, a/k/a “Kyedi,” age 26, and KERRY BROOKS , age 34, all residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier in connection with a twelve-count indictment charging them with violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act. WILLIAMS was granted a downward variance and received a total sentence of 180 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. GRAY received a total sentence of 180 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. BROOKS received a total sentence of 197 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court records, WILLIAMS , GRAY , and BROOKS were charged with twelve separate counts related to four different events in which they were caught by police with guns and drugs. WILLIAMS and GRAY were charged in Counts 1, 2, and 3 with possession of marijuana and fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being felons in possession of firearms. Those three counts related to an August 26, 2020 car chase in which the defendants wrecked a Nissan Maxima during flight from police, leaving behind guns, drugs, and their phones with attached identification documents in the wrecked vehicle. The FBI obtained warrants for WILLIAMS and GRAY . When the FBI arrested WILLIAMS on the outstanding warrant on September 12, 2020, he had a rifle, a pistol, and a large amount of marijuana. A grand jury subsequently charged WILLIAMS with three additional counts, Counts 4, 5, and 6, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of firearms. Two days after arresting WILLIAMS , the FBI found GRAY and BROOKS in a New Orleans hotel room in possession of a large quantity of marijuana, over 40 grams of fentanyl bagged for distribution, $4,000 cash and two handguns with extended magazines. GRAY and BROOKS were ultimately charged in Counts 7, 8 and 9, with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being felons in possession of firearms. The FBI later arrested BROOKS at an apartment outside of New Orleans and recovered $20,000 in cash, a digital scale with powder, a small bag of fentanyl, and another pistol with an extended magazine. BROOKS was charged in Counts 10, 11 and 12, with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Haller and Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: United States Attorney Breon Peace Announces Conviction Review Process

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today the formation of the Office’s Conviction Integrity Committee and the Office’s process to receive, evaluate, and review claims of wrongful convictions. In October 2022, Mr. Peace appointed Assistant United States Attorney Kayla Bensing to the newly created position of Conviction Integrity Coordinator to formalize the Office’s conviction integrity process and collaborate with our law enforcement partners who are undertaking similar efforts to ensure the integrity of all convictions. “It is critical to this Office’s law enforcement mission and our sacred responsibility to seek justice and uphold the public trust that, whenever there is reason to doubt the integrity of conviction, we move quickly to evaluate the prosecution and take the necessary steps to achieve a just result,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “From my first day as U.S. Attorney, it has been my priority to pursue justice and protect the civil rights of everyone in our community, without bias and with compassion, and I am confident that the measures announced today will help accomplish that goal.” The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is committed to maintaining rigorous internal processes in investigating and prosecuting cases as well as assisting state and local partners in maintaining the integrity of our justice system. If you have an inquiry related to the integrity of a conviction, please email USANYE-Convictionintegrity@usdoj.gov . Please provide the information requested here . Please note that decisions as to whether and how to investigate a claim are made in the U.S. Attorney’s discretion and are not reviewable by any court. There is no timeframe by which claims presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be resolved, but the Office will make every effort to expedite the resolution of each inquiry.


title: Inmate at FCI Berlin Indicted for Possessing a Weapon

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An inmate at FCI Berlin was indicted in connection with his possession of a homemade weapon within the prison, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Jawan Fernanders, 21, was indicted on one count of possession of contraband in prison. Fernanders will make an initial appearance in federal court on a later date. According to the charging documents on May 6, 2023, Fernanders, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, possessed a prohibited object—namely, a homemade knife with a serrated blade. The charge of possession of contraband in prison provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by FCI-Berlin’s Office of the Special Investigative Supervisor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Eddy Reyes Tejada, 51 pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2023. Tejada was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2022. Between January and December 2022, Tejada conspired to distribute fentanyl in and around the Lawrence area. Specifically, on June 14, 2022, Tejada distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl in Lawrence. On Sept. 6, 2022, Tejada distributed 400 grams or more of fentanyl in Lawrence. The charges of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: U.S. Postal Worker Is Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Bank Fraud And Money Laundering

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed in court today, following the arrest and initial appearance of Jakia McMorris, 32, of Charlotte, who is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, from at least May 2021, McMorris was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), working as a city carrier at the North Tryon Station in Charlotte. The indictment alleges that on or around September 13, 2021, McMorris reported that, while she was delivering mail, she lost a USPS universal key that could open many U.S. mailboxes. After that day, McMorris allegedly stopped reporting for work at the USPS. According to allegations in the indictment, beginning in September 2021, McMorris and her co-conspirators executed a scheme to commit bank fraud by stealing more than $40,000 in checks, including from the U.S. mail. The indictment alleges that the co-conspirators used stolen universal USPS keys to open multi-unit outdoor mailboxes in Charlotte and steal mail. The stolen mail included business checks. As part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that the co-conspirators deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts they controlled, including in bank accounts in McMorris’s name. It is alleged that the co-conspirators then quickly withdrew the cash from the accounts before the banks detected the fraud. McMorris allegedly received a portion of the funds as payment for using her bank accounts to perpetuate the scheme. As part of the conspiracy, the indictment also alleges that the co-conspirators attempted to disguise the payments made to the defendant by using the fraudulent proceeds in McMorris’s bank account to purchase money orders, which McMorris then deposited back into her bank accounts. McMorris was released on bond following her initial appearance in federal court today. The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,00 fine. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked USPS-OIG for the investigation which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Sugar with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. * * * In a separate case, federal charges were filed against Douglas Gumbs, 38, of Charlotte, for mail theft and related charges. According to allegations in the indictment, from 2022 to April 2023, Gumbs engaged in a mail theft and bank fraud scheme by stealing large quantities of U.S. mail from residential and business mailboxes in Charlotte. The stolen mail included business and individual checks, credit cards, tax forms, and other financial information. In 2022, Gumbs allegedly was found with more than 850 individual pieces of stolen mail. The indictment alleges that Gumbs deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts he controlled and withdrew the funds before the financial institutions learned that the deposited checks were stolen. The indictment further alleges that Gumbs engaged in identity theft by creating false identification documents in the names of individuals whose mail Gumbs’ had stolen. Gumbs then allegedly used the victims’ stolen identities in furtherance of the fraud, including to access the victims’ bank accounts and to open new bank accounts in some of the identity theft victims’ names. Gumbs is currently in federal custody. He is charged with receipt and possession of stolen mail, theft of mail left for collection, destruction of letter boxes and bank fraud. The receipt and possession of stolen mail and theft of mail left for collection charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The destruction of letter boxes charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a$250,000 fine. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The charges against Gumbs are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI in Charlotte and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.


title: Cornwall, Ontario Man Sentenced to 24 years in Federal for His Leadership Role in Operating Fentanyl Enterprise from Canadian Prison

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, along with United States Attorney Natalie K. Wight, District of Oregon, and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced that Jason Joey Berry, age 40, Cornwall, Ontario, was sentenced by Chief District Court Judge Peter Welte, to 24 years imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, $200.00 special assessment and $11,048.43 in restitution for his role in ‘Operation Denial’. Berry was extradited from Canada to the United States on January 6, 2021, with significant assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. On July 29, 2022, Berry pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Import Controlled Substances and Controlled Substance Analogues Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Death. As part of that plea, Berry acknowledged working with Daniel Vivas Ceron in running an international fentanyl and fentanyl analogue distribution operation from inside Drummond Correctional Institution in Drummondville, Quebec. Vivas Ceron is scheduled for sentencing on July 25, 2023, in Fargo. This case is part of “Operation Denial,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington, DC, as part of “Operation Deadly Merchant.” The investigation started in North Dakota on January 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks, ND, of Bailey Henke. Operation Denial has led to thirty-one (31) defendants charged in North Dakota and three (3) defendants charged in Oregon. The investigation has resulted in nearly one million in cash and property forfeited from members of the organization. On August 31, 2021, the U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of People’s Republic of China (PRC) national Jian Zhang, a fugitive in this transnational investigation. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; IRS Criminal Investigation – Fargo Field Office; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland Oregon Police Bureau – Drugs and Vice Division, Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police; and the Grand Forks Police Department. The prosecutors for this case are Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers, District of North Dakota; Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin, District of Oregon and as a Special Assistant U.S Attorney in North Dakota; and Kaitlin Sahni, Assistant Deputy Chief and Imani Hutty, Trial Attorney, Criminal Division Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Justice Department. # # #