title: Schuylkill County Man Pleads Guilty To Methamphetamine And Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Bartel, age 63, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 6, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy Mannion, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bartel admitted to possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl for further distribution. The charge stems from an investigation in which the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle Bartel was driving on August 3, 2022, in Pottsville, and seized approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine, 1,371 packets of fentanyl and $1,974 in U.S. currency. Bartel was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release 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: Laser Strikes on Kern County Sheriff Helicopter Lead to Prison Sentence

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Richard Earl Francis, 51, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to one month in prison in addition to the 71 days already served to be followed by 11 months home detention and 36 months of supervised release for knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on July 28, 2022, while the sheriff’s helicopter was patrolling the Oildale area of Bakersfield, Francis shined a bright green laser into the cockpit of the aircraft four times. One of the airmen experienced temporary loss of vision in his right eye as a result of the laser. On Dec. 13, 2022, Francis pleaded guilty to knowingly aiming a laser at an aircraft. In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received 9,457 reports of laser strikes. In 2022, there were, on average, three laser strike incidents reported every month in Bakersfield. Noting the hazards of lasers in navigable airspace, the FAA advises that, when aimed at an aircraft, lasers can cause visual interference and incapacitate pilots. Such incidents can occur anywhere but have been reported most frequently in the Western Pacific and Southern regions of the United States. See “ Laser Hazards in Navigable Airspace .” This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.


title: Bakersfield CPA Pleads Guilty to Stealing Over $350,000 from Investors

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Todd Stewart, 57, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in relation to him stealing $355,000 from investors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Stewart was employed as a certified public accountant in Bakersfield. Between September 2014 and June 2018, Stewart solicited and received over $2 million from investors to pay fees and expenses purportedly needed for an overseas business deal. Stewart represented to the investors that their investments were being used for the deal and promised significant returns. Although Stewart used most of the money for the purported deal, he spent $355,000 of the money obtained from the investors on his own personal expenses, including mortgage payments, trips to Las Vegas, and gambling. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Brittany Gunter are prosecuting the case. Stewart is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 21, 2023. Stewart faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl over the Dark Web

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chaloner Saintillus, 35, of Delray Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty Thursday, April 6, 2023, to 12 counts of distributing controlled substances into the Eastern District of California using the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Saintillus operated multiple narcotics vendor accounts on the dark web under the username “chlnsaint,” through which he sold fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and other narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency. Taking advantage of the dark web’s anonymity, Saintillus completed more than 1,000 drug deals between August 2019 and August 2020 alone. Saintillus used the U.S. Postal Service to send his customers the fentanyl, opioids, and other narcotics they purchased from “chlnsaint.” Law enforcement officers from an interagency task force in the Eastern District of California known as the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy Task Force (“NCIDE”) conducted 12 controlled purchases of narcotics from “chlnsaint” between April and October 2020. Agents identified Saintillus as “chlnsaint” through physical surveillance and analysis of financial, package tracking, and photographic records maintained by the Postal Service. NCIDE agents executed warrants at Saintillus’s Florida residence in October 2020, during which they arrested Saintillus and seized narcotics, over $20,000 in cryptocurrency, a firearm, and a suitcase full of ammunition. This case is the product of an investigation by NCIDE, which is composed of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. NCIDE agents received assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Delray Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stefanki and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case. Saintillus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on July 10, 2023. Saintillus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the 12 counts to which he pleaded guilty. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Using Stolen Identity at Local Stores

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY THOMAS , age 49, from New Orleans, was sentenced to home detention for committing wire fraud, stemming from fraudulent charges made in someone else’s name at local stores. According to court documents, THOMAS used a victim’s personal identifying information to make fraudulent charges at Best Buy and several Lowe’s Home Improvement locations in New Orleans and surrounding parishes. THOMAS attempted the purchases on behalf of other actual customers, offering to charge the goods on a store credit card in exchange for a cash payment that was less than the purchase price. Under the terms of the plea agreement, THOMAS agreed to repay a total of $77,781.98 to Synchrony Bank, which issued the Lowe’s credit cards that THOMAS used in his scheme. Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced THOMAS to five years of probation, beginning with an eight-month term of home detention, as well as restitution of $77,781.98, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Yuma Contractor Sentenced to 87 Months for Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Isrrael Millan, III, 43, of Yuma, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 87 months in prison. Millan also was ordered to pay $391,279.45 in restitution to the victim insurance companies. Millan was found guilty by a jury on December 13, 2022, of Conspiracy, Wire and Mail Fraud, and Money Laundering. Millan’s conviction was related to several insurance fraud schemes that took place between 2018 and 2020 in Yuma, Arizona. The schemes included staging vehicle accidents, as well as deliberately flooding residences, and then submitting fraudulent claims to insurance companies. One of the incidents occurred in the early morning of June 2, 2019, when two individuals Millan recruited deliberately crashed a U-Haul moving truck into the Sunshine Market and Liquors Convenience Store in Yuma. Millan worked as a general contractor and made fraudulent claims related to the damage caused by some of these incidents in an effort to collect insurance proceeds. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Aron Ketchel, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00713-PHX-ROS RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-052_Millan # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Muscatine County Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: Des Moines, IA – A Muscatine County man was sentenced Friday, April 7, 2023, to twenty years in prison following his guilty plea for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Child. According to court documents, from February 2022 to September 2022, David Franklin Duncan III, 33, used cellphones and Facebook to communicate with a person he believed to be a fifteen-year-old child. During the conversations, Duncan attempted to employ, use, persuade, entice, or coerce the person he believed to be a child to capture and send Duncan images and videos of the child engaged in sexually explicit conduct, to travel to Duncan’s location or meet him at an agreed location for the purpose of engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and to engage in commercial sex acts. Duncan also sent images and videos of his penis and of him masturbating. Unbeknownst to Duncan, the person he was communicating with was an undercover law enforcement officer. Following his prison term, Duncan must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Altoona Police Department, in conjunction with the Iowa Crimes Against Children Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Essley prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Oklahoma Resident Pleads Guilty to Advertising and Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Austen Peppers, 34, of Lawton, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to one count each of advertising and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, law enforcement investigators identified Peppers as someone who sold and offered to sell images of minors being sexually abused. Peppers conducted transactions on the dark web using platforms and applications that he believed were secure and protected him from law enforcement scrutiny. This case is the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations offices in Fresno, Chicago, and Oklahoma as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney James Burke IV of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. Peppers has been in custody since his initial appearance in this case on Nov. 14, 2019. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. Peppers faces potential punishments for each of the two counts including a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, a lifetime term of supervised release, forfeiture of property, and possible restitution to victims. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Van Lee Harrell, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Marshall Avenue residence in Huntington where Harrell was living. Officers found approximately 8.6 grams of crack, three firearms, ammunition and digital scales in Harrell’s bedroom. Harrell admitted to possessing the crack and further admitted that he had been distributing drugs. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-148. ###


title: Father Sentenced to 40 Years in Methamphetamine Case Involving Son

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Fort Worth father who conspired with his son to deal methamphetamine was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. David Devaney, Sr., 59, and David Devaney, Jr., 36, opted for a bench trial and were found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in November 2022. The elder Mr. Devaney was sentenced on Thursday; the younger Mr. Devaney is slated to be sentenced on May 4. Co-conspirator Cory Litts, 36, pleaded guilty to the same charged in October 2022 and was sentenced in April to more than 22 years in prison. “The dangerous culture created by drug trafficking impacts all of us, creating a terminal plague that ruins the livelihood of our communities,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “As long as this illicit activity exists, we are all susceptible to the violence and societal ills of the drug trade.” According to court documents, the investigation into the elder Mr. Devaney began in June 2022, when a cooperating defendant identified the elder Mr. Devaney as a methamphetamine distributor. Later that month, law enforcement received a 911 call about a 64-year-old woman who was shot and killed in Burleson, Texas. Surveillance video showed that Mr. Devaney, Sr.’s vehicle was involved in the incident, which was thought to be a drug deal gone bad. (The deceased woman was an innocent bystander.) Officers tracked the vehicle to a hotel parking lot, where they frisked the driver, Mr. Litts, and found a plastic baggy containing 115 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale concealed inside his clothing. Officers then approached Mr. Devaney, Sr., who was sitting on the passenger’s side of the vehicle, and observed him throw a shaving kit bag into a nearby bush. Inside the bag, officers found more than a kilogram of methamphetamine and a substantial amount of U.S. currency. They frisked Mr. Devaney, a ten-time convicted felon, and found a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol tucked into his waistband. Both men were arrested and transported to the Burleson police department. That same evening, Mr. Devaney, Jr., was also arrested in connection with the shooting in Burleson. In an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Devaney, Jr. denied involvement with the shooting, but admitted, “obviously, there’s been drugs.” He said his dad “just went off the deep end… and he started selling drugs,” and claimed his father “just kept sucking me in.” Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Stop The Offender Program (STOP), the Burleson Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Laura Montes prosecuted the federal case. The state has filed capital murder charges against both Devaneys and several other individuals for their alleged roles in the Burleson shooting. Although they have been convicted of the federal drug charges, they are presumed innocent of the state capital murder charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lamarr McCauley, also known as “Louie,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 12, 2022, law enforcement officers pulled over a vehicle driven by McCauley on Fifth Avenue in Huntington. McCauley admitted that he possessed approximately 62 grams of suspected heroin, which he had divided into multiple bags for distribution, that officers found during the traffic stop. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was fentanyl. McCauley further admitted to aiding and abetting another individual in the distribution of additional quantities of heroin totaling 2.6 grams on Sixth Street in Huntington on May 12, 2022. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-187. ###


title: St. Louis Man Caught with Two Guns After Dangerous High-Speed Chase Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man caught by St. Louis police with two guns in a stolen vehicle after a police chase ended in a crash was sentenced Monday to eight years in federal prison. Eric Davis, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in December in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross to one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that he was driving a stolen 2016 Jeep Cherokee on May 4, 2021 when he was spotted by officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Police tried to stop the Jeep in a parking lot, but Davis accelerated recklessly and sped away. Officers then successfully deployed a spike strip, but it did not stop Davis. After he ran a red light at the intersection of Kingshighway Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, the Jeep collided with another vehicle, disabling it. The driver of that other vehicle sustained a head injury and required medical assistance. Police found a Glock .357-caliber pistol and a stolen American Tactical Omni Hybrid AR-style pistol, both with large-capacity magazines, in Davis’ car. Davis admitted possessing the weapons and admitted that he told his girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, to hide a baggie containing prescription pills including oxycodone. Davis has several prior felony convictions and had bench warrants for his arrest at the time of the crash. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.


title: Malcolm Torres pleads guilty to second degree murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Malcom Torres pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Torres, 29, of Española, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Sept. 7, 2019, Torres was home with his five-year-old stepdaughter, identified as Jane Doe, and eighteen-month-old son. Torres was heavily intoxicated and not fit to supervise the children. While in Torres’ care, Jane Doe sustained blunt-force trauma to her head, torso, and extremities. Torres became aware of Jane Doe’s injuries while she was still alive but failed to seek or provide necessary medical care. Torres claims he was too drunk to remember how he injured Jane Doe. On the afternoon of Sept. 8, 2019, Jane Doe’s grandparents returned to the home and were informed by Torres that Jane Doe had been missing since that morning. Jane Doe’s grandmother immediately alerted Doe’s mother, who contacted law enforcement. On Sept. 11, 2019, law enforcement located Jane Doe’s body in the Rio Grande River on the Santa Clara Pueblo. The resulting investigation revealed that Torres had driven to the area 5.5 miles from his home and left her body there on Sept. 8. Over the course of interviews with the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico State Police, Torres provided law enforcement with numerous conflicting statements, delaying the recovery of her body, and lengthening the wide-spread and vigorous efforts of law enforcement and the Santa Clara Pueblo community to locate her. "This conviction demonstrates the continuing commitment of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials to work together to combat violent crime on Native American tribal lands,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “The senseless murder of a 5-year-old child is a tragic occurrence, and I’m glad the collaborative effort put forth by all involved agencies has resulted in this conviction. The murder allegation in this complaint reveal an indifference to human life that will not be tolerated." “As a crimes against children prosecutor myself, and a father of three, the loss of young life strikes at my core,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “I mourn with you. While a guilty plea does not bring back the life that was taken, we hope it brings closure to Jane Doe’s family and confidence that justice will find those who harm the most vulnerable.” Torres faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Torres will be subject to five years of supervised release. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Espanola Police Department, Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Department, Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Albuquerque Police Department Open Space Search and Rescue Team, Espanola Fire Department and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Burkhead, Brittany DuChaussee and Zachary Jones are prosecuting the case. # # # 23-74


title: Superseding Indictment Charges Additional Defendant With Federal Racketeering Offenses and Murder of Chicago Rapper

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal superseding indictment unsealed today charges a sixth alleged member or associate of the O-Block street gang with participating in a criminal organization that murdered a Chicago rapper and violently protected the gang and its territories on the South Side of Chicago. The original indictment alleges that the O-Block gang publicly claimed responsibility for acts of violence in Chicago and used social media and music to increase their criminal enterprise. The O-Block gang allegedly engaged in numerous acts of violence, including the murder of Carlton Weekly, a Chicago rapper also known as “FBG Duck,” on Aug. 4, 2020. RALPH TURPIN, also known as “Tall” and “Teezy”, 33, of Chicago has been added to the case, charged with one count of committing murder in aid of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. Turpin’s initial appearance occurred today before Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani. Turpin is currently in federal custody and a detention hearing has been set for April 12, 2023. Charged in the original indictment in October of 2021, for committing murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, are Chicago residents CHARLES LIGGINS, also known as “C Murda,” 30; KENNETH ROBERSON, also known as “Kenny” and “Kenny Mac,” 28; TACARLOS OFFERD, also known as “Los,” 30; CHRISTOPHER THOMAS, also known as “C Thang,” 22; and MARCUS SMART, also known as “Muwop,” 22. The indictment also charges the original defendants with federal firearm violations and assaults in aid of racketeering. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for] the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Eric Carter, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Julien, Albert Berry III, and Ann Marie Ursini. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The murder count in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison and a maximum potential sentence of the death penalty. One of the firearm counts is also punishable by a maximum potential sentence of the death penalty, while the other firearm count is punishable by a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life. The assault counts are each punishable by a maximum of twenty years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.


title: Grand Jury Charges San Fernando Valley Man Who Allegedly Embezzled $2.2 Million in Money and Real Estate from Elderly Victim

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A Burbank man was arraigned today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he embezzled approximately $2.2 million from a sizable estate left to an elderly man by the man’s late brother. Jamal Nathan “Jimmy” Dawood, 52, is charged with six counts of wire fraud, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft. At his arraignment in United States District Court in Santa Ana, Dawood pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. His bond was set at $50,000 and a June 6 trial date was scheduled. According to the indictment returned on April 5, during the second half of 2019, Dawood offered to assist the victim with the management of real estate properties and retirement savings that the victim had inherited from the victim’s deceased brother. Specifically, Dawood allegedly helped the victim open a trust account at a bank for the purpose of managing the retirement savings. Without the victim’s knowledge or authorization, Dawood then initiated wire and online banking transfers from the victim’s trust account to Dawood-controlled accounts, the indictment alleges. Without the victim’s knowledge or permission, Dawood allegedly also wired money from the victim’s trust account to people with whom Dawood had personal and business relationships. Dawood allegedly convinced the victim to transfer ownership of his home and his late brother’s real estate holdings to various companies. Dawood falsely represented that the victim would retain an ownership interest in his residence and the inherited real estate through these companies. In fact, Dawood and other individuals close to him controlled these companies, according to the indictment. In total, Dawood allegedly fraudulently obtained at least $2,202,688 in the victim’s money and property. The illicitly obtained funds allegedly were used to purchase real estate in La Crescenta and Fontana. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Dawood would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin N. Spencer and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .


title: Pierce County motocross coach and sponsor arrested for production of child pornography

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 32-year-old Tacoma man was arrested and charged with production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Bryant Keith McCullough was arrested today, April 10, 2023, after an investigation conducted by the Tacoma Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. McCullough is accused of enticing and coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. McCullough made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, the Tacoma Police Department received information from a concerned parent about an image that was shared in a group chat of Pierce County motocross parents regarding an explicit Snapchat message apparently sent by McCullough to a minor motocross racer whom he was sponsoring. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCullough’s Tacoma residence last month and seized several devices, including a GoPro camera. Police found numerous sexually explicit images and videos of minors on the seized GoPro. Several of the GoPro videos found by law enforcement show McCullough filming a cellphone on which he is viewing sexually explicit images and videos of young males sent to him through Snapchat. At least one victim confirmed to law enforcement that they had sent McCullough sexually explicit images and videos, at the motocross coach’s request. The victim acknowledged sending the images with the promise that they would receive money, clothing, alcohol, marijuana, and/or preferential treatment regarding motocross coaching. McCullough came into federal custody today and will remain detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac pending further hearings. Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison. The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Tacoma Police Department and the FBI. If you have any information regarding this case, you can submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Hampton. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ 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 www.justice.gov/psc


title: Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter on the Umatilla Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— A 23-year-old resident of the Umatilla Indian Reservation was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly striking a fellow resident of the reservation with his fists, causing the person’s death. Tom Redhawk Tias was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on January 26, 2021, Tias contacted law enforcement to report an unresponsive adult. Officers responded to the scene on the reservation and located the victim who was deceased. Multiple witnesses interviewed by officers said that Tias said he hit the victim. Tias told police that he and the victim fought after the victim struck Tias with a branch. Tias admitted to law enforcement that he continued striking the victim after the victim fell to the ground. On February 10, 2021, Tias was charged by criminal complaint with voluntary manslaughter. Later, on March 16, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Tias on the same charge. On December 14, 2022, he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the FBI and Umatilla Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Woman Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions Against Iran

body_text: A California woman was sentenced on April 7 to four years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by providing services, including financial services, to Iran and the Government of Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran, and for structuring. According to court documents, Niloufar Bahadorifar, aka Nellie Bahadorifar, 48, of Irvine, pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who imposed the sentence. “The Government of Iran has shown that it will take extreme measures to silence dissidents and critics around the world exercising their lawful rights, including through the use of violence on U.S. soil,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We hold accountable an individual who violated U.S. sanctions by providing financial assistance that ultimately supported a failed kidnapping plot directed by the Iranian government, underscoring the Department’s commitment to bringing to justice those who criminally aid the Iranian regime.” “Niloufar Bahadorifar provided financial support to a brazen plot intended to kidnap an Iranian human rights activist living in the United States whom the Iranian Government has sought to silence for years,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Efforts by malign foreign governments to stifle free speech and peaceful protest by means of intimidation or repression cannot be tolerated. The right to free speech is a core fundamental principle of American ideals, and this office is proud to protect that right with every means at our disposal.” “Simply put, the defendant provided assistance to individuals who tried to help kidnap a journalist living in New York, who has criticized the regime in Teheran,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This case demonstrates that the government of Iran will continue to target dissidents and reach beyond their borders, violating U.S sanctions and national security, but more importantly threaten the personal safety of individuals living in our country. The FBI will continue to shield those who are targeted and aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to circumvent our laws and will leverage all our authorities to protect the right to free speech.” According to the indictment and other documents in the public record, as well as statements made in public court proceedings: For years, the Government of Iran has targeted a prominent Iranian dissident living in New York City (the Victim). The Victim is a journalist, author and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses and suppression of political expression. Beginning in at least 2020, Iranian intelligence officials and assets, including co-defendant Mahmoud Khazein, plotted to kidnap the Victim from within the United States for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence the Victim’s criticism of the regime. As part of that plot, on multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, agents of the Government of Iran procured the services of private investigators to surveil, photograph, and video record the Victim and the Victim’s household members. These agents of the Government of Iran, including Khazein, procured the surveillance by misrepresenting their identities and the purpose of the surveillance to the investigators and laundered money into the United States from Iran in order to pay for the surveillance, photos and video recordings of the Victim. Beginning in approximately 2015, Bahadorifar, a U.S. citizen residing in California and originally from Iran, provided financial and other services, including access to the U.S. financial system and U.S. financial institutions, to Iranian residents and entities, including to Khazein. Bahadorifar, who is not charged with participating in the kidnapping conspiracy, provided financial services that ultimately supported the plot. Among other things, Bahadorifar caused a payment to be made to a private investigator for surveillance of the Victim on behalf of Khazein. Bahadorifar’s payment obscured the origin of those who had hired the private investigator, who surveilled the Victim without knowing it was on behalf of Iranian intelligence services. At no time did Bahadorifar obtain permission from OFAC to provide services to Iran. Beginning in approximately 2019, Bahadorifar also structured cash deposits totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. In total, Bahadorifar structured at least approximately $476,100 in more than 120 individual deposits. All but two of the deposits were less than $10,000. The FBI New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Tech Company CEO Sentenced To 42 Months In Connection With Fraud Against His Former Employer

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SUNI MUNSHANI, the former Chief Executive Officer of a Connecticut-based technology company (the “Victim Company”), was sentenced to 42 months in prison for his participation in a scheme to defraud the Victim Company of millions of dollars. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Suni Munshani believed that he could ransack a company that had put its trust in him. He lied for years — even impersonating his deceased uncle — to steal from an organization he was supposed to lead. His sentence shows once again that crime doesn’t pay, and that this Office will bring to justice those who flout the law, even if they have the top job.” According to public court filings and statements made in Court: Between 2011 and 2019, SUNI MUNSHANI was the CEO of the Victim Company, which provided data security services to its clients. Within six months of his appointment as CEO, MUNSHANI and others began an approximately eight-year scheme to defraud the Victim Company. During the scheme, MUNSHANI, among other things, created an email account in the name of his deceased uncle but controlled by MUNSHANI. MUNSHANI, posing as the uncle, used that email account to correspond with the Victim Company and to obtain payments from the Victim Company totaling at least approximately $3 million dollars for services that were never provided. These purported services were falsely represented to have been rendered by the uncle as well as others, including a marketing executive who had met MUNSHANI in social settings but had never worked for MUNSHANI or the Victim Company and had no idea his identity was being used by MUNSHANI. MUNSHANI also caused the Victim Company to issue a $3.5 million check for a purported tax liability, which check MUNSHANI then deposited into an unauthorized bank account created by MUNSHANI in the name of the Victim Company. In addition, MUNSHANI defrauded the Victim Company through fraudulent licensing and reseller agreements between the Victim Company and two other companies (the “Licensing Company” and the “Reseller Company,” respectively). Among other things, MUNSHANI instructed another individual to set up the Reseller Company “in the same way as [the Licensing Company],” and then helped create and submit fraudulent invoices from the Reseller Company to the Victim Company. * * * In addition to his prison term, MUNSHANI, 61, of Easton, Connecticut, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. The Court reserved decision on the amount of restitution. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy V. Capozzi and Steven J. Kochevar are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Florida Restaurant Franchisee to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Florida-based Destin Wings LLC, doing business as Hooters of Destin (Destin Wings). The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Destin Wings violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against a non-U.S. citizen when checking her permission to work in the United States. “While employers are legally obligated to verify every new hire’s permission to work in the United States, they cannot discriminate based on the employee’s citizenship status or national origin in the process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously combat unlawful discrimination in the workplace and dismantle unnecessary obstacles to work.” The department’s investigation began when a worker, a non-U.S. citizen, complained that Destin Wings refused to accept her valid documentation proving her permission to work and demanded additional documentation. Although she had permission to work in the United States, she was not able to obtain one of the documents that Destin Wings required because of her citizenship status. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for specific documents, or more documents than necessary, because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine. The settlement requires Destin Wings to pay a civil penalty to the United States, provide backpay to the worker who complained to the department, train staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision and be subject to departmental monitoring for a period of three years. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices, retaliation and intimidation. Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying permission to work on IER’s website . Learn more about how IER protects workers’ rights in this video . For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar ; email IER@usdoj.gov ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER. Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; or discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un restaurante franquiciado en la Florida que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigración

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con una compañía ubicada en la Florida, Destin Wings LLC, conocida comercialmente como Hooters of Destin (Destin Wings). El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Destin Wings vulneró la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a una persona no ciudadana de los EE. UU. a la hora de comprobar su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos. «Mientras que los empleadores tienen la obligación legal de verificar el permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de cada persona recién contratada, no pueden discriminar durante el proceso con base en el estatus de ciudadanía o la nacionalidad de origen del empleado», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles seguirá combatiendo con firmeza la discriminación ilícita en el empleo y quitará los obstáculos innecesarios al trabajo». La investigación del Departamento comenzó cuando una trabajadora no ciudadana de los EE. UU. se quejó que Destin Wings se había negado a aceptar su documentación válida que demostraba su permiso para trabajar y solicitó documentación adicional innecesaria. Aunque tenía permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos, no pudo obtener uno de los documentos que Destin Wings requería debido a su estatus de ciudadanía. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores soliciten documentos específicos o más documentos de los que sean necesarios por motivos de la ciudadanía, el estatus migratorio o la nacionalidad de origen de un trabajador. Los empleadores deben permitir que sus trabajadores presenten cualquier documentación aceptable que dichos trabajadores quieran y no pueden rechazar documentación válida que parece ser genuina. El acuerdo requiere que Destin Wings pague una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, efectúe pagos retroactivos a la trabajadora que se había quejado al Departamento, capacite su personal en cuanto a la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y que se someta a la supervisión del Departamento durante un período de tres años. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación con base en el estatus de ciudadanía y la nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, las prácticas documentales injustas, las represalias y la intimidación. Hay información disponible en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación a la hora de verificar el permiso para trabajar. Aprenda más sobre cómo la IER protege los derechos de los trabajadores en este video . Para más información sobre las protecciones que ofrece la INA contra la discriminación en el empleo al amparo de las leyes migratorias, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscríbase a un seminario en línea gratuito ; envíe en correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; o visite las páginas web de la IER en inglés y español . Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido sometidos a: discriminación por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; discriminación en el proceso de la verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) con base en su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen; o represalias pueden presentar una denuncia o llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores para pedir ayuda.


title: Founder And Former Chief Investment Officer Of Infinity Q Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JAMES VELISSARIS, the founder and former chief investment officer of Infinity Q Capital Management (“Infinity Q”), a New York-based investment adviser that ran a mutual fund and a hedge fund that purported to have approximately $3 billion in assets under management, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his participation in a scheme to defraud Infinity Q’s investors. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Velissaris wove a complex scheme to defraud investors in Infinity Q’s investment funds, and he continuously lied to investors, auditors, and even the SEC in order to hide his crimes. Velissaris’s massive scheme was calculated and deceptive, and he now justly faces 15 years in federal prison. We hope this lengthy sentence resonates in the financial sector and deters anyone who may be tempted to lie to investors.” According to public court filings and statements made in Court: Background VELISSARIS was the founder and chief investment officer of Infinity Q, an investment adviser that ran both a mutual fund (the “Mutual Fund”), started in about 2014, and a hedge fund (the “Hedge Fund,” and collectively the “Investment Funds”), started in about 2017. As of 2021, the two funds purported to have approximately $3 billion in assets under management. Infinity Q was headquartered in New York, New York, and employed a small staff, including a chief compliance and chief risk officer (“Employee-1”). A major component of both the Mutual Fund and the Hedge Fund’s holdings were over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivative positions that involved customized contracts that allowed the counterparties to take positions on the volatility, or price movement, of underlying assets or indices. VELISSARIS, through Infinity Q, represented to its investors that it valued these OTC derivative positions based on fair value, and that in order to do so, it utilized the services of an independent third-party provider. In particular, Infinity Q represented to investors and other stakeholders that it used Bloomberg Valuations Service (“BVAL”) to independently calculate the fair value of these positions, in accordance with the terms of the underlying derivative contracts. These OTC derivative positions comprised hundreds of millions of dollars of the Investment Funds’ portfolios. VELISSARIS’s Scheme to Lie to Investors and Inflate Derivative Swap Positions In fact, however, VELISSARIS defrauded Infinity Q’s investors by taking an active role in the valuation of Infinity Q’s positions and by modeling the positions in ways that were not based on the actual terms of the underlying contracts and were inconsistent with fair value. VELISSARIS’s input into the BVAL valuation process was inconsistent with Infinity Q’s representations about the independence of the process and allowed VELISSARIS to fraudulently mismark positions in BVAL. VELISSARIS engaged in the mismarking of positions in BVAL by making false entries in BVAL’s system, including by secretly altering the computer code employed by BVAL that caused BVAL to alter and disregard certain critical terms. Altering and disregarding terms in this fashion caused BVAL to report values that were artificially inflated and, often, much higher than fair value. By manipulating OTC derivative positions in BVAL in this way, VELISSARIS caused numerous positions in the Investment Funds to have anomalous and, at times, impossible valuations. For example, at times, VELISSARIS made manipulations in either the Mutual Fund and/or the Hedge Fund that caused certain identical positions that were held by both the Mutual Fund and the Hedge Fund (namely, a position where all the material terms are the same) to have substantially divergent values. In other cases, some of VELISSARIS’s manipulations caused certain positions held by the Investment Funds to have impossible values, such as where, under the true terms of the swap, the value adopted by VELISSARIS could only be true if volatility were negative – a condition which is mathematically impossible. Ultimately, after VELISSARIS’s mismarking scheme was uncovered in or about February 2021, Infinity Q liquidated the Investment Funds and sold its OTC derivative positions. These positions were sold for hundreds of millions of dollars less than their purported market values in BVAL, thereby resulting in substantial losses to the investors in the Investment Funds. VELISSARIS Lies to Auditors and Obstructs the SEC’s Investigation In order to hide this scheme and prevent its detection, VELISSARIS lied to numerous outside stakeholders and regulators. First, in order to prevent Infinity Q’s outside auditor (the “Auditor”) from discovering the fraud, VELISSARIS provided the Auditor with falsified term sheets from counterparties that he had altered to change the true terms of certain OTC derivative positions. In particular, in connection with a number of audits, the Auditor selected certain OTC positions that it would independently value in order to confirm the reasonableness of Infinity Q’s values from BVAL. In order to ensure that the Auditor would not arrive at materially different results when independently valuing positions that VELISSARIS had manipulated in BVAL, VELISSARIS altered the terms of certain deal documents and provided them to the Auditor. After receiving these falsified documents and relying on them in its independent evaluation, the Auditor confirmed the reasonableness of VELISSARIS’s valuations in BVAL. Furthermore, beginning in May 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) opened an inquiry and later an investigation into Infinity Q’s valuation practices. In connection with that investigation, VELISSARIS provided false and misleading information to the SEC. For example, when the SEC asked for original documents that had been provided to investors, VELISSARIS altered the documents before providing them to the SEC, including certain alterations that would help hide his mismarking scheme. For example, Infinity Q’s original investor materials stated that “[o]nce a price is established for a portfolio security, it shall be used for all Funds that hold the security.” As explained above, this was untrue, and on numerous occasions, manipulations in BVAL made by VELISSARIS caused the same positions in the Mutual Fund and the Hedge Fund to have substantially different values. To conceal the falsity of Infinity Q’s disclosures, VELISSARIS, along with Employee-1, removed this line from investor documents that were provided to the SEC. In June 2020, the SEC requested that Infinity Q provide additional materials, including documents regarding Infinity Q’s valuation committee and all of its meeting minutes. Infinity Q’s investor materials had represented that Infinity Q had a valuation committee, including VELISSARIS; that the committee would meet monthly or more often; and that VELISSARIS would be responsible for preparing minutes of such meetings. In fact, however, VELISSARIS had not kept notes of any such meetings. Accordingly, days before responding to the SEC, VELISSARIS made up notes purporting to be from valuation committee meetings in 2019 and 2020 and submitted them to the SEC. * * * In addition to his prison term, VELISSARIS, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and agreed to pay approximately $22 million in forfeiture. The Court reserved decision on the amount of restitution. Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He further thanked the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Graham is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Two Former Eastern Kentucky Correctional Supervisors Plead Guilty to Roles in the Assault of a Restrained Inmate and Cover-Up

body_text: A former member of Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex’s (EKCC) internal affairs department pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of an inmate’s civil rights, and a former EKCC sergeant pleaded guilty to three counts of obstruction of justice for attempting to cover up their roles in the assault of a restrained inmate. In their plea agreements, James D. Benish, 36, and Randy L. Nickell, 54, acknowledged that on July 24, 2018, they witnessed fellow EKCC correctional officers assault a non-violent inmate who was lying face-down, wearing handcuffs and leg shackles, and isolated in a prison shower cell. Benish admitted that he was present in the shower during the assault, and he further acknowledged that he violated the inmate’s civil rights by failing to intervene and protect the inmate despite having the means and opportunity to do so. Nickell, who stood outside of the shower while the assault occurred, admitted that he falsified records by omitting the assault from his occurrence report, and that he later lied to the supervisor assigned to investigate the incident, as well as to a Kentucky State Police (KSP) detective. Two other former officers have pleaded guilty in related cases. On Aug. 29, 2022, former EKCC officer Jeffery Havens pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of civil rights based on his assault of the inmate. On July 11, 2022, former EKCC officer Derek Mays pleaded guilty to four counts of obstruction of justice based on his efforts to cover up the same assault. Benish and Nickell are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 11. Benish faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Nickell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office and Colonel Phillip Burnett Jr. Commissioner of Kentucky State Police (KSP) made the announcement. The FBI Louisville Field Office, KSP and the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Dembo and Mary Melton for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Vermont Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Vershire, Vermont man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Damien Rousseau, 31, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2023. Rousseau was charged on August 15, 2022. On May 11, 2022, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center security personnel determined that Rousseau was in a patient’s room while in possession of a bag that contained a small quantity of narcotics and a drug ledger. The Lebanon Police Department responded and observed that Rousseau’s BMW vehicle, in the medical center’s parking-lot, had methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. A drug detecting canine also alerted the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. The defendant was arrested and released on bail. The following day, May 12, 2022, the Lebanon Police Department observed Rousseau trespassing in their secure-impound lot. After finding him hidden in the BMW, officers arrested him and executed a search warrant on the vehicle. Law Enforcement seized approximately 436 grams of methamphetamine, 98.66 grams of cocaine, 10.5 grams of fentanyl, three loaded firearms, assorted loose ammunition, $2,179 in U.S currency, and 20 assorted silver and gold-colored coins. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000,000. 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. The United States Drug Trafficking Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lebanon Police Department, and the Vermont State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Justice Department Announces Total Distribution of Over $6B to Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (the Fund) today notified a group of eligible claimants of upcoming payments totaling approximately $2.7 billion that the Fund will begin issuing in the coming weeks. The Fund will issue these payments to 5,361 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks and certain spouses and children of the victims of those attacks. These payments will bring the total compensation paid by the Fund to victims of international terrorism and their families to more than $6 billion. “The Fund has collected more than $2 billion in deposits from forfeiture proceeds, penalties, and fines arising from violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or the Trading with the Enemy Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This tremendous effort epitomizes our unwavering commitment to the investigation and prosecution of individuals and entities that do business with state sponsors of terrorism. One of the primary goals of the department’s Asset Forfeiture Program is to use forfeited assets to compensate victims. In line with that goal, a significant amount of the Fund’s deposits to date are the result of criminal and civil forfeitures.” The Fund was established by Congress in 2015 and is administered by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), under the leadership of Special Master Mary Patrice Brown. The Fund has paid more than $3.3 billion to victims in four rounds of distributions. The payments announced today are in addition to these distributions. The number of eligible claimants has grown from over 2,000 in 2017 to over 15,500 today. Of those, 12,117 claimants are 9/11 victims and their family members, while another 3,652 claimants have claims related to other acts of international state-sponsored terrorism. Apart from an initial appropriation of $1.025 billion from Congress and additional Congressional appropriations for 9/11 victims and victims of certain other terrorist attacks, funds available for payment from the Fund resulted from Department of Justice prosecutions and cases and other U.S. government enforcement actions. Congress required the deposit into the Fund of certain forfeiture proceeds, penalties, and fines from civil and criminal matters involving prohibited transactions with state sponsors of terrorism. The department has identified more than 125 qualifying matters for deposit into the Fund. The payments announced today come from the Congressional appropriation for 9/11 victims. “We know that no amount of compensation could ever repair what was lost for those devastated by acts of international terrorism, and that so many victims and their families have waited years and sometimes decades for compensation,” said Special Master Brown. “The dedicated team at the department remains steadfast in its goal of providing compensation to these victims and in its pursuit to deliver them some semblance of justice. Victims and their family members can be assured that their claims will be processed promptly, fairly, and transparently.” Since establishing the Fund in 2015, Congress has amended its governing statute several times, including updating the eligibility of certain groups of international state-sponsored terrorism victims – such as certain 9/11 victims – to receive payments from the Fund. Following direction from Congress, in 2021, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) calculated lump-sum catch-up payments to certain 9/11 victims and certain spouses and children of 9/11 victims, based on the Fund’s payments to other 9/11-related victims. This GAO report estimated the total lump-sum catch-up payments at approximately $2.7 billion. Most recently, in 2022, Congress appropriated funds for the Fund to issue these lump-sum catch-up payments, leading to the payments the Fund announced today. In the same legislation, Congress also appropriated an additional $3 billion to a reserve fund from which the Fund will issue lump-sum catch-up payments to certain victims of the 1983 barracks bombings in Beirut, Lebanon, and the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. As with the payments for certain 9/11 victims announced today, GAO will calculate these lump-sum catch-up payments through a process that provides for public comment. Thereafter, the Fund will issue the payments and any amounts remaining in the reserve fund will be made available for distribution pursuant to the statute. The Fund continues to accept applications and to collect deposits for future payments as authorized by its governing statute. More information about the Fund’s compensation to victims of state sponsored terrorism is available on the Fund’s website at www.usvsst.com , such as application materials, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and publications including Federal Register notices and reports to Congress. Further questions may be directed to MLARS.


title: Northwood Man Sentenced for Defrauding U.S. Taxpayers

body_text: CONCORD – A Northwood man was sentenced today in federal court for attempting to fraudulently obtain over $6 million in CARES Act funds from the United States government, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Joshua Leavitt, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 28 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. Leavitt was also ordered to pay $873,475.50 in restitution. On September 27, 2022, Leavitt plead guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud. His co-defendant, Pierre Rogers, was sentenced on February 3, 2023, to 41 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. “Leavitt’s conduct in this case was egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Leavitt and Rogers attempted to steal a combined $6.2 million dollars, which ultimately denied legitimate businesses nearly a million dollars in emergency pandemic relief funds. I thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in unraveling the largest CARES Act fraud case in the District of New Hampshire to date.” Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help businesses and individuals adversely affected by the COVID pandemic. The CARES Act created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which offered low-interest loans to employers. Private lenders could participate in the PPP program. If borrowers used the PPP loans for payroll and other approved expenses as intended, they could apply for loan forgiveness. The CARES Act also expanded the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. As with PPP loans, EIDL loans were intended for payroll and other business expenses, such as rent and mortgage. Leavitt applied for 35 PPP and EIDL loans for seven different companies, including Dark Matter Associates, a company that was allegedly dedicated to “COVID-19 Disaster Relief Loan Acquisition and Management.” Other companies Leavitt submitted fraudulent applications for included Demeter Group and the wine company Puro Trader, also known as Yahyn. Leavitt attempted to obtain a total of $6,019,725.50, of which he received $873,475.50. Leavitt and his co-defendant, Pierre Rogers, inflated the companies’ revenues and number of employees on the applications. Leavitt also generated false supporting documents, including tax filings purportedly filed with the IRS. For example, in a PPP application for Puro Trader, Leavitt submitted a fake tax return claiming the company’s payroll was over $1 million in 2020, but no such return was ever filed with the IRS. Similarly, in a PPP application for a company called Monticello Transnational, Leavitt submitted a fake tax return claiming the company paid employees almost $340,000 in the fourth quarter of 2020. The company’s payroll was only $9,000 during that period. The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the U.S. Secret Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’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. ###


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Trafficking More Than 4 lbs. of Cocaine to New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Jabreel A. Amir, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 51 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On December 14, 2022, Amir plead guilty to the charges. “Today, the defendant was held accountable for trafficking cocaine to New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Our federal and local law enforcement partners successfully prevented a significant quantity of drugs from impacting our communities, and we will continue to work together to prosecute individuals who contribute to this serious problem.” On May 9, 2022, Amir attempted to deliver cocaine in New Hampshire to an individual cooperating with the government. Law enforcement officers surveilled Amir as he attempted to conduct the drug sale. He traveled from Waterbury, Connecticut to Concord, New Hampshire, where he was arrested. Law enforcement seized more than 2 kilograms of cocaine. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by New Hampshire State Police Narcotics Intelligence Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis prosecuted the case. ###


title: Readout of U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Meeting with Singapore Attorney General Lucien Wong

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland met Monday in Washington, D.C., with Attorney General of the Republic of Singapore Lucien Wong. The leaders discussed the importance of cooperation in international criminal investigations and prosecutions, and on extradition and mutual legal assistance matters, in order to combat cybercrime, cryptocurrency crimes, financial fraud, money laundering, and drug trafficking. In the meeting, Attorney General Garland thanked Attorney General Wong for the Singapore Attorney General’s Chambers assistance with the investigation of the global bribery and $4.5 billion embezzlement and money laundering scheme involving the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and for their recent excellent assistance with extraditions in other cases. Attorney General Garland reaffirmed our increasingly close and outstanding bilateral relationship over the past decade with Singaporean law enforcement and the Singapore Attorney General’s Chambers. “The Justice Department’s international law enforcement partnerships are integral to our efforts to uphold the rule of law and keep our country safe,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department is grateful for its relationship with our Singaporean law enforcement partners and looks forward to continuing our work together to combat transnational threats.” Also attending the meeting were U.S. Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan, Singapore Ambassador to the United States Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Singapore Deputy Attorney General Ang Cheng Hock, Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim, Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor for International Affairs Bruce C. Swartz, and Justice Department Attaché for Maritime Southeast Asia Scott Simeon. Following both Attorneys General meeting, the delegation from Singapore met with Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Downing, the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, and the FBI to discuss cybercrime, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology issues. They also met with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland with Attorney General of the Republic of Singapore Lucien Wong


title: Southern Ohio woman sentenced to prison for embezzling $700k from employer

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Sardinia, Ohio, woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to serve 28 months in prison for stealing more than $700,000 from the family-owned business for which she worked. She was also sentenced to pay restitution to the company. Tina Coday-Townes, 49, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022, to wire fraud. According to court documents, Coday-Townes previously served as the office manager for a business in Clermont County. In that role, she was responsible for accounts payable and bookkeeping, including inputting and sending data to a third-party payroll company. The defendant admitted that from 2013 until 2019, she wrote checks using an employers’ signature stamp to pay off her personal credit cards. Coday-Townes made false entries into the accounting database, indicating the checks were to vendors rather than to her personal credit cards. In addition, Coday-Townes entered overtime hours for herself, even though she was ineligible for overtime as a salaried employee. Her sentence calls for her to pay $697,000 in restitution to her former employer, $11,500 to the State of Ohio for fraudulently paid unemployment benefits, and $35,000 to West American Insurance Company. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Cincinnati man pleads guilty to Covid relief fraud

body_text: CINCINNATI– A man who filed for relief under the Paycheck Protection Program and fraudulently claimed that he was running a business during the time he was incarcerated pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of wire fraud. Willie Boyce, 41, agreed to pay $41,040 in restitution, in addition to any time he may serve in federal prison. According to court documents, Boyce was incarcerated in Hamilton County from March 2018 until September 2020, when he was released to a halfway house. Boyce acknowledged that he applied electronically for two PPP loans in April 2021, claiming he owned a business that provided taxi and ridesharing services. In his applications, Boyce fraudulently claimed a gross income of $98,500 for 2019 even though he was in prison for the entirety of that year. Boyce used his halfway house address as the business address and submitted a forged bank statement. Boyce claimed the money was for payroll for his company, and received payments on April 20 and May 5, 2021, but withdrew or spent all the money by the end of May 2021, on non-business-related transactions including payments to Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Expedia, Hampton Inn and Delta Airlines. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, in coordination with U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations and Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on April 7, 2023, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court. Ramon Louis Bagola, age 24, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Bagola was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on January 11, 2023. On the evening of May 16, 2022, Bagola and another individual assaulted the victim in the stairwell of the Evergreen Apartments building in Eagle Butte, knocking the victim unconscious and causing a subdural hematoma. The assault was unprovoked. Bagola took the victim’s car keys and wallet from his person. Bagola used the car keys to steal the victim’s Trailblazer from the apartment parking lot. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Pine Ridge Man Indicted for Pornography and Sexual Abuse

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man for Enticement of a Minor, Possession of Child Pornography, and Sexual Abuse of a Minor. Rowland Coomes, age 35, was indicted in February of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on April 5, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count of conviction. Restitution may also be ordered. The charges relate to Coomes using his cellular phone to entice a minor female to engage in sexual activity in November of 2021. Coomes also possessed child pornography on his social media account. Between March of 2021 and November of 2022, Coomes sexually abused another minor female at Pine Ridge. The charges are merely accusations and Coomes is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case. Coomes was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for June 13, 2023.


title: Man Guilty of Federal Charge Related to April 2022 Shooting Death

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

body_text: DES MOINES, IA – On April 5, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Des Moines man of possessing ammunition in connection with the April 2022 shooting death of a man. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tyrone Scott Cameron, 29, shot and killed a man after a fight over a debt Cameron owed. The evidence showed that Cameron left the apartment complex where the fight occurred and later returned with a gun. He fired 15 rounds of ammunition through a closed apartment door, striking and killing a male victim. A second victim survived. Cameron then fled the scene and was later identified as the shooter through surveillance video, witness statements, and cell site location records. Cameron’s sentencing date has not yet been set. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, with assistance at trial by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Mikaela Shotwell and Kristin Herrera are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice 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: Oviedo Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For  Receipt Of Child Sex Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Trevor Lang (29, Oviedo) to 30 years in federal prison for receipt of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Lang to forfeit a computer and hard drive which were used in the commission of the offense. Lang had pleaded guilty on November 17, 2022. According to court documents, after a cyber tip was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), federal agents executed a search warrant on Lang’s residence and recovered several electronic devices. A search of those devices revealed that Lang had sent, received, and viewed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. At the time, Lang was on sex offender probation for a prior state offense. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornography

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts. On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone. Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment. Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ . # # # 23-71


title: Omaha Citizen Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that Kenneth Flowers, 48, was sentenced on April 6, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Flowers to 40 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Flowers will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On March 18, 2021, the DEA Criminal Interdiction Unit, while working at the U.S. Post Office in Omaha, Nebraska, intercepted a package containing 1,585 grams of pure methamphetamine. The package was destined to be delivered to an address in Omaha. Undercover special agents delivered the package to the listed address and observed Flowers pick up the package and deliver the package to the residence of Elmer Hernandez. Flowers was then arrested. Hernandez was later arrested for drug and firearm offenses. Hernandez has pled guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on April 19, 2023. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.


body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming, 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts. On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone. Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment. Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ . # # # 23-71


body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming, 36, of Piñon, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts. On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone. Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment. Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ . # # # 23-71