title: ‘La Dank DMV’ Crew Member Sentenced to 41 Months for Role in Sophisticated Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: WASHINGTON – Isaac Akinduro, 27, of Washington D.C, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a sophisticated conspiracy that was responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to the metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. Isaac Akinduro, a member of the “LA Dank DMV Crew” who was also known as “Benji” or “Black,” pleaded guilty on October 11, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Akinduro to serve three years of supervised release. All LA Dank crew members have pleaded guilty to marijuana conspiracy and related firearms charges. Abubakr Banire, aka “Swave,” is set to be sentenced on June 24, 2024, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of a machine gun, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Kavon Duncan, aka “Babyk,” was sentenced to 71 months on February 6, 2024, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Joe Blyther, aka “Hawk,” is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 9, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, unlawful possession of a machine gun, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Christopher Akinduro, aka “Oshay,” was sentenced to 74 months in prison on January 17, 2024, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Avery Bost, aka “Avenue,” “Ave,” and “Left,” is scheduled to be sentenced March 22, 2024. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. Omar Butler, aka “O,” was sentenced on March 1, 2024, to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. Randall Lance, aka “Mike Lambo,” was sentenced October 10, 2023, to 63 months for conspiracy to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. These sentences and guilty pleas follow a lengthy investigation led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Between May of 2021 to on or about December of 2021, crew members operated a sophisticated conspiracy to traffic large amounts of high-grade marijuana from California to the DMV area for distribution to customers. As part of their distribution scheme, members of the crew relied heavily on mass marketing through three dedicated LA Dank websites, as well as social media platforms like Instagram where individual crew members would advertise the LA Dank brand and LA Dank branded marijuana for sale. Crew members also used rental properties to set up stash houses or points of sale that were used to conduct drug distribution operations for a short period of time before moving on to different locations. The crew was found to possess numerous firearms, including semi-automatic and fully automatic machineguns, and devices used to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. In total, approximately 122 pounds of marijuana, 19 firearms, and 10 machinegun conversion devices were recovered. Three of these 19 firearms were discovered to be operational machineguns that had been modified with machinegun conversion devices. Seven of these machinegun conversion devices were found in an “LA Dank” branded bag. Two of these firearms were privately made AR-pistol style machineguns, sometimes referred to as “ghost guns.” Ledgers and receipts show that the crew trafficked well over 100 kilograms of marijuana into the DMV area for distribution. Isaac Akinduro, who has four previous gun and firearms convictions, was arrested on August 12, 2022, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the FBI Washington Field Office's Cross-Border Task Force in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong.


title: California Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Prison  for Attempting to Distribute 441 Grams of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Palmdale, California man was sentenced to 270 months in prison for attempting to possess with intent to distribute 441 grams of pure methamphetamine in Mississippi. Keith Quintal McGill, 44, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court records, in 2019, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was shipping large amounts of methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service to the Southern District of Mississippi. Keith McGill was identified as someone who had been sending pound quantities of methamphetamine to Mississippi. On July 8, 2019, federal agents made arrangements to conduct a controlled purchase from McGill. McGill sent 441 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine to a controlled post office box in Mississippi. McGill was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on December 13, 2023, to attempting to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric P. DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations, and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.


title: Salina Man Sentenced for Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced David Olice Sitsler, III, for three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sitsler, 36, was sentenced to 96 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Sitsler to pay $625 in restitution. In February 2022, Sitsler was in an argument with his wife. She called a friend to pick her up. When she tried to leave, Sitsler shot at the car she was in, hitting one of the passengers. Sitsler is a citizen of Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mayes County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Sauk Centre Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Sauk Centre man has pleaded guilty to coercing minors to produce sexually explicit images, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Shawn Norbert Kulzer, 32, began chatting with a minor victim on Snapchat on or about January 2, 2023. During the course of their conversation, Kulzer learned that the minor victim was under the age of 18, yet still pressured them to send nude photographs. In his plea agreement, Kulzer also admitted that he used and enticed a second minor victim to produce and send sexually explicit images over Snapchat. Kulzer pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. This case is the result of an investigation led by the FBI, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sauk Centre Police Department. Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at 763-569-8000. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 in crimes involving child pornography, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Polachek is prosecuting the case.


title: Graham County Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Eric Lavon Williams, 36, of Pima, Arizona, was sentenced to 97 months in prison on February 21, 2024, by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Knowing Access of Child Pornography on July 12, 2023. When Williams is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life and will be required to register as a sex offender. On April 26, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Douglas began an investigation into Williams for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after receiving Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On June 29, 2022, HSI Douglas executed a search warrant at Williams’s Pima residence in Graham County. The investigation confirmed that Williams possessed and had distributed CSAM files to others using multiple online platforms. Williams’s wife, Cori, was also charged for distribution and possession of CSAM after the investigation showed that she had obtained such material for her husband and sent it to him. Cori Williams pleaded guilty to Possession of Child Pornography on July 20, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Homeland Security Investigations - Douglas conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin C. Duryee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01660-001-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-033_Williams # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 12 was: Adriano Spark LeBeaux, 19, of Lame Deer, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, LeBeaux faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release LeBeaux was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-121. Renee Esperanza Arambula, 26, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Arambula faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release on the drug counts and a mandatory minimum of seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing and brandishing a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Arambula was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-02. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Charlie Easton, 29 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Easton was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in April 2023, South Bend law enforcement responded to a notification of shots being fired from an automatic weapon. Officers encountered Easton who led them on a high-speed car chase as he fled from the scene. When Easton reached a dead end on the road, he took off on foot Officers recovered a firearm that Easton dropped as he ran. The firearm contained an extended magazine and an auto sear, which device turned the firearm into a fully automatic machinegun. Easton has a prior felony conviction, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Andrew Majors, 46 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to two counts of making a threat through interstate communications, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Majors was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in June 2022 Majors called the Juvenile Justice Center in South Bend and reported that bombs were around the building. Several hours later, he called again to say that he was going to kill a person at the facility. Ultimately, no bombs were discovered and no one was injured. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.


title: Mississippi Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison in False Tax Return Conspiracy

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Mississippi man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiring to prepare and file false tax returns for clients in Jackson, Mississippi, and for preparing false returns. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Christopher Randell worked at Sunbelt Tax Services and conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions and business profits or losses on their clients’ tax returns. Over the years, Randell and his co-conspirators prepared thousands of fraudulent returns, causing over $3.5 million in tax loss to the IRS. A jury convicted Randell and his co-conspirators in November 2023. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III for the Southern District of Mississippi ordered Randell to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution to the United States, in an amount to be determined later by the Court. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Zachary Cobb and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Retired Boston Police Captain Found Guilty of Overtime Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Retired Boston Police Captain was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of orchestrating and participating in a long running overtime fraud scheme at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse that cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent overtime payments. Richard Evans, 65, of Hanover, was convicted of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds; theft concerning programs receiving federal finds; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2024. Evans was arrested and charged in March 2021. “Every resident of Massachusetts has a right to expect that those of us in law-enforcement will uphold the law. When an individual violates that expectation, it hits to the core. It undermines the public’s confidence in our profession,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Evans’ greed is not a reflection of the Boston Police Department or the many men and women in law-enforcement who serve with integrity. However, when individuals put their greed before their public duty, they must be held accountable.” “Today’s verdict proves no one is above the law. Captain Richard Evans shrugged off his sworn oath, broke the law to pad his paycheck, failed to lead by example and betrayed the citizens of Boston,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to root out police corruption on behalf of the vast majority of hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably. We thank the Boston Police Department for its full cooperation with this investigation.” From May 2012 to March 2016 Evans was the commander of BPD’s Evidence Control Unit (ECU), where he was responsible for, among other things, overseeing the storing, cataloging and retrieving evidence at the warehouse. A 37-year BPD veteran and one of highest-ranking officers in BPD, Evans was responsible for, among other things, approving ECU officers’ overtime, which was paid at 1.5 times their regular hourly pay. Beginning virtually as soon as Evans took command of the ECU, Evans submitted and approved overtime slips that grossly inflated the amount of time worked. Evans submitted hundreds of overtime slips for overtime hours he did not work. As a supervisor, Evans routinely approved overtime slips – certifying false overtime hours submitted by subordinates. The standard overtime shift was supposed to be performed from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. However, officers only worked about two hours of that shift. In the beginning the officers “split” the overtime shift – one half of the officers worked the 4-6 p.m. shift, the other half of the officers worked the 6-8 p.m. shift, but all of the officers claimed that to have worked the full four-hour shift from 4-8 p.m. By splitting the shift, Evans and officers were paid for twice as much as they actually worked. The split shifts also made it seem like everyone was in the warehouse for the full four-hour shift, thus hiding the overtime theft. Towards the end of Evans’ tenure, he and other officers stopped splitting the shift and consistently left two or three hours early, as shown in the warehouse alarm records, while still billing for a full four-hour shift. Evidence presented at trial established that Evans misled his superior officers about the purge overtime scheme to cover up the fact that officers were inflating their overtime hours. Evans, himself, earned over $120,000 in overtime payments in his 3.5 years as commander of the ECU, on top of his base salary, which exceeded $200,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $ 250,000. The charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; SAC Cohen; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Employee Convicted of Defrauding His Employer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: The former Midwest general manager of a nation-wide financial services company who defrauded his employer out of more than $3.4 million was sentenced today to five years in federal prison. James Dwyer, age 46, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Information from the plea hearing and sentencing hearing showed that Dwyer was employed by Mobile Money, Inc. for over 20 years. Part of Mobile Money, Inc.’s business operations were servicing ATMs across eastern Iowa. Starting in January 2016, Dwyer defrauded and stole from Mobile Money, Inc. by stealing cash that was meant for ATMs or cash that was supposed to be deposited into a Mobile Money, Inc. bank account. In January 2021, Dwyer told his superiors, which included someone Dwyer had been friends with for over 30 years, that there was approximately $1.1 million in cash locked in a vault in Waterloo that he could not access because the vault lock was broken. It was later discovered that Dwyer had intentionally tampered with the vault in order to prevent anyone else from accessing it. In February 2021, other employees got into the vault and discovered there was less than $100,000 in cash in it. Also in January 2021, Mobile Money, Inc. executives discovered Dwyer had failed to deposit approximately $2.5 million in cash into bank accounts. On February 1, 2021, Dwyer sent ten bank deposit tickets to Mobile Money, Inc., purporting to show he had deposited that money. However, the bank deposit tickets were fraudulent and he had not deposited any such money. Once Mobile Money, Inc. discovered Dwyer had been stealing from the company, the company determined his fraud had resulted in the company losing $3,407,000. Even though this money was obtained illegally, Dwyer was required to report it as income to the Internal Revenue Service. He failed to do so and filed false tax returns for multiple years. Dwyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dwyer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $3,407,000 in restitution to Mobile Money, Inc. and the company’s insurance company. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Dwyer was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-cr-2046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Heroin Crimes

body_text: A man who worked with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced today to more than 34 years in federal prison. Michael Garrick Denson, age 34, from Illinois, received the prison term after a September 14, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin. The evidence at trial showed that Denson was a methamphetamine and heroin dealer in the Dubuque, Iowa, area who was nicknamed “Ice Mike.” Between February 2018 and February 2020, Denson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. On July 23, 2019, investigators observed Denson outside of a hotel in Dubuque. Denson had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and investigators stopped a car in which he was a passenger. During the stop, Denson got out of the passenger side of the car and ran from investigators. Investigators located six small baggies containing heroin near where Denson had been seated in the car. Denson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Denson was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 419 months and 18 days. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Denson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Vander Stoep and Dan Chatham and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Dubuque Drug Task Force (consisting of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department) and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-01003-CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cheswick Resident Sentenced to Prison for Failure to Register as Sex Offender

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Cheswick, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release on his conviction of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Roy W. Knoch, 51. According to information presented to the Court, Knoch, from May 9, 2022, until in and around November 2022, failed to register or update his sex offender registration after relocating from Nebraska to Pennsylvania, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Knoch was convicted in 2011 of sexual assault on a child in the first and third degrees in the state of Nebraska, and was required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy noted that the defendant had a previous conviction in Nebraska for failing to properly register as a sex offender and stated that a sentence of 21 months’ imprisonment, the middle of the sentencing guideline range, was sufficient but not greater than necessary to serve the purposes of just punishment and deterrence. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Knoch.


title: California Man Charged with Federal Cares Act Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NIPUN DESAI , formerly of Hammond, La., but now a California resident, age 55, was charged on March 8, 2024, with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program. According to the charging document,on or about April 2, 2021, DESAI made false statements to an approved lender regarding a closed hotel in order to obtain an SBA backed PPP loan for $146,947.50. At the time of the loan application, DESAI ’s hotel had no employees or payroll. DESAI faces up to five years in prison for making the false statements , a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that this is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office (Region 5) in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Two Former Pittsburgh Residents Plead Guilty in Rent-A-Vet Construction Fraud Scheme

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa.- Two residents of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of executing a major fraud scheme against the United States, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Edward DiGorio Jr., 65, and Edward Kessler, 68, each pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. Both DiGorio and Kessler formerly resided in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that DiGorio and Kessler were the owners of two construction companies, ADDVETCO, Inc., and Hi-Def Contracting, Inc., operating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and formed for the purpose of bidding on and acquiring “set-aside” contracts issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to small businesses owned and operated by service-disabled veterans of the U.S. military and pre-certified by the VA as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs). Neither DiGorio nor Kessler had served in the military, nor were they service-disabled. In a classic “Rent-A-Vet” scheme, DiGorio and Kessler paid service-disabled veterans to falsely represent themselves as the primary owners and operators of ADDVETCO and Hi-Def, and to falsely attest to ownership of the companies on critical documents submitted to the VA as part of the SDVOB certification process. During the period 2007 to 2018, ADDVETCO and Hi-Def were awarded 67 contracts that were intended for SDVOBs, 50 of which were valued at $1 million or more. All said contracts were performed in full by ADDVETCO and Hi-Def. The two charges to which DiGorio and Kessler pleaded guilty relate to the two most recent contracts awarded to the companies, for which the defendants received more than $400,000 in profits. Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for both defendants for July 11, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both, at each count. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of DiGorio and Kessler.


title: Harrison County Man Guilty of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Kevin Glover was convicted today on multiple counts of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in Harrison County. Glover, age 62, of Clarksburg, was found guilty by a jury today on seven counts of drug trafficking and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises after a four-day trial. The jury heard testimony that Glover worked with others to sell illicit drugs in Harrison County, using his home as a hub for the distribution operation. Investigators searched Glover’s home and found fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and a firearm. Three other Clarksburg residents pled guilty in 2023 to charges related to the operation and are awaiting sentencing. They are Stacy Elaine Russell, age 50; Robert Anthony Brockington, age 41; and Jerri Rena Lucente, age 35. Glover faces at least 10 years and up to life for the charge of distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine, and he faces up to 20 years for each of the remaining charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Last Defendant Sentenced to More than 10 Years for Robbery of a Pharmaceutical Van Driver and Possession of a Machinegun

body_text: WASHINGTON D.C. – Juwuan Edward Francis Champion, 24, of Bowie, Md., was sentenced to 121 months in prison today for his role in the felony armed robbery of a pharmaceutical van driver and possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Champion, aka “Big Money,” pleaded guilty on December 19, 2023, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (known as conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery) and unlawful possession of a machine gun. In addition to the 10-years plus one-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Champion to serve three years of supervised release. Court documents alleged that Champion was among four crew members participating in a drug trafficking operation in the Potomac Gardens neighborhood of Southeast Washington. The three other members included Fitzgerald Hunt, 24, of Washington, D.C., also known as “GMoney,” Joshua Johnson, 18, of Capitol Heights, Md., also known as “Lil Josh,” and Keyshawn Lavender, 20, of Washington, D.C., also known as “Key.” From January to October 2021, the crew members allegedly trafficked in Oxycodone, Alprazolam, and a variety of illegal narcotics. In pleading guilty, Champion, Hunt, and Johnson admitted that on March 30, 2021, they conspired to rob a pharmaceutical delivery van driver outside a pharmacy in Waldorf, Md. The driver was placed in handcuffs and hit on the head with a firearm. Then the defendants drove the van back to Washington, D.C., with pharmaceuticals valued at over $95,000. At 2:46 p.m. on March 30, 2021, MPD located the stolen van on the 1500 block of 19 th Street, SE. At about 6 p.m. Prince George’s County police found discarded contents from the van, including numerous emptied bottles of oxycodone, in Bowie, Maryland. Fingerprints found on the contents matched Champion and his co-defendants, and other items recovered had Champion’s DNA. That same afternoon, Champion posted a photo on Instagram depicting an assortment of oxycodone pills on a plate. He also sent a flurry of direct-messages to a number of Instagram accounts touting that the pills were for sale in Potomac Gardens. On October 6, 2021, at the residence where Champion was staying, police recovered a Ruger Five Seven 5.7x28mm caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, loaded with 13 rounds of 5.7 caliber ammunition; a Glock 48, 9mm pistol loaded with 11 rounds; five Glock magazines; assorted ammunition inside a shoebox; approximately $37,280 in cash; and a “Big Money” jewelry pendant. Law enforcement arrested Champion and his co-defendants on October 7, 2021. Hunt was sentenced on September 29, 2023, to 108 months in prison. Johnson was sentenced as part of a global resolution to 60 months in prison in Charles County, Maryland, for the armed carjacking, running concurrently to a 12-month sentence in this jurisdiction for drug conspiracy. The final defendant, Lavender, was not alleged to have had a role in the robbery and was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in the drug conspiracy. This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Critical support was provided by the Charles County Md. Sheriff’s Office and Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, and additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department, and Anne Arundel County, Md. Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Candice Wong and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison McGuire.


title: District Man Convicted of Assaulting His Paramour

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - Barrington Hart, 36, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in Superior Court of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (Firearm), two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, two counts of obstruction, one count of threats, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), one count of simple assault, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. The defendant and the victim had been in a previous romantic relationship, broken up, and then reunited for four days when, on July 27, 2023, they got into an argument over the victim’s phone. Hart was accusing the victim of cheating on him and wanted to look through her phone. When she refused, he became angry, retrieved a black and yellow gun, and hit the victim on the head with it causing a laceration. Rather than taking her to the hospital, Hart made the victim come with him to a job interview while her head was still bleeding. She later went to the hospital alone and had the wound treated with nine staples to the top of the head. She reported the assault to the Metropolitan Police Department on July 30 2023. Less than a week later, on August 4, 2023, the victim called the police again and reported that the night before, Hart started an argument about her seeing other people, slapped her, and pointed the same black and yellow firearm at her. The victim snuck out the next morning to call for help. Hart was arrested on August 4, 2023. After arrest, Hart continued to attempt to control the victim. He instructed her, twice, over Department of Corrections Video Visits, to refrain from testifying in the grand jury. Also, while incarcerated, Hart threatened the victim via numerous text messages. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2024.


title: Inmate Guilty of Pandemic Fraud During Incarceration Sent Back to Prison

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident who was serving a federal prison sentence for drug trafficking and gun convictions when he illegally obtained money from a pandemic unemployment program was sentenced to prison this week for his crime. Isaac Camon, 49, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison for one count of wire fraud plus 36 months in prison for revocation of his supervised release for a total of 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 14 by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III. The defendant is not eligible for parole. “Our office has prosecuted individuals responsible for millions of dollars of CARES Act fraud, money earmarked to help sustain hard-working and law-abiding citizens during the historic pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to root out fraud and hold individuals accountable for these criminal schemes.” “Camon clearly has no regard for the law, as he decided to defraud the State of Georgia during a national emergency while he was still serving time for drug trafficking,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “This lengthy sentence demonstrates the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice and will hopefully put an end to Camon’s career as a criminal.” According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, Camon filed a fraudulent online claim for federal and state pandemic unemployment assistance with the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL). In the claim, Camon falsely asserted he worked for two companies during a time period when he was actually serving a federal sentence in a prison, a halfway house or on home confinement for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance in the Middle District of Florida. Camon never reported any work income for tax purposes and one of the companies Camon claimed to work for wasn’t in operation at the time he stated he was employed by them. Camon is being held accountable for an intended fraud loss of $19,452; the restitution amount payable to the Georgia Department of Labor is $16,322. 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 . This case was investigated by FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency, the U.S. Department of Labor-OIG, the U.S. Department of Transportation-OIG and the Lanier County Sheriff's Office. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Erie Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Violation

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to seven years in prison on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Cordae Shatwon Jones, 27. According to information presented to the Court, on or about April 8, 2022, Jones sold a confidential informant 223 grams of methamphetamine for $1,560 at a residence in Erie. On April 21, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at that residence and located $1,709 in cash, a small amount of drugs, cutting agents, a pill press, Jones’s driver’s license, 12 firearms, and ammunition. Jones admitted that he had been dealing drugs and that the guns were his. Jones was convicted in 2016 of Terroristic Threats and Possession of an Instrument of a Crime. Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jones.


title: Former Florida Keys Resident Pled Guilty to  Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On March 12, Eric Edward Cadogan, a/k/a “livelife4fun69,” 39, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, formerly of Marathon, Florida, pled guilty to distributing child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow. According to the factual proffer in support of the plea and information presented in court, Cadogan uploaded and distributed child pornography using a social media messaging platform. Cadogan also offered to sell child pornography and said he had “100 of videos n pictures.” In messages with an online undercover agent, Cadogan indicated he had engaged in sexually explicit conduct with minor children. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore. Cadogan faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison, and up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea. FBI Miami Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine W. Guthrie is handling the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC 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 the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information regarding suspected child abuse (to include physical and sexual abuse) is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-10017. ###


title: Two Bellingham, Washington transnational drug dealers sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Two members of a transnational drug trafficking organization were sentenced to federal prison today for arranging the sale of more than 75,000 fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Juan Manuel Lugo Enriquez, 21, and a citizen of Mexico, sold 2,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent near Bellingham. Then, Lugo Enriquez and Guillermo Vieyra Salas, 24, also a citizen of Mexico, arranged a second deal involving 75,000 pills. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez sentenced Lugo Enriquez to 38 months and Vieyra Salas to 48 months in prison. Judge Martinez found troubling the large amount of fentanyl at issue here, particularly because fentanyl has become “a leading cause of death over the last couple of years.” “Federal law enforcement is keenly focused on getting as much fentanyl as possible off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Seizing more than 75,000 pills will save lives.” According to records filed in the case, the case began with a tip that a Seattle-based member of the drug trafficking organization, later identified as Lugo Enriquez, was bringing bulk quantities of fentanyl pills into Western Washington from Mexico. Defendant Vieyra Salas was already on law enforcement radar, charged with a drive-by shooting where he fired 27 rounds from a car he was driving while carrying cocaine. He also has a pending cocaine trafficking charge in Skagit County. Homeland Security Investigations undercover agents quickly set up drug deals – first for 2,000 pills with Lugo Enriquez and then for a large order of 75,000 pills with Lugo Enriquez, Vieyra Salas, and a third defendant. As Lugo Enriquez and Vieyra Salas waited for the third defendant to deliver the drugs, Vieyra Salas offered to sell the undercover agents more pills. The third defendant arrived at a separate meeting place to deliver the pills and was arrested. Lugo Enriquez and Vieyra Salas were arrested over the following days. The defendant who delivered the pills, Jaime Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez, 41, is scheduled for sentencing on June 7, 2024. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung


title: 5 Central Ohioans plead guilty in narcotics & human trafficking case that charged 23 total defendants

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five individuals from Central Ohio have pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court to charges stemming from a narcotics conspiracy. The guilty pleas involve an overdose death, sex trafficking and money laundering. A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges. According to court documents, from 2008 until June 2022, lead defendants Patrick Saultz and Cordell Washington ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus that included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, fraud and money laundering. Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit. It is alleged that Saultz began distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from his residences on Vida Place and South Hague Street in Columbus as early as 2008. The drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of more than 20 Columbus residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficked those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio. Most of the alleged drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus. The defendants who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., on March 13 through today include: Name Age City of residence Tyler N. Bourdo 30 Columbus Priscilla L. Washington 59 Columbus Michael D. Burton 40 Columbus Gabriel R. Smith, aka Gabe 36 Canal Winchester Brittany A. Williams 38 Columbus Bourdo admitted to distributing fentanyl and cocaine base that resulted in death, conspiring to commit sex trafficking, and conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. Bourdo’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison. According to Bourdo’s plea agreement, on Oct. 14, 2021, an individual was found deceased in an alley between Bourdo’s primary residence and a drug distribution house. The woman was found with a needle in her hand and another needle in her pocket and had been dead for approximately 18 hours. Further investigation revealed that, on Oct. 10, 2021, the woman had overdosed on crack cocaine and fentanyl at one of the organization’s drug houses that Bourdo supplied on North Warren. Witnesses on site immediately placed the woman in a bathtub and soaked her in cold water. The witnesses provided multiple rounds of Narcan, CPR and chest compressions, eventually resuscitating her. The woman left and, over the next 48 hours, met up with Bourdo on more than one occasion to get and use more drugs. Video surveillance of the alley shows Bourdo walking to the deceased woman’s body just moments before police personnel arrived to attempt (unsuccessfully) to obtain her phone to prevent further investigation into her death. As part of his plea, Bourdo admitted to coercing adult drug-addicted females into performing commercial sex acts by using violence as well as providing and then withholding or threatening to withhold narcotics and lodging. Coconspirators used residences on Racine, South Eureka, South Ogden and North Ogden avenues, Vida Place and Chestershire Road for the drug-addicted females to reside in. Various women engaged in a cycle where they would be allowed to stay at one of the residences, receive a “get well” amount of drugs, go work the street and have sex for money in order to pay the debt from the small hit of drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house. Some of the drug-addicted women brought in hundreds of dollars per day for the organization. Bourdo entered his guilty plea before the court on March 13. Priscilla Washington , drug ringleader Cordell Washington’s mother, was associated with the narcotics conspiracy for a number of years. She pleaded guilty today to using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering, a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Priscilla Washington often communicated with coconspirators via phone or internet, participating in the group’s illicit conduct, and allowed her home – which her son purchased for her in 2017 – to be a safe house for the lead defendants. When investigators searched Priscilla Washington’s home on Smith Road, they discovered 32 firearms, more than $143,000 in cash and bulk amounts of fentanyl and cocaine. Burton pleaded guilty on March 13 to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (five to 80 years in prison) and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon (up to 15 years in prison). Burton became a source of supply for the conspiracy in 2021. He would provide bulk amounts of cocaine to the drug trafficking organization on a routine basis. Gabriel Smith pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and alprazolam within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (five to 80 years in prison). Smith trafficked drugs on behalf of the organization, including in Morgantown, West Virginia. In addition, he was the group’s main source of supply for Perc30 pills. Williams pleaded guilty on March 14 to conspiring to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (one to 40 years in prison) and conspiring to launder money (up to 20 years in prison). Williams admitted to purchasing illegal narcotics on a daily basis. She participated in transporting drugs on behalf of the organization and collected rent checks from the defendants’ purported rental homes. Williams would collect the “rent” in cash each month and obtain cashier checks or money orders for the organization. As part of this case, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in alleged drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at Car-Go storage units, law enforcement officials discovered approximately one million in bulk United States currency. Searches of additional residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash. As of today, 17 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmella Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years. U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Boswell Resident Sentenced To Five Years For Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chase Lane Rocha, age 21, of Boswell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Lighthorse Police, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Oklahoma. On October 4, 2023, Rocha was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. According to investigators, on January 24, 2023, after family members had twice disarmed him during a dispute at a Boswell-area residence, Rocha returned a third time, armed with a revolver. During the third attempt to disarm Rocha of a firearm, Rocha shot and killed the victim. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Rocha was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States at trial.


title: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timythy Jordyn Summers, age 19, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Tahlequah Police Department, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 11, 2023, Summers pleaded guilty to a single count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. According to investigators, Summers engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a minor on Instagram and arranged to meet at a local park. Summers was caught by law enforcement leaving a public restroom at the park after sexually abusing the minor. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Summers was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States. 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources” . We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com , call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.


title: Hugo Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hunter Lee Wallace, age 21, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police, the Hugo Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 11, 2023, Wallace entered a guilty plea to the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian country. According to investigators, on September 12, 2022, Wallace sexually abused a minor he had previously met and conversed with on Snapchat, despite knowing the victim’s true age. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Wallace was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States. 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources” . We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com , call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.


title: JURY CONVICTS FORMER DRUG FELON OF COCAINE CONSPIRACY

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a federal jury took less than two hours to returned guilty verdicts against Russell Robinson, 57, of St. Thomas, on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy scheduled Robinson’s sentencing for July 3, 2024. In 2007, Robinson was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine, and money laundering and was sentenced to serve 160 months of incarceration. According to evidence introduced at trial, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations detected a vessel heading towards Vessup Beach in St. Thomas operating without lights. After arriving at Vessup Beach, aviation agents observed several individuals offloading duffle bags from the vessel to Robinson, Trevor Stephen and an individual who Stephen identified in his trial as Ikim Blackett loading the duffle bags into Robinson’s Toyota Tundra truck. The aviation agents provided updates on Robinson’s location to agents on the ground as he traveled from Vessup Beach to Charlotte Amalie. Agents attempted to stop Robinson near the waterfront, but he fled at a high rate of speed towards Hull Bay and headed up a one-way road into a small residential area. While agents set up a perimeter at the entrance of the one-way road, the aviation agents continued their surveillance of Robinson’s truck and later observed him and Stephen as they threw the duffle bags from the truck into the bushes. Robinson then drove to the entrance of the one-way road and agents stopped his truck and arrested Robinson and Stephen. Agents then retrieved seven duffle bags from the bushes. The duffle bags contained a total of 210 kilograms of a substance that tested positive for cocaine. In June 2023, a federal jury convicted Stephen of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His sentencing is currently scheduled for March 27, 2024. For his conviction, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum sentenced of 15 years and up to life imprisonment. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and Natasha Baker prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: DeShawn Whited Sentenced To 546 Months In Prison For Multiple Hobbs Act Robberies And Carjacking

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On March 15, DeShawn Whited, 26, of Knoxville, was sentenced to 546 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his incarceration, he will be on five years of supervised release. On January 18, 2023, Whited was found guilty of four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, one count of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119, four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). According to evidence present at trial, Whited, a previously convicted felon, committed a series of armed robberies and an armed carjacking in the Knoxville community in January 2021. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that in January of 2021, Whited, disguised in a hoodie and bandana, robbed at gunpoint employees of EZ Stop at 8605 Walbrook Drive, Waffle House at 6230 Papermill Drive, Pilot Food Mart at 410 Merchants Drive, Wendy’s at 4407 Western Avenue, and Pilot Travel Center at 314 Lovell Road, all located in Knoxville. Whited also committed an armed carjacking near downtown Knoxville during the same timeframe. Victims from each of the incidents testified at the trial and the evidence included surveillance footage and cellphone location tracking information. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Joseph E. Carrico, made the announcement. The investigation was led by the FBI, Knoxville Division, the Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Brent N. Jones represented the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Whitefish interior designer sentenced to more than four years in prison, ordered to pay more than $900,000 restitution for fraud scheme

body_text: MISSOULA — A Whitefish interior designer who admitted to defrauding customers of approximately $900,000 and using the money for personal expenses was sentenced on March 14 to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $933,679 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Jennifer Michele Helm, aka Jennifer Michele, 45, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. In court documents and statements in court, the government alleged that beginning as early at 2016, Helm, while doing business as Sage Interior Design, LLC, Interior Design Service, and Jennifer Michele LLC, defrauded numerous customers. Her scheme ensnared more than 20 victims. A few of the victims came forward after Helm pleaded guilty, and Helm defrauded four more victims after her interview with the FBI in 2021, when she presumably knew she was a target of a federal criminal investigation. To execute the scheme, Helm entered into agreements with customers to provide goods and services, usually by promising to order furnishings and fixtures as part of construction and remodeling projects. In some instances, Helm presented her clients with invoices for items she knew she had not ordered and that clients never received. In addition, Helm convinced two clients, a married couple, to give her their credit card number, which she was authorized to use to make purchases on the couple’s behalf. Rather than make those purchases, Helm used the credit card and directed the proceeds of the transactions into her bank account. When interviewed by the FBI, Helm said she was responsible for any misspent funds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Brandishing a Weapon on Frontier Airlines Flight

body_text: ATLANTA - William Allen Liebisch, 43, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for interfering with the performance of the duties of a flight crew. Liebisch carried a box cutter on an airplane en route to Tampa, Florida, and told a fellow passenger that he wanted to stab someone aboard the flight, causing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Atlanta. “The flying public deserves to travel in peace without fear that a fellow passenger will create a violent disturbance,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Liebisch’s conduct created panic among the flight crew and his fellow travelers. His prosecution and sentence hopefully provide a message of deterrence to others.” “We would like to thank the passengers who took action to prevent the violence Liebisch threatened in the air. No one should face harm while flying,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything we can to prevent violence, intimidation, and threats of violence that endanger passenger and flight crew safety on commercial flights.” “Safety is paramount to everyone aboard commercial aircraft, including flight crew at their workplace,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “As illustrated by today’s sentencing, we will continue working diligently with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable unruly passengers who disrupt airline operations.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charge and other information presented in court: on November 11, 2022, William Allen Liebisch arrived at the Cincinnati airport with a ticket for Frontier Airlines Flight 1761, which was traveling from Cincinnati to Tampa. Liebisch entered the TSA security checkpoint where TSA officers confiscated a box cutter within his possession that the officials mistakenly believed they had disabled by removing the blade. But once the flight departed, Liebisch inserted a spare blade that was stored in the handle of the box cutter. A passenger saw Liebisch use the box cutter to clean his nails. Another passenger reported to flight attendants that Liebisch said that he was going to stab someone. This information was passed on to the captain and the other flight attendants. Because there were no law enforcement officers on the flight, one attendant asked two male passengers to assist in keeping Liebisch confined in his seat. One passenger stood in the back nearby while the other took the seat of the passenger who made the report to the flight attendants. Both men and a flight attendant tried to keep Liebisch calm and under control for the remainder of the flight. In the meantime, the captain made the decision to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport, which was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Once the plane landed, the passengers were instructed to deplane immediately and to leave their belongings on the plane. Atlanta Police Department (APD) officers had positioned themselves at the gate and, in effort to maintain calm, chose not to board the plane, but instead to wait for Liebisch to exit. As the final remaining passengers neared the exit of the plane, Liebisch charged forward towards a flight attendant while wielding the box cutter. A passenger then tackled Liebisch from behind as the APD officers rushed on the plane to subdue and arrest him. Liebisch’s disturbance on the flight, his arrest, and TSA’s baggage re-inspection protocols forced Frontier Airlines to delay the flight to Tampa until the following morning, due to safety regulations that limit the number of hours a flight crew may be on duty in one day. Liebisch has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Liebisch was convicted of the charge on December 14, 2023, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Transportation. Assistant United States Attorney Paul R. Jones prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Cartersville Sex Offender Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ROME, Ga. - Jerry Joseph Southern, a convicted sex offender, was sentenced today to ten years of imprisonment for possessing thousands of digital images and videos depicting the rape and sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent minors under the age of 12. “This office remains committed to working with our state and local partners to identify and prosecute individuals who commit heinous crimes against minors,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Southern’s sentence of imprisonment reflects the seriousness of his recidivist conduct and the need to prevent him from facilitating the exploitation of more children.” “Stopping those like Southern that victimize children by viewing and sharing these horrific images of children is one of our highest priorities,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Anthony J. Patrone who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the great work done by our agents, along with our state, local and federal partners, we were able to remove a serious threat from our community and we will continue to pursue those who commit these evil acts.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charge and other information presented in court: in July 2023, after receiving information that someone was using a cellular telephone associated with Southern to share videos and images of child sexual abuse, federal agents and local law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Southern’s Cartersville home. During the search, agents found a cellular phone that Southern had hidden in an air vent. A search of the device revealed that Southern received, collected, and distributed a vast quantity of child sex abuse materials. In 2013, Southern had been convicted of multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child in state court after he pleaded guilty to the offenses. He was placed on probation and required to register as a sex offender after serving a prison term. But he repeatedly violated the terms of his probation, resulting in additional terms of incarceration in 2014, 2019, and 2020. Southern has been sentenced to ten years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $28,500.00. Southern pleaded guilty to possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on December 19, 2023. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Murray County, Georgia Sheriff's Office and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case. This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Federal Halfway House and Its President Sentenced  for Wire Fraud and Making False Statements

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – The former president and director of Secor Inc., a federal halfway house that contracted with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to house inmates, was sentenced last week to 15 months in federal prison for making false statements and wire fraud. Secor, Inc. was sentenced to one year of probation. Matthew Castle, 35, of Lebanon, Virginia, and Secor, Inc., through its counsel, pled guilty in November 2023 to one count of making materially false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the United States, and one count of wire fraud. Secor will serve a term of probation of one to five years. Additionally, Castle and Secor paid $208,105 in restitution, forfeited $40,000, and paid an additional $30,000 in fines. “This sentence serves as another example to those doing business with the United States – if you commit fraud, you will be held accountable,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “As one of the first cases investigated internally by the United States Attorney’s Office and our financial fraud investigator, this marks the beginning of a new era for corporate criminal enforcement in the Western District of Virginia.” According to court documents, Secor was a residential reentry center, commonly referred to as a “halfway house,” for inmates from the BOP who were nearing the end of their federal prison sentences. In 2018, Secor entered into a contract with the BOP that allowed some of the offenders under the care of Secor to be assigned to “home confinement,” meaning those offenders resided at an approved residence not owned by Secor. BOP paid Secor one type of daily rate for offenders who resided at Secor’s facilities and a different monetary daily rate for those on home confinement. Under the terms of the contract, Secor was required to outfit home confinement offenders with GPS monitoring equipment so the offenders’ whereabouts could be determined at all times. In addition, Secor personnel were required to personally visit each offender’s residence on at least a monthly basis to ensure the offender was living at the offender’s assigned residence, in a safe environment, and in accordance with applicable rules. In fact, Secor did not outfit many of the home confinement offenders with GPS monitoring and did not conduct home visits as required. Nonetheless, Castle routinely completed documentation certifying that he had conducted such visits, and in an effort to make it appear that such visits had occurred when they had not, he would make notations such as “things were going well,” and the offender “had no questions or concerns to address at the time.” Each month, Castle submitted fraudulent invoices to BOP for payment, and BOP issued payments based on their representations that Castle and Secor were providing home confinement services in accordance with the contract. The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s new Financial Fraud Investigator with assistance from the Russell County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Pierce and Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Issues 2023 Annual Report

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office made significant strides in 2023 in rebuilding community trust, reinvigorating our protection of civil rights, and restructuring our approach to violent crime, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. The details of the office’s work in 2023 are set forth in a 51-page annual report highlighting prosecutions, community outreach, trials, convictions, systemic change, and community impact. The document is available here for review by the public. The report sets forth the work done in service of the richly-diverse Eastern District of Michigan. The lawyers and support professionals in our Detroit, Flint, and Bay City offices, along with our partner agencies, had significant accomplishments this year. Among them: In fiscal year 2023, our office collected $68,224,759.35 in criminal and civil actions in judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture, more than twice our operating budget of $ 24.9 million. These funds are being returned to victims and taxpayers. Our efforts to target the most violent offenders who are harming public safety resulted in numerous federal convictions. We obtained conviction for the leader of the Seven Mile Bloods Gang who terrorized Detroit’s east side for many years. We also obtained Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) convictions for three senior members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation, a criminal enterprise that operates across the country including in Detroit. We filed suit against a Dearborn Heights landlord who is alleged to have subjected actual and prospective female tenants to sexual harassment on multiple occasions since at least 2017. We charged a former Warren police officer with violating a jail prisoner’s civil rights by assaulting the prisoner without justification. We remained committed to rooting out public corruption in our community as 2023 saw the Mayor of Inkster indicted by our office for bribery and guilty pleas from the Mayor of Taylor for conspiracy to receive bribes and wire fraud and the President of the Madison School Board for bribery and tax evasion. We obtained a conviction at trial against an ISIS fighter who left his home in Michigan and travelled to Yemen and Syria where he obtained ISIS training and spent more than 2 years as an ISIS soldier. The office has charged 142 defendants (52 in 2023) with participating in pandemic fraud schemes, ranging from unemployment insurance fraud conspiracies to fraud in pandemic loan programs. Of the individuals charged in such cases, the United States has thus far obtained more than 86 convictions. We indicted 8 people and charged them with federal civil rights offenses and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with employees and patients of a reproductive health clinic, because the clinic’s employees were providing, and the patients were seeking, reproductive health services. Although we are encouraged by the results of our efforts in 2023, we recognize that we still have more work to do. The work detailed in the 2023 Annual Report details our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe, protect civil rights, and ensure fairness and opportunity for everyone in our community. Each day, the 220 men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work diligently to further these goals and to advance the interests of our nation.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Seeking to Identify Potential Victims in Connection with Online Child Exploitation Case

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs announced that their offices are seeking to identify potential victims of an online child exploitation scheme, which originated in Los Angeles, California, and is believed to have victimized minor females in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and elsewhere, starting as early as 2014. The defendant in this investigation , John Douglas Burch, a resident of the Santa Monica, California area, has been charged by federal indictment in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct and enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and prostitution. Between 2014 and 2024, the defendant was active on numerous online applications, including KIK, Omegle, Snapchat, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Discord, Seeking Arrangements, and Fetlife, and may be known by the following usernames: “ Burch ”; “ Mstr_trainer ”; “ Just 9x6.5a ”; “ Notyourfitguru ”; “ @TheBurch9567 ”; “ NOTYOURFITGURU ”; “ @food_is_not_enemy ”; “ @notyourfitguru2 ”; “ @not_your_fit_guru_original ”; “ @backup_notyourfitguru ”. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know has had contact with this individual or any of the usernames above and would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI via email at BurchVictims@fbi.gov or complete this online questionnaire . An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. For additional resources and information, please visit: DOJ Office for Victims of Crime - Help for Victims National Safe Place Network National Child Traumatic Stress Network National Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 800-273-8255 Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) National Center for Missing & Exploited Children


title: Rare, Wrongfully Obtained Manuscript Returned to Peruvian Government

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs announced that a rare sixteenth-century manuscript was repatriated to the Peruvian government at a ceremony today presided over by U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. The ceremony took place at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., with the Philadelphia case team in attendance. On behalf of the Republic of Peru, Foreign Affairs Minister Javier González-Olaechea accepted the manuscript from the FBI. It will now be returned to the Archivo General de la Nación del Perú, the Peruvian national archives. This six-page document, dated June 28, 1599, is a contract for the formation of the first theatrical company in the Americas in Lima, Peru. It had been in the collection of the Rosenbach Museum & Library (“the Rosenbach”) for almost a century, when it was voluntarily transferred by the Rosenbach to the custody of the FBI in November 2023. In 2017, at the request of the Republic of Peru and in coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, the FBI Art Crime Team and the United States Attorney’s Office began an investigation into whether these manuscript pages in the Rosenbach collection had been wrongfully removed from a sixteenth-century bound volume in the Peruvian national archives. The Rosenbach cooperated fully in this investigation and concluded that the manuscript, which had been purchased in the 1920s by its founder, Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach, had been removed from the bound volume in the archives at some time prior to Dr. Rosenbach’s purchase. “It’s been an honor for our office to assist in the return of this centuries-old manuscript to the people of Peru,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The document represents a unique part of Peru’s history, and its repatriation reflects the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to protecting cultural heritage, not just in our own country, but around the world.” “We are incredibly grateful to stand alongside our partners, both national and international, to return cultural property to its rightful home,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The Bureau, through the diligent work of our Art Crime Team, is committed to preserving cultural heritage and returning them to the communities to which they belong.” The United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the Peruvian government for their partnership, and acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of the Rosenbach that led to today’s repatriation. This case was investigated by the FBI Art Crime Team and was handled by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.


title: Sandusky Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Dispensing Drugs to Patients

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TOLEDO – Gregory J. Gerber, age 58, of Port Clinton, Ohio, was sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, II after earlier pleading guilty to illegally dispensing narcotics to patients. Gerber was sentenced to 42 months imprisonment to be followed by one year of home confinement for the first of 3 years of supervised release. Gerber was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $861,892.13. According to testimony and court records, from January 2010 to August 2018, Gerber repeatedly prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, including powerful painkillers such as fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone and other drugs. Gerber distributed narcotics that were not medically necessary by writing controlled substance prescriptions without first performing adequate patient physical examinations. He also used faulty diagnoses to prescribe excessive doses of controlled substances for long periods of time without evidence that the controlled substances were helping the patients, all while ignoring signs of addiction and drug abuse among those patients. Gerber, who operated Gregory J. Gerber, M.D. LLC on Hayes Avenue in Sandusky, also profited significantly from prescribing Subsys, a particular branded formulation of fentanyl manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, Inc. Between 2013 and 2016, Gerber received $175,000 from Insys for promoting the drug through Insys’s speaker’s bureau program. During that same time, Gerber wrote 835 prescriptions for Subsys. “When he became a physician, Dr. Gerber vowed to care for his patients—to heal, not harm,” said U.S. Attorney Becky Lutzko. “But Dr. Gerber violated both federal law and his oath when he illegally distributed addictive painkillers to his patients. The Northern District of Ohio, like many districts throughout the country, continues to combat a staggering opioid crisis. My Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to investigating and prosecuting physicians who abuse their positions of trust by unlawfully prescribing medically unnecessary opioid prescriptions and endanger their patients’ lives.” “Abusing one’s position as a trusted healthcare provider by deliberately harming others for personal gain is disgraceful,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Gregory Gerber exhibited a blatant disregard for his patients’ wellbeing and instead, purposefully sought ways to capitalize on—and at times, contribute to—a worsening condition. The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to find and investigate practitioners in the medical community who target and victimize vulnerable populations.” “Physicians are expected to be trusted individuals within the communities they serve. The defendant’s actions placed patients at risk of harm and further burdened the federal health care system through his illegal conduct,” said Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Region. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who endanger beneficiaries of our federal health care programs are brought to justice.” “This disgraced doctor violated the most important oath—to do no harm,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “No punishment can reverse the damage of the opioid crisis, but we are fortunate to have investigators and partner agencies that root out these criminal schemes.” This case was investigated by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Ohio Attorney General’s Healthcare Fraud Section and Ohio Board of Pharmacy. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller.