title: August Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Gabino Cabrera-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cabrera-Martinez, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Feb. 2017 at or near El Paso, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-247 Bruce Mitchell Cass. Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 3); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 4). Cass, 50, of Tulsa and a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma member, is charged with assaulting the victim with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and carrying, brandishing, and using a firearm while during a crime of violence. Additionally, Cass is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was previously been convicted of felonies. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Carmel is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-257 Jeffrey Alan Clain. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Clain, 57, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly attempting to coerce and entice another person he believed was under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-248 Leonardo Garcia-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Martinez, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jul. 2003 at or near Calexico, California. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-247 Anderson Jaleth Gomez-Ayala. Alien Unlawfully in United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Gomez-Ayala, 19, a Honduran national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition knowing he was unlawfully in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-241 Bryce Tyler Pyle. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Pyle, 26, of Bixby and a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with breaking into an occupied home with intent to commit a crime. He is further charged with using a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. Additionally, Pyle discharged a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-249 Eder Francisco Ramirez. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 2 and 3). Ramirez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Apr. 2023 through Jul. 2024. He is further charged with knowingly distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and 50 grams of methamphetamine, on separate occasions. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-246 Juan Carlos Rincon-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rincon-Castro, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Mar. 2023 at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-245 Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Tibbs, 22, of Tulsa and a Seminole Nation of Oklahoma member, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-255 Matthew Lee Wilkins. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Wilkins, 35, of Galena, Kansas, and a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-256


title: Southern California Dental Offices and Former Owners Pay $6.3M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: Civil Division

body_text: West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC (formerly West Coast Dental Services Inc.), which operates a network of dental offices in Southern California, and its founders and former owners, Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan and Farhad Manavi, have paid $6.3 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the False Claims Act in connection with seven improper loans that West Coast Dental Services Inc. (West Coast Dental) and affiliated dental offices received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Additionally, City Real Estate Holdings Inc., a real estate investment company owned by Dr. Manavi, has paid an additional $35,149.82 to resolve its potential liability under the False Claims Act in connection with a separate PPP loan. The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration, was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan as a small business depended on various factors, including the type of business operated by the borrower and the number of employees of both the borrower and its corporate affiliates. In 2021, Congress offered a second round of forgivable loans through the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act. Under PPP rules, second draw loans were strictly limited to businesses with 300 employees or less. When applying for PPP loans and loan forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. The United States alleged that West Coast Dental and six of its affiliated dental practices received seven improper second draw PPP loans and subsequent forgiveness of these loans based on false certifications that the companies qualified for the loans even though they were ineligible because the dental practices collectively employed more than 300 individuals. The United States further alleged that West Coast Dental and its affiliates failed to disclose common ownership of the affiliated dental offices in their separate PPP applications. The United States also alleged that City Real Estate Holdings Inc., which received a PPP loan, was ineligible to receive the loan under PPP rules, because it is a passive business operated for investment purposes. City Real Estate Holdings Inc. sought and received forgiveness of its total loan amount. “PPP loans were intended to support small businesses facing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold borrowers who improperly received and sought forgiveness of PPP loans accountable for their actions.” “Companies such as these that depleted crucial pandemic-assistance funding will be held accountable under the False Claims Act,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “This resolution evidences our office’s earnest commitment to ensure that companies act with the utmost integrity and compunction.” “This settlement sends a signal to wrongdoers that evidence of improper conduct will be brought to light,” said Special Agent in Charge Weston King for Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG)’s Western Region. “Our office will remain relentless in the pursuit of those who seek to exploit SBA’s vital pandemic response programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their exceptional efforts and collaboration in pursuit of justice.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Relator LLC, a limited liability corporation formed by California attorneys Anoush Hakimi and Peter Shahriari. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Relator LLC v. West Coast Dental Services Inc., et al., CV 22-3812-MCS (MARx) (C.D. Cal.). Relator LLC will receive approximately $507,000 as its share of the total settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Trial Attorney Allie Pang of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack D. Ross for the Central District of California handled the matter, with the assistance of Paralegal Heather Beckler, Investigator Maria Marsh, and Auditor John Powers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Special Agent Samuel Huynh of SBA-OIG also provided investigative assistance. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Spokane Valley Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on  Firearm and Fentanyl Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Alexander Kosnicki, 46 of Spokane Valley, Washington, was sentenced on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Kosnicki was convicted of those crimes on February 13, 2024, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 70 months in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and sentencing, on the night of November 22, 2022, Kosnicki was sleeping in the lobby of an apartment building in downtown Spokane. Residents of the building alerted security. Security guards searched Kosnicki and located a small amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills as well as a handgun in Kosnicki’s jacket pocket. Security then called Spokane Police. At the time Kosnicki entered the apartment building carrying these illicit items, Kosnicki had a prior federal conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Felon in Possession of a Firearm out of the Western District of Washington and was not allowed to possess a firearm. Spokane Police officers searched Kosnicki. During the search, officers located $1,147 in cash in Kosnicki’s right sock and located two large bags of fentanyl pills in Kosnicki’s left sock. “Mr. Kosnicki illegally possessed a firearm and was distributing deadly fentanyl in our communities. His actions contributed to the growing epidemic of drug use in our society,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our office has been prosecuting fentanyl cases vigorously as part of our ongoing efforts to build safer and stronger communities. Fentanyl is particularly lethal, and we are proactively working to prevent the tragedy it causes to Eastern Washington families on a daily basis.” “Fentanyl and firearms are a lethal combination, and I am gratified that the DEA and our partners could hold Mr. Kosnicki accountable for his behavior,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Our community is safer because of this sentence.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Spokane Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Perez.


title: Brentwood-Based Dental Offices Company and Former Owners Pay $6.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to COVID Relief

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC (formerly West Coast Dental Services Inc.), a Brentwood-based company which operates a network of dental offices in Southern California, and its founders and former owners, Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan and Farhad Manavi, have paid $6.3 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the False Claims Act in connection with seven improper loans that West Coast Dental Services Inc. (West Coast Dental) and affiliated dental offices received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Additionally, City Real Estate Holdings Inc., a Beverly Hills-based real estate investment company owned by Dr. Manavi, has paid an additional $35,149.82 to resolve its potential liability under the False Claims Act in connection with a separate PPP loan. “Companies such as these that depleted crucial pandemic-assistance funding will be held accountable under the False Claims Act,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This resolution evidences our office’s earnest commitment to ensure that companies act with the utmost integrity and compunction.” The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration, was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan as a small business depended on various factors, including the type of business operated by the borrower and the number of employees of both the borrower and its corporate affiliates. In 2021, Congress offered a second round of forgivable loans through the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act. Under PPP rules, second draw loans were strictly limited to businesses with 300 employees or less. When applying for PPP loans and loan forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. The United States alleged that West Coast Dental and six of its affiliated dental practices received seven improper second draw PPP loans and subsequent forgiveness of these loans based on false certifications that the companies qualified for the loans even though they were ineligible because the dental practices collectively employed more than 300 individuals. The United States further alleged that West Coast Dental and its affiliates failed to disclose common ownership of the affiliated dental offices in their separate PPP applications. The United States also alleged that City Real Estate Holdings Inc., which received a PPP loan, was ineligible to receive the loan under PPP rules, because it is a passive business operated for investment purposes. City Real Estate Holdings Inc. sought and received forgiveness of its total loan amount. “PPP loans were intended to support small businesses facing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold borrowers who improperly received and sought forgiveness of PPP loans accountable for their actions.” “This settlement sends a signal to wrongdoers that evidence of improper conduct will be brought to light,” said Special Agent in Charge Weston King for Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG)’s Western Region. “Our office will remain relentless in the pursuit of those who seek to exploit SBA’s vital pandemic response programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their exceptional efforts and collaboration in pursuit of justice.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Relator LLC, a limited liability corporation formed by California attorneys Anoush Hakimi and Peter Shahriari. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Relator LLC v. West Coast Dental Services Inc., et al. , CV 22-3812-MCS (MARx) (C.D. Cal.). Relator LLC will receive approximately $507,000 as its share of the total settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jack D. Ross of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Allie Pang of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section handled the matter, with the assistance of Paralegal Heather Beckler, Investigator Maria Marsh, and Auditor John Powers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Special Agent Samuel Huynh of SBA-OIG also provided investigative assistance. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Illinois Man Charged with Robbing Credit Union

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury returned an indictment on August 6, 2024, charging Troy D. Burke, 41, with robbing the Community Plus Federal Credit Union in Rantoul, Illinois, on June 20, 2024. Burke was arrested in Rantoul on June 20, 2024, by officers of the Rantoul Police Department and has remained in the custody of law enforcement since that date. He was initially charged by the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office and later charged by federal complaint. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the crime charged are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Agencies participating in the investigation include the Rantoul Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch is representing the government in the prosecution. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Dentist Pleads Guilty to Stealing Fentanyl from Patients

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rochester, Illinois, dentist, Phillip M. Jensen, 63, pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024, to two counts of drug diversion, two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of false statements relating to health care matters. Sentencing for Jensen has been scheduled on December 4, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois. In court before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, Jensen admitted to having stolen fentanyl from his patients, which was supposed to have been used to manage their pain during surgery. During the hearing, the government stated that Jensen owned and operated a dental practice in Springfield, Illinois, where he specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He received payment for his professional services through both private and public health care benefit programs. Starting as early as December 2019 and continuing through at least August 2020, Jensen took fentanyl he received, removed the safety caps, withdrew at least half of the fentanyl in the single-use vial, refilled the vial with saline, and glued the caps back on to hide what he had done. In total, Jensen obtained more than 40 grams of fentanyl for his personal use through his fraud. Jensen admitted that his theft came to light after his surgical assistants noticed patients moaning and moving and saw changes in patients’ blood pressure and heart rates that indicated that they were in pain during the surgery. The counts to which Jensen pleaded guilty included the following. Counts 3, 5, 14, and 15 of Jensen’s indictment documented specific patients and specific dates where this conduct occurred. Count 17 set out details of one patient’s experience who woke during surgery and was struck in the forehead by Jensen, enduring the extraction of three additional teeth and smoothing of her jawbone, all without the benefit of anesthesia and the fentanyl that was supposed to control her pain. Counts 19 and 20 charged that Jensen made materially false entries into two patients’ medical records regarding the fentanyl provided for surgeries and paid for by Molina Healthcare of Illinois. Molina paid Jensen a total of $13,137 for the two procedures. A federal grand jury returned a twenty-count indictment against Jensen in February 2022. He was originally released on bond, but a warrant was issued in July 2024 for violation of the terms and conditions of bond and the conditions of his pre-trial release, and Jensen was detained at that time. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing. Jensen faces statutory penalties of: Since Jensen may be ordered to serve the sentences consecutively, he faces a possible maximum sentence of 78 years in prison, up to a $1,750,000 fine, and up to 21 years of supervised release. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, Springfield Resident Office, which focuses on cases involving pharmaceutical controlled substances diverted from the legal chain of commerce to the illegal drug market, investigated this case in conjunction with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Sierra Senor-Moore are representing the government in the prosecution.


title: Moorhead Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Moorhead man has pleaded guilty to his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, beginning in April 2023 through February 23, 2024, Jamie Richard White, 46, knowingly and willingly entered into an arrangement in which he would acquire over 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. On October 26, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence as part of investigating the alleged restraint of a woman in his basement. In his home, law enforcement found over 400 grams of powder fentanyl laced with the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine. Text messages on White’s cell phone confirmed that he planned to distribute the fentanyl/xylazine mixture. White was arrested, charged with several state crimes, taken into custody, and released on bond in December 2023. While his state charges were pending, White continued to conspire to possess and distribute methamphetamine. On February 25, 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a parcel bound for an address in the Fargo-Moorhead area containing nine pounds of methamphetamine. Agents removed the methamphetamine and conducted a controlled delivery at the intended delivery address. Once delivered, law enforcement observed White’s co-conspirators retrieve and open the package and then leave. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement stopped the co-defendants and found one of them in possession of three additional pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement separately stopped White and found him in possession of an additional 125 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and other miscellaneous drug distribution materials. The investigation comprises the largest combined seizure of methamphetamine in Clay County, Minnesota. White pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Because he has multiple prior felonies, White is subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum prison term. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Moorhead Police Department, and other supporting agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso is prosecuting the case.


title: Former West Virginia Corrections Officers Plead Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charges in Connection with Death of Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today for their respective roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to violating inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from being physically assaulted by other correctional officers. According to their plea agreements, Toney and Boothe each acknowledged that they separately responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. After Toney and Boothe arrived, officers restrained and handcuffed Q.B. Toney, Boothe and other officers then escorted Q.B. to an interview room, where Toney and Boothe watched as other officers struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Toney and Boothe each admitted that officers struck and injured Q.B. in the interview room in order to punish him for attempting to leave his assigned pod. Toney and Boothe each further admitted that they each knew that officers could not use unreasonable force to punish inmates, including pretrial detainees, and that officers had a duty to intervene to stop other officers from using such unreasonable force. In her plea agreement, Toney further admitted knowing that the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” at the jail — meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened inside the room. Toney was aware that officers would bring inmates, including pretrial detainees, who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots” in the jail, where the officers could use unreasonable force without video evidence that would result in accountability for the misconduct. In addition, in plea documents, Toney admitted that to help officers escape liability, she knowingly provided false information during the ensuing investigation of Q.B.’s death. Toney also intentionally failed to report officers’ unreasonable use of force against Q.B. to state investigators inquiring into Q.B.’s injuries and death, and she conspired with officers to instruct fellow officers to give false information to investigators. Toney and Boothe were among six former correctional officers indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. Trial for the remaining four defendants is scheduled for Oct. 8. Two other defendants had separately pleaded guilty in connection with Q.B.’s death. On Nov. 2, 2023, former Southern Regional Jail officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Q.B. Toney and Boothe each pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for Nov. 4. According to their respective plea agreements, Toney and Boothe each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Deputy Criminal Chief Monica Coleman for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Owner Of Orlando Company Sentenced To 24 Years In Federal Prison For $57 Million Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Avinash Singh (42, St. Cloud) to 24 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. The court also ordered Singh to forfeit the $57 million in proceeds he obtained from his offenses, as well as real property that he purchased with those proceeds. Singh entered a guilty plea on May 6, 2024. According to court documents, Singh operated an Orlando-based company by the name of Highrise Advantage, LLC (Highrise). From February 2013 to September 2020, Singh received more than $57 million from over 1,100 victims who believed that they were making investments in retail foreign currency contracts (forex) through Highrise. To induce his victims to invest, Singh claimed that he had a proven track record of success as a forex trader, that he was going to use the funds for investments in forex, and that he would “guarantee” that his victims would not lose any funds for any trading losses. None of these representations were true. Rather than invest his victims’ funds in forex trading as he had promised, Singh used funds from one investor to pay amounts owed to another investor. Singh misappropriated at least $45 million of the victims’ “investments” in the form of payments to other investors and also spent millions of dollars in personal expenses, including the purchase of real estate, retail purchases, phone bills, events, dining, and reserving music studio space to record music with his band. “This case epitomizes selfish greed at an astonishing level,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Mr. Singh tried to use the proceeds of his Ponzi scheme to live like a pop star while popping the dreams of his victim investors. This sentencing shows that we will go to great lengths to ensure those who try to illegally place themselves above others are held accountable.” This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, the St. Cloud IRS Federal Financial Crimes Task Force, and the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels. Asset recovery was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.


title: Biloxi Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 109 Grams of Methamphetamine

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

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi, Mississippi man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 109 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Mark Oatis, 47, was found in possession of 109 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, and clear plastic baggies during a traffic stop in Gulfport. Oatis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gulfport Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to surreptitiously filming an 11-year-old Massachusetts girl as she changed in her bedroom. Jacob Guerrero, 26, of Woodland, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a child. Guerrero was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 14, 2022. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2024. “Mr. Guerrero is a predator who targeted young children by tracking their moves. Worse, he violated a young girl’s privacy while she was in the safety of her own home, all for his own sexual gratification,” said Joshua S. Levy, Acting United States Attorney. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners that Mr. Guerrero’s disturbing behavior was stopped and no other children were victimized.” “Child sexual exploitation cases are among the most disturbing the FBI works. They’re also some of the most impactful,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today, Jacob Guerrero admitted to depraved behavior. He repeatedly violated children’s privacy and exploited them for his own gratification. In this case, he preyed upon an 11-year-old girl in her own home. Make no mistake, FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force is working hard every day to find and bring to justice anyone actively harming children like this.” For two weeks, Guerrero staked out the home of the victim, taking notes of times when she and her siblings showered, changed, and went to bed. On March 17, 2021, Guerrero climbed to the top of a garage attached to the victim’s home and stood just outside the 11-year-old victim’s second floor bedroom window. There, Guerrero recorded a video of the victim, unclothed, as she changed for bed. Guerrero took similar notes of the comings and goings of the children residing in several other Massachusetts homes. This case arose following an investigation into allegations that Guerrero, while dressed in a wig and women’s clothing, attempted to surreptitiously record minor females in bathrooms and changing rooms at the Wrentham Outlets using pen cameras affixed to his shoes. State charges arising from that incident were dismissed when Guerrero was indicted federally. Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. Pursuant to the plea agreement in this matter, Guerrero faces a sentence of 15 to 20 years’ in prison. The charge of sexually exploiting a child provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $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 Joshua S. Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Wrentham Police Chief William McGrath made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Assault of Congregants Outside a Washington D.C. Synagogue Charged as a Federal Hate Crime

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON —A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Brent Wood, 35, of Toledo, Ohio, with three counts of obstructing by force or threat of force a person’s enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs, while using a dangerous weapon. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office. The indictment alleges that on December 17, 2023, Wood drove a U-Haul truck around security barriers and parked on the sidewalk directly in front of Kesher Israel Congregation Synagogue, at 2801 N St NW, Washington, DC. Over the next several minutes, while in the immediate vicinity of the synagogue, Wood accosted congregants and others by spraying a noxious aerosol and yelling, “Gas the Jews!” Wood faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the three counts. The hate crimes sentencing enhancement increases the guidelines range of the potential sentence. Wood previously was charged in D.C. Superior Court with simple assault. He is currently a fugitive in that case. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr. For more information and resources about the Justice Department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Wiggins Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Wiggins, Mississippi man pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, Russell David Parker, 47, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Stone County on March 9, 2024. Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Stone County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today for their respective roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to violating inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from being physically assaulted by other correctional officers. According to their plea agreements, Toney and Boothe each acknowledged that they separately responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. After Toney and Boothe arrived, officers restrained and handcuffed Q.B. Toney, Boothe and other officers then escorted Q.B. to an interview room, where Toney and Boothe watched as other officers struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Toney and Boothe each admitted that officers struck and injured Q.B. in the interview room in order to punish him for attempting to leave his assigned pod. Toney and Boothe each further admitted that they each knew that officers could not use unreasonable force to punish inmates, including pretrial detainees, and that officers had a duty to intervene to stop other officers from using such unreasonable force. In her plea agreement, Toney further admitted knowing that the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” at the jail — meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened inside the room. Toney was aware that officers would bring inmates, including pretrial detainees, who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots” in the jail, where the officers could use unreasonable force without video evidence that would result in accountability for the misconduct. In addition, in plea documents, Toney admitted that to help officers escape liability, she knowingly provided false information during the ensuing investigation of Q.B.’s death. Toney also intentionally failed to report officers’ unreasonable use of force against Q.B. to state investigators inquiring into Q.B.’s injuries and death, and she conspired with officers to instruct fellow officers to give false information to investigators. Toney and Boothe were among six former correctional officers indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. Trial for the remaining four defendants is scheduled for Oct. 8. Two other defendants had separately pleaded guilty in connection with Q.B.’s death. On Nov. 2, 2023, former Southern Regional Jail officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Q.B. Toney and Boothe each pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for Nov. 4. According to their respective plea agreements, Toney and Boothe each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Deputy Criminal Chief Monica Coleman for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-cr-123 (Boothe) and 5:24-cr-124 (Toney). ###


title: Atlanta Man Sentenced to 28+ Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl that Contributed to a Poisoning Death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – An Atlanta resident who was supplying large quantities of fentanyl and other controlled substances to distributors in Middle Georgia was sentenced to serve more than 28 years in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in a case where investigators found evidence of an individual who overdosed and died from drugs supplied by the defendant. Lagary Williams aka “Frog,” 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve 340 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Aug. 8. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Oct. 30, 2023. There is no parole in the federal system. “Lagary Williams—who was recorded on wiretap mocking the death of a man who overdosed on his fentanyl supply—is now held accountable for providing kilograms of fentanyl and other deadly drugs to people living in Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we’ve faced, and our office will continue to pour every available resource into addressing the fentanyl crisis alongside our federal, local and state law enforcement partners.” “Fentanyl and methamphetamine have taken a terrible toll on our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. “This drug distributor and his associates will now face the consequences of their actions.” “A large amount of deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine was taken off the streets of Central Georgia, and a key supplier has been stopped,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Partnering with law enforcement at every level, GBI will continue to dedicate resources to investigating armed drug distribution activity in a collective effort to make the communities we serve safer.” According to court documents, statements and evidence admitted in court, agents with the DEA Macon Resident Office (MRO), the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force (ODTF) and the GBI received credible and reliable information from multiple confidential sources regarding illegal drug activities occurring in the Milledgeville area in July 2020. Co-defendant Damon Hayes was identified as a multi-kilogram distributor of methamphetamine, powder cocaine and crack cocaine with Williams as his supply source. Through surveillance, agents observed Hayes acquire bulk quantities of narcotics from Williams’ luxury high-rise apartment in downtown Atlanta. During the course of the investigation, Williams and another distributor were recorded on wiretap discussing an overdose victim who died from fentanyl supplied by Williams. In the wiretap played during the sentencing hearing, Williams said, “You got one under your belt, boy [laughing]" to the distributor about the victim’s death by fentanyl poisoning. Williams also made statements demonstrating he was aware of the dangerously high strength of the fentanyl he was sourcing. On Sept. 10, 2021, after intercepts on the wiretap indicated that Hayes was travelling to Atlanta to meet Williams for a drug re-supply meeting, a federal search warrant issued in the Northern District of Georgia was executed at Williams’ apartment. Agents encountered Williams and another person, who both jumped off the apartment’s balcony to evade capture. Both individuals were subsequently captured. Agents recovered 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl in the apartment, as well as one kilogram of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 50 grams of cocaine base, approximately seven pounds of marijuana, a Glock 19 9mm pistol and a Ruger model 57 handgun. For information about the convictions of codefendants in this case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/atlanta-based-fentanyl-meth-supplier-central-georgia-pleads-guilty . Over the past several years, the Justice Department has focused on breaking apart every link in the global fentanyl supply chain – from China to Mexico to the United States. To learn more, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/fact-sheet-justice-department-actions-counter-scourge-fentanyl-and-other-synthetic-drugs . This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by DEA, GBI, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office, the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office and the Gwinnett Metro Task Force. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Clinton Resident Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Clinton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 124 months of imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release, on his conviction of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Roderick T. Long, 59. According to information presented to the Court, on March 9, 2020, Long—who had previously served a 121-month federal sentence of imprisonment for receiving material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor—was found in possession of more than 500 videos and still images in computer graphics and digital files depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, many of whom had not attained the age of 12 years. The Pennsylvania State Police had obtained a search warrant for Long’s home, where they found the sexually exploitive material saved in his laptop computer and cellular telephone. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan stated that the nature of Long’s offense, the harm and trauma caused to the child victims, and Long’s previous conviction for receiving sexually exploitive imagery of children warranted a significant term of imprisonment and lifetime supervised release. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Long. 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Palestinian National Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with Minor

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Palestinian national was sentenced in federal court to 90 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Huthayfa Almassri, 33, who had pleaded guilty to the charge on April 15, 2024. According to information presented to the Court, Almassri traveled from Palestine on May 31, 2022, and was admitted to the United States as a Lawful Permanent Resident. On June 14, 2022, Almassri initiated an online relationship with an individual he believed to be a minor but was actually a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity. In his conversations with the minor, Almassri lied about his age and real name. On October 16, 2022, Almassri arranged to meet with the minor for sex. Almassri was arrested when he arrived to meet with the minor. In conjunction with his guilty plea, Almassri agreed to the judge’s entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Almassri. 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 .


title: Previously Convicted Felon from Beaver Falls Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Repeated Possession of Firearms

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to firearms charges and was sentenced to 77 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Eric Kalif Hubbard, 41. According to evidence presented to the Court, on May 23, 2023, an officer with the New Brighton Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hubbard. In approaching the vehicle, the officer observed an open container and the odor of alcohol, as well as a black satchel bag in the vehicle. When asked by the officer to exit the vehicle due to suspicion of drunk driving, Hubbard sped away in the vehicle. Officers pursued Hubbard and, upon finding his crashed vehicle, arrested Hubbard hiding in the brush and searched the nearby Beaver River, where they recovered a black satchel floating in the water. That bag contained three pill bottles bearing Hubbard’s name and a loaded revolver. On July 14, 2023, an officer with the Beaver Falls Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Hubbard after observing that there was no inspection sticker on his windshield. The officer, who was aware of the prior traffic stop and also knew that Hubbard had a suspended license, determined that the vehicle was a rental, that Hubbard was not on the rental agreement, and that the vehicle had to be towed. Upon conducting an inventory of the vehicle while awaiting a tow truck, the officer discovered contraband, stopped the inventory, and applied for a search warrant, with the resulting search leading to the recovery of three black ski masks, three pairs of black gloves, a loaded 12 gauge shotgun with a cut stock, and a loaded semiautomatic rifle. At the time Hubbard possessed the firearms and ammunition seized in these instances, he had been convicted of seven felony offenses. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the New Brighton Police Department, Beaver Falls Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hubbard.


title: Providence Gang Member Sentenced for Possessing Ammunition

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A convicted felon described in court documents as being a member of a “dangerous Providence Street gang and a driver of violence within that group” was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Ryan DaCruz, 28, of Providence and Central Falls, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 24 months of incarceration to be followed by two years of federal supervised released. DaCruz pleaded guilty on pleaded guilty on January 30, 2024, to a charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition. On May 31, 2023, in support of an ongoing Project Safe neighborhoods investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with officers and detectives from the Providence and Central Falls Police Departments, encountered DaCruz as he left a Central Falls apartment. A number of packages of marijuana, consistent with being packaged for sale, and several hundred dollars in cash bundled in different quantities were found in his backpack. Agents and officers followed DaCruz’s arrest with a court-authorized search of the apartment DaCruz had just left and located a 30-round, Glock magazine for use in a 9mm Glock firearm, a clear plastic bag containing 14 rounds of commercially produced 9x19mm ammunition, and a small bag of suspected cocaine among his personal belongings. As reflected in court documents, DaCruz’s affiliation with the East Side gang dates back to at least 2016. DaCruz appears in a video filmed in 2016 that depicts him riding through a residence on a wheel board singing, holding what appears to be two pistols/revolvers. As the video ends, DaCruz pulls the triggers on both guns. The menacing lyrics of the song that he is singing in the video was in reference to Chad Brown, a rival Providence gang. Court records illustrate that DaCruz was previously convicted and sentenced in Rhode Island state court on drug and firearms charges in crimes unrelated to the case heard today in federal court. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John P. McAdams and Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by ATF, Providence Police Department, and Central Falls Police Department. 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: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted For Enticing A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Delta Henry Rushing II (29, Orlando) with enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity and committing a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender. If convicted on all counts, Rushing faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Rushing that the United States intends to forfeit assets that Rushing used to facilitate the offenses. According to the indictment, between November 3, 2022, and December 5, 2022, Rushing, a prior convicted sex offender, enticed an individual who Rushing knew was under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Peoria Felon Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Possession and Sales of Machineguns, Firearms and Ammunition

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Devonte Powell Thompson, 27, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment for two counts of possession of a machinegun and three counts of possession of firearms and ammunition. His sentence includes a three-year term of supervised release to be served upon completion of his term of confinement. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Thompson, while on parole for a state felony firearm conviction, possessed and sold three handguns, including an AR-15-style privately manufactured “ghost gun” pistol, two machinegun conversion “switch” devices, and ammunition over the course of four transactions in February 2023. Thompson was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to any one of his five prior felony convictions, three of which were firearm-related offenses. The indictment was filed in July 2023, and Thompson was arrested shortly thereafter on July 19, 2023. Thompson entered a guilty plea in February 2024. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. The statutory penalties for possession of a machinegun are up to 10 years’ imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, for each count. The penalties for possession of firearms and ammunition are up to 15 years imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, for each count. The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution. 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: Former North Dakota State Senator Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Prague to Have Commercial Sex with Children

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former North Dakota State Senator pleaded guilty today to traveling to Prague, Czech Republic, to have commercial sex with minor boys. According to court documents and facts established in public proceedings, Ray Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, took approximately 14 trips to Prague between 2011 and 2021 to engage in commercial sex acts with minor boys. During some of these trips, Holmberg used the alias “Sean Evans” while staying at a brothel where young boys provided commercial sexual services. Holmberg also went to a public park in front of the main train station in Prague to procure sex from minor boys. Holmberg also used the “Sean Evans” alias to communicate with friends about the trips. In those communications, Holmberg discussed “his twink,” and commented that “no one is ever too young . . . remember Prague.” He emailed another friend a link to a known brothel in Prague named the “Villa Mansland,” and wrote “[l]et’s go, this summer . . . The boys rent at around $60 (sex is extra).” Later in the communications, Holmberg wrote “it will be decadent but oh so much fun bro. What happens in Prague—Stays in Prague.” In other emails, he requested at least one of the employees at the brothel to find him a “kid.” Holmberg pleaded guilty to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota; and Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul made the announcement. HSI and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Puhl for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former peace officer imprisoned for trafficking drugs and cartel money across state lines

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 50-year-old resident of Houston has been sentenced following his conviction of attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury deliberated for eight hours following a four-day trial before convicting Mohammed “Alex” Ahmed Kassem Feb. 27. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Kassem to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard arguments about the amount of drugs and money that Kassem transported. In handing down the sentence, the court recognized the unusual nature of the case given Kassem’s reliance on public authority to excuse his conduct and Kassem’s own testimony. “The sentence reflects the serious nature of the crime by someone sworn to be a public servant,” said Hamdani. “Kassem was willing to use his badge for his own financial gain. This was an important statement to corrupt law enforcement that you will be prosecuted if you go outside the bounds of the law and abuse your position of trust.” Kassem is a former investigator with the Waller County District Attorney’s (DA) Office. At the trial, the jury heard how he escorted sham heroin and cartel drug money across state lines. He drove from Louisiana to Houston and Houston to San Antonio in his marked police vehicle on three separate occasions for which he was paid a total of $31,000. At the time of the trial, testimony further revealed Kassem hid money in his bulletproof vest and disguised the sham heroin in an evidence bag to avoid detection. During the trial, audio and video recordings were presented of each transaction and related text messages. The jury also saw bank records of cash deposits made to Kassem’s personal account after each payment. Kassem took the stand in his own defense claiming he had authority to commit these crimes. Kassem also maintained that he received implicit approval from the Waller County DA to conduct undercover investigations as part of his role at the DA’s Office. However, the jury heard testimony from his former employer which refuted those statements. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty. Kassem will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.


title: Four Men Charged in Philippine Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment today charging three executives of an election voting machine and service provider company and a former Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Republic of the Philippines for their roles in an alleged bribery and money laundering scheme to retain and obtain business related to the 2016 Philippine elections. According to the indictment, between 2015 and 2018, Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, 49, a Venezuelan citizen and resident of Boca Raton, Florida, and Jorge Miguel Vasquez, 62, a U.S. citizen and resident of Davie, Florida, together with others, allegedly caused at least $1 million in bribes to be paid to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, 60, the former Chairman of COMELEC. These bribes were allegedly paid to obtain and retain business related to providing voting machines and election services for the 2016 Philippine elections and to secure payments on the contracts, including the release of value added tax payments. The co-conspirators allegedly funded the bribes through a slush fund that was created by over-invoicing the cost per voting machine for the 2016 Philippine elections. To conceal and disguise the nature and purpose of the corrupt payments, the co-conspirators used coded language to refer to the slush fund and caused the creation of fraudulent contracts and sham loan agreements to justify transfers. The co-conspirators then allegedly laundered funds related to the bribery scheme through bank accounts located in Asia, Europe, and the United States, including in the Southern District of Florida. Pinate and Vasquez are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and one substantive violation of the FCPA. Bautista, Pinate, Vasquez, and Elie Moreno, 44, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. If convicted, Pinate and Vasquez each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the FCPA and conspiracy to violate the FCPA counts. Bautista, Pinate, Vasquez, and Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years for each count of international laundering of monetary instruments and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami; and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Miami made the announcement. HSI’s El Dorado Task Force Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from IRS CI Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Emery for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Michael DiLorenzo and Connor Mullin and Assistant Chief Alexander Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Philippine Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman provided substantial assistance. The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Rhode Island Man Charged with Possessing Unregistered Machine Gun

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 8, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Brenden Sackal, 31, of Rockville, Rhode Island, with possessing an unregistered machine gun and possessing a machine gun lacking an identification number, in violation of the National Firearms Act. Sackal’s federal arraignment date has not yet been set. Sackal was scheduled to appear in Caledonia Superior Court today on related charges. According to court records, Sackal is alleged to have knowingly possessed an unregistered machine gun that lacked a serial number, specifically a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber AR-type pistol, on July 14, 2024. The National Firearms Act requires registration of machine guns, as well as other specific types of dangerous weapons, and requires those types of dangerous weapons to be identified by serial number. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Sackal is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Sackal faces up to 10 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vermont State Police. United States Attorney Kerest also commended the actions of United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection, the Vermont State Police, and the Orleans County Sherriff’s Office in apprehending Sackal on July 14, 2024. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Sackal is not yet represented on the federal charges. 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: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Armed Robbery

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury found Maunyae Worsley, 18, of Washington, D.C., guilty of armed robbery and other charges arising from a robbery of a Northeast gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Worsley was also found guilty of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The verdict was returned on August 8, 2024. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for October 18, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on April 9, 2024, at approximately 3:47 a.m., Worsley went to the Exxon gas station in the Brookland neighborhood. The lone attendant was outside the store, putting up a sign in the window. As the attendant went back inside, Worsley pulled out a tan semiautomatic pistol, grabbed the attendant, and forced him into the employees-only section. Worsley took approximately $5,000 from the cash register and a file cabinet before fleeing the scene. The next day, MPD officers were executing an unrelated search warrant at Worsley’s home when they recovered a tan Glock 19X semiautomatic pistol from Worsley’s bedroom. Officers also recovered a jacket, sweatpants, and shoes from Worsley’s bedroom that matched the clothing the defendant wore during the robbery. Subsequent investigation found that Worsley was wearing a GPS monitor, and his GPS records placed him at the scene of the robbery. Worsley was arrested during the execution of the search warrant on April 10, 2024, and he has been in custody since. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ella Gladman and Will Lawrence, who prosecuted the case.


title: Hardin man sentenced to seven years in prison for role in shooting death on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Hardin man who admitted he hindered a murder investigation into the 2023 shooting death of another man on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Garrell Robert Snell, 34, pleaded guilty in April to accessory after the fact. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $7,997 restitution. The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 18, 2023 at Crow Agency, on the Crow Indian Reservation, a gunshot victim was driven to the emergency room at the IHS Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, where the victim, a man, was pronounced dead upon arrival. The driver initially lied to law enforcement about where the driver had found the victim. Snell also lied to law enforcement that day about how and where the murder took place, which delayed the investigation of the scene until the next day. Law enforcement learned that the victim was shot outside of a residence on Crow River Road. Law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant and analyzed an SD card from exterior security cameras on the residence. Initially, nothing of any evidentiary value was recovered from the SD card. But in February 2024, the SD card was again analyzed, and video was recovered. The video does not show the murder but contains footage before and after the murder. The government further alleged that the video shows the victim lying on snow-covered ground in the yard before he was picked up and put into the vehicle used to take him to the hospital. After the vehicle leaves, the video shows Snell and another individual cleaning the snow-covered area where the victim had been lying by moving snow with a shovel, broom, hands and feet. The footage also appears to show Snell and the other individual picking up items from the snow-covered area. Two bullets retrieved from the victim’s body and shell casings recovered from the area that was cleaned by Snell and the other individual were determined to have been fired from the same gun. The gun has not been recovered. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Manchester Woman Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution and Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester woman was sentenced today in federal court on drug and firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Shannon Pellot-Sosa, 39, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 30, 2024, Pellot-Sosa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 5, 2022 and April 14, 2022, law enforcement purchased methamphetamine from Pellot-Sosa and her co-defendant near Pellot-Sosa’s Manchester residence. On May 5, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pellot-Sosa’s residence and seized approximately 612 grams of cocaine, 147 grams of methamphetamine, and 28 grams of fentanyl, along with two handguns, one of which was loaded with six rounds of ammunition. “The distribution of bulk quantities of drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine is, on its own, a serious federal offense,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “The possession of firearms by drug dealers exponentially compounds the risks to public safety. This office will continue to seek the heightened punishments provided by law for drug traffickers who choose to utilize guns as a tool of their trade.” “The FBI and our partners will not let drugs and gun violence rip apart our communities,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence puts Shannon Pellot-Sosa out of business for supplying a steady stream of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to anyone willing to pay for it, reaping a profit from other people’s addiction, while possessing illegal firearms.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Jarad Hodes and Heather Cherniske. ###


title: Braxton County Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Jason Drake, 48, of Gassaway, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and fined $7,500 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Drake, a lawyer, admitted that he possessed and pawned a Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on December 20, 2021, a Winchester Model Grand European XTR .257-caliber rifle on November 22, 2021, and a Colt Model Single Action .45-caliber revolver on December 7, 2021, at Charleston businesses. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Drake knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for embezzlement in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 13, 2012. Drake falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was not a convicted felon when he purchased the Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on July 25, 2021, at a Charleston business. Drake purchased two additional firearms at a Charleston business and falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 each time that he was not a convicted felon. Drake was in the process of petitioning for reinstatement of his law license at the time of his current offense, as his felony conviction for embezzlement resulted in his disbarment in October 2012. Drake was granted reinstatement on January 6, 2022. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Gabriel Price and Nowles Heinrich 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-64. ###


title: Temple Hills Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegal Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Today, Damante Christian Dozier, age 26, of Temple Hills, Maryland pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Chief Demetrious Harris of the City of Seat Pleasant Police Department, and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to his guilty plea, on June 6, 2023, an officer with the Seat Pleasant Police Department who suspected that Dozier had shoplifted from a retail store in Oxon Hill, Maryland, approached Dozier and observed the shape of a firearm in Dozier’s pants. The officer frisked Dozier’s waistband area and felt a solid rectangular mass consistent with the shape of a firearm. Following the frisk, and after requesting backup, the officer asked Dozier to turn around to be handcuffed, and Dozier attempted to flee. A few seconds later, law enforcement officers from the Seat Pleasant Police Department and the Prince George’s County Police Department gained control of Dozier and retrieved a firearm with an extended magazine from his pants. The recovered firearm was a black Glock 45 .9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 33 rounds in an extended magazine. Dozier knew that he had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the ATF, the City of Seat Pleasant Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustavo Ruiz and Assistant United States Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Convicted serial robber gets 21+ years for stealing from Houston cellphone stores

body_text: HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Houston-area man has been sentenced for committing a three-day robbery spree in 2021 which took place just months after his release from prison for another robbery conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Quantez Whiteside pleaded guilty Feb. 20. U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Whiteside to serve 72 months in federal prison for three counts of interfering with commerce by robbery and a consecutive 168 months for two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentences will run consecutively. He also received another 18 months for committing these crimes while on federal supervised release for a prior robbery conviction to be served consecutively. His total 258-month-term of imprisonment will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that committing robberies is not an appropriate way to provide for one’s family. “As this spree progressed, the robber got sloppy and left his cell number, which essentially served as breadcrumbs leading investigators right to him,” said Hamdani. “Evidently, previously serving two years in federal prison was not enough to deter him from committing these crimes. With today’s sentence, he will have ample opportunity to reflect on his actions and the detrimental impact they had on the victims.” During the spree, Whiteside unlawfully and forcibly took cellphones and U.S. currency from inside three different Houston-area Metro by T-Mobile (formerly Metro PCS) stores. Just six months earlier, Whiteside had been released from federal prison after serving a two-year sentence for his role in robbing a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver in 2018. On Jan. 25, 2021, Whiteside robbed a Metro by T-Mobile store on West Bellfort Road. He pointed a gun at employees, instructed them to get on the ground and verbally threatened to kill them if they did not comply. He left the store with approximately 30 stolen cellphones plus cash. Then, on Jan. 27 that same year, Whiteside entered a Metro by T-Mobile store on Bissonnet Street, pointed a handgun at employees and forced them to put phones in a pink backpack he brought with him. Just 30 minutes later, Whiteside entered another Metro by T-Mobile store on Beechnut Street telling an employee he wanted to purchase a phone. He provided his cell number. The employee entered this information into a computer before Whiteside fled with stolen goods. The phone number was linked to Whiteside’s registered customer account which led investigators to Whiteside’s residence where they found cell phones, firearms and the pink backpack. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.


title: 180-Month Sentence in the July 2021 Death of an Innocent Bystander Caught in the Crossfire of a NW Gun Battle

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jonathan Brown, 31, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed crack cocaine in Northwest Washington D.C. and for his involvement in the July 31, 2021, slaying of Kervin Sanches, an innocent bystander, caught in a shootout on a street corner controlled by members of Brown’s drug trafficking conspiracy. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Brown, aka “Tsunami,” of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on June 17 to a two-count criminal Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and voluntary manslaughter while armed. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Brown to serve four years of supervised release. According to court documents, in late 2021, the MPD and FBI began investigating violent crime and drug trafficking activities near 7 th Street and O Street, NW. During the investigation, Brown visited a stash house at 1221 M Street on a regular basis. Brown sold controlled substances with co-conspirators on various occasions and text messages recovered from his phone indicated that he was selling fentanyl and cocaine base. Law enforcement used undercover officers to purchase hundreds of grams of cocaine base and fentanyl from members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement determined the group was working together to control the drug trafficking activity in their territory. Their territory was primarily located at the corner of 7 th and O Streets, NW, the site of the July 31, 2021, shootout that resulted in Kervin Sanches’ death. On July 31, 2021, at about 11:20 p.m., Brown traveled by car to the area of 7 th and O Streets NW with a loaded firearm. An unidentified male in a grey Pontiac followed Brown and parked nearby. Brown exited his car and then walked across the street to meet with a group of associates and others. As Brown approached the group, the unidentified male approached with a gun in his hand. Brown pulled a firearm from his waistband and began shooting at the unidentified gunman, who returned fire. The group scattered. Brown and the gunman continued to shoot at each other while taking cover behind trees and cars. As the gun battle continued, occupants of a white automobile parked near Brown’s car also began shooting at the unidentified gunman. Police later recovered more than 25 shell casings at the scene. Sanches, who had been part of the group standing on the corner of 7 th and O Streets, was struck by a bullet as he attempted to flee the gunfire. Sanches, the dean of students at a local charter school, died of his wounds at a nearby hospital. Brown was previously sentenced in District Court case 22-cr-114 (TJK) on March 26, 2024, to 51 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. His 180-month sentenced he received today will run consecutive to that 51-month sentence. This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg, Solomon Eppel, and Erin DeRiso of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph Douglas Collier, 38, of Alum Creek, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 11, 2023, a law enforcement officer removed a Kimber model Tactical Pro II .45-caliber pistol from Collier’s possession after Collier allegedly brandished it outside a Charleston bar. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Collier knew he was prohibited from possession a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, cocaine, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 12, 2010. Collier is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-69. ###