title: U.S. Marshals Capture Alleged Multimillion-Dollar Fraudster William Mize

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – During the morning hours of November 28, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District of Washington and Middle District of Florida located and apprehended William Oldham Mize, a fugitive wanted on federal charges for a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving false and fabricated insurance claims. Mize is alleged to have used the profits from his alleged schemes to purchase luxury automobiles, boats, along with other luxury items. Mize had been a fugitive since 2019. Mize was indicted by a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington on December 18, 2018. The federal indictment alleges numerous charges, including mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and related conspiracy charges. According to the indictment and other court filings, Mize is alleged to have caused or participated in dozens of fake car accidents, falls, and other accidents in multiple states between September 2013 and April 2018. Mize then allegedly collected the insurance proceeds from these fabricated accidents. To date, insurers are alleged to have paid more than $6 million on Mize’s allegedly fraudulent claims. Mize originally appeared in federal court on his indictment on January 9, 2019. He was released pending trial on conditions that included reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as often as directed, contacting his defense attorney weekly, posting an unsecured $750,000 appearance bond, surrendering his U.S. Passport, limiting his travel to Washington and Nevada, and showing up for all future court dates. Mize absconded in July 2019, and had been a fugitive ever since. During this time, Mize allegedly used a number of different aliases and had a history of frequenting various areas, including Washington, California, Florida, Mexico, Las Vegas and New Orleans. On November 28, 2023, the U.S. Marshals apprehended Mize in Jacksonville, Florida, based on a lead that Mize was using an alias to sell a boat in the Jacksonville area. Mize was then located and arrested at a marina in central Florida. Later that day, Mize appeared before the Honorable Patricia D. Barksdale, who serves as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Florida. Judge Barksdale issued an order of removal for Mize to be extradited back to Spokane, Washington to appear in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Below are photographs of Mize and the boat he allegedly was selling on Craigslist.org in the Jacksonville area. Craigslist.org The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “I am grateful for the tremendous work of the United States Marshals, who work tirelessly to locate fugitives, such as Mr. Mize. As a result, Mr. Mize’s victims finally will be able to confront Mr. Mize in a court of law, and the criminal justice process against Mr. Mize finally will proceed.” “William Mize was a fugitive who thought that because he had financial means, he could avoid apprehension and flout the rule of law,” said Craig Thayer, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington. “As evidenced, this is clearly not the case. No matter the resources they have or where they run to, the U.S. Marshals will never stop in the pursuit of fugitives until they have been brought to justice.” The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 18-CR-00232-TOR Anyone with information about a wanted fugitive is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit tips via the USMS Tips App.


title: Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor

body_text: Yakima, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Joseph Leonard Roy, age 58, of Mabton, Washington, to 252 months in federal prison for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor. Roy pleaded guilty to those charges on November 29, 2022. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered Roy to serve an additional 20 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. According to court documents, between 2017 and 2018, Roy sexually molested two minors in a home on the Yakama Nation, where Roy had access to the victims. Roy was dating a relative of the victims at the time of the abuse, and this disturbing conduct continued until one of the victims spoke out to a trusted family member, who then contacted authorities, to report the exploitation. Following the sentencing, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated, “My heart breaks for the victims in this case. I am grateful for their courage to come forward and engage with law enforcement to seek justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Children deserve to live in a world where they feel safe -- free from abuse and the fear of abuse. Mr. Roy was held accountable today due to the joint efforts of the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the community. By working together, we can continue to build trust and keep our communities safe and strong.” “Mr. Roy’s unspeakable actions demonstrated that prison is where he belongs.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “As a parent, I can think of nothing worse than what the victims had to endure. I applaud them for seeking help which led to this sentence and which will remove him from this community for more than twenty years.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michal Murphy. 1:21-CR-02006-SAB


title: Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Yakima, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Bryce Quinton Hale, age 28, of Yakima, Washington, to 240 months in federal prison for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Hale pleaded guilty to those charges on August 23, 2023. Chief United States District Judge Bastian also ordered Hale to serve an additional 10 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison and imposed $3,000 in restitution. According to court documents, in August 2021, Hale produced images of child pornography which he shared with a chat group using the “Kik” app on his cellular phone. He was charged for this conduct in November 2021 and was placed on conditions of pre-trial release beginning on December 1, 2021. Hale then violated those pre-trial release conditions by accessing the internet and using another cellular phone on which he possessed additional images and videos of child pornography. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who continue to seek to victimize children: the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice, and the consequences of exploiting children will be severe,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District. “The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, vigorous prosecutions, and significant sentences for anyone who abuses children.” “Child pornography is particularly troubling for the victims as the images continue to exist on the internet even after the perpetrator is stopped.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Despite being confronted by law enforcement with his horrendous actions, Mr. Hale continued to engage in unlawful activity. Protecting the children of Washington state is one of the highest priorities for the FBI, and our partners at the US Attorney’s office.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy. 1:21-CR-02052-SAB


title: Southaven man sentenced for fishing violations

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Southaven man was sentenced today to a total of $3,500 in fines and restitution for the illegal harvest of crappie from the Enid Lake Spillway. According to court documents, Fu Chen, 52, of Southaven, Mississippi, pled guilty to one count of taking more than the daily creel limit of crappie from the Enid Lake Spillway on January 1, 2023. Chen caught a total of 90 crappie from the spillway, which is 75 more fish than the allowed creel limit of 15 crappie. U.S. Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders ordered Chen to pay a fine of $1,000 as well as restitution to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks in the amount of $2,500. In addition to the fine and restitution, Chen was placed on probation for a period of one year, during which time he will be prohibited from fishing anywhere in the world and banned from all Corps of Engineers property in the Northern District of Mississippi as a condition of his probation. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark stated, “We are committed to conducting criminal investigations with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. The Office of Law Enforcement takes these federal violations . . . very seriously and remains committed to ensuring that these violations are fully investigated and prosecuted.” MDWFP Colonel Jerry Carter stated, “We appreciate the collaborative investigative efforts of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and prosecution of this case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We will continue to work with our federal partners to conserve and protect Mississippi’s natural resources by utilizing all investigative tools available to ensure that those who choose to violate the laws of this state are investigated and prosecuted accordingly.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Mims. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service encourages members of the public to report allegations of wildlife crimes to the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement via the Wildlife Crime Tips page at https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips or via phone at 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477).


title: Pasco Woman Sentenced to 9 Years for Trafficking  Rainbow-Colored Fentanyl Pills

body_text: Richland, Washington- Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Amy Lynn Loza, age 38, of Pasco, Washington was sentenced after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture of a Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 108 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents, in October of 2022, the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating several fentanyl traffickers operating in the Tri Cities. Investigators developed information that Loza had recently purchased several thousand fentanyl laced pills. Agents obtained search warrants for two locations used by Loza – a home in Richland and the bedroom of a home in Kennewick. During those searches, agents located more than 14,000 rainbow- colored fentanyl pills and well as more than a pound of meth. Agents also located scales, baggies, and drug ledgers belonging to Loza. A loaded firearm was also found at the home in Richland. When contact was made, Loza admitted to investigators that she had been involved in trafficking fentanyl and had purchased 17,000 pills in the last week. U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Fentanyl has taken too many lives across the United States and right here in our community. Every day the Metro Drug Task Force and DEA are working to combat this dangerous poison. Thanks to their efforts in this case, thousands of fentanyl pills have been removed from our streets, making Eastern Washington safer and stronger.” “Rainbow fentanyl is a despicable marketing tool used by traffickers to hide the deadly nature of fentanyl, which could have resulted in over 10,000 deaths in this case,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The team effort of DEA, alongside our state and local partners, kept this deadly drug off the streets and held Ms. Loza accountable for her actions.” According to the DEA laboratory, seven in 10 fake pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl www.DEA.gov/OnePill . This case was investigated by the DEA and the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Stephanie Van Marter and Rebecca Perez. 4:22-CR-06048-MKD


title: Grand jury charges former Clermont housing official with federal program theft

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – The former executive director of the Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) was indicted for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars intended to assist low-income residents of Clermont County, Ohio. Timothy Holland, 56, of Williamsburg, Ohio, self-surrendered at U.S. District Court in Cincinnati today. According to the indictment, Holland served from 2012 until 2019 as the executive director for CMHA, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized public housing authority for Clermont. CMHA received more than $5.9 million in annual federal funds in both 2018 and 2019 to operate and maintain public housing units as well as provide housing assistance to low-income families and individuals. It is alleged Holland stole at least $70,440 from the agency for his personal use during those calendar years. “Mr. Holland allegedly used his position to convert money for his personal gain that was intended to help low-income and elderly and disabled individuals,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.” Holland is charged with two counts of federal program theft, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Auditor Keith Faber announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Adam E. Schenkelberg, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 29, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Schenkelberg to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Schenkelberg will begin a 5-year term of supervised and will be required to register as a sex offender. Schenkeberg was also ordered to pay special assessments in the amounts of $7,500 and $5,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Victim Assistance Act of 2018, and the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, respectively. On May 5, the Nebraska Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning the upload of child pornography on Kik, an online file sharing service. The CyberTipline reports indicated that the user of a specific internet protocol (IP) address uploaded fourteen image and video files depicting child pornography between March 19, 2022, and March 23, 2022. Nebraska ICAC investigators received another CyberTipline report on August 25, 2022, noting the upload of four image and video files depicting child pornography from Kik on June 29, 2022. Investigators determined that the same suspect IP was assigned to Schenkelberg’s residential address in Sarpy County, Nebraska. On November 3, 2022, investigators executed a warrant to search Schenkelberg’s home. Investigators seized several of Schenkelberg's electronic devices for forensic examination. On December 26, 2022, pursuant to a search warrant, Apple Inc. provided data from Schenkelberg’s Apple iCloud account. Investigators examined the Apple iCloud data and forensically examined the devices seized from his residence. From the iCloud account and the accessible electronic devices, investigators located additional images of child pornography, some involving toddlers. Schenkelberg’s cache of child pornography consisted of over 600 images. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol’s ICAC Task Force.


title: Fort Calhoun Man Sentenced for School Threat

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Nathan Joseph Bonacci, age 21, of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 29, 2023, in federal Court in Omaha, Nebraska, for impeding or interfering with a federal officer. United States Magistrate Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Bonacci to 6 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bonacci’s release from prison, he will begin a 1-year term of supervised release. On February 10, 2022, Bonacci posted to the Discord app “I have an rpk chambered in 7.62 a 556 Ak74 and 2m1911s. This Monday 2/14/22 I will drive my car (filled with 5k worth of amo) to Roosevelt Elementary School in Council Bluffs, IA (517 N 17 th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501) and I will kill as many people as I can find at 09:00 (9 am) @ everyone I will drive my blue Nissan Ultima (plate number [redacted] (nebraska plates))”. A user on the iFunny app came across the post and forwarded it via email to the principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, who then advised law enforcement. The FBI assigned a Special Agent to investigate the potential threat. The FBI investigation included obtaining emergency disclosures from Yahoo! and Twitter, which lead to identifying the IP address used to post the threat was maintained by Cox Communications. Additional investigation revealed the Cox Communications subscriber was Bonacci’s brother. The FBI Special Agent interviewed Bonacci’s brother, who recognized the username used to post the threat was Bonacci’s. Bonacci was subsequently located and interviewed. Bonacci acknowledged he transmitted the communication but indicated he posted it to a group of his friends because he thought his friends would find it to be funny. Bonacci’s false threat impeded the assigned Special Agent from accomplishing his other assigned duties and interfered with his ability to work on legitimate investigations due to a need to determine if this was a valid threat to an elementary school. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: California Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Shipping Marijuana to Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Shawn Thomas, 34, of Roseville, California, was sentenced on November 29, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thomas to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Thomas’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Thomas was identified as being involved in drug distribution as a result of an ongoing investigation into Thomas’ co-conspirators. From approximately October 2018 to December 2020, conspirators regularly shipped multi-pound boxes of marijuana from the Sacramento, California, area to Omaha, where other conspirators would distribute it. These shipments were made via the United States mail and commercial shipping services like FedEx. A 22.5-pound box of marijuana was seized from an Omaha residence on December 18, 2020. Thomas was in the residence at the time of the search with three co-defendants. Review of FedEx shipping records and conspirators’ cell phone messages determined that Thomas was responsible for mailing the packages. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Buescher found that Thomas was responsible for conspiring to distribute at least 100 kilograms (220.4 pounds) of marijuana. The three other co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year. Aarion Jenkins, 29, and Marques Eiland, 29, both of Omaha were sentenced to 40 months and 31 months respectively. Julio Ayala, 33, of Sacramento was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, and Sacramento County (California) Sheriff’s Office. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun

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

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mar D. Maluoth, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced November 29, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, for the illegal possession of a machine gun. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Maluoth to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Maluoth’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Maluoth was found guilty by a jury on July 20, 2023, after a three-day trial. On September 23, 2022, Omaha police were conducting surveillance in the area of 30th and Manderson Street in Omaha, watching a house in search of a wanted escapee. Officers surveilling the house observed an unknown male walk from the back of the residence into the alleyway carrying what the officers believed to be a rifle. The male entered a black Kia Optima that was observed leaving the area from the alleyway. Officers left the surveillance location and began following the black Kia Optima (‘Kia’) as it traveled westbound near 45th and Lake Streets. Officers conducted a traffic stop when the Kia failed to stop at a stop sign. Maluoth, who was the front seat passenger, began leaning forward in his seat as if concealing something when officers first approached the vehicle. Officers later observed what appeared to be marijuana ‘shake’ in the car and an open container of alcohol. Due to Maluoth’s furtive behavior and continuous failure to follow officer commands, he was ordered out of the car. Once removed from the vehicle, Maluoth was detained in handcuffs and frisked for weapons. Officers then searched under Maluoth’s seat and found a Glock 23, .40 caliber handgun with a ‘Glock switch,’ allowing the firearm to function as a machinegun. When taken into evidence, the gun was found to have a round in its chamber and a partially loaded, extended high-capacity magazine. Omaha police tested the firearms functionality in a controlled setting at the forensics unit and determined the firearm operated as a machinegun. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Buffalo man sentenced for drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rayshawn Miller, 40, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and acetyl-fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, was sentenced to serve 204 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on July 20, 2021, the DEA executed a search warrant at Miller’s Broadway Street residence and seized 167 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, 18 grams of fentanyl, 21 grams of crack cocaine, 124 grams of cocaine, two loaded firearms, including a Ghost Gun, ammunition, $15,380 in cash, and drug packaging materials. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. # # # #


title: Two Rochester men arrested, charged with selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen items at pawn shop

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Mark Remein, 41, and Derek Verna, 44, both of Rochester, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with committing and conspiring to commit wire fraud, interstate transportation and sale of stolen property, and money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Remein and Verna owned and/or operated West Ridge Connections, a pawn shop located on West Ridge Road in Rochester. Remein and Verna knowingly purchased stolen, new-in-box items from serial shoplifters for a fraction (approximately 30%) of the items’ retail value. Remein and Verna listed the items for sale on eBay and shipped them to buyers. The items were listed as “New” and priced below retail value. In total, between January 2020, and August 16, 2023, Remein and Verna purchased and re-sold on eBay approximately 8,100 “New” items and received approximately $497,842 for those sales. The money was deposited into bank accounts that were opened in the name of third parties to avoid detection. The investigation began in February 2022, after law enforcement received a complaint from Home Depot security personnel, who had followed a shoplifter from a Home Depot location to West Ridge Connections with recently stolen merchandise. A store security manager entered West Ridge Connections and observed the stolen merchandise behind a table counter. None of the stolen merchandise was entered into LeadsOnline, an online database where secondhand dealers, like Remein and Verna, are required to report all purchases from other individuals. The investigation determined that individuals sold new-in-box items to West Ridge Connections on a regular basis. Some of the sellers were admitted opioid users, whom law enforcement observed attempting to buy drugs immediately after they sold new-in-box items to West Ridge Connections. In December 2022, investigators made a controlled sale of three, new-in-box Google Nest thermostats to defendant Verna at West Ridge Connections. The combined retail value of the items was approximately $567.00. Verna paid $100.00 for all three items before listing them on eBay for $124.99 each. Between January and August of 2023, investigators conducted a total of 15 controlled sales, which included 37 items. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Thirteen Defendants Named In Federal Drug Conspiracy Indictment

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – On November 13, 2023, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Oklahoma returned an indictment charging thirteen individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about August 2022 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Each of the following defendants stands indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, UNITED STATES CODE, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A): HEATH LLOYD TAYLOR, age 44, of McAlester; AARON GUY KEY, age 46, of McAlester; MALLORY NICOLE LAIRD, age 36, of Poteau; CODY WADE REECE, age 33, of Poteau; TERRI ANGELA STROUD, age 52, of Spiro; KANDI ANNE HANKINS, age 42, of Poteau; TRAVIS AUSTIN POWERS, age 37, of Starr, South Carolina; HEATHER LEIGH BROWN, age 32, of McAlester; TRACIE ANN SELLS, age 54, of Sallisaw; JEREMY PAUL NEWMAN, age 46, of Poteau; STEPHEN DUANE EMBREY, age 64, of Poteau; WHITNEY GRANITE-JEFFREY, age 33, of Spiro; and RANDI SHAWN GANN, age 33, of Poteau. If convicted on the drug conspiracy charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison. In addition to drug conspiracy charges, seven defendants are also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl or Methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, UNITED STATES CODE, Sections 841(a)(1), and defendant Whitney Granite-Jeffery is also charged with Felon in Possession of Firearms, a violation of Title 18, UNITED STATES CODE, Section 922(g). If convicted, these defendants face additional sentences. The charges arose from 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. The joint investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, working in cooperation with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed at various stages of the investigation, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Poteau Police Department, the Spiro Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Seminole Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. “Today a federal indictment was unsealed after members of a drug trafficking organization operating within the Eastern District of Oklahoma were arrested on federal warrants for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The arrests mark the culmination of a months-long multi-agency investigation. I want to thank each of the federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers for their many hours of work in this case. Illegal drugs continue to destroy lives every day, and the United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating and dismantling groups peddling poison in our communities.” “Dismantling a criminal drug trafficking organization requires both tenacity and teamwork. We are fortunate to have both due to DEA McAlester’s partnership with the various law enforcement entities throughout Eastern Oklahoma,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez, whose office oversees all DEA operations in Oklahoma. “Those who are responsible for the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in our communities will be held accountable. Our families deserve to live and work in safe environments, free from drugs, and we will never waver in our efforts to achieve that goal.” “We want this investigation to serve as a clear and powerful message that Oklahoma is not a safe haven for drug criminals,” said Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director Donnie Anderson. “Meth and fentanyl take more Oklahoma lives each year than any other drugs. And my agency is dedicated to working with our local, state, and federal partners to aggressively target, dismantle and prosecute those who threaten the safety and well-being of our citizens.” “The Oklahoma Department of Corrections appreciates working alongside all our law enforcement counterparts – local, state, tribal and federal – to keep Oklahomans safe,” said Oklahoma Department of Corrections Executive Director Steven Harpe. “Our partnership with OBNDD to create and operate the Watch Center is vital and has resulted in taking down bad actors who threaten public safety.” “The collaboration among the federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies has been exemplary throughout this investigation,” said District 16 District Attorney Kevin Merritt. “I want to thank each of the law enforcement officers involved for protecting our citizens and helping to keep our communities safe.” Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Cornell and Ryan Bondura are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt but is a method of bringing formal charges against defendants. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Six Former Correctional Officers Charged with Federal Offenses Following Death of Inmate at West Virginia Jail

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging five former correctional officers — Mark Holdren, 39; Cory Snyder, 29; Johnathan Walters, 35; Jacob Boothe, 25; and Ashley Toney, 23 — in connection with an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., All five correctional officers, as well as a former lieutenant, Chad Lester, 33, were also charged for covering up of the use of unlawful force. The indictment alleges that, on March 1, 2022, Holdren, Snyder and Walters conspired with other officers at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, to use unlawful force against Q.B. to retaliate for his earlier attempt to leave his assigned pod. The indictment further alleges that Holdren, Snyder and Walters struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained and handcuffed, and that Boothe and Toney failed to intervene in the unlawful assault, resulting in Q.B.’s death. The indictment alleges that all six defendants conspired to cover up the use of unlawful force by omitting material information and providing false and misleading information to investigators. The indictment also charges each defendant individually with engaging in misleading conduct toward another person to hinder, delay or prevent the communication of information of the possible commission of a federal offense. Further, the indictment alleges that Walters, Holdren, and Boothe submitted incident reports that contained false and misleading information, as well as omitted the fact that officers had assaulted Q.B. The indictment also charges Lester, Holdren, Snyder, Toney and Boothe with making false statements to the FBI about the circumstances surrounding Q.B.’s death. The maximum penalties are life in prison for each of the civil rights offenses, five years in prison for each of the false statement offenses, and twenty years in prison for each of the remaining offenses. 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 FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Coleman for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-188.


title: Two South Carolina Men Charged with Hate Crimes for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic Victims

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned an indictment yesterday charging two South Carolina men with hate crimes in connection with a string of bias-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims. According to court documents, beginning in Jan. 2021 and continuing through Feb. 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 26, and Michael Joseph Knox, 28, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that the defendants committed three armed robberies as part of the conspiracy, including one carjacking, because of the victims’ race and national origin and because those individuals were using places of public accommodation. Clippard and Knox are charged with three hate crime counts, one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking and three firearms offenses. If convicted, each faces a minimum penalty of 21 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Columbia Field Office is investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Slingerlands Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 73, of Slingerlands, New York, was indicted earlier this month on five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. According to the indictment and the previously filed complaint, Fuino repeatedly molested a child born in 2016 who was under his care, and photographed the child’s genitals, between 2022 and May 2023. The victim reported the abuse to her elementary school in May after a presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Fuino, who has been in custody since May on the criminal complaint, waived his right to an arraignment and will remain detained pending trial before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. The charges filed against Fuino carry a prison term of at least 15 years and up to life, as well as a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. If convicted, Fuino would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. This case is being investigated by the FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Hacking a Telecommunications Company

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Derry man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to passport fraud and wire fraud in connection with hacking a telecommunications company, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual announce. Andrew Mahn, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud and one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2024. Mahn was charged with passport fraud by indictment in the District of New Hampshire on February 15, 2023. Mahn was charged with hacking a telecommunications company by complaint in the Northern District of Illinois on March 17, 2021, and by indictment on October 4, 2021. Mahn previously worked as a radio technician for a telecommunications company based in Chicago. He later worked for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). While working for Massport, Mahn sent spear-phishing emails to several employees at his former employer and tricked them into entering their login credentials into a fake website. The defendant also sent text messages to the employees and deceived them into providing him their multi-factor authentication code. Eventually, Mahn was able to get access to the telecommunications company’s servers. He used anonymous Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, an account tied to his Massport email address, and bitcoin to help facilitate the hack. While on release pending trial for hacking the telecommunications company, Mahn applied for a passport in a false name in Atkinson, New Hampshire. He provided false documents, including a falsely generated New Hampshire birth certificate and state identification card. Mahn wrote to a congressional office seeking to expedite the passport, stating the following: I have just found out I need to book international travel shortly for family reasons in the coming weeks to Germany. I am trying to figure out the status of the application and when I can expect it to be processed and shipped. The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and restitution. The charge of passport fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years 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. The U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and John J. Kennedy from the District of New Hampshire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond from the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles ADA Investigation Involving Service Animals at LexLive

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky announced Monday that it has reached a settlement with Big Picture Ventures, the owner and operator of the Lexington entertainment center LexLive, to resolve an allegation that it improperly excluded an individual with a disability accompanied by a service animal. The investigation began after the U.S. Attorney’s Office received a complaint, from a veteran with a disability who uses a service animal, that alleged that a manager at LexLive’s Corner Bar forced her and her dining companions to leave the bar because she was accompanied by her service animal, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). “Under the ADA, restaurants and bars, as public accommodations, are required to ensure proper access to their customers with disabilities,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This includes allowing service dogs, which are a necessary means for many with disabilities. We remain committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have proper access under the ADA, and we are pleased that LexLive has agreed to modify its policies and practices to comply with the Act.” Under the settlement agreement, LexLive will adopt and implement a service animal policy; provide training on the service animal policy to employees and managers; post the policy in public areas; pay $1,000 in damages to the veteran; and pay a $500 civil penalty to the United States. LexLive cooperated with the government throughout the investigation. Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants and bars, are required to modify their policies, practices, or procedures—such as a no pet policy—to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. A service animal generally may go wherever the public is allowed, and a public accommodation may not require documentation about the service animal. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Pond, in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/civil-rights. ADA complaints may be emailed to usakye.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by contacting the U.S. Attorney's Office’s Civil Rights Hotline at (859) 685-4880. More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514 0301 or (800) 514 0383 (TTY) and on the ADA website at www.ada.gov. — END —


title: Justice Department Announces New Surge of Resources to Fight Violent Crime

body_text: The Justice Department, together with numerous law enforcement partners, met today at the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) Real Time Crime Center to announce a new initiative to surge law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups who are threatening and upending the safety and security of communities in Memphis. “Violent crime deprives communities of a fundamental sense of security in their own homes and neighborhoods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This violent crime initiative will bring additional tools and resources used to investigate and prosecute violent crime and apply those tools to gangs and groups who are harming and disrupting communities here in Memphis.” The new initiative includes federal prosecutors from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the nation’s foremost experts in charging federal racketeering (RICO) crimes, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys already working in Memphis and dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and MPD. “Through data-driven, targeted, and focused enforcement against the worst-of-the-worst violent criminals and organized groups, coupled with a strong focus on crime prevention, intervention, and reentry, I believe all of us, working together, can make an incredible difference and secure a safer future for all of Memphis,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri. “As U.S. Attorney and a lifelong Memphian, I know the citizens of this city are sick and tired of gun violence and violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I am too. The threat from organized criminal enterprises requires that we bring significant resources to bear. These additional prosecutors, working hand-in-hand with our office’s experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement partners, will build cases against gang members, trigger-pullers, and shot-callers.” The initiative will also include efforts to invest in prevention and intervention, and the department will work with the Western District of Tennessee’s innovative Reentry Court Program and community organizations to assist offenders in reentering and reintegrating into their communities. As part of the announcement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz met with community members to hear directly from them about the violence and gang activity in their neighborhoods. “Initiatives like this are not about one takedown – they’re about working in partnership to build a long term and sustainable plan to fight gun crime. ATF Memphis does that every day,” said ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach. “This summer, with the MPD and other state, local, and federal partners, we focused efforts here, using crime gun intelligence to help protect the people of this great city. Now we are here with additional partners both locally and nationally to continue that work – that impact. By combining traditional investigative techniques with advancements in technology, ATF is creating data-driven investigations that turn into evidence-driven prosecutions of the most dangerous offenders. “This violent crime initiative serves as a force multiplier to empower law enforcement, our partners, and communities to proactively fight against violent crime in big cities and small towns across our nation,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “The FBI, in close collaboration with the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, is committed to tackling violent crime threats in a methodical and effective approach to dismantle the roots of crime and reclaim our communities, for a promising future for our neighborhoods.” “FBI Memphis, our dedicated special agents, task force officers, intelligence analysts, and professional staff are ready to join our partners in supporting this new initiative to disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises that are threatening our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Together we not only investigate and enforce the law, but we also live in, and are a part of the communities affected by the violent crime that is overwhelmingly the result of violent gangs. It is only together that we will be able to target and bring to prosecution the gang members and others who are driving violence in Memphis and throughout the area.” “I am excited about the announcement by our U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz regarding an increased focus on violent crime in the city of Memphis,” said MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis. “This new initiative is a positive step in the right direction, which fosters a since of renewed hope for improved quality of life for our citizens and visitors.” Joining Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz in the press conference today were ATF Director Dettelbach, MPD Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, and FBI Special Agent in Charge DePodesta.


title: Man Sentenced For Series Of Firearm Thefts From Grand Haven Pawn Shop

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Casey Johnson, 29, of Muskegon, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison after being convicted of three counts of Theft of Firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and three counts of Felon in Possession of Firearms. “My office is committed to being part of the solution to keep illegal guns off our streets and out of the hands of felons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Today’s sentence reflects the joint commitment of law enforcement to hold Mr. Johnson accountable for the theft of guns from Michigan Pawn Brokers and to keep our communities safe from gun violence.” Police were investigating a series of thefts from multiple businesses, including three break-ins at Michigan Pawn Brokers, when their investigation led them to Casey Johnson. Investigators executed a search warrant at a motel room at which Johnson was staying and recovered two of the 11 firearms that Johnson stole. “In the end, the moral of this case is simple: Crime does not pay. Casey Johnson decided to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer, because as a prior convicted felon it was easier than passing a background check,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “Casey will have a lot of free time to reflect on his poor choices while serving time in a federal prison. If you choose to illegally possess an illegal firearm, you should pack your bags for prison.” This case was investigated by the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety, the Muskegon Police Department, the Norton Shores Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Roosevelt Park Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. ###


title: Repeat Violent Criminal Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of an Indianapolis Gas Station

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Damon Smithson, 54, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to twenty-two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents, on November 28, 2022, Smithson entered a Shell Gas station located on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Upon entering, he did not find anyone working, so he walked around the building until he found an employee sweeping outside. At that time, Smithson brandished a small revolver and ordered the employee to enter the business and give him all the money in the cash register. The employee complied with the demand and opened the register drawer. Smithson removed all the money from the register and fled the gas station. On December 13, 2022, Smithson was arrested by IMPD. During the arrest, officers found a small .38 caliber revolver, which matched the revolver brandished during the robbery. At the time of his arrest, Smithson had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including armed robbery and two separate counts of robbery. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited under federal law from ever possessing a firearm. “Many gun crimes are committed by repeat criminals who have no legal business having a firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana “The serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that armed, repeat criminals will be held fully accountable in federal court when they terrorize our communities. Our community will be safe from this defendant for decades thanks to the hard work of the FBI, IMPD, and our federal prosecutor.” “The defendant had a pattern of violent activity including armed robbery and this sentence will ensure residents of our community will no longer have to fear they may be a victim of his violence,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “This is another great example of the power of partnerships between agencies to protect our residents.” FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Smithson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and pay a $700 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Former Scranton Police Officer And Police Union President Charged With Overtime Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Paul Helring, age 47, a former Scranton police officer and the former elected police union president, was charged yesterday by Criminal Information with the offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the Information alleges that Helring, while serving as the coordinator of Scranton Police Department’s extra duty overtime program, knowingly obtained by fraud over $5,000.00 in compensation paid to him for extra duty patrol shifts at several local, lower-income housing complexes that Helring claimed to work but did not in fact work. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force with assistance from the Office of Inspector General within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffery St John and Philip J. Caraballo are prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges contained in a criminal information are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Federal Charges Filed Against Nashville Woman for Making Violent Threats Online

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – Alexia N. Willie, also known as Jason L. Willie, 47, of Nashville, Illinois, is facing 14 felony counts of interstate communication of a threat to injure. The crime is punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment per count. “Law enforcement agencies take threats against children seriously and will extensively investigate adults who threaten to endanger them,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. According to court documents, Willie allegedly made threatening statements while on video in online chatrooms with victims across the country. The indictment highlights 14 alleged instances in which the defendant threatened to walk into schools or public restrooms to shoot or sexually abuse children. “This indictment is a result of the public’s vigilance in reporting threats to law enforcement. The FBI will diligently investigate reports of threats, especially when directed at our most vulnerable,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Rodriguez. “As always, we continue to ask the public to report immediately any online activity or behavior that appears suspicious.” A district judge ordered Willie to be detained pending trial, which is currently scheduled for Jan. 16, 2024. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The FBI Springfield Field Office is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.


title: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Receipt Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced a local man to 11 years in prison today for receipt of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Luis Ramirez Avila, 23, was also ordered to serve 30 years under court supervision, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $15,300 in assessments. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in 2019, the FBI began an investigation that later identified that Avila had used the internet to receive and share child pornography. The FBI located Avila in Charlotte, and Avila agreed to talk to law enforcement. Court records show that Avila admitted that he used messaging applications like Snapchat and other online platforms to view, share, and receive child pornography. Avila also told law enforcement that he used Snapchat to find and communicate with minors. The investigation revealed that Avila convinced, and sometimes paid, minor victims to make sexually explicit videos of themselves and send the videos to Avila. On November 29, 2022, Avila pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and he will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of this case. The prosecution for the government was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Former Federal Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation Following Failure to Address Medical Needs of Deceased Inmate

body_text: Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) Lieutenant Michael Anderson, 52, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death. “People held in jails and prisons are at the mercy of correctional officials when it comes to fair treatment and basic necessities like healthcare, especially when they are experiencing a medical emergency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Correctional officials have a constitutional duty to ensure that those experiencing a health crisis or medical emergency are not ignored but instead are treated like human beings and provided basic life-sustaining care. The Justice Department will not stand by idly when officials inside jails and prisons deny people confined in their custody access to basic healthcare, leaving them to suffer grave injury or death. We will hold correctional officials accountable when their callous actions, or failure to act, violate our federal civil rights laws or the Constitution.” “This inmate’s death was not the result of inadvertence or a lapse in judgment,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His death was the completely preventable result of the deliberate choices made by the defendant, who knew he had the constitutional duty to provide medical care. Inmates are entitled to basic human dignity.” “Anderson’s appalling indifference resulted in the needless loss of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that correctional officers who disregard their responsibility to provide a humane environment for inmates will be held accountable.” According to court documents, Anderson admitted that on Jan. 9 and 10, 2021, he was working as an FBOP lieutenant at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. In that capacity, Anderson was the second-highest ranking officer at the prison and was responsible for the care of federal inmates. On Jan. 9, 2021, a correctional officer notified Anderson that a 47-year-old inmate, W.W., was experiencing symptoms of an apparent medical emergency and asked the defendant to help W.W. obtain medical care. Anderson personally observed W.W.’s symptoms and stated that he would get medical help for W.W. The defendant nevertheless failed to notify medical staff, obtain a medical assessment, contact the facility’s on-call physician or notify any other staff members of W.W.’s condition. The next day, a correctional officer notified Anderson that W.W. had fallen to the ground in his cell. Even with this information, Anderson failed to obtain any assistance for W.W. whatsoever. W.W. laid on the ground, dead or dying, for over an hour and a half before any correctional or medical staff entered his cell. When they finally did so, life-saving efforts failed, and W.W. was later pronounced dead. The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.


component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – The Justice Department, together with numerous law enforcement partners, met today at the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) Real Time Crime Center to announce a new initiative to surge law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups who are threatening and upending the safety and security of communities in Memphis. “Violent crime deprives communities of a fundamental sense of security in their own homes and neighborhoods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This violent crime initiative will bring additional tools and resources used to investigate and prosecute violent crime and apply those tools to gangs and groups who are harming and disrupting communities here in Memphis.” The new initiative includes federal prosecutors from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the nation’s foremost experts in charging federal racketeering (RICO) crimes, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys already working in Memphis and dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the MPD. “Through data-driven, targeted, and focused enforcement against the worst-of-the-worst violent criminals and organized groups, coupled with a strong focus on crime prevention, intervention, and reentry, I believe all of us, working together, can make an incredible difference and secure a safer future for all of Memphis,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri. “As U.S. Attorney and a lifelong Memphian, I know the citizens of this city are sick and tired of gun violence and violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I am too. The threat from organized criminal enterprises requires that we bring significant resources to bear. These additional prosecutors, working hand-in-hand our office’s experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement partners, will build cases against gang members, trigger-pullers, and shot-callers.” The initiative will also include efforts to invest in prevention and intervention, and the department will work with the Western District of Tennessee’s innovative Reentry Court Program and community organizations to assist offenders in reentering and reintegrating into their communities. As part of the announcement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz met with community members to hear directly from them about the violence and gang activity in their neighborhoods. “Initiatives like this are not about one takedown – they’re about working in partnership to build a long term and sustainable plan to fight gun crime. ATF Memphis does that every day,” said ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach. “This summer, with the MPD and other state, local, and federal partners, we focused efforts here, using crime gun intelligence to help protect the people of this great city. Now we are here with additional partners both locally and nationally to continue that work -- that impact. By combining traditional investigative techniques with advancements in technology, ATF is creating data-driven investigations that turn into evidence-driven prosecutions of the most dangerous offenders. “This violent crime initiative serves as a force multiplier to empower law enforcement, our partners, and communities to proactively fight against violent crime in big cities and small towns across our nation,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “The FBI, in close collaboration with the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, is committed to tackling violent crime threats in a methodical and effective approach to dismantle the roots of crime and reclaim our communities, for a promising future for our neighborhoods.” “FBI Memphis, our dedicated special agents, task force officers, intelligence analysts, and professional staff are ready to join our partners in supporting this new initiative to disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises that are threatening our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Together we not only investigate and enforce the law, but we also live in, and are a part of the communities affected by the violent crime that is overwhelmingly the result of violent gangs. It is only together that we will be able to target and bring to prosecution the gang members and others who are driving violence in Memphis and throughout the area.” “I am excited about the announcement by our U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz regarding an increased focus on violent crime in the city of Memphis,” said MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis. “This new initiative is a positive step in the right direction, which fosters a since of renewed hope for improved quality of life for our citizens and visitors.” Joining Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz in the press conference today were ATF Director Dettelbach, MPD Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, and FBI Special Agent in Charge DePodesta.


title: Former Petersburg FCI Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant Sentenced for Violating Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in the Inmate’s Death

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Lieutenant was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in the inmate’s death. “This inmate’s death was not the result of inadvertence or a lapse in judgment.” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His death was the completely preventable result of the deliberate choices made by the defendant, who knew he had the constitutional duty to provide medical care. Inmates are entitled to basic human dignity.” “Inmates entrusted to the care and custody of a correctional facility rely on correctional officials for basic healthcare, especially in a medical emergency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold correctional officials who blatantly disregard inmates’ serious medical needs accountable.” According to court documents, Lieutenant Michael Anderson, 52, admitted that on January 9 and 10, 2021, he was working in his official capacity as a BOP lieutenant at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Petersburg. In that capacity, Anderson was the second-highest ranking officer at the prison and was responsible for the care of inmates. On January 9, 2021, a correctional officer notified Anderson that a 47-year-old inmate, W.W., was experiencing symptoms of an apparent medical emergency and asked the defendant to help W.W. obtain medical care. Anderson personally observed W.W.’s symptoms and stated that he would get medical help for W.W. The defendant nevertheless failed to notify medical staff, obtain a medical assessment, contact the facility’s on-call physician, or notify any other staff members of W.W.’s condition. The next day, a correctional officer notified Anderson that W.W. had fallen to the ground in his cell. Even with this information, Anderson failed to obtain any assistance for W.W. whatsoever. W.W. then laid on the ground, dead or dying, for over an hour and a half before any correctional or medical staff entered his cell. By the time correctional and medical staff entered the cell, life-saving efforts failed, and W.W. was later pronounced dead. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Michael E. Horwitz, Inspector General of the Justice Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-80.


title: United Kingdom National Pleads Guilty to Hacking, Securities Fraud, and other Cybercrimes

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, Idris Dayo Mustapha, a national of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, pleaded guilty to charges of computer intrusion, securities fraud, wire fraud and access device fraud based on his involvement in a ring of hackers and fraudsters who broke into Americans’ email and brokerage accounts in order to defraud and steal over $6 million from their victims. Mustapha was arrested in the United Kingdom in August 2021 and was extradited to the United States in August 2023. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. As set forth in the criminal information and court filings, between 2011 and 2018, Mustapha and his co-conspirators hacked into the computer servers of U.S. financial institutions, reviewed confidential user data, and placed malicious files on the servers. Using the stolen data and stolen passwords that they acquired, they executed various schemes to defraud U.S. victims. First, they accessed victims’ email accounts and, impersonating the victims, caused wire transfers of the victims’ funds for their own benefit. Second, they used their access to the victims’ securities brokerage accounts to steal securities outright by having them transferred out of the accounts. Third, Mustapha and his co-conspirators caused the victims’ brokerage accounts to execute unfavorable trades against accounts that Mustapha and his co-conspirators controlled, generating a profit for themselves at the victims’ expense. Losses attributable to the scheme were in excess of $6 million. The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section and the Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Sarah M. Evans, and Sara K. Winik are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the UK of Mustapha. The Defendant : IDRIS DAYO MUSTAPHA Age: 33 United Kingdom E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-440 (PKC)


title: Recidivist Fraudster Sentenced To 212 Months In Prison In Connection With $40 Million Ponzi Scheme And Other Frauds

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANKLIN RAY was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres to 212 months in prison for engaging in multiple fraud schemes, including a $40 million Ponzi scheme and two COVID-19 loan fraud schemes, and committing aggravated identity theft in connection with one of those schemes. RAY previously pled guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In the span of less than two years, Franklin Ray engaged in four separate fraudulent schemes, including a $40 million Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of people and schemes that stole funds intended for those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ray even had the audacity to continue his Ponzi scheme while on pretrial release after his arrest in March 2022, stealing approximately $2 million from unsuspecting victims after he was charged with federal crimes. Today’s sentence shows that engaging in fraudulent conduct will have severe consequences.” As alleged in the previously filed Complaint and Indictment and other court documents: Beginning in at least June 2021, FRANKLIN RAY began to offer investors an opportunity to invest in his trucking and logistics company, CSA Business Solutions LLC (the “Truck Investment Scheme”). Specifically, RAY and the investors entered into contracts pursuant to which CSA Business Solutions LLC would procure and operate a truck in its trucking business for each $20,000 contributed by the investor. RAY told investors that the trucks would perform delivery services for a multinational e-commerce company and/or a multinational shipping company and that the investors would be entitled to 77% of the net income of the trucks. In reality, CSA Business Solutions LLC operated few trucks and had minimal revenues from trucking activities. Instead, investors in the Truck Investment Scheme received payments from new investments into the scheme or from other sources. After the investors purchased the rights to trucks from CSA Business Solutions LLC, RAY sent them falsified spreadsheets at regular intervals, purporting to show the performance of their trucks during the relevant period. RAY ultimately persuaded approximately 275 investors to invest at least $40 million and fraudulently claimed to have purchased over 2,000 trucks with the investments. RAY also carried out fraudulent schemes to obtain over $1.9 million in government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of CSA Business Solutions LLC and another Michigan-based trucking company (the “SBA Loan Fraud Schemes”). In connection with the SBA Loan Fraud Schemes, RAY submitted false information and forged documents to the Small Business Administration and commercial lenders. RAY claimed that these businesses engaged in significant trucking business, but they had minimal revenues and trucking activity. RAY also committed aggravated identity theft with respect to one of the SBA Loan Fraud Schemes. In addition, RAY fraudulently induced a New York City-based real estate company (the “Company”) to pay $175,000 in startup costs for a joint venture (the “Joint Venture”) between the Company and CSA Business Solutions LLC. In order to persuade the Company to enter into the Joint Venture and pay the $175,000, RAY lied about his personal business experience and the trucking business conducted by CSA Business Solutions LLC. Rather than pay for startup costs, RAY spent the funds on personal expenses, including private airplane trips. The Joint Venture was never formed. RAY was arrested in early March 2022, and a CSA Business Solutions LLC bank account was seized at that time. After his arrest, up until his Indictment in April 2022, RAY continued to operate the Truck Investment Scheme. RAY hid the fact of his arrest and the seizure of the bank account and lied to investors about why he did not make expected payments after his arrest. During the period after his arrest, RAY opened new bank accounts on behalf of CSA Business Solutions LLC and continued to solicit and accept investor funds for trucks that did not exist. In the post-arrest period alone, RAY defrauded investors into paying at least $1.9 million into his scheme. RAY previously pled guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud in the Eastern District of Michigan. He received a two-year sentence in connection with those crimes and was released from federal custody in 2010. * * * In addition to the prison term, RAY, 52, of Canton, Michigan, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $42,128,912.00 and several assets, including a 1968 Chevy Camaro. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weinberg is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Convicted Murderer Sentenced to 30 Years for Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for firearms possession and his role as a kilogram-level dealer of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other substances. On December 22, 2022, Aaron Albert Goode pled guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. “Kilogram-level drug dealers often receive dangerous high-purity narcotics, such as fentanyl, from their suppliers, then mix those drugs with cutting agents in makeshift laboratories where they press the cut drugs into kilograms,” said US Attorney Michael Easley. “This dangerous process leads to unpredictable dosage amounts of potentially-deadly drugs that can kill unsuspecting drug users. We are shutting down these clandestine laboratories and prosecuting the drug traffickers who profit from them.” “The Fayetteville Police Department’s Narcotic Vice Suppression Unit and Emergency Response Unit played a vital role during this investigation. Working collaboratively with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, we continue to aggressively combat Fayetteville's gun violence and trafficking,” said Chief Kemberle Braden. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Goode, 48, was identified by Fayetteville and Robeson County area law enforcement investigators as a significant source of drug supply dating back to at least 2016. After years of receiving information about Goode’s drug involvement, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Goode during the summer of 2021. Goode conducted these fentanyl sales out of a residence on Oakview Drive in Fayetteville. On August 5, 2021, investigators with ATF and the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) executed a search warrant at the Oakview Drive residence. Investigators familiar with Goode’s violent criminal history, which included a 1997 murder conviction in Hoke County, surrounded the residence and demanded that he exit so that the search warrant could be served. After a delay of several minutes, Goode exited the residence. Investigators later learned that during this delay, Goode destroyed several ounces of fentanyl by flushing it down the toilet. During the search of the Oakview Drive residence, investigators located various items used to package bulk quantities of drugs for sale to include a hydraulic press, digital scales, blenders and plastic wrap with drug residue. Investigators also located six firearms, body armor, a ballistic shield, and approximately $70,000 in U.S. Currency inside the residence. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fayetteville and Lumberton Police Departments, and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-334-D.


title: Davie County Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Production and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Mocksville man was sentenced today to 600 months in prison after pleading guilty to production and distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). According to court records, in September 2021 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip that an individual in Davie County, North Carolina was uploading and distributing child pornography. Law enforcement investigated and determined Steven Tyler SMITH, age 24, was responsible. Based upon a forensic review, SMITH had a total of more than 1,500 images and videos of child sexual exploitation. The investigation further revealed that SMITH sexually abused a 15-18 month old child and shared videos and images of the abuse with others online. SMITH was sentenced to a 600-month term of imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, SMITH was ordered to pay restitution to victims totaling $91,000 and special assessments totaling $5,200.00. He pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography on April 4, 2023. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Davie County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys K. P. Kennedy Gates and Lindsey Freeman. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative 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 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . ###


title: Schenectady County Sex Offender Sentenced to 300 Months for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Peters, age 49, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and for committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Peters admitted that between October 2 and October 7, 2020, he initiated and exchanged sexually explicit text messages with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old child. After learning the apparent child was 14 years old, Peters repeatedly asked the minor for “nudes” and “live” pictures. Peters also asked the minor to meet him on multiple occasions and discussed engaging in various sexual acts with the minor when they met. On October 7, Peters arrived at the prearranged meeting location near Albany, where he was encountered by law enforcement officers and arrested. Peters was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense; he had three prior sex offense convictions, two felony convictions in 2000 and one in 2012, each involving the sexual abuse of a child he had met online. Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a life term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Peters will again have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Three Individuals Charged With Fentanyl And Heroin Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tony Oliver, age 32, of Paterson, New Jersey; Rosa Duran, age 40, of Davenport, Florida; and Dewayne Hutton, age 23, of East Orange, New Jersey, were indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges. The indictment was returned on October 10, 2023, but remained under seal until all defendants were arrested. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute fentanyl and heroin between April 2021 and September 2023, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Tony Oliver specifically was charged with conspiring to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, which is the equivalent of approximately 16,000 potentially lethal individual doses of fentanyl. The indictment also alleges that the defendants distributed and possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl on three dates in May, July, and September 2023. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Customs and Border Patrol, and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Luisa H. Berti are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The penalties under federal law for the most serious offense charged against Tony Oliver are a minimum 10 years and maximum life of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalties under federal law for the most serious offenses charged against Rosa Duran and Dewayne Hutton are up to 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #