title: Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Laundering Drug Money

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a man to eight years in prison for laundering illegal drug proceeds in the United States on behalf of traffickers in Mexico. MIGUEL SALINAS SALCEDO served as a Mexico-based “peso broker” who arranged with drug traffickers to trade pesos that he controlled in Mexico for the cash proceeds in the U.S. Salinas Salcedo and others worked to pick up the cash in the U.S., deposit it into various bank accounts, and make corresponding quantities of pesos available to the traffickers in Mexico. Some of the cash pickups occurred in Chicago, Lansing, Ill., and Countryside, Ill. Unbeknownst to Salinas Salcedo, two individuals to whom he subcontracted the work of picking up the cash were actually undercover law enforcement officers. From 2019 to 2021, the undercover officers accepted approximately 24 cash-pickup assignments set up by Salinas Salcedo for a total of approximately $2.9 million. Beyond the assignments the officers accepted, Salinas Salcedo offered them 103 other assignments that would have totaled approximately $17.9 million. Evidence in the case showed that Salinas Salcedo worked with other partners and did not rely exclusively on the undercover officers to pick up the cash. Salinas Salcedo, 42, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a money laundering conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. “These weren’t just one-off transactions that defendant conducted; he was in the business of laundering funds,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Erskine argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The drugs that were sold to generate the funds at issue undoubtedly caused harm to individuals within the United States both directly and indirectly.”


title: Texas Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Eufracio Rodriguez, Jr., 52, of Lamesa, Texas, was sentenced to over 8 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, on September 17, 2022, officers and investigators with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) worked in conjunction with federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia to conduct an investigation into Rodriguez’ possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. CPD conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Rodriguez was a passenger. During the stop, the driver gave permission to search the car, and Rodriguez admitted to possessing drugs inside the car. Law enforcement located 20 bags of pills which tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight of the fentanyl pills was 2,188 grams. Rodriguez admitted to purchasing the fentanyl pills in Atlanta, Georgia, for between $13,000 and $16,000 and transporting them to South Carolina for distribution. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Rodriguez to 97 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/ , https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta , and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ . The DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Georgia woman sentenced to nearly four years in prison for multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Lakisha Swope has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining more than $3.6 million by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) applications. “Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Swope used the program to commit a nationwide fraud scheme resulting in a nearly four-million-dollar theft of COVID relief funds,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Her sentence reflects the significance of her criminal conduct and demonstrates the dedication of our office, and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, to ensure that individuals who seek to exploit this critical economic safety net are held accountable for their crimes.” “While businesses were suffering and trying their best to make it through the pandemic, Swope chose greed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Her greed impacted every tax-paying citizen. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will persist in unraveling these fraud schemes and bring criminals to justice.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Lakisha Swope operated a nationwide scheme seeking to obtain fraudulent PPP funds. The investigation revealed that dozens of false PPP applications were filed from Swope’s residence. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding. Additional funding was authorized by Congress in December 2020. The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within eight weeks of receipt and use at least 75 percent of the forgiven amount for payroll. But in this case, FBI agents, while executing a search warrant of Swope’s residence, seized voluminous documents showing her role in managing a conspiracy to defraud the program, including false PPP applications in the names of dozens of businesses. To carry out this scheme, Swope flew around the country, including to Texas, Missouri, and Florida, to collect loan fees from business owners she was using to file these false PPP applications. Swope’s criminal conduct led to banks making $3,626,961 in fraudulent PPP payments. Swope used the fraudulently obtained funds on luxury clothing, restaurants, hotels, and vacation rentals. Lakisha Swope, 45, of Suwanee, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $3,626,961 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Krepp prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Charleston Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aalik Wilsher, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $20,459.33 in restitution for receipt of stolen money. Wilsher admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $20,459.33 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2021, Wilsher applied for a PPP loan for his purported business, “Aalik Wilsher.” Wilsher admitted that he falsely certified that “Aalik Wilsher” was established in 2019 and was in operation on February 15, 2020. Wilsher further admitted to submitting a false IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, to state that “Aalik Wilsher” had earned $97,587 in gross income during 2019. The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Businesses applying for PPP loans had to certify that the business was in operation on February 15, 2020, and were required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020. Wilsher’s fraudulent PPP loan application was approved and $20,330 was electronically deposited from a financial institution in Florida to Wilsher’s bank account in Charleston, West Virginia, on April 30, 2021. Wilsher later applied to have the fraudulent PPP loan and $129.33 in accrued interest forgiven. Wilsher admitted that he had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave Wilsher’s fraudulent PPP loan on December 13, 2021. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-51. ###


title: Former Police Officer Sentenced to 8 years in Prison for Theft of Firearms from Police Weapons Vault and Tampering with Multiple Witnesses

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Former police officer William Cintrón-Rivera, a.k.a. “El Kid/Kid” was sentenced to eight years in prison for the theft of 54 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Guayama headquarters on July 17, 2019. The defendant was ordered to forfeit his position as a PRPB officer and ordered to pay $48,624 in restitution to the PRPB. On January 20, 2021, a federal grand jury charged the defendant with multiple counts of firearms violations and tampering with three witnesses and he pleaded guilty in April of 2023. According to court documents, on July 17, 2019, in the District of Puerto Rico, defendant Cintrón-Rivera stole 54 firearms from the PRPB, Guayama headquarters. At the time of the theft, defendant Cintrón-Rivera was a police officer in the PRPB. In addition, the defendant was charged with the possession of six of the stolen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The investigation revealed that Cintrón-Rivera attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade two individuals to provide false information to federal investigators relevant to the theft, such as Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts on the night of the crime. Cintrón-Rivera also attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade a female to provide false information o federal investigators regarding: (a) the nature and duration of their relationship; (b) Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts during the timeframe of the theft; (c) the identity of an alleged informant; and (d) communications involving Cintrón-Rivera and her, including payment for an alleged cell phone. Anyone with any information regarding any of the missing PRPB firearms is encouraged to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Christopher Robinson, Special Agent in Charge for ATF, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Valentin was in charge of the prosecution of the case. ###


title: Ohio Man Convicted by Jury of Crimes Against Children Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Gregory Johnson, 47 years old, of Trenton, Ohio, was found guilty after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. The jury returned a verdict of guilty against Johnson on the single count of the Superseding Indictment charging him with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Justin Sheridan. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . ###


title: Malden Man Sentenced for Cocaine and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Malden man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for operating a drug trafficking enterprise in which he sold fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base to an undercover officer on multiple occasions. Dhamari Jordan, a/k/a/ “DMO,” a/k/a “DMO Crashout,” 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately three years in prison) and five years of supervised release. In August 2021, Jordan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jordan and other members of his conspiracy were captured on recording selling fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base to an undercover officer on three occasions in January 2021. During these sales, Jordan was on pretrial release for a pending firearms case in Cambridge District Court from June 2019. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk District Attorney’s Office, Boston Police Department and Malden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Two Nigerian Nationals Plead Guilty, and  One Sentenced to Prison for  International Inheritance Fraud Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

component: Civil Division

body_text: Two Nigerian nationals who were previously extradited to the United States from Spain pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud, and one Nigerian national who was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom was sentenced to 87 months in prison, all for their respective roles in an international inheritance fraud scheme. According to court documents, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, 52, and Jerry Chucks Ozor, 43, were part of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes, and also were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendants convinced these former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others. On July 25, U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ozor to 87 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Ikponmwosa pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud on the same date. Earlier today, Neboh pleaded guilty to committing the same offense. “The Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch will continue to bring to justice international criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working together, U.S. and foreign law enforcement can and will thwart schemes such as the one charged in this case and prevent further losses to American victims.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the USPIS Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the USPIS, to protect our citizens from these scams.” “International criminal organizations using schemes that target and steal from the elderly will be held responsible for their despicable actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of HSI Arizona. “This case demonstrates HSI’s commitment, with our partner law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad, to prove wrong those who believe they are beyond the reach of the law. I thank all the law enforcement agencies that dedicated countless hours to ensure that this investigation was successful.” In June, Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, 39, of London, to 82 months in prison for his role in the scheme. During sentencing, Judge Williams said that it was important to send a message to international criminals who believe that “they would never have been caught” that they cannot prey on people in the United States “with impunity.” Sentencing is scheduled for Neboh and Ikponmwosa on Nov. 2 and Oct. 20, respectively. The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and HSI are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .


title: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jaiesha Keyshara Morris, 18, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, for several months prior to March 10, 2023, Morris kept methamphetamine belonging to another person at her residence as part of a conspiracy with other people to distribute methamphetamine. Morris would communicate with the person who was selling the methamphetamine by cell phone to arrange drug-related transactions. On March 10, 2023, this person asked Morris to deliver an ounce of methamphetamine to an individual. Morris drove to the Sheetz in South Charleston and delivered the methamphetamine to the purchaser as instructed. Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting the case. The case is a result of “Operation Into The Woods,” a 10-month investigation of drug trafficking in Kanawha and Boone counties. Morris and several other individuals have been indicted including Toby Lee Graley, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl on August 1, 2023 and is awaiting sentencing. Law enforcement seized 120 grams of methamphetamine, four shotguns, and approximately $23,150 from Graley when he was arrested. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2-23-cr-44. ###


title: Gun crimes send Kalispell felon to prison for five years

body_text: MISSOULA— A Kalispell man with a felony conviction was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Matthew Ryan Cubberly, 36, pleaded guilty in April to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. In court documents, the government alleged that Cubberly was convicted of a felony drug crime in Flathead County and was on state supervision when probation officers suspected a probation violation and conducted a home visit in March 2022. During a search of Cubberly’s residence, the officers found two 12-gauge shotguns next Cubberly’s bed. Both guns had the stocks cut off, and the barrels were less than 18 inches in length. Neither firearm was registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Cubberly was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kalispell Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Ocean County Businessman Admits Failing to Pay Over $10 Million in Payroll Taxes

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County man today admitted failing to pay over $10 million in payroll taxes stemming from his ownership of several businesses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Josef Neuman, 37, of Lakewood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with willful failure to pay over payroll taxes for one of his businesses in 2018. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Neuman was chief executive officer of a business in Lakewood. The company provided administrative services to operators of nursing homes and other health care facilities, including at least approximately 20 entities co-owned and operated by Neuman. As a person who controlled the companies’ financial affairs, Neuman had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS the companies’ payroll taxes. During tax years 2017 and 2018, Neuman failed to pay over to the IRS over $10 million in payroll taxes owed by the companies. Neuman knew that payroll taxes were due and owing to the IRS at this time, but continued to pay other business expenses and employee salaries, instead of the unpaid taxes, while tax liabilities continued to accrue. The charge to which Neuman pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. neuman.information.pdf


title: Elvaston, Illinois Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison Related to Conspiracy to Distribute Meth

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Elvaston, Illinois man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Randy Glenn Price, 63, was identified by law enforcement through a confidential informant, who purchased pound quantities of methamphetamine from Price. In 2022, Price received multiple pounds of methamphetamine from out-of-state sources and distributed it in and around Johnson County, Iowa. In total, Price was attributed with distributing 33,046 grams (33.05 kilograms) of ice/actual methamphetamine. After completing his term of imprisonment, Price will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also levied a $4,000 fine against Price. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force.


title: West Virginia man sentenced for federal gun charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Lee Gordon, age 36, of Rio, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by prohibited person. According to court documents and statements made in court, officers were called to Gordon’s home for a welfare check and destruction of property complaint reported by his girlfriend. Gordon left the home shortly after officers were dispatched. When officers arrived on scene, they found Gordon in his car in a ditch. Deputies recovered three rifles, two shotguns, and four pistols in Gordon’s vehicle. Gordon was convicted of domestic violence in Mineral County in 2009, and thus is prohibited from possessing firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office; and the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Clinton Man Charged Federally For Carjacking

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 8, 2023, Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) charged Shown White, 43, of Clinton, TN, in a federal criminal complaint with carjacking in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 2119. The complaint was issued by the Honorable Cynthia Richardson Wyrick, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee. If convicted, White could face imprisonment of up to 25 years and other penalties. White is currently in state custody, and he will make his appearance in federal court at a later date. According to documents filed with the court, it is alleged that White flagged down a waste collection truck for help after he crashed the vehicle, he was driving in the vicinity of 549 Henley Street in Knoxville. The driver of the waste collection truck stopped in the roadway to assist. Almost immediately, White jumped into the passenger side of the vehicle, held a knife to the driver’s throat, and instructed the driver to head south on Chapman Highway. While the driver was attempting to comply with White’s demands, a struggle ensued which led the driver to jump from the moving vehicle. White took control of the vehicle and continued driving into Sevier County until ultimately crashing the garbage truck into a business located on Dolly Parton Parkway. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico made the announcement. This prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI, Knoxville Police Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Johnson will represent the United States. Members of the public are reminded that a complaint constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 8, 2023. Anne Cordier, age 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Cordier was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. She pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023. Beginning in January of 2022, Cordier conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota. Cordier received pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in California and re-distributed it on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Cordier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Arizona Man and Woman found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Rusty James Driscoll, age 39, and Shauna Marie Gross, age 62, both of Kingman, Arizona, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on August 4, 2023. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Driscoll and Gross were indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. In 2022, Driscoll, Gross, and other co-conspirators agreed amongst themselves to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota. In carrying out their conspiracy, Driscoll and Gross shipped multiple pounds of methamphetamine from Arizona to be redistributed in South Dakota. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the SD Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Presentence investigation reports were ordered and sentencing dates have not been set. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Three Sioux Falls Men and Two Sioux Falls Women Sentenced for Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three Sioux Falls, South Dakota, men and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. Salvador Magana Madrigal, age 41, was sentenced on August 7, 2023, to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Oscar Madrigal, age 30, was sentenced on July 27, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Rosa Elena Magana Madrigal, age 65, was sentenced on August 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. William Burt Hartwick, age 54, was sentenced on November 21, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Maria D. Magana-Zavala, age 53, was sentenced on December 27, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. A sixth co-conspirator, Anahi Plascencia Cardona, will be sentenced on October 30, 2023. All six defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2021. Oscar Madrigal pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022; Rosa Madrigal pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022; William Hartwick pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022; Maria Magana-Zavala pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022; and Salvador Magana Madrigal and Anahi Plascencia Cardona were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls on May 2, 2023. The conviction stemmed from activities that started when Salvador Madrigal and Anahi Cardona, who are husband and wife, recruited other members of Madrigal’s family to assist them in obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from California and distributing it in Sioux Falls. Salvador Madrigal and Cardona recruited Madrigal’s aunt and uncle, Maria Magana Zavala and William Hartwick, to transport methamphetamine by vehicle from California. Eventually Salvador’s brother, Oscar, became involved in the conspiracy by assisting his brother in transporting and counting shipments of methamphetamine. Salvador Madrigal, Jr. and Cardona, along with Salvador’s mother, Rosa Madrigal, also intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct wire/money transfers which involved the proceeds of unlawful activities. The group conducted numerous financial transactions intended to transfer the proceeds from methamphetamine sales, while concealing the nature and ownership of the money. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. All five defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.


title: Anton “Tony” Lazzaro Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 252 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for orchestrating a sex trafficking conspiracy in which he trafficked multiple minor girls, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. The prosecution team, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda Williams, Laura Provinzino and Emily Polachek, stated, “Anton Lazzaro was a predator who hid in plain sight. He was a sex trafficker who camouflaged his true nature with his wealth and privilege. Today, his crimes were laid bare, and justice was served.” “Mr. Lazzaro targeted, manipulated, and sexually exploited young and vulnerable girls for his own gain without regard for their age or safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that those who commit such heinous crimes will be held accountable. The FBI prioritizes crimes of victimization and will leave no stone unturned to protect the vulnerable and bring every perpetrator to justice.” “While it cannot erase the harm Mr. Lazzaro has done, today’s sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message that we do not tolerate this type of criminal behavior from anyone, regardless of their wealth or privilege,” said Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. As proven at trial, Anton Joseph Lazzaro, a/k/a “Tony” Lazzaro, 32, conspired with Gisela Castro Medina, 21, to recruit young girls – 15-year-olds and 16-year-olds – to have sex with him in exchange for cash and other items of value. Lazzaro met Castro Medina in May of 2020 through the Seeking Arrangements website, which is known as a “sugar daddy” website. Lazzaro directed Castro Medina to identify girls she knew and others on social media who would have sex with him for money. Lazzaro specified that he was looking for young girls of a certain skin color, petite body type, and those who were considered vulnerable, referring to them as “broken girls.” Castro Medina would show Lazzaro photographs of minor girls and if Lazzaro “approved” Castro Medina would provide the minor’s contact information to Lazzaro. Castro Medina told the minors that Lazzaro was an older guy with a lot of money, and that he wanted to be a sugar daddy to younger girls. For her role in recruiting multiple minor girls, Lazzaro paid Castro Medina more than $50,000. As proven at trial, Lazzaro often sent cars, typically Ubers, to transport the minor girls to his luxury condo in the Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis. At one point, Lazzaro sent a driver to pick up a group of 14-and 15-year-old girls from a slumber party in St. Michael, Minnesota. When minor girls came to his condo, Lazzaro would give them alcohol, flash stacks of cash, and offer the girls precise sums of money to perform various sex acts. Lazzaro would send the minor girls home with cash, vapes, alcohol, Plan B, cell phones, and other items of value. Lazzaro carried out this trafficking scheme from May 2020 through December 2020. Following the execution of federal search warrants at Lazzaro’s condo on December 15, 2020, Lazzaro and Castro Medina discussed which of the minor victims spoke to law enforcement. As part of her guilty plea, Castro Medina admitted that in March 2021, she and Lazzaro agreed to pay off a 15-year-old victim to prevent her from talking to law enforcement about engaging in commercial sex with Lazzaro. On March 31, 2023, following a 10-day trial before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, Lazzaro was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors and five counts of sex trafficking of minors. Castro Medina pleaded guilty on December 19, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors and one count of obstruction. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5, 2023. In handing down the sentence, Chief Judge Schiltz commented on the “soulless, mechanical nature of Mr. Lazzaro’s crimes, like a sex trafficking assembly line,” adding that the only two people Mr. Lazzaro showed any remorse for were “himself and Jeffrey Epstein, who Mr. Lazzaro called ‘his brother.’” This case is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force – led by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Minneapolis Police Department, the West Hennepin Public Safety Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams, Laura M. Provinzino, and Emily A. Polachek are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Southbridge Man Sentenced for Attempting to Distribute Cocaine Sent Through the Mail From Puerto Rico

body_text: BOSTON – A Southbridge man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for attempting to distribute a kilogram of cocaine. Revel Pedro Rivera, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six months in prison and two years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. On Feb. 15, 2022, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In early July 2020, a package containing a kilogram of cocaine that was shipped to Rivera’s residence from Puerto Rico was intercepted by law enforcement, who replaced the cocaine with a counterfeit substance. On July 6, 2020, Rivera accepted delivery of the package and was arrested as he left the property with the package that he believed contained cocaine. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 40 Months for Violating His Sex Offender Registration Obligations and the Conditions of His Federal Supervised Release

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Justin Donohue, age 38, of Syracuse, was sentenced today for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by failing to notify the New York State Sex Offender Registry of a social media and email account he created and used, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release for a prior federal child pornography conviction. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, United States Marshal David McNulty, and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. United States District Judge Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby sentenced Donohue to serve 16 months imprisonment for failing to report Snapchat and Gmail accounts to the Sex Offender Registry, as required by law. In his earlier guilty plea, Donohue admitted that he created the email account using a false name and accessed it 67 times on an unreported cellular telephone that he possessed in violation of his conditions of supervised release. Investigators found that the email address was used to join at least twelve child pornography trading groups online, but that Donohue regularly factory reset his phone, thereby deleting all data. Donohue was further sentenced to serve a consecutive term of 24 months in prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release by having contact with a known felon, possessing the unreported cellular telephone, failing to register his internet accounts, and falsifying monthly probation reports. Following his terms of incarceration, Donohue will be returned to supervised release for another 20 years and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender. Donohue’s case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)-Mid-state Child Exploitation Task Force in cooperation with the New York State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher 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: McLaughlin Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Simple Assault

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Martin Black Cloud, age 19, of McLaughlin, South Dakota, was found guilty of Simple Assault as a result of a two-day federal jury trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in federal prison and/or a $5,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. Black Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. The evidence at trial showed that on June 22, 2022, in McIntosh, South Dakota, Black Cloud was drinking alcohol with his stepfather. Black Cloud quarreled with his stepfather and assaulted him, resulting in his stepfather’s hospitalization. Black Cloud then apologized to his stepfather, injured himself with a knife and fled. This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Thunem and Cameron Cook prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation report was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. Black Cloud remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.


title: Vermont Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Unlawful Firearm Possession

body_text: BOSTON – A Vermont man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Dominick Bailey, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bailey pleaded guilty in December 2021. “This office is committed to doing whatever we can to crack down on illegal gun possession,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “When someone repeatedly breaks gun laws, as this defendant clearly did, they will be held accountable.” “The Postal Service is part of the communities we serve,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “The combined efforts of the Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Boston Police Department has resulted in a significant sentence for a true threat to the safety of our community. While we are proud of the work in this case, we will not rest in our efforts to identity and bring to justice those who would misuse the U.S. Mail and threaten the safety of our communities.” “This sentence should serve as notice to repeat offenders, determined to continue to illegally possess firearms. ATF and our law enforcement partners will not falter in our resolve to investigate and incarcerate offenders who illegally possess and traffic firearms,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “This previously convicted felon attempted to obtain methamphetamine in exchange for illegal firearms,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “As we all know, narcotics and unlawfully possessed firearms are serious threats to our communities in Massachusetts. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. These enforcement actions with our federal, state and local partners show what happens when law enforcement works together.” In November 2019, Bailey was arrested in Boston in possession of four firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle capable of accepting a large capacity magazine. Bailey and his co-defendant had arranged to transport the firearms from Vermont to Boston in exchange for a quantity of methamphetamine. Bailey assumed he was negotiating with a Boston-area drug dealer, when in fact, he was communicating with an undercover federal agent. This was Bailey’s third federal conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms, having been twice convicted of the same charge in U.S. District Courts in Vermont and New Hampshire. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, ATF SAC Ferguson, DEA SAC Boyle and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Vermont State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and James E. Arnold of Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Stratford Man Charged with Robbery, Kidnapping, and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging GUY EUGENE, also known as “Fresh,” 41, of Stratford with robbery, kidnapping, and firearm offenses. The indictment was returned on July 19, 2023. Eugene appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2023. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on September 26, 2022, Eugene and others kidnapped a victim at gunpoint from the area of the Island Vybez Restaurant located at 690 Beechmont Avenue in Bridgeport. Shortly before the kidnapping, the victim withdrew $3,000 from an ATM and intended to use the money for a monthly rent payment for the restaurant. During the kidnapping, a masked assailant hit the victim on the head with a gun, and the victim was dragged into a rear of a vehicle. In the car, Eugene and others threatened to kill the victim and demanded that he call someone to bring them more money. Eugene and others took from the victim a bank deposit bag with $3,000, and his gold earrings, iPhone, car keys, house keys, and keys to the restaurant. The victim was released on Maplewood Avenue in Bridgeport. The indictment charges Eugene with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life; and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of seven years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants who are awaiting trial are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which includes personnel from the Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gresham and Rahul Kale.


title: Two New York Men Admit Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: NEWARK, NJ. – Two New York men today admitted their roles in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, and one of the men also admitted conspiring with seven separately charged individuals to defraud multiple states to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Billy Castro, 33, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to a three-count information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Juan De La Cruz Infante Torres, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty before Judge Shipp on June 14, 2023, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court: In May and June 2021, Castro and Infante conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. On June 15, 2021, Castro and Infante took approximately two kilograms of fentanyl from Castro’s apartment to Clifton, New Jersey, where they were arrested trying to sell it. Law enforcement agents then searched Castro’s apartment and found approximately two additional kilograms of fentanyl. The agents also found driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, debit cards, tax forms, bills, and other documents – including COVID-19 unemployment benefits applications and debit cards – in the names of approximately 100 individual victims. On April 24, 2023, the following individuals were separately charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud: Rafael Josmin Nunez Duarte, 33; Natanael Valdez Brito, aka “El Pocho,” 34; Josmin Rafael Nunez Duarte, aka “Mello,” 33; and Alexander Arismendy Alix Hernandez, 22, all of Bronx, New York; Leonel Frias Espaillat, 32, of Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Abrahan Rivas Rojas, aka “Milandro,” 36, and Yarisa Espaillat, aka“Yari,” 34, both of the Dominican Republic. A subsequent investigation revealed that Castro conspired with Nunez, Valdez, Duarte, Alix, Frias, Rivas, Espaillat, and others to use the personal identifying information of thousands of individual victims to create fictitious online profiles claiming to be real people seeking unemployment benefits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using these fake profiles, the conspirators submitted fraudulent applications to the departments of labor of Puerto Rico and numerous states, including Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Once the fraudulent unemployment benefit applications were approved, the conspirators received unemployment benefit funds through debit cards, which they either cashed out at ATMs or used to make purchases. To date, law enforcement has identified that the victims’ information was used to fraudulently obtain approximately $25 million in unemployment benefits from 29 different states. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl each carry a statutory maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a statutory maximum fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of the greatest of $250,000, twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for Castro is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2023. Sentencing for Infante is scheduled for Oct. 25, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas and charges. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and New York Department of Labor for their assistance in the investigation. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations against Nunez, Valdez, Duarte, Alix, Frias, Rivas, and Espaillat are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. castro.information.pdf infante.information.pdf


title: Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Michael Pacheco, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Nov. 1, 2023. Pacheco was indicted along with nine other co-defendants in August 2022 . In March 2021, law enforcement began investigating a DTO allegedly led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Intercepted communications on numerous cellphones allegedly identified members of the DTO who regularly distributed multiple kilograms of fentanyl from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River. The investigation identified Pacheco as a regular DTO customer who re-distributed fentanyl to his own customer base in Southeastern Massachusetts. Intercepted communications showed Pacheco ordering fentanyl from the DTO and was soon after observed meeting with the DTO’s couriers. A search of Pacheco’s residence in July 2022 resulted in the seizure of approximately 41 grams of fentanyl. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Woman Indicted on Trafficking Meth & Fentanyl

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman for drug trafficking offenses between April 2023 and May 2023. According to court documents, Mana E. Reyes, 48, of Wichita is charged with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ola Odeyemi and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case. OTHER INDICTMENTS Oleg Popov, 29, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender. The U.S. Marshal Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case. Regan Riner, 30, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lanny Welch and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case. Abram Velo, 40, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lanny Welch and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Middleboro Financial Adviser Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Investment Adviser Fraud and Money Laundering

body_text: BOSTON – A Middleboro financial adviser was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding his elderly and otherwise vulnerable clients and stealing the victims’ retirement assets. Paul R. McGonigle, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 54 months in prison and two months of supervised release. McGonigle was also ordered to pay restitution of $652,987. In February 2023, McGonigle pleaded guilty to one count of investment adviser fraud, two counts of money laundering, three counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. “Among the highest priorities of this office is protecting vulnerable victims from pernicious fraudulent schemes. This defendant took advantage of the elderly, including individuals living with dementia and other cognitive impairments, to line his own pockets. The conduct is despicable. The judicial system has now held him accountable and anyone embarking on such conduct is forewarned that you will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “What Paul McGonigle did is despicable. He preyed on his elderly and vulnerable clients, betrayed their trust, and stole over $1.2 million from their retirement accounts,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Last year, investment scams cost consumers nationwide $3.31 billion, and here in Massachusetts, victims reported losing almost $76 million. This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to holding fraudsters accountable.” McGonigle served as a financial adviser for the victims, many of whom were elderly, one of whom had dementia, and another who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Beginning no later than February 2015, McGonigle caused unauthorized withdrawals from victims’ annuities and induced victims to give him money to invest on their behalf, which he then used for personal and business expenses. To carry out his scheme, McGonigle posed as clients on calls with their annuity companies and signed their names on forms requesting withdrawals from their annuities. When some of his clients began to ask questions, McGonigle concealed his scheme by falsely assuring clients that their investments were growing. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI Acting SAC DiMenna made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Lame Deer man admits robbing bank in Billings

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man accused of holding up a bank in downtown Billings and attempting to flee in a city bus admitted to a bank robbery charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Elmer Brady, 68, pleaded guilty to bank robbery as charged in an indictment. Brady faces a maximum of 25 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Brady was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged that on March 23, Brady entered Stockman Bank, located in downtown Billings, approached an employee, identified as Jane Doe 1, and told her, “I already took care of your security guard.” Brady then wrote on a deposit slip, “This is a …” with the last word being scribbled and unreadable. Brady slid the note to Jane Doe 1 and made several threatening statements demanding $9,000 or else he would kill her. Jane Doe 1 told law enforcement that Brady made statements that he was armed with a weapon and would use it if she didn’t give him the money. Fearing that Brady was going to kill her and others in the bank, Jane Doe 1 gave Brady all of the money in her cash drawer, and he left the bank. Brady attempted to leave the area on a City of Billings bus, but a bank guard alerted the bus driver, who ordered Brady to get off the bus. Brady complied and police officers arrested him a short time later as he was walking toward the Billings Public Library. In a search of Brady, officers found a large metal knife in his jacket pocket and determined Brady was on state probation. Law enforcement searched Brady’s bag and recovered $6,361 in U.S. currency, a pair of binoculars, rubber gloves and a metal pipe. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: St. Louis County Man Caught with Checks Stolen from the Mail Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri man who bought and re-sold checks stolen from the mail to 10 months in prison. Dennis Cooperwood Jr., 19, of Country Club Hills, admitted being caught by St. Louis County Police in possession of about 179 business and personal checks on April 12, 2022 that had been taken from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes. Officers on patrol in the Spanish Lake area spotted a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with multiple people standing at the windows. After the crowd dispersed and the vehicle drove away, officers stopped the vehicle and found Cooperwood in the back seat wearing a shoulder bag containing a gun and the checks. Cooperwood told officers that he bought stolen checks for $5 to $10 each and would remove the writing on the checks before re-selling them for $20 to $25. In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow said the checks belonged to about 100 individuals and businesses, and the case comes at a time of an increase in both mail theft and associated fraud which was undermining “the public’s sense of security and confidence in a vital government service.” In court, Clow said the impact of Cooperwood’s actions “goes beyond any sort of financial harm.” In letters to Judge Ross, five victims said the theft of their mail snarled their finances, made them fear for the security of their personal information and cost them hours of work closing checking accounts and dealing with creditors. One wedding officiant said lost wedding license documentation delayed medical treatment for a woman for nearly four months over insurance issues. “The successful investigation of the defendant’s operation resulted in the recovery of 179 checks stolen from the U.S. mail, and the prevention of potential long-term financial harm to numerous account holders,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça who leads the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to work together to hold mail thieves accountable.” Cooperwood pleaded guilty in April to one felony count of possession of stolen mail matter. The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Prosecutors, FBI, and Port of Seattle detail disturbing increase of sexual assaults on aircraft

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – With four federal criminal cases filed since the first of the year, and numerous sexual assault reports under investigation, federal law enforcement wants the traveling public to be alert and informed of the increasing number of reports of sexual assault and misconduct on aircraft. Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office Richard Collodi joined Seattle Port Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to raise awareness about the problem and the federal response. “Since the first of the year, we have seen an increase in reports of sexual assaults on aircraft. It is quite unusual for us to have four filed cases as well as multiple active, but as yet uncharged, investigations in our office at one time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We take these cases seriously and work with the FBI to investigate and prosecute them. Federal prison is the destination for those convicted of sexual abuse on an aircraft.” “It is imperative for people to understand those who commit these types of crimes aboard aircraft will be held accountable,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “I’m concerned at the increase of these incidents and assure the traveling public the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and prosecute any offender who victimizes someone on a plane.” “We’re here today to stand up for travelers and to put would-be perpetrators on notice: Sexual assault is a crime everywhere and will not be tolerated. Not in the air, not on the ground, not on our watch,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa. “The Port of Seattle is fully equipped and prepared to respond to all reports of sexual assault swiftly, severely, and with certainty. I am particularly grateful to the FBI for standing up for our passengers and for helping launch this public awareness campaign.” Nationally the cases are rising, as well. In 2018, the FBI investigated 27 sexual misconduct cases aboard aircraft. Just four years later, in 2022 that number had more than tripled to 90 cases. 2023 is on pace to surpass the 90 cases, with 62 cases under investigation in the first half of the year. The four filed federal cases in the Western District of Washington are: U.S. v. Jack Roberson (23-cr-00123) While flying from Atlanta to Seattle, the defendant, Jack Roberson, allegedly drank two double vodka tonics and appeared to fall asleep. He allegedly placed his hand on the 15-year-old victim’s thigh and slowly moved it up her thigh and under her skirt to her inner thigh. The victim reported to her guardian immediately and the defendant was taken into custody when the flight landed. U.S. v. James Benecke (23-cr-00108) The defendant, James Benecke, is accused of committing abusive sexual contact involving teenagers in two separate incidents. The first incident took place in April of 2023 as Benecke traveled from Alaska to Seattle. He is alleged to have touched the thigh and buttocks of a 16-year-old girl who was seated next to him. Two months later, while on a flight from Texas to Seattle, Benecke is alleged to have touched the inner thigh and buttocks of an 18-year-old girl. U.S. v. Duane Brick (23-cr-00052) The defendant, an airline mechanic, was flying on an aircraft of his employer, from Arizona to Seattle. He was seated next to the adult victim. He allegedly took her hand and placed it on his crotch while she appeared to be asleep after taking sleeping pills. He then touched her inner thigh, reached under her shirt, and attempted to reach into her pants. Trial is scheduled for September 11, 2023. U.S. v. Munir Walji (23-cr-ooo11) The defendant allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl by touching her leg and genitals while aboard a flight from Atlanta to Seattle. The defendant is charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction and Abusive Sexual Contact in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction. In each of these cases the public is reminded that the charges are allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. King County Sexual Assault Resource Center CEO Mary Ellen Stone noted that data shows young people are at highest risk of sexual assault – females between 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victimized. Yet, young victims are the least likely to speak up for fear of escalating the bad behavior or causing trouble. “Sexual assault can and does happen anywhere, including on planes and other public transit, and includes a spectrum of behaviors that include harassing comments, “upskirting,” unwanted touching, and rape,” said Mary Ellen Stone, Chief Executive Officer at the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center. “On aircraft, other passengers and crew can disrupt these behaviors, help hold offenders accountable, and begin a survivor’s long-term healing when they take a report seriously and understand not all survivors react the same.” CEO Stone adds, “It’s natural to want to ignore these situations, but other passengers can send a strong message that sexually offending behavior won’t be tolerated by checking in with anyone you suspect is being victimized and offering help. Crews can take steps to separate the victim from the person causing harm, and above all, avoid minimizing any behavior that is making someone else uncomfortable. ” For free, confidential help or information, KCSARC’s 24-hour Resource Line is available at 1.888.99.VOICE (1.888.998.6423). The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office has prepared a tip sheet attached to this press release. _tips_for_travelers.pdf


title: Man Admits Transporting Child Pornography, Fleeing St. Louis

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis on Wednesday admitted possessing and sharing child pornography and fleeing from St. Louis while on house arrest. Daniel Bert, 38, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of transportation of child pornography. He admitted that after receiving two tips about Bert, the FBI discovered he was discussing his sexual interest in young children on Kik Messenger. An undercover FBI special agent began communicating with Bert on another app, Wickr, and Bert sent a picture of his genitals to the agent. He also expressed his sexual interest in young children, his plea agreement says. In text messages, Bert told the agent that he had a hard drive full of child pornography. On the same day that agents obtained a search warrant for Bert’s home, Bert asked the undercover agent to join him in an online video chat during which Bert played videos containing child pornography. The search discovered child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, including laptops, phones and hard drives, Bert’s plea says. At his sentencing, Bert faces at least five years in prison for the charge. He faces the potential for additional prison time under the recommended sentencing guidelines because he removed his GPS monitoring device while on house arrest and fled St. Louis. He was arrested in Florida on May 11. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Owner of Area Restaurant Sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Crimes Related to COVID-Relief Funds

component: USAO - Illinois, Central

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Saint Augustine, Illinois man, Michael Lewis Patch, 66, of the 100 block of West Third Street, has been sentenced to 90 days in the Bureau of Prisons, five years of Supervised Release, and to pay more than $64,000 in restitution. The sentence follows Patch pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud in relation to COVID-Relief funds that he fraudulently obtained. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence of the multiple efforts the Illinois Department of Revenue took to assist Patch in bringing his business, the Vernon Street Grill (“VSG”), into compliance with the taxes owed and the VSG’s expired license. These efforts included offering to help Patch with the required paperwork and to enter a modest payment plan of $20 per month. After those efforts were repeatedly ignored by Patch, a criminal investigation was opened. During that investigation, it was determined that Patch had fabricated records and data to apply for and receive two loans that were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Specifically, Patch admitted that he used false data to steal money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Congress established PPP funds to provide small businesses with funds to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs and related expenses. Patch obtained $11,462.00 in PPP funds. The EIDL program was established to allow the Small Business Administration to provide a line of credit to small businesses that had suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patch received $53,000 in EIDL loans. Patch applied for a third loan in the amount of $53,000 through EIDL, but that loan was not approved. The investigation showed that Patch did not use COVID-relief funds for their intended purpose. Instead, Patch attempted to purchase property and over-paid his employees, requiring them to cash their checks and return the excess wages they received to him in the form of cash. In total, Patch fraudulently requested $117,462, and received $64,462 from the United States and its agency, the Small Business Administration. Patch was indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty to all three counts of the indictment in September 2022. He was free on an existing bond, pending sentencing. Patch will voluntarily surrender to begin his sentence in October. The statutory penalties for bank fraud are up to 30 years imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The penalties for each count of wire fraud are up to 20 years imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. The Illinois Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigative Division, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution. COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud .


title: Member of Tulalip Tribes charged with assault for stabbing incident at “Boom City” fireworks area

body_text: Seattle – An 18-year-old member of the Tulalip Tribes was indicted this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle for assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily harm, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Logan Winegar will be summoned for arraignment on the indictment next week. According to police reports, on July 2, 2023, Winegar was asked to leave an area of “Boom City,” an area where stands sell fireworks, food, and other items. Winegar was near one of the food stands and was asked to leave. Witnesses say Winegar pushed a woman to the ground and stabbed her in the hip, thigh and stomach. The woman was a stranger to Winegar. He was pulled off the victim and both received medical treatment. Assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm are each punishable by up to ten years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Tulalip Tribes Police Department and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jocelyn Cooney. Ms. Cooney serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington. winegar_indictment.pdf


title: Atlanta, Illinois Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – An Atlanta, Illinois resident, Juan Esquivel Bernal, 54, of the 1700 block of 2250 th Street, was sentenced on August 7 th to 21 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that between February 2019 and May 2022, Bernal operated as the leader of a methamphetamine distribution group in the Central District of Illinois. He orchestrated shipments of methamphetamine directly from Mexico to his farm in Atlanta, Illinois, and used the farm to store large amounts of the drug. Bernal supplied methamphetamine to numerous other distributors. Between June 2021 and April 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted 13 controlled buys from the distributors working for Bernal, for a total of more than three kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bernal’s farm in May of 2022, where they found firearms, digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and another approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, for a total of more than 8 kilograms of highly pure methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Bernal possessed firearms and threatened the lives of co-conspirators and their families to keep them from withdrawing from his drug distribution conspiracy. Bernal and four co-defendants were indicted in May 2022. Bernal entered into a plea agreement in January 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest. The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute actual methamphetamine are 10 years to life, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release. Three of the four other co-defendants have either been sentenced or await sentencing: Edgar Daniel Perez-Hernandez pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July 2023 to 48 months. Maria Guadalupe Flores-Cano, a.k.a. “Lupita,” pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on September 13, 2023. Juan Carlos Figueroa-Ramirez, a.k.a. “Max,” pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on November 15, 2023. Edgar J. Tello, was indicted in May 2022, and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on October 11, 2023. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The DEA led the investigation, assisted by the Pekin Police Department; Peoria Police Department; Illinois State Police; Internal Revenue Service; Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Peoria Multi-County Enforcement Group; Central Illinois Enforcement Group; Rock County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Service; United States Marshals Service; National Guard Counter Drug; DCI Digital Evidence Recovery; and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the United States in the prosecution, with assistance of the Tazewell and Fulton County State’s Attorney’s Offices. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Spencerport Teacher Arrested, Charged With Production, Receipt, And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ian Milam, 37, of Pittsford, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on May 3, 2023, the Greece, NY, Police Department received a report that a sexually explicit video was discovered on a 12-year-old girl’s phone. The girl allegedly received the video from her friend, an 11-year-old girl (Minor Victim 1). Subsequent investigation determined that Snapchat accounts with usernames “matteckler” and “mikeywikey37” had been contacting the two minor girls. Search warrants executed on the Snapchat accounts with the usernames “matteckler” and “mikeywikey37” were traced to defendant Milam, who allegedly posed as a high school student in the Spencerport School District and sent sexually explicit photos and videos to Minor Victim 1. Milam is also accused of manipulating Minor Victim 1 into sending a photo via Snapchat of herself in a tank top. Investigators also uncovered numerous sexually explicit conversations between “matteckler” or “mikeywikey37”and other Snapchat users who appeared to be minors, including Minor Visit 2, a 12-year-old girl. Milam is also accused of coercing Minor Victim 2 to send sexually explicit photos to him. Milam is sixth grade math teacher at Cosgrove Middle School, within the Spencerport School District. If any members of the public have information regarding this defendant or the Snapchat accounts “matteckler” or “mikeywikey37,” please contact the FBI at (585) 279-0085. Milam made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held pending a detention hearing on August 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. 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: Cheektowaga Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of 200,000 Images Of Child Pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael P. Daly, 48, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Microsoft Bing that one of their users uploaded an image of child pornography. Subsequent investigation traced the image to Daly. On October 22, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Daly’s residence in Cheektowaga, seizing a laptop computer, a flash drive, and an iPhone. A forensic search of all three items recovered over 200,000 images and 95 videos of child pornography. Some of the images include prepubescent minors and depictions of violence. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Miraglia, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. # # # #