title: Combined Federal and State Investigation Leads to Arrests in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – A large-scale Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation has resulted in the federal indictments of ten Magic Valley defendants on drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. An additional ten defendants have been charged in Idaho state courts for their actions connected to the conspiracy. “This investigation is the result of outstanding partnerships and teamwork between local law enforcement in the Magic Valley, the Idaho State Police, and the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the trust they have placed in my office to work hand-in-hand with them to keep their communities safe.” According to the indictments, the defendants possessed and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Magic Valley area. During these investigations and arrests, federal and state law enforcement officers seized over 30 pounds of methamphetamine. According to court records, it is alleged that several of these individuals traveled to Arizona and California to obtain methamphetamine that they brought back to Idaho for distribution. As part of this OCDETF investigation, the following individuals have been charged with federal drug violations: Oscar Alejandro Perez-Gomez , 32, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Patrick Delacruz , 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Leonardo Espinoza-Romero , 31, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; Daniel D. Thomas , 47, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine; Artemio Morgan Hurtado, Jr. , 34, of Shoshone, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and the use of a communication facility to commit or facilitate a felony; Luis Enrique Gonzalez , 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Jesus Arturo Torres-Herrera , 36, of Twin Falls, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Raquel May , 28, of Twin Falls was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Robert Troglia, 52, of Jerome, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Liliana Morales-Caliz , 34, of Jerome, was indicted for four counts of distribution of methamphetamine; The investigation also included ten other defendants who were charged in state prosecutions for possession of controlled substances, trafficking in methamphetamine, and other crimes. Federal drug distribution charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the amount and type of drugs distributed. Maximum prison sentences range from up to 20 years to life in federal prison. “DEA stands with our partners in the Idaho State Police and law enforcement around the state to stop criminals and hold them accountable,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The Magic Valley is safer today because of our cooperative efforts.” “We are proud the State of Idaho works so well with our federal partners to protect the public,” said Governor Brad Little. “The goal of our Operation Esto Perpetua initiative is to equip law enforcement with the training and tools they need to keep Idaho safe. Today’s announcement about the federal indictment of drug traffickers demonstrates what Idaho is doing is working.” “The successful investigation and prosecution of this case was the result of relentless dedication, collaboration, and teamwork,” said Colonel Bill Gardiner, Director of ISP. “By working with numerous local jurisdictions and federal agencies, resources were leveraged, intelligence was shared, and criminals were brought to justice. These unified efforts are crucial to ongoing efforts to keep communities safe from the devastating impacts of drug trafficking and should give residents a sense of security and protection.” The cases were primarily investigated by the Idaho State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition to the work of these agencies, U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigations and arrests of the above-named individuals: Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome Police Department, Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Booker and Francis Zebari are prosecuting these cases. U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for their hard work and the strong teamwork that is achieving justice. An indictment is merely an allegation or a set of allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt . These indictments are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Minnesota man pleads guilty in conspiracy to create and share animal torture videos

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Minnesota man pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos. According to court documents, from at least June 11, 2021, to July 8, 2022, Jeffrey Radtke, 61, of Bloomington, Minnesota, received over 20 electronic payments ranging from $1 to $300 from his coconspirators, to fund, among other things, payments to videographers outside of the United States, including Indonesia, to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys. Radtke and others had direct communications with Coconspirator 11 (CC11) in Indonesia. Radtke and others routinely communicated with CC11 for the creation of animal crush videos and would direct the videographers how to torture the animals. Between June 7, 2021, and Aug. 5, 2022, Radtke sent over 40 payments ranging from $25 to $295 to CC11 to create new animal crush videos to send to the coconspirators. On April 24, 2023, law enforcement seized Radtke’s electronic devices. Radtke’s computer contained over 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing. Radtke is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025, and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-88.


title: Del Rio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Coercing Minor

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court documents, Alejandro Zavala, 31, initiated contact with a 15-year-old on Snapchat. The two regularly communicated, holding conversations that were often sexual in nature. On two occasions, Zavala engaged in sexual acts with the child. The child was reported missing during one of the occasions, prompting investigators with the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office to locate and interview the child victim. Zavala was arrested by federal authorities Oct. 29, 2021. He pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2022. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Air National Guardsman Pleads Guilty in Murder-For-Hire Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Josiah Ernesto Garcia, 23, of Toledo, Ohio, formerly of Hermitage, Tennessee, has pleaded guilty to federal charges after meeting with an undercover FBI agent to finalize a deal to murder an individual for payment, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. Garcia pleaded guilty to using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. According to court records, Garcia needed money to support his family and in mid-February 2023 began searching online for contract mercenary jobs and found the website www.rentahitman.com . Originally created in 2005 to advertise a cyber security startup company, the company failed and over the next decade it received many inquiries about murder-for-hire services. The website’s administrator then converted the website to a parody site that contains false testimonials from those who have purported to use hit man services, and an intake form where people can request services. The website also has an option for someone to apply to work as a hired killer. Garcia submitted an employment inquiry indicating that he was interested in obtaining employment as a hit man and that he had “military experience, and rifle expertise.” Garcia followed up on this initial request and submitted other identification documents and a resume indicating he was an expert marksman and had been employed in the Air National Guard since July 2021. The resume also provided that Garcia was nicknamed “Reaper” which was earned from military experience and marksmanship. Garcia continued to follow up with the website administrator indicating that he wanted to go to work as soon as possible. An FBI undercover agent spoke with Garcia by phone then met him in person to discuss his application. Both conversations were recorded. The agent then met with Garcia at a park in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and provided him with a target packet of a fictional individual, which included photographs and other information about the individual to be killed, and a down payment of $2,500. After agreeing to the terms of the murder arrangement, Garcia asked the agent if he needed to provide a photograph of the dead body. Garcia was then arrested by FBI agents, who in a subsequent search of his home, recovered an AR style rifle. Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on February 7, 2025. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Resident Agency, Memphis Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke K. Schiferle prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: USAO NDWV Secures False Claims Act Settlement Relating to Use of Amniotic Fluid Injections for Pain Management

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - The Pain Center of Virginia, PLLC d/b/a the Pain Center of West Virginia ("The Pain Center of West Virginia"), a clinic located in Martinsburg, West Virginia, has agreed to pay $750,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for the use of amniotic fluid injections for pain management. The Pain Center of West Virginia submitted claims to Medicare for treatment related to various orthopedic conditions and the pain associated with those conditions. The United States alleged that at the time it submitted these claims, The Pain Center of West Virginia knew that Medicare did not cover the use of amniotic fluid injections for pain management. Under the settlement, in addition to paying the United States $750,000, The Pain Center of West Virginia will enter into a three-year Integrity Agreement with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Savino and Christopher Prezioso for the Northern District of West Virginia, in conjunction with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office Recent Sentencings

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Crimes on Public Lands Curtis Jeffery , age 27, from Socorro, New Mexico, was sentenced to 10 days incarceration with credit for 3 days served for assaulting a Xanterra co-worker by pushing her head into a wall. He was also convicted of a second count of assault on a second individual and being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that rendered him a danger to others. In addition to the term of incarceration he was sentenced to five years of unsupervised probation. His terms of probation include that he not be permitted to enter Yellowstone National Park during his term of probation. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Sept. 11, in Mammoth. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel C. Calmes prosecuted the case. Clarence Yoder , 40, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to three separate charges last week. The first offense was for intentionally disturbing bison for which he was sentenced to a ten-day term of incarceration with credit for two days served and was fined $3,000. He also pleaded guilty to being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that rendered him a danger to himself and others and was fined $200. Finally, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was fined $250. Yoder was placed on two years of unsupervised probation. He is not permitted to enter Yellowstone National Park during his term of probation. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Sept. 10, in Mammoth. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel C. Calmes prosecuted the case. Drug Trafficking Christopher Isgrigg , 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on March 11, 2024, Cheyenne Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a Ford sedan belonging to the driver identified as Isgrigg. During the traffic stop, another officer arrived on scene with his narcotics certified canine which alerted to the presence of controlled substances inside the vehicle. Approximately 600 grams of methamphetamine and 34.2 grams of suspected fentanyl pills were located inside sedan. Isgrigg was indicted on May 16, pleaded guilty on July 2, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 19. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-0060 Bank Robbery Roosevelt Rashaud Keys , 27, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 27 months for bank robbery and aiding and abetting, with three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Oct. 14, 2023, an ATM robbery occurred at a financial institution in Jackson, Wyoming. Several male hooded and masked subjects stole ATM cash cassettes containing U.S. currency while a service repair technician was attempting to repair the ATM. Keys was later stopped for a traffic violation and the deputy was able to gain his personal information, travel plans, and rental car agreement. Further investigation determined that Keys and his vehicle matched the description of one of the bank robbers. Keys was ultimately arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on unrelated charges. A search warrant was authorized for Keys’ cell phone and revealed photographs taken on Oct. 14, 2023 showing Keys with bundles of U.S. Currency. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Sept. 12, in Cheyenne. The FBI and Jackson Police department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00019 llegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien Isamar Tellez-Blancas, 24, of Tlaxacala, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings, for illegal entry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 12, Tellez-Blancas was arrested by Teton County Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence of alcohol, no driver’s license, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Tellez-Blancas was in the U.S. illegally. ICE investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 4. Case No. 24-CR-00109 Hilario Mendoza-Rodriguez, 39, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was sentenced to time served for illegal entry into the United States. According to court documents, on July 13, 2023, Mendoza-Rodriguez was arrested by the Rock Springs Police Department for assault and battery causing injury. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Mendoza-Rodriguez was in the U.S. illegally. ICE investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Sept. 19. Case No. 24-CR-00036 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Environmental Justice The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Project Safe Neighborhoods Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. Victim Witness Assistance The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking


title: Nine Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 15, 2024, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned a 21-count indictment against nine defendants—Jamal Witcher, 35, of Mansfield, Ohio; Taeshawn Witcher, 18, of Detroit, Michigan; Skyler Anthony Starkey Steward, 18, of Mansfield, Ohio; Ricky Lynn Coffey, 36, of Bean Station, Tennessee; Keshon Lee, 27, of Detroit, Michigan; Emani Mason, 25, of Detroit, Michigan; Gianna Ryan, 22, of New Castle, Pennsylvania; Payton English, 27, of Mooresburg, Tennessee; and Bernie Smallwood, 62, of Mooresburg, Tennessee. The indictment charges all the defendants with a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. It additionally charges Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, Steward, Coffey, Lee, Mason, and Ryan with possession with intent to distribute or distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The indictment charges Coffey with possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), possession of a firearm, including a firearm equipped with a silencer, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). It also charges Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, and Steward with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 924(c). Jamal Witcher is charged with money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(3). English and Smallwood are also charged with maintaining drug involved premises in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(2). The indictment was unsealed after the last of the defendants appeared in court on September 25, 2024, before the Honorable Debra C. Poplin, United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. All have pleaded not guilty, and the trial has been set for November 19, 2024, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court at Knoxville. Upon conviction, Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, and Steward each faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of 15 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Coffey faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of 40 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Lee, Mason, Ryan, and Smallwood each faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of ten years and up to life in prison and other penalties; and English faces up to 20 years in prison and other penalties. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. This indictment is the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the 4th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the 3rd Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Grainger County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, the Knoxville Police Department, the White Pine Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. The case is a part of the 313 Initiative, a concerted and organized effort by numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify, target, and dismantle groups from the Detroit area that are bringing deadly drug combinations into Knox County and surrounding areas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook will represent the United States. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Sheriff’s Deputies Allegedly Tipped Off DEA Target

body_text: Two sheriff’s deputies who allegedly tipped off a drug trafficker about an impending DEA raid are being federally prosecuted, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kyle Linker, 33, was charged via criminal information and pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of obstruction of justice. His colleague, Paul Jessen, Jr., 34, was indicted Tuesday on one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, two counts of obstruction of justice, and two counts of making false statements. He has not yet entered a plea. “Local, state, and federal law enforcement must work in concert to keep our communities safe. When we find a uniformed officer has undermined another agency’s investigation, we take swift action,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Law enforcement works best when we work as a team.” "It's deeply troubling when sworn Law Enforcement officers disclose information about upcoming operations to criminals," said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. "It endangers the officers in the operation and jeopardizes the evidence they are seeking. The FBI will continue to provide all available resources towards identifying, investigating, and presenting for prosecution any individuals who betray their badges and their oaths of office." “Every day, the men and women of the DEA work with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring drug dealers to justice,” said Towanda Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Field Division. “Mr. Linker chose to partner with the drug dealers instead, and now he too will face the consequences.” According to Mr. Linker’s plea papers, the two deputies met the drug trafficker during the execution of a state search warrant in Los Ranchos, New Mexico, in July 2021. After finding methamphetamine inside his residence, they recruited him as a confidential informant. In November 2021, a DEA agent notified Mr. Linker that the agency planned to conduct an operation near the drug trafficker’s home. Fearing the operation might target the trafficker, Mr. Linker reached out to warn him about the impending operation. The drug trafficker canceled his upcoming transaction, and the DEA was unable to gather evidence against him. Upon examining the drug trafficker’s phone records, DEA agents began to suspect that he had been tipped off by Mr. Linker and decided to conduct another operation without notifying Mr. Linker first. In December 2021, the DEA executed a search warrant at the drug trafficker’s residence and located more than 470 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm. During the ensuing interview, the drug trafficker admitted to the agents that he had been previously tipped off by Mr. Linker. The DEA devised a plan to confirm the trafficker’s account. Shortly thereafter, an agent contacted Mr. Linker to inform him the DEA was planning to use an informant to purchase methamphetamine from the drug trafficker. Although the agent specifically instructed Mr. Linker not to contact the trafficker, Mr. Linker messaged the trafficker to “call me ASAP.” Unbeknownst to Mr. Linker, the drug trafficker was still in the presence of law enforcement. The drug trafficker called Mr. Linker, who told him he was “on DEA’s radar” and instructed him to have someone else deliver drugs to the DEA informant. Shortly after receiving word from the DEA that the operation would continue as planned, Mr. Linker texted Mr. Jessen to complain about the DEA’s plan. “Tell [trafficker] not to sell to anyone. And go to a hotel or stay with someone else for a bit,” Mr. Jessen allegedly responded. “What I should do is have you call [trafficker] that way when they ultimately say I tipped [trafficker] off I can show them my call logs and be like I haven’t talked to him since this morning,“ Mr. Linker texted back. “I’ll [expletive] do it,” Mr. Jessen allegedly responded. “Perfect,” Mr. Linker said. “Plausible deniability for me.” The pair then allegedly called the drug trafficker from Mr. Jessen’s phone. Mr. Linker told the drug trafficker the DEA would move forward with the operation and advised him to “shut everything down.” He then gave the trafficker excuses he could use to explain why he’d called off the transaction. The drug trafficker was charged in a separate federal case. In June 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is currently awaiting sentencing. Mr. Linker now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. Mr. Jessen – who is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law – faces up to 70 years in federal prison if convicted of all counts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Albuquerque District Office, and the Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Northern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the case in the District of New Mexico.


title: Media Advisory - News Conference

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, will hold a press conference today to provide an update on an investigation into drug trafficking in Eastern North Carolina. The update will include an announcement of the sentence of Michael Kenneth Cox, a former Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy who pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and mail and wire fraud . WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100 WHEN: Wednesday, September 25 at 3:00 p.m. Media: please arrive by 2:30 for set up .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office to Work with Local Partners to Reduce Domestic Violence

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department – through its United States Attorney’s Offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions – will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner gun violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. In the Eastern District of New York, the borough of Brooklyn has been designated as one of the jurisdictions. “My Office will continue to use every tool and resource available to address domestic violence in our communities and hold violent actors accountable,” stated United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace. “Strong community partnerships are key to our ability to meaningfully engage in this endeavor, and we thank all of our partners for their untiring efforts.” “ATF is committed to our continued partnerships in aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and certain protective orders. Community safety is our top priority and combatting prohibited firearms possession by domestic abusers is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller. Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the Department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner gun violence. In the EDNY, this initiative will not only support the Office’s close work with its federal and state law enforcement partners, especially ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department, but it will also bolster its partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, such as The Salvation Army and Restore NYC, as well as the New York State Office of Victim Services and the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic & Gender-Based Violence, which operates the New York City Family Justice Centers, to provide needed support to victims of domestic violence. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner gun violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.


title: Two Philadelphia Men Convicted at Trial for August 2023 Armed Carjacking

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Quadir Findley, 24, and Eric Dickerson, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted Monday at trial on one count each of carjacking for stealing a victim’s vehicle at gunpoint in the early hours of August 5, 2023. Findley was also convicted of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated jury tampering, and drug distribution. The defendants will be sentenced at a later date. Findley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. The maximum possible sentence for Dickerson is 15 years’ imprisonment. “Don’t say anything or I’ll blow your ‘f---ing’ head off — those were Quadir Findley’s words to the carjacking victim he forced down to the ground at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “No one should be terrorized like that and made to fear for their life. Findley and Eric Dickerson are violent criminals, exactly the type of offenders that the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force is focused on, and we’ll continue to lock these carjackers up to make the city safer.” “Carjacking is a serious federal crime that will not go unpunished,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “ATF Philadelphia Field Division and the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force will continue to ensure justice for the victims and make our communities safer through federal prosecution.” The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine Dos Santos and Priya De Souza.


title: Over 100 Defendants Federally Charged With Fraud Related To The COVID-19 Pandemic

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO-MDFL) has federally charged 109 individuals with fraud schemes designed to exploit state and federal programs implemented to alleviate the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts include complementary actions by the USAO-MDFL’s Criminal, Civil, Asset Recovery, Appellate Divisions, in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. “The Middle District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office, in cooperation with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is committed to holding accountable those people who schemed to steal or otherwise obtain through misconduct benefits intended for Americans coping with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. With respect to criminal enforcement, the USAO-MDFL and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combined resources in March 2020 to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force with the purpose of identifying, investigating, and federally prosecuting fraud related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since its inception, the Task Force has prosecuted 109 defendants for fraud schemes designed to exploit federal programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”), Unemployment Insurance (“UI”), the Main Street Lending Program (“MSLP”), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (“ERAP”), as well as government Healthcare programs such as Medicare. Collectively, these defendants sought to defraud the United States of over $96 million. Of the 109 charged defendants, 74 have already been found guilty while prosecution remains pending against 35 defendants. The Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force continues to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals that took advantage of COVID-19 programs. On September 20, 2024, for example, a federal grand jury convicted Angela Chew (60, Leesburg) of conspiracy to bribe a public official and commit wire fraud, three counts of bribery of a public official, and six counts of wire fraud. Chew faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 15 years in federal prison on each of the bribery counts, and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, Chew conspired with three others to submit applications for COVID-19 EIDLs containing false and fraudulent information in exchange for bribe payments. The evidence showed Chew used her position as a loan specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to internally access those loan applications that she and a co-conspirator had submitted on behalf of others. Chew then took actions on the applications within the SBA’s internal processing system that moved the loans towards approval. For example, Chew submitted a loan on behalf of a co-conspirator’s business that she knew was not active or operating at the time she submitted the loan. The loan was flagged as a duplicate by the SBA’s internal system, which stopped the application from progressing toward approval and funding. Chew then entered the SBA’s loan processing system, accessed the loan application, reactivated it, and manipulated the loan’s status multiple times to progress the application toward approval and funding in the amount of $150,000. In exchange, Chew received thousands of dollars in bribe payments from two of her co-conspirators. The evidence showed that Chew caused the funding of at least six EIDL applications, for a total loss of over $800,000. In July 2024, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Jared Dean Eakes (33, Jacksonville) with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. According to the superseding indictment, Eakes participated in a scheme to defraud investors and fraudulently secured approximately $4,752,270 in PPP loans. Eakes caused the submission of four PPP loan applications—including applications for two of the entities involved in the scheme to defraud investors—which contained false and fraudulent supporting documentation and statements regarding the entities’ employees and payroll. Once Eakes obtained the PPP loans, he did not use the funds for qualifying expenses as required by the program. Instead, he used the funds to engage in options trading or withdrew the funds in cash. In addition to criminal prosecutions, the MDFL-USAO continues to investigate and pursue civil redress against individuals and entities who fraudulently or otherwise inappropriately obtained PPP funds. As an example of the latter scenario, in September 2024, Miles Partnership, LLC (“Miles”), a travel and tourism consulting company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, agreed to a civil settlement of $2,281,950 to resolve allegations that Miles improperly obtained and received forgiveness for a second draw PPP loan. According to the information contained in the qui tam complaint, Miles was required to file a registration statement under FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) due to its work with various foreign tourism boards. The United States investigated these allegations with the cooperation of Miles. The civil settlement will conclude the lawsuit. Further, the USAO-MDFL’s Asset Recovery Division and federal seizing agencies have completed the forfeiture of more than $20 million of EIDL, UI, and PPP funds that were fraudulently obtained, depriving the fraudsters of their ill-gotten gains and recovering the proceeds for the victims. More than $18 million in additional pandemic fraud proceeds have been seized and are pending civil or criminal forfeiture. The U.S. Attorney General has 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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Through the PPP, the federal government authorized over $600 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The EIDL program provides economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The MSLP provided support to small and medium-sized businesses and their employees across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. UI programs provided unemployment benefits to eligible workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own. The criminal cases charged by the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force have been investigated by the Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys throughout the Middle District of Florida. The Department of Justice needs the public’s assistance in remaining vigilant and reporting suspected fraudulent activity. To report suspected fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewed at the NCDF and referred to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation. United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida COVID Fraud Criminal Cases Charged Cases Defendant(s) (Age) Charge(s) Max. Imprisonment Type of Fraud* Intended Loss Amount Tampa Division Devontaie Deravil Aggravated identity theft Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive Access device fraud Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years UI $480k Jordan Ross Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years EIDL/PPP $1.3M Marquett James Alyson Marquett Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL/PPP $96k Willie Murray Jr. Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Aggravated identity theft Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive HCF $5M Charles Driver Jr. Conspiracy Maximum Prison Term: 5 years Access device fraud Maximum Prison Term: 10 years UI $175k Eric Canonico Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years PPP $2.3M Alexander Leszczynski Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Bank fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years PPP $1.1M Capree Holmes Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL $159k Javarus Polite Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k Luis Morales Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $40k Rosson Hamilton Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k David Antonetti Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $40k Carlos Dones Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $14k Santos Cruz Rivera Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $16k Tevyan Hepburn Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k Jeanty Cherilus Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL/PPP $370k Gage Bowen Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Tiffany Fields, Greg Pizzo, Candace Rich, Jennifer Peresie, Michael Kenneth, Merrilyn Hoenemeyer, and Daniel Baeza Orlando Division Evan Edwards Joshua Edwards Conspiracy to commit bank fraud Maximum Prison Term: 30 years Bank fraud Maximum Prison Term: 30 years Visa fraud Maximum Prison Term: 10 years False statements Maximum Prison Term: 30 years PPP $8M Emmet Bowens Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years PPP $740k Latresia Wilson False statements Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years HCF $2.6M Shawn Simmerer Seth Downes Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years False claim Maximum Prison Term: 5 years PPP $344k Daniel Bohorquez Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years EIDL $546k These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Kara Wick, Amanda Daniels, and DOJ Trial Attorney Keith Clouser Fort Myers Division Venera Price Mail fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years ERAP $82k Timothy Jolloff Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Money laundering Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years PPP/EIDL $2.1M Lisa Jolloff Money laundering Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Illegal monetary transactions Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years PPP/EIDL $2.1M Diop McKenzie Bank fraud Maximum Prison Term: 30 years Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Aggravated identity theft Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive EIDL/PPP $237k These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSA Yolande Viacava and Trent Reichling Jacksonville Division Jared Eakes Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years Bank fraud Maximum Prison Term: 30 years PPP $4.7M Natasha Hemming Tiffany Gonsalves Joshua Seedhaire Conspiracy Access device fraud Aggravated identity theft Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive UI $5.6M These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs David Mesrobian and John Cannizzaro Ocala Division Lisa Starkes Ivan Starkes Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $80k This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division is being handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk Adjudicated Cases Tampa Division Demarius Wilson Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $18k This COVID Fraud case from the Tampa Division is being handled by AUSA Michael Kenneth Orlando Division Robert Burns Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $57k William Barrientos Grisoris Barrientos Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL $693k Angela Chew Conspiracy Maximum Prison Term: 5 Years Bribery of a public official Maximum Prison Term: 15 Years Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL $732k These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by Amanda Daniels, Diane Hu, and Richard Varadan Jacksonville Division James Wigg Wire Fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years PPP $476k Crystal Harvell Wire Fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 years PPP $20k These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA, Kevin Frein and Tysen Duva Ocala Division Passion Jackson Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k Nicole Harding Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years PPP $20k Henry Wade Wire fraud Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years EIDL $500k These COVID Fraud cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk Sentenced Cases Tampa Division Louis Thornton, III Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 42 months in federal prison EIDL/PPP $815k Kary Stevenson Corey Quinn Conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 5 years, 10 months in federal prison (Stevenson) Sentence Imposed:7 years in federal prison (Quinn) UI $1M Bridgitte Keim Bank fraud Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison PPP $588k Wayne Ganaway Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 4 years in federal prison EIDL $300k Rolanda Wingfield Access device fraud, aggravated identity theft Sentenced Imposed: 3 years in federal prison UI $135k Eriaius Bentley Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud Sentence Imposed: One year in federal prison UI $3M Tywon Spann Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud Sentence Imposed: 6 years and 9 months in federal prison UI $3M Keaujay Hornsby Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud Sentence Imposed: 10 years and 10 months in federal prison UI $3M Kareem Spann Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud Sentence Imposed: 10 years and 10 months in federal prison UI $3M Randy Jones Wire fraud, aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison EIDL/UI $250k Julio Lugo Conspiracy to commit money laundering Sentence Imposed: 7 years and 6 months in federal prison EIDL/PPP $4.4M Keith Nicoletta Conspiracy to commit money laundering Sentence Imposed: 24 months in federal prison PPP $1.9M Rosenide Venant Conspiracy to commit money laundering Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison EIDL/PPP $413k Melinda Hernandez Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft Sentence imposed: Three years and six months in federal prison UI $1.5M Bri’antina Mills Wire fraud and theft of government funds Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison EIDL $10K Jorge Gutierrez Echeverria Wire fraud Sentence imposed: Two years and six months in federal prison EIDL $150k Omar Esquivel Bello Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison EIDL $242k Steve Moodie Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison UI $1.5M Richard Simpkins Conspiracy to commit money laundering Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison PPP $1.9M Devaris McClain Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud Sentence imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison UI $85k Jalissa McDuffy Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 3 years supervised release with 6 months home detention PPP $41k Kieanna Garrett Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 60 days’ imprisonment EIDL $40k Marqus Willard Johnson Bank fraud Money laundering Sentence imposed: 18 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 moths supervised release PPP $500k Mehdi Tazi Conspiracy, Aggravated identity theft Sentenced imposed: 5 years imprisonment followed by4 years supervised release UI $1.5M Tyree Wingfield Conspiracy, Aggravated identity theft Sentenced imposed: 5 years and 10 months imprisonment followed by4 years supervised release UI $1.5M Dawn Ogundele Theft of government funds Sentence imposed: 2 years’ probation PPP $20k Alexander Alli Wire fraud conspiracy Sentence imposed: 13 months’ imprisonment EIDL $80k Charles Cunningham Bank fraud Sentence imposed: 21 months’ imprisonment PPP $800k Jailyn Holmes Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $20k Nicole Bramble-King Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $40k Tommy Louisville Wire fraud Sentence imposed: 12 months’ imprisonment PPP $33k Joseph Abdo Wire fraud Illegal monetary transactions Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $500k Barrett Purvis Wire fraud Money laundering Sentence imposed: 2 years and 9 months in federal prison EIDL $499k Bergeline Lexis Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Sentence imposed: 10 months in federal prison EIDL/PPP $68k These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Greg Pizzo, Tiffany Fields, Diego Novaes, Jennifer Peresie, Merrilyn Hoenemeyer, Jay Trezevant, SAUSA Chris Poor, and DOJ Trial Attorney John Scanlon Orlando Division Daniel Johnson Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful transfer of firearm Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 6 months in federal prison UI $2.3M Jacquavius Smith Possession of short-barreled rifle; felon in possession of firearm; and aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 1 month in federal prison PPP $10k Johnson Eustache Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison EIDL/PPP $2.2M Joseph Harrison Conspiracy to commit wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 12 months in federal prison UI $2.1M Tomas Ziupsnys Conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison PPP $2M Holly Urban Conspiracy to commit bank fraud Sentence Imposed: 30 months in federal prison PPP $1.5M Joel Greenberg Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses while on pretrial release Sentence Imposed: 11 years in federal prison EIDL $430k Don Cisternino Wire fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 8 years and 6 months in federal prison PPP $7.2M Keith Ingersoll Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft Sentence imposed: 9 years, 1 month in federal prison. EIDL $66k Jaheim Davis Access device fraud and aggravated identity theft Sentence imposed: 3 years, 6 months in federal prison. UI $219k Teresa McIntyre Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation EIDL $730k Brian Blake Possession of device-making equipment, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft Sentence Imposed: 9 years and 8 months in federal prison PPP/UI $832k Joseph Faubert Bank fraud Sentenced Imposed: 5 years probation PPP $778k These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division were handled by AUSAs John Gardella, Amanda Daniels, Chauncey Bratt, Emily Chang, Shannon Laurie, and Jennifer Harrington, and U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg Jacksonville Division Jacob Byrd Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $10k Deconna Burke Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $20k Desmond Williams Wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud Sentenced Imposed: 5 years’ probation PPP $40k Kenneth Landers Wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction Sentence Imposed: 1 year in federal prison followed by 1 year of supervised release PPP $1.4M Christopher Daragjati Wire fraud , Theft of government funds, and Aggravated identity theft Sentenced imposed: 5 years’cisternino imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release. PPP $150k This COVID Fraud case from the Jacksonville Division was handled by AUSA Kevin Frein and Michael Coolican Fort Myers Division Casey Crowther Bank fraud, false statement to a financial institution, illegal monetary transaction Sentence Imposed: 3 years, 1 month in federal prison PPP $2.7M Anthony Bruey Amber Bruey Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, illegal monetary transactions Sentence Imposed : Anthony Bruey : 4 years, 3 months in federal prison Amber Bruey : 4 years in federal prison PPP/EIDL $881k Edrica Leann Watson False statement to a lending institution Sentence Imposed: 15 months in federal prison PPP $392k Daniel Joseph Tisone Wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person Sentence Imposed: 7 years in federal prison PPP/EIDL/MSLP $10.7M Liliana Gonzalez Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 5 years of probation with 18 months of home confinement PPP $169k Al Clint LaRoche Bank fraud Sentence Imposed: Two years in federal prison PPP $1M Denis Casseus Bank fraud and illegal monetary transaction Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison followed by 3 years’ supervised release PPP $298k Evan Graves Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: 18 months in federal prison EIDL $1.3M Ismaelle Manuel Bank fraud Sentence Imposed: Credit for time served followed by 5 years supervised release PPP $280k These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Trent Reichling, Michael Leeman, Jesus M. Casa, Simon Eth, and Yolande Viacava Ocala Division Lavelle Harris Wire fraud Sentence Imposed: Two years and three months in federal prison PPP $1.2M This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division was handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk Types of Fraud* Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Unemployment Insurance (UI) Main Street Lending Program (MSLP) Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Health Care Fraud (HCF)


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault while Armed in Gresham Place Shooting

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed and other related charges for a late-afternoon shooting and assault against two victims that took place on April 18, 2023, on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. The verdict was returned on September 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee came down to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became aggravated that the process was taking too long. He directed his wife to drive away, and he ran off on foot. The victims followed behind in their car, in an attempt to get insurance or vehicle information from the defendant. The victims were driving a Tesla that day, which was equipped with exterior video cameras. Tesla cameras captured footage of the defendant running from the victims’ car. After Lee ran, the victims flagged down a police officer, and were instructed to return to the site of the accident to make a police report. In an attempt to get back to the scene of the accident, the victims turned down Gresham Place, NW – the street where the defendant lived. Upon seeing the victims, Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards them. The defendant first pointed the gun at the female victim, and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso. Lee and his wife then fled to Florida. The defendant was apprehended back in DC in March of 2024 by United States Marshals. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. ### Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube


title: Highway Contractor to Pay $950,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. B A Rahway, New Jersey-based highway contractor will pay $950,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly represented itself as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in order to obtain federally funded contracts, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today. The settlement resolves allegations that from October 2016 through April 2019, MV Contracting Inc. obtained several contracts funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) set aside for DBE companies as part of a program designed to remedy ongoing discrimination in federally assisted highway contracting markets. The United States contended that MV Contracting procured these contracts despite knowing that it did not in fact qualify as a DBE. The company submitted improper claims for payment under the contracts, which were paid using federal funds. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Eric J. Soskin, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General , under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation of the allegations against MV Contracting. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. mvcontracting.settlement.pdf


title: Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Damond Thomas, 31, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, to 60 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. Thomas was indicted in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Myerscough concluded that Thomas was responsible for the distribution of more than 60 grams of methamphetamine in the Central District of Illinois. Thomas’ criminal history includes two Illinois state court convictions involving weapons offenses. The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police, the Quincy Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Thomas is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Yalobusha county man sentenced to 10 years for illegal gun possession and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: ABERDEEN, MS – Lee Everett Henson, 53, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and the possession of firearms used in drug trafficking. The investigation began after the U.S. Postal Service intercepted a package that contained nearly 100 grams of fentanyl, which is over 800 pills. Independently, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics purchased approximately 80 fentanyl pills from Henson using confidential informants. Henson was arrested and at the time, possessed over 700 fentanyl pills, approximately 40 grams of cocaine, and two firearms. Henson had previously been convicted of murder in the State of Texas and was on parole at the time. On September 24, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Henson to 123 months in federal prison for the offenses to be followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Aycock imposed the 63-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl to run consecutive to the 60-month sentence for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. “Fentanyl is poison, and our office will do everything in our power to see that traffickers go to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Julie Addison should be proud of her work with our state and federal partners to bring a dangerous criminal to justice and to get these drugs off of our streets.” "Combatting illicit drugs in the mail is a top priority for the US Postal Inspection Service,” said Scott Fix, Inspector-in-Charge of the Houston Division. “The sentence handed down today should serve as a reminder to other perpetrators that we remain steadfast with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in this activity to justice.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance by the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Tamaulipas man sentenced for importing 25 kilograms of cocaine into the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 58-year-old man has been sentenced for importing 25 kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Fidel Aguirre-Montalvo pleaded guilty June 6, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Aguirre to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. On April 25, Aguirre arrived in a vehicle at the Pharr Port of Entry from Mexico. Authorities then referred him for secondary inspection where they discovered 24 bundles of cocaine hidden in the floor area of the vehicle. Aguirre admitted to attempting to bring narcotics into the country in return for an undisclosed amount of money. The cocaine weighed approximately 25 kilograms. Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.


title: Second Child Predator Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a Child and Drugging Them with Methamphetamine

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS—Dustin Scott Cox, 54, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child. According to court documents, between at least February and September of 2020, Dustin Cox conspired with Zachary Nichols to sexually abuse and produce sexual images of a fifteen-year-old child. Cox is a repeat child sex offender, convicted in 2004 for coercing a 14-year-old to perform sex acts in exchange for a new bicycle. In 2020, Cox was Zachary Nichols’ methamphetamine dealer. Nichols sexually abused the child victim for years. Nichols began allowing Cox to sexually abuse the child as well, in exchange for supplying Nichols with methamphetamine. On multiple occasions, Cox and Nichols recorded their sexual abuse of the victim. The child was nearly incapacitated because of drug use in some of the child sex abuse material that Nichols and Cox created. In June of 2024, Zachary Nichols was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for his role in sexually exploiting and abusing the child. “These heinous predators repeatedly sexually abused a child, incapacitated them with meth, and traded the victim’s body for drugs,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our hearts go out to the survivor of these horrific abuses, and we hope this prosecution brings them some measure of peace. The lifelong trauma inflicted by these sick criminals merits federal prison sentences that will ensure that neither of them ever harms another child. Together with our partners at the FBI and IMPD, our office is committed aggressively prosecuting sex offenders who prey upon our children and removing them from our communities.” “Every child deserves to be live and thrive in a safe environment without worry of harm and abuse. This sentence reflects the severity of this heinous offense and should put others on notice that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable those who prey on our children,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. The FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Cox has also been ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim and maintain his sex offender status wherever he lives, works, or goes to school upon release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Champaign, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 324 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, woman, Malaia A. Turner, 36, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 324 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Turner was a leader in a conspiracy responsible for obtaining large quantities of ice methamphetamine and other drugs from suppliers in California, Texas, and Illinois and transporting those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. After hearing that evidence, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce concluded Turner was a leader of the conspiracy and faced heightened penalties due to her leadership role. Turner was convicted following a four-day jury trial in May 2024. She has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since her arrest in August 2022. At sentencing, Turner faced statutory penalties of ten years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police East Central Illinois Task Force; and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government in the prosecution. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Receipt of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release on his federal felony conviction pertaining to his receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, following his guilty plea to this violation of federal law. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hardy emphasized the extremely serious nature of this federal offense and the harm the defendant caused to the minor victim. The one-count Information named Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the information presented to the court, in September 2019, Hoffman initiated online communications and solicited sexually explicit visual depictions of the minor. Hoffman also received visual depictions of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using the internet and cellular phone. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: South Carolina Man Indicted For Fraudulently Obtaining Millions From Delaware State Child Support Services Bank Account

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Brandon Lamont Swain (53, Columbia, SC) with eight counts of bank fraud. If convicted, Swain faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count. According to the indictment, Swain fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from the State of Delaware, Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), Positive Pay bank account. The State of Delaware used the DCSS account to distribute child support payments to custodial parents. In connection with the scheme, Swain caused more than $2.7 million to be transferred from the DCSS account to various businesses and financial institutions, for his personal gain. For example, Swain used the DCSS account to purchase over $2 million in timeshare interests in resort properties in Orlando and elsewhere. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.


title: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 75 Months on Narcotics and Weapons Charges

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rashaad Malik McDowell, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 75 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Washington Field Division. McDowell pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered McDowell to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McDowell’s residence on Harvard Street NW. Agents recovered a loaded Glock firearm with 17 rounds in its extended magazine in McDowell’s bedroom. They also seized distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine. McDowell admitted that he possessed the narcotics seized from his bedroom and had intended to distribute them. He also admitted that the seized firearm was used in furtherance of his drug distribution. McDowell was not present during the time of the February 2023 search, and following the search, he actively evaded law enforcement. Before and after this search, McDowell used his Instagram account to advertise controlled substances and arrange drug sales. McDowell also continued to possess firearms and distribute a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl, in the months following the February 2023 search. On July 12, 2023, agents executed another search warrant at McDowell’s residence and recovered a stolen loaded Glock handgun. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl, PCP, marijuana, and a digital scale from McDowell’s bedroom. McDowell was indicted on federal firearms and narcotics charges on July 25, 2023, and charged with additional counts in a superseding indictment on September 7, 2023. McDowell ultimately pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Washington Field Division with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor and the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Crosby, Javier Urbina, Christopher Marin, and Robert Sainvil. 23cr248 Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube


title: Former SBA Employee Convicted Of Conspiracy, Bribery, And Wire Fraud

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Angela Chew (60, Leesburg) guilty of conspiracy to bribe a public official and commit wire fraud, three counts of bribery of a public official, and six counts of wire fraud. Chew faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 15 years in federal prison on each of the bribery counts, and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, Chew conspired with three others to submit applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) containing false and fraudulent information in exchange for bribe payments. The evidence showed that Chew used her position as a loan specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to internally access those loan applications that she and a co-conspirator had submitted on behalf of others. Chew then took actions on the applications within the SBA’s internal processing system that moved the loans towards approval. For example, Chew submitted a loan on behalf of a co-conspirator’s business that she knew was not active or operating at the time she submitted the loan. The loan was flagged as a duplicate by the SBA’s internal system, which stopped the application from progressing toward approval and funding. Chew then entered the SBA’s loan processing system, accessed the loan application, reactivated it, and manipulated the loan’s status multiple times in order to progress the application toward approval and funding in the amount of $150,000. In exchange, Chew received thousands of dollars in bribe payments from two of her co-conspirators. The evidence showed that Chew caused the funding of at least six EIDL applications, for a total loss of over $800,000. “This conviction underscores our commitment to holding all wrongdoers accountable, including those in positions of public trust like this former SBA employee,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “These crimes are far from victimless, as they financially harm taxpayers and erode public trust in SBA programs. I want to extend my gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of federal relief programs and ensuring that the system works for those it was designed to help.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Daniels and Diane Hu.


title: Justice Department Awards Nearly $30M to Combat the Rise of Hate and Bias Crimes

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer announced today nearly $30 million in grant funding through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) that will be awarded to law enforcement agencies, states, community-based organizations, national civil rights organizations, and other stakeholders to fight the rise in hate and bias crimes and incidents. These awards will help communities improve the investigation and prosecution of hate and bias crimes, solve hate crime cold cases, serve victims of these offenses, and support related research. “These grants are vital in helping to ensure law enforcement and community members get the support they need as they continue to strive to keep all communities safe,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Everyone in this country deserves not only to feel safe but to be safe in their communities, and we’re excited about the new grant funding investments made.” The funding was announced at the inaugural hate crimes grantee conference organized by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The grants are part of the Justice Department’s wide-ranging efforts to improve community safety, serve victims of crime, support America’s youth, advance science, and promote equal justice. OJP is the largest grantmaking component of the Department and houses its criminal and juvenile justice-related science and statistical units. “Freedom from intolerance and from the fear of violence is foundational to community safety and fundamental to the concept of equal justice,” said OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent J. Cohen. “I’m very pleased that OJP is making these important resources available to our community partners and proud of the work we’re engaged in, together, to end hate and bias crimes and incidents in our country.” The funding announced today includes: $12 million in grants under BJA’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program to help local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices investigate and prosecute hate and bias crimes, as well as collaborate with community partners on outreach and education to targeted communities. More than $7.6 million in awards from BJA to 11 different community-based organizations and civil rights organizations for projects around the country dedicated to developing and implementing comprehensive hate crimes prevention and response strategies. $1 million for the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, District Attorney’s Office under BJA’s Emmett Till Cold Case Investigation and Prosecution Program to provide resources in cold case homicide cases involving civil rights violations that occurred before 1980. $2.7 million for RTI International and its subrecipients, the Eradicate Hate Global Summit and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, to launch BJA’s new Coordinated Hate Crimes Resource Center. $1.125 million for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office through the Office for Victims of Crime’s Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines program. $2.5 million through Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act funding for the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ research and analysis project on National Incident-Based Reporting System data and hate crime reporting patterns. $2.5 million in funding from the National Institute of Justice for three research projects on responding to hate crimes with specialized law enforcement units, including LGTBQI+ liaison units to respond to hate crimes against transgender individuals, and addressing the needs of survivors of hate crimes and their communities. In addition to these new grant awards, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Mizer announced OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Curriculum to provide resources to address hate crimes, bias incidents and identity-based bullying among youth. The curriculum is designed for middle and high school-aged youth and the teachers, counselors and others who work with them. He also announced the Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) is launching a new training on investigating hate crimes, which builds on the training the COPS Office released in 2022 on recognizing and reporting hate crimes.


title: Muskegon County Man Charged In Bomb Hoax

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Threat disrupted Caribbean cruise GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Joshua Darrell Lowe II, 19, of Bailey, Michigan, was indicted on criminal charges related to an alleged bomb hoax. “We take every threat of mass violence seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats. My office has zero tolerance for wrongdoers who intentionally convey false and misleading information that prompts a law enforcement response.” In January 2024, Carnival Cruise Lines received an e-mail warning, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship.” The cruise ship, Sunrise, had just departed Miami, Florida with a full complement of passengers and crew, and was sailing toward Jamaica as part of a Caribbean cruise. As a result of the message, the ship’s personnel individually searched over a thousand staterooms. Carnival alerted the U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaican authorities, whose Marine Police escorted the ship to port. According to court documents, Lowe is charged with making a false bomb threat. “Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “When individuals make false hoax threats, they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear. The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and will ensure that those who resort to this kind of intimidation face the appropriate consequences.” If convicted, Lowe faces a penalty of up to five years in prison and will be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler is prosecuting it. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Albuquerque Man for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 60 months in prison following an investigation that revealed he was sharing child pornography on a Peer-to-Peer network. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, in 2017, the New Mexico Department of Justice initiated an investigation into an IP address registered to the residence of William Day , 59, which was suspected of sharing child pornography on a Peer-to-Peer network. Subsequently, it was confirmed that a device at Day 's residence was used to share images of child pornography on March 31, 2017. On May 31, 2017, officers from the Albuquerque Police Department executed a search warrant at Day ’s residence. During the execution of the warrant, Day was interviewed and admitted to downloading files containing images of nude underage girls on the same day. Officers seized several devices, including a Lenovo laptop and an HP laptop, both of which were found to contain images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors. In a plea agreement, Day admitted to possessing these devices. Upon his release from prison, Day will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Jesse Pecoraro are 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 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 Justice.gov/PSC. # # #


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reginald Clay Jackson, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Jackson after conducting a traffic stop of a scooter he was operating in St. Albans. The scooter was reported stolen and Jackson could not produce a valid license, insurance, or registration. Jackson was taken to the South Charleston Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and processed. The following day, officers found a plastic bag under a bench in the booking area. The bag contained seven individually wrapped baggies that each contained approximately 1 ounce of fentanyl. Security video footage showed Jackson removing the bag from his clothing and throwing it under the bench during his processing. Jackson has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, domestic battery and strangulation. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-33. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Final Defendant in 2018 Espanola Kidnapping and Murder Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Espanola man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison his part in the kidnapping, torture and murder a woman over an alleged $400 debit card theft. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Jane Doe used Crystal Ramos's debit card to withdraw $400 without permission. Ramos, who is now deceased, enlisted Jorge Dominguez , Luis Mariscal-Lopez and another individual to assist in a plot against the victim. On January 14, 2018, the conspirators lured Jane Doe to a house in Espanola under the pretense of socializing and using drugs. Upon arrival, the victim was violently assaulted and tortured her using various objects, including firearms and power tools until Jane Doe succumbed to her injuries. Following the murder, the conspirators attempted to conceal their crimes with the help of Johnny Black by cleaning the crime scene, transporting the body to a remote location, burning the remains and evidence in fire pits, and eventually buried the victim’s remains in a shallow grave. The victim's remains were eventually located. Forensic evidence collected at the burn site implicated the defendants in attempts to destroy evidence. Johnny Black pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses and being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison. Mariscal-Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Crystal Ramos died in a shootout with police in Colorado on June 14, 2018. Upon his release from prison, Dominguez will be subject to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Espanola Police Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Bureaus of Indian Affairs, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Caitlin L. Dillon are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Former Professional Basketball Player Admits Pandemic Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former professional basketball player on Wednesday admitted committing $272,774 worth of fraud involving pandemic aid programs. Lorenzo Gordon, 41, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money. As part of his plea agreement, Gordon admitted fraudulently applying for two loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and three from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Both programs were intended to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gordon’s applications for the loan programs contained false information about three companies that applied for loans: Logo Fitness LLC, Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC and Elite Health and Fitness Company LLC. Gordon fraudulently received a total of $107,074 in PPP loans and $165,700 in EIDL loans and advances, his plea says. Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. The theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .