title: Departments of Justice and Education Release Resource on Confronting Racial Discrimination in Student Discipline

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) jointly released a Resource on Confronting Racial Discrimination in Student Discipline . The departments recognize and appreciate school administrators, teachers and educational staff across the nation who work to administer student discipline fairly, and to provide a safe, positive and nondiscriminatory educational environment for all students, teachers and other educators. The Resource demonstrates the departments’ ongoing commitment to the vigorous enforcement of laws that protect students from discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in student discipline. The Resource provides examples of the departments’ investigations over the last 10 years, reflecting the long-standing approach and continuity in the departments’ enforcement practices over time and the continuing urgency of assuring nondiscrimination in student discipline in our nation’s schools. “Discrimination in school discipline can have devastating long-term consequences on students and their future opportunities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department Civil Rights Division uses our federal civil rights laws to protect students from discriminatory discipline, including discrimination in suspensions and expulsions, law enforcement referrals and school-based arrests. The investigations that we describe demonstrate how students may experience discrimination based on multiple facets of their identities and reflect our joint commitment to fully protect all students.” “OCR remains committed to ensuring nondiscrimination in disciplinary practices,” said Assistant Secretary Catherine E. Lhamon of the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. “I look forward to ongoing work in, and with, schools to ensure that no student experiences unlawful discrimination, including with respect to discipline.” The Resource describes how the departments resolved investigations of 14 school districts in 10 states nationwide – Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah. These investigations, conducted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its regulations and Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, involved concerns about discrimination in schools’ use of out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, school-based arrests, referrals to law enforcement, involuntary discipline transfers, informal removals and other disciplinary actions against Black, Latino and Native American students. The Resource demonstrates ways school districts can take steps to proactively improve their administration of student discipline. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt , and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/ .


title: Two Utah Men Charged with Federal Hate Crime Offense

body_text: Two Utah men were charged with a federal hate crime April 26 following the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to the indictment, Nathan Thomas, 22, and Sebastian West, 22, both of Payson, allegedly assaulted a person identified by the initials D.J. because of D.J.’s actual and perceived race. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah and Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Yeates and Andrea Martinez for the District of Utah and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: District Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison For Armed Sexual Abuse of a Stranger

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Troy Ashley, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for the armed rape of a stranger in Southeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department. On March 17, 2023, Mr. Ashley pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sexual abuse while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Ashley has been in custody since his arrest on March 26, 2018. His guilty plea called for an agreed-upon 18-year prison sentence. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan accepted the plea today and also ordered lifetime supervised release. According to the proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on the evening of March 20, 2018, the victim was sitting in her car, which was parked in the 3200 block of Buena Vista Terrace Southeast, Washington, D.C. Ashley approached the victim’s car, displayed a black handgun, and demanded the victim let him into her car. Out of fear for her life, the victim complied. Ashley then ordered her to drive into a nearby alley. In the alley, Ashley ordered the victim to take off her shirt and move to the back seat of her car, where he was. Once the victim had done so, Ashley forced her to perform oral sex on him. He then forcibly raped her. Ashley then ordered the victim to get back into the driver’s seat and drive from the scene. Before and after the assault, Ashley demanded money and credit cards from the victim. After the victim told Ashley for the second time that she did not have those things with her, Ashley ordered the victim to drive to the Anacostia River. Once they had arrived at the river, Ashley ordered the victim to strip naked and get into the water or he would shoot her. Again, out of fear for her life, the victim complied. Ashley drove away in the victim’s car, leaving the victim in the river. The victim was able to call for help from the water using a cell phone she had managed to conceal on her person as she got into the river. Ashley was arrested while sitting in the victim’s car six days later. In announcing the plea and sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Park Police and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan, Paralegal Specialists Garcia Clarke and Tiffany Jones, and former Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Creighton, Kathleen Kern, Robert Platt, and Kristin Sourbeer, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: North Carolina Man and New York Woman Charged with Conspiracy and Damaging National Gallery of Art Exhibit

body_text: WASHINGTON – Timothy Martin of North Carolina, and Joanna Smith of New York, both 53, were taken into custody today following an indictment charging conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit. Martin self-surrendered this morning in Raleigh, North Carolina; Smith self-surrendered this morning in Washington, D.C. According to the indictment, unsealed today, Martin and Smith smeared paint on the case and base of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen , a priceless work of art which has drawn visitors for years to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Following the attack, a group called Declare Emergency claimed credit. Over the last year, in addition to this offense, Declare Emergency has blocked roadways around the Washington, D.C. area. The indictment further alleges that Martin and Smith agreed, along with other currently uncharged co-conspirators, to enter the National Gallery of Art for the purpose of injuring the exhibit. Martin and Smith entered the National Gallery of Art armed with plastic water bottles filled with paint. Martin and Smith handed their phones to other conspirators and waited until patrons cleared the area in front of the Little Dancer. Martin and Smith proceeded to smear paint on the case and base of the exhibit, at times smacking the case with force. Prior to the attack, members of the conspiracy had alerted the Washington Post, and two reporters from the Post recorded and photographed the offense. Additionally, other members of the conspiracy filmed and photographed the offense. Smith and Martin caused approximately $2,400 in damage and the exhibit was removed from public display for ten days so that it could be repaired. Each charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Illegal Agents of the PRC Government Charged for PRC-Directed Bribery Scheme

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal court in the Southern District of New York today unsealed a complaint charging two individuals with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as unregistered agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), conspiring to bribe and bribing a public official, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the complaint, John Chen, aka Chen Jun, 70, a Los Angeles resident and former citizen of the PRC, and Lin Feng, a Los Angeles resident and PRC citizen, allegedly participated in a PRC Government-directed scheme targeting U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. Chen and Feng were arrested today in the Central District of California. “The Chinese government has yet again attempted, and failed, to target critics of the PRC here in the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege the defendants in this case attempted to bribe someone they thought was an IRS agent in order to further the Chinese government’s campaign of transnational repression in the United States. But the individual they attempted to bribe was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent, and both defendants were arrested this morning. The Justice Department will continue to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute efforts by the PRC government to silence its critics and extend the reaches of its regime onto U.S. soil. We will never stop working to defend the rights to which every person in the United States is entitled.” “The Department of Justice continues to expose the Chinese government’s brazen attempts to perpetrate transnational repression, this time through attempted bribery,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As highlighted by today’s arrests and charges of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering, we will not tolerate efforts by the PRC or any foreign government to intimidate, harass, or undermine the rights and freedoms enjoyed by all who live in the United States.” “China’s government has once again shown its disregard for the rule of law and international norms,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate CCP repression — its efforts to threaten, harass, and intimidate people — here in the United States. We will continue to confront the Chinese government’s efforts to violate our laws and repress the rights and freedoms of people in our country. No other nation poses as severe a threat to the democratic values of the United States as the government of the People’s Republic of China,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The FBI will not stand by as the PRC attempts to weaponize our institutions and programs and attack the rights of those on U.S. soil. Any attempt to repress or harass individuals runs directly counter to the ideals our nation was founded upon, and it simply will not be tolerated. The FBI and our partners remain committed to confronting the illegal conduct of the PRC government that threatens our national security and freedom.” “John Chen and Lin Feng allegedly waged a campaign at the behest of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to influence a U.S. Government official in order to further the PRC Government’s repression of practitioners of Falun Gong,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Efforts to manipulate and use the arms of the U.S. Government to carry out the PRC Government’s autocratic aims are as shocking as they are insidious. My office will work vigorously to protect against malign foreign influences.” The complaint alleges that from at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, Chen and Feng worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC government, including an identified PRC government official (PRC Official-1), to further the PRC government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC Government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “five poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC government, including imprisonment and torture. As part of the PRC government’s campaign against the Falun Gong, Chen and Feng allegedly engaged in a PRC government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’s Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners (Entity-1). After Chen filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the Chen Whistleblower Complaint), Chen and Feng paid $5,000 in cash bribes, and promised to pay substantially more, to a purported IRS agent who was in fact an undercover officer (Agent-1), in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither Chen nor Feng notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC government in the United States. In the course of the scheme, Chen, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC government, was to carry out the PRC government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, Chen and Feng discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if Chen and Feng’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. Chen and Feng also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC Government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, Chen and Feng allegedly met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14. During the meeting, Chen gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. Chen further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit of Entity-1, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, Feng paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. Chen allegedly obtained funding from the PRC government to make bribe payments during his trips to the PRC in the course of the scheme. Chen and Feng are each charged with (1) one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General and to bribe a public official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; (2) one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; (3) one count of bribing a public official, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and (4) one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The FBI New York and Los Angeles Field Offices and Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case with valuable assistance provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shiva H. Logarajah, Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard, and Kathryn Wheelock for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed methamphetamine he was intending to distribute was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison. Jose Guadalupe Angulo, age 43, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, received the prison term after a February 2, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. In a plea agreement, Angulo admitted that on December 8, 2016, he was a passenger in a vehicle traveling through Woodbury County, Iowa. After law enforcement stopped the vehicle, he was found in possession of 7983 grams of methamphetamine he had obtained in California and was intending to redistribute in Minnesota. After he was released following federal arrest, Angulo absconded from pretrial supervision and did not appear for his subsequent court hearings. He fled to Mexico until he was arrested in spring of 2022 as he crossed the border back into the United States. Angulo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Angulo was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Angulo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 16-CR-4102.


title: Moline Man Sentenced to 72 months in Prison for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: Rock Island, Ill. – A Moline, Ill., man, Dylan A. Campbell, 30, of the 4000 block of 11 th Avenue C, was sentenced on May 24, 2023, to 72 months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted receipt of child pornography. On January 11, 2023, Campbell entered a plea of guilty to the indictment, which charged him with one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. According to the government’s commentary at sentencing, Campbell had been using various online means to obtain child pornography over multiple years. In pronouncing the sentence, Chief Judge Sara L. Darrow commented on the alarming nature of the imagery Campbell had been obtaining, depicting the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants, and the need to protect the public. Campbell has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his change of plea in January of 2023. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government at sentencing. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Ford County Man Convicted for the Second Time of Enticement of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – Robert Shawn Anderson, 54, of the 300 block of Spruce Street in Paxton, Illinois, was found guilty, for the second time, yesterday of one count of enticement of a minor. The case was being tried for the second time after the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that in the initial trial, Anderson should have been able to argue that law enforcement had entrapped him into trying to have sex with a person he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Over two and a half days of trial, the government presented evidence to establish that Anderson arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application MeetMe. The government also proved that law enforcement had not entrapped Anderson into his attempted sexual liaison with a child. “Anderson’s conviction is evidence of the powerful results that can be achieved through state, local, and national law enforcement cooperation,” said United States Attorney Gregory Harris. “This outcome and operation reinforce our continued commitment to combat sexual predators who would prey upon children.” “The cooperation of the Attorney General’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office is critical to holding accountable individuals who would hurt children,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “This verdict underscores the commitment of state and federal law enforcement to protect the children of Illinois.” “The FBI knows all too well the risk children can face when communicating with strangers online,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “And while our proactive measures demonstrate our commitment to stopping and holding accountable those who seek to sexually exploit children, we encourage parents to be equally proactive and remain aware of their child’s online activity.” Anderson was arrested over Valentine’s Day weekend 2020 as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation operation conducted in Kankakee County, Ill. The operation, dubbed Cupid’s Arrow, was conducted with the assistance of the Bradley Police Department, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien who is also Deputy Bureau Chief for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas McMeyer represented the government at the trial before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm. Sentencing for Anderson has been scheduled on July 10, 2023 before Judge Mihm at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. He faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case against Anderson was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Possession With Intent To Distribute Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garrett Jeffery Freeman, a/k/a Gee, age 27, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 154 months in prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration. On May 9, 2023, Freeman pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. On October 12, 2021, DEA Agents and DEA Task Force Officers serving an arrest warrant located Freeman at a McAlester hotel. Freeman attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended and arrested. Agents discovered Freeman in possession of multiple firearms, magazines of ammunition, digital scales, and baggies of pills containing over 35 grams of fentanyl. “The excellent work of DEA agents and task force officers resulted in a drug dealer being arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The sentence imposed should send a clear message to the defendant and others tempted to sell illegal drugs that you will be held accountable for the misery your crimes inflict on our communities.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Freeman will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States at sentencing.


title: Heavener Resident Sentenced For Violent Assault With A Firearm In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Francisco Perez, age 30, of Heavener, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The charges arose from investigations by the Heavener Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On May 16, 2023, Francisco Perez pleaded guilty to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On June 16, 2021, Perez shot a person in Heavener with a semi-automatic pistol. The victim sustained serious but non-fatal injuries. Perez then drove to the Heavener Police Station, turned himself in, and confessed to the shooting. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted these cases because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Le Flore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Perez will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States at sentencing.


title: U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, Law Enforcement Partners Announce Safe Summer 2023 Initiative To Address The Rise In Gun Violence

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Offenders Caught with Crime Guns Face Federal Prosecution GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that his office, along with law enforcement partners, is launching Safe Summer 2023. This new initiative addresses the rise in gun violence that so often accompanies the warmer summer months. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will federally prosecute all offenders who illegally possess crime guns – namely, firearms linked to prior shooting crimes through ballistic evidence. "Gun violence is an epidemic across America and here in Michigan that inflicts immense trauma on communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “This program directs the most serious consequences to the most dangerous offenders. While we’ll never prosecute our way out of this epidemic – and wrap-around prevention programs are important – we must hold violent offenders accountable for their callous actions. I am grateful to our law enforcement and community partners for their support and commitment to making our neighborhoods safer for everyone.” WATCH: Video message from U.S. Attorney Totten announcing Safe Summer 2023 U.S. Attorney Totten will be joined by local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to announce the program today in a series of four press conferences across the District, with stops in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Safe Summer 2023 kicks off today and runs through the end of September, focused on cities in the Western District of Michigan that have the highest rates of gun violence, including Benton Harbor, Benton Township, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, and their surrounding communities. “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) remains steadfast in its commitment to identify and prosecute prolific shooters who commit gun violence with illegal firearms in our community,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “ATF’s long-standing collaborative partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal, state, and local law enforcement, in conjunction with ATF’s unique Crime Gun Intelligence and NIBIN capabilities, are definitive components towards making the community a safer place for everyone to live.” “Combatting crime in the most violent areas of our state is only successful if law enforcement and community partners work together,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI contributes to the enforcement effort by strategically identifying the most violent criminals – those who commit armed robberies of businesses and who lead gangs or criminal enterprises – and to the outreach effort by engaging with schools, youth groups, and community organizations. By doing so, we are working collaboratively to ensure our neighborhoods are safer places for everyone to live and work.” “The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety (BHDPS) works hard to protect our residents from violent crime,” said BHDPS Director Daniel McGinnis . “The Safe Summer 2023 initiative will be another key tool as we work to take illegal guns off our streets and hold offenders accountable. We appreciate the law enforcement partnerships that will help provide safer neighborhoods within our community.” “The Michigan State Police (MSP) is pleased to continue our partnership with local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan to reduce gun violence in the Benton Harbor region, “said Capt. Michael Brown, commander of the MSP’s Fifth District . “We have committed seven full-time department members for crime prevention efforts, solving violent crimes, and community engagement initiatives.” “As a county representative for Benton Township and co-chair of ALPACT (Allies and Leaders for Police and Community Trust), I know that we need a two-track approach: prevention and prosecution,” said Berrien County Commissioner Chokwe Pitchford . “Our community violence prevention initiatives are important to keep individuals out of jail, and I am grateful that U.S. Attorney Mark Totten is committed to prosecuting those responsible for crimes linked to dangerous weapons. We need a holistic approach to keeping our community safe and this is one step of many that is needed.” “Every child deserves a safe community to play and just be a kid. Everyone shares in this responsibility,” said Muskegon Director of Public Safety Timothy Kozal. “The Muskegon Police Department is committed to partnering with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to not only advocate for our community, moreover, work tirelessly to prosecute those that choose to conspire to commit crimes with guns.” “Reducing gun violence is a top priority for the City of Kalamazoo,” said Chief David Boysen, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety . “The level of gun violence that we have experienced so far this year is unacceptable. We know that a small number of people drive majority of the gun violence. Safe Summer 2023 will send a clear message to them that if you choose to be a shooter in our community, we will be working closely with our federal law enforcement partners to make sure you are held accountable. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan for making this initiative possible. We are excited to work with our federal partners to keep Kalamazoo safe.” “The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office is a proud partner of this initiative. The Safe Summer 2023 initiative comes at a critical moment in our fight against all violence,” said Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller . “With the U.S Attorney’s commitment to prosecute those found with a weapon that has already been used in a crime, we now have a tool that will make a significant difference in removing offenders and firearms from our neighborhoods.” “The Lansing Police Department (LPD) is eager to partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Safe Summer 2023 initiative,” said LPD Chief Ellery Sosebee . “Partnerships and collaborations such as this, make a difference in the gun violence crisis so many communities are facing.” “I applaud U.S. Attorney Totten and his staff for partnering with us here in Ingham County to hold people accountable who use violence – specifically gun violence – to settle their differences,” said Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth, Ingham County Sheriff’s Office . “We should all hope the initiative is a success, gauged not by an increased number of indictments, but rather a noticeable reduction in the number of shootings.” “We’ve seen the devastation the escalation of gun violence can do to individuals, families, and our community,” said Chief Eric Winstrom, Grand Rapids Police Department . “We welcome this effort to bring the potential of federal charges to the table when possible. I appreciate U.S. Attorney Totten’s leadership in this initiative and his office’s support of law enforcement as we work to hold perpetrators of gun violence accountable.” “This is a clear message to the few people in our communities who would use a firearm to hurt another person,” said F/Lt. Matt Williams, Commander of the MSP Grand Rapids Post. “Any gun violence will result in dire consequences.” Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages 1-19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here ). While gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. For example, a recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association , shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian). ###


title: United States Attorney’s Office Announces  Leadership Positions

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider today announced that several criminal prosecutors and a civil litigator have been named to leadership positions in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota. The office’s management team will continue to be led by Jennifer Puhl, First Assistant United States Attorney (FAUSA). Puhl, a career prosecutor who joined the office in 2002, was United States Attorney from June through mid-December of 2022 and previously served as Criminal Chief. She was named FAUSA on December 13, 2023. Dave Hagler, an Assistant United States Attorney who has been with the office since 1999, is the office’s Criminal Division Chief. Kent Rockstad, a civil litigator who has represented the United States in bankruptcy proceedings and other commercial litigation since 2002, will continue to serve as Civil Division Chief. The office’s Criminal Supervisor is Brett Shasky, who joined the office in 2003. Shasky also leads the office’s OCDEFT efforts. Additional leadership positions include: Chris Myers – Special Counsel to the United States Attorney for Law Enforcement : Since joining the office in 2002, Myers has served as both FAUSA and United States Attorney. Myers was previously a Chief Assistant Clay County Attorney and an Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney. He was also a Special Agent with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation before becoming a prosecutor. Gary Delorme – Senior Litigation Counsel : Delorme joined the office in August 2008 after serving as a prosecutor in Cass County and Stutsman County. He was a Judge Advocate with the North Dakota Army National Guard before retiring with over 20 years of military experience. He also serves as the office’s Tribal Liaison. Megan Healy – Appellate Chief: In addition to her role as Appellate Chief, Healy prosecutes federal civil rights and tax cases. A native of Rugby, North Dakota, she previously practiced law in Washington, DC, and served as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Healy joined the office in 2012. ####


title: Property Manager Pleads Guilty To Stealing Government Funds

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Oliver Barrington King (44, Deland) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. King faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. In addition, King has agreed to forfeit $16,618.91, the amount he obtained as a result of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, King was the property manager for an apartment complex that received Section 8 project-based rental assistance funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As property manager, King had access to the HUD funding and misappropriated the government funds for his own unjust enrichment. This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.


title: United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Announces Participation in National Money Mule Initiative; Obtains Three Civil Injunctions Against Alleged Money Mules Involved in Lottery Scams

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA, PA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced her office’s participation in the Department of Justice’s Annual Money Mule Initiative, a national effort to combat money mule fraud schemes. Money mules are individuals who are recruited by national and international fraud schemes to help with the laundering of fraud proceeds, or to transport goods purchased with fraud proceeds. These individuals are usually recruited online, through dating websites, job recruiting advertisements, or other types of internet solicitations. The money mules are then asked to help move money and goods from the victims to the fraudsters, who are oftentimes located overseas. Sometimes the money mules are themselves innocent victims who do not realize that they are assisting with criminal activity. Other times, however, the money mules come to realize that what they are doing is wrong and/or illegal. When this happens, the money mules become knowing participants in the fraud schemes they are assisting and are subject to prosecution. “Identifying and disrupting the work of money mules is critically important, as money mules are integral components of many organized criminal groups, including international fraud rings,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We are committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to disrupt money mule networks in an effort to cut off the flow of funds from victims of fraud schemes – often elderly and vulnerable Americans – to transnational criminal organizations.” “I am pleased to announce today that the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney’s Office are taking steps to stem the flow of victim money leaving the United States through the hands of money mules,” said Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “For many years, we as Postal Inspectors have developed various initiatives to combat the flow of illegal proceeds being sent through the mail to foreign countries. Taking steps to not only educate our customers, but to bring law enforcement action against perpetrators, will stem the flow of financial loss. These efforts aside, the most effective way to reduce fraud victimization of American citizens is for friends and family to simply look out for one another. If you become aware that someone close to you sends Postal Money Orders, cash, or gift cards through the mail, or through other shipping services, to foreign countries, take a moment to talk to that person about these activities and notify the Postal Inspection Service if you suspect fraud. You might help save them from significant financial loss.” In the last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed three separate civil complaints and civil injunctions against alleged money mules accused of participating in lottery fraud schemes based in Jamaica and Nigeria. Architects of lottery schemes contact potential victims, falsely claim that those victims have won the lottery, and thereby induce the victims to send money to account for taxes and fees purportedly associated with victims’ falsely promised lottery winnings. In these schemes, money mules play a critical role by receiving victim payments by mail and wire transfer, depositing the payments into their bank accounts, and allowing access to those accounts by individuals in Jamaica engaged in the scheme. The defendants are alleged to have received victim payments by mail or common carrier, deposited the payments into their bank accounts, and then transferred the funds by wire transfer to individuals engaged in the schemes in Jamaica and Nigeria. Each defendant has agreed to a stipulated consent decree and order of permanent injunction. The stipulated order bans the alleged money mules from directly or indirectly, assisting, facilitating, or participating in any lottery scheme, prize promotion fraud, or any money transmitting business. The complaints and civil injunction actions (civil action numbers 23-cv-1844, 23-cv-1885, and 23‑cv-1886) were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. These cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David A. Degnan. The investigations were conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Members of the public are reminded to be careful of individuals they meet online. If those individuals ask you to receive or transfer funds or goods, purchase gift cards, or engage in any type of suspicious activity, please report this activity to law enforcement. To find public education materials, as well as information about how fraudsters use and recruit money mules, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative . Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).


title: Maine Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Public Funds

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Maine woman pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing federal housing benefits from at least December 2004 through February 2020. Rebecca Amelia Cranford, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 17, 2023. Cranford was arrested and charged in September 2021. In the early 2000s, Cranford was engaged by the owners of a vacation home in Wellfleet to look after the property in their absence. Instead of merely looking after the property, Cranford applied for federal housing subsidies pretending to be a tenant living at the property while separately directing the housing subsidies to a business entity incorporated in her own name and listed as the landlord for the property on the housing application. In total, Cranford stole approximately $113,067 in housing assistance benefits. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Regional Field Office, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Maine State Police and Cumberland County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Levy’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Matthews, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Tax Evasion

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Darren Lee Joy, 63, of Matthews, N.C. was sentenced yesterday in federal court before U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney for tax evasion, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and Stuart M. Goldberg, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. Joy received a sentence of 36 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI) joins U.S. Attorney King and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg in making the announcement. According to court documents filed in the case and the sentencing hearing, from 1987 through 1990, 1993, 1996 through 2008, and 2010 through 2021, Joy did not file individual income tax returns despite earning more income than the minimum filing requirement. In order to evade his taxes, Joy submitted and maintained with his employers Forms W-4 and state tax forms, falsely claiming that he was exempt from federal and state income tax withholding when he was not entitled to claim exempt status. As a result, court documents show that taxes were not withheld from his wages and little to no taxes were paid over to the IRS or his state of residence. In total, Joy earned more than $1.8 million in income and owed the IRS and California more than $380,000 in taxes. On July 19, 2022, Joy pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion for his 2015 tax return. Joy’s original sentencing date was April 26, 2023, however, he failed to appear, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. During the sentencing, Judge Whitney found that Joy obstructed justice by failing to appear for his original sentencing date and by filing numerous frivolous documents with the Court and the IRS. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Whitney said that this sentence should show others that there are consequences for not paying your taxes. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court ordered Joy to pay $359,859 in restitution to the IRS and $23,058 in restitution to the State of California. U.S. Attorney King and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked IRS-CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Bay Area Physician Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO– Joseph Andrew Mollick was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for being in possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge. Mollick, 60, of Menlo Park, pleaded guilty to the charge on January 9, 2023. Mollick identifies himself in a filing with the court as a medical doctor who has worked as a hospitalist at San Francisco Bay Area hospitals. According to his plea agreement, Mollick admitted that in August of 2019, he used the social media application Kik to upload a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The image depicted a prepubescent female wearing a red shirt in a sex act with an adult male. Mollick admitted he knew the image was of a prepubescent minor and that its production involved the use of a prepubescent minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Mollick also possessed on his personal laptop at least 2000 images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A federal grand jury indicted Mollick on November 16, 2021, charging him with one count possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). Mollick pleaded guilty to the charge. In addition to the prison term, judge Chhabria ordered Mollick to serve 60 months of supervised release, to begin after his prison term, and to pay a fine of $25,000. Judge Chhabria scheduled a hearing to decide issues regarding restitution for July 26, 2023. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chambers is prosecuting the case. This case is a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Multiple Armed Robberies

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Justin Bryant Koch was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Koch, 34, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2023, to one count of armed robbery and one count of attempted armed robbery. Upon his release from prison, Koch will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on April 7, 2020, at 5:00 pm, Koch entered the Oasis Convenience Store on Carlisle Blvd. NE in Albuquerque and while brandishing a firearm, approached the clerk and demanded that the clerk give him money. The clerk pulled his own firearm in self-defense and Koch fled the store. Approximately one hour and 40 minutes later, Koch entered the Casa Taco Restaurant on Academy Rd. NE in Albuquerque and repeated his previous behavior, approaching the clerk while armed with a firearm and demanding that the clerk give him money. The clerk gave Koch $331.63 and Koch fled the scene. After an investigation, it was determined that Koch was the main suspect, and he was later arrested. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case. # # # 23-109


title: United States Reaches Settlement with Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Regarding Allegations of ADA Violations

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 22, 2023, the United States had settled a claim that Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee Inc. (“CSM”) failed to provide sign language interpretative services to a patient who is deaf, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). CSM, located on North Lake Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a short-term acute care facility with approximately 400 staffed beds. Title III of the ADA requires public accommodations to take those steps necessary to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, segregated, or otherwise treated differently because of the absence of appropriate auxiliary aids or services, unless the entity can demonstrate that taking such steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the services being offered or result in an undue burden. A public accommodation must also furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities and with companions of patients who are individuals with disabilities. As set forth in the Agreement, the Government’s investigation determined the following: In 2017, CG developed a serious medical condition requiring her to undergo surgery at CSM on December 18, 2017. CG was initially hospitalized at CSM from December 18 to December 21, 2017, for the surgery and initial recovery period. On December 29, 2017, CG was re-admitted to CSM after experiencing complications from the surgery, including an infection of her surgical site. During her first hospital admission, CSM furnished CG with a qualified ALS interpreter for her pre-operative consultation. However, following the surgery, CG did not receive the services of a qualified ALS interpreter during several subsequent, important interactions with medical staff, including critical phases of her recovery period and staff assessments of her neurological status, in part because CSM staff did not adequately consult with CG about her desire for these services. In addition, no interpreter was provided during her discharge consultation. Rather than providing a qualified interpreter or other appropriate auxiliary aids or services, CSM staff relied on CG’s mother, or other auxiliary aids or services that did not provide effective communication, to attempt to facilitate communication with CG about post-operative medical information. As a result, CG did not fully understand the nature of the care and medical decisions being considered for her. On December 29, 2017, CG was re-admitted to CSM after experiencing complications from the surgery, including an infection of her surgical site. She was treated successfully and discharged on January 1, 2018. During her second hospital admission, CSM again failed to provide a qualified interpreter or other appropriate auxiliary aids or services, for any part of the entire stay. Instead, hospital staff once again impermissibly relied upon CG’s mother or other ineffective means including lip reading and written notes, to facilitate communication with CG. As a result, CG again did not fully understand the nature of the care and medical decisions being considered for her. Based on these findings, the United States determined that CSM denied CG appropriate auxiliary aids and services necessary for effective communication during significant facets of her treatment at CSM in December 2017 and January 2018. Under the settlement agreement, CSM will pay $35,000 to the patient. In addition, CSM has reviewed and revised, as appropriate, its existing policies. CSM has conducted and will conduct additional training on the ADA, and CSM has agreed to report any future complaints of possible ADA violations to federal authorities. This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Larsen. For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov/aids . Those interested in finding out more about the obligations of healthcare providers under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov . ADA complaints may be filed with the Department of Justice at File a Complaint | ADA.gov . ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Gibson Man Sentenced for Federal Conspiracy to Stage Automobile Accidents

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Yesterday, LARRY PICOU (“ PICOU ”), age 57, of Gibson, Louisiana, was sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, PICOU falsely claimed he was a passenger in a car that was struck by a tractor-trailer on May 11, 2017. In fact, PICOU conspired with others to intentionally collide with a tractor-trailer in the area of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road in New Orleans. After the intentional collision, PICOU and his other co-conspirators made a false police report, lied in depositions, and filed fraudulent lawsuits falsely claiming that the tractor-trailer was at fault. This scheme caused the insurance company for the tractor-trailer to pay over $140,000.00 in settlement funds. U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced PICOU to serve a term of five (5) years’ probation. PICOU was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $200,963.59 and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 . The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria M. Carboni, Edward Rivera, and Brandon S. Long, all of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: North Charleston Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Through Snapchat

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Ty’Qwane Antonio Dix, 26, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. In October 2022, Dix pleaded guilty to use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. According to court documents and hearings, from August 2020 through January 2021, Dix portrayed himself online as a 19-year-old male. In that capacity, he enticed and coerced a 12-year-old girl in Virginia into sending him sexually explicit videos and images of herself via Snapchat. Dix later threatened to send her videos/images to others if she did not comply with his requests. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Dix to 151 months in prison, to be followed by a life term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor prosecuted the 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 epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education. ###


title: Brothers Sentenced in Gun Trafficking Conspiracy After Investigation of Firearms Recovered at Indianapolis and Chicago Crime Scenes

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Brothers Jacob Tomlin, 28, and Ryan White, 21, of Indianapolis, have both been convicted of federal felony offenses for their scheme to illegally sell straw-purchased firearms. Tomlin was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to two counts of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. White was sentenced in January of 2023 to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing firearms without a license. According to court documents, during the summer of 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the source of firearms that were located at crime scenes in Indianapolis and Chicago. These gun traces investigations multiple crime guns purchased by Tomlin from federally licensed firearms dealers in Indiana. The ATF’s investigation revealed that from May 19 through June 8, 2021, Tomlin lied on federal firearms purchase documents to illegally purchase 15 handguns for White, his brother. White was too young to legally buy the guns from a federally licensed dealer. This form of gun trafficking is frequently referred to as “straw purchasing,” when a person who is allowed to legally purchase a gun from a federally licensed dealer falsely states that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else—frequently someone who is legally prohibited from making the purchase. ATF agents interviewed Tomlin and White, who admitted that Tomlin lied on the federal forms to illegally purchase the guns for White. White then illegally resold some of the guns for a profit. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement. “This investigation demonstrates exactly how straw-purchases of firearms help to fuel gun violence in Indianapolis, Chicago, and elsewhere,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Gun traffickers help arm criminals who should never have had access to deadly weapons in the first place, increasing the bloodshed on our streets. Our office is committed to working closely with the ATF to address the sources of crime gun to reduce gun violence—and to hold gun traffickers accountable in federal court.” ATF investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that White be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Abhi Kambli and Samantha Spiro, who prosecuted this case. This case was part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Chicago Gun Trafficking Strike Force. On July 22, 2021, the Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. These gun trafficking strike forces are designed to ensure coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. ###


title: Chalmette Pharmacist Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEITH WILKINSON , a pharmacist who owned and operated Wilkinson Family Pharmacy located in St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced to serve 72 months in custody for his role in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. According to the bill of information, beginning prior to 2014 and continuing until the filing of the bill of information on September 14, 2018, WILKINSON and others conspired to dispense, outside the scope of his professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, quantities of controlled substances. WILKINSON also committed money laundering using criminally derived proceeds. At his sentencing on Wednesday May 24, 2023, WILKINSON was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. This prosecution was part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Jae’Kwon Rumph, 23, of Columbia, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on March 2, 2022, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) received a ShotSpotter Alert on Colleton Street. CPD officers responded to the location and found four 9mm shell casings. CPD investigators recovered surveillance video of the incident, which displayed Rumph shooting at a moving vehicle. At the time of the shooting, Rumph was a known gang member, and he was identified by members of law enforcement. After the shooting, Rumph was arrested wearing the same clothing that he had on in the surveillance video from the shooting incident. On April 23, 2022, West Columbia Police Department recovered a firearm during a traffic stop. The recovered firearm had a NIBIN link to the shell casings from the shooting on March 2, 2022. A firearm and tool mark analyst with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed the link and determined the recovered firearm fired the shell casings found at the shooting scene. Federal law prohibits Rumph from possessing a firearm due to his prior convictions for Domestic Violence First Degree and Strong Arm Robbery. United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Rumph to 70 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department, the West Columbia Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Charleston County Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Deeana Burr, 54, of Charleston, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Burr, a licensed nurse practitioner who became a 15% co-owner of Atlantic Coast Integrated Medicine (ACIM) in September 2017, participated in scheme to defraud Medicare and TRICARE by submitting claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and certain procedure codes. The evidence revealed that ACIM generally had a standardized treatment plan for all patients that lasted 12 weeks, with the expectation that the patient receive care three times a week. Followed by an initial evaluation consisting of a head to feet musculoskeletal exam and more than a dozen x-rays ordered by an ACIM clinician, the treatment plan, authorized by an ACIM clinician, included the issuing of multiple DME. Much of the DME issued, and subsequently billed to Medicare and/or TRICARE, was determined to be medically unnecessary throughout the investigation. Burr faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge David Norton accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Burr after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by Agent Ryan Schubert with the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Long Island Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Multi-Million-Dollar Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, John Quadrino was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 41 months’ imprisonment and over $3.3 million restitution for directing a Ponzi scheme utilizing Princess Cut Industries, Inc., Sassy Jewelry Buyers, Inc. and Golden Glitter Trading, Inc. (collectively referred to as the “Gold Purchasing Companies”). Quadrino told investors that their money would be invested in the sale of gold, jewelry and diamonds, via the Gold Purchasing Companies. In reality, Quadrino never invested their money. In April 2018, Quadrino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney, announced the sentence. “The defendant blatantly stole the money of hard-working men and women in our community for the sole purpose of enriching himself until his Ponzi scheme collapsed under the weight of his lies,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s prison sentence punishes the defendant for the financial ruin he has inflicted on investors who had trusted him.” “Dozens of investors handed over their savings to this defendant based on empty promises, and in the end, he personally spent and gambled away millions of dollars of their hard-earned money,” stated District Attorney Donnelly. “I commend our law enforcement partners at the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work securing today’s prison sentence, and ensuring this defendant cannot further victimize anyone else.” Quadrino represented to potential investors that the Gold Purchasing Companies were involved in the sale of gold, jewelry and diamonds to refineries and jewelers. He asked investors to invest large sums of money, for fixed periods of time, in exchange for a guaranteed, fixed rate of return at the end of the agreed upon time period. Quadrino never actually purchased gold, jewelry or diamonds in any significant quantities. Instead, Quadrino systematically engaged in a classic Ponzi scheme, over the course of five years, returning investor principal and interest from the investor capital of other victims. As a result, investors invested approximately $13.1 million with the Gold Purchasing Companies and suffered total losses of approximately $3.3 million. The defendant used investor capital to issue checks to himself and to pay for his personal gambling expenses. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Misorek is in charge of the investigation with assistance provided by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Sotirhos of the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. The Defendant: JOHN QUADRINO Age: 57 Oceanside, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-153 (JMA)


title: Second Defendant Charged with Second Degree Murder in Death of Navajo Man

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Keon Apachito was charged with murder in the second degree. Apachito, 21, of To'Hajiilee, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court for a detention hearing and was released to a halfway house pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to an indictment, on May 28, 2022, along with two others, Apachito and co-defendant Cole Ray Shorty allegedly beat the victim in retaliation for stealing an item from Shorty. The victim died from their injuries at the University of New Mexico Hospital on May 30, 2022. The incident occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Apachito faces up to 17 years in prison. Cole Ray Shorty, 19, was arraigned on Sept. 13, 2022, and will remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, Shorty faces up to 17 years in prison. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-110


title: Appeals Court Upholds Verdict Awarding $74,400 in Damages to Victims of St. Louis Landlord’s Discrimination

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has affirmed a jury verdict against a St. Louis, Missouri landlord for violating the federal Fair Housing Act by evicting a family because of the birth of their second child. The Fair Housing Act prohibits terminating a lease, evicting tenants or refusing to sell or rent because of race, color, religion, familial status or national origin. After their eviction in 2017, Laura Erwin and Mack Teal filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). HUD conducted an investigation, issued a charge of discrimination against Rupp and referred the case to the Justice Department, which filed suit in 2019. On May 28, 2021, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk ruled in response to motions for summary judgment that Louis A. Rupp II’s conduct violated the Fair Housing Act. On Aug. 19, 2021, a jury awarded the family of Laura Erwin and Mack Teal a total of $74,400 in damages, consisting of $14,400 in compensatory damages and $60,000 in punitive damages. “The Rupp case shows how victims of civil rights violations in this district can find redress through the nation’s civil rights laws,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming. “Ms. Irwin knew something was wrong when Rupp evicted her and her family from their home, conducted her own research under the housing laws and decided to challenge his actions. In the end, the appeals court agreed with Ms. Irwin and her family that Rupp’s conduct was ‘reprehensible’ for evicting them shortly after Ms. Irwin’s emergency C-section. The court also ruled that punitive damages were appropriate because Rupp, a long-time landlord, showed ‘indifference to or reckless disregard of’ the housing laws and the Irwin family’s health and safety.” The court also ruled that the size of the award did not violate the Rupp’s constitutional right to due process of law. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov , or submitting a report online. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.


title: Four Men from Plaquemines and Saint Tammany Parishes Indicted for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWAN RILEY , age 37, CHRISTOPHER GLASS , age 45, RODERICK PARKER , age 52, residents of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, and HERBERT RICHARDSON , age 51, a Slidell, Louisiana resident, were charged on April 28, 2023, in a sealed three-count indictment by a federal grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 1 charged RICHARDSON and RILEY with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, a quantity of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. For this offense, they face a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Count 1 also charged GLASS and PARKER with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. For this offense, they face up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Count 2 charged RICHARDSON with possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). For this offense, he faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Count 3 charged RICHARDSON with being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). For this offense, he faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For each of the counts in which a defendant is charged, he faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Project LEAD Graduates 47 Students in the Municipality of Toa Alta

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– This week, a total of 47 students from the Alejandro Jr. Cruz Elementary School and the José Pablo Morales Miranda Middle School in Toa Alta graduated from the Project LEAD school program in a ceremony held in U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. In January of 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico began a 20-week school curriculum in both schools. The curriculum focused on the legal and social consequences of juvenile crimes and included techniques to help students resolve conflicts and resist peer pressure. Assistant United States Attorney Dennise Longo Quiñones, Chief of the Public Affairs and Community Engagement Division was the facilitator in charge of leading the weekly sessions with the students. Project LEAD (Legal Enrichment and Decision-making) was established in 1993 by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Its goal is to teach children that the choices they make today can affect their lives forever. An evaluation of the program conducted by Bernadette Chi, PhD and Ellen Middaugh, M.A. of the University of California, Berkley showed that Project LEAD provides: Protective factors that decrease students’ propensity to become involved in negative and illegal activities. An increase in students’ knowledge about the legal system. An increase in positive dispositions, for example: Confidence in their own decision-making capacities; Attitudes about the legal system; and Attitudes about authority. The USAO launched the program in two public schools in Loíza in December of 2020. The USAO translated the Project LEAD program into the Spanish language and tailored the curriculum to focus on situations that youth in the District of Puerto Rico are likely to encounter. The 20-week curriculum focuses on the social and legal consequences of juvenile crimes, such as truancy, illicit drug use, shoplifting, graffiti, animal abuse, and bullying. Project LEAD also teaches students techniques to resolve conflicts, resist peer pressure, promote tolerance and respect for diversity, and the role of education to achieve economic stability. Students also learn about the federal and state judicial systems, including how each operates, and the roles played by prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and defendants in the litigation process. The curriculum concludes with the students’ performance of a scripted mock trial, putting into practice what they have learned about the criminal justice system. United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow stated: “We are grateful for the schools and the parents who trusted the USAO personnel along with other state and federal law enforcement agencies to provide the students with the skills and experience to evaluate challenging situations and help them make good decisions. We are looking forward to expanding our Project LEAD with the participation of the personnel from the Proyecto de Seguridad y Educación para el Desarrollo de la Niñez who have adopted our program and will continue to work along with us to continue with our project throughout Puerto Rico.” This Project was possible with the collaboration of many federal and state agencies. Special thanks to the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico; the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico; the Federal Public Defender; the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Council; the PR Department of Justice; the PR Department of Public Safety; the PR Department of Education, in particular, the personnel at the Bayamón Regional Office; the PR Police Bureau; the PR Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Administration of Juvenile Institutions; the PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources; and personnel from the US Attorney’s Office. ###


title: Former Sewage and Water Board Official Charged with Federal Theft

body_text: NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the filing of a bill of information against JAMES ARNOLD , a former Utility Services Administrator for the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. ARNOLD is accused of stealing cash that belonged to the Sewerage and Water Board. The bill of information alleges that ARNOLD would instruct plumbers to provide him with payments for plumbing permits and that ARNOLD would keep the payments for his own use. The charged offense of Theft From an Agency Receiving Federal Funds is punishable by up to ten years’ imprisonment followed by up to three years’ supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Three Additional Individuals Charged with Conspiracy to Steal Government Property from Anniston Army Depot

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Three additional individuals have been charged with conspiracy to steal United States property from Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) in an ongoing investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones, Defense Logistics Agency Office of the Inspector General Deputy Inspector General Jerold Unruh, and United States Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent in Charge D. Todd Outlaw. In charging documents filed in United States District Court, Kelvin Battle , 53, of Anniston, Steve Bonner , 62, of Goodwater, and Shane Farthing , 41, of Gadsden are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal United States property. Battle and Bonner are also each charged with an additional count related to specific instances of stealing or selling property stolen from ANAD. Six other individuals have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty to offenses related to the theft of property from ANAD. According to the charging documents, Battle and Farthing, who were police officers at ANAD, and other civilian employees of the Directorate of Emergency Services stole military property from warehouses at ANAD. Bonner acted as a middleman, selling stolen property directly to buyers and delivering stolen property to the owner of a military surplus store in Sylacauga. The stolen items included equipment that was designed to be attached to military weapon systems to provide operators with instant nighttime engagement capabilities and/or improved target acquisition. Battle has also been charged with two counts of wire fraud in connection with false statements made to obtain emergency loans and a loan guarantee from the Small Business Administration under programs designed to provide support to small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a plea agreement, also filed today, Farthing has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal United States property. The plea agreement states that Farthing agreed to pay restitution to the United States and forfeit the money he made from the conspiracy. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for theft of government property is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Defense Logistics Agency Office of Inspector General are investigating the cases. Assistant United States Attorneys George Martin and Ryan Rummage are prosecuting the cases. An indictment or information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: St. Charles County Man Accused of Being Unlicensed Firearm Dealer

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Charles County, Missouri has been indicted and accused of selling firearms without a license. Harry Trueblood, 68, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis May 10. He pleaded not guilty to the unlicensed dealer charge on May 12. The indictment alleges that Trueblood was an unlicensed firearms dealer from Jan. 1, 2021 through May 10, 2023 A court affidavit says that after learning that an AR-15-style pistol recovered in a criminal investigation had originally been purchased by Trueblood, an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was able to document that 15 firearms originally purchased by Trueblood had been recovered in criminal investigations. Between January 4, 2021 and March 31, 2022, Trueblood bought at least seventy firearms, the affidavit says. On many occasions, Trueblood purchased the same make model and caliber of firearm, including 15 of the same 9mm pistols. Agents repeatedly saw Trueblood selling firearms at gun shows, where background checks are not required for sales from private sellers. Trueblood sold a firearm to a convicted felon working with the ATF at one show, even after the felon told Trueblood that he’d done time in prison, the affidavit says. Trueblood mentioned that police had called him about two guns used in crimes, and offered armor-piercing ammunition to shoppers, it says. Trueblood continued to sell firearms at gun shows after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the ATF warning that the ATF believed he was illegally dealing in firearms without a license and an application so that he could become licensed, the affidavit says. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: Husband and Wife Real Estate Developers Arrested for Loan Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Longmeadow couple has been arrested in connection with a scheme to defraud commercial lenders by providing false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn. Louis R. Masaschi, 57, and his wife Jeanette Norman, 56, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield on one count of conspiracy to committed wire fraud; two counts of wire fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendants were arrested on May 23, 2023 and released on conditions following an appearance in federal court in Springfield. They are next scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on July 24, 2023. According to the indictment, Masaschi and Norman were partners in dozens of limited liability companies through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. These companies included Longmeadow Hospitality; JLL Realty Developers, LLC; Shaker Rd, LLC; and 79 Enfield Realty, LLC. It is alleged that Masaschi and Norman conspired with each other and others to fraudulently obtain loans for their companies from financial institutions and commercial lenders by providing materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information – including false rent rolls and fraudulent lease agreements. After receiving the loans, Masaschi and Norman allegedly made some or no payments and ultimately defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders. According to the indictment, on or about May 11, 2018, Masaschi and Norman obtained a $350,000 loan for JLL Realty Developers, LLC, secured by the first mortgage of a residence in Springfield. On or about May 16, 2018, Masaschi and Norman amended this loan agreement and issued a $765,000 loan to JLL Realty Developers, LLC. This loan was cross-collateralized and cross-defaulted with the earlier loan and was secured by a second mortgage on two residences in East Longmeadow. On or about June 29, 2018, Masaschi and Norman obtained a $875,000 loan for 79 Enfield Realty, LLC, secured by Masaschi’s one hundred percent interest in the company. The purpose of the loan was to pay off an outstanding loan from another financial institution, which was only 45 days from maturing. To obtain these loans, it is alleged that Masaschi and Norman failed to disclose that the income reportedly produced by commercial properties listed in their loan applications was based on materially false, fictitious and fraudulent rent rolls and lease agreements. Masaschi and Normal also allegedly overstating the amount of income collateral properties were paying by providing fraudulent rent rolls, forged tenant signatures and inflated lease amounts and rental terms. It is further alleged that Masaschi and Norman ceased payments on the JLL Realty Developers, LLC loans in approximately January 2020. Additionally, apart from six months of interest reserves provided by the commercial lender, it is alleged that Masaschi and Norman never made any payments on the 79 Enfield Realty loan. The charge of conspiracy to committed wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Levy’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.