title: Wentzville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for St. Louis County Armed Robberies, Shooting

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man from Wentzville, Missouri who robbed a White Castle twice and shot an employee to 20 years in prison. On June 22, 2022, Matthew Sabir, now 38, demanded “all the $20 and $50 bills” from an employee of the White Castle restaurant at 7380 Olive Boulevard in University City before placing a black semi-automatic pistol on the countertop, according to his plea agreement. Sabir left with about $180 in cash. The next day, after a failed robbery of the BP gas station at 4403 North Hanley Road in Berkeley, Sabir returned to the White Castle, his plea says. He told store employees, “Give me money. Don’t move. Don’t run,” and pointed a pistol at them. The employees ran, and Sabir opened fire, hitting a 16-year-old female employee multiple times. The shooting victim spoke at Sabir’s sentencing Thursday, saying that she is still suffering the aftereffects of her injuries. Sabir pleaded guilty March 1 to three felonies: robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The firearm charges carry a mandatory minimum prison term, consecutive to any other charge. The case was investigated by the University City Police Department, the Berkeley Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane prosecuted the case.


title: Former Correctional Officer Indicted For Wire Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Katrina Denise McCoy (40, Minneola) with fourteen counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and a two-year minimum mandatory prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft offense. The indictment also provides for forfeiture of at least $39,570, representing the proceeds of the offenses. According to evidence presented in court, between March 27, 2019, and February 23, 2021, and while employed as a correctional officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, McCoy created a scheme to defraud by making false representations on disability claims and submitting fictitious documentation in support of those claims. She also used a means of identification of two people to effectuate her scheme. As a result, she caused fourteen wire transfers into her bank account totaling $39,570. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Marlboro Man Arrested for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Marlboro man has been charged with allegedly receiving, possessing and distributing child pornography. Larry Stephen, 44, was charged with one count of receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Stephen was arrested on June 18, 2023 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley. According to the charging documents, authorities identified Stephen as an individual allegedly using a social media platform to receive and post child pornography. On June 7, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Stephen’s Marlboro residence where Stephen’s cell phone was seized. A preliminary examination of the cell phone allegedly revealed the presence of child pornography. For the charge of receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography, the defendant faces a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $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; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Marlboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican Cocaine Supplier And Florida Coconspirator Sentenced To Federal Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute Cocaine

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Juan Antonio Ortiz-Valle (54, Mexico) to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Ortiz-Valle had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2023. Judge Mizell previously sentenced a coconspirator, Jeramie Normandin (33, Melbourne, Florida), to three years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Normandin had also previously pleaded guilty. According to court documents, Ortiz-Valle is a Mexican citizen who was legally admitted into the United States from 1996 to 2000 but remained in the country after his legal status had expired. Ortiz-Valle lived in Dallas, Texas and Pensacola, Florida until his arrest in this case. In March 2017, Ortiz-Valle arranged the sale of 10 kilograms of cocaine through a confidential source. He and a coconspirator met with an undercover agent in Jacksonville, where they discussed the pending cocaine transaction and how they could continue to work together in the future. Ortiz-Valle said he worked with individuals in Mexico and Texas, and that he had sources that could supply as much cocaine as needed. However, the sale of cocaine planned for that day did not occur because the vehicle carrying the cocaine was involved in an accident. In September and October 2017, Ortiz-Valle and a confidential source discussed cocaine deliveries to a buyer in Florida. They met in Lakeland with the buyer, Normandin, and Ortiz agreed to supply Normandin with kilogram quantities of cocaine. After their initial meeting, Ortiz and Normandin continued to communicate through the confidential source and agreed that their initial transaction would take place in Dallas. Normandin met with Ortiz and his suppliers in Dallas and purchased two kilograms of cocaine from them. After the transaction, the cocaine was seized by law enforcement during a traffic stop. In April 2018, Ortiz communicated with the confidential source to arrange a delivery of two kilograms of cocaine to Normandin in Lakeland. Ortiz and coconspirators traveled to Lakeland for the transaction and arrived at the prearranged location. After verifying that Ortiz and his coconspirators had brought the cocaine, law enforcement seized two kilograms of cocaine from a coconspirator’s vehicle. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.


title: Zephyrhills Man Sentenced To 27 Months For Unlawful Making Of A Firearm

body_text: Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced James John Hall (34, Zephyrhills) to two years and three months in federal prison for unlawfully making a firearm. Hall had pleaded guilty on April 3, 2023. According to court documents, on November 1 and 2, 2022, Hall spoke by phone with a man to whom he had sold firearms in the past. During these conversations, Hall offered to sell the man a “pipe bomb” that he had built. Hall told the man that he had contemplated using the “pipe bomb” to target an individual with whom he was angry. The man who Hall was communicating with was a confidential informant (CI) with the Pasco Sherriff’s Office. The CI reached out to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office who then coordinated further with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Later in the evening on November 2, the CI and an undercover detective from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office met with Hall, where the undercover detective purchased the “pipe bomb.” When asked about future purchases, Hall indicated that he “had enough to build six more now.” The suspected destructive device was then disassembled by ATF special agent bomb technicians. The materials were then sent to ATF laboratories for additional analysis where a senior explosives enforcement officer examined the device and concluded that it was designed to function as a weapon and would be characterized as both an improvised explosive bomb and destructive device. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former High School Dean Convicted Of 2010 Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ISRAEL GARCIA, a/k/a “Shorty Rock,” the former leader of the Get Money Gunnaz set of the Young Gunnaz street gang (the “GMG YGz”), was found guilty at trial of the October 11, 2010, murder of Alfonso “Joey” McClinton in aid of racketeering. GARCIA shot and killed McClinton on a residential street in the Bronx, New York, as part of a dispute over narcotics trafficking territory. GARCIA was also convicted of engaging in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics, murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy, murder through the use of a firearm, possessing firearms in connection with narcotics trafficking, and attempted witness tampering. The verdict followed a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On October 11, 2010, Israel Garcia shot and killed 21-year-old Alfonso ‘Joey’ McClinton on a residential street in the Bronx. Garcia was the leader of the violent street gang known as the GMG YGz, which had been warring with Joey McClinton’s family over drug territory in the Bronx. Garcia used this horrific murder to maintain his leadership role in the GMG YGz and solidify his hold over the GMG YGz drug-selling territory. For the next decade, Garcia led the GMG YGz’s reign of terror over the neighborhood, recruiting children and others into a drug trafficking enterprise that poisoned the community with crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, and protecting his drug turf with firearms and violence. Over time, Garcia attempted to create the façade of a law-abiding citizen, becoming the dean of a local high school in order to mask that he was still running the GMG YGz’s violence and drug trafficking. Yesterday, a unanimous jury held Garcia accountable for his brutal killing of Joey McClinton and for ruining countless other lives.” According to court filings and the evidence presented in court during trial: For more than a decade, the defendant controlled the sale of narcotics in the vicinity of East 184 th Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx as the leader of the GMG YGz. As part of their narcotics operation, GMG YGz members carried firearms and engaged in back-and-forth shootings with neighboring, rival crews. This violence resulted in, among other acts, the 2010 murder of Alfonso “Joey” McClinton. The State of New York arrested and prosecuted GMG YGz member Joseph (“Juice”) Johnson for the killing. [1] Ballistics, video evidence, and eyewitness testimony, however, revealed that there was a second shooter involved in McClinton’s murder. GARCIA was that second shooter. When GARCIA became concerned that Johnson might cooperate with law enforcement, GARCIA took steps to prevent Johnson from identifying GARCIA as the person with whom he committed the murder. * * * GARCIA, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of (i) murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum sentence of death or life in prison; (ii) narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (iii) murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of death or life in prison; (iv) murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of death or life in prison; (v) firearms use, carrying, and possession in connection with a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and (vi) attempted witness tampering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration; the New York City Police Department; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the U.S. Marshals Service. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Gutwillig, Maggie Lynaugh, and Jonathan Bodansky, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Owen Foley, are in charge of the prosecution. [1] Johnson was convicted at trial of second-degree murder in The People of the State of New York v. Joseph Johnson , Index Number 4311/2010. On February 3, 2022, the verdict against Johnson was vacated. Johnson subsequently pled guilty to manslaughter and is serving a 17-year sentence.


title: Automaker Official Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Violate the Clean Air Act

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Emanuele Palma, 43, of automaker group FCA US, pleaded guilty today to a felony as a result of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA). As alleged in court documents, Palma and others conspired to withhold information from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the design, calibration and function of the emissions control systems on more than 100,000 Model Year 2014, 2015 and 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesel vehicles. The co-conspirators also misrepresented the vehicles’ emissions of pollutants, fuel efficiency and compliance with U.S. emissions standards. According to court documents, Palma pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment – originally fined in 2019 – charging him with conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. Sentencing is set for Oct. 17 in front of U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds, sitting in Detroit, Michigan. “Senior auto officials at FCA US, including Mr. Palma, conspired to circumvent pollution standards and obtain EPA certifications for hundreds of thousands of SUVs and pickup trucks under false pretenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s actions reflect the Justice Department’s continued and steadfast commitment to enforcing the Clean Air Act and holding individuals accountable for attempting to circumvent our Nation’s pollution standards.” “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates EPA’s commitment to holding accountable those in management positions who intentionally withhold key information from regulators,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Mr. Palma’s guilty plea accompanies the earlier conviction of Fiat Chrysler for defrauding both the EPA and customers, as well as creating an unfair advantage over automakers who complied with the law.” “Mr. Palma and those he worked with concealed material information from the EPA about how certain of Fiat Chrysler’s diesel engines operated. Our environmental laws depend on companies being honest and transparent with the EPA about the environmental impact of their products,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “The conduct in this case falls well short of that standard, and today’s guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for this deceptive conduct.” According to Palma’s admissions and court documents, beginning at least as early as 2010, FCA US developed a new 3.0-liter diesel engine for use in FCA US’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 vehicles (the Subject Vehicles) that would be sold in the United States. As alleged in the Superseding Indictment related to this plea agreement, Palma and others developed and calibrated the 3.0-liter diesel engine. Their responsibilities included calibrating several software features in the vehicles’ emissions control systems to meet emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx), a family of poisonous gases that are formed when diesel fuels are burned at high temperatures, while also achieving best-in-class fuel efficiency targets set by FCA US. The Superseding Indictment alleges that the emissions control systems on the Subject Vehicles was purposely calibrated to produce less NOx emissions on the federal test procedures, or driving “cycles,” than when the Subject Vehicles were being driven by FCA US’s customers in the real world. One method that was used to effectuate this goal was called “T Eng,” a software function that affects the rate of exhaust gas recirculation. According to court documents, Palma and his co-conspirators agreed not to disclose the existence of the T Eng function to the EPA. Palma knew that T Eng was properly the subject of regulation by the EPA, and in agreeing to withhold this information, he acknowledged concealing material information from that regulatory body. As a result of this concealment, material information was omitted from FCA’s applications for Certificates of Conformity from the EPA, which authorize the company to sell vehicles pursuant to the Clean Air Act. This plea is related to the corporate plea and sentencing of FCA US, LLC, in August 2022 , where FCA US LLC, was sentenced and ordered to pay a fine of over $96.1 million; to satisfy a forfeiture money judgment of over $203.5 million; and to serve a three-year term of organizational probation. Assistant Chief Michael T. O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, White Collar Unit Chief John K. Neal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Wyse for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Senior Litigation Counsel Todd W. Gleason of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division are investigating this case.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement With Wyoming School District to Address Discrimination Based on Sex and Disability

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced a settlement agreement with Teton County School District #1 in Wyoming to resolve the department’s investigation into alleged peer harassment based on sex and disability and retaliation. The department conducted its investigation under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department’s investigation focused on the school district’s response to students’ complaints of sexual harassment and to reports of a broader school climate in which female students were subjected to sexualized insults and derogatory comments in the hallways, in classes and on social media. The agreement will address the district’s ineffective responses to such complaints, which left female students vulnerable to continued harassment by their peers, including retaliatory harassment for reporting discrimination. The agreement also will address the district’s response to peer harassment based on disability and improve the district’s policies and training on how to identify and support students who exhibit signs of depression, anxiety, self-harm or suicidality resulting from harassment. “Young women and girls should feel safe to learn in schools and not forced to endure a sexually hostile environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “It is vital that schools respond swiftly and effectively to reports of harassment and that they recognize and support students who show signs of trauma or have trauma-related disabilities. The reforms required by our settlement agreement will help to create meaningful change and a safer learning environment for all students across the district. The Justice Department is committed to holding all schools accountable to their obligation to provide every student an educational environment free from discrimination.” The district cooperated fully with the department’s investigation and took proactive steps to begin revising and strengthening its anti-harassment policies and its multi-tiered support systems to help ensure that students who experience discrimination receive the proper services. Under the agreement, the district will build on these efforts by working with a consultant to review and revise its policies and practices, respond appropriately to every discrimination complaint and adopt appropriate supportive and remedial measures. The district also will, among other things: Make reasonable modifications to relevant policies, practices and procedures to support students who exhibit signs of trauma; Prohibit and take reasonable steps to prevent retaliation; Implement school climate assessments and an engagement plan; Train its civil rights coordinator and other staff on their obligations under the district’s antidiscrimination policies and complaint resolution procedures; and Institute internal monitoring and auditing procedures to ensure compliance and regularly evaluate the overall success of the district’s antidiscrimination program. Protecting students from harassment and other discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. 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 www.civilrights.justice.gov/report . Resolution Agreement


title: Convicted Armed Robber Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Acquiring a Firearm Through a “Straw-Purchase” Scheme

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Randy Coffey, 36, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm. According to court documents, on March 1, 2022, Coffey sold a pair of tires with rims at Cash America Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer. After completing the sale, Coffey attempted to purchase a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol. On the required federal firearm transaction form, Coffey stated under penalty of perjury that he was not a convicted felon. Coffey failed the required background check, and the gun sale was not completed. Several hours later, Coffey returned to the same Cash America Pawn with another person. Coffey stayed inside his vehicle as the other person looked over the store’s guns and purchased a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The person then illegally purchased the gun for Coffey in exchange for $120 from Coffey, a transaction known as a “straw-purchase” of a firearm. A straw purchase scheme is when a person not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm falsely states to a federally licensed gun dealer that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else, frequently someone who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearm themselves. On March 8, 2022, IMPD detectives stopped Coffey for a traffic violation. Coffey did not have a valid license or a valid registration in his possession and he was placed under arrest. During a search of the vehicle, officers located the same Taurus 9mm handgun straw-purchased for him from Cash America Pawn the week before. The handgun had a loaded magazine with a round in the chamber. Coffey is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his two previous felony convictions of armed robbery resulting in bodily injury in 2006 and 2013. “Illegally armed, violent criminals drive the unacceptable gun violence suffered by Indianapolis and far too many other communities,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Straw-purchases and other gun trafficking schemes are a major source of the guns obtained and used by these dangerous offenders. Our federal prosecutors will continue to partner with IMPD and the ATF to disarm the most dangerous offenders and hold them accountable in federal court. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that accountability awaits these armed criminals, because no one should have to live in fear in our neighborhoods.” “Violent felons possessing firearms poses a severe risk to public safety. Coffey illegally attempted to purchase a firearm and then circumvented the law by enticing someone else to obtain one for him,” said Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCormick “ATF will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend violent convicted felons who put our communities at risk when they possess firearms.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by IMPD. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Coffey by supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Operator Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Firearms Violations and Drug Distribution

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “Fentanyl is a uniquely dangerous drug, making it the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Fentanyl traffickers who carry firearms to protect their deadly trade can expect to face lengthy federal prison sentences.” According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Jimmie Bivins Jr., 22, and his co-conspirators were part of a drug trafficking ring that obtained “M30” or “MBox” fentanyl pills from a source of supply outside of Minnesota and transported and distributed the pills across the Twin Cities region. Bivins regularly distributed the fentanyl pills in quantities ranging from 100 to 1,000 or more at a time. On one occasion, Bivins sold 2,030 pills to an undercover informant during a transaction that occurred in Bivins’ Uptown apartment. According to court documents, during the course of the investigation, law enforcement conducted a seizure operation in March 2022 and obtained approximately 57,000 M30 fentanyl pills, more than $83,000 in U.S. currency, and multiple firearms from Bivins, including a Seekings Precision Model SP223 semi-automatic rifle from Bivins’s vehicle. He was arrested, charged in Hennepin County Court, and obtained release on bail. Afterward, in July 2022, law enforcement encountered Bivins during a traffic stop and ultimately recovered a Glock model 45 9mm semiautomatic pistol from under Bivins’ driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with an extended magazine which contained 28 rounds of ammunition. The Grand Jury indicted Bivins in July 2022. Because Bivins has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. On December 19, 2022, Bivins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on July 18, 2023, before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Fridley Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.


title: Grand Jury-July 2023

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 14 unsealed Indictments charging 14 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. * Jorge Diaz Sanchez a/k/a Gilberto Vasquez-Parra , age 35, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 13, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Maleeka D. Gilbert , age 21, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Gilbert with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from on or about an unknown date and continuing to on or about March 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Gilbert with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about March 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Gilbert with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes on or about March 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to life imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Luis Fernando Hernandez Reyes , age 29, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about June 22, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Madison S. Hill , age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hill with bank robbery on or about May 20, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hill with brandishing a weapon to commit a federal crime of violence on or about May 20, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 7 years’ and up to life imprisonment consecutive to the robbery, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment * Nathan Scott Jandreau , age 38, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 10, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * John E. Kohler , age 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Kohler with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, not less than four years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Kohler with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) beginning on or about February 13, 2023 and continuing to on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Adan Morales Garcia , age 42, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about June 2, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Nicolas Nicolas Antonio , age 39, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about March 30, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Carolynne R. Parker a/k/a Carolynne R. Noffsinger , age 50, of Maineville, Ohio, is charged with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds beginning on or about July 25, 2018 and continuing through on or about August 22, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency and property seized. * Juan Rafael Ramirez , age 27, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction on or about June14, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Hugo Ruiz Rios , age 33, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about April 16, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Miguel Fabian Ruvalcaba Munoz , age 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ruvalcaba Munoz with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) from on or about March 15, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 4, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ruvalcaba Munoz with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 15, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Bernabe Tercero-Reynoso , age 33, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction on or about March 30, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Jacob Wilkins , age 42, of Mitchell, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Wilkins with embezzlement and theft of labor union assets on or about July 25, 2016 and continuing to on or about August 12, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Wilkins with falsification, concealment, or destruction of financial records required to be kept by labor union on or about January 1, 2018 and continuing to on or about September 10, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 1 year imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $25 special assessment. Count III charges Wilkins with falsification, concealment, or destruction of financial records required to be kept by labor union on or about January 1, 2019 and continuing to on or about March 31, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 1 year imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $25 special assessment. Contact Information: Criminal Chief Donald J. Kleine, 402-661-3700 Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Matt Lierman, 402-661-3700


title: Michigan City Woman Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND –Meliki Marion, 42 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Marion was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, from June through mid-August 2021, Marion conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Michigan City area. Marion’s co-defendants sold pills purporting to be oxycodone that were actually fentanyl. In August 2021, two co-defendants were stopped while traveling back to Michigan City with over a kilogram of fentanyl pills. Marion was in possession of over $3,000 when apprehended by law enforcement as she attempted to run away from her residence as it was to be searched. Marion admitted that she collected money related to the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Chicago Field Division, the Merrillville District Office, the Amarillo Texas Resident Office and the Albuquerque New Mexico District Office) with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Joel Gabrielse. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Davon Rogers, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to attempted murder of a federal officer in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 29, 2021. Co-defendant Juan Hester, age 41, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty on July 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department. According to Rogers’ guilty plea, during the evening of December 29, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of W. Fayette Street in Baltimore, as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. One of the members of the surveillance team was a DEA Special Agent who was in the area in his unmarked vehicle conducting covert surveillance in connection with the narcotics investigation. Rogers admitted that while the Special Agent was inside of his vehicle, he and another individual approached the vehicle and began looking inside. The Special Agent tried to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear area the vehicle. After they looked inside of the Special Agent’s vehicle, Rogers and the second individual walked away from the vehicle. Several minutes later, the Special Agent got into the driver’s seat of his vehicle to try to drive away from the area. By that time, Rogers and the second individual had returned to the area. At approximately 9:18 p.m., as the Special Agent began driving away, Rogers and the second individual began shooting at the Special Agent. The Special Agent was nearly struck by one or more of the bullets, and his vehicle sustained multiple bullet strikes. Specifically, bullets struck the driver’s side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger’s side sun visor and ceiling area. As detailed in the plea agreement, the Special Agent was able to drive for approximately one block before crashing his vehicle into a nearby parked car and running to safety. After the shooting, Rogers and the second individual fled the scene. Investigators recovered multiple shell casings, of two different calibers, from the area where Rogers and the second individual shot at the Special Agent. After the shooting, search warrants were executed at co-defendant Juan Hester’s residence and at Rogers’ residence on December 30, 2021 and January 4, 2022. Investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester’s residence and investigators seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers’ residence. Based on new information received, two additional search warrants were executed on Hester’s residence on January 1, 2022 and January 6, 2022 and investigators recovered approximately 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine. Hester admitted that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances. Rogers, Hester, and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreements, Rogers will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison and Hester will be sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for Rogers on September 11, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. and for Hester on September 12, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) 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 . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County Police Departments, the Laurel Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: New Braunfels Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio today to 15 years in prison for distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Guy Mason Roden, 30, distributed hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) between Nov. 27, 2020 and the end of March 2021, using a peer-to-peer file sharing network known as uTorrent. The investigation into Roden’s activity began when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) special agent in San Angelo was investigating host computers in Texas that were actively sharing CSAM via uTorrent and identified the IP address associated to Roden’s computer. Months later, a DPS CID special agent in San Antonio identified the same IP address as actively distributing CSAM via the file sharing network. DPS and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a federal search warrant at Roden’s New Braunfels home on April 16, 2021, seizing Roden’s computer. Roden was arrested on Feb 22, 2022. He’s remained in custody since. In addition to the prison sentence, Roden was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to four victims. “Crimes involving child pornography impact victims long after the abuse was first committed,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Protecting children will always be a priority in my office and I commend our law enforcement partners at the federal and state levels for their continued work in investigating these cases.” DPS investigated the case with assistance from HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Philadelphia Man Charged with Making  False Statements in Terrorism Investigation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kamal Fataliev, 19, of Philadelphia, was arrested and charged by indictment on charges of making false statements to federal agents. Specifically, the indictment alleges that, in May 2023, Fataliev made materially false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) special agents who were conducting an international terrorism investigation. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 16 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. LaBar and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the United States Department of Justice, National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Wausau Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin Needham, 37, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Needham pleaded guilty to this charge on April 5, 2023. In December 2021, law enforcement agents began a drug investigation into Needham. The investigation revealed that Needham and his co-defendant, Ari Lor, were involved in selling large amounts of methamphetamine. On June 20, 2022, GPS location data from Lor’s cellular telephone showed he was driving towards Wausau from his home in Appleton, Wisconsin. Based on information developed during the investigation, agents believed Lor was planning to meet with Needham to buy methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers located Lor’s black minivan parked at a market in Wausau. Officers observed Lor leave the market carrying at least one plastic bag and get in the passenger side of the minivan. The minivan drove away but was pulled over by law enforcement officers a short time later for an expired registration sticker. After a K-9 positively alerted to the presence of narcotics, officers searched the minivan and found approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a white plastic bag. Officers later reviewed surveillance video from the market and saw Lor and Needham walk around the store together. In the video, Needham is carrying a white plastic bag and the name of a store printed on the side of the bag was identical to the bag found in the minivan containing the methamphetamine. During Lor’s arrest, agents seized two cellular telephones from him. Officers later searched the phones pursuant to a warrant, and on one of the phones found a message over the application “Telegram” from June 19, 2022, in which Lor asked Needham about the price of one pound of methamphetamine. Needham responded it would cost $4,000. Telegram messages prior to Lor’s arrest on June 20 show him and Needham making plans to meet that day in Wausau. Needham’s criminal history includes eight prior felony convictions, including convictions for child abuse, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and bail jumping. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Needham was a drug trafficker of significance and had a substantial criminal history including multiple offenses involving violence. On June 29, 2023, Lor was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 120 months in prison. The charge against Needham is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, and Wisconsin’s National Guard Counterdrug Program. The Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.


title: Adair County Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – An Adair County man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for child pornography offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Matthew Ross Mouser, 41, produced videos of his sexual abuse of a minor victim, traded images of child pornography via the internet, and discussed sexually abusing children with others online. Mouser was sentenced to 27 years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography. In addition to the 27-year prison sentence, Mouser was ordered to pay restitution to a victim in the amount of $3,000. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness 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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Passaic County Man Charged with Being Felon in Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was charged today with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Justin Pope, 36, of Clifton, New Jersey, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. He was arrested on July 13, 2023, and was charged by complaint with the same two counts. Pope appeared before U.S. Magistrate James B. Clark III on the complaint earlier this week and was detained without bail. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On July 12, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of shots fired in a public parking lot in Clifton, New Jersey. A review of the surveillance footage from the area showed Pope and a female individual engaged in an altercation while inside of a vehicle. As the female individual exited the vehicle, Pope pointed a handgun and fired multiple shots at the victim at close range. The following day law enforcement reviewed a video on a social media account depicting Pope firing a gun in the air in which he stated, “Can’t find me . . . Police. Y’all never gonna find me.” Pope was arrested a few hours later after he attempted to board a bus in New York City and brandished a firearm to bus employees. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered a firearm from Pope, which was later identified as a privately made 9mm firearm with a large capacity magazine attached and which was loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition. The felon in possession of ammunition charges each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; officers of the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Rinaldi; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under Officer in Charge Isa M. Abbassi; officers of the Passaic County Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik; officers of the Passaic Police Department, under Chief Luis Guzman; and officers of New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Edward Caban, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. pope.complaint.pdf pope.indictment.pdf


title: Long Island Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Distributing Heroin that Caused the Fatal Overdose of Victim in Jericho

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, James Tunstall, also known as “Math,” was sentenced by the Honorable Joan M. Azrack, United States District Judge, to 30 years’ imprisonment, for distributing heroin, the use of which resulted in the fatal overdose of 24-year-old Sergio Niko Alvarez on October 29, 2018 in Jericho, New York. Tunstall was found guilty in a week-long jury trial in February 2023 . Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentencing. “As proven at trial, the defendant feigned addiction to misuse a rehab program to get out of jail, where he met vulnerable individuals he could sell drugs to, including the victim,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “It is our hope that today’s sentence serves both as a deterrent to those peddling dangerous narcotics in our communities and as a measure of comfort to the victim’s family, that callous disregard for human life will never be accepted.” United States Attorney Peace extended his appreciation to the members of the Long Island Heroin Task Force for their outstanding working on this case. “DEA’s New York Division works tirelessly to safeguard our communities from drug traffickers peddling their poison that has taken too many lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “This sentencing exemplifies law enforcement’s focus of bringing those responsible for overdoses and poisonings to justice, and sends a message of support to the families of loved ones lost that we will not rest until justice is done.” “The arrest and sentencing of defendant James Tunstall is a clear example of numerous law enforcement agencies working together to bring closure to this case,” said NCPD Commissioner Ryder. “Defendant Tunstall continuously dealt illegal drugs to Nassau County residents which contaminated our communities. This also resulted in the fatal overdose of a 24-year-old male and the defendant is now held accountable. Nassau County continues our zero tolerance approach for the distribution of illegal drugs and this case should send a strong message to all that may contemplate the distribution of these drugs.” As proven at trial earlier this year and set forth in the government’s sentencing letters and other public documents, Tunstall was a drug dealer who regularly sold cocaine and heroin to customers in Nassau County. Despite repeated state arrests for drug trafficking, the defendant regularly feigned opioid addiction and was therefore court-mandated to participate in rehabilitation programs in lieu of incarceration. As proven in court, Tunstall amassed new drug customers at these rehabilitation centers, including the victim, who he met at an outpatient rehabilitation facility in Mineola. Tunstall later sold cocaine to the victim at that same facility. In an effort to keep his drug customers out of jail, Tunstall also provided these individuals with his own clean urine for use in order to pass their drug tests. Tunstall’s co-defendant, Jay Tenem, who Tunstall also met as part of a drug rehabilitation program, delivered the fatal dose of heroin from Tunstall to the victim on October 28, 2018. Tenem also brought the victim’s cash payment back to Tunstall, in exchange for heroin of Tenem’s own to use. The next morning, the victim was found dead, by his mother, of heroin intoxication. Tunstall was arrested for the victim’s death while on release pending sentence in yet another state drug trafficking case. Tenem was also arrested, and pleaded guilty. Tunstall pleaded guilty in July 2021 to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and was sentenced by the Court in December 2022 to 20 years’ imprisonment. The sentence imposed upon him today in connection with Alvarez’s death will be served concurrently with that sentence. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Justina Geraci and Samantha Alessi are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michael Compitello. The Defendant : JAMES T. TUNSTALL (also known as “Math”) Age: 48 Freeport and Westbury, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-675 (JMA)


title: Webster Man Indicted in Connection With Two Pipe Bomb Explosions

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Webster man was indicted in connection with two pipe bomb explosions in Weare, New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Dale G. Stewart, Jr., 54, was indicted on three counts of possessing an unregistered firearm, specifically a destructive device. Stewart made an initial appearance in federal court on May 3, 2023, and is detained. According to the charging documents, Stewart allegedly constructed and detonated two destructive devices in Weare, New Hampshire, on April 26, 2023 and April 27, 2023. In response to the explosions, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Stewart’s vehicle and retrieved an additional destructive device, constructed of white PVC pipe, with glued end caps, wrapped in black electrical tape, with a green hobby fuse protruding from one of the end caps. The destructive device found in the vehicle contained more than 4 ounces of an explosive material, consistent with the manufacturing of the two recovered suspected pipe bombs from the two separate detonation scenes in Weare, New Hampshire. The charge of possessing an unregistered destructive device provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Weare Police Department, and the Federal Protective Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Employee of Medical Device Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to  Forging Two FDA Clearance Letters for Medical Devices

component: Civil Division

body_text: A Philadelphia-area man pleaded guilty today for his role in distributing medical devices without U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, the Department of Justice announced. Peter Stoll III, 34, pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by causing the introduction of misbranded and adulterated medical devices into interstate commerce, in violation of 21 United States Code, Section 331(a) and 331(a)(2). According to court documents, Stoll was a regulatory affairs specialist at a medical device manufacturer located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was responsible for making submissions to the FDA that were required before the company could sell its medical devices. In pleading guilty, Stoll admitted that in 2017 he created two false letters that purported to show that FDA had granted clearance to sell two different medical devices. As a result, the company illegally sold tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical devices throughout the United States. Stoll was responsible for shepherding two of the company’s devices through the FDA’s 510(k) clearance process: the ELAN-4 Air Drill, a high-speed surgical drill used for bone cutting, sawing, and drilling, and the JS Series SterilContainer S2, a reusable sterilization container for medical instruments. Stoll admitted that he never submitted any 510(k) documents to FDA regarding either device. Instead, Stoll created a fraudulent letter using FDA letterhead and bearing the forged digital signature of an FDA official that falsely stated that FDA had cleared the ELAN-4 Air to be marketed. Stoll later created another, similarly fraudulent letter on FDA letterhead for the SterilContainer JS Series medical device. “Subverting the FDA clearance process for medical devices can put patients’ lives at risk,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will work with its law enforcement partners to prosecute anyone who ignores their obligations regarding consumer safety.” “FDA must be notified and given the opportunity to clear certain medical devices before they are distributed into interstate commerce,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Justin D. Green of the FDA. “Not obtaining this required clearance is bad enough, but impersonating FDA to cover up this failure is truly egregious and puts patients at risk. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) protects the American public by aggressively investigating allegations involving FDA-regulated products and violations of the FDCA. In this case, OCI worked with the Justice Department to ensure a just resolution, and we applaud the exceptional work done by the team.” Stoll pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7. He faces a maximum penalty of three years’ in prison, a one-year period of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and $100 special assessment. FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Trial Attorney Max J. Goldman and Assistant Director Ross S. Goldstein of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Beth Leahy for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch .


title: Former Newark Restaurant Owner Admits Failing to Collect and Pay Payroll Taxes

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Essex County man admitted failing to withhold and pay over payroll taxes stemming from his ownership of two formerly prominent Newark restaurants, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jorge Fernandes, 76, of West Orange, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with two counts of failing to collect payroll taxes for the tax period of 2016 through 2017. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Fernandes was the 50-percent owner of two restaurants in the Ironbound section of Newark, Iberia Tavern and Iberia Peninsula. Fernandes was fully aware of his legal obligation to collect payroll taxes from the restaurants’ employees, but instead paid a number of the employees “off the books,” or “under the table,” failing to collect any payroll taxes from them. Fernandes’ conduct caused the government a total tax loss of $715,780 for tax years 2016 through 2017. The failing to collect payroll taxes charges to which Fernandes pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 20, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark. fernandes.information.pdf


title: Snohomish County tax preparer pleads guilty to assisting in the preparation of false tax returns

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 43-year-old Everett, Washington, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to aiding and assisting with the filing of false tax returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Abinet Onkiso pleaded guilty to four counts and faces up to three years in prison per count when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on October 19, 2023. According to records filed in the case, since at least 2012, Onkiso operated a tax preparation business called Affordable Income Tax LLC. As a tax preparer he intentionally exaggerated deductions for his clients: unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable deductions, and payments for “other taxes.” Between 2016 and 2019 Onkiso submitted exaggerated deductions on more than 79 tax returns for 29 different clients. In total the fake deductions led to a tax loss of $212,395. Some of Onkiso’s clients were audited and paid approximately $12,000 of the taxes owed. The rest of the tax loss falls to Onkiso, who is required to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $200,277, with credit for any amounts already paid. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend no more than six months in prison. Judge Lasnik is not bound by the recommendation and may impose any statement allowed by law. The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.


title: Violent Federal Prisoner in Terre Haute Sentenced to Additional 27 Months in Prison for Possessing Improvised Knife

body_text: TERRE HAUTE- David Piparo, 62, of New York City, has been sentenced to an additional 27 months in federal prison after being found in possession of a weapon in prison. According to court documents, in 2012, Piparo was convicted of 3 commercial robberies and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 22 years by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York. He has been serving his prison sentence at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex inmate since 2021. On November 27, 2021, a Bureau of Prisons Officer was conducting random searches of inmates as part of the prison’s effort to control contraband at the facility. Inmate Piparo w-as exiting the recreation yard when he was asked to submit to a pat-down search. During the search, the Officer ran his hand over Piparo’s right ankle and felt something hard in his sock. The Officer recovered a piece of green plastic, approximately 6 ½ inches long, with a sharpened point. Improvised knives, commonly referred to as “shanks” are illegal to possess in prison and pose a significant risk to the safety of fellow inmates and correctional staff. The Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, James R. Sweeney. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Warden and Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Rochester Man Sentenced to 33 months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Justin Overholser, 40 years old, of Rochester, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Overholser was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in September 2021, Overholser broke into the store of a federal firearms licensee and stole 11 firearms and several boxes of ammunition. He caused over $2,000 in damage and left the store with firearms valued at over $10,000.00. Overholser later sold the stolen guns for drugs and money. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Indiana State Police and the Logansport Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Katelan McKenzie Doyle. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Announces The Indictment Of Mount Vernon Police Sergeant For Violating The Constitutional Rights Of An Individual

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), with using excessive force against an individual (the “Victim”) while in Mount Vernon, New York, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the United States Constitution. As alleged in the Indictment, during a call for assistance, STEWART, in the presence of six other MVPD officers, tased the Victim seven times in the span of approximately two minutes. For the duration of all seven taser deployments, the Victim lay on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in a restraint bag. STEWART surrendered to the FBI this morning and was presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Mario Stewart, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department, was called to the scene to aid a person in emotional distress. Instead of providing aid, Stewart deployed his taser on the individual seven times in the span of roughly two minutes, while the individual was handcuffed and with his legs restrained and while several other MVPD officers were on scene to assist. Stewart’s alleged conduct not only betrayed his duty as an officer to protect those under his charge, but also violated the law. My Office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all New Yorkers, including those experiencing mental health crises, and to holding law enforcement officers accountable when they abuse their authority.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “As alleged in today’s indictment, Stewart’s actions led him to inflict bodily harm upon his victim. Officers of the law are not above the law, and the FBI is committed to investigating any instances in which a federal crime has been committed.” According to the Indictment that was unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the MVPD. STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises. On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis. At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance. When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap. STEWART then proceeded to tase the Victim seven times in the span of approximately two minutes. While STEWART deployed his taser all seven times, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag. STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim. * * * STEWART, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gillian Grossman and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution. The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Stewart Indictment


title: Repeat Offender And Prolific Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced To Over 15 Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Gary Lee Davis, 56, of Charlotte, to 188 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in January 2021, Davis met a confidential source (CS) working with law enforcement and sold the CS 20 grams of fentanyl. During a subsequent meeting, Davis sold a kilogram of fentanyl to the CS, and arranged to sell the CS another kilogram in the near future. A few days later, law enforcement arrested Davis while he was on his way to meet with the CS and seized approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl from his vehicle. According to court documents, Davis admitted to receiving fentanyl and cocaine shipped in bulk via the U.S. Mail from a supplier based in California. Davis mailed cash drug proceeds back to his supply source in California. Davis also admitted to trafficking between 50 and 100 kilograms of fentanyl. According to court records, Davis laundered his drug proceeds by buying luxury vehicles and renting several stash houses in Charlotte, which he used to store his drugs and drug proceeds. During the investigation, law enforcement seized a total of approximately 16 kilograms of fentanyl and four kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement also seized six of Davis’s vehicles, including a Maybach and two Mercedes Benz vehicles, two Lexus vehicles, and a Chevrolet Corvette. Law enforcement also seized $300,000 in cash drug proceeds and two loaded firearms. Davis has a prior federal drug trafficking conviction from the Western District of North Carolina, and he is not permitted to own a firearm or ammunition. “By day, Davis was as a sanitation worker for the City of Charlotte. By night, he was a bulk trafficker of fentanyl, a deadly substance that is devastating our communities. I commend our law enforcement partners for conducting an investigation that led to the largest federal seizure of fentanyl in this District. We will continue to focus our efforts on identifying large drug networks and major distributors like Davis and disrupting the flow of illegal fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Fentanyl is extremely dangerous to the consumer and leaves behind a trail of devastation and destruction,” said Special Agent in Charge Murphy. “The defendant in this case had total disregard for the safety of others.” On August 12, 2021, Davis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the DEA and IRS-CI for their investigation of the case and thanked CMPD for their assistance with Davis’s arrest. Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.


title: Dubuque Heroin and Cocaine Dealer Sentenced

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who sold cocaine and heroin near Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on July 19, 2023, to more than four years in federal prison. Rashaun Carter, age 46, from Lynwood, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine within 1000 feet of Loras College. At the guilty plea, Carter admitted he was involved in the distribution of heroin and cocaine out of a house located near the Loras College campus in Dubuque in 2017 and 2018. In January 2018, Dubuque Drug Task Force Officers stopped Carter and others as they returned from Chicago with over 300 grams of cocaine that was to be sold in Dubuque. Carter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Carter was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Carter 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 Patrick Reinert and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-01021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Pensacola Armed Fentanyl Trafficker

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcus D. Flintroy, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury Wednesday afternoon on two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The guilty verdict was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Between December 8, 2022, and January 5, 2023, Flintroy distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 200 grams of fentanyl in Pensacola. As revealed at trial, this was an extremely large amount of a lethal controlled substance. The evidence against Flintroy culminated with a traffic stop conducted by law enforcement, which Flintroy tried to evade by ramming his vehicle into multiple undercover law enforcement vehicles. Flintroy then ran on foot when his vehicle became disabled, but he was caught by law enforcement officers. In his vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 100 grams of fentanyl, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over 180 rounds of ammunition. Flintroy has prior state felony convictions for offenses ranging from fleeing and eluding law enforcement, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft auto, and sell, manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance. Flintroy had just been released from state prison in late 2021 before engaging in the new federal offenses. Sentencing in the case is set for October 19, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Based on his prior criminal history, Flintroy faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of up to life imprisonment. This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Kaufman County Man Guilty of Federal Violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas– A Terrell man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Michael Disman, 41, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Aileen Goldman Durrett on July 19, 2023. According to information presented in court, between January 2018 and March 2022, Disman operated an investment fraud scheme using various companies he controlled, including “Dexter Development” and “Disman Energy.” Disman solicited funds from victim investors for purported lucrative land development projects, when in reality, those projects were non-existent and the investor funds were spent elsewhere. To execute his scheme, Disman made various material misrepresentations about investor payouts and the use of investor money, executing sham contracts and sharing real estate paperwork to add legitimacy. Disman actually used the investor funds for various non-business purposes, including on ATM cash withdrawals and drug purchases. In total, Disman defrauded at least 20 victim investors and caused at least $3.2 million in losses. Disman faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand Varadarajan. # # #


title: Brockton Man Sentenced for Pandemic Unemployment Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for using others’ identities to fraudulently obtain over $60,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Benefits and for using one of those identities to fraudulently obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license. Francisco Jose Peguero Brea, 48, was sentenced on July 14, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2023, Peguero pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false representation of a Social Security number. Peguero used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to fraudulently apply for and obtain PUA benefits as well as a Massachusetts Driver’s License. Peguero received additional PUA benefits from another claim that directed the funds to be deposited into a bank account controlled by Peguero and another individual. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.