title: U.S. Attorney:  Durham Man Arrested For Attempting to Provide Support to Terrorists

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced today the unsealing of a criminal complaint against a Durham man charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Alexander Justin White, age 29, was arrested on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, as he was preparing to board an international flight from RDU Airport to Morocco. The complaint alleges that White was traveling overseas intent on joining ISIS. If convicted, White faces up to 20 years in prison. As alleged in the complaint, between May and October of 2024, White used an online account under the name “Sulaiman Al-Amriki” to make numerous posts supporting ISIS and the concept of violent jihad . This allegedly included videos commonly used to recruit new members and to generate a passion for fighting as well as fundraising videos and several posts and reposts in reference to well-known ISIS supporters and scholars. The complaint alleges that White’s online communications with like-minded individuals displayed an active effort to find a way to join ISIS overseas so that he could become a mujahideen with ISIS. In addition, the complaint alleges that White was engaged in financial transactions to refugee camps which are well known for acting as a front to funnel money to ISIS members and their supporters. White allegedly made online comments noting that he regretted not having traveled to join ISIS earlier, when it may have been easier through certain overseas routes which were now viewed suspiciously. Believing that his opportunity had come to fruition, White allegedly took steps to make his intended travel appear as nothing more than a vacation when he in fact claimed that he would rather die than return to the United States. After allegedly making various preparations, to include purchasing a personal combat medical kit, on December 4, White made efforts to board a flight bound for Morocco which he intended to use as a jumping point from which to join ISIS members in Africa. “We work closely with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to shut down suspected terrorist activities in the United States, including American citizens willing to commit violence against our troops,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We couldn’t do our work without strong local partners, willing to share their resources to protect our homeland.” “The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country leverage the resources, skills, and authorities of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify and combat terrorism threats, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In many ways, our JTTFs are our nation’s first line of defense against terrorism. The threats we face are bigger than any one law enforcement or intelligence agency can tackle, requiring not only a law enforcement partnership, but working with our communities to keep people safe,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina. The investigation into White is a result of the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Raleigh-based Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The JTTF is a group of highly trained, locally based investigators, analysts, linguists, and other specialists from dozens of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies that gather evidence, make arrests, provide security for special events, collect and share intelligence, and respond to threats and incidents at a moment’s notice. There are about 200 JTTFs across the country, including one in each field office, with hundreds of participating state, local and federal agencies. The Raleigh-based JTTF includes the Cary, Raleigh, and Durham Police Departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the N.C. State Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Critical to this case was also the assistance of the Morocco General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST). Michael F. Easley Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The FBI JTTF is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Gabe Diaz and Jason Kellhofer, along with Trial Attorney David Andrew Sigler from the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section, are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:25-CR-00009-M. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Murder in Connection with Staged Automobile Collisions in the New Orleans Area

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: NEW ORLEANS –The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced that RYAN J. HARRIS, a/k/a “Red,” (“HARRIS”) , age 36, of New Orleans, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a three-count superseding bill of information. Count One charged him with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, and 1349. Count Two charged him with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and 2. Count Three charged him with causing death through the use of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(j) and 2. According to court filings, HARRIS admitted to acting as a “slammer” in a scheme in which he and his co-conspirators intentionally staged automobile collisions in the New Orleans metropolitan area. As a slammer, HARRIS drove automobiles and intentionally collided them with 18-wheeler tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles in order to stage these collisions. After the collisions, the slammers fled the scene, and a passenger would falsely claim to have been the driver during the collision. Thereafter, the passengers, who had been recruited to be part of the scheme, would file false insurance claims. HARRIS then referred these passengers to attorneys, also a part of the scheme, who then filed fraudulent lawsuits on the passengers’ behalf. HARRIS also admitted to aiding and abetting in the murder of a cooperating federal witness, Cornelius Garrison. Garrison, a slammer who had been covertly cooperating with federal agents since October 2019 regarding the staged automobile collision scheme, was shot outside of his home in New Orleans on September 22, 2020. As to each of Counts One and Two, HARRIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss to any person, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to Count Three, HARRIS faces a maximum term of life imprisonment or death, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss to any person, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As set forth in the plea agreement in this matter, HARRIS and the government agreed to a total sentence of 35 years in prison, pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Judge Vitter scheduled HARRIS’s sentencing for September 23, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, would like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Field Office, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne; Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman; and Trial Attorney J. Ryan McLaren of the U.S. Department of Justice - Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.


title: Burlington Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Burlington, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty to a drug charge and a related firearm charge, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). FREDRICK DONTAE SLADE, age 50, was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, SLADE was ordered to forfeit a Glock-type privately made pistol and 9mm ammunition. According to court records, on March 23, 2022, Alamance County Sheriff’s Office deputies approached SLADE while he was parked at a local business after noting SLADE was driving on a suspended license and had completed a suspected drug delivery. SLADE refused officer commands to get out of the vehicle. As one of the officers opened his driver door, SLADE placed the car in reverse and stepped on the gas. SLADE dragged the officer approximately 35 feet before stopping. Upon searching SLADE and his vehicle, officers discovered over 8 grams of cocaine base and a tan polymer “ghost gun,” similar in design to a Glock pistol, which is more difficult for law enforcement to trace. The gun was loaded and attached to a 50-round drum magazine with thirteen rounds of ammunition in it. Attached to the weapon was a “Glock switch,” which functions as a machine gun and allowed the Glock-type ghost gun to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. SLADE pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and one count of felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The case was investigated by Alamance County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey A. Freeman and former Assistant United States Attorney Jack M. Alsup. 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: Boyfriend Sentenced to 40 Years for Murdering Romantic Rival in Southeast in September 2021

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Vernon Parrish, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for first-degree murder while armed and related charges for the September 26, 2021 murder of his romantic rival, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). A jury returned guilty verdicts on July 9, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, for first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. According to the evidence, Parrish drove to the home of Ronald Bailey, in the 5200 block of E Street Southeast, Washington D.C., armed with a firearm. Parrish intended to kill Bailey because they were both involved in a romantic relationship with the same woman. Parrish sped down E Street, got out of his car in front of Mr. Bailey’s home, screamed for Mr. Bailey, and then fired multiple shots into Mr. Bailey’s house before fleeing the scene. Mr. Bailey was killed in the gunfire. Parrish was arrested on October 6, 2021. He has been in custody ever since. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI Washington Field Office Cellular Analysis Survey Team. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bromwich, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Alec Levy, who investigated and tried the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches ADA Settlement with Mandan Parks and Recreation Regarding the Starion Sports Complex

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota completed its investigation and entered into a settlement agreement with Mandan Parks and Recreation to resolve allegations that elements of the Starion Sports Complex (“Starion”) violate the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). The Starion opened in 2017 and is an 84,000 square foot facility with two ice rinks, a gymnastics center, parks maintenance shop, rubberized track and jumping facilities, practice field and track and field throwing facilities, and a synthetic turf football and soccer field. Tenants of the Starion include the University of Mary, Mandan School District, Mandan Hockey Club, and Dakota Star Gymnastics. The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that the Starion was not fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. During its investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office found that the Starion did not provide an accessible path to visitor seating in the football field, and that the accessible seating provided in the competition ice rink was not an integrated part of the seating plan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also found that the Starion lacked adequate accessible seating in other areas of the complex, and that elements of the toilet rooms, concourse, skate rental counter, outdoor picnic area, and assistive listening systems did not comply with the ADA’s requirements. Under the settlement agreement, Mandan Parks and Recreation will provide adequate and integrated wheelchair and companion seating and cure all other noted violations of the ADA. Under federal law, discrimination on the basis of a disability in the services, programs, or activities of a public entity such as Mandan Parks and Recreation is prohibited. Newly constructed buildings, like the Starion, are required to comply with the ADA’s program accessibility requirements and be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. “Protecting access for individuals with disabilities is a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Schneider “Mandan Parks and Recreation cooperated throughout this investigation, and I commend its commitment to quickly address the ADA violations when these barriers to accessibility were brought to its attention. The Starion is a great venue, and this settlement will help ensure everyone is able to access it.” This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa H. Burkland and Tara Vavrosky Iversen and Paralegal Specialist Michelle Erdmann of the District of North Dakota. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in North Dakota is not accessible to persons with disabilities may file a complaint online at www.ada.gov or contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 701-297-7400. # # #


title: Seven Chilean Nationals Charged In Connection With Residential Burglaries In Multiple States

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Seven members of an interstate burglary crew were charged for conspiring to target homeowners across multiple states in residential burglaries, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Christofer Sanguesa Aguirre, Fabiana Prado Scatarzi, Santana Arturo Castillo Gonzalez, Felipe Andres Del Valle Munoz, Carlos Alfredo Calderon Valencia, Diego Antonio Calderon Leiva, and Pedro Alejandro Salgado Vallejos, all Chilean nationals, were each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to sell and receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines. "Residential burglaries have a traumatic and personal impact upon the people whose homes are violated. Seven Chilean nationals have been charged with conspiring to target homeowners in residential burglaries across multiple states from New Jersey to Massachusetts, resulting in the theft of expensive wristwatches, designer handbags, and thousands of dollars in cash. This office will continue to pursue those who commit these serious crimes.” Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna “We allege these men and women ransacked houses here in New Jersey and the East Coast, and then quickly traveled across the country, stealing over one hundred thousand dollars in valuables from private homes.” FBI-Newark Special Agent-in-charge Brian J. Driscoll, Jr. said. “These alleged criminals are part of South American theft groups who have been coming in and out of the United States for months. They hit an area and immediately disappear, using fake identifications and short-term rentals to evade getting caught. It’s like chasing ghosts. We put in a tremendous amount of hard work with incredible partner agencies from here to Oregon. We caught this group—and a warning to others, this doesn’t end here.” “This is another outstanding example how cooperation, both on a local and national level amongst law enforcement agencies, yields positive outcomes for public safety in our communities,” said Immigrations and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. “ERO’s contributions to this investigation, initially with the defendants’ arrests on immigration charges, were critical in facilitating the criminal charges.” “To disrupt these fast-moving, well-traveled crime networks, it often takes strong collaboration and state-of-the-art technology. Thankfully, we have both,” said Port Authority Police Superintendent Edward Cetnar. “By working together and leveraging our advanced technology, including CCTV and ALPR systems, we were able to track these subjects across state lines so that we could assist our law enforcement partners in apprehending them. This operation is a testament to the strength of cooperation throughout our vast law enforcement family, including our longtime partners at the FBI Newark Joint Organized Crime Task Force and the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office.” Sanguesa Aguirre and Castillo Gonzalez appeared on January 15, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and were detained. Del Valle Munoz and Calderon Valencia had their initial appearances on January 15, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa L. Fricke in federal court in Tacoma, Washington, and were detained. Calderon Leiva had his initial appearance on January 15, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom in federal court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was detained. Prado Scatarzi appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst in federal court in Lafayette, Louisiana today and was detained. Salgado Vallejos appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts today and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The defendants were part of a sophisticated burglary ring that committed multiple residential burglaries in November 2024 in New Jersey and Massachusetts. The defendants conspired to possess large amounts of jewelry, watches, designer handbags, and other valuable goods, among other items, with the losses totaling over $100,000. Law enforcement searched a vehicle the defendants were using to transport the stolen goods and recovered multiple pieces of jewelry, designer handbags and belts, perfume bottles, paper currency, watches, and other valuable items, alongside tools commonly used to burglarize residences. After law enforcement stopped the vehicle, Del Valle Munoz and Calderon Valencia fled across the country, eventually appearing near Seattle, Washington before traveling to a residence in Carlton, Oregon. Law enforcement searched the residence where Del Valle Munoz, Calderon Valencia, and others had arrived and recovered bags and backpacks containing additional gold jewelry, diamonds, and watches, along with additional burglary tools. The charge of conspiracy to sell or receive stolen property carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; and the charge of receipt of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the FBI Newark’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force (JOCTF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, Jr. in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Colts Neck Police Department, Keansburg Police Department, Fort Lee Police Department, Paramus Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Spring Valley Police Department (NY), Town of Greenburgh Police Department (NY), Wellesley Police Department (MA), Westwood Police Department (MA), Massachusetts State Police, Renton Police Department (WA), King County Sheriff’s Office (WA), Tukwila Police Department (WA), Oregon State Police, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office (OR), Carlton Police Department (OR), Denver Police Department (CO), Pennsylvania State Police, Novi Police Department (MI), ICE/ERO Portland, ICE/ERO Seattle, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FBI New York, FBI Philadelphia, FBI Seattle, FBI Portland, FBI Denver, FBI New Orleans, FBI Boston, and FBI Legal Attaché Santiago, Chile. Anyone who believes they may be a victim, or has information about the theft group or burglaries, is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit the information online at tips.fbi.gov, or call a local field office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Christofer Sanguesa Aguirre: Claressa Lowe, Esq., Newark, New Jersey Fabiana Prado Scatarzi: James N. Green, Esq., Lafayette, Louisiana Santana Arturo Castillo Gonzalez: Michael Simon, Esq., Mountainside, New Jersey Felipe Andres Del Valle Munoz: John Carpenter, Esq., Tacoma, Washington Carlos Alfredo Calderon Valencia: Thomas Weaver, Esq., Bremerton, Washington Diego Antonio Calderon Leiva: Thomas Thornton, Esq., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Pedro Alejandro Salgado Vallejos: Michael Tumposky, Esq., Boston, Massachusetts residential_burglars.complaint.pdf


title: Renton, Washington man who worked with his son to deal drugs and launder proceeds sentenced to 5 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 57-year-old Renton, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering crimes related to his role in a drug distribution ring, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Frank Lozano Graves was arrested in July 2023 following an investigation of a drug trafficking organization involving Graves, his son and daughter, and other coconspirators. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said, “You knew the havoc that drugs wreak and yet you endangered your family…. You modeled for your children that drug dealing was okay, and you got them involved in it.” “IRS-Criminal Investigations is a key partner in our efforts to take the profit out of drug distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The IRS-CI agents truly ‘follow the money,’ providing the evidence we need to seize bank accounts and assets such as homes or vehicles that have been purchased with drug money. In this way they do their part to remove the financial incentive of drug trafficking.” “Mr. Graves enabled addiction in his own community for money,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “We follow the money to stop criminal organizations from profiting at the expense of human lives.” According to records filed in the case, as early as July 2022, communications between Graves and his son, who was incarcerated, made it clear that Graves was dealing opioids. The investigation revealed that the drugs were coming from a source in Las Vegas. After Graves’ son was released from prison, the two men were heard on wiretapped phone calls discussing their drug conspiracy. Graves was even posting on social media about his drug trafficking. Graves was arrested in July 2023. Following the arrest, agents with IRS-CI began analyzing Graves’ bank accounts and financial records. They could trace drug proceeds going into his accounts totaling about $800,000 over three years. Graves and his son set up a phony construction company to launder the funds. In his plea agreement Graves admits that the funds flowing into the accounts were from his drug trafficking activity. As part of his sentence Graves is forfeiting to the government a vehicle, jewelry and more than $15,000 in cash seized from his home. Graves’ son, Frank Marquis Graves, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and assault (for an attack on another inmate at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac). Frank Marquis Graves is scheduled for sentencing on April 16, 2025. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Seattle Police Department, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Hobbs and Michelle Jensen.


title: Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 132 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Marvie Gardner “Widowmaker,” age 54, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to a racketeering conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Gardner was sentenced to 132 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. Gardner served as a National Vice-President of the entire club and was involved in the conspiracy to commit acts of racketeering activity between 2017-2020. As National Vice-President, Gardner was 3 rd in command behind the founder of the club, and the National President. This case was investigated by: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, and the Schererville Police Department. Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Michael J. Toth. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Conviction of Albuquerque Man for Assaulting Federal Officer

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury has convicted an Albuquerque man of assaulting a federal officer at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico, following a three-day trial that concluded after just over two hours of deliberation. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on November 15, 2022, Anthony Hernandez , who was in custody at the Cibola County Correctional Center awaiting trial for a federal firearms offense, attacked a security consultant contracted by CoreCivic, the company that manages and operates the Cibola County Correctional Center. The assault occurred during a routine inspection of Hernandez 's cell. Surveillance video captured Hernandez pushing open his unlocked cell door and launching an unprovoked attack on the victim. The security consultant, who was assisting with the cell inspection, suffered cuts, bruises, a concussion, and a broken nose that required surgery. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Hernandez remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Hernandez faces up to 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Hernandez was also convicted by a federal jury after trial in October of 2024 for being a felon in possession of a firearm in an unrelated offense. Hernandez is currently under indictment for a second assault on a federal officer in March 2023, while being held at the Otero County Prison Facility. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and United States Marshal David Barnett made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Kimberly Bell are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Former University IT Director Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison, Ordered to Repay $3.9 Million

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced the former IT director of a St. Louis-area university to 46 months in prison and ordered him to repay $3.9 million to his employer and an IT equipment supplier that he had defrauded. Ronald Simpson, of St. Peters, Missouri, was responsible for repairing and replacing defective IT equipment used at the university’s multiple locations. Beginning about Nov. 29, 2018, Simpson sold hundreds of items of IT equipment to a third party. The items had been approved for purchase after Simpson falsely claimed they would be used or installed at university locations. He also fraudulently obtained items from the university’s IT supplier by falsely claiming that the equipment they originally supplied was defective. Simpson sold both the original equipment and the replacement gear. Judge Autrey ordered Simpson to pay $3.19 million to the university and $780,233 to the IT supplier. In a victim impact letter, a university official said Simpson’s crime “struck a serious blow to our financial stability,” forcing the university “to redirect money away from essential programs and resources that directly benefit our students.” Simpson also harmed the university’s reputation, betrayed the trust of coworkers and damaged their morale. The IT supplier said in their own letter that Simpson took advantage of the company’s practice of providing replacement products on an expedited basis to customers to repair critical IT infrastructure, before the defective product is returned. “In addition to bringing perpetrators to justice, the FBI has a dedicated process to try to make victims whole by seizing assets gained from a fraud or theft,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “In this case, there were no substantial assets to seize because Ronald Simpson frivolously blew away millions of dollars on himself without any regard to how his crimes would damage the university, its employees and its students.” Simpson, 54, pleaded guilty in June U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Both Simpson’s former employer and the IT supplier worked extensively with law enforcement during this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.


title: Missouri Man Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of 8-Year-Old

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from O’Fallon, Missouri on Thursday admitted recording his sexual abuse of an 8-year-old. Jacob J. Hampton, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted that after investigators were alerted that Hampton had child sexual abuse material stored online, they found videos of Hampton placing a hidden camera in a bathroom to record an 8-year-old girl, as well as other images of that victim. Police found images on Hampton’s phone of Hampton abusing the victim, as well as child sexual abuse material that he’d obtained online, his plea agreement says. Hampton is scheduled to be sentenced April 22. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 25 years in prison. The FBI, the St. Charles County Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Five Members of the Hoover Criminal Gang Sentenced for Racketeering and Firearms Crimes

body_text: A leader in the Hoover Criminal Gang was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for ordering fellow gang members to murder a suspected rival gang member. Markell Young, 33, was the last of five defendants, all from Gibson County, to be sentenced in this case. Young, Octavius Ferguson, 27, and Jordan Powell, 25, were convicted after trial, while Bakari Lenon, 25, and Monterio Ross, 29, pleaded guilty. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, all defendants were members of the Hoover Criminal Gang subset known as the 83rd or Eight Tray. The gang was engaged in racketeering activities including murder, robberies, and trafficking of marijuana, cocaine, and cocaine base. “These defendants were members of the violent Hoover Criminal Gang who were responsible for murdering a suspected rival gang member to further the aims of the gang,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gang violence traumatizes communities and makes our streets less safe. The Criminal Division is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who engage in gun violence and other violent criminal activity.” “This case serves as notice to all that engage in organized criminal activity that we will use every available resource to bring you to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “The citizens of this district deserve a safe and secure community, one not riddled with gun violence, and this is a great example of the diligent and collaborative work of law enforcement to protect those rights to safety.” “This case is an outstanding example of what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we dismantle gang networks that spread violence and fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The sentences imposed demonstrate the commitment of the FBI and our partners to thwarting gang violence and reinforcing the severe consequences awaiting those who threaten the safety of our communities.” “The individuals who wreak havoc in the communities that we serve are a huge concern,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF works collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, day and night, to swiftly remove individuals who traffic narcotics, participate in organized crime and show total disregard for human life from the streets. The ATF’s primary mission is to combat violent crime in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to keep the communities that we serve, safe.” The evidence showed that, on Jan. 31, 2017, the defendants murdered a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang in Humboldt. On that date, Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, Lenon, and Ross to commit the murder, which they carried out by going to the victim’s home and indiscriminately shooting several firearms through the open front door, killing the victim. Based on their participation on this killing, all of the shooters were promoted to higher ranks within the Hoover Criminal Gang. In addition to Young’s conviction at trial for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering, Ferguson and Powell were convicted at trial of murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm during and in relation to murder, and causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Both Ferguson and Powell were sentenced to life in prison. Lenon and Ross pleaded guilty to causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering and were both sentenced to 30 years in prison. The FBI and ATF investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by state and local law enforcement partners. Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Houston County, Georgia

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Houston County, Georgia, to challenge the county’s at-large method of electing the Houston County Board of Commissioners. The lawsuit alleges that the county’s current at-large method of electing county commissioners results in Black citizens having less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Black residents make up more than 31% of the county’s voting-age population. In recent years, Black-preferred candidates have run for the Board of Commissioners and have routinely lost, despite the county’s sizeable and growing Black population. “The Voting Rights Act guarantees that all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process and to elect representatives of their choice, regardless of race or ethnicity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department has a solemn duty to protect the right to vote by enforcing the Voting Rights Act and ensuring that all communities have a fair and equal chance to participate. We look forward to working with Houston County officials to bring the county into compliance with the Voting Rights Act.” The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, alleges that changing how commissioners are elected can create opportunities for Black voters to elect candidates of their choice to the five-member Board of Commissioners. For example, by electing commissioners from fairly drawn single-member districts rather than countywide, Black voters would have an equal opportunity to elect a representative of their choice to the Board. The lawsuit seeks a federal court order implementing a new method of electing the Houston County Board of Commissioners. The Justice Department looks forward to continued discussions with Houston County toward resolution of this matter. More information about voting and elections is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


title: Maryland Attorney and Poker Player Charged with Tax Crimes and Making False Statements to Mortgage Lenders

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned a 22-count indictment today, charging a Maryland attorney with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, failure to pay taxes and making false statements to two separate mortgage lenders. According to the indictment, between 2016 and 2023, Thomas C. Goldstein, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., was the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. Goldstein was allegedly also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving millions of dollars. During that time, Goldstein allegedly engaged in a scheme to evade his taxes. Goldstein allegedly took various steps to carry out his scheme including diverting legal fees that were due to the law firm to his personal bank account, and then using them to pay personal poker-related debts; using the law firm’s assets to satisfy his personal poker debts and causing those payments to be falsely classified as “legal fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records; and using firm assets to pay salaries and health insurance premiums for people with whom Goldstein had a personal relationship but who performed little or no work for the law firm and did not qualify for its health insurance. Goldstein also allegedly did not report, or falsely understated, millions of dollars of gambling winnings on his tax returns. In addition, for 2016 through 2021, except 2018, Goldstein allegedly did not pay the taxes he self-reported were due on his returns, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars on personal expenses such as gambling debts, travel, vacation rentals and luxury goods. In 2021, Goldstein also allegedly submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6 million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — Goldstein allegedly omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including over $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed to the IRS. Goldstein’s false statements to one of the mortgage lenders allegedly resulted in his obtaining a $1.98 million loan. If convicted, Goldstein faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion charges; a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns; a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each of count of willful failure to pay taxes; and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count of making false statements to mortgage lenders. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Stanley Okula and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter Whitman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Maryland Attorney Charged With Tax Crimes  and Making False Statements to Mortgage Lenders

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, a federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment, charging a Maryland attorney with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to two separate mortgage lenders. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert, Department of Justice Department, Tax Division. According to the indictment , between 2016 and 2023, Thomas C. Goldstein, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., was the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the United States Supreme Court. Goldstein was allegedly also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving millions of dollars. During that time, Goldstein allegedly engaged in a scheme to evade his taxes. Goldstein allegedly took various steps to carry out his scheme, including diverting legal fees that were due to the law firm to his personal bank account, and then using them to pay personal poker-related debts; using the law firm’s assets to satisfy his personal poker debts and falsely classifying those payments as “legal-fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records; and using firm assets to pay salaries and health insurance premiums for people with whom Goldstein had a personal relationship but who performed little or no work for the law firm and did not qualify for its health insurance. Goldstein also allegedly did not report, or falsely understated, millions of dollars of gambling winnings on his tax returns. In addition, for 2016 through 2021, except 2018, Goldstein allegedly did not pay the taxes he self-reported were due on his returns, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars on personal expenses such as gambling debts, travel, vacation rentals, and luxury goods. In 2021, Goldstein also allegedly submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6-million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — Goldstein allegedly omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including more than $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed to the IRS. Goldstein’s false statements to one of the mortgage lenders allegedly enabled him to obtain a $1.98 million loan. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion charges; three years for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns; a maximum of one year on each of the five counts charging willful failure to pay taxes; and 30 years for each count of making false statements to mortgage lenders. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe, of the District of Maryland, Senior Litigation Counsel Stanley Okula, and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter Whitman, of the Tax Division, are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Sangamon County, Illinois and County Agencies Resolving Race and Disability Discrimination Investigation

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Note: The original headline was updated to fall within character count limitations The Justice Department announced today an agreement with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Sangamon County Central Dispatch System (SCCDS), and Sangamon County, Illinois, to resolve an investigation of race and disability discrimination in the provision of policing and dispatch services. The department launched its investigation based on complaints and reports about an SCSO deputy’s fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman experiencing a mental health crisis, while responding to Ms. Massey’s 911 call for help. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division investigated the entities’ compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (Safe Streets Act), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title VI and the Safe Streets Act collectively prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion by recipients of federal financial assistance, such as SCSO. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities. “The death of Sonya Massey was a terrible tragedy for a woman experiencing a mental health crisis, her family, and the entire Sangamon County community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement reflects Sangamon County’s commitment to instituting reform and taking action that will help improve public safety and restore trust with the community in the road ahead.” In response to the investigation, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office worked cooperatively with the department to reach a resolution agreement to ensure that SCSO has the tools and training to conduct its policing activities in a nondiscriminatory manner and that the County and SCCDS provide dispatch services in a nondiscriminatory manner. Under the agreement, the entities will review and update policies, rules, and procedures and provide training on a variety of topics, including non-discriminatory policing and interactions with individuals with behavioral health disabilities. The agreement requires the development and implementation of a mobile crisis team program, which will include trained behavioral health staff who timely respond to individuals needing urgent behavioral health assistance. The agreement also provides for the development of a Community Engagement Plan to ensure collaborative problem-solving and nondiscrimination in policing, as well as to increase transparency and community confidence. The agreement sets forth a framework for data collection and reporting for a two-year period of departmental monitoring, among other provisions. The agreement does not constitute any admission of liability by the entities, and the department has not reached a finding of discrimination. Nondiscrimination under Title VI, the Safe Streets Act, and the ADA is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/ .


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con el Condado de Sangamon, Illinois y agencias del condado para resolver una investigación de discriminación por motivos de discapacidad y raza

body_text: Nota : El titular original fue actualizado para cumplir con el limite de caracteres El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy un acuerdo con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Sangamon (SCSO), el Sistema Central de Despacho del Condado de Sangamon (SCCDS) y el Condado de Sangamon, Illinois, para resolver una investigación de discriminación por motivos de raza y discapacidad en la prestación de servicios de policía y despacho. El Departamento inició su investigación con base en quejas e informes sobre un incidente en el que Sonya Massey, una mujer negra que estaba experimentando una crisis de salud mental, fue disparada mortalmente por un adjunto de la SCSO mientras respondía a la llamada de 911 de auxilio de la Sra. Massey. La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia investigó el cumplimiento por parte de las entidades con el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI), las disposiciones antidiscriminatorias de la ley General de Control de Delitos y Calles Seguras (ley de Calles Seguras) y el Título II de la ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés). El Título VI y la ley de Calles Seguras prohíben, en su conjunto, la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel, origen nacional, sexo o religión por parte de entidades que reciben apoyo financiero federal, tal como la SCSO. El Título II de la ADA prohíbe que las entidades públicas discriminen por motivos de discapacidad. «La muerte de Sonya Massey fue una terrible tragedia para una mujer que estaba en medio de una crisis de salud mental, para su familia y para toda la comunidad del Condado de Sangamon», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Este acuerdo refleja el compromiso del Condado de Sangamon de instituir reformas y tomar medidas que ayudarán a mejorar la seguridad pública y restaurar la confianza de la comunidad en el camino futuro». En respuesta a la investigación, la Oficina del Fiscal Estatal para el Condado de Sangamon trabajó en cooperación con el Departamento para alcanzar un acuerdo conciliatorio para garantizar que la SCSO tenga las herramientas y la formación para llevar a cabo sus actividades de vigilancia policial de forma no discriminatoria y que el Condado y el SCCDS proporcionen servicios de despacho de forma no discriminatoria. En virtud del acuerdo, las entidades revisarán y actualizarán los procedimientos, políticas y reglas y proporcionarán capacitaciones sobre una variedad de temas, incluida la vigilancia policial no discriminatoria y las interacciones con personas con discapacidades de salud del comportamiento. El acuerdo requiere el desarrollo y la implementación de un programa de equipo de crisis móvil, que incluirá personal capacitado en la salud del comportamiento que responda oportunamente a las personas que necesitan asistencia urgente en lo que se refiere a su salud del comportamiento. El acuerdo también prevé el desarrollo de un plan de compromiso con la comunidad para garantizar la resolución colaborativa de problemas y la ausencia de discriminación en la vigilancia policial, así como para aumentar la transparencia y la confianza de la comunidad. El acuerdo establece un marco para la recopilación de datos y la presentación de informes durante un período de dos años de supervisión departamental, entre otras disposiciones. El acuerdo no constituye ninguna admisión de responsabilidad por parte de las entidades, y el Departamento no ha llegado a un hallazgo de discriminación. La no discriminación en virtud del Título VI, la ley de Calles Seguras y la ADA es una de las principales prioridades de la División de Derechos Civiles. Hay más información disponible sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en www.justice.gov/crt . Los miembros del público pueden denunciar posibles infracciones de los derechos civiles en civilrights.justice.gov/report/ .


title: Former Williamson Memorial Hospital CEO Sentenced for Federal Theft Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Hatfield, 62, of Williamson, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $34,872.62 in restitution and a $20,000 fine for theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Hatfield admitted that while chief executive officer of Williamson Memorial Hospital, he stole $34,872.62 in hospital funds for personal use and without authorization. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hatfield became the hospital’s interim CEO in September 2018. As CEO, Hatfield had control over the hospital’s finances and bank accounts, directed payments of the hospital’s funds, and had custody and control of the hospital’s checkbook. Hatfield was the permanent CEO when he was relieved of those duties in September 2019. Around that time, on Oct. 21, 2019, the rural, 76-bed hospital filed for bankruptcy. On May 16, 2019, Hatfield directed that $9,197.62 in hospital funds be used to purchase a cashier’s check made payable to an individual at Venice Sands Apartments-Argus Management of Venice in Florida. Hatfield admitted that he used the hospital funded-check to settle a personal lawsuit demanding the payment of delinquent real estate taxes and homeowners’ fees he owed for personal condominium property he owned in Venice. On September 25, 2019, Hatfield directed the transfer of $25,675 in hospital funds to Mid Mountain Properties, a real estate company owned and operated by Hatfield. The transaction occurred just days prior to Hatfield being relieved as CEO, and shortly before the hospital filed for bankruptcy. Hatfield admitted that he was aware that the hospital could not appropriately fund its employee benefits programs, including retirement and healthcare plans at the time he directed the transfer. Hatfield further admitted to telling his business partners that he used the transferred funds to pay a personal obligation. Hatfield also admitted that he never requested or received authorization from the hospital’s board of directors or anyone else at the hospital to direct the payments from the hospital to himself. Hatfield was mayor of Williamson from July 1, 2017, until he resigned on May 3, 2024, due to this offense. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the United States Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Labor- Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). “I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman for the prosecution of this case, and Litigation Financial Analyst Steve Rowley in this office for his investigative work,” Thompson said. “Today’s sentence provides a general deterrence for abusing a position of trust to steal and embezzle funds from a federally funded hospital.” United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-74. ###


title: Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Interstate Threat

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Sebastian Reigle, 24, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2021, an incident occurred in Texas that resulted in the arrest of Reigle for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and later a charge of sexual assault. From October 2022 to January 2024, Reigle left a series of threatening communications by voicemail and text messaging for the alleged victim of the August 2, 2021 incident. On August 4, 2023, Reigle left one of the threatening communications by voicemail while using a cell phone in Virginia and while the alleged victim was in the Southern District of West Virginia. In the message, Reigle threatened to “beat” the alleged victim “worse than two years ago” and that the beating would leave the individual unconscious. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-134. ###


title: Vicksburg Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, Identity Theft, and Contempt of Court

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 32 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and health care fraud; money laundering; aggravated identity theft; mail fraud; and contempt of court. He was also ordered to pay $1,917,231.26 in restitution to the victims in the case. According to court documents and statements made in court, Laron Evans conspired with co-defendant Travious Quinshad Jackson and others to execute a health care fraud scheme involving Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) using interstate wire communications and the U.S. postal system. The scheme used interstate wire communication via the Internet to send Personal Identification Information (PII) of 57 actual people, pretending that they were employees of an imaginary company, to a third-party administrator company located in Maryland. The third-party administrator company used the stolen PII to create individualized HSA accounts, and corresponding debit cards, for all 57 employee names, and sent debit cards for each employee name in the mail to Vicksburg addresses. The third-party administrator advanced and credited funds to each HSA account created for the supposed employees, which money could then be spent through the debit card at designated retail stores. Evans, assisted by Jackson and others, spent the debit cards in various stores throughout April and May 2018, buying gift cards, debit cards, and other consumer goods to deplete the HSA accounts. The third-party administrator in the meantime had learned that there was no money in the bank account that Evans had identified for his fake company, when the company sought reimbursement for the HSA accounts. On July 10, 2018, using proceeds gained from the health care fraud scheme, Evans bought a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban SUV in Forrest County, Mississippi, for $44,335 in cash plus a trade-in vehicle. On February 13, 2019, Evans appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson for his initial appearance and arraignment in this case. Judge Anderson entered an Order permitting Evans to be released on bond pending trial, subject to conditions forbidding travel without prior permission of the Court before leaving the Southern District of Mississippi. In April 2019, Evans travelled outside the State of Mississippi without permission of the Court. While outside the State of Mississippi and on his return to Vicksburg, Evans continued to execute health care fraud schemes using the Internet and the U.S. Mail. Evans falsely represented himself as leader and manager of an Orlando, Florida, business, seeking to establish health care benefits including HSA accounts for its purported employees. Evans submitted over the Internet to a third-party administrator company located in Minnesota, bank account information for drawing reimbursement, plus employee information for creation of HSA debit cards. The Minnesota company sent some of the debit cards, during the period April 16-25, 2019, to Evans at his Vicksburg home address through the U.S. Mail. Evans had requested that the Minnesota administrator fund those HSA accounts up to $91,000. Evans pled guilty on August 1, 2019 to conspiring to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and health care fraud; money laundering; aggravated identity theft; mail fraud; and contempt of court. Co-defendant Travious Quinshad Jackson pled guilty on June 18, 2019 to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to two years in prison. He was also ordered to pay $302,099.34 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Vicksburg Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.


title: Leader of Pharmacy Burglary Ring Across Multiple States Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Keith Brown, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 209 months, or nearly 17 ½ years, in federal prison for his lead role in a criminal organization that was responsible for dozens of pharmacy burglaries and stolen controlled substances worth millions of dollars. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller on Thursday. A federal grand jury indicted Brown, along with 41 other defendants who were indicted in a superseding indictment on July 2, 2024, on November 8, 2023. He was charged in six counts related to the burglaries, including two conspiracy counts and four counts for pharmacy burglary. Brown was initially indicted on November 8, 2022, along with 17 co-conspirators. On September 4, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. An investigation revealed that Brown, 35, of Humble, Texas, was involved in a drug trafficking organization that included documented gang members from the 5th Ward area in Houston, Texas. Investigators discovered more than 96,000 tablets of Schedule II controlled substances—including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Adderall, and others—were stolen were stolen from pharmacies throughout the United States, including pharmacies in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The street value of all controlled substances stolen by the organization in the Arkansas burglaries alone is close to $1.6 million. Investigators also seized six firearms, approximately $79,000 in U.S. currency, and custom jewelry retailing approximately $330,000. Brown, who was the leader of the organization, was personally involved in the commission of at least 34 pharmacy burglaries between July 24, 2021, and November 13, 2022. These burglaries took place in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, and Florida. The quantity of Schedule II controlled substances stolen from pharmacies and distributed by Brown and his co-conspirators has a street value of more than $12,000,000. Brown previously has been convicted of aggravated robbery, burglary of a building with intent to commit theft, possession of codeine, burglary of a building (which was a pharmacy in Texas), and burglary – 2nd degree (which was a pharmacy in Oklahoma). Judge Miller sentenced Brown to serve 209 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Miller also sentenced Brown to three years’ supervised release. At a later date, Brown will be ordered to pay restitution to the pharmacies affected and that is expected to exceed $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system. Trial for the remaining defendants is currently scheduled for April 7, 2025. Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office, worked in conjunction with the following law enforcement partners: DEA New Orleans Division (Little Rock District Office, Fayetteville Resident Office, Shreveport Resident Office, Mobile Resident Office), DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Houston Division (Houston TDS Group, Galveston Resident Office), DEA Omaha Division, DEA Rocky Mountain Division (Salt Lake City District Office, Cheyenne Resident Office), DEA Atlanta Division (Columbia District Office), DEA Miami Division (Pensacola District Office), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Little Rock Field Office, FBI Cast Team, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, League City Police Department (Dickinson, Texas), Houston (Texas) Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team, Houston (Texas) Police Department CID, and Arkansas State Police The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Jasper County man sentenced for possessing stolen law enforcement machine gun

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jasper man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Bradley Joseph LeBlanc, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm and was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 16, 2025. According to information presented in court, on November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at LeBlanc’s residence in Jasper, where they discovered a fully automatic machine gun which had previously been reported stolen from a Waller County law enforcement officer’s vehicle. Further investigation revealed there were no firearms records for LeBlanc with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records (NFRTR). This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Jasper Police Department, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn. ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONALD MILLER a/k/a “Duck,”(“ MILLER”), age 43, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five hundred grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride. MILLER was sentenced to seventy-eight months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, MILLER and other co-conspirators distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana. During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over forty (40) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, nearly $700,000.00 in cash, and other property. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Billy Ray Castle Jr., 40, of Bim, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2023, Castle fired three rounds from a Beretta Pietro SPA Model APX 9mm pistol into the ceiling of a Bim-area residence in Boone County and a fourth round out the open door of the residence. Responding law enforcement seized the Beretta, a Sig Sauer model P250 .40-caliber pistol and a Marlin Firearms Co. model X7 .308-caliber rifle at the residence. Castle possessed all three firearms. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Castle knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for robbery in Boone County Circuit Court on November 18, 2003. In that offense, Castle and others violently robbed a 65-year-old person who uses a wheelchair in the person’s home in 2002. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Boone County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-71. ###


title: Brentwood Couple Sentenced for Making False Statements on Residential Loan Application

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two residents of Brentwood, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and were sentenced in federal court on January 15, 2025, on charges of making false statements on a loan application, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Husband and wife Brennan and Angela McNally each pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to one count of making a false statement on a loan application. In separate sentencing hearings, Judge Fischer ordered each defendant to spend a day in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Additionally, both defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $26,251. In connection with the guilty pleas and sentencings, the Court was advised that Brennan, 43, and Angela, 43, each made false statements and representations pertaining to Angela’s residential loan application, specifically, regarding Angela’s employment status and income. Both defendants made these false statements knowingly and for the purpose of influencing the mortgage lending business’s action on the loan application. In sentencing each defendant, Judge Fischer noted the serious nature of the federal felony offense and the harm that such criminal conduct has on the lender and mortgage industry. “When the McNallys lied so that they could get a federally funded loan, they put themselves above the worthy and qualified applicants for whom the funds were intended,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “We appreciate the work of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General in this case and will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stamp out financial fraud wherever we find it.” “The defendants engaged in an egregious scheme to misrepresent the spouse’s employment, falsely claiming she was a federal employee to take advantage of a HUD-insured mortgage program designed to assist hard-working individuals realize the American dream of homeownership,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “No one is above the law and our office will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.” Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Brennan and Angela McNally.


title: Chicago Businessman Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Bilking Elderly Homeowners in Reverse Mortgage Scheme

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago businessman was sentenced today to more than 17 years in federal prison for bilking elderly homeowners in a reverse mortgage and home repair scheme. MARK STEVEN DIAMOND schemed with others to induce homeowners to unwittingly obtain reverse mortgage loans to pay for purported home repairs that Diamond offered to perform. Diamond and the co-schemers targeted elderly victims in the Chicago area based on the amount of equity in their homes and their relative lack of financial sophistication. In some instances, Diamond concealed from the homeowners that they were applying for reverse mortgage loans by falsely representing that they needed to sign certain documents to start the repair work, when, in fact, the documents that Diamond caused them to sign were related to applying for the loan. After the loans were approved and originated by co-schemers, Diamond fraudulently pocketed the loan proceeds and often failed to perform any repairs. Diamond, 68, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. In addition to the 205-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama ordered Diamond to pay $2.7 million in restitution. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Netols and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly. “Mark Diamond repeatedly preyed on the elderly for years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “He damaged the most vulnerable in our community, both financially and personally. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who seeks to deceive elderly homeowners through fraud.” “Diamond’s scheme defrauded more than 100 elderly and vulnerable homeowners, preying upon their trust and devastating them financially,” said HUD-OIG Inspector General Davis. “His sentencing today is a sobering reminder of the unique harm caused by predatory reverse mortgage schemes. These egregious criminal acts will not be tolerated, and my agency will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold other individuals like Diamond accountable for their actions.” “The reverse mortgage fraud scheme perpetrated by the defendant preyed on some of the most vulnerable Chicagoans,” said FBI Chicago SAC DePodesta. “Combatting white-collar crime stands as a foremost priority for the FBI. With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and dismantle financial fraud schemes aimed at harming members of our community.” “Many of these victims were older homeowners who worked and saved their entire their lives, and their only mistake was trusting an individual who specifically targeted them to be victims of his scam,” said Attorney General Raoul. “My office is proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago, and the Chicago Field Office of the FBI to obtain a degree of justice for the victims who were defrauded. This sentence underscores the importance of the state-federal law enforcement collaborations that support my office’s work to hold accountable individuals who prey upon our most vulnerable residents.” All four co-schemers charged in the investigation – loan originators GARY BOHN, of Hoffman Estates, Ill., and MATTHEW FEFFERMAN, of Munster, Ind., Diamond’s employee CYNTHIA WALLACE, of Sauk Village, Ill., and title agency owner FORREST C. FAWCETT, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – previously pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in the fraud. They are awaiting sentencing.


title: Oklahoma Man Caught with a Machine Gun and Methamphetamine in Missouri Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a man caught with a fully automatic handgun and methamphetamine to 10 years in prison. On August 16, 2022, officers with the United States Marshals Service, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force located Darius R. Clark at a home in Kennett, Missouri. Clark had two backpacks at the time of his arrest. One contained a Glock .40-caliber pistol that had been equipped with a selector switch that converted it into a fully automatic weapon. The firearm was fully loaded and there were additional magazines in the backpack, including an extended capacity magazine that was loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. The backpack also contained $1,120 in cash. The second backpack contained 84 multicolored tablets containing methamphetamine and 17 tablets containing a mix of meth and other controlled substances. Clark, 36, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in September to one count of possession of a machine gun. Clark’s arrest warrant was triggered by charges of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, two weeks before his arrest, according to a sentencing memo. Clark will now be returned to Oklahoma. The United States Marshals Service, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Orleans Parish Man Sentenced For Federal Gun Control Act Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – KEVIN LADAY (“LADAY”) , age 34, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Specifically, LADAY was sentenced to seventy months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As part of “Operation Big Easy,” agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives identified individuals who were involved in trafficking firearms within the City of New Orleans. Agents conducted an undercover purchase of firearms from LADAY between August 30, 2023, and October 26, 2023. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory Policy Against Hosting Arabs

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with AWH Orlando Property LLC, the owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida (DoubleTree), to resolve allegations that the DoubleTree discriminated against people of Arab descent in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title II). Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, including hotels. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleges that the DoubleTree adopted and implemented a discriminatory policy against hosting guests of Arab descent by unilaterally canceling a conference that was to be held by the Arab America Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural organization, in November 2023, a week before the conference was scheduled to begin. “No one may be denied the right to use hotel facilities because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of all people to be free from discrimination in hotels and other public accommodations around the country.” “The right to enjoy and have equal access to places of public accommodation is essential in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District will continue to hold places of public accommodation accountable to ensure that the civil rights of all people are protected.” The lawsuit alleges that the DoubleTree’s decision to cancel the Arab America Foundation’s conference was not predicated on any legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons. Although the hotel claimed that the cancelation was because of security concerns, the hotel faced no security threats or risks associated with the conference. Indeed, as alleged in the department’s complaint, contrary to representations that the DoubleTree made to the Arab America Foundation, the DoubleTree had not received any calls or other communications raising a safety or security threat to the conference or to the hotel. Rather, the decision to cancel was based on the national origin of the Arab America Foundation’s members and the conference attendees. The complaint therefore alleges that the DoubleTree discriminated on the basis of national origin and denied people of Arab descent the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the hotel. The settlement, in the form of a consent decree that must still be approved by the court, requires the DoubleTree to: Issue a statement to the Arab America Foundation that all guests and groups are welcome to the hotel, including Arab and Arab American guests and groups; Retain a qualified compliance officer to oversee compliance with the consent decree for two years; Notify employees and executives of the DoubleTree’s obligations under Title II and the consent decree, including DoubleTree’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the hotel, regardless of race, color, religion or national origin; Establish a written anti-discrimination policy, which includes a system of accepting, investigating and responding to guest complaints of discrimination; Conduct outreach to Arab or Arab American groups to share promotional materials about the hotel and indicate that it is open to all members of the public; Provide training to employees and executives on Title II and the DoubleTree’s obligations under the consent decree; and Make regular reports to the department to demonstrate its compliance with the consent decree. Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online .


title: Justice Department Finds that Idaho Violates Federal Civil Rights Law by Unnecessarily Segregating People with Physical Disabilities

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its finding that Idaho unnecessarily segregates adults with physical disabilities in nursing facilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C . The department’s findings, detailed in a letter to Idaho Governor Brad Little, follow a thorough investigation into the state’s service system for people with physical disabilities. “People with disabilities in Idaho have the right to choose services to remain independent in their own homes instead of being segregated in institutions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities can access the services they need to live at home and be full participants in their communities.” “Older Idahoans and Idahoans with disabilities have the right to remain in their homes as their support needs increase,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho. “I trust that Idaho will work to remedy the violations identified by the Justice Department so that individuals with disabilities can remain in their communities and not isolated in institutions.” The ADA and the Olmstead decision require state and local governments to ensure the services they provide to people with disabilities are available in the most integrated setting appropriate to individuals’ needs. Community-based services can include assistance with daily activities, like showering or transferring from bed to wheelchair. Without community-based services, Idahoans with physical disabilities have little choice but to enter nursing facilities. Many will remain in those nursing facilities for years or decades, when they would prefer to live in the community. And each year of nursing facility care costs Idaho, on average per person, much more than what Idaho spends serving adults with physical disabilities at home. The department’s investigation found that most Idaho Medicaid-funded nursing facility residents could live successfully at home with services Idaho offers. But Idaho limits access to services to transition out of nursing facilities and to live in the community. As a result, very few Idahoans with physical disabilities can access Idaho’s services to leave nursing facilities and remain at home. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/ . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt .