title: Florissant Woman Sentenced to a Year in Prison, Must Repay $101,000 for Pandemic Loan Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS –A woman from Florissant, Missouri was sentenced to a year in prison for fraudulently obtaining two pandemic-era loans totaling more than $101,000. U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White also ordered Lakenya M. Hobbs, 40, to repay $101,567 to the Small Business Administration. Hobbs defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided forgivable loans to small businesses to help them save jobs during the pandemic. On March 12, 2021, she submitted a loan application containing false and fraudulent information that resulted in the issuance of a $81,223 loan. Hobbs did not use the money to save jobs but instead at electronic stores and restaurants and for airfare. She also took some out in cash. On Oct. 1, 2021, she successfully applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming she’d used the PPP money for payroll. On May 27, 2021, Hobbs submitted a fraudulent loan application to a different banking institution and received a $20,344 loan. She was also granted forgiveness for this loan. Hobbs pleaded guilty in November to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – James Valentine Siehien, 53, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Bank Robbery and two counts of Armed Bank Robbery. Sentencing is scheduled for May 30, 2023, before United States District Judge Raner C. Collins. Siehien admitted that, on October 21, 2021, he robbed approximately $4,000 from a Chase Bank located in Tucson, Arizona. He also admitted that five days later, he robbed approximately $2,700 from a PNC Bank in Tucson, with what was later determined to be a fake explosive device. Finally, Siehien admitted that, on November 5, 2021, he robbed approximately $2,200 from a First Convenience Bank in Tucson, while possessing an axe. A conviction for Bank Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. A conviction for Armed Bank Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-03071-TUC-RCC (LCK) RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-040_Siehien # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Repeat Sacramento Sex Offender Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua Klomp, 48, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 11 years and two months in prison for possession of child pornography following a prior sex offense conviction and while on supervised release for a prior child pornography conviction, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 2018, during a probation visit, Klomp was found to be in possession of two cellphones that contained thousands of images and video files of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which more than 900 were identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as originating from known child pornography series. Further investigation revealed that Klomp’s devices contained nearly 3,000 internet history files associated with searches for young males engaged in sex acts. At the time he possessed these images and video files, Klomp was on federal supervised release for a 2006 conviction for possession of child pornography. Klomp served 10 years in prison for that offense, and prior to that federal conviction, Klomp had been convicted in Butte County in 1995 of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Edinboro Man Admits receiving Child Sexual Abuse Materials

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. James Paredes Andrada, 25, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from November 2019 to February 2020, Andrada received computer and cell phone images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Judge Baster scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the court continued Andrada on bond. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Edinboro Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Andrada.


title: Home invaders turned kidnappers sent to federal prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – The last of three convicted for their roles in a series of home invasions which resulted in federal kidnapping charges over the course of several months has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Chakevia Roberts, 31, Houston, pleaded guilty Aug. 12, 2022, admitting she was the look-out and getaway driver during the crimes which occurred in the Houston area. Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake ordered her to serve a total of 96 months in prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the dangerousness of the offenses and the terror of the victims while in their own homes. Two others - Timothy Morant, 55, and Alvin Woods, 45, both also of Houston, were sentenced previously to 327 and 240 months in federal prison, respectively. At Morant’s hearing, the court called him one of the most dangerous people he had seen before him in all of his years as a judge and noted he had been convicted of the same crime twice before this one. He had been convicted in 1989 and served only 13 years of 42-year sentence in state prison. In 2003, he was again convicted of the same crimes and sentenced to 25 years but released in 2018. There is no parole in the federal system. During the course of the sentencing hearings, Judge Lake also reviewed powerful and moving victim impact statements. They described the fear and panic they felt during the kidnappings and how they believed they would be killed. “One of the defendants pepper sprayed a child, in front of the child’s mother, in the mother and child’s own home. The victims are still traumatized, years later,” said Hamdani. “My office will not tolerate this vile conduct, and so the two men who decided to violate the sanctity of a home will now face justice’s long arm and spend decades in prison. The hope is that this might allow the victims to finally sleep a little easier knowing their perpetrators are off the streets.” On Oct. 22, 2019, Morant and Woods entered a multi-million dollar home in Sugar Land while the homeowners were present. Morant and Woods tied up several family members with zip ties, held them at gunpoint and demanded they open safes. Morant and Woods demanded jewelry and other high end property. When the homeowners did not act quickly enough, Morant pepper sprayed them. During the kidnapping, Morant was on an open cell phone line with Roberts who was waiting outside as the look-out and get-away driver. Once Morant and Roberts received the items they wanted, they stole the homeowners vehicle and used it to meet Roberts at a pre-determined location. Morant, Woods and Roberts then split the money and property amongst themselves. Morant and Woods entered another multi-million dollar home in Houston on Dec. 13, 2019. There, they encountered the home owner and her child. Roberts remained outside as the look-out/get-away driver again and kept an open cell phone call with Morant. Morant and Woods pushed their way into the home while pointing guns at the victims. The two then zip-tied both the home owner and her child while demanding money, jewelry and other high end property. When the mother could not open a second safe to give Morant more of what he wanted, he pepper sprayed the child. Authorities apprehended all three after they had attacked another family in Houston June 19, 2020. They again pointed guns at the home owners and demanded money, jewelry and property. During the invasion, Morant and Woods drug the victims, zip-tied again, to areas within the home in search for cash and high-end items. Upon their arrests, law enforcement found stolen property, gloves, masks and firearms. All have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI and police departments in Houston and Sugar Land conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts prosecuted the case.


title: Union County Man Admits Illegally Possessing Firearm and Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted illegally possessing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. William Murphy, 45, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On July 30, 2020, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Murphy’s residence and found oxycodone pills; knotted bags containing mixtures of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; a digital scale; a money counter; numerous empty vacuum sealed bags; and approximately $13,000 in cash. The officers also recovered a 9mm Taurus handgun, loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a box containing 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacommo Sacca, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit. murphy.information.pdf


title: Man Admits Arsons in Mark Twain National Forest, Assault of Forest Service Employee

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Iron County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted committing an October crime spree that included arsons in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri and the assault of a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer. Lucas G. Henson, 37, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. to three counts: assaulting a law enforcement officer, arson and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Henson admitted that after being charged with stealing and drug offenses last year, he was out on bond when he stole a Ford van on Oct. 22, 2022 from Patriot Rentals near Poplar Bluff, Missouri before abandoning it when it ran out of gas. Later that day he broke into a camper at Poplar Bluff RV Sales and stole items from it. The next day, he stole a Dodge pickup truck, then burglarized someone’s home and stole a Ruger LC9 9mm handgun. He stole a crossbow from a workshop near the home. When the truck’s owner found Henson, Henson pointed the pistol at the truck’s owner and drove away. Law enforcement officers, notified by the truck’s owner, joined the chase. Henson crashed the truck in Mark Twain National Forest, then started a fire and burned the handgun and the items that he’d stolen from the camper before fleeing into the forest. Law enforcement officers began tracking Henson with dogs. When they got close, he started a fire to prevent being captured. He started a second fire when they approached him again. Later, he pointed the crossbow at a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer, as well as other officers, before crossing the Black River and fleeing again. Henson was eventually caught near the river. He admitted his crimes in interviews with officers. The fires burned a total of 7.61 acres of land. Burn orders were in effect at the time due to the dry and windy conditions, and Henson’s fires kept leaping over the fire lines established by fire fighters. Crews eventually had to construct “dozer lines” to contain the fire and spent $7,228 fighting the fires. Henson is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau on June 28. The assault charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The arson charge carries a mandatory minimum of 7 years with a maximum of 20 years and the gun charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. All charges also carry a possible fine up to $250,000. The case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.


title: New Haven Man Guilty of Narcotics and Firearm Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found DONELL ALLICK, JR., also known as “D-Nice,” 24, guilty of narcotics offenses. Following the trial and before the jury returned its verdict, Allick also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing firearms. According to the evidence disclosed during the trial, between April and October 2022, Allick conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine in the New Haven area. In September and October 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Allick and his associate, Jourdin Senior. On October 24, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a residence shared by Allick and Senior and seized three handguns, extended magazines, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, some of which was packaged for street-level distribution. A related search of Allick’s car, which had been observed in suspected drug transactions, resulted in the seizure of another handgun, a 33-round extended magazine, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine. Allick was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”); one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base. Each of these offenses carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Allick pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Allick’s criminal history include state convictions for escape in the first degree, assault in the second degree-serious injury, and carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit. The jury found Allick not guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a quantity of fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for June 13. Allick has been detained since his arrest on November 10, 2022. On March 10, 2023, Senior, also known as “G,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and cocaine base. He awaits sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); the New Haven Police Department; and the Hamden Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and Rahul Kale through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Three-Year Crime Spree Ends With Firearm Conviction and Federal Imprisonment

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally possessed a firearm as a felon on multiple occasions was sentenced March 15, to 8 years in federal prison. Carter Brinkerhoff, 28, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence in the case showed that on May 4, 2019, August 20, 2020, and June 27, 2021, Brinkerhoff knowingly possessed three separate firearms. Each of the occasions were discovered when law enforcement responded to allegations of other crimes of violence involving Brinkerhoff. Brinkerhoff was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand, to 96 months imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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. Brinkerhoff is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Rock Valley, Iowa Police Department, Dennison, Iowa Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Tri-State Drug Task Force, the DEA and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-04040. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Felon With Firearm and Extended Magazine Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: An Onawa, Iowa man, was sentenced March 14, to more than 4 years in federal prison. Antonio Palmer, age 44, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 20, 2022, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence in the case showed Palmer was stopped by Sioux City Police for traffic infractions. When the officer approached Palmer’s vehicle, there was a strong odor of marijuana, and the officer observed a handgun in the driver’s side door. When the officer requested assistance, Palmer opened his door and told the officer to take the firearm. Palmer also had 19-round magazine for the firearm. During the encounter, Palmer admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle and that he had just purchased the firearm via a private sale. Palmer was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 57 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-04037. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Central Illinois Employee Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Maui Jim

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Bradford, Illinois, woman, Erica Hornof, 36, of the 300 block of Enterprise Drive, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023, to three counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Maui Jim, a sunglasses manufacturer. Sentencing for Hornof has been scheduled for June 15, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid. In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, Hornof admitted guilt to all six charges. During the hearing, the government stated that Hornof, a long-term employee of Maui Jim, was a Lead Repair Technician, responsible for fixing sunglasses. As such, she had access to the parts to construct sunglasses. Maui Jim conducted an internal investigation that revealed Hornof had, in fact, been stealing sunglasses parts. She used the stolen parts to assemble sunglasses and sold them to two individuals who then sold them on eBay. The mail fraud charges result from her use of the U.S. Mail Service to send the stolen goods. The wire fraud charges stem from her use of a PayPal account to transfer payments to her Princeville State Bank account. As alleged in the indictment, Hornof defrauded Maui Jim of more than $100,000. Hornof remains free on bond, pending sentencing. Hornof faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by up to a three-year term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine on each of the six counts. The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss is representing the government in the prosecution.


title: University of Iowa Agrees to Training, Payment of $16,444 to Resolve United States’ Allegations Regarding Resident X-Ray Interpretations

body_text: The University of Iowa (“UI”) has agreed to training and payment of $16,444 to the United States to resolve allegations that UI, through its academic medical center in Iowa City, Iowa, submitted claims for payment to the Medicare program for x-ray interpretations by resident physicians where an attending physician’s review of the residents’ interpretations did not satisfy government payment requirements. Specifically, the government alleged that it had certain civil claims against UI arising from its submission of claims for payment for resident x-ray interpretations, where review by an attending physician did not satisfy the requirements of 42 C.F.R. § 415.180, between the period July 2018 to May 2020. Under 42 C.F.R. § 415.180, a Medicare payment regulation identifying requirements for the interpretation of diagnostic radiology in a teaching setting, physician fee schedule payment may be made for x-ray interpretations if the interpretation is reviewed or performed by a physician other than a resident. Under the settlement agreement, UI will implement mandatory physician training regarding Medicare requirements for physician fee payment for interpretations of diagnostic radiology in teaching settings. UI cooperated fully during the investigation and did not admit to any liability as part of the settlement agreement. This civil matter arose from an action brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. The whistleblower will share in the United States’ financial recovery. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa A. Carrington and Jacob A. Schunk and investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 19-cv-00007-CJW-KEM. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Lodi Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kenneth O’Neil, 49, of Lodi, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between June 7, 2018, and June 28, 2018, O’Neil sold at least 563 grams of heroin to a co-conspirator, who then sold those drugs to an undercover agent. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Calaveras Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case. O’Neil is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. O’Neil faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: ADA Settlement Improves Accessibility at West Hartford Acupuncture Practice

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that West Hartford Acupuncture, located at 173 Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford, has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In the agreement, West Hartford Acupuncture has agreed to make its business more accessible to persons with disabilities. The settlement resolves a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice that claims that West Hartford Acupuncture is not physically accessible to persons with mobility disabilities. Under the terms of the settlement, West Hartford Acupuncture must make numerous changes to its West Hartford building, including making the building’s entrance accessible to persons with mobility disabilities, making its parking ADA-compliant, improving signage, and increasing accessibility inside the building. West Hartford Acupuncture has also agreed to provide ADA training for its staff. Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including professional offices of health care providers, hospitals, and other service establishments, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties. “It is critically important that health care services are accessible to all in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “I applaud the operators of West Hartford Acupuncture for agreeing to make their services more accessible to persons with disabilities, without litigation.” West Hartford Acupuncture has three years to make the changes required by the agreement and must submit certifications concerning compliance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office every six months until it has fully complied with the agreement. A copy of the settlement agreement will be found on www.ada.gov . This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Re-Entering the United States and Trafficking Fentanyl

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican man residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and to illegally re-entering the United States after deportation. Jesus Gracielo Garcia-Vega a/k/a Jonathan Ivan Badillo-Hernandez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of unlawful re-entry of a deported alien. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for July 26, 2023. Garcia-Vega was initially charged by criminal complaint in March 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022. Garcia-Vega was again charged in a superseding indictment in June 2022 and in a superseding information in January 2023. On March 23, 2022, Garcia-Vega gave a sample of fentanyl to a confidential source working with law enforcement. During that transaction, Garcia-Vega agreed to sell fentanyl the next day to the confidential source. On March 24, 2022, Garcia-Vega drove to the Premium Outlets in Wrentham with a kilogram of fentanyl inside a laundry bag, intending to sell it to the confidential source. Garcia-Vega was later stopped by police on I-495 in Westford and arrested. Subsequent investigation determined that Garcia-Vega had been deported from the United States on March 23, 2016, after which he unlawfully re-entered the country. The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Eight Men Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Eight men were charged today for their roles in a drug trafficking organization operating in and around Union County, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Lance Baker, 54, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey; Rooks Crawford, 57, of Linden, New Jersey; Derrick Gilliam, 48, of Alburtis, Pennsylvania; Abinader Liriano-Balbuena, 37, of Bronx, New York; Michael Williams, 54, of Roselle, New Jersey; and Tyrone Gilliam, 60, Lewis Martinez-Berroa, 38, and Earl Riley, 58, all of Elizabeth, New Jersey, are each charged by superseding complaint with one count of conspiracy to distributed controlled substances. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Baker, Crawford, Derrick Gilliam, Tyrone Gilliam, Martinez-Berroa, Riley, and Williams were part of a drug trafficking organization operating in and around Union County. Law enforcement officers observed and documented dozens of narcotics transactions during the investigation. From July 2022 to March 2023, law enforcement officers seized more than 9,000 individual doses of fentanyl sold by the organization. Martinez-Berroa, Tyrone Gilliam, and Derrick Gilliam were the primary suppliers of fentanyl to the drug trafficking organization. On March 21, 2023, law enforcement executed a series of judicially authorized searches at several locations used by the members of the conspiracy. At a location in the Bronx, New York, law enforcement officials located a “mill” used to manufacture and package narcotics and recovered approximately 10 kilograms of a substance believed to be fentanyl. The count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances with which each of the defendants is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller in Newark; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Kafafian in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Chief Harvey Barnwell; the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone; the Summit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Zagorski; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl Graves and Chief Giacommo Sacca; the Perth Amboy Police Department, under the direction of Chief Lawrence Cattano; the Union County Police Department, under the direction of Capt. Martin Mogensen; the Union County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Peter Corvelli; the Scotch Plains Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeffrey Briel; and the Linden Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Hart, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Mezzanotte and Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark and Christopher Fell of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. bakeretalscomplaint.pdf


title: Pharr man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Pharr resident has admitted he received videos and images containing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Hugo Benjamin Tijerina admitted he had downloaded and received the child pornography videos on his laptop. On July 15, 2019, authorities identified an IP address associated with a home in Pharr that was using peer-to-peer software to download files depicting child pornography. The investigation led to Tijerina. A search of the home revealed a laptop. Law enforcement discovered the device contained software used to download the child pornography as well as search terms used to find and download videos containing child pornography. The files contained images of children under the age of 12. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 21. At that time, Tijerina faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as A $250,000 fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Another indicted in connection to armed robbery of AR-rifle

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Three men have now been charged in connection of a hotel robbery of an AR-variant rifle, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding Nathan Garza aka Goofy, 27, McAllen, to the robbery charge as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is in custody on related charges and expected to make his initial appearance on the federal indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future. Oscar Joel Frias aka OJ, 20, Edinburg, was previously indicted for the robbery and possession of a stolen firearm. Also implicated in connection to the crime was Jahiro Sarmiento Martinez, 29, Edinburg, and charged for illegally possession a firearm as a felon. Frias and Garza are also charged with brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. On Oct. 13, 2022, Frias and Garza allegedly stole a DPMS Panther Arms AR-Variant rifle at gunpoint from a victim at a motel in Edinburg. The charges allege Frias used a 9mm pistol to commit the robbery. While conducting surveillance the following day, law enforcement observed Martinez loading the stolen AR into a vehicle, according to the allegations. Upon their arrests, law enforcement allegedly discovered multiple firearms within the vehicle. As convicted felons, Martinez and Garza are prohibited per federal law of possessing firearms or ammunition. If convicted, Frias and Garza face up to 20 years for the robbery, while Garza and Martinez could receive up to 15 years for the firearms charge. Upon conviction of brandishing a firearm, Frias and Garza would receive a mandatory seven-year-sentence which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Each conviction also carries a possible fine of up to $250,000. All three men remain in custody pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Edinburg and Palmview, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devin V. Walker and Lee A. Fry are prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Local man pleads guilty to receiving child pornography via Kik

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old McAllen resident has admitted to receiving child pornography approximately nine times, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gabriel Alejandro Morales admitted he had downloaded and received the child pornography on his cell phone through the Kik application. In November 2020, authorities learned that an individual under the username “wakatanga335” was distributing and receiving child pornography on Kik. A review of the material verified the user had distributed and received child pornography approximately nine times. The investigation led to Morales. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his McAllen home and discovered a cell phone containing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 21. At that time, Morales faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: UTRGV student admits to downloading child pornography via Kik

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old Los Fresnos resident has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Israel Flores Jr. admitted to possessing child pornography on a flash drive he obtained while a student at University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. He had downloaded the child pornography via Kik and placed that material on a flash drive for easier distribution. He then gave this device to another individual. Flores acknowledged being the original owner of the flash drive and that it had been in his possession for a number of years prior to giving it to someone else. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 21. At that time, Flores faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Flores has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Cyberstalking

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court for cyberstalking. Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Larry Spencer , 62, to 14 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Spencer pleaded guilty on October 17, 2022. The court will also issue a three-year federal protective order prohibiting contact between Spencer and the victim. According to court records, Spencer was divorced from his former spouse in 2016 in Maryland. Following years of harassment and stalking, the victim relocated to a different residence in Maryland before moving to Maine in 2018. Spencer continued to harass and threaten her via email and social media posts, and she obtained a State of Maine protection order in 2019. Spencer continued to harass and threaten the victim in violation of the order by sending dozens of emails and harassing posts and threats online. Permanently deleting her email account did not stop him. Spencer’s use of email messages and posts on social media platforms to contact the victim directly and indirectly, as well as his overt and veiled references to violence and to her physical location, caused the victim substantial emotional distress. “Cyberstalking is a serious and traumatizing federal crime, the prosecution of which is a priority for my office,” said United States Attorney Darcie N. McElwee . The FBI conducted the investigation. # # #


title: Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Violent Carjacking Outside Northeast Minneapolis Restaurant

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for violently carjacking a woman outside her place of work in northeast Minneapolis as well as his involvement in two additional armed carjackings, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, Shamir Nathann Black, 19, and an unidentified accomplice approached a woman outside of her place of work and demanded her car keys. Black proceeded to push the victim to the ground and hit her on the head with a firearm. A bystander attempted to assist the victim but was also assaulted by Black. During the struggle, Black discharged the firearm in the bystander’s direction. Black and an accomplice then got into the victim’s vehicle, but surrounding witnesses pulled Black from the driver’s seat and put him on the ground. Black and his accomplice fled the scene on foot. After arriving at the scene, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department located a Shadow Systems 9mm semiautomatic pistol wrapped in a gray sweatshirt. The firearm had been reported stolen in Prior Lake in April 2022. Investigators reviewed a social media video that showed Black waving around a handgun that matched the firearm recovered at the crime scene. Further investigation revealed that a Volkswagen Jetta had been taken in a Prior Lake home burglary on the same night the firearm was stolen. Law enforcement later recovered the stolen Jetta from Black’s Minneapolis residence. On June 24, 2022, Black was taken into custody. Black pleaded guilty on September 20, 2022, to one count of carjacking and admitted to being involved in two additional armed carjackings in Golden Valley in the spring of 2022. Black was sentenced today before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Golden Valley Police Department, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso prosecuted the case.


title: Cass County Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of an Unregistered Firearm

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Cass County man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on July 8, 2021, John Jarrod Jones, 44, illegally possessed a 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun. Jones took the firearm into a restroom at the Cedar Lakes Casino and Hotel on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and hid it behind a garbage can along with a plastic bag containing shotgun shells and a knife. Jones left the restroom and was later arrested in the Casino on unrelated charges. Because Jones has several prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Cass County, he is prohibited from lawfully possessing any firearms or ammunition. Jones pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leech Lake Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Polachek and LeeAnn K. Bell are prosecuting the case.


title: Buffalo Couple Arrested, Charged With  Making, Passing Counterfeit Money

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eric M. Butson, 36, and Catalina Hernandez, 41, both of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit United States currency. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that between December 2022, and March 2023, Butson and Hernandez are accused of conspiring to manufacture and pass counterfeit money in stores, restaurants, and shops. According to the complaint, on January 10, 2023, Butson and Hernandez used a counterfeit $100 bill to make a purchase at Watson's Chocolates on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. Watson's Chocolates reported this incident and provided surveillance video to the United States Secret Service. Subsequent investigation determined that Butson and Hernandez, wearing Covid masks, successfully passed or attempted to pass counterfeit $100 bills, bearing the same serial number of the bill used at Watson’s Chocolates, at multiple businesses including: Salsaritas Sunshine and Bluebirds Elmwood Pet Supplies Walgreens Drug Store Hydraulic Hearth Left Bank Restaurant Jim’s Steakout Cheesy Chick Café Humbert House Restaurant On February 6, 2023, investigators pulled the trash from the defendants Orlando Street residence, recovering an ink cartridge, a partial counterfeit bill, printer paper with the outlines of bills used to align printing of counterfeit bills, receipts, and bags from businesses on Elmwood Avenue where counterfeit bills were passed, and handwritten addresses of businesses where counterfeit bills were passed. To date, Butson and Hernandez have attempted to pass counterfeit bills at more than 50 businesses in the greater Buffalo area. They are also currently charged in the Towns of Amherst and West Seneca with passing counterfeit bills. The defendants made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and are being held pending a detention hearing on March, 24, 2023. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Burr, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Registered Sex Offender Going To Prison For 10 Years For Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Matthew Bald, 42, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor by a person having a prior conviction for sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, or abusive sexual contact involving a minor or ward, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who handled the case, stated that in November 2011, Bald was convicted in Niagara County Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to serve six months in prison and 10 years’ probation. On December 15, 2020, while still on probation, Bald possessed more than 600 images of child pornography on a laptop computer. Some of the images of child pornography depicted prepubescent minors. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, the Niagara County Probation Department, under the direction of Director John Cicchetti, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. # # # #


title: Stevensville man sentenced to 16 years in prison for fentanyl, meth trafficking operation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Stevensville man convicted in a large-scale operation to make and distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine pills that looked like legal prescription drugs, which he sold by the thousands while illegally possessing a firearm, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Andrew Kyle Whittecar, 38, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and money laundering. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that on April 27, 2022, the Minnesota Highway Patrol made a traffic stop of Whittecar’s vehicle. Whittecar appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, and the trooper suspected Whittecar may be trafficking drugs. The trooper ultimately searched the vehicle and found $3,000 in cash, three grams of cocaine, more than 5,000 blue fentanyl pills, 1,000 orange pills that contained methamphetamine, a loaded Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun and an additional loaded magazine. The government further alleged Whittecar later told law enforcement that the fentanyl and meth pills were designed to look like Percocet and Adderall, that he made between 10 to 15 trips over the last year from Seattle, Washington, to Madison, Wisconsin, with the same quantity of fentanyl: approximately 5,000 pills. Law enforcement also received reports that Whittecar, while incarcerated, had enlisted family members to move items from his shed in Stevensville to another property somewhere in the country. Investigators executed a search warrant for the Stevensville property, which Whittecar was in the process of buying, and found a backhoe blocking entrance to a storage container. After moving the backhoe and entering the container, agents found two pill presses, dyes, chemicals and other substances indicative of manufacturing counterfeit pills. Some of the press heads had symbols and markings that were consistent with the pills recovered from Whittecar’s vehicle. Investigators also located a jar and a plastic baggie that contained fentanyl. Law enforcement searched storage units used by Whittecar and found boxes containing lab equipment and glassware, which appeared consistent with a clandestine fentanyl laboratory. Drug Enforcement Administration chemists determined that the chemicals and equipment located in the storage units were sufficient to produce fentanyl. Agents also located a large assortment of gun parts and ammunition. Additionally, a search of Whittecar’s three cell phones revealed suspected coded language for drug production and distribution. In March 2021, Whittecar communicated with Yangzhou Nuoya Machinery Company Ltd to import pill presses and custom dyes and punches, and he agreed to wire money to the company. The government also alleged that Whittecar laundered his drug profits by buying several high-end vehicles, a backhoe, a trailer and additional equipment to continue his enterprise. Whittecar forfeited a 2015 Cadillac Escalade, a 2008 Ford F-450, a 2019 Ford F-450, a flatbed trailer, a backhoe, $3,000 in currency and the Glock 17 handgun and ammunition as part of his conviction in the case. Whittecar was convicted in 2019 of three federal felonies in Washington and was prohibited from possessing a firearm for life. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota State Patrol, West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Ismail J. Ramsey Sworn In As United States Attorney For The Northern District Of California

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Ismail J. Ramsey took the oath of office today to become the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California. President Joseph Biden announced the nomination of Mr. Ramsey on November 29, 2022, and the United States Senate confirmed Mr. Ramsey on March 7, 2023. Hon. Thelton Henderson, Senior United States District Judge (ret.) and Chief District Judge Richard Seeborg oversaw the private ceremony. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. Ramsey served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the office he now leads. Since 2006, he has been a partner at Ramsey & Ehrlich LLP in Berkeley, Calif. He also has served as an adjunct professor at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. From 1997 to 1999 and 2003 to 2005, Mr. Ramsey worked as an associate at the law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP. In 1996 and 1997, he served as a law clerk for Judge Harry T. Edwards. Mr. Ramsey earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1989, a Master of Business Administration from the Haas School of Business in 1996, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1996. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force.


title: Coordinator Pleads Guilty in Fatal Imperial County Smuggling Incident Resulting in Thirteen Deaths

component: USAO - California, Southern

number: CAS23-0321-Cruz Noguez, et al

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges stemming from a March 2, 2021, smuggling incident in which thirteen people died when the vehicle in which they were concealed collided with a tractor trailer near Holtville, California. In a hearing in United States District Court, the defendant admitted that he and his co-conspirators sought to smuggle a large number of undocumented migrants into the United States by loading them into modified SUVs and breaching an area of the international boundary fence between Mexico and the United States near Calexico, California. In the days leading up to March 2, 2021, the defendant committed various acts for the purpose of carrying out the conspiracy, such as attempting to recruit at least one criminal associate to drive a load vehicle containing as many as 20 undocumented migrants. And during the early morning hours of March 2, 2021, before the smuggling event, Cruz Noguez used his vehicle to scout the area that the load vehicles would be traveling. After confirming there was no law enforcement in the area, defendant’s co-conspirators loaded dozens of undocumented migrants – including at least one minor who was unaccompanied by a parent or guardian – into two modified SUVs and drove them into the United States through a breach they had cut in the international boundary fence. Once successfully in the United States, the two load vehicles traveled west along Interstate 8, and as has been reported in the media, one of the vehicles – a GMC Yukon – caught fire on Interstate 8 near Highway 115. Shortly thereafter, the other vehicle – a Ford Expedition – collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115 near Holtville, California. Thirteen individuals in the Ford Expedition died tragically as a result of the accident. In his plea agreement, Cruz Noguez admitted that he and his co-conspirators were smuggling the undocumented migrants into the United States for financial consideration and with the intent to violate the immigration laws of the United States. The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) initially indicted Cruz Noguez on April 27, 2021. Following further investigation, the USAO charged him and another individual (who remains a fugitive) in a Third Superseding Indictment on July 15, 2022. Cruz Noguez’s trial had been scheduled to begin on May 15, 2023. Instead, he entered into a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with one count of Conspiracy to Bring in Undocumented Migrants and three counts of Bringing In Undocumented Migrants for Financial Gain (which carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence). Cruz Noguez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo. This case was supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA was created by the Attorney General in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to strengthen the Department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling from and through Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California helps lead JTFA, which is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California, and dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement commitment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21CR1277-CAB Jose Cruz Noguez Age: 49 Mexicali, Mexico Froylan Cortez Avalos (fugitive) Age: 49 Mexicali, Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Bring In Undocumented Migrants Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(i) and (v)(I) Maximum penalty: 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine Bringing In Undocumented Migrants for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) and Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2 Maximum penalty: 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations United States Border Patrol California Highway Patrol Imperial County Sheriff’s Office


title: Otsego County Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Shelby Ortiz, age 30, of Maryland, New York was sentenced today to serve 15 years in prison and a 20-year term of supervised release to begin after imprisonment for distributing child pornography. Ortiz also will be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli, and City of Oneota Police Chief Christopher Witzenburg. When Ortiz pled guilty in October 2022, she admitted that she subjected an approximately seven-month-old boy to mouth to penis contact, knowing that the sex act she was performing was being video recorded. She admitted further that, on the same day she performed the sex act, she knowingly distributed the video to a person living in Florida with whom she was participating in an online and telephone dominant/submissive sexual relationship. This case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the City of Oneonta Police Department, and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ .


title: Florida Resorts Agree to Pay $325,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to False Certifications on a Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application

component: Civil Division

body_text: Florida companies Kingwood Orlando Reunion Resort LLC (Orlando Reunion) and Kingwood Crystal River Resort Corp. (Crystal River) have agreed to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application submitted by Crystal River. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized these businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses, such as payroll. When applying for forgiveness of PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their applications. A PPP recipient seeking loan forgiveness based on the payment of wages was only entitled to forgiveness for the amount of wages actually paid to its employees during the designated period. Here, Orlando Reunion and Crystal River, which are related but operate separate resorts, both received separate PPP loans. The United States alleged that Crystal River sought forgiveness of its PPP loan, in-part, by certifying that it used a portion of its PPP loan to pay wages of Crystal River employees, when in fact, some of the employees to whom it claimed to have paid wages were actually Orlando Reunion employees whom Crystal River did not employ or pay. As a part of the settlement announced today, Crystal River and Orlando Reunion agreed to pay $271,720 in damages and penalties under the FCA and $53,280 in civil penalties under FIRREA. “PPP loans were intended to help small businesses retain employees and keep their doors open during the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who knowingly and improperly sought PPP loans or forgiveness of those loans.” “A primary mission of the United States Attorney’s Office is protecting government programs from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to hold accountable those who abuse the CARES Act and PPP Program at the expense of the taxpayers.” “This settlement demonstrates that attempts to wrongfully obtain loan forgiveness will not go unnoticed, and violators will be identified,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General (SBA OIG) Eastern Region. “I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.” The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by the former Director of Human Resources for Kingwood resorts and is captioned U.S. ex rel. Falzarano v. Kingwood International Resort, LLC, et al., Dkt. No. 6:20-cv-976-ORL-37EJK (M.D. Fla.) . The whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $46,000 in connection with the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA OIG. This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor for the Middle District of Florida. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Firearms into Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court in Del Rio on Monday to smuggling firearms and ammunition into Mexico from the United States. According to court documents, Jose Jesus Hernandez-Valle, 54, conspired with others to smuggle a 9mm pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and more than 200 rounds of ammunition and other related firearm accessories into Mexico. The firearms were discovered and seized by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Del Rio International Port of Entry on Nov. 2, 2022. Hernandez-Valle pleaded guilty to smuggling of goods from the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25, 2023 before Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Division made the announcement. HSI and CBP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Alex Brown are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Bulgarian Woman Charged For Role In Multi-Billion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Pyramid Scheme “OneCoin” And Extradited From Bulgaria To The United States

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (“IRS-CI”), announced today the unsealing of charges against IRINA DILKINSKA in connection with her participation in the massive OneCoin fraud scheme. OneCoin, which began operations in 2014 and was based in Sofia, Bulgaria, marketed and sold a fraudulent cryptocurrency by the same name through a global multi-level-marketing (“MLM”) network. As a result of misrepresentations made about OneCoin, victims invested over $4 billion worldwide in the fraudulent cryptocurrency. DILKINSKA was extradited from Bulgaria yesterday and will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn later today. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Irina Dilkinska, the supposed Head of Legal and Compliance for the OneCoin cryptocurrency pyramid scheme, accomplished the exact opposite of her job title and allegedly enabled OneCoin to launder millions of dollars of illegal proceeds through shell companies. Dilkinska helped perpetuate a wide-ranging scheme with millions of victims and billions of dollars in losses, and she will now face justice for her alleged crimes.” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged in the charges unsealed today, Dilkinska helped her co-conspirator, Mark Scott, launder approximately $400 million in OneCoin proceeds while she was purportedly OneCoin’s Head of Legal and Compliance. Further, when she learned of Scott’s arrest, she destroyed incriminating documents and sent another co-conspirator incriminating messages. As the actions announced today should demonstrate, the FBI will continue its determination to bring alleged fraudsters like Dilkinska to justice.” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “The charges against Irina Dilkinska are the outcome of the exceptional investigative work of our federal and international law enforcement partners. Those who commit fraud are put on notice today that IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to holding them accountable no matter where they are located.” According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment and other filings and statements made in court: [1] In 2014, RUJA IGNATOVA, a/k/a “the Cryptoqueen,” and KARL SEBASTIAN GREENWOOD co-founded OneCoin, [2] a company based in Sofia, Bulgaria, that marketed a purported cryptocurrency by the same name, which was in fact a fraudulent pyramid scheme. OneCoin operated as a MLM network through which members received commissions for recruiting others to purchase cryptocurrency packages. This MLM structure influenced rapid growth of the OneCoin member network. Indeed, according to OneCoin’s promotional materials, over three million people invested in fraudulent cryptocurrency packages. OneCoin records show that, between the fourth quarter of 2014 and the fourth quarter of 2016 alone, OneCoin generated €4.037 billion in sales revenue and earned “profits” of €2.735 billion. DILKINSKA was the purported Head of Legal and Compliance for OneCoin, but rather than ensuring that OneCoin complied with the law, DILKINKSA assisted in the creation and management of shell companies in order to launder OneCoin proceeds and to hold property belonging to IGNATOVA. For example, in 2016 and 2017, DILKINSKA helped co-conspirator MARK SCOTT, a former equity partner at a prominent international law firm, launder approximately $400 million in OneCoin proceeds through a series of fake Cayman Islands investment funds operated by SCOTT. Among other things, DILKINSKA used a company named B&N Consult EEOD, which was falsely described as offering “proprietary consulting services, support and software solutions” to its clients and as generating €200 million in 2015 through 2016, to disguise the transfer of millions of dollars as purported “investments” into SCOTT’s funds. In reality, B&N was a shell company that did not generate legitimate income and was used by DILKINSKA to launder OneCoin proceeds. In or around September 2018, DILKINSKA learned of SCOTT’s arrest in connection with his laundering of OneCoin proceeds. Shortly thereafter, DILKINSKA burned incriminating documents, sent co-conspirator KONSTANTIN IGNATOV a text message with a link to a newspaper article about the arrest, and then wrote a series of texts, including, “See this!!!!!”; “Something is going on!!!!!”; and “If this is true I need the mega lawyers for whom [co-conspirator FRANK SCHNEIDER] was talking!!!” On October 12, 2017, IGNATOVA was charged with OneCoin-related fraud and money laundering charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and a federal warrant was issued for her arrest. On October 25, 2017, IGNATOVA traveled on a commercial flight from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, and has not been seen publicly since. IGNATOVA was added to the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List in June 2022. The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to IGNATOVA’s arrest. * * * DILKINKSA, 41, of Sofia, Bulgaria, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the IRS-CI and the FBI, which jointly conducted this investigation with Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Marshals Service, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Bulgarian authorities. If you have any information about IGNATOVA’s whereabouts, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be reported anonymously and can also be reported online at tips.fbi.gov. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. DiMase, Nicholas Folly, Juliana N. Murray, and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. [2] OneCoin has operated using several corporate entities and d/b/a names, including “OneCoin Ltd.,” “OnePayments Ltd.,” “OneNetwork Services Ltd.,” “OneAcademy,” and “OneLife.” These entities and d/b/a names are referred to collectively here as “OneCoin.”


title: Justice Department Announces Charges and Sentence in Connection with Attempts to Acquire Military and Dual-Use Technologies

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Iranian Agents Tried to Obtain Equipment That Could Be Used in Weapons Programs WASHINGTON – A federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed two indictments today charging multiple defendants with violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for their roles in separate schemes to procure and export U.S. technology to Iran between 2005 and 2013. In connection with today’s announcement, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated three of the defendants and four entities for their involvement in the procurement of equipment that supports Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and weapons programs. United States v. Paidar, et al. According to the indictment, between 2012 and 2013, defendants Amanallah Paidar, of Iran, and Murat Bükey, of Turkey, conspired to procure and export U.S. technology for Iran through their companies Farazan Industrial Engineering, in Iran, and Ozon Spor Ve Hobbi Ürünleri, in Turkey. Specifically, Paidar and Bükey exported from the United States and transshipped through Turkey a device that can test the efficacy and power of fuel cells and attempted to obtain a bio-detection system that has application in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) research and use. Bükey, who was extradited to the United States from Spain in July 2022, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the AECA and IEEPA in December 2022. He was sentenced yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 28 months in prison, with credit for time served. He will be removed from the United States after completing his sentence. Paidar is a fugitive and remains at large. United States v. Mahmoudi, et al. According to the indictment, between 2005 and 2009, defendants Agshar Mahmoudi, of Iran; Bahram Mahmoudi Mahmoud Alilou, of Iran; and Shahin Golshani, of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); conspired to obtain U.S. technology, including a high-speed camera that has known nuclear and ballistic missile testing applications, a nose landing gear assembly for an F-5 fighter jet, and a meteorological sensor system, through their companies Aran Modern Devices Kish Company, in Iran; and Modern Technologies, in the UAE. The defendants are fugitives and remain at large. “These defendants sought to obtain valuable U.S.- origin goods that could assist Iran’s military and WMD aspirations, and in some instances, they were successful,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and our federal law enforcement partners will zealously pursue those who break these laws and harm our national security interests, regardless of where in the world they operate." “With the help of our U.S. agency and international partners, the FBI thwarted an attempt to export advanced, American controlled, technological systems and goods,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will not stand idly while hostile countries attempt to evade our laws and circumvent U.S. sanctions and we will work tirelessly to stop such activity. This sentencing further illustrates our willingness to reach beyond our borders, to protect American interests and bring all offenders to justice.” “The sentencing of Murat Bukey and the charging of four others with conspiring to illegally export technologies and goods to Iran demonstrates our determination to hold those who attempt to circumvent U.S. export laws and sanctions accountable,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Export controls exist to protect the security of the United States and its people, and we will aggressively investigate those who threaten our national security by violating these laws. We are grateful to our international partners for their assistance in dismantling this scheme and bringing the defendant to justice.” “Mr. Bukey acted on behalf of a larger network attempting to deliver sensitive U.S. technology into the hands of a hostile nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “If we allow such networks to meet with success, they could potentially put the safety of every American at risk. Investigating the illegal exportation of sensitive technology has long been a hallmark of Homeland Security Investigations. HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize any investigation into illegal activity that threatens the security of the United States. Working with our federal law enforcement partners, HSI will exhaust all of our resources to ensure the safety of the American people.” The investigation that led to these charges was conducted by the FBI, HSI, and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry, Office of Export Enforcements’ Washington Field Offices, and coordinated by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case, with support from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts and Mariela Andrade. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Bukey’s arrest and extradition. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: تقرير إلى الرئيس عن قضايا المائدة المستديرة للمساعدة القانونية بين الوكالات التابعة للبيت الأبيض

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: أصدر اليوم النائب العام ميريك ب. جارلاند، ومستشار البيت الأبيض ستيوارت ديليري، بشكل مشترك تقريرالمائدة المستديرة المشترك بين الوكالات للمساعدة القانونية للبيت الأبيض (المائدة المستديرة) لعام 2022. التقرير بعنوان "الوصول إلى العدالة من خلال التبسيط، خارطة طريق لتبسيط استمارات الحكومة الفيدرالية وإجراءاتها ولغتها المتمحورة حول الأشخاص" ( Access to Justice through Simplification: A Roadmap for People-Centered Simplification of Federal Government Forms, Processes, and Language ) يسلط الضوء على إنجازات الوكالة والتزاماتها في تعزيز مهمة المائدة المستديرة من أجل "زيادة إتاحة الوصول المُجدي إلى العدالة للأفراد والأسر، بغض النظر عن الثروة أو المكانة". قال المدعي العام ميريك ب. جارلاند "يجب أن تكون استمارات الحكومة وإجراءاتها في متناول الجميع – ليس فقط المحامين أو هؤلاء الذين يستطيعون تحمّل نفقاتها". "يوفر تقريرالمائدة المستديرة 2022 خارطة طريق لمساعدة الوكالات على تقليل الحواجز وتوسيع الوصول إلى البرامج والخدمات الحكومية الفيدرالية". يركز التقرير على الطرق التي يمكن للحكومة الفيدرالية من خلالها تبسيط استماراتها وإجراءاتها من أجل تقليل حاجة الأفراد لطلب المساعدة القانونية. في عام 2022، ركزت المائدة المستديرة على توسيع الوصول إلى البرامج والخدمات والفوائد من خلال تطوير خارطة طريق تبسيط وتسليط الضوء على أفضل ممارسات الوكالات الأعضاء. يحدِّد تقرير 2022 للمائدة المستديرة مسارًا من ثلاث خطوات إلى الأمام من أجل: (1) فهم العوائق التي تحول دون الوصول من خلال المشاركة الهادفة مع المجتمعات التي تخدمها وتتأثر بالبرامج الحكومية، (2) تنفيذ الاستراتيجيات من خلال دمج التعقيبات الواردة من المشاركة، و (3) تقييم تأثير الجهود المبذولة للتبسيط لتحديد ما إذا كانت قد وسعت الوصول بشكل هادف، أو إذا كانت هناك تحسينات أكثر ممكنة. كما يعرض التقرير أيضًا الجهود التي تبذلها الوكالات الأعضاء لتبسيط الاستمارات والإجراءات الناجحة وتعزز الالتزامات للوصول إلى تحسينات على مستوى الحكومة من خلال التصميم الذي يركز على الإنسان والمشاركة المجتمعية. "من خلال هذا العمل، نعطي الأولوية للنُهج التي تركز على الناس لتبسيط النماذج والعمليات واللغة"، قالت مديرة مكتب الوصول إلى العدلة راشيل روسي. "من الأهمية وضع المجتمعات التي نخدمها في قلب جهودنا لمتابعة وصول الجميع إلى العدالة". في ديسمبر/كانون الأول 2022، المدعي العام ميريك جارلاند ونائبة مستشار البيت الأبيض، ستايسي غريسبي، شاركا في رئاسة اجتماع المائدة المستديرة مع تقديم ملاحظات ومشاركة من قِبَل الرجل الثاني للولايات المتحدة دوغلاس إمهوف والمدعي العام المساعد فانيتا جوبتا، وأدارتها مديرة مكتب الوصول إلى العدالة، راشيل روسي. وشمل الحضور رؤساء وكالات المائدة المستديرة وكبار المسؤولين بمن فيهم سكرتير إدارة شؤون المحاربين القدامى دينيس ريتشارد ماكدونو،نائب وزير الأمن الداخلي جون تيان، المفوض بالإنابة عن قسم إدارة الضمان الاجتماعي الدكتور كيلولو كيجاكازي، رئيس المؤتمر الإداري للولايات المتحدة أندرو فوا، مدير مكتب الحماية المالية للمستهلك روهيت شوبرا، وكيل وزارة التربية والتعليم جيمس كفال، رئيسة لجنة تكافؤ فرص العمل شارلوت بوروز، ورئيسة لجنة الاتصالات الفيدرالية جيسيكا روزنوورسل، نائب مساعد الرئيس شيراغ باينز، المستشار العام لوزارة الدفاع كارولين كراس، المحامية بوزارة العمل سيما ناندا، رئيس مؤسسة الخدمات القانونية رونالد فلاج، مدير الخدمات الرقمية مينا هسيانغ، نائب مستشار مكتب نائب الرئيس نسرينا برجزي، المستشار العام لوكالة حماية البيئة جيفري برييتو، النائب الرئيسي لمحامي الداخلية آن ماري بليدسو داونس، المدير المساعد لمكتب الإعلام والشؤون التنظيمية سَبيل رحمن، المسؤول الرئيسي لتجربة العملاء بوزارة الزراعة سيمتشا سوفيك بوجن، نائب مساعد مدير أول وكالة التنمية الدولية كارل فيكنشر، ونائب مدير الشعبة بالمؤسسة الوطنية للعلوم ألان تومكينز. حضر مسؤولون إضافيون من وزارة الخارجية ووزارة الخزانة ووزارة الصحة والخدمات الإنسانية ووزارة النقل. ناقشت المائدة المستديرة أهمية التعامل مع المجتمعات، بما في ذلك مقدمو الخدمة القانونية والمجتمعات المهمشة والمحرومة تاريخياً، لفهم الحواجزالتي تواجَه في الوصول إلى الموارد الحكومية. سلطت المائدة المستديرة الضوء على أهمية دمج المعلومات المستفادة من خلال تلك المشاركة لاعتماد استراتيجيات فعالة لتبسيط استمارات الحكومة الفيدرالية وإجراءاتها ولغتها. عكست المائدة المستديرة الضوء أيضًا على عمل مقدمي الخدمات القانونية لمساعدة الجمهور في الوصول إلى مزايا الحكومة الفيدرالية والبرامج، وكيف يمكن لتبسيط الاستمارات والإجراءات أن يخفف العبء عن منظمات الخدمات القانونية. خلال الاجتماع، عيّن المدعي العام جارلاند أيضًا ألي يانغ جرين في منصب المدير التنفيذي للمائدة المستديرة، وهو منصب داخل مكتب الوصول إلى العدالة. تتمتع السيدة يانغ جرين بمهنة متميزة ملتزمة بالوصول إلى العدالة، وكانت محامية في السابق في مكتب إدارة الوصول إلى العدالة في الوزارة. سوف تقوم السيدة يانغ غرين، حسب توجيهات اللجنة بعقد اجتماعات منتظمة للمائدة المستديرة والإشراف على عملها. سيستمر قسم مكتب الوصول إلى العدالة في توفير الموظفين للمائدة المستديرة والعمل في شراكة مع الوكالات الأعضاء في المائدة المستديرة لدفع تطوير مناهج جديدة وأفضل الممارسات التي توفر وصولاً هادفًا إلى العدالة. في عام 2021، أعلن المدعي العام جارلاند استئناف مكتب مستقل للوصول إلى العدالة داخل وزارة العدل مكرس لتحسين فهم الحكومة الفيدرالية للاحتياجات القانونية الأكثر إلحاحًا للمجتمعات المحلية والقدرة على معالجتها في أمريكا. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، نشر المدعي العام جارلاند بصفته الرئيس المشارك للمائدة المستديرة المشتركة بين الوكالات للمساعدة القانونية، بالاشتراك مع مستشارة البيت الأبيض دانا ريموس، تقرير المائدة المستديرة لعام 2021، " الوصول إلى العدالة في عصر كوفيد-19 " ( Access to Justice in the Age of COVID-19 ). ركزت المائدة المستديرة على العوائق التي تحول دون الوصول إلى العدالة التي تم الكشف عنها وتفاقمت خلال جائحة كوفيد-19 وحددت الاستراتيجيات المبتكرة التي اعتمدها أعضاء المائدة المستديرة استجابةً لذلك.


title: White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Issues Report to the President

body_text: Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Stuart Delery jointly issued the 2022 White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (Roundtable) Report. The report, entitled “ Access to Justice through Simplification: A Roadmap for People-Centered Simplification of Federal Government Forms, Processes, and Language ,” highlights agency accomplishments and commitments in furtherance of the Roundtable’s mission to “increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status.” “Government forms and processes must be accessible to everyone — not just lawyers or those who can afford them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Roundtable’s 2022 Report provides a roadmap to help agencies reduce barriers and expand access to federal government programs and services.” The report focuses on ways the federal government can simplify its forms and processes to reduce the need for individuals to seek legal assistance. In 2022, the Roundtable focused on expanding access to programs, services, and benefits by developing a simplification roadmap and highlighting member agencies’ best practices. The Roundtable’s 2022 report identifies a three-step path forward to: (1) understand the barriers to access through meaningful engagement with communities served and impacted by government programs, (2) implement strategies through incorporating feedback from engagement, and (3) evaluate the impact of the simplification efforts to determine whether they have meaningfully expanded access, or if further improvements are possible. The report also features successful form and process simplification efforts by member agencies and promotes commitments for government-wide access improvements through human-centered design and community engagement. “Through this work, we are prioritizing people-centered approaches to simplify forms, processes and language,” said Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice. “It is critical to place the communities we serve at the center of our efforts to pursue access to justice for all.” In December 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy White House Counsel Stacey Grigsby co-chaired a convening of the Roundtable with remarks and participation by Second Gentleman of the United States Douglas Emhoff and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, and moderated by Director of the Office for Access to Justice, Rachel Rossi. The Roundtable agency principals and high-level officials in attendance included Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis Richard McDonough, Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary John Tien, Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, Administrative Conference of the United States Chair Andrew Fois, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Charlotte Burrows, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Deputy Assistant to the President Chiraag Bains, Department of Defense General Counsel Caroline Krass, Department of Labor Solicitor Seema Nanda, Legal Services Corporation President Ronald Flagg, Digital Service Administrator Mina Hsiang, Office of the Vice President Deputy Counsel Nasrina Bargzie, Environmental Protection Agency General Counsel Jeffrey Prieto, Department of Interior Principal Deputy Solicitor Ann Marie Bledsoe Downes, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Associate Administrator Sabeel Rahman, Department of Agriculture Chief Customer Experience Officer Simchah Suveyke Bogin, Agency for International Development Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator Karl Fickenscher, and National Science Foundation Deputy Division Director Alan Tomkins. Additional officials attended from the Department of State, the Department of Treasury, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Transportation. The Roundtable discussed the importance of engaging with communities, including legal service providers and historically underserved and marginalized communities, to understand barriers faced in accessing government resources. The Roundtable highlighted the importance of incorporating information learned through that engagement to adopt effective strategies to simplify federal government forms, processes and language. The Roundtable also reflected on the work of legal service providers to assist the public with access to federal government benefits and programs, and how simplification of forms and process can alleviate the burden on legal services organizations. During the meeting, Attorney General Garland also named Allie Yang-Green as the Executive Director of the Roundtable, a position within the Office for Access to Justice. Ms. Yang-Green has had a distinguished career committed to access to justice, and she was previously an attorney with the Department’s Office for Access to Justice. Ms. Yang-Green will, as directed by the Co-Chairs, convene regular meetings of the Roundtable and supervise its work. The Department’s Office for Access to Justice will continue to staff the Roundtable, and to work in partnership with Roundtable member agencies to drive development of new approaches and best practices that provide meaningful access to justice. In 2021, Attorney General Garland announced the restoration of a standalone Office for Access to Justice within the Justice Department dedicated to improving the federal government’s understanding of and capacity to address the most urgent legal needs of communities across America. In addition, in his capacity as co-chair of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable, Attorney General Garland, together with White House Counsel Dana Remus, also released the Roundtable’s 2021 report, “ Access to Justice in the Age of COVID-19 .” The 2021 Roundtable focused on barriers to access to justice that were exposed and exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the innovative strategies adopted by Roundtable members in response.