title: Diamond Bar Man Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Driving His Car Through Demonstrators at ‘Stop Asian Hate’ Rally

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Diamond Bar man was sentenced today to 12 months in federal prison for disrupting a “Stop Asian Hate” rally in March 2021 by running a red light and driving through a crowded crosswalk of peaceful demonstrators while shouting racial slurs and epithets. Steve Lee Dominguez, 58, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II. Dominguez pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities. “This defendant’s hateful attack was designed to curtail the rights of peaceful demonstrators,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “While differences of opinion are part of a healthy democracy, we cannot allow people to commit acts of violence against those with whom they disagree. My office will continue to safeguard civil rights for all members of our community.” “Mr. Dominguez attacked innocent civilians who were simply standing up for a righteous cause – to protect Asian members of our society from hateful attacks,” said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s sentence represents the FBI’s commitment to ensuring that Constitutionally-protected rights are not violated and those who deny them will be held accountable.” “We are deeply committed to protecting everyone’s constitutional rights including freedom of speech, and when actions turn violent and cross the line into criminal misconduct they will not be tolerated,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “The Sheriff’s Department will continue to work with our justice partners to ensure our diverse communities within Los Angeles County are protected for exercising their civil rights without fear of being attacked or harassed.” A “Stop Asian Hate” rally occurred on March 21, 2021, in Diamond Bar. The rally was to raise awareness about the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against members of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community both locally and nationally – including the murders of six Asian American women five days earlier in Atlanta. A group of rally participants assembled at the intersection of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue, carrying American flags and large signs in support of their cause. The demonstrators peacefully gathered and lawfully crossed the streets using the marked pedestrian crosswalk when they had the right of way. During the rally, Dominguez was driving a black Honda Civic sedan and was stopped at a red light at the intersection. Dominguez yelled, “Go back to China!” and other racial slurs and profanities at the demonstrators. He then deliberately drove his car through the intersection’s crosswalk at the red light, made an illegal U-turn into oncoming traffic, and cut off the route of several rally participants lawfully crossing the street, primarily women and a young child. One of the victims was an Asian woman carrying a sign that read, “Stop Asian Hate.” Another victim was a minor Black female rally participant who carried a sign that read, “End the Violence Against Asians.” Another person who was cut off in the crosswalk was a 9-year-old child, and Dominguez’s car narrowly missed her and other victims. No injuries were reported. Dominguez then pulled his car over, got out of the car and continued to yell racial epithets – including the n-word – and threats at the demonstrators. He then called the police, identified himself as “John Doe” and falsely reported to police that the rally participants were blocking the street and he had to run a red light “because they were about to trample my car,” according to evidence presented at trial. He also requested that police “get some control out” at the intersection. The FBI investigated this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially responded to the scene and assisted in this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section prosecuted this case. Any member of the public who has information related to hate crimes is encouraged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or report tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov .


title: Michigan Man Sentenced for a Firearms Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nathan Cortez Duncan, age 43, of Highland Park, Michigan, was sentenced today to 117 months for the acquisition of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, officers were conducting a search at a home when Duncan fled from a first-story window. When Duncan was apprehended, he was found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol. A search of the home also resulted in the seizure of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, additional firearms, ammunition, and cash. Duncan will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. ###


title: Jamestown man arrested, charged with drug possession

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Willie C. Graham, 43, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in September 2023, Jamestown Police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that had pulled out of a known drug house in Jamestown. A search of the vehicle recovered what appeared to be methamphetamine, along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also recovered a glass bubble pipe from Graham’s waist area. Graham and the other two occupants were then taken to the Jamestown City Jail, at which time Graham indicated that he was experiencing chest pains and could not breathe. Before Graham was transported for medical attention, officers discovered suspected fentanyl on his person. On March 2, 2024, Graham was a passenger in a vehicle that fled from officers attempting to initiate a traffic stop. A search of the vehicle recovered 11.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine, other drug paraphernalia, and $1,134.00 cash. Graham and the other two occupants were taken to the Jamestown City Jail, where Graham informed officers that he had eaten “dope” prior to being arrested and was overdosing. He was given one dose of NARCAN and transported for medical attention. Graham made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is detained pending a detention hearing on May 7, at 11:30 a.m. The complaint is a result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. 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: Fort Myers Man Sentenced To 45 Years’ Imprisonment In Murder-For-Hire Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Marvin Harris, Jr., aka “Mesh,” (25, Fort Myers) to 45 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire. Harris, Jr.’s co-defendant, Latrel Jackson, aka “Kobe,” (26, Chicago, Illinois), is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024, and faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment. According to court documents, in November 2019, Harris, Jr. hired two individuals, Latrel Jackson and unindicted co-conspirator D.S. (deceased), to travel from the Chicago-area to Fort Myers to commit murder in exchange for $10,000. Harris, Jr.’s motive was to retaliate against individuals he believed had robbed a Fort Myers residence from which he and others associated with him sold drugs. The individuals Harris, Jr. suspected of committing the robbery belonged to a Fort Myers gang known to law enforcement as “Bucktown.” With the agreement to retaliate against Bucktown in place, Jackson and D.S. traveled to Fort Myers from Chicago aboard a commercial airline on October 28, 2019. Upon their arrival, Harris, Jr. picked Jackson and D.S. up from the Southwest Florida International Airport and provided them with partial payment for the planned murder, as well as firearms to accomplish their task. Initially, Jackson and D.S. stayed at Harris, Jr.’s “trap house” (a residence used primarily to distribute drugs from) in Fort Myers but later moved to a local motel on Palm Beach Boulevard. During that time, Jackson, D.S., and others attempted to find members of Bucktown to murder in the retaliatory scheme. On November 2, 2019, Harris, Jr. obtained a vehicle for Jackson and D.S. to use during the commission of a murder. Jackson and D.S. proceeded to a known Bucktown hangout in Fort Myers and observed the victim, K.U., standing in front of the residence near the curb of the street. Jackson and D.S. quickly circled the block and, at close range, opened fire on K.U., killing him in front of the residence via a gunshot wound of the head. After the shooting, Harris, Jr. paid Jackson and D.S. the remaining sum of money owed for completing the murder-for-hire scheme. Jackson and D.S. were also left in possession of the firearms used to commit the murder. Jackson and D.S. then returned to the Chicago area via commercial bus on November 3, 2019. During a search of Jackson’s Chicago-area home on November 21, 2019, law enforcement recovered two firearms from an attic space in Jackson’s room. Expert testing and examination of the firearms by ATF confirmed that both matched shell casings recovered from the murder scene and the murder vehicle, and that one of the firearms had fired the bullet which had been recovered from K.U.’s head during his autopsy. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department, with the assistance of the Joliet (Illinois) Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Berkeley County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Charge

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Derrick Dwayne Myers, age 46, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Myers was selling controlled substances from a motel in Martinsburg. Investigators searched several rooms at the motel and Myers's vehicle. During the searches they located and seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, eutylone, and cash. Myers will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis II, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2021, Davis sold approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant inside a vehicle on the 1600 block of Doulton Avenue in Huntington. Davis admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on November 3, 2021, in Huntington. On November 9, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Davis’ vehicle and Fourth Street West residence in Huntington and seized approximately 399 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 9mm pistol. Davis admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-241. ###


title: Fort Myers Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possessing Loaded Firearm

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Jonnetric Devonte Ivey (30, Fort Myers) to 21 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ivey to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense. Ivey pleaded guilty on January 23, 2024. According to court documents, on March 22, 2023, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a traffic stop on a scooter being driven by Ivey. Prior to complying with the deputies’ demand to stop the scooter, Ivey made a throwing motion. In the same area where the throwing motion was made, deputies located a loaded Taurus pistol. DNA evidence later linked Ivey to the loaded pistol. Ivey is a convicted felon; therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney Hurwit Releases Public Service Announcement Warning Against Possession of Machinegun Conversion Devices

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

body_text: BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, released a public service announcement, available here , designed to raise awareness on the dangers of illegal machinegun conversion devices, sometimes known as “switches” or “auto-sears.” A machinegun conversion device is a device that, when integrated with a semiautomatic firearm, will convert it to fire in fully automatic capacity. This conversion of a Glock pistol with a “switch” machinegun conversion device, for example, will result in a rate-of-fire of approximately 1,100 – 1,200 rounds per minute, making these devices exceptionally lethal. “Glock switches and similar conversion devices are simple to manufacture and are easy to install. They turn regular firearms into machineguns capable of inflicting a tremendous toll in a few split seconds,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will not tolerate the proliferation of the devices on our streets and will use all of our resources to hold accountable anyone who would distribute these deadly and illegal devices.” “These switches are illegal and serve no safe or useful purpose to a firearms owner,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “We will investigate those who possess these devices. In the past five years alone, ATF has recovered more than 31,000 of these switches.” The PSA features a trained law enforcement agent demonstrating how these illegal devices turn a firearm into a machine gun that is essentially impossible to control. In the PSA, U.S. Attorney Hurwit also explains that simply possessing a switch can result in significant penalties—up to 10 years in federal prison. Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867). ###


title: Lincoln County Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Producing Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of two young girls to 27 years in prison. In addition to recording the abuse, Christopher C. Parker, 32, shared recordings and discussed his abuse of the victims with others online. Parker’s uploading of the images of child sexual abuse triggered multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which notified the FBI on March 21, 2023. Agents obtained a search warrant and searched Parker’s home in the village of Fountain N' Lakes in Lincoln County, Missouri, the next day. They found child sexual abuse material on electronic devices including a laptop and cell phones. Parker then admitted abusing the girls, his plea agreement says. Parker pleaded guilty in January to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution. The FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: San Felipe Man Charged with Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A San Felipe man was indicted for engaging in sexual acts and sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 years. The indictment alleges that Vernon Chavez , 61, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of San Felipe, engaged in a sexual act with Jane Doe, a child who had not then attained the age of 12 years between May 2016 and September 2017, and engaged in sexual contact with Jane Doe between August 1 and August 15, 2022. Chavez is charged with one count each of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact A federal judge detained Chavez pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2024. If convicted of the current charges, Chavez faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. Read the Indictment An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # 24-165


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LEON THOMPSON , age 39, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on May 2, 2024 to one (1) count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), and (b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s deputies learned that THOMPSON was delivering methamphetamine and other drugs to a residence in Buras, Louisiana, the following morning. In anticipation of THOMPSON’s arrival at the residence, officers conducted surveillance and located THOMPSON . Officers observed THOMPSON drive to and enter a fisheries plant in Plaquemines Parish where he remained for about ten minutes. After leaving the plant, he headed to the Buras residence. When THOMPSON arrived and saw the officers, he threw a cellophane bag containing 21.61 grams of methamphetamine to the ground. Deputies seized the methamphetamine and arrested THOMPSON . The officers also seized 1.13 grams of fentanyl from his vehicle. In a post-arrest statement, THOMPSON told the officers that he stored drugs at his place of employment, and he identified the locations at the plant where he stored the drugs. Officers entered THOMPSON employment location and seized 17.99 grams of fentanyl and a digital scale from the areas that THOMPSON identified as his drug storage locations. For the methamphetamine charged, THOMPSON faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, and a mandatory minimum term of supervised release of four years. For the fentanyl charged, THOMPSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three years. THOMPSON also faces a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. THOMPSON’s sentencing is set for August 15, 2024. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones and Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Champaign Woman Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on May 3, 2024, against Malaia A. Turner, 35, of the 2600th block of West Springfield Avenue, Champaign, Illinois, for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled on September 23, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Turner had conspired with several others to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine ice from suppliers in Illinois and California and transport those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. Members of the conspiracy, including Turner, then distributed the methamphetamine ice they had obtained to others for a profit in Illinois, including to customers in Champaign, Coles, and Edgar Counties. Turner has been in the custody of the United States Marshal Service since her arrest in August 2022. At sentencing, Turner faces statutory penalties of ten years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody. The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police’s East Central Illinois Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government at trial. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Woman who allegedly assaulted toddler on flight from Mexico to Seattle charged and detained after passengers reported the assaults and tried to intervene

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 33-year-old resident of Sacramento, California was ordered detained today in U.S. District Court in Seattle on a misdemeanor charge of Assault in a special aircraft jurisdiction, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Breanna R. Mistler was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport when the Delta flight from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico arrived on May 1, 2024. Today, Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida ordered Mistler detained pending trial noting that the 2-year-old child victim was particularly vulnerable. According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers on the flight observed Mistler abuse the child. One reported that the child was in the window seat and Mistler in the aisle seat. The child woke-up Mistler, who then turned and allegedly kicked the child. At another point in the flight a witness reported Mistler allegedly shook the child “like a rag doll.” Despite interventions from passengers, Mistler allegedly persisted in the abuse. Customs and Border Protection officers detained Mistler at the airport and noted bruises in multiple places on the toddler. The Port of Seattle Police and the FBI took over the investigation. The child was cared for by a victim witness specialist. Child Protective Services (CPS) is involved with placing the child with a relative. In ordering Mistler detained today at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Judge Tsuchida said he was concerned about the safety of the child “because (Mistler) had committed the assaults in front of so many people on a lengthy plane trip.” The Judge said he had an independent duty to protect the victim. The next hearing scheduled in the case is a preliminary examination scheduled for May 16, 2024. The charges contained in the misdemeanor complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein. Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion assisted with the detention hearing.


title: La Cañada Flintridge Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Plots and Committing Arson to Apartment Building

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for hiring a hitman in an attempt to kill two men – his former lawyer and a long-time litigation opponent – and for hiring someone to burn a North Hollywood apartment complex he owned to force its low-income residents to leave. Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 55, of La Cañada Flintridge, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered Aslanian to pay $15,371 in restitution and fined him $200,000. At the conclusion of a five-day trial, a jury in July 2023 found Aslanian guilty of one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce. “This defendant thought he could get away with murder by financing a murder plot against two of his rivals,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “He will now serve a well-deserved lengthy prison sentence. This case should serve as a cautionary tale to those who would resort to violence to settle their disputes: You will be caught and the consequences will be severe.” Aslanian conspired with Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, to hire a hitman to murder two people – identified in court documents as “M.Y.” and “S.E.” M.Y. was a lawyer who represented Aslanian in a bankruptcy proceeding in which Aslanian had prevailed but then refused to pay more than $261,000 in legal fees and expenses to M.Y.’s law firm. In April 2022, M.Y. sent a demand letter to Aslanian requesting to mediate the dispute and stating he was prepared to sue Aslanian if the mediation failed. S.E. was a litigant who defeated Aslanian in court after Aslanian tried to take possession of the Brentwood home in which S.E.’s parents lived. In April 2022, Rivera – Aslanian’s then-employee – met with an individual who was a gang member and convicted felon. Rivera told the individual that a real estate businessman named “Arthur” wanted to pay him to kill M.Y. and S.E. In July 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and said “Arthur” wanted the killing done as soon as possible. Rivera showed the individual information about M.Y. The individual secretly recorded a portion of this July 2022 in-person meeting on his phone and provided a copy of the recording to law enforcement. Rivera also promised the individual that Aslanian would pay $20,000 for the murder once Rivera had photographic proof the murder had been committed. On August 10, 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and told him to focus on murdering S.E. before killing M.Y. On August 19, 2022, Rivera used the Facebook Messenger application to send the individual a multimedia message with a screenshot of victim S.E.’s Facebook profile, including S.E.’s picture and business name, to assist the individual in locating and murdering S.E. Law enforcement contacted and warned M.Y. and S.E. of the murder plots. On September 7, 2022, law enforcement detained and questioned Rivera, who later agreed to cooperate with them. Aslanian was arrested shortly after a September 15, 2022, meeting in which Rivera showed him a staged murder photograph of S.E. “ATF saved the lives of two individuals in this case,” said Christopher Bombardiere, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division. “We will continue to work tirelessly to seek out and build cases against these violent criminals who have no moral compass and instead are driven by greed.” In a separate incident in March 2022, Aslanian, through Rivera, paid an individual a few hundred dollars for successfully setting fire to a rental property in North Hollywood he owned so the remaining low-income tenants would be forced to leave the property. A previous attempted arson of the building in February 2022 was unsuccessful. Rivera pleaded guilty in March 2023 to one count of conspiracy and one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count at his July 8 sentencing hearing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section, and Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.


title: Riverside Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Pounds of Methamphetamine from Mexico into Inland Empire

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man who is the lead defendant in a criminal case involving an outfit that trafficked pound quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico into the Inland Empire was sentenced today to 252 months in federal prison. Timoteo Gomez, 51, of Riverside, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. Gomez has been in federal custody since his June 2021 arrest in this case. Gomez pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. From at least April 2020 until August 2020, Gomez and others purchased methamphetamine from their suppliers in Mexico as well as Los Angeles and Riverside counties. Other members of the conspiracy further distributed methamphetamine in the Inland Empire. In April 2020, Gomez and others smuggled 46.6 pounds (21.2 kilograms) of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S. port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. In May 2020, another co-conspirator attempted to drive a load of 90.4 pounds (41 kilograms) of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro port of entry. In total, law enforcement seized more than 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of methamphetamine and $31,035 in cash during this investigation. Federal prosecutors have secured 16 convictions so far in this case. The FBI’s Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force investigated this matter. The Task Force is a joint federal and state gang task force that includes the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department; and the Riverside Police Department. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force received assistance during the investigation from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the United States Marshals Service. The investigation leading to these federal charges focused on the criminal activities of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa criminal street gang to combat drug trafficking and associated violence in Riverside and the surrounding community. Assistant United States Attorney Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.


title: Jury Returns Guilty Verdicts Against District Man Who Threatened to Shoot People at an Auto Repair Shop

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm) and related charges following a trial before the Honorable Errol Arthur, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The jury also found Williams guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and threatening to injure or kidnap a person. The verdict was returned on May 3, 2024. Judge Arthur scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2024. Williams faces a five-year mandatory minimum term of incarceration for these crimes. According to the government’s evidence, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs on August 1, 2023. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. A short time later, Williams went to the auto shop and threatened to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz.


title: Washington Sentenced To Life For Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tanner Dean Washington, age 29, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2019 murder of his girlfriend, Faith Lindsey. The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the District 22 District Attorney Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Pauls Valley Police Department, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Chickasaw Nation Emergency Management. On August 31, 2022, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. As part of the plea, Washington admitted to murdering 17-year-old Faith Lindsey on October 27, 2019. According to investigators, on October 29, 2019, Lindsey’s family called the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to report Lindsey as a missing person. During the investigation, law enforcement officers uncovered evidence of blood in two of Washington’s automobiles as well as on a pair of sunglasses found in one of the vehicles. Law enforcement interviewed witnesses who reported that on the night Lindsey went missing, Washington admitted Lindsey “was dead” and “it was his fault.” The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Despite an extensive investigation and exhaustive search efforts, Lindsey’s body has yet to be found. “The defendant’s life sentence is part of our effort to seek justice and accountability for the tragic murder of an innocent young woman, who had a long and vibrant life ahead of her,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Sonia Garcia. “I am grateful for the unwavering work of our investigators and our law enforcement partners in this case – may it bring some measure of peace to the victim’s family.” “The OSBI, along with other law enforcement agencies, continues to search for Faith Lindsey,” said OSBI Public Information Manager Hunter McKee. “We appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication in arresting and prosecuting the suspect responsible for this heinous crime. We will continue our search for Faith and will not give up our efforts until she is brought home.” “I applaud the great work of the Eastern District U.S. Attorney’s Office for the successful prosecution of Tanner Washington,” said District Attorney Erik Johnson for District 22 comprising Pontotoc, Seminole, and Hughes Counties. “This case has left holes in a lot of hearts in Pontotoc County, and I’m glad to see that Tanner Washington will spend the rest of his days in federal prison.” “The Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department recognizes the valuable partnership between the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the District 22 District Attorney Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Seminole and Pontotoc County Sheriff's Offices, and the Pauls Valley Police Department for their work to bring resolution to this case,” said Charles C. Palmer, Chief of the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. “The combined efforts to seek justice for a Chickasaw citizen within the Chickasaw Nation highlights the continued working relationship of law enforcement within Indian Country.” “The sentence imposed was a direct result of the defendant’s heinous crime and—despite pleading guilty—his callous refusal to provide the location of the victim’s body,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend the work of state, county, tribal, and federal law enforcement in identifying Washington as the suspect and of our federal prosecutors in advocating for a life sentence.” The Honorable Ada E. Brown, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Washington will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.


title: Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shair Rodriguez-Mora, age 20, and a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty on Friday, May 3 to possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office; and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement. Rodriguez-Mora admitted to possessing 27 videos and 46 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone when he illegally entered the United States from Canada on July 28, 2023. Border Patrol arrested Rodriguez-Mora illegally entering the United States and during that investigation, discovered the child pornography on his phone. Rodriguez-Mora previously pled guilty to improper entry by an alien and was sentenced to 25 days in jail for that offense. Rodriguez-Mora will be sentenced on September 6, 2024, by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Under the terms of Rodriguez-Mora’s plea agreement, the parties have jointly recommended that Rodriguez-Mora receive a prison term of between 24 and 36 months. Rodriguez-Mora also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He must also register as a sex offender upon his release from prison, and also faces removal from the United States. HSI and Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: ST. CROIX MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CONSPIRACY

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that on April 23, 2024, Edward Saldana, 37, of St. Croix, entered a guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile Henderson III to a drug conspiracy charge. According to court documents, on January 23, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a phone call from an officer of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Henry E Rohlsen Airport (HERA) on St, Croix. The officer relayed that two travelers were detained during the inspection process on suspicion of drug smuggling. Travelers Edward Saldana and Bianca Torres had presented themselves for inspection at the HERA attempting to board a Spirit Airlines flight to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. During inspection of Torres’ carry-on bag, X-rays revealed an anomaly. Further inspection revealed four kilograms of cocaine. Saldana’s bags were also inspected, and an additional four kilograms of cocaine were recovered. The investigation also revealed that Saldana had provided Torres with the cocaine earlier that day. Torres was to be paid $3,000 by Saldana for smuggling the cocaine to Florida. Torres pleaded guilty on February 12, 2024. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2024. Saldana’s sentencing is scheduled for August 22, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case was investigated by HSI and CBP. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.


title: Mobile Men Sentenced for Making Threats to Police Officer

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Mobile, Alabama, men were sentenced last week after pleading guilty to making online threats to injure an officer of the Mobile Police Department. Jamarcus Manuel, 21, was sentenced to serve twelve months of imprisonment and Justin Gorman, 22, was sentenced to time-served after pleading guilty to Interstate Communication of Threats to Injure. Both men will be subject to three years of supervised release. According to court documents, in April of 2023 Mobile Police Officers executed a traffic stop on a vehicle in Mobile, Alabama. One of the passengers of the vehicle live-streamed the interaction on Instagram. Manuel and Gorman posted comments on the video threatening to injure the officer conducting the traffic stop. “Using social media, the internet, or any other communication channel to make threats is unacceptable,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “This is especially true when threats are made to those merely doing their jobs, like the men and women in law enforcement. We take any threat seriously, and will investigate and prosecute the criminals who violate federal laws by doing so.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee S. Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Castleberry, Alabama, man was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 70 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense. According to court documents, Matthew John Cobb, 39, was arrested in possession of a .38 caliber revolver when he fled Conecuh County deputies working a traffic detail in Castleberry. Cobb was driving a white Dodge when he accelerated away from the deputies, eventually abandoning his vehicle and fleeing into the woods on foot. The Alabama Department of Corrections responded to the scene with tracking dogs. The dogs located Cobb in the woods lying face down on top of the gun. Ammunition matching the caliber of the gun was found in Cobb’s vehicle. Cobb had several prior felony convictions, including a previous conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm from August of 2020 in the District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. In fact, Cobb was on supervised release from that prior federal conviction at the time this offense occurred. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed the 70-month sentence and ordered a three-year term of supervised release to follow. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Cobb pay $100 in special mandatory assessments and forfeit the firearm to the United States. Judge Moorer also found that Cobb had violated the terms and conditions of his prior supervised release term, and imposed a 14-month sentence for that violation, which will run consecutive to the 70-month sentence on the new case. The Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Former Tennessee Corrections Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against Inmate and Writing False Report to Cover It Up

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: A former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Javian Griffin, 38, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for using excessive force against an inmate and writing a false report to cover it up. Griffin pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 11, 2023. His co-defendant, another former TDOC tactical officer, Sebron Hollands, pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2023, to writing a false report. “The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer, violently punching a man in the head and breaking his jaw,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant made matters worse by trying to cover up his tracks with a false report. This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department will hold accountable any official inside our jails and prisons who violates an inmate’s civil rights.” “No correctional officer is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendant assaulted an inmate and then tried to cover it up. This office’s National Security and Civil Rights Unit will continue to prioritize the prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others.” “When correctional officers abuse their authority, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.” According to court documents entered in connection with the guilty plea, Griffin, without justification, punched an inmate in the head, breaking the inmate’s jaw. The inmate did not resist or pose a threat justifying the defendant’s use of force. After the incident, Griffin wrote a false report to cover-up the assault. Griffin’s co-defendant, Hollands, assisted with the cover up by providing false information in his official use of force report to obstruct the investigation of the incident. The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Matthew Tannenbaum and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. Updated May 6, 2024 Topic CIVIL RIGHTS Components Civil Rights Division Civil Rights - Criminal Section Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) USAO - Tennessee, Western Press Release Number: 24-576


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ollie Holman, 58 years of age, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 3, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for sexual exploitation of a child. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Homan to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Holman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Holman was also ordered to pay $3,100.00 in special assessments. Between July 11, 2021, and August 27, 2021, while in Nebraska, Holman sent electronic messages to a minor female using Facebook. In the messages, Holman repeatedly offered the minor female cash to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. On multiple occasions Holman met the minor female in Omaha and paid her cash for images and videos received. When Holman began requesting sexually explicit images and videos from the minor female, the minor female was 15 years old. This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.


title: Gore Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Don Girty, Jr., age 30, of Gore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count violation of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Indictment alleged that on January 7, 2024, Girty, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a .22 caliber, bolt action rifle which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Girty will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathan Quinn Harrington, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count violation of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The Indictment alleged that on January 23, 2024, Harrington, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a .22 caliber, semi-automatic pistol and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Harrington will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: BAY CITY – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day. In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities. “There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.” “For too long, our Missing and Murdered Indigenous victims were unseen by policymakers and law enforcement, but our office is committed to doing better to ensure that the lives of these victims and their families remain visible as we work to improve the federal response to these cases, “said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “We are steadfast in our commitment to holding accountable those who are perpetrating violence in our Tribal communities.” “The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.” “DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.” Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program , which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions. The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People , and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022. Not Invisible Act Commission Response The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States. Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons. Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate. Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm. Accessing Department of Justice Resources Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities. For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website . If you or someone you know has information about missing or murdered Indigenous persons in Michigan, please contact the FBI Detroit Field Office by calling (313) 965-2323, or click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons. If you have questions about the MMIP program, please contact the Great Lakes Regional MMIP program coordinator Joel Postma by calling 616-808-2113


title: United States Attorney’s Office Joins in Recognizing Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that she will join with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal leaders in recognizing May 5, 2024, as Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. In doing so, U.S. Attorney Waldref called on all citizens and residents in Eastern Washington to support Tribal governments and Tribal communities’ efforts to increase awareness of missing or murdered Indigenous people. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington fully supports efforts to reduce violence and bring awareness to this important issue. As part of our efforts in this important cause, the Eastern District recently welcomed Bree R. Blackhorse as an Assistant United States Attorney dedicated to prosecuting cases involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), in connection with the Justice Department’s MMIP regional program. AUSA Black Horse will work out of our Yakima Office, but she will serve throughout the Northwest Region – including in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and California. In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities. “There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.” “Today is set aside to recognize and increase awareness of missing or murdered Indigenous people. To address this crisis, every day we are committed to reducing violence on Native American reservations, achieving justice on behalf of victims, and supporting members of our Tribal communities overcome centuries of generational trauma, impacted by violence and displacement, ,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. Consistent with this increased focus, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern Washington continues to work diligently to support Native American communities and address the root causes of the MMIP crisis. In July of 2023 , for example, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref–alongside co-hosts from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), the Office of Environmental Justice, and the Office of Tribal Justice – hosted Tribes from across the Northwest Region of the United States at a joint federal and Tribal Summit in Spokane, Washington focused on defending and strengthening Tribal homelands, climate adaptation, resilience and environmental justice. The purpose of the summit was to work with Tribal governments and other federal agencies to find “ways to address and incorporate Tribal concerns into the Department’s enforcement work.” In October 2023, First Assistant Richard Baker met with the representatives of the Colville Trial Court, Prosecutor, Public Defender, Probation and Public Health Departments to discuss the MMIP Regional Program and public safety on the Colville Reservation. In November 2023, U.S. Attorney Waldref and her First Assistant, Richard Barker, joined Federal, State, and Tribal law enforcement, community leaders, other stakeholders, and victims at the Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force’s Second Annual Summit. During the Summit, U.S. Attorney Waldref addressed the group and provided an update on federal efforts to address the MMIP crisis. U.S. Attorney Waldref testified in December 2023 before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the growing fentanyl crisis in Native Communities, which is an underlying cause of the MMIP crisis. When asked during the hearing about examples of success in combating the fentanyl crisis in Native communities, U.S. Attorney Waldref highlighted a case where more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs, including 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized. A significant portion of the drugs seized were believed to be destined for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, as well as for other Native American communities and surrounding areas in Washington and Montana. Also in December 2023, U.S. Attorney Waldref, First Assistant Barker, Branch Manager Tom Hanlon, and AUSA Black Horse attended the ribbon cutting for a new Multi-Purpose Justice Center on the Yakama Nation. The center is the result of an incredible vision by the Yakama Nation for a consolidated facility that combines all the criminal justice programs at a single location. In 2019, The Department of Justice contributed funds to help make the vision a reality. In January 2024 , U.S. Attorney Waldref, alongside members of her office, and members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, met with Spokane Tribal communities regarding the dangers of Fentanyl. In March 2024 , U.S. Attorney Waldref and First Assistant Barker met with representatives and students at Whitman College for a round table discussion regarding MMIP and Fentanyl Awareness. “I am grateful for the strong partnerships we have with the incredible leaders and community stakeholders from the tribes in the Eastern District of Washington. My office will continue to address the root causes underlying the MMIP crisis: fentanyl, domestic violence, child abuse, illegal possession and use of firearms, illegal narcotics, and human trafficking,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “The appointment of an Assistant United States Attorney dedicated to prosecuting MMIP cases in the Northwest Region, demonstrates the DOJ’s commitment to bring justice for the victims of this crisis and ensuring the safety and security of all indigenous people in the Northwest.” “FBI Seattle is not only committed to building relationships with the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington state, but also with our other law enforcement and community partners,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “When the FBI is called to investigate an MMIP case, we want to ensure trust with the community is already established so people feel comfortable providing us the information we need to bring justice for the victims. While every case is different, the one characteristic is always true: every victim leaves a space in that community which cannot be filled. They have friends and family who want them to come home safely, and their community wants accountability. We recognize the process can be lengthy and frustrating, but we assure everyone we serve the FBI and our partners are doing everything we can, and we will never stop pursuing justice for victims, no matter how long it takes.” Representative examples of MMIP cases prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office include the following: October 2018 homicide of Yakama Tribal member Rosenda Strong. 5 defendants were charged with crimes ranging from accessory after the fact, murder, and kidnapping resulting in death. October 2022 double murder on the Colville Indian Reservation involving enrolled members of the Coville and Kalispel tribe. Following the murder, the suspected attempted to kill a federal officer. October 2022 indictment of Steven Zacherle for a murder of a member of the Colville Tribe. Zacherle also allegedly harassed, threatened and assaulted his domestic partner before and after the murder. June 29, 2023 sentencing of Andre Pierre Picard to 5 years in prison for selling drugs linked to an overdose death of a woman on the Colville Indian Reservation September 2023 sentencing of Dylan Swan for kidnapping, robbery and shooting of multiple Tribal members on the Colville Indian Reservation and in Spokane, Washington. March 27, 2024 sentencing of Sundron Larsell Miller and Paula Eulojia Cantu-Lopez to decades in federal prison for violent carjacking and assault on the Yakama Nation. April 2, 2024 sentencing of Silaz Elijah James to 20 years in Federal Prison for a murder and assault in Toppenish, Washington. April 9, 2024 guilty verdict of 40-year-old Marvin Samson Butterfly. Butterfly was found guilty of assaulting and suffocating his partner, as well as Attempted Witness Tampering. If you or someone you know has information about a missing or murdered Indigenous person, please contact the FBI Seattle Field Office by calling (206) 622-0460 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat the MMIP crisis, click here . 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: Readout of Annual Principals Meeting of the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland attended the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group (FELEG) Annual Principals Meeting this week, where international and national partners met to discuss technology, innovation and encryption, and the emergent impacts on global safety. FELEG is a collaborative intelligence-sharing law enforcement community. The annual meeting was attended by FELEG partners FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Australian Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), U.K. National Crime Agency (UK NCA), U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing (UK CTP), and New Zealand Police. Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Patrick J. “P.J.” Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the current chair for FELEG. Discussions included End-to-end Encryption (E2EE) and law enforcement legal issues on global public safety. “The FELEG partnerships enhance law enforcement investigations on the national and international level, particularly related to cyber-enabled crime, where complex tactics and cyber techniques empower transnational criminal organizations and threaten global security,” said ICE Acting Director Lechleitner. “FELEG has increased sharing and cooperation between partner nations, and HSI is proud to be a part of it.” “The FBI understands that we are all better positioned to execute our mission when the international law enforcement community is bonded together through close collaboration and coordination,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “We will continue to foster these strategic partnerships by sharing knowledge, experience, and capabilities in the pursuit of creating a safer world bound by the rule of law.” “At a time in history when the global drug landscape is more complex, more violent, and more deadly than ever before, it is critical that we work together to protect the safety and health of all communities,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Two Mexican cartels, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, are not only causing devastating harm to Americans, but they are operating worldwide on almost every continent. They are exploiting technology to enable their operations, trafficking deadly drugs quickly and widely through social media and encrypted applications. At DEA, we are committed to working with our partners across the globe to most effectively attack the criminal networks threatening the security of all our countries.” “The importance of trusted partnerships, like FELEG, that allow us to combine capabilities, knowledge and experience to combat these threats cannot be understated,” said ACIC CEO Heather Cook. “Serious and organized criminal enterprises are globalized, collaborative and adaptable — coming together to share information and respond collectively helps us stay ahead of our adversaries.” “We must develop innovative new technological counter-measures in an ethical, transparent and accountable manner,’’ said AFP Deputy Commissioner Lesa Gale. “We cannot do this alone and call upon the technology industry to support the detection of illegal and harmful activities on their platforms. “The online world should be like the real world and criminals should not be protected because of a technological overlay. Through collaboration we can make a difference and create a safe online world for all in our community.” “The relationships developed through FELEG are fundamental to identifying international criminal trends and responding to threats of mutual concern. The RCMP and its partners have proven, and continue to prove, the success of our partnerships when combatting transnational organized crime, cybercrime and taking actions to protect national security,” said RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme. “Collaborations like FELEG are fundamental in our collective approach to keeping the public safe and reducing the global impact of serious organized crime,” said NCA Director General Graeme Biggar. “But industry have a part to play too. As technology evolves and end-to-end encryption begins to be rolled out, solutions must be found to deliver both privacy and public safety measures. We all have a responsibility to ensure that those who seek to abuse these platforms are identified and caught, and that platforms become more safe, not less.” “The FELEG partnership provides a strong basis for tackling the problems that are faced by the global law enforcement community,” said Commissioner Andrew Coster of New Zealand Police. “We have a common goal of keeping vulnerable people safe and holding offenders to account,” said Commissioner Andrew Coster of New Zealand Police.


title: Providence Man Sentenced for Scamming Rhode Island and Massachusetts Seniors

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man described in court documents as having played a key role in a “grandparent scheme” that financially victimized more than a dozen senior citizens in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison; ordered to pay restitution to his victims; and ordered by the court to perform community after serving his term of incarceration by speaking to senior citizen groups and organizations about his criminal conduct and ways they can avoid being victimized, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Vidal Roquez, 39, previously admitted to the court that he personally visited the homes of grandparent scam victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to collect cash from them after they had been convinced by other members of the conspiracy that a relative, usually a grandchild or child, had been arrested and that the money was urgently needed for bail. Some of the victims were told that a “gag order” was in place on their relative’s legal matter and that they were prohibited from sharing information with anyone else. The investigation identified thirteen seniors that were victimized by Roquez. He was arrested after a failed attempt to defraud a senior in Little Compton, RI. Roquez pleaded on December 14, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to one year and one day of incarceration; three years of supervised release; sixty hours of community service by meeting with senior citizen organizations and groups, during which he is to describe his and his co-conspirators criminal conduct and to discuss ways seniors can protect themselves from being victimized; and to pay a total of $130,300 in restitution to his victims. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Little Compton Police Department. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Warwick, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Cranston, and South Kingstown, R.I. Police Departments; the Shrewsbury, Northborough, and Weston, MA, Police Departments; and the Rhode Island Fusion Center for their assistance investigating this case. Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeting seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice . ###


title: Rhode Island Man Admits to Shipping Fentanyl to Australia

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges filed in a five-count federal indictment that alleged that on multiple occasions he attempted to export fentanyl from the United States to Australia, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Felix Suarez, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of attempt to distribute a controlled substance; unlawful export of a controlled substance; and unlawful use of a communication facility to facilitate the distribution of a controlled substance. Suarez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, on December 30, 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized an outbound parcel destined to Sydney, Australia, shipped two days earlier from Providence via FedEx. The parcel, which listed a return address belonging to Suarez and declared to contain “DOCUMENTS,” was found by CBP officers to contain approximately 37 grams of fentanyl. On January 17, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was notified that Australian Federal Police had seized a second package mailed to the same identified recipient in Sydney. The package carried the same return address in Providence as the package mailed in late December 2022; the package’s contents were listed as “DOCUMENTS/INVOICES.” Australian authorities examined the package and found it to contain approximately 25 grams of fentanyl. Further investigation by HSI determined that on January 10, 2023, surveillance camera footage from the UPS store in Providence where the second package was mailed from shows Suarez obtain a brown envelope from the store, return to his vehicle where he manipulated the envelope before re-entering the store with the envelope and mailing it. The envelope matched the description of the envelope seized by Australian law enforcement. Import records from the Australian Department of Home Affairs established that from January 2020 to January 2023, the defendant shipped 67 parcels to the same recipient in Sydney, Australia. Each parcel had a similar weight (between .1kg and .455kg) and were similarly identified as “DOCUMENTS/PAPER.” The case in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Protection, Australian Federal Police, Australian Department of Home Affairs, Providence Police Department, Warwick Police Department, and Central Falls Police Department. ###


title: Kanawha County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benson Cline II, 49, of Cedar Grove and a convicted sex offender, pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to possession of prepubescent child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about July 24, 2023, to on or about November 6, 2023, Cline possessed 22 images and 134 videos of child sexual abuse material including digital media files depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his instant messaging app account that he accessed through his cell phone. Cline is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Cline is a registered sex offender, as a result of his conviction for soliciting a minor via computer on February 24, 2011. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-42. ###


title: Sterling Heights Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Aggravated Assaults of Federal Officers While Resisting Arrest

body_text: DETROIT –Carl Emerson Travis, 52, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was indicted by a federal grand jury with seven counts of aggravated assault on three deputy U.S. Marshals and four federal task force officers, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. On March 29, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team attempted to arrest Carl Emerson Travis, who was wanted in multiple jurisdictions. When Travis saw law enforcement approaching, he resisted arrest and tried to escape, accelerating his car in reverse at a high rate of speed. In the process, Travis dragged a deputy U.S. Marshal and a task force officer with his car and knocked another officer to the ground. As Travis’s vehicle flew backwards, it also nearly struck several other deputies and officers who stood nearby. Travis ultimately slammed into a parked car, pushing it through the wall of an occupied hotel room. Only then was Travis finally placed under arrest. “Our federal law enforcement officers put their lives at risk every day to keep us safe. The actions of this defendant were reckless and put the lives of our officers in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office will not hesitate to hold those accountable who harm law enforcement officers who are merely doing their jobs.” "Mr. Travis not only attempted to evade arrest but also recklessly endangered the safety of the community and law enforcement personnel," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. Our brave law enforcement partners place their lives on the line daily to uphold justice, and we will not tolerate any actions against them. Let it be clear: The severity of this offense will not be tolerated, and Mr. Travis will face the full extent of the law for his reckless and careless actions." An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was investigated by the Michigan State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan Ho.


title: INTERPOL WASHINGTON HOSTS INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SYMPOSIUM

component: Interpol Washington

body_text: Yesterday, INTERPOL Washington hosted an international law enforcement breakfast symposium, featuring representatives from more than 30 different countries and dozens of agencies, to discuss enhancing global police partnerships against transnational threats and terrorism. The event, held at INTERPOL Washington headquarters in DC and cohosted with the International Law Enforcement Association (ILEA) and Liaison Officers Association (LOA), brought together law enforcement leaders for critical operational updates and briefings on their collaborative successes with police partners across the world. “Our communities, both in the United States and across the globe, face unprecedented transnational threats each and every day,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes in his remarks. “The only way to defeat these threats is through transnational partnerships. Those partnerships are what we continue to build and strengthen here today, because we know that working together, we can make a difference.” “As we gather to celebrate and reflect upon our collective successes in international law enforcement, it is imperative to recognize the critical role that everyone in this room plays in safeguarding our communities here in America and all over the world every day,” said INTERPOL Washington Deputy Director Jeffrey Grimming in his remarks. “Your continued cooperation and collaboration helps catch the world’s most dangerous fugitives, helps reunite families, helps bring closure to cold cases, and disrupts the most heinous organizations and plots.” Patrick Stevens, Chair of ILEA, and John S. Warren, Vice Chair of LOA, also addressed the audience, providing examples of tangible successes thanks to international police partnerships. They underscored the significance of both bilateral and multilateral police cooperation and highlighted their equal importance and symbiotic relationship in fostering success stories worldwide. INTERPOL Washington hosts these types of symposiums and events to underscore the importance of international police cooperation in combating global crime and ensuring the safety and security of citizens worldwide. Through shared intelligence, resources, and expertise, law enforcement agencies from different nations are able to effectively address transnational threats and uphold the rule of law on a global scale. Events like this symposium serve as vital platforms for fostering relationships, exchanging best practices, and strengthening partnerships among law enforcement agencies worldwide. Together, united in purpose and determination, the international law enforcement community remains committed to confronting evolving threats and protecting the well-being of people everywhere.


title: KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy That Resulted in Overdose Death

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death. Dmitry Cattell, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 2, to 21 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 21, 2023, Cattell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm. Cattell distributed at least 6,225 doses of fentanyl during the conspiracy from Sept. 12, 2019, to April 5, 2022. Cattell admitted that the conspiracy also involved at least 1.1 kilograms of cocaine. Evidence was presented during yesterday’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents. According to court documents, law enforcement officers responded four times to Cattell’s residence for drug overdoses. After Cattell sold a pill to his sister, which caused her overdose, a search warrant was executed at his residence on Nov. 10, 2020. Law enforcement officers found drug paraphernalia and a Taurus handgun with a defaced serial number, which was under the pillow on Cattell’s bed. Cattell admitted selling fentanyl to a woman (who crashed her vehicle in front of his residence), his girlfriend, and his sister, who all overdosed. All of these narcotics were distributed by Cattell at his residence. Cattell is among 11 defendants who have been convicted in this case, and the second defendant to be sentenced. Co-defendant Dominic E. Holland, 25, was sentenced on Nov. 21, 2023, to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Stephanie Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney, Mo., Police Department, the Olathe, Kan., Police Department, and the Riverside, Mo., Police Department. KC Metro Strike Force This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.


title: Texas Man Admits Stealing $319,000 from Armored Car

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Texas on Thursday admitted stealing $319,000 from an armored car at an Overland, Missouri shopping center in 2022. On June 16, 2022, Malik Johnson broke into an armored truck that was parked at the Overland Plaza shopping center while the driver was picking up cash from a retailer there. Johnson grabbed three bags that contained a total of $319,179, and then took the money to his home in the Houston suburbs. Johnson, 26, pleaded guilty Thursday to interstate transportation of stolen property. He is scheduled to be sentenced August 5. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He will also be ordered to repay the money. The Overland Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee Provides Statement on Illicit Marijuana Grow Operations in Maine

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee issued a statement today to update the community on the Office’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal marijuana grows in rural Maine: Local law enforcement has our full support: The U.S. Attorney’s Office and multiple federal agencies, including the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS, have been actively and directly working with local and state law enforcement partners in a coordinated response to the illegal marijuana grows operating predominantly in central Maine. Simultaneously, our Office continues to investigate individuals involved in this activity for possible federal prosecution. Investigations are having an impact: The success of our collective efforts is already evident with 40+ operations shut down and multiple arrests made over the last several months. We expect this law enforcement action to continue until the individuals operating the illegal grows come to understand that Maine is not a safe or hospitable place for such activity. I cannot speak more highly of the collaborative and coordinated efforts that have taken place across Maine to date and the strong federal, state and local partnerships and support that exists in Maine. Interstate distribution and potential ties to China warrant federal involvement: According to the DEA, there are currently transnational criminal organizations involved in illegal marijuana growing activities in at least 20 states. The possibility that organized criminal enterprises with alleged ties to China are using Maine properties to profit from unlicensed marijuana operations and interstate distribution makes it clear that there is need for a strong and sustained federal, state and local effort to shut down and thoroughly investigate these operations. To date, there is no evidence of illegal immigration associated with the illicit marijuana grows: To date, we have seen no evidence of illegal U.S. border crossings into Maine by any individuals associated with these illicit grows. Rather, the individuals tending these grows in homes across central Maine who have been encountered by law enforcement have been individuals who are either U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents living in states like New York and Massachusetts. An investigation into three Chinese nationals recently apprehended at a border crossing in northern Maine showed no connection to illegal marijuana grows. To date, our investigation has encountered no evidence of human trafficking: Through coordination and execution of more than 40 search warrants, investigators have seen no evidence of human trafficking to date. From what we know now, the individuals working in these illicit grows appear to be doing so willingly. Human trafficking is a heinous crime that our Office takes seriously. Any evidence of human trafficking will be thoroughly investigated and if discovered, vigorously prosecuted. Number of illicit grows: Based on information currently available to federal authorities involved, there are approximately 100 illicit marijuana grows that have been identified operating in Maine. This number has and will fluctuate as law enforcement continues to shut down the operations or those involved abandon the grows to avoid arrest or prosecution. No Maine property owner or anyone else should ever be assumed to be part of a criminal enterprise simply because of their surname or nationality. ###


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS in Southwest

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Ernest McEachin, 39, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on onecount of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 23, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. McEachin will be arraigned on May 20, 2024 before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on February 23, 2024, McEachin went inside the CVS store located in Southwest Washington D.C. and took store merchandise for sale from the shelves. McEachin then walked out of the CVS store without paying for the items. McEachin was arrested after investigation by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. McEachin has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 42 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika Norman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. mceachin_indictment_redacted.pdf