title: Man who Smuggled Fatal Drugs into Jail Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for arranging the smuggling a fatal dose of drugs into the St. Francois County jail. Timothy L. Noll, 35, of Park Hills, Missouri, arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and began trying to find someone to smuggle drugs into the jail that he could sell. Noll instructed an intermediary to get the drugs from Garry W. Triplett and conceal them in a Bible. On August 1, the intermediary arranged for the Bible to be dropped off at the jail. When Noll discovered the next morning that he was being transferred to state prison and couldn’t bring the Bible, he had jail staff give it to his cell mate. His cell mate died two days later of mixed drug intoxication, including a lethal dose of fentanyl. Noll pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, resulting in death. Triplett, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Triplett is scheduled to be sentenced in December. The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.


title: New York Man Indicted for Identity Theft

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bolarinwa Salau, 30, of Rockaway Beach, New York, has been charged with identity theft. According to the court documents, West Virginia State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Salau. Salau was found in possession of means of identification of other people in connection with a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, often referred to as “SIRF.” This type of fraud involves the use of stolen personal information, including a social security number, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Salau is charged with possessing such documents with the intent to engage in unlawful activity. Salau faces up to five years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police with assistance from The Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Domestic Violence Offender Indicted For Illegally Trying To Buy Firearms

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Vance Perry (67, Palatka) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm on two separate occasions. If convicted, Perry faces up to five years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on February 18, 2023, Perry completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. On March 25, 2024, Perry tried to buy a different gun from another federally licensed firearms dealer. Perry indicated on the required paperwork that he was not convicted of a domestic violence offense. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Perry was previously convicted of domestic battery on December 28, 2021. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot. 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: Casa Grande Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Adam Tovar, 32, of Casa Grande, was sentenced on October 22, 2024, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 120 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Tovar also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Tovar pleaded guilty to Enticement of a Minor on June 17, 2024. From December 19, 2022, through December 29, 2022, Tovar communicated via Snapchat with a person who he knew was a minor. During that time, he persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activities with him. On December 29, 2022, during a traffic stop by the Marana Police Department, Tovar was found transporting the minor victim in the front passenger seat of his vehicle. In entering his plea of guilty, Tovar admitted that he had intended to transport the victim from the victim’s home to a hotel, where he intended to engage in sexual acts with the victim. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Sarah J. Precup, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00621-TUC-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-151_Tovar # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Marion County Man Indicted for Drug, Firearms Charges

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Vincent Irving Jones, 33, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted on methamphetamine and firearms charges. Jones is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to the court documents, Jones was found with methamphetamine and a .32 caliber pistol in Marion County. Jones is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions of voluntary manslaughter, escape from custody, and fleeing while under the influence of alcohol. Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, up to 15 years for the unlawful firearms charge, and up to five years for the obliterated serial number charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department. An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilbert Lamon Rivers, age 26, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The Indictment alleged that on November 4, 2023, Rivers knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol and forty rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Lighthorse Police Department, the Okmulgee Police Department, 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. Rivers 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: Monongalia County Man Indicted for Failing to Report to Federal Prison

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Mansfield Davis, 67, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been charged with failing to surrender for a federal sentence. According to the filed indictment, Davis was sentenced to 82 months for a child pornography charge in the Northern District of West Virginia. He was ordered to report to serve his sentence on October 4, 2024. Davis didn’t report to the facility and was arrested on October 15, 2024 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Davis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Duane “Sparky” Lee Johnsen, 55, of Tucson, was sentenced last week to 168 months in prison by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker for violations of federal law related to child pornography. Johnsen was found guilty of Receipt, Knowing Access, and Possession of Child Pornography after a three-day federal jury trial in September 2023. When Johnsen is released from prison, he will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Johnsen was found in possession of child sex abuse images through an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tucson, which located individuals using file-sharing programs to obtain these images. When HSI executed a search warrant at Johnsen’s home in December 2019, agents recovered numerous computers and digital storage devices which contained large amounts of data. Examination of the digital items confirmed that Johnsen had been searching for, downloading, categorizing, and saving very large numbers of child sex abuse images, including prepubescent victims, on several of his devices. Johnsen was also in possession of other material related to child sex abuse, including a manual on how to groom children and animated comics depicting sexual abuse of children. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Homeland Security Investigations Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Carson R. Gilbert, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01118-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-152_Johnsen # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Texas Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Charge

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Hunter Colville, age 32, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison for the illegal possession of a firearm. The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern District of Oklahoma Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. On March 19, 2024, Colville pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on September 24, 2023, members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force apprehended Colville on outstanding arrest warrants out of the state of Texas for Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant and Unlawful Possession of Firearm by a Felon. While taking him into custody, law enforcement seized a chamber-loaded 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine from Colville. At the time of the arrest, Colville had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Colville will remain in the 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 Attorneys Rachel Geizura and Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: St. Louis County Felon Admits Shooting at Police

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon on Monday pleaded guilty and admitted shooting at St. Louis County Police Department officers. On the day his trial was set to begin, Dexter McKinnies. 34, pleaded guilty to five felonies: one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On Sept. 1, 2020, police, including officers who are members of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, were trying to arrest McKinnies. They arranged a meeting with McKinnies and his brother, Lawton McKinnies, under a ruse in which the McKinnies thought they would be performing maintenance work on a property in St. Louis County. Police arrested Lawton McKinnies, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, on a felony warrant. When they tried to arrest Dexter McKinnies, he ran while firing multiple shots at officers with a 9mm pistol, striking a truck owned by the FBI. Officers returned fire and struck McKinnies. Dexter McKinnies, who is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2025. He faces 20 years to life in prison. Lawton McKinnies, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in prison. In March, he was sentenced to another year for violating his supervised release. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Canton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Canton man was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on January 2, 2024, Damonik Robinson, 23, was found in possession of a firearm after Capitol Police conducted a traffic stop on Madison Street near Fortification Street in Jackson. There were four firearms found in the vehicle, three of which were equipped with attached machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches,” which convert semi-automatic handguns to automatic weapons. At the time of this possession, Robinson already had a previous felony conviction for drug and gun possession. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition. Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024. He pled guilty on July 18, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement. According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The ATF and Capitol Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Tucker Man Sentenced for Enticement of a Minor on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Tucker man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. According to court documents, Antonio Deron Wallace, 36, used the internet to entice a minor under the age of sixteen to engage in sexual activity. Wallace was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2021, and pled guilty in March of 2024. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns 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 Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.


title: Guilty Plea from Second Assailant Who Tried to Steal a Man’s Car at Gunpoint in January 2024

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Caleb Johnson, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to charges stemming from an attempted armed carjacking and armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Johnson pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert A. Salerno to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Salerno set a sentencing date of January 13, 2025. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2024, Johnson and his co-defendant, Marquis Derby, robbed and attempted to carjack a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, Johnson punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Johnson got into the victim’s truck, and Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV nearby. When Johnson was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together. Johnson was arrested on June 27, 2024, and has been detained ever since. Derby pleaded guilty to armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on August 29, 2024; his sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2024. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.


title: Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possessing Gun with Extended Magazine While on Supervised Release

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JORGE MORALES, also known as “Capone,” 38, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm while serving a term of federal supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2017, Morales was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. The investigation revealed that in April 2016 Morales distributed heroin to a 21-year-old woman who died of an overdose from the drug. Morales was released from federal prison in September 2019. On December 17, 2021, while Morales was on federal supervised release, Bridgeport Police conducted a traffic stop of an SUV Morales was driving because the vehicle had been spotted near the scene of a shooting incident and homicide on Barnum Avenue earlier that day. Before the SUV came to a complete stop, a juvenile girl ran from it carrying an object close to her chest. As officers apprehended the girl, she dropped a loaded Glock 22 semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. The investigation revealed that the gun belonged to Morales and, as he was being pulled over, he told the girl to take the gun and run. A search of Morales also revealed 169 oxycodone pills separated into two baggies in his front pocket. In addition to his prior federal conviction, Morales’ criminal history includes state convictions for drug and firearm felony offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Morales has been detained since his arrest on December 17, 2021. On June 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel George and Karen Peck. The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua L. Wolfe, 42, of Givens, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failure to pay a tax and failure to file an income tax return. According to court documents and statements made in court, Wolfe admitted that the failed to pay approximately $20,000 in taxes withheld from the gross pay of employees of his business, Wolfe Construction Company Inc., due on April 30, 2019. Wolfe also did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2018. Wolfe admitted that he drew a salary of approximately $75,000 from Wolfe Construction and transferred approximately $50,000 from his business accounts to his personal accounts that year. Wolfe was president, sole officer and 50 percent shareholder of Wolfe Construction from 2015 to 2020 and became the sole owner of the commercial construction business in September 2020. Wolfe admitted that he did not pay all of Wolfe Construction’s employment taxes for many quarters from 2017 and 2019, after withholding taxes from the gross pay of his employees. Wolfe Construction generally had 11 to 15 employees during this time period. Wolfe was also the sole owner of the Barge Restaurant, which he opened in 2017 in Charleston. Wolfe admitted that he often failed to pay the full amount of employment taxes he withheld from the gross pay of Barge Restaurant employees from 2017 to 2019. The Barge Restaurant generally had at least 10 employees during this time period. Wolfe also admitted that he claimed and received a refund on his 2017 individual income tax return after reporting employment taxes withheld from his 2017 Wolfe Construction salary as “payment.” Wolfe further admitted that he did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2019 even though he knew his salary from Wolfe Construction alone exceeded the minimum requirement for filing. Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, up to two years of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine. Wolfe also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Rebecca Caruso of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Division are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-166. ###


title: Wagoner Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug And Firearm Charges

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Kent Leondis Honeycutt, age 44, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The Information alleged that on January 24, 2024, Honeycutt knowingly possessed 50 grams or more of mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with intent to distribute. The Information also alleged that on that same date, Honeycutt knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol and 56 rounds ammunition, shipped and transported in interstate commerce, despite having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction. The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, 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. Honeycutt will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Helena real estate agent admits failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures for veterans residing in rental housing at Fort Harrison

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: HELENA – A Helena real estate agent and property manager today admitted to failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required to veterans residing in housing at Fort Harrison, in Helena, which resulted in the exposure of veterans and their families to significant levels of lead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The defendant, Melanie Ann Carlin, 54, of Clancy, appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of knowing endangerment, a felony. Carlin faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025. Carlin remained on release pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that from September 2019 until September 2021, Carlin failed to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required, placing an individual in imminent danger of death and serious bodily injury and exposing low-income veteran families and their children at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison to significant levels of lead. Carlin is the owner of 406 Properties, Inc, a property management service in Helena, and has more than 26 years of professional real estate experience. In 2018, Carlin agreed to provide property management services for rental units known as Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The rentals included multiple homes for military veterans to use as affordable housing. In May 2019, Carlin received and forwarded an email from the Montana Department of Commerce requesting information detailing any lead-based paint remediation completed on the homes because the buildings were constructed before 1978. The buildings were constructed in approximately 1895 and 1905, depending on the building. Despite the email, in June 2019, Carlin signed two Request for Tenancy Approval Forms for the Fort Harrison rentals. Carlin selected “lead-based paint disclosures do not apply because this property was built on or after January 1, 1978” on the form. Carlin knew the selections were false and did not provide lead-based paint disclosures to veterans seeking residence at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. In September 2019, Carlin attended a meeting discussing that lead-based paint was peeling at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The meeting agenda identified “lead-based paint peeling in the units – doors won’t shut, paint peels when attempt to shut door” and veterans have identified “chipped paint” in the units. At this point, Carlin knew the buildings were built prior to 1978, and she knew deteriorating lead-based paint was located inside the buildings. Despite Carlin’s knowledge and extensive real estate experience, she continued to sign forms indicating that the units were free of lead-based paint, or they were built after 1978, none of which was true. In addition, Carlin continued in failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures to the veterans and their families residing in the units. The government further alleged that in December 2020, Carlin failed to provide a lead-based paint disclosure to a veteran of Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. In September 2021, an 18-month-old child in the veteran’s home was found eating paint chips inside the unit. Subsequent medical testing confirmed the child had elevated blood lead levels exceeding levels considered to be “very high” and required treatment for lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can have catastrophic effects on children and their development, and Congress requires a warning about the effects of lead poisoning be given when individuals lease homes built prior to 1978. When interviewed by federal agents, Carlin agreed that she was familiar with the requirement to provide lead disclosures and confirmed that no lead disclosures were provided to veterans living in units at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. A review of the rental units confirmed lead was present in almost every unit, including the building where the 18-month-old child was present. A subsequent property management company corrected the omission by making lead disclosures to the veterans. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Gallatin Farmer Pleads Guilty to Multi-million Dollar Crop Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gallatin, Mo., man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court today to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive. Steve A. McBee, 52, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock. By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923. McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923. McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans. In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020. McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields. The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year. As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled. McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled. Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.


title: Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty To Second-Degree Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Kenneth Barber, age 44, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country. The Indictment alleged that on December 20, 2023, Barber killed the victim with malice aforethought. The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, 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. Barber was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Owners of Clark County automotive repair and performance shop sentenced to home confinement, probation for conspiracy and violations of Clean Air Act

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – The owners of two Clark County automotive businesses were sentenced yesterday afternoon for conspiracy and felony violations of the federal Clean Air Act for tampering with diesel trucks’ emissions monitoring systems, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Tracy Coiteux, 44, and Sean Coiteux, 50, of La Center, Washington, were both sentenced to four years of probation, four months of home confinement, 60 hours of community service and each must pay a $10,000 fine. The two are the co-owners of Racing Performance Maintenance Northwest (known as RPM) and a related sales company called RPM Motors and Sales NW. Tracy Coiteux was convicted by a jury in May 2024 following a three-day jury trial. Sean Coiteux pleaded guilty in March 2024. The United States Attorney’s Office recommended that the Court sentence both defendants to prison time. At the sentencing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “The defendants put their desire for money above their duty to the community and environment… But this once prosperous middle-aged couple is now in financial ruin.” . “These defendants removed pollution controls from some 375 trucks, causing them to continuously spew massive amounts of pollutants into the environment. Emissions of diesel exhaust are harmful to human health with links to cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The Coiteuxs knew their conduct was illegal and was harming the environment but kept it up to help pay for their 10-acre estate, yacht, and collection of exotic cars. The Department of Justice will continue to seek to hold business owners accountable for putting the health of the community at risk.” An indictment returned in May 2021 charged the Coiteuxs with conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and eleven specific violations of the Clean Air Act for tampering with the emissions-monitoring system on vehicles when removing pollution control equipment between January 2018 and November 2020. According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the investigation began when a former RPM employee notified the EPA that the company was performing the unlawful modifications, which are known as “deletes” and “tunes.” A single truck that has been deleted and tuned can cause the same amount of pollution as up to 1,200 trucks with compliant emissions systems. These modifications are marketed to truck owners as improving vehicle power and performance. The investigation revealed that between January 2018 and January 2021, the defendants charged their customers fees of about $2,000 per truck to remove (delete) emissions control systems required by federal law. They then modified (tuned) legally required software that works to ensure the vehicle’s pollution remains within legal limits. RPM Motors and Sales sometimes offered, as part of the sale of a truck, to remove the emissions control system after the customer purchased a truck. Email and other electronic records document the conspirators’ purchase of equipment and software kits to remove the pollution control and reprogram the monitoring systems. Over the three years described in the court records, the defendants took in more than $500,000 for illegal modifications. Even as they broke the law, the couple used the income for their 10-acre compound with a saltwater pool and garage housing an extensive collection of expensive exotic cars. In asking for prison time, prosecutors argued, “By deleting 375 trucks, (the) Coiteuxs in effect placed the pollution equivalent of 127,500 new trucks on the road. To put this in perspective, there are only 274,000 diesel trucks registered statewide in Washington. Based on these figures, RPM’s modifications had the capacity to increase total diesel pollution by 46% above the pollution caused by all compliant registered light duty diesel trucks statewide.” “For years, the defendants intentionally violated the Clean Air Act by defeating emissions control equipment on well over three hundred diesel trucks,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) in Washington. “Their actions directly resulted in significant excess pollution being emitted into the air, which are linked to heart and lung diseases and even cancer. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that individuals and their companies who violate our nation’s environmental laws and deliberately threaten human health and the environment will be held criminally responsible for their actions.” The case was investigated by Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Cindy Chang and Environmental Protection Agency Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Gebel Perrin.


title: Dubuque Man Who Possessed Firearms While Being an Illegal User of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed five firearms while being an illegal drug user was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than one year in federal prison. Jesse James Zeromski, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. At the guilty plea, Zeromski admitted he unlawfully possessed five firearms, including a revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles, while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine. Zeromski was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Zeromski was sentenced to twelve months’ and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Zeromski is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-1008. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Kalispell company admits filing false claims for payment to federal agency claiming an abatement of lead paint in veterans housing at Fort Harrison

body_text: HELENA — Mold Wranglers, Inc., a Kalispell-based company that provides hazardous material mitigation services, today admitted to filing false requests for payment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claiming an abatement of lead paint was done at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison when it was not, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The defendant, Mold Wranglers, Inc., appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of False Claim Act conspiracy, a felony. Mold Wranglers was represented by Jonathan Carpenter, owner of the company. The company faces a maximum fine of $500,000 and restitution. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025. The government alleged in court documents that Mold Wranglers agreed to perform work at the Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, which is affordable rental housing for veterans and their families at Fort Harrison. The project consisted of converting residential units for military veterans and their families. From 2018 to 2019, Mold Wranglers conducted work at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, including, but not limited to, painting over lead-based paint with an encapsulating paint. Because of the dangers associated with lead, federal regulations strictly regulate all lead work. All contractors must hold certifications to conduct such work, and the Environmental Protection Agency must receive notification that lead work is occurring. Mold Wranglers’ employees were not certified to conduct lead work, they failed to notify the EPA and they applied the encapsulating paint inconsistent with the paint manufacturer specifications. Mold Wranglers submitted 11 Subcontractor Requisitions for Payment detailing that lead-based paint work was performed. Those claims, through other companies, were submitted to the VA and paid with federal funds. When doing so, Mold Wranglers and others claimed they performed an “abatement,” which was false. Indeed, the companies specifically agreed they would not perform an abatement, which requires certain specifications be met. In an email, one individual said: “The plan is to aesthetically repair the paint and finish the homes. It’s not to remove the lead hazard and if the plan is to go down the abatement road, then it will be a significant increase to the scope of the work.” Th companies requested and received payment of approximately $456,000 from the United States for an “abatement.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Westbrook Bank Robber Who Threatened to Detonate a Car Bomb at South Portland Bank Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jason Arsenault , 41, to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution. Arsenault pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024. According to court records, on January 26, 2024, Arsenault pulled up to the drive‑through window of a South Portland bank wearing a black winter hat, sunglasses and a black mask covering his face. Using the pneumatic tube, he passed a note to the teller that read, “CAR BOMB No Cops Alarms or WE ALL DIE $50,000 in 20’s.” The teller placed some cash into the pneumatic tube, and Arsenault took the funds and drove away. Using multiple surveillance cameras, investigators were able to trace the vehicle’s movements and capture an image of Arsenault’s face, leading to his identification. Six days following the robbery, Arsenault was arrested in Portland, and he confessed to the robbery and directed investigators to the money hidden in a backpack in Baxter Woods in Portland. The backpack and all but $1,700 in stolen funds were recovered. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the South Portland and Portland police departments. ###


title: Leonard Glenn Francis Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Massive Bribery, Fraud and Disappearance

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Leonard Glenn Francis, mastermind of an unprecedented bribery and fraud scheme targeting the U.S. Navy, was sentenced in federal court today to 180 months in prison and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy and a $150,000 fine. Francis was also ordered to forfeit $35 million in ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes. Francis’ sentence reflects admissions in his first guilty plea in 2015 concerning bribery and fraud, his extensive cooperation with the government, and his guilty plea today for failing to appear for his original sentencing hearing in 2022. U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino handed down a 164-month sentence for bribery and fraud and 16 months for failing to appear, to be served consecutively. Francis admitted today in his second plea agreement that he fled the country to avoid his sentencing hearing in September 2022. Around September 4, 2022, while he was on house arrest, Francis cut off a GPS monitor he was required to wear and disappeared, first fleeing to Mexico, then Cuba, and ultimately, Venezuela. He was later arrested in Venezuela and brought back to the U.S. on December 20, 2023. "Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The impact of his deceit and manipulation will be long felt, but justice has been served today.” Francis, 60, a Malaysian citizen most recently living in Singapore, was initially arrested in San Diego on September 16, 2013, and remained in pretrial custody until December 18, 2017, when the court granted his request for release pending sentencing due to a medical condition. Francis served four years and three months in custody before he was released on bond and ordered into house arrest. He remained on bond under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services for almost five years, from December 17, 2017, until he fled the U.S. on September 4, 2022. He has remained in custody in the U.S. since his return on December 20, 2023. Based on today’s sentence and the court’s finding that Francis has so far served 2,333 days of his sentence - including time spent in custody in Venezuela at the request of the U.S. government - Francis has an estimated 8.5 years remaining. According to admissions in his initial 2015 plea agreement, and other court documents, Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, or GDMA, which provided services to U.S. Navy ships in Asia Pacific ports, gave co-conspirators millions of dollars in things of value, including over $500,000 in cash; hundreds of thousands of dollars in the services of prostitutes and associated expenses; hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel expenses, including airfare, often first or business class, luxurious hotel stays, incidentals, and spa treatments; hundreds of thousands of dollars in lavish meals, top-shelf alcohol and wine, and entertainment; and hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury gifts, including designer handbags and leather goods, watches, fountain pens, Kobe beef, Spanish suckling pigs, designer furniture, Cuban cigars, consumer electronics, ornamental swords, and hand-made ship models. Francis admitted that in return, U.S. Navy personnel and command staff advocated on behalf of Francis and his company during the procurement process and provided classified information about various U.S. Navy ships’ port visits, proprietary U.S. Navy information such as details about competitors’ bids for U.S. Navy contracts, and information about Naval Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Navy investigations into GDMA’s practices, among other things. In his 2015 plea agreement, Francis also admitted to defrauding the U.S. Navy of tens of millions of dollars by routinely overbilling for goods and services provided, including fuel, tugboats, and sewage disposal. GDMA the corporation was also sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $36 million fine. According to the government’s sentencing memo, Francis’ scheme to defraud the United States over many years and the entrenched bribery and corruption he fostered within the U.S. Navy were aggravated and egregious. By contrast, once caught, he pleaded guilty, and cooperated extensively with authorities. Over the course of several years, Francis met with government investigators dozens of times to discuss unprecedented levels of corruption within the U.S. Navy. Francis provided detailed information about hundreds of Sailors, from petty officers to admirals, and turned over financial records, photographs, receipts and Navy contracting documents. Corroborated information from Francis substantially assisted the United States in its investigation. “Mr. Francis’ sentencing brings closure to an expansive fraud scheme that he perpetrated against the U.S. Navy with assistance from various Navy officials. This fraud conspiracy ultimately cost the American taxpayer millions of dollars and weakened the public’s trust in some of our Navy’s senior leaders. Mr. Francis’ actions not only degraded the 7th Fleet’s readiness but shook the Fleet’s trust in its leadership who furthered his corrupt practices,” said Kelly P. Mayo, the Director of the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “The exhaustive joint investigation exemplifies the lengths DCIS and its investigative partners will go to in order to pursue justice for the American taxpayer and our warfighters. DCIS will continue to protect our nation’s precious resources so they are not lost to illicit schemes that only serve one’s greed and self-aggrandizement to the detriment of our national security.” “Leonard Francis put the safety of our warfighters and Department of Navy assets at risk,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “He disregarded the law and lined his pockets by bribing U.S. Navy officials and others to exploit sensitive national security information. NCIS remains committed to protecting Department of the Navy personnel and resources. As we reach the final sentencing in this complex and intensive procurement fraud investigation that spanned over a decade, I want to thank the countless NCIS professionals and partner agencies involved.” DEFENDANT Case Numbers: 13-CR-3781, 3782 and 4287 Leonard Glenn Francis Age: 60 Singapore Glenn Defense Marine Asia Pte. Ltd. Singapore SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371. Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §201 Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371 Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution Failure to Appear, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §3146 Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Defense Criminal Investigative Service Naval Criminal Investigative Service Defense Contract Audit Agency


title: Registered Sex Offender from Damariscotta Sentenced to 18 Years for Possessing, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Damariscotta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Trey Knof , 28, to 216 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,250 in restitution. Knof pleaded guilty on February 13, 2024. According to court records, in August 2022, Knof used an internet-based mobile application to transfer an internet hyperlink containing child pornography to an online covert FBI employee. As part of its review of the material that Knof distributed, the FBI located numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including victims as young as infants. In May 2023, the FBI executed a warrant for Knof’s residence, vehicle, and person, and child sexual abuse material was recovered from his mobile phone. Knof was a registered sex offender in Maine with prior state convictions for gross sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, dissemination of sexually explicit material, and possession of sexually explicit material of a minor under 12. The FBI investigated this case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: 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’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 31, 2024 JOHNNIE HAGANS (“HAGANS”) , age 31, pled guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) (Count 1); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1(a)(i) (Count 2); and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Counts 3 and 4). As to Count 1, HAGANS faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, HAGANS faces from five years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. As to Counts 3 and 4, HAGANS faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each of Counts 1-4, HAGANS also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. HAGANS is set for sentencing on January 30, 2025. According to court documents, on January 23, 2024, a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer conducting surveillance of a Valero gas station on South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans saw HAGANS making multiple hand-to-hand drug sales. NOPD patrol officers attempted to detain HAGANS ,one officer was able to feel and detected an object in HAGANS’s waistband recognizable as a firearm. HAGANS fled from the officers and discarded an object in an open lot. After HAGANS’s subsequent detention, officers recovered a Ruger Model LCPII, .380 caliber pistol from the open lot. Officers also obtained a search warrant for a Nissan Rogue SUV located in the Valero gas station parking lot that HAGANS had previously been seen accessing. Inside the SUV, officers found a Kahr Arms Model CW40, .40 caliber pistol, and a plastic bag containing cocaine. After HAGANS’s arrest, officers began monitoring his jail phone calls. Based on these calls and the belief that additional firearms might be found at HAGANS’s residence, officers obtained a search warrant for HAGANS’s residence. Pursuant to the warrant, they recovered a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62-millimeter pistol and an Anderson Arms Model AM-15, .223 caliber /5.56-millimeter pistol. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: South Boston Man Indicted for Role in Elder Fraud Conspiracy that Defrauded Victim of Nearly $500,000

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A South Boston man was indicted by a grand jury in Boston today in connection with a scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old elderly man from Berkshire County, Mass., of approximately $500,000. Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 21, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Patel was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 7, 2024 . He was subsequently released by the Court on conditions including GPS monitoring and orders that he remain in Massachusetts. According to the charging documents, beginning in or about February 2024 and continuing until on or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel and others participated in a scheme to defraud victims. It is alleged that Patel’s co-conspirator contacted the victim by phone, posing as an official from the U.S. Treasury Department named “Sam Wilson.” Wilson allegedly told the victim that Treasury documents showed him as being involved in a money laundering scheme and instructed the victim to take out the cash from his bank accounts to send to the Treasury Department for safekeeping. It is further alleged that Wilson directed the victim to place the cash in a taped box with the victim’s own name and address written on it and then sent couriers to the victim’s home to collect the boxes of cash. Prior to each collection, Wilson allegedly made the victim describe the clothes he would be wearing and provided the victim with a “PIN” passcode the couriers were to recite upon pickup. It is alleged that on or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel drove from South Boston to North Adams, Mass., for the purpose of retrieving cash from the victim. On that date, it is alleged that Patel spoke with an individual he believed to be the victim and provided the prearranged passcode, before taking possession of the box of cash and driving away. Patel was immediately apprehended. The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including elder fraud scams, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov . To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311) Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm EST. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Adams Police Department and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tallahassee Couple and Ghanaian Man Sentenced for Participating In A Ghana-Based Romance Scam Which Victimized the Elderly

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences of three defendants who were convicted for their participation in a Ghana-based romance scam: Sadia Alhassan, 35, a citizen of Ghana who resided in Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Shawn William Smith , 26, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to serve 1 day in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, to include 150 hours of community service, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Mohammed Saaminu Zuberu, 39, a citizen of Ghana who was naturalized as a dual U.S. citizen and who resided in Aldie, Virginia, was sentenced to serve approximately 5½ months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. "Given our large elder population, Florida experiences far too many instances of fraud against unsuspecting, vulnerable seniors through overtures of affection,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our senior citizens." Each will also be required to pay $581,261.67 in restitution to their victims. “Whether you are spearheading the scheme or acting as a “money-mule,” there is no tolerance for those who are knowingly involved with defrauding citizens throughout the United States in a romance scam,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate those who target innocent people, especially our elderly, and use the U.S. Mail to abuse their trust for financial gain.” Court documents reflect between March 2019, and March 2022, unknown individuals in Ghana engaged in a military romance scam in which they used telephone and online platforms to contact (usually) elderly victims in the United States and trick them into believing that they were involved in a romantic relationship with another person. Eventually through continued communications, the victims were duped into sending money to their supposed romantic partner (who they had never actually met in person). Sadia Alhassan, who was in the United States on a student visa, and her husband, Shawn Smith, knowingly served as money launderers (also known as “money mules”) for the unknown scammers in Ghana. Smith and Alhassan did not have any direct communications with the scam victims; rather, the victims were instructed by the “romantic partner” to send money via the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) or a commercial interstate carrier to an address in Tallahassee which turned out to be used by Smith and Alhassan, or to bank accounts that they controlled. “Targeting the elderly for financial gain is morally reprehensible,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Protecting this vulnerable population is not just the responsibility of family members, but also law enforcement agencies like HSI and our partners. We are committed to apprehending those who target our seniors.” Court records also show that Mohammed Zuberu served as an intermediary between Smith and Alhassan and the unknown Ghana scammers. On at least one occasion, Zuberu sent a screenshot of USPS receipt (including the tracking number of a package en route to Smith and Alhassan) to Alhassan via a social media phone application. The receipt was consistent with having been sent from one of the elderly victims to a “romantic partner” during their communications. Once Smith and Alhassan received the package in Tallahassee, Alhassan sent a photo of the received package back to Zuberu to alert the scammers that the fraud money was received. The money and/or money orders contained in such packages were then used, in part, to buy money orders which were deposited into bank accounts of Zuberu and others. Within a few days of being deposited in Zuberu’s account, the money was usually withdrawn at ATMs located in Ghana. “I want to remind everyone to be extremely careful when sending money to someone you barely know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “These manipulators preyed on the good nature of their elderly victims, plain and simple. We all have a desire to feel close to someone and this group sought to exploit that for their own greed. We will continue to do everything we can to bring the criminals who run these types of scams to justice.” Court records also reflect that the defendants used and operated multiple registered and unregistered business entities to transfer funds on behalf of the public without an appropriate money transmitting businesses license as required by Florida law. Further, the defendants operated such money transmitting businesses knowing that the funds being transported and transmitted were derived from a criminal offense or were intended to be used to promote or support unlawful activity. As a result of their conduct, Smith, Alhassan, Zuberu, and others fraudulently received more than approximately $500,000 to which they were not entitled. These convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Richland Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Transporting Minor Across State Lines for Sexual Assault

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Richland, Mo., man who sexually abused a victim between the ages of 10 and 17 was sentenced in federal court today. Robert Norman Kennedy, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Kennedy to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration. Kennedy will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On Jan. 18, 2024, Kennedy pleaded guilty to transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The victim told investigators that Kennedy forced her to engage in sex and that he sexually abused her starting at age 10. After law enforcement began an investigation into the sexual abuse, Kennedy forced the victim to leave Missouri, and they traveled from Missouri through several states where he continued to sexual abuse the victim. Kennedy and the victim ended up in Georgia, where the victim reported they had lived in a van parked in the driveway of Kennedy’s brother’s residence and in a tent in the back yard. Law enforcement arrested Kennedy on unrelated charges in December 2022 at which time the victim and Kennedy were living at a motel. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Bayside State Prison Corrections Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Violating Inmates’ Civil Rights

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A former corrections officer at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for depriving two inmates of their civil rights by failing to intervene when the inmates were assaulted and suffered bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville, New Jersey, plead guilty on Feb. 26, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging him with depriving two inmates of their right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. Judge Williams imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In December 2019, while working as a corrections officer, Hand was inside the officers’ quarters within the kitchen area of Bayside State Prison when the first victim was summoned to that room. Shortly after the victim entered the officers’ quarters, the exit door was blocked and in the presence of Hand, the victim was assaulted simultaneously by several inmates and taken down to the floor. Hand watched and did not attempt to intervene when multiple inmates pinned and restrained the victim on the floor while other inmates delivered multiple punches and other blows to the victim’s torso, arms, and legs. Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel despite knowing that he was required to do so. Later that same day, the second victim was in the officers’ quarters at the prison with Hand and another corrections officer. Without provocation, the other corrections officer struck the second victim in the legs multiple times with a broomstick. During the assault of the second victim, Hand remained within arm’s reach of the assault and had a reasonable opportunity to intervene but did not attempt to do so. Once again, Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel. In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Hand to three years of supervised release and fined him $10,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victoria Kuhn, for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.


title: San Bernardino County Woman and Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging $2.1 Million Scheme to Illegally Get COVID Jobless Benefits

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – Two San Bernardino County residents were arrested today on a nine-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds by submitting more than 120 fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits using stolen identities, including those of California state prisoners. Lisa Puente, 43, of Rialto, and Arthur Marquez, 53, of San Bernardino, were arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. Both defendants are charged with six counts of mail fraud and one count of use of unauthorized access devices. Puente and Marquez also each are charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Puente and Marquez pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, and a December 30 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Puente released on $20,000 bond and ordered Marquez released on $10,000 bond. According to the indictment returned on October 9 and unsealed today, from February 2020 to August 2023, Puente and Marquez filed with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) fraudulent applications for UI benefits in the names of other people. EDD administers California’s unemployment benefits program. The other people included individuals who did not qualify for UI because they were incarcerated in California state prisons and people whose personal identifying information (PII) was used without their permission. The fraudulent applications falsely stated that they were individuals whose employment had been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered eligibility for UI benefits under federal law. The applications also falsely stated that the named claimants resided and had worked in California. In fact, most identity theft victims in this scheme did not live in California. The applications also used false mailing addresses, bogus prior annual income information, and that the named claimants were unemployed self-employed individuals whose employment was adversely impacted by COVID-19. As a result of the bogus UI applications that Puente and Marquez filed, EDD authorized Bank of America to issue debit cards in the names of dozens of victims and straw claimants. Once in possession of the debit cards, the defendants withdrew the UI benefits loaded onto the debit cards by making cash withdrawals at ATMs and bank branches and by using the debit cards to buy items sold at businesses. In total, Puente and Marquez causing at least 124 fraudulent applications for UI benefits to be filed, causing losses to EDD and the United States Treasury of approximately $2,136,768. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the unauthorized access device count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count. The United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit; the United States Secret Service; the U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mitchell M. Suliman of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California to jointly head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Nigerian national arrested on arrival in U.S. on indictment for multi-million-dollar romance fraud

body_text: Seattle – A 40-year-old Nigerian national was arrested upon his arrival at an airport in Texas on an indictment returned in the Western District of Washington. Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo was indicted in December 2023 for 14 counts of wire fraud connected to his romance fraud scheme. Nwadialo was traveling from Nigeria when he was arrested. Nwadialo will be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment. “All too often the defendants in these romance scams are overseas and unreachable by U.S. law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “I congratulate investigators who are alert to any opportunity to arrest such defendants and hold them accountable.” According to the indictment and criminal complaint filed in the case, Nwadialo allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million. According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas so he could not meet the victims in person. Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons he needed the victims to send him money. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million. A second victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-schemers. In this instance Nwadialo represented that he needed the help moving money in connection with his father’s death. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant. A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her. He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments and he had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction. Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition. The fourteen counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers. Wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment 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 investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang. nwadialo_indictment.pdf


title: Somerville Tax Preparer Convicted of False Tax Returns Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Somerville tax preparer was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on charges that he prepared false tax returns in the names of taxpayers. Yves Isidor, 68, was convicted of five counts of filing false tax returns. Isidor was acquitted on one count. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 6, 2025. The evidence at trial established that from at least 2012 through 2020, Isidor operated a tax preparation business under the name Tax and Realty Pro to file more than 1,200 tax returns in the names of clients, charging between $100 to $500 per return. Isidor added false information to six tax returns to claim deductions for fictitious medical and dental expenses, gifts to charities and unreimbursed employee business expenses. The false returns resulted in taxpayers receiving tax refunds to which they were not entitled or paying lower taxes than they owed. Six taxpayers testified at trial that Isidor had never discussed the false items with them, and they were not aware he had inserted them into their returns. An undercover agent also testified that he was present and observed the defendant create a false tax return in the agent’s undercover name. “When someone hires an individual to complete your tax returns, they have a right to expect honesty, professionalism and integrity. Most importantly, you expect them to provide accurate information to the IRS,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Yves Isidor lied to his clients, who had no idea that he had improperly filed tax returns on their behalf until they were contacted by investigators and alerted to the false information in their returns. Tax fraud is not a victimless crime. We all suffer when people like Yves Isidor lie and cheat the tax system.” “The guilty verdict of Yves Isidor demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to the prosecution of tax return preparers who are looking to exploit the American taxpayers,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Isidor held a position of trust in his local community as a tax return preparer and he used that trust to take advantage of his clients by preparing fraudulent tax returns, often without his clients’ knowledge, resulting in the underpayment of legitimate tax obligations that all Americans are required to pay. The jury’s verdict in this case sends a clear message that tax fraud is not a victimless crime. These countless acts lead to the reduction of tax revenue that local communities rely on to fund schools and maintain essential civil services.” The charges of aiding and assisting in the filing of false federal tax returns each provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, IRS SAC Chavis and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Christina M. Grimes, Trial Attorney for the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Prison for Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms Charges

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 58 months in prison for his role in a narcotics conspiracy involving approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute approximately 482 grams of cocaine, and possessing three firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Carlos Ovidio Gonzalez, 37, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Clair C. Cecchi to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Dec. 19, 2022, Gonzalez and another individual conspired to distribute approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl and were arrested shortly after arriving at an agreed-upon location in Kearny to complete the sale. After their arrests, a search of Gonzalez’s home and an apartment uncovered two loaded firearms, an unloaded firearm, ammunition, drug packaging materials, and drugs, including approximately 482 grams of heroin. Gonzalez had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Morris County, of first-degree drug distribution, second degree weapons possession during a controlled substance offense, and second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and was sentenced in 2009 to 30 years in prison. In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Gonzalez to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, and officers with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked Newark Police Department for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.


title: California Man Convicted of Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Troy Alexander Mendez, age 25, a resident of Temple City, California, plead guilty on Tuesday to distribution of controlled substances. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Mendez admitted that, in August 2023, he sold and shipped over 300 grams of methamphetamine via the U.S. Postal Service to a customer in the Syracuse, New York area. Law enforcement intercepted the package and identified Mendez as the source of the shipment. Sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2025, in Syracuse, at which time Mendez faces a mandatory minimum federal prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.


title: Ulster County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register Email Address

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joseph Nash, a/k/a “Nash Von Wicked” and “Nash Bridges,” age 45, of Port Ewen, New York, pled guilty today to failing to update his registration as a sex offender to include an email address that he failed to disclose. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement. Nash admitted that he became a Tier II sex offender after he pled guilty in federal court in 2009 to distributing child pornography. Nash knew that as a registered sex offender, he was required to report, among other things, all email addresses he used to the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services. Despite this requirement, he created an email address in August 2023 and failed to disclose it to New York authorities as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Nash, who was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense, further admitted he also did not disclose this email address and a contemporaneously created Facebook account to the U.S. Probation Office for the Northern District of New York. In addition to his guilty plea to failing to update his registration information as a sex offender, Nash also admitted today that his conduct violated the terms of supervised release imposed as a result of his child pornography conviction. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2025 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. The SORNA offense carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. The supervised release violations carry a maximum term of 2 years in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal 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 .