title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct

body_text: WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 36, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Scott pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, in May 2024, Scott began communicating via an encrypted messaging application with a man he met on a fetish website. Scott believed the man to be a pedophile who was sexually abusing his six-year-old daughter. Unbeknownst to Scott, the man was an undercover officer with the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the next several days, Scott engaged in graphic conversations about sexually abusing the child. On June 5, 2024, Scott arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., and was arrested. Scott has remained in custody since his arrest. Scott faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In addition, Scott will be required to register as a sex offender following any prison term. This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney. 24cr287


title: Maryland Man Charged With Attempting To Provide Material Support To Isis

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., age 21, of Hanover, Maryland has been charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. The defendant has been detained since his arrest on October 14, 2024, and had an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan on October 15, 2024. The charges were announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, between March and April 2023, Teekaye had multiple conversations with an Undercover Officer (“UCO”) in which he told the UCO that he wanted to travel to Africa to join and fight for ISIS. Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against people who support Israel. On three occasions in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was partly in order to “train.” In July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm rifle, but the purchase was denied because Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case. In conversations with the UCO between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he was in contact with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that he would fly first to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia and cross the border into Somalia. Teekaye sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he had obtained from the ISIS fighter. On October 4, 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he would depart from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on October 14, 2024 and fly to Istanbul, Turkey with a layover in London. On October 10, 2024, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, along with the caption “Abdullah the islamophobe slayer.” On October 11, 2024, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded, “I am sure I did a lot of research and had to accept something’s [sic] that they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.” On October 14, 2024, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he had checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. Following his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’ll just get out in 20 years and do something here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. . . . I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye began kicking one of the arresting agents. A complaint is not a finding of guilt. All defendants charged by complaint are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Teekaye faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), for their valuable assistance. Mr. Barron would like to thank the NYPD's Intelligence Division under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, Assistant Chief John Hart, and Deputy Chief Fernando Guimaraes. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Hoffman and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting this case. Mr. Barron also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov . # # #


title: Stilwell Resident Sentenced For Possessing A Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nakiah Twobear Eagle, age 27, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. On March 25, 2024, Eagle pleaded guilty to the federal firearms offense. According to investigators, on August 30, 2022, an Adair County Sheriff’s Office Investigator conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Eagle to be in possession of a loaded .22 caliber semiautomatic pistol, along with 732.8 grams of methamphetamine, which Eagle intended for distribution. Eagle knowingly possessed the firearm in furtherance of his trafficking of methamphetamine. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing. Eagle 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 U.S. Attorney Rachel Geizura represented the United States.


title: Boone County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trenton Alan Cremeans, 23, of Seth, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 17, 2024, Cremeans possessed approximately 115 images and 22 videos of child pornography on his cell phone. Cremeans admitted that these images and videos include depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Cremeans further admitted that he downloaded these images and videos online, and had used his cell phone to search online for child pornography and related information by using specific search terms. Cremeans is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Cremeans must also register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-41. ###


title: Press Release By U.S. Attorney Relating To November 2024 General Election

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Mac D. Heavener, III will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, election. AUSA Heavener has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the Office’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (865) 544-0751. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process. AUSA/DEO Mac Heavener will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (423) 823-5009 or (423) 218-6652.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. ###


title: Falfurrias felon sentenced for possessing a firearm

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 57-year-old Falfurrias resident is headed back to prison for illegally possessing a rifle, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gerardo Vargas pleaded guilty July 25. U.S District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has ordered Vargas to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Vargas’ extensive criminal history involving burglary, narcotics trafficking and firearms charges and the fact that he was on supervised release for conspiracy to harbor/transport undocumented aliens at the time of the offense. The court also heard that Vargas has been a member of the Texas Syndicate Prison Gang since 1990. In imposing the sentence, the court noted his extensive criminal history, that this was his fifth federal case and his previous revocations. In December 2022, authorities encountered Vargas hunting with a rifle on private property and took him into custody on related charges. At the time of his arrest, Vargas admitted to having hunted just days prior on another property. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement knew he was a convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. Vargas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.


title: Kansas Man Sentenced for Issuing Race-Based Death Threats to Multiple Black People

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Kansas man was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for threatening multiple Black people in and around the Wichita area, and for interfering with the housing rights of a white woman because he believed that she was dating and associating with Black people. Austin Schoemann, 31, of Wichita, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with federally protected activities, two counts of interstate threats and one count of interference with housing. In connection with the plea, Schoemann admitted that, in July 2022, he brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station, and that he also used his firearm to threaten a Black adult who intervened to support the juveniles. Schoemann also acknowledged that, from January 2022 through August 2022, he interfered with the federally protected housing rights of a white woman by making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited her home. Schoemann further admitted that he sent videos and messages to the woman’s family members and others in which he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill Black people. “Racially-motivated threats of violence cannot be tolerated in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For months, this defendant made threats to a woman and her family that he would shoot and kill any Black person who visited the woman’s home. After that campaign of terror, the defendant called two Black children racist slurs, and threatened the children and a Black woman with a gun when they happened to cross paths at a convenience store. This case should make clear that the Justice Department will not rest in bringing the perpetrators of racially-motivated hate crimes to justice.” “Perpetrators of hate crimes inflict pain upon victims in furtherance of a larger goal of breeding fear and divisiveness within our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “The Justice Department is standing against racial violence and threats of racial violence by prosecuting offenders, but we need the public’s help. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas encourages those who are victims of or witnesses to hate crimes to report these incidents to law enforcement.” The FBI Kansas City Field Office and Wichita Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Thomas Johnson and Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department and City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Seek Partial Termination of Consent Decree Covering Albuquerque Police Department

body_text: The Justice Department and City of Albuquerque (City), New Mexico, filed a joint motion today seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The joint motion follows the independent monitor’s 20th report, also filed today, which concluded that the City and APD have reached full compliance with 99% of the consent decree’s terms, the highest level of compliance achieved by APD. The monitor’s report indicates that APD’s compliance level reflects significant achievement in critical areas such as completing timely and high-quality use-of-force and misconduct investigations. These accomplishments take place against a backdrop of a 37% reduction in APD’s use of serious force in the last four years. “Our joint motion to terminate additional provisions of this consent decree demonstrates that the Justice Department has come even closer to its ultimate goal of ensuring constitutional and effective policing in Albuquerque,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Real reform is not only possible, but evident in Albuquerque. Since this consent decree went into effect, the Albuquerque Police Department has made significant and sustained progress in implementing policing practices that respect civil rights and promote public safety. We have seen a 37% decline in use of serious force over the last four years, and continue to move reform efforts forward. The Justice Department will continue to work with the City and its police department toward our shared goal of constitutional and effective policing—the community deserves nothing less.” “This partial termination proves that the hard work of the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department and the persistent advocacy from the community are achieving real results,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Where the existence of a consent agreement is a symptom of dysfunction, every paragraph terminated is evidence of progress. Effective policy, operational observance of those rules, and persistent compliance with reform have set up APD for success. The sustainment period which follows termination will ensure that APD delivers the police department the people of Albuquerque deserve.” The joint motion asks the court to terminate 31 consent decree provisions with which APD has fully complied for at least two years. The provisions cover a range of topics, including use of electronic control weapons (commonly known as Tasers); crisis intervention; crisis prevention; and supervision. It is the third joint motion the parties have filed in the last year seeking to terminate a total of 183 paragraphs of the consent decree, or 67% of the enforceable provisions of the agreement. APD has made substantial change in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree the parties seek to terminate, including: APD has properly trained all officers on using Tasers to ensure that officers only use these weapons when lawful and necessary. APD has trained specialized officers to respond to behavioral health crises and deployed those officers across the department. Albuquerque has also created a new agency called Albuquerque Community Safety to send trained mental health professionals to 911 calls involving behavioral health issues. Through these two initiatives, Albuquerque is working to ensure that people get the help they need. APD has improved supervision across the police department, ensuring that officers receive the guidance, direction and support they need to be effective and comply with the law. The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on the Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters website . Additional information about implementation of the consent decree is also available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website . If you believe your civil rights have been violated, please submit a complaint through our online portal .


title: Whiting Man Sentenced for Hate Crimes

body_text: HAMMOND – Brian O’Neill, 46 years old, of Whiting, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to two counts of Interference with Housing based on Race and one count of Making False Statements to Law Enforcement announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. O’Neill was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, between June 2022 and August 2023, O’Neill acted willfully to drive out a family from living next door to Whiting home because of his animosity against that family’s race. O’Neill’s efforts to drive out the next door multi-racial family included: threatening to assault a member of that family; shouting racial slurs at members of that family; and telling them to move out of Whiting. O’Neill also threatened harm on the landlord who had rented the house to that family. When questioned by law enforcement about his actions, O’Neill denied directing racial slurs to the neighboring family and denied making any threats. However, there was a recording that refuted his false denials. As part of his guilty plea in this case, O’Neill acknowledged both his hostile acts against his neighbors and that his actions were motivated by his opposition to persons of color living in his neighborhood. “Freedom to acquire housing and the freedom to live peaceably in that housing are keys to building a more stable, safe, and prosperous society. When, as in this case, a person interferes with another person’s ability to attain and retain housing because of racial prejudices, they have committed a hate crime,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute these crimes whenever and wherever they occur in the Northern District of Indiana.” “Every hate crime is a calculated attack on a person’s right to peace and sense of belonging and can leave scars that can linger long after the act itself,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas Winterhalter. “The FBI’s commitment to investigating hate crimes underscores the seriousness of these offenses. It is not just about enforcing the law but protecting communities and ensuring the rights of individuals to live free of fear.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hammond Police Department with assistance from the Lake County Prosecutors Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath and Thomas A. Johnson, Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. If you believe you are a victim of, or witness to, a hate crime or discriminatory act, you are encouraged to report the incident to local and federal law enforcement. In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana maintains the below Civil Rights webpage where you may obtain information about your rights and make a complaint directly to the United States Attorney’s Office. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/civil-rights-enforcement


title: Armed Robbery Crew Charged After Attempting to Rob Temecula Pharmacy and Following a Six-Week Armed Robbery Spree

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – Four individuals were charged in a criminal complaint today alleging their involvement in a six-week armed robbery spree across Southern California. The following defendants are charged with attempted interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act): Aaron Carter, 39, of Fontana; Diamond Lucious, 25, of Victorville; Isaac Penaldoza, 35, of San Bernardino; and Kamaria Kendrick, 25, of Menifee According to the complaint affidavit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF) has been investigating a series of armed robberies of pharmacies across Southern California – in Woodland Hills, Temecula, Newport Beach, and Fullerton. During each of the robberies, three male suspects would enter the pharmacies wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. Two of the suspects would be armed with guns, force employees to the ground, steal cash from the registers, and violently drag employees around the store. The third suspect would grab a trash can from inside the pharmacies and put stolen medications in the trash can. The complaint affidavit alleges that on October 14, 2024, Kendrick scouted the Apollo Pharmacy in Temecula, California, by walking around the pharmacy building while on her phone and then driving around the building several times. Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza then entered the pharmacy wearing hooded clothing, gloves, and masks while Kendrick waited in the car. Surveillance video at the Apollo Pharmacy shows that Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza allegedly jumped over the counter and Lucious and Penaldoza brandished guns at employees, yelled at the employees, and then grabbed the employees and forced them to lie on the ground. Carter went directly to the safe in the back of the store and Penaldoza allegedly forced an employee at gunpoint to walk towards the safe. After an employee said that there was nothing in the safe, Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza allegedly fled to the getaway car driven by Kendrick. OCVCTF agents attempted to arrest the suspects when Kendrick allegedly tried to evade them and struck one of the unmarked law enforcement vehicles. While law enforcement immobilized the getaway car, a 9mm pistol fell out of the car. All four were arrested at the scene without further incident. Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza, are not legally permitted to possess firearms because they have all been previously convicted of multiple felonies and were on post-release community supervision or parole at the time of their arrest. A complaint affidavit contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments. The ATF OCVCTF is investigating this matter. The OCVCTF was formed to investigate violent crime, with a focus on serial robberies throughout Southern California. The ATF-led task force is comprised of personnel from the Brea Police Department, the Fullerton Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Leader of Anchorage drug trafficking conspiracy gets 20 years for trafficking fentanyl, meth

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The leader of an Anchorage drug trafficking conspiracy was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and five years’ supervised release for dealing fentanyl and methamphetamine in Anchorage. According to court documents, in 2022, Nigel Ivory, 29, of Anchorage, was released from prison after serving a federal sentence and began selling drugs in and around the Anchorage area. During the investigation, officials conducted three controlled purchases of drugs from Ivory between October 2022 and March 2023. During the first controlled purchase in October 2022, Ivory sold over 111 grams of methamphetamine and 98 fentanyl pills for $3,800. In January 2023, Ivory sold 282 fentanyl pills for $1,950. In March 2023, Ivory sold over 276 grams of methamphetamine and 487 fentanyl pills for $5,000. In February 2023, officials seized over $55,000 in cash that Ivory attempted to transport from Anchorage to Fort Wayne, Indiana, on a commercial flight. Ivory attempted to smuggle the cash by hiding it inside three tennis shoes in a checked bag. The cash had trace amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl on it. Later that month, officials also seized over 180 fentanyl pills from a co-conspirator during a traffic stop. Investigators uncovered text messages from Ivory directing the co-conspirator to hide the fentanyl pills from police. On June 22, 2023, officials simultaneously executed search warrants for two residences associated with Ivory, one of which was Ivory’s primary address. At 6:30 a.m., agents announced their presence outside Ivory’s residence. Ivory and a co-defendant did not come outside and surrender until 7:00 a.m. Upon searching the residence, agents recovered over $18,000 in U.S. currency, a money counter, drug packaging material, over 160 fentanyl pills, some of which were partially dissolved and scattered in a toilet bowl, two firearms and ammunition. In April and May 2023, law enforcement seized three additional packages, each containing more than a kilogram of fentanyl pills, from co-conspirators in the case, in which Ivory was involved in trafficking. The following co-conspirators were also charged in this case: Brandon Beltz, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl on Aug. 13, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing. Jack Breitenstein died of an apparent fentanyl overdose after spending nine months on pretrial release and the charges against him were dismissed on April 11, 2024. Wilanda Jackson, 23, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and is awaiting trial. Don’Tia Nikolai, 21, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and is awaiting trial. As a result of the investigation, the defendant is accountable for 5.3 kilograms of fentanyl and over 380 grams of methamphetamine. Ivory pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in April 2024. “Fatal drug overdoses rose over 44% this past year, with the majority involving fentanyl, posing a grave threat to Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Keeping fentanyl out of our communities is a top priority, and we urge the public to report any drug trafficking activities to law enforcement. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who conspire to traffic dangerous drugs in our state.” “Mr. Ivory callously trafficked massive quantities of deadly fentanyl pills into and throughout Alaska, poisoning our communities and destroying lives in the process,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Zachary Pomerantz of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This investigation, worked alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, represents one of highest fentanyl seizures known in Alaska, underscoring the FBI’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities.” “Your Alaska State Troopers will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone that traffics dangerous drugs such as fentanyl accountable for their actions,” stated Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes. “I hope that this significant prison sentence serves as a deterrent to those that are peddling drugs in our state. To those trafficking dangerous drugs in Alaska, know that law enforcement will catch up to you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case. UPDATE: This release has been updated to include the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. ###


title: First Circuit Affirms Lower Court: Prosecution of Lucas and Alisa Sirois to Continue

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Tuesday affirmed the district court’s decision to deny a motion filed by Lucas and Alisa Sirois to end the federal prosecution against them. The defendants failed to show that their marijuana operation complied with Maine’s medical marijuana laws. As a result, the prosecution will continue in federal court. Lucas and Alisa Sirois sought to enjoin their prosecution by invoking the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, which prohibits the Department of Justice from prosecuting cases that would interfere with states’ ability to implement their own medical marijuana laws. But because the defendants could not demonstrate that their operations complied with Maine law, the appellate court held that the U.S. Attorney’s prosecution did not run afoul of the Amendment. Indeed, as reflected in the Court’s opinion, Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy requested the federal government to investigate the defendants because it believed that they operated as a collective, which was illegal under Maine law. The Court further concluded that Lucas Sirois failed to rebut evidence presented by the government that he knowingly engaged in more than a million dollars’ worth of black-market sales of marijuana. Lucas Sirois and his coconspirators are alleged to have realized more than $13 million in proceeds over a six-year period through the illicit sale of marijuana, including from black market sales outside of Maine. The alleged conspiracy involved recruiting coconspirators to cultivate marijuana on his behalf, creating an illegal collective, and then laundering the proceeds of the conspiracy through a complex network of corporations he controlled. Sirois currently faces 11 charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and tax evasion. Alisa Sirois faces three charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud. Five conspirators have pleaded guilty to charges and await sentencing, with charges pending against others. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Man Convicted of Murder-for-Hire after Paying Undercover Agent to Commit Killing

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Yesterday, during a hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Makram Khashman, 58, of Boynton Beach, Fla., pled guilty to murder-for-hire after paying a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) undercover agent (UC) posing as a hitman to commit the murder. As part of his guilty plea, Khashman admitted he met with the UC on Feb. 29, and told the UC that the victim had put Khashman and his family out on the street by taking over a million dollars from him and a business worth around three million. Khashman said he did not care how the victim was killed and negotiated a price of $5,000 for the murder. Khashman added that the UC could keep the cash the UC took from the murdered victim. Khashman agreed to provide half the payment and details about the victim at a later meeting. On March 19, Khashman met with the UC a second time, bringing the initial $2,500 payment for the murder. Khashman spelled out the victim’s first and last name and provided details regarding the victim’s pattern of life, including the victim’s cars and work schedule. Khashman told the UC about a secluded location that the victim frequented. Khashman agreed that the final payment for the murder would be due when the UC provided photographic evidence that the victim had been killed. Khashman was later arrested, and the intended victim suffered no physical harm. Khasman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Khashman faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF Miami Field Division made the announcement. ATF Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey O’Neal and Camille Smith are prosecuting it. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-60053. ###


title: Owner of local ‘Raining Cash’ tax company pleads guilty to causing $1.2M in losses

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local tax preparer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to aiding in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. Ali Kasimu Alston, 48, of Columbus, offered his guilty plea during an arraignment today. According to court documents, from at least 2015 through at least 2022, Alston owned and operated a tax return preparation business in Columbus named Overtime Ventures, LLC that did business as Raining Cash Tax Service. Alston admitted to systematically falsifying client tax returns to maximize refunds from the IRS. He filed Schedule Cs with fake businesses to maximize tax credits. For example, one false tax return for calendar year 2021 reported false losses for a home healthcare company that did not exist. The false business losses reduced the client’s taxable income, thereby decreasing the tax due and increasing the client’s claimed tax refund. The defendant also attempted to bribe one of his former employees with $4,000 in cash to provide false information to law enforcement, which he knew at the time was investigating his tax preparation business. Alston was charged by a bill of information in September 2024. As part of his conviction, he will pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS. Alston will be sentenced at a future hearing. Aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office, announced the guilty plea offered today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Announces District Election Officers

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Christopher Ferretti and Shereece Dendy-Sanders will lead the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Ferretti and Dendy-Sanders have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the District of Nebraska, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Lehr said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Lehr stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs/DEOs Ferretti and Dendy-Sanders will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at (402) 661-3700.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (402) 493-8688. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Lehr said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Toronto man pleads guilty to firearms trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jeshua Lion Myers a/k/a Dually, 29, a citizen of Canada, the United States, and the Bahamas, residing in Toronto, Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2023, Myers told an undercover law enforcement officer that he could travel to Florida to acquire firearms from various stores and websites, and then arranged to bring those firearms to the Western District of New York with the belief that the undercover officer could illegally smuggle those firearms into Canada to a co-conspirator. On December 20, 2023, Myers met with the undercover officer in Buffalo and provided 19 firearms in exchange for $33,000. Several of the firearms were semi-automatic firearms capable of accepting a high-capacity magazine. Myers also provided assorted magazines, including high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and other weapons components. On February 13, 2024, Myers provided approximately 110 additional firearms to undercover law enforcement officers. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Ontario Provincial Police. Additional Assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Miami, Florida. Sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2025, before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Camden County Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Armed Robberies of Three Corner Stores in Philadelphia’s Kensington Section

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jared Stanley, 32, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, entered a plea of guilty on Friday, October 11, 2024, before United States District Court Judge John F. Murphy to three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with the armed robberies of three corner stores in Philadelphia’s Kensington section. Stanley committed all three robberies during a two-week span in late January and early February of this year. On January 21, 2024, the defendant entered the Birch Mini-Market, located at 2001 East Birch Street. He approached the counter, pointed a gun at the cashier, and demanded money. When the cashier didn’t understand him, Stanley started screaming at them. He repeatedly hit the cashier in the head with the gun, stole approximately $550 from the register, and fled. On January 28, 2024, Stanley and an unidentified co-conspirator entered the Capricorno Grocery, located at 2000 East Orleans Street. Stanley walked to the employee area of the store, displayed a firearm, grabbed the employee by the shirt and forcibly pulled him away, pistol whipped him repeatedly, and stood guard over him while his accomplice went back to the register and stole approximately $500. On February 2, 2024, Stanley and an unidentified co-conspirator entered Bonifacios Grocery, located at 3052 Frankford Avenue. They pushed an employee to the cash register, told him to get on the ground and then pistol whipped him in the head. Stanley and his accomplice then stole approximately $500 from the cash register and fled the store on foot. Stanley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, five years of supervised release, a $1,250,000 fine, and a $500 special assessment. 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 FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.


title: Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison Following the Fentanyl Poisoning of an Auburn Teenager

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Ala. – On October 10, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 23-year-old Jay Quan Adams, a resident of Auburn, Alabama, to 144 months in prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Orleans Field Division. There is no parole in the federal system. “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that is destroying lives and devastating families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “This case is a tragic example of the toll the drug is taking on communities right here in the Middle District of Alabama. My office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of anyone selling these deadly pills.” “Yesterday’s sentence brings a measure of justice to the victim’s family,” said Special Agent in Charge Hofer. “Fentanyl is a silent killer that has claimed countless lives, and this case is a reminder of the dangers of the synthetic opioid. We must continue to educate ourselves, and our communities, about the risks associated with fentanyl in hopes of preventing future tragedies.” According to the plea agreement and other court records, on March 26, 2021, law enforcement responded to a report of a teenager found unresponsive in his Auburn home. It was determined that he died as a result of ingesting a pill which, without his knowledge, contained fentanyl. An investigation following the victim’s death revealed that he had gone to Adams’ Auburn residence the previous night and paid Adams $80. On March 29, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Adams’ residence and found numerous pills containing fentanyl. During his plea hearing on May 15, 2024, Adams admitted that he possessed the pills found during the search with the intent to distribute them. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Auburn Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson prosecuted the case.


title: Former Official Accused of Stealing Nearly $700,000 from St. Louis County Charity

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former official of a charity that houses adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been indicted and accused of embezzling about $690,000 over more than a decade. Joelle Fouse, 57, was indicted October 9 with three felony counts of wire fraud. She is surrendering Tuesday and will appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to plead not guilty. The indictment says that Fouse was the manager / director of finance and human resources for the charity from October 2012 through December 2023, when she was terminated. Fouse was responsible for payroll, expense reimbursement and maintaining the charity’s books and records. She stole from the charity in three ways, the indictment says. Fouse provided false information to a third-party payroll processing company that caused the company to make 71 unauthorized payments totaling $139,810 to multiple bank accounts controlled by Fouse, the indictment says. The indictment also accuses Fouse of triggering 181 unauthorized expense payments into bank accounts she controlled, totaling $407,186. Finally, Fouse allegedly used her company credit card to make184 unauthorized purchases totaling $133,210. The charity also overpaid the employer portion of payroll taxes by about $10,694 due to the inflated payroll, the indictment says. The indictment says Fouse took cash out of ATMs and used the charity’s funds for travel, clothing, entertainment, restaurant meals, rent payments and day-to-day expenses for herself and relatives. She tried to cover up her crimes by making false entries in financial and accounting records, it says. The charity contacted the FBI and cooperated with their investigation. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Castroville Police Chief Convicted of Wire Fraud

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted former Castroville Police Chief, Christopher Filline, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Filline, 58, developed a scheme in 2016 to defraud Farmers Insurance Group by destroying his vehicle that he insured through the company, and claiming it had been stolen. Filline arranged for two co-conspirators to take the vehicle and light it on fire using an accelerant. He subsequently filed a false report with the Lytle Police Department and an insurance claim with Farmers Insurance Group, declaring his vehicle had been stolen. The filing resulted in Filline receiving a $14,388.25 payment. Filline was indicted in January 2020. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentence hearing has been set for Jan. 22, 2025. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Surovic and Christina Playton are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. “Illegally possessed guns, particularly those converted to automatic fire, are a persistent threat to public safety,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to eliminating these sources of violence in our communities.” The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. Those indicted in October include: Javon Edwards , 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol converted to automatic fire with a “Glock switch”; and, Travis Sanders , 44, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Laron Thompson , a/k/a “Hollywood,” 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 115 months in prison after pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Thompson is one of 10 defendants, including Tyquian Bowman , a/k/a “Quando Rondo,” 24, of Savannah, indicted in 2023 in a Savannah-area drug trafficking conspiracy. Jacqueline Christmas , 50, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. An ATF investigation determined that Christmas purchased multiple handguns from a Bulloch County gun store, falsely claiming a legal owner was the buyer of the guns when they were actually purchased by and delivered in New York to Christmas’ brother-in-law, who since has pled guilty to related federal firearms charges. Jakobian Sentell Jones , 25, of Warrenton, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine. Georgia State Patrol troopers found Jones in possession of a revolver during a traffic stop, and in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine during a subsequent search. Othnell Christian Ferguson , 27, of Pembroke, Ga., was sentenced to 70 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Statesboro police officers determined Ferguson possessed a pistol during a foot chase following a February 2023 traffic stop. Kenyatta Dunn Nero , 40, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies found a pistol in Nero’s vehicle during a July 2023 traffic stop. Nero has multiple previous criminal convictions on state charges that include illegal gun possession. Jamal Brashad Hawkins , 22, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Emanuel County deputies found Hawkins in possession of a pistol after a traffic stop in June 2023. Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police in January found Miller in possession of a pistol while investigating a domestic disturbance. Nathan Sparks, 27, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Sparks’ waistband during a traffic stop. Anthony McQuarters , 31, of Hardeeville, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia State Patrol trooper arrested McQuarters on state charges following a chase on I-16 by multiple law enforcement agencies through Laurens, Treutlen, Emanuel, and Candler counties, and found pistols in his possession. Christopher Jeramy Blair , 44, of Pembroke, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Acting on a tip, investigators from the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives seized 11 handguns, rifles, and shotguns during a search of Blair’s residence. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473


title: Former Juvenile Justice Employee Sentenced for Violating the Civil Rights of Youth in His Care

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A former Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice employee, Nathaniel K. Lumpkins, 33, of Elkfork, Ky., was sentenced to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, on Tuesday, for one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Lumpkins was employed at Woodsbend Youth Development Center, a Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice facility located in West Liberty, Ky., and worked as a Youth Worker, responsible for the custody, care, and control of the juveniles housed there. As he admitted in his plea agreement, on January 23, 2019, Lumpkins violated the civil rights of a fifteen-year-old at Woodsbend, when he used unreasonable force on the victim. When the victim was already compliant, on the ground, and being held by three other adult Youth Workers, Lumpkins began twisting the victim’s hand back onto his wrist and pushing his body weight repeatedly down onto the youth’s wrist and arm. While doing this, Lumpkins broke the victim’s arm, and admitted in his plea agreement that he did so out of anger and not for any legitimate purpose. Lumpkins later slammed the victim’s already-broken arm into a concrete wall, again out of anger with no legitimate purpose. Then, Lumpkins wrote and signed an incident report that included false information, in an attempt to cover up his unlawful use of force. Under federal law, Lumpkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announce the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Internal Investigations Branch of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Dembo is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Horry County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machine Gun and Machine Gun Conversion Devices

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. —Orlanier Colon Menendez, 21, of Conway has pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and multiple machine gun conversion devices. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Conway Police Department officers responded to a vehicle crash within the city limits involving Menendez. While investigating the crash, the responding officer found a .45 caliber handgun that had a machine gun conversion device installed on the firearm. During a search, officers found a backpack that contained an additional 12 machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock conversion switches, and a rotary tool with accessories commonly used to install the devices. Menendez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Menendez after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Conway Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Union County Tax Preparer Admits Assisting in Preparation of Fraudulent Tax Returns

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, tax preparer admitted assisting in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns on behalf of his clients, resulting in improperly large refunds for the tax preparer’s clients, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Emmanuel Amenyo, 59, of Union, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court on Oct. 10, 2024, to an information charging him with aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From tax years 2018 through 2021, Amenyo ran a tax preparation business in which he prepared and submitted individual tax returns to the IRS on behalf of clients. Amenyo filed numerous false tax returns on behalf of his clients and subscribed to false tax returns with respect to his own taxes. These tax returns falsely claimed charitable contributions, itemized deductions, child and dependent care expenses, and other qualified expenses to which Amenyo and his clients were not entitled, resulting in improperly large tax refunds, as Amenyo knew and intended. Amenyo’s conduct caused a tax loss of $250,466. The charge that Amenyo pleaded guilty to carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2025. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. amenyo.information.pdf


title: Chicopee Housing Authority Settles Disability and Race Discrimination Lawsuit

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The Chicopee Housing Authority (CHA) and its former Executive Director, have resolved a lawsuit alleging that the CHA and its Director engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against CHA tenants based on race, national origin, or disability. The Consent Order requires CHA to pay $435,000 to compensate individuals harmed by its discriminatory practices and a $25,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement also requires CHA to make broad changes to protect the rights of tenants with disabilities, including hiring a Disability Rights Coordinator, implementing new policies for handling tenant requests for reasonable accommodations and transfers and building nine new accessible housing units for persons with disabilities. The Consent Order also bars future discrimination and requires CHA to implement new discrimination complaint procedures and employee training. Pursuant to the agreement, CHA Director, Monica Blazic will resign from her role at CHA by the end of 2024 and will not have further involvement with CHA. The matter arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which, in March 2021, found that CHA and Blazic violated the Fair Housing Act by failing to allow a tenant with end stage renal disease to transfer to a first floor or elevator accessible one-bedroom unit needed for her to receive daily in-home dialysis. The United States initially filed suit against the defendants in April 2021 for failing to make reasonable accommodations. In December 2021, the United States amended its lawsuit to include additional claims that the defendants had engaged in a pattern of disability discrimination. Specifically, the amended complaint alleged that CHA, for years, had systematically postponed requests for reasonable accommodations made by tenants with disabilities who were seeking to transfer apartments for medical reasons. Additionally, the United States alleged that the defendants discriminated against Black and Hispanic tenants when Blazic made discriminatory statements about and to Black and Hispanic tenants, including using racial slurs and other derogatory language. “It is completely unacceptable for public housing officials to discriminate based on race and disability. This settlement will compensate the tenants who were harmed by CHA’s illegal practices and ensure that the housing authority will move forward with new leadership and new systems in place to protect its tenants from discrimination in the future,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “By creating new accessible housing units, CHA will also be better able to meet the needs of the community.” “Racial and national origin discrimination, and discrimination against persons living with disabilities, are unlawful and will not be allowed in our country’s housing market,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Diane M. Shelley of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds the Justice Department for reaching this settlement and will continue supporting its efforts to hold housing providers accountable when they fail to meet their obligations under the nation’s housing laws.” CHA tenants may be eligible to participate in the settlement fund if they previously requested to transfer apartments to accommodate a disability, and the transfer was improperly delayed or denied by CHA. Those tenants are encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 617-275-8756 or by emailing USAMA.CivilRights@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke; and HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Shelley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary Harnett, Anuj Khetarpal, Gregory Dorchak, Michelle Leung and Jennifer Serafyn from the Civil Rights Unit handled the matter. The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights .


title: LA AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE CHICOPEE RESUELVE UNA DEMANDA DE DISCRIMINACIÓN POR DISCAPACIDAD Y RACIAL

body_text: BOSTON- La Autoridad de Vivienda de Chicopee (CHA) y su ex Director Ejecutivo, han resuelto una demanda que alegaba que la CHA y su Director llevaban a cabo un modelo de prácticas de discriminación contra inquilinos de la CHA basadas en su raza, nacionalidad de origen o discapacidad. La Orden de Consentimiento requiere que la CHA pague $435,000 para compensar a las personas perjudicadas por sus prácticas discriminatorias, y una multa civil de $25,000 a los Estados Unidos. El acuerdo también requiere que la CHA realice amplios cambios para proteger los derechos de los inquilinos con discapacidades, incluida la contratación de un Coordinador de Derechos por Incapacidad, la implementación de nuevas medidas para manejar las solicitudes de los inquilinos para alojamiento y mudanzas y la construcción de nueve nuevas unidades de vivienda para personas con discapacidades. La Orden de Consentimiento también prohíbe la discriminación en el futuro y requiere que la CHA implemente nuevos procedimientos para quejas por discriminación y la capacitación de los empleados. De conformidad con el acuerdo, la Directora de la CHA, Monica Blazic, renunciará a su cargo en la CHA al final del 2024 y no tendrá ninguna vinculación adicional con la CHA. El asunto surgió de una investigación del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD), que, en Marzo del 2021 halló que la CHA y Blazic violaron la Ley de Vivienda Justa al no permitir que una persona con enfermedad renal en etapa terminal se transfiriera a una unidad de un cuarto en un primer piso o con acceso a un ascensor, para que pudiese recibir tratamiento diario de diálisis en su hogar. Los Estados Unidos inicialmente presentaron una demanda contra los acusados en Abril del 2021 por no proveer alojamiento razonable. En Diciembre del 2021, los Estados Unidos modificaro su demanda, de modo que incluyese reclamos adicionales de que los demandados discriminaban a inquilinos negros e hispanos, al realizar declaraciones discriminatorias a inquilinos negros e hispanos acerca de ellos, incluyendo insultos raciales y lenguaje despectivo. “Es completamente inaceptable que los funcionarios de vivienda pública discriminen por motivos de raza y discapacidad. Este acuerdo compensará a los inquilinos que fueron perjudicados por las prácticas ilegales de la CHA y garantizará que la autoridad de vivienda avance con un nuevo liderazgo y nuevos sistemas para proteger a sus inquilinos de la discriminación en el futuro”, dijo el fiscal federal interino Joshua S. Levy. "Al crear nuevas unidades de vivienda accesibles, la CHA también podrá satisfacer mejor las necesidades de la comunidad". "La discriminación racial y de origen nacional, y la discriminación contra personas que viven con discapacidades, son ilegales y no se permitirán en el mercado inmobiliario de nuestro país", dijo la subsecretaria adjunta principal Diane M. Shelley de la Oficina del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) de Vivienda Justa e Igualdad de Oportunidades. "La HUD aplaude al Departamento de Justicia por llegar a este acuerdo y continuará apoyando sus esfuerzos para responsabilizar a los proveedores de vivienda cuando no cumplan con sus obligaciones conforme a las leyes de vivienda del país". Los inquilinos de CHA pueden ser elegibles para participar del presupuesto del acuerdo si previamente solicitaron transferir apartamentos para adaptarse a una discapacidad, y la CHA retrasó o negó indebidamente la transferencia. Se recomienda a esos inquilinos que se comuniquen con la Oficina del Fiscal Federal llamando al 617-275-8756 o enviando un correo electrónico a USAMA.CivilRights@usdoj.gov . El fiscal federal interino Levy; La Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke; y la subsecretaria adjunta principal de la HUD, Shelley, hicieron el anuncio hoy. Los fiscales federales adjuntos Hillary Harnett, Anuj Khetarpal, Gregory Dorchak, Michelle Leung y Jennifer Serafyn de la Unidad de Derechos Civiles se encargaron del asunto. La resolución de este asunto fue el resultado de un esfuerzo coordinado entre la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Massachusetts y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos. La Unidad de Derechos Civiles de la Fiscalía Federal se estableció en 2015 con la misión de mejorar la aplicación federal de los derechos civiles. Para obtener más información sobre los esfuerzos de derechos civiles de la Oficina, visite www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights .


title: Justice Department’s Nationwide Election Day Program for the General Election

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Steven Briden will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Briden has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and in that capacity, is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming elections, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Briden will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached at 918-703-7832 or by email at Steven.Briden@usdoj.gov In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 405-290-3700. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty To Causing The Death Of A Seven-Year-Old Boy And A 48-Year-Old Woman In Hudson River Boat Capsizing

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RICHARD CRUZ pled guilty to misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death, in connection with the deaths of a seven-year-old boy and a 48-year-old woman after the motor vessel Stimulus Money capsized in the Hudson River in July 2022. CRUZ pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who will sentence CRUZ on January 25, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Richard Cruz admitted today that his misconduct and negligent actions caused the tragic deaths of a young boy and a woman when Cruz’s vessel capsized in the Hudson River. This prosecution should send a message to all captains and operators of commercial vessels that there will be consequences when they fail to follow the federal regulations and safety protocols that exist to keep passengers safe.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Information, and statements made in court: On or about July 12, 2022, at approximately 2:40 p.m., the motor vessel Stimulus Money capsized in the Hudson River resulting in the death of two passengers — a seven-year-old boy (“Victim-1”) and a 48-year-old woman (“Victim-2”). At the time of the capsizing, RICHARD CRUZ was the owner and captain of the vessel. CRUZ had purchased the vessel approximately three months before the capsizing. CRUZ conducted boat “tours” for paying customers onboard the vessel on multiple occasions in the months leading up to the capsizing, despite not having the required United States Coast Guard (“USCG”) credentials and certifications to do so. CRUZ’s negligent actions and omissions caused the capsizing and the deaths of Victim-1 and Victim-2. At the time of the capsizing, among other things: (i) CRUZ operated Stimulus Money with 13 people on board, exceeding the vessel’s maximum allowable capacity; (ii) CRUZ operated Stimulus Money at a high rate of speed even though an advisory had been issued to alert small watercraft of hazardous conditions, including high winds and heavy seas; (iii) CRUZ had not obtained a required USCG certification to operate the vessel with paying customers on board; and (iv) CRUZ operated Stimulus Money without a valid USCG Certificate of Inspection, which is required for a vessel to operate with paying customers on board. All 13 people on board Stimulus Money were thrown overboard when it capsized in the Hudson River. Shortly after the capsizing, boats from the New York City Police Department’s (“NYPD”) Harbor Unit and the New York City Fire Department’s (“FDNY”) Dive Rescue Team, and ferries operating nearby, arrived at the scene of the capsizing to render emergency assistance. All but two passengers were recovered conscious and in varying medical conditions. They were subsequently transferred to hospitals in Manhattan and survived the capsizing. Approximately 25 minutes after the capsizing, members of the FDNY Dive Rescue Team recovered Victim-1 and Victim-2 from the Hudson River. They were trapped underneath the capsized vessel and found unconscious. Emergency medical personnel subsequently pronounced Victim-1 and Victim-2 deceased. The cause of death was drowning. * * * Please report any illegal passenger charters to the USCG at https://www.p3tips.com/878. CRUZ, 32, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the USCG Investigative Service and the Special Agents and NYPD Detectives assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former New York Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to New Hampshire to Sexually Assault a Minor

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former New York man pleaded guilty in federal court to traveling to New Hampshire to sexually assault a child survivor, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Blake Hall, 21, formerly of New York, pleaded guilty to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2025. In July of 2022, Hall traveled from his then-home in New York to New Hampshire to meet a 12-year-old girl with whom he had been corresponding on social media. Hall transported the child from New Hampshire to his home in New York, where he engaged her in illegal sexual activity. He also took sexually explicit photographs of the child. Hall returned her home to New Hampshire the following day. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, the Troy New Hampshire Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations- Albany. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: New Jersey Construction Company Owner Admits Tax Evasion

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of several New Jersey masonry construction companies pleaded guilty to willfully evading taxes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Joseph Caravella, 58, of Randolph, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court on Oct. 10, 2024, to a superseding information charging him with tax evasion for tax years 2008 to 2019. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2008 to 2016, the IRS assessed approximately $650,000 in Trust Fund Recovery Penalties against Caravella for causing three masonry businesses that he owned to fail to pay their employment taxes. From March 2008 through April 2019, Caravella attempted to evade these taxes by placing companies that he controlled in the names of nominee owners; providing the IRS with false and misleading information as part of an Offer in Compromise; filing a false individual income tax return; using bank accounts in the names of nominees for his own purposes; causing his personal expenses to be paid with corporate funds; and causing his compensation to be inaccurately reported or not reported to the IRS on Forms W-2. The tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2025. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Evan Mulbry of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. caravella.sinformation.pdf


title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Portage County, Ohio

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Portage County, Ohio, during the early voting period and on Election Day. The Justice Department enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the department also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order. Voters in Portage County have raised concerns about intimidation resulting from the surveillance and the collection of personal information regarding voters, as well as threats concerning the electoral process. Attempted or actual intimidation, threats or coercion directed toward any person for voting and related activities or urging or aiding others in voting is prohibited by Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Reports related to voter intimidation in Portage County and complaints about any other possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section .


title: U. S. Attorney’s Office Announces Nearly $1.5 Million in Grants for Domestic Violence and Victims Services During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: The U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming joins the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in announcing $1,483,668 in domestic violence and victim services grants to combat intimate partner violence and assist victims of violence, survivors, and their families in Wyoming. This comes as the nation observes October as Domestic Awareness Month. Domestic violence is prevalent in nearly every Wyoming community, and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity for the U.S. Attorney’s Office to remind the community that the Office is committed to working with the community to ensure that victims and survivors can find safety and justice. The Office collaborates with local partners year-round to strengthen Wyoming’s awareness of available resources, prevent domestic violence and hold offenders accountable. The following grants were awarded to Wyoming recipients by the Office on Violence Against Women: The Attorney General of Wyoming received $833,657 for the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. It was authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and reauthorized by subsequent legislation. The STOP Formula Grant Program encourages partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The goal of the grant program is to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This grant will help support the designated special prosecutor in Fremont County announced in September. The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault was awarded $367,379 for the OVW State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program. This grant supports coordinating victim services activities, collaborating and coordinating with federal, state, territory, and local entities engaged in violence against women activities. The following grant was awarded by the Office of Justice Program and the Office for Victims of Crime: The Northern Arapaho Tribe was awarded $282,632 for the OVC FY24 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside (TVSSA) Formula Program. This grant will be used to implement services for victims of crime that meet needs identified by the community and reflect tribal community values and traditions. This aligns with the Congressional intent for the set-aside from the Crime Victims Fund, which was created in 2018 to improve services for victims of crime in Tribal communities. The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle and are not a comprehensive list of all grants awarded in Wyoming. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.


title: Two Hudson County Men Sentenced to Prison for Gas Station Robberies and Attempted Carjacking

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two Hudson County, New Jersey, men were sentenced to prison terms for their involvement a string of armed robberies of gas stations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Wendell Bradley Jr., 27, of Bayonne, New Jersey was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court on Oct. 10, 2024, to 160 months in prison. Joseph Brown, 26, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Arleo on Oct. 3, 2024, to 92 months in prison. Bradley previously pleaded guilty before Judge Arleo to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Brown previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and one count of Hobbs Act robbery. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Jan. 3, 2022, to Feb. 4, 2022, Bradley – either alone or with Brown – would drive to a gas station, pull up to a gas pump, ask the gas station attendant to put gas in the car’s tank, and, while the tank was being filled, would pull a gun on the attendant and demand money. On Jan. 20, 2022, in Union, Brown pointed a gun at a gas station attendant, demanded money, and threated to kill him. Bradley then grabbed the attendant from behind, but the attendant was able to break free and escape into the gas station before Brown or Bradley could take any money from him. The spree ended after Bradley and Brown robbed a gas station attendant at gunpoint in Secaucus, New Jersey. Bradley and Brown fled, and officers chased them from Secaucus to Newark, where Bradley crashed his car. While both men were running away from police, Bradley pulled his gun, approached an off-duty Essex County Sheriff’s officer, and demanded that the officer give Bradley his car. The officer disarmed Bradley and detained him. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Bradley and Brown to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the ATF, under the direction of special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Newark Field Division; the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Rinaldi, the Hillside Police Department, under the direction of Chief Vincent P. Ricciardi, Jr, the Jersey City Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director James Shea, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Emanuel Miranda, the North Bergan Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Fasilis, the Secaucus Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dennis Miller, and the Union Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Chris Donnelly, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit and Megan Linares of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.