title: Two ‘La Dank DMV’ Members Sentenced for Roles in Sophisticated Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: WASHINGTON –Avery Bost, 29, of Brandywine, MD, was sentenced today to 37 months and Joe Blyther, 29, of Bowie, MD, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison for participating in the “LA Dank DMV Crew,” a sophisticated conspiracy responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to the metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. Bost pleaded guilty on October 27, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Blyther pleaded guilty on November 8, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; Possession of a Machine Gun; and Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon. In addition to Bost and Blyther’s prison sentences, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered both to serve three years of supervised release. Eight LA Dank co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking and/or firearms counts. The co-defendants include Abubakr Banire, Kavon Duncan, Joe Blyther, Christopher Akinduro, Isaac Akinduro, Avery Bost, Omar Butler, and Randall Lance, who all entered their pleas in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Christopher Akindkuro was sentenced to 74 months, Isaac Akinduro was sentenced to 41 months, Duncan was sentenced to 71 months, Butler was sentenced to 18 months, and Lance was sentenced 63 months. Banire, the leader of the LA Dank crew, is awaiting sentencing on June 24, 2024. The guilty pleas and sentences follow a lengthy investigation led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Between May 2021 and December 2021, crew members operated a sophisticated conspiracy to traffic large amounts of high-grade marijuana from California to the DMV area for distribution to customers. As part of their distribution scheme, members of the crew relied heavily on mass marketing through three dedicated LA Dank websites, as well as social media platforms like Instagram where individual crew members would advertise the LA Dank brand and LA Dank branded marijuana for sale. Crew members also used rental properties to set up stash houses or points of sale that were used to conduct drug distribution operations for a short period of time before moving on to different locations. The crew is known, and was found to possess numerous firearms, including semi-automatic and fully automatic machine guns, and devices used to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Certain members of the crew also plead guilty to the possession of firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking operations. In total, approximately 122 pounds of marijuana, 19 firearms, and 10 machine gun conversion devices were recovered. Three of these nineteen firearms were discovered to be operational machine guns that had been modified with machinegun conversion devices. Seven of these machine gun conversion devices were found in an “LA Dank” branded bag. Two of these firearms were privately made AR-pistol style machine guns, sometimes referred to as “ghost guns.” Ledgers and receipts show that the crew trafficked well over 100 kilograms of marijuana into the DMV area for distribution. Blyther specifically plead guilty to one of the pistols equipped with a machine gun conversion device. The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the FBI Washington Field Office, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong.


title: Armed Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Sean James Edwards, age 34, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 84 months imprisonment to be followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, early on the morning of November 3, 2022, Spokane Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of 515 S. Farr Road for a report of a shooting. The reporting party said he heard a gunshot and saw a bullet hole in his window. When deputies arrived, they observed a black Kia Rio crashed into a parked vehicle. Deputies could see a rifle and a loaded magazine on the passenger seat, as well as a spent silver casing on the floorboard of the Kia Rio. A neighbor told deputies that following the crash, he looked at his security camera and saw two people, a man, later identified as Edwards, and a woman, running away from the crash. Deputies had the Kia Rio towed to the police impound lot. On November 4, investigators executed a search warrant on the Kia Rio. In addition to the rifle, investigators located a loaded pistol, several loaded magazines, dozens of rounds of ammunition, Edwards’s Montana State ID, two iPhones, methamphetamine, more than 1,400 fentanyl pills divided into several small bags, and a backpack with drug paraphernalia. “This case demonstrates the dangerous nexus of drug trafficking and violent crime. A resident called law enforcement because someone had fired a shot into his home. Mr. Edwards ran from the scene, leaving behind fentanyl he planned to distribute and weapons he was not legally allowed to possess,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I’m grateful for the excellent work of investigators and prosecutors to identify Mr. Edwards and hold him accountable. By removing sources of illicit fentanyl from the streets, we can make our communities safer and stronger.” “Every one of the fentanyl pills discovered in the vehicle had a potential to destroy lives, and it is a relief law enforcement was able to find them first and remove them from the community,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Our Safe Streets Task Force members and prosecutors are committed to fighting back against the illegal drugs and unlawfully possessed firearms that bring violence and fear into our neighborhoods.” 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. This case was investigated by the FBI Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Cashman.


title: Owner of SoCal-Based Ambulatory Transportation Companies Indicted for Alleged Tax Evasion and COVID-19 Relief Fraud

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging an Orange County man with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly making fraudulent claims to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, two federal programs created to provide financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm because of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the superseding indictment, from May 2020 to December 2021, Mehrdad “Mitch” Tabrizi, of Aliso Viejo, submitted two fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of Life Fleet Inc., a Riverside-based business he owned, seeking $695,565 in loans. In the applications, Tabrizi allegedly claimed that Life Fleet had at least 54 employees and monthly payroll obligations of $139,313. After receiving the PPP funds, Tabrizi allegedly used the proceeds for personal expenses. Similarly, Tabrizi allegedly filed a false EIDL application claiming that Life Fleet had gross revenues of more than $4 million and 63 employees. However, Life Fleet allegedly was not in business, had no revenue and had no employees. Tabrizi also allegedly filed a fraudulent EIDL application in the name of Resonante Group Inc., an Anaheim-based company he controlled. According to the superseding indictment, this EIDL application falsely claimed Resonante Group had gross revenues of more than $19 million and over 300 employees. As a result, the Small Business Administration allegedly disbursed approximately $319,800 into bank accounts controlled by Tabrizi, which he was not entitled to receive and used for personal expenses. Tabrizi was previously charged with tax evasion and filing false tax returns. According to the superseding indictment, Tabrizi operated SoCal Medical Transportation Inc., a Riverside-based company. In 2015 and 2016, Tabrizi allegedly deposited approximately $2.6 million of income into a bank account but did not disclose these funds to the CPA firm he hired to prepare SoCal Medical’s corporate tax returns. Instead, Tabrizi allegedly informed the CPA firm that these funds had been received by a separate business. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of four counts of wire fraud, 10 years in prison for each of four counts of money laundering, five years in prison for each of two counts of tax evasion and three years in prison for each of two counts of filing false tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Sagel of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Trial Attorneys Christopher E. Lin and Boris Bourget of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting this case.


title: Ninth Defendant Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Offenses

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: WASHINGTON –Heather Idoni, 59, of Linden, Michigan, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months incarceration for her role in a conspiracy that created a blockade at a Washington, D.C. reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. “Using force and intimidation to deprive others of their civil rights is a crime, and rightly so,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This office will continue to defend and protect the right of every citizen to access health care.” “Federal law is clear: using force, threatening to use force or physically obstructing access to reproductive health care is unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “People have a First Amendment right to communicate their views but they do not have the right to use chains, locks and obstruction to prevent access to reproductive health care facilities. The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers of those services.” Idoni is the ninth member of the conspiracy to be sentenced on charges of civil rights conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violations. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced seven other members of the conspiracy. Another of the defendants, the only one to plead guilty, Jay Smith, 34, of Freeport, New York, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release in March 2023. As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. As part of the conspiracy, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman, traveled to Washington, D.C. from various northeast and midwestern states, to meet with Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook. According to the evidence, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman – along with their co-conspirators – forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes. Once the blockade was established, their activities were live-streamed. The evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services. DEFENDANTS NAME AGE GUILTY OF SENTENCE Lauren Handy Alexandria, VA 30 Found Guilty on August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 57 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release John Hinshaw Levittown, NY 69 Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 21 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release William Goodman Bronx, NY 54 Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Jay Smith Freeport, NY 34 Pleaded Guilty March 1, 2023, to Violating the FACE Act Sentenced Aug. 17, 2023, to 10 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Jonathan Darnel Arlington, Va. 42 Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 15, 2024, to 34 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Jean Marshall Kingston, Mass. 74 Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 15, 2024, to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Joan Bell Montague, NJ 76 Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Herb Geraghty Pittsburgh, Pa 27 Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release Heather Idoni Linden, Mich. 59 Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act Sentenced May 22, 2024 to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. It was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of New York; and FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston, and Detroit provided valuable assistance.


title: Quincy Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON - A Quincy man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a loaded handgun while trafficking cocaine and fentanyl. Rey David Fulcar, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Fulcar pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of possessing cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute. On July 23, 2022 Fulcar was observed conducting a drug deal in his car in Boston. The buyer was stopped by law enforcement and found with three bags of crack cocaine he had just bought from Fulcar. Fulcar was subsequently stopped as he drove away from the drug deal and attempted to flee during his arrest. Thirteen more bags of cocaine and fentanyl were found hidden inside Fulcar’s underwear. Additionally, five large shrink-wrapped packages containing suspected marijuana, as well as $1,141 cash were found inside Fulcar’s vehicle. During a subsequent search of Fulcar’s Quincy apartment, fentanyl and a stash of cocaine in trafficking quantities were found along with a semi-automatic pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. Also found was a handwritten list Fulcar maintained detailing drug customers, their orders and debts owed, a scale, cutting agent, packaging material and other drug paraphernalia in his kitchen. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Michael Cox, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and John T. Dawley and of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf .


title: Two Defendants Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in Murder-For-Hire of Perceived Business Rival

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Qing Ming Yu, also known as “Allen,” and Zhe Zhang, also known as “Zack,” were sentenced by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon to mandatory life imprisonment for their roles in the February 12, 2019 killing of 31-year-old Xin “Chris” Gu outside a karaoke bar in Queens. In October 2023, following a two-week trial, a federal jury found the defendants guilty of murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered the defendants to pay $1,035,000 in restitution to the victim’s family. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentences. “Allen Yu set out to kill Xin Gu because he started a rival business and Zhang agreed to carry out the execution-style murder without hesitation,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Driven by greed and revenge, they hired a hitman to commit a brutal murder of a young man, traumatizing the victim’s family as well as the Flushing community. The defendants will spend the rest of their lives behind prison walls for this premediated murder. I hope today’s sentences bring some measure of closure to Xin Gu’s family.” “Threatened by Xin Gu’s entrepreneurial skills, Allen Yu sought revenge and unwarranted retribution against his former employee. After securing Zhang and a hitman as accomplices to his calculated plot, the trio unjustly ended the life of a promising young businessman. Today’s lifelong sentences serve as a just punishment for two individuals who deemed cold-blooded murder as an acceptable response for slighted feelings,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “Today’s sentences bring with them some satisfaction to the dedicated investigators who worked on this horrific case and, hopefully, a modicum of relief to the family and friends of the victim,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “Life in prison is an appropriate outcome for the crimes these men coldly carried out. I commend and thank our NYPD investigators for their meticulous work and our partners at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York for their diligent prosecution.” Allen Yu was the president of Amaco, a multi-million-dollar construction company that renovated apartments in New York City. In 2015, Xin Gu joined Amaco as a project manager. Although Amaco’s business nearly quadrupled after he joined the company, Xin Gu became concerned about the company’s financial viability and resigned in 2018 to start his own property development company called KG Management. After Xin Gu’s departure, several clients and employees also cut ties with Allen Yu’s business. Multiple companies took their lucrative projects from Amaco to KG Management, including one project valued at $1 million. Enraged at Xin Gu’s perceived disloyalty, Allen Yu hired Zhe Zhang and another co-conspirator to kill Xin Gu in exchange for payment. Zhang in turn hired another co-conspirator, Antony Abreu, to act as the shooter in carrying out the murder. On the evening of February 11, 2019, into the following morning, Xin Gu’s new company hosted a celebration of the Lunar New Year at Lake Pavilion restaurant in Flushing. After that dinner, Xin Gu and a smaller group went to a karaoke bar, Grand Slam KTV, on Fowler Avenue. The hit team learned of the party and with Zhe Zhang serving as the getaway driver, Abreu walked up to the victim and shot him multiple times as he waited for an Uber, killing him. Over the next three months, Allen Yu paid a co-conspirator $150,000 and Zhe Zhang $30,000 for the murder. Abreu was convicted of murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy following a two-week trial in April 2024 and is awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Lash, Nadia E. Moore, Gabriel Park and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Reed and Legal Assistant Thomas “Cole” Englert. The Defendants : QING MING YU (also known as “Allen”) Age: 56 Oyster Bay, New York ZHE ZHANG (also known as “Zack”) Age: 36 Arcadia, California and Flushing, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-208 (CBA)


title: Defendants Charged with Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Overdose Death of Carlsbad Woman

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 22, 2024 SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Bryan Kim Bullard and Cameron William Fulston with distributing the fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 25-year-old Carlsbad woman. According to court records, on September 10, 2023, at approximately 12:23 a.m., San Diego Police Department officers were dispatched for a suspected drug overdose to an apartment complex in Mission Valley. One minute prior, a 911 call had been placed from the victim’s phone, in which a male individual reported “overdose, overdose” before ending the call while the dispatcher was trying to explain life saving measures. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, identified in court records as D.G., lying unconscious on the bathroom floor. A San Diego Police officer pulled D.G. from the bathroom, determined she was not breathing, and began CPR until medical personnel arrived. D.G. was transported to a local hospital where she died five days later, on September 15th. Within the bathroom where the overdose took place, officers observed a piece of foil with a brown liquid and a chunk of a white substance. Officers also located blue pills on the kitchen counter with “M30” stamped on them. The foil and pills both tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Federal agents followed the evidence related to the sale of the fatal dose of fentanyl to the defendants. “Behind every fatal overdose is a dealer who put someone’s life at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We are holding them accountable to stop the cycle of devastation they perpetuate.” “DEA in San Diego has made investigating overdose deaths a priority,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “We are committed to bringing drug dealers who poison our communities to justice.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill S. Streja and Adam Gordon. Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-00201-BAS Bryan Kim Bullard Age: 43 San Diego, CA Cameron William Fulston Age: 29 Carlsbad, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), 846 Maximum penalty: Life in prison Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) Maximum penalty: Life in prison Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison Distribution of Fentanyl 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison Mandatory minimum: Five years in prison Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison Mandatory minimum: Five years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Police Department La Mesa Police Department California Department of Health Care Services *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Man Charged in Scams Targeting Seniors

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 22, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Jiaci Liu appeared in federal court today following his arrest for engaging in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors, including a 63-year-old man from Poway. According to a federal complaint, the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force (ETJF) learned of the fraud scheme after the victim reported to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department that he been duped as part of a layered tech support, bank impersonation and government impersonation scam. Specifically, while on his personal computer, a pop-up window appeared indicating there was a possible virus on his computer and instructing him to contact a phone number. When he contacted the number, he was transferred through a series of co-conspirators pretending to work in tech support. The victim was informed that his computer had viruses. The victim was then transferred to another conspirator who claimed to be from the victim’s bank. During that interaction, the victim was told there were unauthorized transfers from his bank. The victim was instructed to go immediately to his bank and to withdraw all his money for safekeeping. At the direction of the conspirators, the victim went to his bank and withdrew $28,000. The victim was then instructed by the conspirators that someone from the U.S. Marshals Service would come to his house to pick up the money. After the interaction, the victim became suspicious and contacted the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, which informed the victim to contact them if anyone showed up to pick up the money. According to the complaint, on June 9, 2023, defendant Jiaci Liu arrived at the victim’s residence. The victim called the police, who arrived and found Liu outside the victim’s home. Liu’s cellphone was seized and later searched. Investigators located evidence indicating that in just one week in June 2023, Liu had picked up over $348,000 dollars from multiple victims located in Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona. “Everyone with a computer is vulnerable to sophisticated scams like the one alleged in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “If you think you’ve been targeted, report it quickly. The faster the report comes in, the more likely we are to catch the scammers and recover any swindled money.” “Individuals committing tech scams are getting more and more innovative with the methods they use to con innocent people,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners continually adapt our strategies so that we can stay ahead of those who scheme and collude to defraud the American public. We are committed to ensuring each of these individuals is brought to justice.” A detention hearing is scheduled for May 24, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Leshner. This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari. DEFENDANT Case Number 24MJ1929-MSB Jiaci Liu Age: 34 Monterey Park, California SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(2)(A), and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c) Maximum Penalties: Thirty years in prison; $1 million fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego County District Attorney’s Office San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego Police Department San Diego Elder Justice Task Force *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 62 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Benjamin Munson, age 33, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 720 months (60 years) in federal prison following his earlier plea of guilty to a 13-Count Indictment charging him with six counts of sexual exploitation of an infant, four counts of distributing child pornography, two counts of possessing child pornography, and one count of committing a felony offense against a minor as a registered sex offender. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. In his previous guilty plea Munson admitted that while on supervised release for a 2010 federal conviction for distribution and possession of child pornography, and while required to register as a sex offender, he befriended another sex offender who allowed Munson to babysit the other offender’s infant daughter. Munson admitted that on at least six separate occasions he sexually abused the infant, produced images and videos of the abuse, and uploaded the depictions to an internet trading group he administered. Of the over twenty child pornography trading groups Munson admitted to administering, the group to which he uploaded the images of the infant was exclusively dedicated to new content, and others on the site were required by Munson to also produce and upload new sexually explicit content of children in order to join. Munson’s crimes were discovered on the internet by FBI and Australian law enforcement authorities in August of 2022, and within days the FBI in Syracuse arrested Munson and rescued the infant. Munson was found in possession of several unauthorized electronic devices on which he possessed 35,139 images and 4,918 videos of child pornography. In addition to images and videos of the infant, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified 12,526 of the images and 1,258 of the recovered video files as depicting 457 separate children whose images are in their database of known victims. In addition to the 60-year sentence, Munson was sentenced to a consecutive 2-year term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior offense. Munson was also ordered to pay over $111,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes, including the infant and the victims depicted in the other child pornography he possessed. He was ordered to forfeit the electronic media used to commit the offenses and to pay a special assessment of $1,300. Munson will be placed on supervision for the remainder of his life when released from prison, and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Northern District of New York, prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Chicago man pleads guilty to cyberstalking, sextortion

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Omoruyi O. Uwadiae, 28, of Chicago, offered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to cyberstalking, sextortion and identity theft crimes. His scheme involved dozens of victims in multiple states, including Ohio, Colorado and Washington. According to his plea documents, Uwadiae admitted to obtaining sexually explicit photographs and videos from potential victims and then using the content to threaten them. Uwadiae threatened to distribute the explicit material widely on the internet and specifically to victims’ friends, family members, employers and others. The defendant demanded money from some victims. From others, he demanded they meet him, have sex with him, or make damaging admissions such as admissions that they were racist. On multiple occasions, Uwadiae carried through with his threats. He sent sexually explicit photographs and videos to the victims’ friends, family members (including at least one victim’s mother, at least one victim’s brother, and at least one victim’s sister), employers and acquaintances, and also posted sexually explicit photographs and videos widely on the internet. Multiple victims had not publicly disclosed their sexual orientation, which Uwadiae’s actions disclosed, contrary to their wishes. The defendant also used victims’ identifications to create false accounts on social media and post personal information about the victims online. Uwadiae targeted young gay men on Grindr and other online sites. He would obtain their sexually explicit photographs and videos consensually and then use them to extort. In some cases, he posted their nude images on Male General without their consent and then demanded money or other things of value to take down the images. Male General is a blog marketed to gay men containing, among other things, boards where users can post images and text. For example, one victim was a student at The Ohio State University who communicated with Uwadiae on Grindr. Uwadiae ultimately demanded that the victim either pay him $200 or have sex with him. When the victim did not comply, Uwadiae created false social media accounts using true photos of the victim, stating, “this guy is gay, see pics for evidence.” The victim had not disclosed his sexual orientation to his family and had told Uwadiae he was concerned that his family would react negatively if they learned he was bisexual. Uwadiae was charged in the Southern District of Ohio in April by a bill of information. As part of his plea, Uwadiae pleaded guilty to 22 total counts. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of cyberstalking (punishable by up to five years in prison), seven counts of making interstate communications with the intent to extort (up to two years in prison) and seven counts of unlawfully using a means of identification (up to five years in prison). Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Columbus Division of Police. # # #


title: Grand jury indicts 6 in straw purchasing conspiracy involving firearms bought online with stolen credit card information

body_text: CINCINNATI – Six Cincinnati residents were indicted in connection with a conspiracy involving stolen credit card information used online to place orders for straw purchase firearms. Those charged include: Name Age Zachary Harris 24 Rickvuion Scott, also known as “Cubb” 25 Teague Jackson 22 Edward Washington 27 Montreal Williams* 37 Markendra Carter* 35 *Williams and Carter remain at large, and law enforcement authorities ask anyone with information related to their whereabouts to call 513-684-3354. According to the indictment, Harris and Scott used stolen credit card information to buy firearms online. Their coconspirators then picked up the firearms in straw purchases, allegedly falsifying the federal firearms forms required for purchase. Members of the conspiracy would allegedly place an online order with Range USA on Harrison Ave. in Cincinnati for multiple firearms, at times using stolen credit card information without the victims’ authorization. Other members of the conspiracy would then pick up the firearms in the store, falsely claiming that they were the true buyers of the firearms and were not obtaining the firearms for anyone else. The 10-count indictment alleges the coconspirators succeeded in obtaining six pistols and one rifle via the illegal straw purchases. Harris, Scott, Jackson, and Washington appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this week, and the indictment was unsealed today. Conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to five years in prison. Making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and access device fraud are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Two Former Board Members of Failed Washington Federal Bank in Chicago Sentenced to Prison for Falsifying Records and Obstructing Regulators

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — Two former board members of the failed Washington Federal Bank for Savings in Chicago were sentenced this month to federal prison terms for conspiring to falsify bank records to deceive the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. GEORGE F. KOZDEMBA, 74, of Fort Myers, Fla., and JANICE M. WESTON, 66, of Orland Park, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall on May 9, 2024, sentenced Kozdemba to a year and a day in federal prison and fined him $25,000. Judge Kendall on May 6, 2024, sentenced Weston to three months in prison and fined her $20,000. A third Washington Federal board member, WILLIAM M. MAHON, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax charges and was sentenced in January to 18 months in prison. Kozdemba, Weston, and Mahon were members of Washington Federal’s Board of Directors. Weston also served as the bank’s Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer. The bank, which was based in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, was shut down in 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that it was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. When the OCC was evaluating Washington Federal’s loan portfolio prior to its failure, the board members made and caused to be made false entries in bank records and provided them to the OCC with the intent to deceive the agency and obstruct its examination. They also falsified records to make it appear that Washington Federal was operating in compliance with banking rules and internal policies and controls. The sentencings of Kozdemba and Weston were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Korey Brinkman, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Andrea Peacock, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General; Deborah Witzburg, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Kathryn B. Richards, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Petersen, Kristin Pinkston, and Jeffrey Snell, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Netols. The federal criminal investigation into the bank’s collapse led to criminal charges against a total of 16 defendants, including the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and other high-ranking employees, for conspiring to embezzle at least $31 million in bank funds. Four defendants were convicted after jury trials, while ten defendants pleaded guilty and two entered into deferred prosecution agreements. Much of the money was transferred to Chicago attorney ROBERT M. KOWALSKI and real estate developers MIROSLAW KREJZA and MAREK MATCZUK without all of the required documentation and often without any documentation whatsoever. Juries last year convicted Robert Kowalski , Krejza, and Matczuk on embezzlement and fraud charges. They are awaiting sentencing. Robert Kowalski’s sister, JAN R. KOWALSKI, also an attorney, pleaded guilty and was sentenced last year to more than three years in prison for fraudulently enabling her brother to conceal more than $357,000 from creditors and the trustee in his bankruptcy case. Chicago attorney PATRICK D. THOMPSON was convicted by a jury in 2022 of making false statements to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. regarding the amount of money he received from Washington Federal via a purported loan and other unsecured payments. He was also convicted of filing tax returns in which he falsely deducted interest that he had not actually paid to Washington Federal. Thompson was sentenced to four months in federal prison.


title: Justice Department and Stanford University to Cohost Workshop “Promoting Competition in Artificial Intelligence”

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department and Stanford University will hold a public workshop on May 30 to discuss the state of competition across the Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology industry from the chip to the app. “The Antitrust Division is excited to partner with Stanford University on this workshop to learn from stakeholders at various levels of the AI stack who are all adapting to the fast-paced developments in AI,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We look forward to hearing about how competition is developing, bottlenecks and other challenges established firms and new entrants are facing and how AI is affecting the authors, musicians, artists and other content creators that drive creativity and innovation in our economy.” The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research will cohost the free full-day workshop to discuss competition and AI industry structure, including competition in AI models, semiconductors, the cloud and AI applications. The workshop will be livestreamed from 9 a.m. PT to 6:00 p.m. PT. A recording of the workshop will be available on Stanford’s event page after the workshop . An agenda and a list of speakers will be available in the near future on the Antitrust Division’s event page and Stanford’s event page. Members of the public should register on Stanford’s event page and members of the press should send a copy of their registration confirmation to Julia.Hartnett@usdoj.gov on their registration email. In a series of panels, presentations and remarks, government and industry representatives, academics from both law and business, content creators, inventors and other tech industry stakeholders will explore how competition at one level of the AI stack affects other AI technologies, how standards and accountability systems can be designed to promote competition and the challenges AI poses to content creators. The workshop also will explore how competition affects the funding decisions of investors and the practical considerations that investors face when evaluating whether to invest in startups. The Justice Department invites comments from the public on the topics covered by this workshop. Interested parties may submit public comments online now through July 15 at ATR.2024AIworkshop@usdoj.gov .


title: Former Mexican Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Meth into U.S.

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A Mexican national, formerly a Mexican police officer, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Alpine to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Cesar Alonzo Lopez Ruiz, 34, of Rosales, Mexico, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the Presidio Point of Entry. A search revealed 50 packages of methamphetamine hidden inside the gas tank of his vehicle. The total weight of the meth was approximately 27.8 kilograms. Lopez Ruiz pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Greenbaum and Amy Greenbaum are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Armed Bank Robbery in Boonville

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who was involved in a string of armed robberies across the state has been sentenced in federal court for the armed robbery of a Boonville, Mo., bank. Drake Adam Stockton-Kenney, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosann A. Ketchmark on Monday, May 20, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court ordered the federal sentence to be served consecutively to the state sentence he is currently serving for a robbery conviction in a separate and unrelated case. On Oct. 6, 2023, Stockton-Kenney pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. Stockton-Kenney admitted that he stole $22,027 from Alliant Bank in Boonville on June 25, 2021. Stockton-Kenney pointed a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun at bank employees and ordered them to put their hands up. After putting the money in a white shopping bag, Stockton-Kenney ordered the employees to lie on the floor and count to 60 as he left the bank. A nearby resident saw Stockton-Kenney cross her yard and get into a vehicle immediately after the robbery. Within about 10 minutes of the robbery, a license plate reader captured the license plate of the Chevrolet Spark rented by Stockton-Kenney traveling on Interstate 70. According to court documents, Stockton-Kenney was involved in a string of robberies across the state between April 17 and June 25, 2021, committed within weeks of his release from a prior robbery sentence. Stockton-Kenney also robbed Check into Cash in Moberly on April 17, 2021; World Finance in Mexico on May 4, 2021; Advance America in Marshall on May 6, 2021; Check ‘n Go in Hannibal on May 20, 2021; and Alliant Bank in Pilot Grove on June 2, 2021. In each of those robberies, Kenney brandished a firearm and threatened to shoot anyone who did not comply with his demands. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the government dismissed federal charges related to the additional robberies but took them into account in seeking a longer sentence than the federal sentencing guidelines recommendation. Stockton-Kenney’s history of criminal activity includes felony convictions for two burglaries, tampering with a motor vehicle, and robbery. Stockton-Kenney committed the robbery four months after being paroled on his first three convictions in 2011. Stockton-Kenney remained in custody for his robbery conviction until Feb. 21, 2021, when he was again paroled. Stockton-Kenney’s most recent spree of criminal conduct began weeks after his February 2021 parole. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Booneville, Mo., Police Department, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Cooper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Hannibal, Mo., Police Department, the Marion County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Marshall, Mo., Police Department, the Mexico, Mo., Police Department, the Moberly, Mo., Police Department, the Pilot Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.


title: Court Orders Durham Practitioner to Pay $500,000 for Writing Unauthorized Prescriptions for Controlled Substances

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO - United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina Sandra J. Hairston announced today that a federal court entered a consent judgment ordering Sharon Raynes Halliday (Halliday) and her practice, RAPHA Healthcare Services, LLC (RAPHA), located in Durham, to pay $500,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act by writing invalid prescriptions and by causing Medicare and North Carolina Medicaid to pay for those prescriptions. The consent judgment resolves a complaint filed by the United States and the State of North Carolina on July 17, 2022, alleging that Halliday wrote prescriptions for controlled substances without authorization, and, through RAPHA, caused Medicare and Medicaid to pay for these unauthorized and invalid prescriptions. The complaint alleges that Halliday obtained a medical school faculty license, also known as a faculty limited license, under false pretenses from Duke University Medical School. A faculty limited license is intended to allow medical schools in North Carolina to benefit from expertise or specialized skills of physicians who are not otherwise eligible for full licensure in North Carolina. The faculty limited license only allows physicians holding such license to practice to the extent authorized by its sponsoring university. According to the complaint, Duke University never authorized Halliday to write prescriptions, nor was Halliday authorized to open RAPHA, which had multiple locations. Halliday and her practice, RAPHA, agreed to pay the $500,000 civil penalty and be bound by the terms of the consent judgment. “It is essential to the health and safety of all citizens that medical practitioners only write prescriptions for controlled substances when authorized and legitimate,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “The laws surrounding prescriptions exist to ensure the legitimacy and safety of every controlled substance prescription, and our office will continue to hold responsible those violating these laws.” The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Mayer. ###


title: Columbia County Man Indicted For Forcibly Assaulting And Threatening To Kill Two United States Secret Service Agents

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Eric Evan Brown (57, White Springs) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure, threatening a United States Secret Service Protectee, two counts of forcibly assaulting a federal officer without use of a deadly weapon, and two counts of threatening a federal official. If convicted, Brown faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening a federal official, up to 8 years in prison for each count of forcibly assaulting a federal officer, and up to 5 years in prison for the transmission of a threat and threat against a U.S. Secret Service Protectee. Brown made his appearance in federal court on May 20, 2024, and was ordered detained. According to court documents, on April 7, 2024, Brown posted on X/Twitter a threatening communication to kill the spouse of a former president of the United States. On May 9, 2024, while two U.S. Secret Service agents were conducting a follow up investigation regarding the threat against the Protectee, Brown threatened to assault and murder both agents. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office, with assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.


title: Le Mars Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Timothy Mullally, 48, from Le Mars, Iowa, pled guilty on May 16, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of firearms. At the plea hearing, Mullally admitted that between January 2022 through September 2022, he and others distributed more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. Evidence showed that on two occasions in August and September 2022 he distributed more than 800 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. During investigation of this matter, law enforcement and United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a three pound package of methamphetamine coming from California to Mullally’s house in September 2022. During the investigation, including a search warrant at Mullally’s properties and vehicles, law enforcement seized $5,830 and two firearms. Mullally admitted to being a regular user of methamphetamine, and thereby was prohibited from possessing any firearm. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mullally was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. On the drug conviction, Mullally faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. For the firearm conviction, Mullally faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and not more than three years of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4083. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Disbarred Attorney Sentenced To Nine Years In Prison For COVID-19 Relief Loan Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN was sentenced to nine years in prison for his scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) of more than $1.4 million in government-funded loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. ARTSEN previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Douglas Raymond Arntsen, a disbarred attorney and recidivist fraudster, took advantage of a national emergency to line his pockets, masterminding a scheme to defraud the government out of more than $1.4 million by submitting fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications. Thanks to the hard work of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Arntsen is being held accountable for his fraud.” According to the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in court: Between about June 2020 through about August 2020, DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN orchestrated a scheme to defraud the SBA by submitting fraudulent loan applications through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) Program. In doing so, ARNTSEN recruited multiple co-conspirators. ARNTSEN promised potential co-conspirators a way out of their difficult financial circumstances. Certain of those co-conspirators trusted ARNTSEN because they thought he was an attorney. In reality, ARNTSEN had been disbarred. ARNTSEN asked his co-conspirators to give him their personal information, including social security and driver’s license numbers, and then used this information to submit fraudulent loan applications to the EIDL program. The applications submitted by ARNTSEN falsely claimed that the co-conspirators owned businesses that had substantial revenue. Often, the co-conspirators named as owners of the businesses, in fact, had no legitimate connection to the businesses at all. After the loan applications were submitted, ARNTSEN directed his co-conspirators to lie to the SBA during the loan diligence process. ARNTSEN also directed his co-conspirators to recruit additional participants to his fraudulent scheme. After one co-conspirator had obtained a fraudulent loan, ARNTSEN directed him, in sum and substance, to “[g]et me one more warm body.” The co-conspirator proceeded to give ARNTSEN the personal information of a relative, which was then used to obtain another fraudulent loan. In total, ARNTSEN and his co-conspirators obtained at least approximately $1.4 million in fraudulent loans and attempted to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional loans that the SBA declined to fund. After one fraudulent loan was approved by the SBA, ARNTSEN texted a co-conspirator, in sum and substance, “Need how you want your bank checks. Your chariot has arrived this morning.” Prior to the instant offense, in 2012, ARNTSEN, then a barred attorney working for Crowell & Moring, was convicted and sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for engaging in a multi-year scheme to steal more than $10 million in clients’ money from escrow accounts. * * * In addition to his prison term, ARNTSEN, 45, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,430,200 and to forfeit the same amount. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and additionally thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Multiple 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. “In addition to taking guns out of the hands of convicted felons, these cases also demonstrate the increased danger posed by the growing number of illegal machine guns on the streets,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify and remove these illegal weapons from 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 during the May term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Jordan Richardson , 24, of Savannah, charged with Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; Tavare Vashawne Ragin , 43, of Columbus, Ga., and Wesley Earl Wilson , 33, of Thomson, Ga., both charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Ragin also is charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Malik Havier McKenzie , 26, of Savannah, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, Carfentanyl, and Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Machine Gun; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Duane B. Smith, 50, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Anthony McQuarters, 31, of Hardeeville, S.C., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of Stolen Firearms. McQuarters was arrested on state charges following a chase on I-16 by multiple law enforcement agencies through Laurens, Treutlen, Emanuel and Candler counties; Kenyatta Dunn Nero , 40, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Barry Christopher Carpenter, 43, of Gainesville, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Carpenter was arrested on state charges in Columbia County during a burglary investigation; Brodrick Kyle Merritt, 42 , of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Antuane Farmer, 37, of Hinesville, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; James Allen Ponder, 47, of Sylvania, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Andrey Denorris Blockett , 37, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and, Deleon Alexander Jackson , 23, of Augusta, 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: Jamell Williams , 44, of Savannah, was sentenced to 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating reports of shots fired near a motel determined Williams was in possession of a rifle. Akeem Ajmia Lanier , 36, of Metter, Ga., was sentenced to 77 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Metter police officers found a pistol in Lanier’s vehicle during a traffic stop. Wilbur Zaccaeus Hightower , 24, of Blackshear, Ga., was sentenced to 72 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, and Possession of a Machinegun. Pierce County sheriff’s deputies found a pistol and drugs in Hightower’s vehicle after an attempted traffic stop ended with Hightower striking a police vehicle and crashing. ATF agents determined the Glock 9mm pistol in Hightower’s possession was fitted with a device designed to render it fully automatic. Tommy Cowart , 60, of Statesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 66 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Bulloch County deputies arrested Cowart after finding a rifle in his car during a traffic stop. Zytavious Beck , 26, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 68 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dublin police arrested Beck while investigating an armed altercation at a housing development and finding Beck in possession of a pistol. Darrell Lamar Williams , 25, of Claxton, Ga., was sentenced to 64 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Georgia State Patrol troopers arrested Williams after a traffic stop and found him in possession of ammunition. Zachary Smith , 26, of Savannah, was sentenced to 45 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Christopher David Baskett , 46, of Augusta, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County sheriff’s deputies arrested Baskett while investigating reports of gunfire in downtown Augusta and a pistol in Baskett’s vehicle. Jodarrius Vaughner , 20, of Wrens, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun. Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Wrens police officers arrested Vaughner on a felony warrant from Richmond County. Vaughner had in his possession a Glock pistol fitted with a device that converted it to fully automatic. Vaughner also is under indictment on state charges including murder and aggravated assault. Hunter W. Taylor , 26, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 40 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies investigating reports of gunfire arrested Taylor after determining he possessed a rifle. Kavon Smalls , 29, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol after chasing Smalls when he ran away from a vehicle that crashed during an attempted traffic stop. Benjamin Priester , 56, of Pooler, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Priester’s possession during a traffic stop and later determined Priester knew the gun had been stolen. Daveon Daniels , 25, of Grovetown, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun. Columbia County sheriff’s deputies were investigating the accidental fatal shooting of a 4-year-old girl when they determined the gun belonged to Daniels, and that it was equipped with a “Glock switch” to convert it to fully automatic fire. Phillip Smith , 49, of Augusta, and Brian Hilliard , 40, of Augusta, both await sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Seven co-defendants, including Edward Jake Walters , 29, of Grovetown; Glen Taylor , 45, of Beech Island, S.C.; Dustin Bayles , 36, and Joshua Wasden , 36, both of Thomson, Ga.; Linda Campbell , 53, of Augusta; Gary Holcomb , 59, of Martinez; and Destiny Poole , 23, of Grovetown, await sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. All were charged in USA v. Walters et al., an indictment alleging an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy. A tenth defendant, Donnie Skillman , 46, of Augusta, awaits further proceedings and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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 21-24


title: Long Island Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking, Distribution of Drugs Causing Death, and Illegal Possession of Firearms

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Marlon Thompson was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 30 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing the death of a young Long Island man, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Long Island, and being a felon in possession of firearms. Thompson was found guilty on all counts following a December 2022 jury trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Robert Waring, Acting Police Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the sentence. “Today, Thompson was held accountable for the large quantities of fentanyl he distributed all over Suffolk County which had a devastating impact on the community, including the tragic poisoning death of a young man on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office, together with our federal and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who contribute to this epidemic.” "Today’s sentencing reflects the consequences to those who manufacture and distribute lethal narcotics, while tearing our communities apart” stated DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in making sure those responsible for poisoning our communities bear the heavy burden of the lives they have destroyed.” “The lethalness of fentanyl is not a secret, and yet, this defendant continued to distribute the deadly drug at the expense of others to make a profit,” Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stem the flow of deadly opioids.” "Opioid overdose deaths are at crisis levels in the United States and here in Suffolk County, where at least one of our residents dies every day from a fentanyl overdose. I appreciate the help from our federal partners at the Eastern District and the DEA in combating this scourge and I hope that this sentence brings some measure of closure to the family of Mr. Koenig," stated Suffolk County D.A. Raymond A. Tierney. As proven at trial, from January 2017 through May 2019, the defendant conspired to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine base throughout Suffolk County. On Christmas Day in 2018, the defendant supplied fentanyl to the victim, Freddy Koenig, who suffered a fatal overdose at his parents’ home in Selden, New York. The defendant continued supplying fentanyl, heroin, and crack in Suffolk County for months after Koenig’s death. When Thompson was arrested, law enforcement recovered fentanyl and drug packaging materials from his basement bedroom, and also seized three illegal guns, including a sawed-off shotgun, and ammunition from Thompson’s storage unit. The government’s evidence included testimony from Thompson’s co-conspirators, text messages between the defendant and drug dealers discussing their illicit business, drug paraphernalia, and thousands of dollars of bundled U.S. currency derived from the drug sales seized from the defendant’s residence. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Alessi, Gabriel Park and Catherine M. Mirabile are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard. The Defendant : MARLON THOMPSON Age: 42 Selden, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-596 (S-1) (JMA)


title: Postal Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Suspected Drug Parcels from Tulare Post Office

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Nathan Vaughn Southard, 34, of Visalia, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of mail by a postal service employee, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Southard was an employee at the Tulare Main Post Office. On Oct. 19, 2023, Southard stole a parcel from the post office because he believed it contained marijuana and intended to sell it for a profit. Southard admitted that over the past seven years he had stolen parcels worth approximately $50,000. U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Western Pacific Area Field Office, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Paige said, “Narcotics and theft offenses committed by Postal Service personnel are completely unacceptable. The special agents for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are steadfast in their dedication to maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS OIG values our working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and various law enforcement agencies in holding Postal Service personnel accountable for their actions when they violate a position of trust.” Southard is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Southard faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.


title: Jury Finds Woman Guilty of Kidnapping Her Roommate

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Antoinette Gilmore, 28, of Washington, DC was convicted yesterday of kidnapping, after a three-day jury trial before the Honorable Errol Arthur in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024. On October 12, 2023, the victim got into an argument on the phone, with his roommate, defendant Gilmore. During the argument, the defendant told the victim she wanted him to move out of her apartment. They agreed that the defendant would pick up the victim from downtown and bring him back to her apartment so that he could remove his belongings. Defendant Gilmore and her cousin went to pick up the victim. Once inside the car, the defendant instructed her cousin to punch and beat the victim and take his belongings as the defendant drove. The victim tried to get out of the car, but they locked the doors and trapped him from within. At one point, he was able to get the back door open and escape. At the defendant’s direction, her cousin jumped out and chased the victim down, eventually catching him and dragging him by the collar of his shirt back into the defendant’s car. Once they reached their destination, the victim was pulled out of the car where he managed to break free and ran straight to the Sixth District Police substation where he reported the assault to police. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Hanson and Lauren Miller of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Two Charged with Conspiring to Commit Murders for Hire

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have been charged with allegedly conspiring to murder a witness in a federal trial as well as rivals. One defendant also allegedly discussed the murder of federal prosecutors. Elijah Melton, 26, of Middleborough, and Kareem Pires, 25, of Wareham, have been charged with one count each of conspiring to commit murder for hire. Pires was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. this afternoon. Melton is currently in federal custody and will appear at a later date. In December 2023, Melton was arrested and charged in a two-count federal indictment of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and the distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Melton was released by the Court on conditions. In February 2024, Melton was arrested for allegedly violating his pre-trial release conditions. Melton was ordered detained pending trial and has remained in federal custody since. According to the charging documents, a cooperating witness told federal authorities that Melton had allegedly solicited him to murder a person (Target Witness) that Melton believed to be cooperating in Melton’s federal drug case. Melton allegedly told the cooperating witness that members of his gang had placed a “bounty” on the Target Witness and provided the cooperating witness with information about the Target Witness, including the city in which he resided, the car he drove, and details about distinctive jewelry he wore. Melton allegedly offered to arrange for a juvenile family member to deliver $75,000 to a family member of the cooperating witness. The cooperating witness informed federal authorities that he refused the money at that time. Melton allegedly further asked the cooperating witness to murder two other individuals that were “beefing” with Melton’s crew (Target Rival #1 and Target Rival #2). Melton allegedly provided the cooperating witness with information to identify the Target Rivals and the Target Witness. Melton also allegedly told the cooperating witness that he wanted two federal prosecutors murdered, provided the cooperating witness with certain information about the prosecutors and indicated that he would provide the money to murder the prosecutors personally. According to the charging documents, Melton told the cooperating witness that Pires, who was not detained, could help identify the targets and locations where the targets might be found. It is alleged that Melton expected the cooperating witness to be released from prison soon thereafter and provided the cooperating witness with both a letter for Pires and the phone number for Melton’s juvenile family member. Federal authorities reviewed the letter Melton provided the cooperating witness, which allegedly included information, among other things, information concerning the plan to murder the Target Rivals. Prior to the cooperating witness’s release from custody, Melton allegedly provided him with a second letter to be delivered to Pires. Federal authorities reviewed the letter, which allegedly referenced the Target Rivals. According to court documents, upon his release from custody in April 2024, the cooperating witness arranged to meet with Pires. They met in a public location, where the cooperating witness delivered the second letter to Pires, who allegedly agreed to assemble information, including pictures, about the Target Witness and the Target Rivals for the cooperating witness. The charge of conspiracy to commit murder for hire provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Warden Michael Nessinger of the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Paruti and Mark Grady, Chief and Deputy Chief, respectively, of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florida Man Admits Defrauding Zelle Users

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that KADER GAHMAAL BIWAKI EDMOND, 24, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to an offense stemming from his role in a scheme that defrauded individuals who use the electronic payments system Zelle. According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating crimes against users of digital payment applications, including Zelle. Typically, a scheme victim receives a fraudulent text message, purporting to be from the victim’s bank, asking the victim to confirm whether a Zelle transaction was authorized. When the victim denies the transaction, the victim receives a response that a bank representative will be in contact. The victim then receives a phone call from an individual impersonating a bank representative, who informs the victim that an unauthorized transaction has occurred and that they need to work together to reverse the transaction. By this point, without the victim’s knowledge, the fraudsters have linked the victim’s actual phone number or email address via Zelle to a bank account that does not belong to the victim. The victim is then instructed to “reverse” the fictional fraudulent transaction by making a Zelle payment to what they believe is their own account, but is, in fact, an account controlled by the fraudsters. From approximately February 2021 through August 2023, Edmond and others defrauded numerous victims, including victims in Connecticut, of a total of more than $250,000 through this Zelle scheme and other fraud schemes. Edmond was arrested on August 31, 2023. Edmond pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on August 14 in Hartford. Edmond is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang. Victims can report Zelle fraud to their bank or credit union, or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime, at www.ic3.gov . Additional information about digital payment application schemes is available at https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA220414 .


title: Dark Web drug vendor and clandestine lab manufacturer sentenced to prison for trafficking in methamphetamine and fentanyl

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On May 17, an Orange County, California, resident, Tenzin Orgil, 24, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking enterprise that included the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl on the dark web, as well as the manufacture of ecstasy (also known as MDMA) and methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. Orgil pleaded guilty in July 2023 and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams in the Southern District of Florida. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Drug Threat Assessment synthetic drugs have resulted in the most dangerous and deadly drug crisis the United States has ever faced. These synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, are responsible for nearly all of the fatal drug poisonings in our nation. Fentanyl killed 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone. Just one fentanyl pill can kill. Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose and laboratory testing indicates seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Since at least 2020, until the time of his arrest, Orgil worked under the dark web vendor monikers iEUROPA, iUSA, iAMERICA, UNITEDAIRLINES and SVR667, to distribute large amounts of narcotics via various dark web marketplaces, as well as the peer-to-peer encrypted chat platform, Wickr. Orgil was based in California and sold cocaine, MDMA, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine via the U.S. mail system to customers all over the United States, to include in South Florida. Between 2020 and 2021, through undercover purchases from Orgil via the dark web or Wickr, law enforcement officers in South Florida seized 2.54 grams of fentanyl, in the form of counterfeit oxycodone pills, and 4.965 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was 100% pure. Orgil was also a major manufacturer of MDMA and methamphetamine. He operated numerous clandestine laboratories in California. Photo of one of Orgil’s dark web vendor pages, included in the Government’s Reply to Defendant’s Response to Motion for Revocation of Magistrate Court’s Order of Bond (DE 15-1) On Dec. 23, 2022, Irvine Police Department officers in California stopped Orgil while he was driving a vehicle. During a search of his vehicle, Orgil had in his possession several precursor chemicals, obtained from Chinese chemical companies, that are used to produce MDMA, as well as two cellphones. A search of these phones found photos of narcotics, as well as evidence of Orgil’s dark web vendor moniker name of “iBULK” and his access of darknet marketplaces. The search also revealed photos of clandestine laboratories and screenshots of text messages explaining how to manufacture illicit narcotics. Orgil’s phones also revealed that he was in communication with several Chinese chemical manufacturing companies in order to purchase precursor chemicals. Photo of one of Orgil’s clandestine laboratories, included in the Government’s Response to the Defendant’s Sentencing Memorandum (DE 67). Photo of Orgil’s text communications regarding drug manufacturing, included in DE 67 On Jan. 18, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Orgil and a search warrant was executed at his residence in California. A search of his residence revealed a gun with a loaded magazine, numerous fake identification cards, a recipe for manufacturing methamphetamine, and a computer. A search of his computer revealed photographs of counterfeit blue M30/oxycodone pills with a Dark Market/United Airlines label, bags of methamphetamine with an iUSA label and cocaine with a SVR667 label. Additionally, copies of the mailing labels for the packages sent in the undercover purchases were preserved on Orgil’s computer. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jeffery B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami announced the sentence imposed. DEA Miami Field Division’s Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, FBI Miami, USPIS Miami, IRS-CI Miami Field Office and HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from DEA San Jose, United States Postal Inspection Service San Jose, DEA New England, Massachusetts State Police - Gaming Enforcement Unit, DEA Orange County, DEA Omaha, DEA Forth Worth, Irvine Police Department, and the Costa Mesa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff handled asset forfeiture. The indictment is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations. The OCDETF mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task force approach. OCDETF synchronizes and incentivizes prosecutors and agents to lead smart, creative investigations targeting the command-and-control networks of organized criminal groups and the illicit financiers that support them. Additional information about the OCDETF Program may be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force carried out this case and prosecution. HIDTA was established in 1990. This program, which is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, fosters intra-agency cooperation among law enforcement agencies in South Florida and involves them in developing a strategy to target the region's drug-related and violent crime threats to public safety, as with the opioid epidemic, fentanyl, and the cocaine threat to our nation. The South Florida HIDTA uses the funding provided by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, out of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, that sponsors a variety of law enforcement initiatives that target the region's illicit drug and violent crime threats to our community. 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 23-cr-20018. ###


title: Pain Doctors Plead Guilty In $45 Million Healthcare Fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Two pain management doctors who pantomimed injections on patients pleaded guilty today to healthcare fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Drs. Desi Barroga, 51, and Deno Barroga, 51, were indicted in November 2023. The pair pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count each of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford. According to court documents, the twin brothers admitted that they conspired to defraud Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare by submitting claims for corticosteroid injections that were never administered. As part of the conspiracy, the Barrogas required patients to submit to monthly office visits. This allowed patients to continue receiving highly addictive Schedule II controlled substances – including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine – while allowing the defendants to bill patients’ insurance companies for expensive services they never provided. The Barrogas reported to insurance that they performed as many as 80 corticosteroid injections per patient per visit. In reality, the majority of these injections were never administered. In many instances, the doctor simply placed a needle on the patient’s body without actually piercing the skin to mimic giving an injection. They defendants created fake medical records, which were often cut and pasted, or cloned, from patient to patient with little to no variation. They also instructed patients to include false statements pertaining to the injections and other treatments in the record. In plea papers, the brothers admitted that they billed insurers at least $45 million and were paid at least $9 million as part of the scheme. They now face up to 10 years each in federal prison. Under the terms of their plea agreement, both men agreed to immediately surrender their DEA registrations and to forfeit their medical licenses at least 14 days prior to sentencing. They also agreed to joint and several restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date by the court. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S Office of Personnel Management’s Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division Diversion Group, and the Texas Department of Insurance – Fraud Unit – Austin and Fort Worth Field Offices conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis Sr., 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2023, Davis sold approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a parked vehicle in Huntington. Davis admitted to the transaction. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-23. ###


title: Milford Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Charge

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that WILSON GUZMAN, JR., 39, of Milford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to a fentanyl trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, a DEA New Haven Task Force investigation revealed that Guzman advertised various controlled substances, including fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and fake Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, and other drugs, through an encrypted phone messaging application. He then distributed the drugs to customers in person and through the U.S. mail. Guzman used locations in West Haven and North Haven to store and prepare narcotics for distribution. Between June and August 2023, investigators made controlled purchases of drugs from Guzman, including more than 1,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, counterfeit Adderall containing methamphetamine, and psilocybin mushrooms. Guzman was arrested on September 6, 2023. On that date investigators searched his Milford residence and the West Haven and North Haven locations and seized various controlled substances, including methamphetamine pills, Xanax pills, psilocybin mushrooms, and approximately 20 kilograms of marijuana, as well as an AR-15 style rifle and a Glock style Polymer 80 handgun that had no serial numbers (“ghost guns”). Guzman pleaded guilty to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for August 9, 2024. Guzman is detained pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, and the East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, New Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.