title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Return Preparers

body_text: The United States filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Javier Campos; David DePablo; Krystallee Gonzalez; Alvaro Jauregui; Katya Rojas; Patricia Vanegas; JBC Tax Services LLC; WK Tax Services Inc.; Cutler Bay Tax Services Inc.; N.L.T.S., Inc. doing business as Naranja Lakes Tax Services Inc.; and Tax Services Group Corp. The civil complaint seeks to enjoin the defendants from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The complaint also requests that the court require Campos and the businesses he controls to disgorge the fees they obtained by preparing federal tax returns that make grossly incompetent, negligent, reckless, and/or fraudulent claims. The civil complaint alleges that, from 2019 through 2022, the defendants prepared at least 12,000 tax returns annually. The complaint further alleges that Campos and the other defendants, using a variety of schemes, prepared tax returns that understate their customers’ tax liability and overstate their claimed refunds. The complaint alleges that the defendants prepared customers’ returns that included various false or fabricated deductions and credits, including: fabricated residential energy credits; fictitious deductions and credits for education expenses, including tuition and fees; false COVID-19 sick and family leave credits; and, bogus uncommon deductions, including for rental of personal property, unlawful discrimination claims, and reforestation amortization and expenses. According to the complaint, Campos and the other defendants’ pattern of conduct has resulted in the issuance of inflated refunds to taxpayers and the loss of significant federal tax revenue. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Murdering Fellow Inmate

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A federal inmate pleaded guilty today to murdering a fellow inmate at the Milan Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jonathan Hemingway, Warden, Milan Federal Correctional Institution. Alex Albert Castro, 42, a former resident of Fontana, California, pleaded guilty today to second degree murder before United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey. According to court records, on January 2, 2019, Castro, along with co-defendants Jason Kechego, 41, and Adam Taylor Wright, 42, killed fellow inmate Christian Maire. Castro repeatedly stabbed Maire while Kechego and Wright kicked and stomped him in the head. Castro, along with his two co-defendants, then threw Maire’s body down a flight of stairs. Maire died from multiple stab wounds (28 total) and blunt force trauma to the head from being thrown down the stairs. Castro’s plea agreement calls for a possible sentence of up to life in prison, which could be imposed concurrently, partially concurrently, or consecutively to the 42-year sentence Castro is already serving for his underlying 2017 federal drug trafficking conviction. In 2022, Wright pleaded guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to just over 24 years of imprisonment. Kechego was convicted at trial of second degree murder and sentenced to 28 years of imprisonment. At that same trial, the jury was unable to agree on a verdict for Castro and a mistrial was declared. “This savage crime deserves the most serious of consequences. My office is committed to preventing violence wherever it occurs. These convictions show that we will not turn a blind eye to this type of conduct and will aggressively prosecute violence within our prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The senseless murder committed by Mr. Wright and his codefendants jeopardized the safety of corrections officers, staff, and inmates,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with the Bureau of Prisons to hold violent offenders accountable for the crimes they commit while behind bars.” Sentencing has been set for July 28, 2023 at 10am. This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frances Lee Carlson and Andrew R. Picek.


title: Burtonsville Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for the Armed Robberies of an Armored Truck, Two Banks and a Convenience Store

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has sentenced Israel Ramirez, age 29, of Burtonsville, Maryland, to 17 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for an armed robbery of an armored truck, two armed bank robberies and the armed robbery of a convenience store. In each of the armed robberies, Ramirez discharged his weapon. Ramirez discharged his handgun multiple times in the bank robberies. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Russell E. Hamill III of the Laurel Police Department. According to his guilty plea, on July 4, 2021 Ramirez committed the armed robbery of convenience store in Laurel, Maryland. During the robbery, Ramirez brandished a firearm, which he fired into a cigarette display behind the register when the employees had trouble opening the register. Ultimately, the employees were able to open the register and provided Ramirez with cash. On July 12 th , Ramirez robbed the same store. An employee recognized Ramirez as the person that had robbed the store and discharged his weapon the week before. Ramirez kept his hand in his pocket and demanded that the employee open the register. The employee provided Ramirez with cash from the register and Ramirez left the store. Later on July 12, 2021, Ramirez began following an armored truck that had recently conducted a cash drop/pickup at a nearby bank. The armored truck pulled into a shopping center and parked in front of a bank. The driver of the armored truck went into the bank for a pickup/drop off. Shortly thereafter, Ramirez pulled into the parking lot and parked near the armored truck. Ramirez got out of his car and adjusted the front and rear license plates, so they were folded up onto themselves, then watched as the driver left the bank with deposit bags and got into the armored truck. Ramirez followed as the armored truck driver pulled into another parking lot to conduct another pickup. Ramirez, brandishing a gun, approached the driver as he was leaving a business with the deposit bag. Ramirez demanded the bag, which the driver gave him. Ramirez demanded that the driver give him the earlier deposit bags, but the driver said he could not get back into the armored truck. As Ramirez returned to his car, the driver attempted to get into the driver’s side of the armored truck and Ramirez aimed his gun in the direction of the driver and the armored truck and fired one shot. Ramirez then fled with the cash he stole from the driver. On November 4, 2021 and December 3, 2021, Ramirez robbed two banks in Silver Spring, Maryland. In each robbery, Ramirez brandished a gun, which he fired after entering the bank, and demanded that the bank employees give him $10,000. In the first robbery, after receiving money from an employee, Ramirez walked toward the exit and fired his gun into a wall as he left the bank. In the second bank robbery, Ramirez fired multiple shots into the ceiling of the bank before demanding cash. During the second robbery, a bank employee saw Ramirez pull down his mask and recognized him as a frequent customer of the bank. A search warrant was executed at Ramirez’s residence that same day. Law enforcement recovered a black 9mm handgun that matched the description of the gun used by Ramirez during the robberies. Shell casings recovered from each of the robberies were also identified as coming from that gun, which was registered to Ramirez. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Prince George’s Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Laurel Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and Caitlin Cottingham, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in International Human Smuggling and Cocaine Distribution Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Honduran national pleaded guilty today to his role in a scheme to illegally bring Honduran nationals to, and to distribute cocaine in, the United States. According to court documents, beginning in as early as January 2021, Josue Flores-Villeda, 36, and six co-conspirators schemed to bring Honduran nationals and cocaine from Honduras to the United States. In February 2022, Villeda and his co-conspirators attempted to illegally bring 23 Honduran nationals and at least 24 kilograms of cocaine from Utila, Honduras, to Cocodrie, Louisiana, by boat. At some point, the vessel developed engine trouble in the Gulf of Mexico. Villeda and his co-conspirators then chartered a boat and attempted to bring fuel to the disabled vessel so that it could complete its journey to the United States. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Coast Guard located the vessel adrift approximately 95 miles off the coast of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and towed it to shore. Villeda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. HSI Houma is investigating the case with assistance from HSI Pittsburgh, HSI Atlanta, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police, and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carter Guice and Ben Myers for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Acting Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case. The investigation is being conducted under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who have the most impact on the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California, and dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the HRSP, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. The investigation is also supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), as well as the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.


title: District Man Sentenced to 44 Months For Sexually Assaulting Three Women and Physically Assaulting a Fourth

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Elvin Cruz (“Cruz”), 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 44 months in prison for aggravated assault, third degree sexual abuse, two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse, and assault, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Cruz pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022. According to court documents, on July 10, 2021, Cruz followed his first victim as she was walking to the store. He approached the victim from behind and put his hand in between her legs touching her vagina, without her consent. On July 24, 2021, Cruz followed his second victim as she was walking home from a friend’s house. When she arrived at the front steps of her residence, Cruz shoved her to the ground. Cruz then placed himself on top of the victim and started touching her private area through her shorts while also lifting up her dress. The victim tried to fend Cruz off and defend herself by pushing him away. Cruz continued the assault and began to strangle the victim around the neck area, until the victim blacked out and lost consciousness. On August 7, 2021, Cruz approached a third victim by following her and a companion as they were walking home. Cruz followed them for multiple blocks and, after being noticed by the companion, ran up to the victim and grabbed her private area without her consent. Cruz then continued to try to grab the victim while her companion tried to fend him off. Less than an hour following this assault, Cruz approached a fourth victim, whom he followed while she was walking home. Upon observing Cruz following her, the victim sped up but the defendant started running and caught up to her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. The victim managed to break free and eventually run away and call 911. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judge Milton Lee ordered six years of supervised release and ordered Cruz to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Over the government’s objection, Judge Lee sentenced Cruz pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Lezlie Richardson and Tracey Hawkins the Victim/Witness Specialist assigned to this matter, and paralegal Tiffany Jones. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Crocetti, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department and EPA File Complaint Against Norfolk Southern for Unlawful Discharge of Pollutants and Hazardous Substances in East Palestine Derailment

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division filed a complaint against Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (Norfolk Southern) related to the Feb. 3, derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The complaint seeks penalties and injunctive relief for the unlawful discharge of pollutants, oil, and hazardous substances under the Clean Water Act, and declaratory judgment on liability for past and future costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This action follows EPA’s issuance on Feb. 21, 2023 of a Unilateral Administrative Order under CERCLA to Norfolk Southern Railway Company requiring the company to develop and implement plans to address contamination and pay EPA’s response costs associated with the order. “When a Norfolk Southern train derailed last month in East Palestine, Ohio, it released toxins into the air, soil, and water, endangering the health and safety of people in surrounding communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community.” “From the very beginning, I pledged to the people of East Palestine that EPA would hold Norfolk Southern fully accountable for jeopardizing the community’s health and safety,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “No community should have to go through what East Palestine residents have faced. With today’s action, we are once more delivering on our commitment to ensure Norfolk Southern cleans up the mess they made and pays for the damage they have inflicted as we work to ensure this community can feel safe at home again.” “Last month, the East Palestine community was upended by a horrific train derailment. By filing this complaint today, we are demanding accountability from Norfolk Southern for the harm this event has caused,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will tirelessly pursue justice for the people living in and near East Palestine, who like all Americans deserve clean air, clean water, and a safe community for their children.” “The United States Attorney’s Office stands with our district’s residents in pursuing accountability and justice in both the immediate and distant future, as we work together to deal with the damage and destruction this disaster has caused,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio. On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials, including hazardous substances, pollutants, and oil derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment resulted in a pile of burning rail cars, and contamination of the community’s air, land, and water. Residents living near the derailment site were evacuated. Based on information Norfolk Southern provided, the hazardous materials contained in these cars included vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, isobutylene, and benzene residue. Within hours of the derailment, EPA and its federal and state partners began responding to the incident, including providing on-the-ground assistance to first responders and conducting robust testing in and around East Palestine. The fire caused by the derailment burned for several days. On Feb. 5, monitoring indicated that the temperature in one of the rail cars containing vinyl chloride was rising. To prevent an explosion, Norfolk Southern vented and burned five rail cars containing vinyl chloride in a flare trench the following day, resulting in additional releases. Since the EPA’s issuance of the Unilateral Administrative Order to Norfolk Southern Railway Company, the EPA has been overseeing that company’s work under the order. Approximately 9.2 million gallons of liquid wastewater, and an estimated 12,932 tons of contaminated soils and solids have been shipped off-site. The EPA and other federal agencies continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to and following the derailment. The United States will pursue further actions as warranted in the future as its investigatory work proceeds.


title: Omaha Man Found Asleep in Vehicle Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Cortez Davieon Grennell, 22, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 29, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, for Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Grennell to 46 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. On April 11, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to North 34th Avenue and Larimore in Omaha regarding a vehicle that had been parked and running for two hours. Officers approached the vehicle and observed Grennell alone and asleep. When law enforcement opened the door, they observed in plain view a sawed-off shotgun and handgun. Grennell admitted he was addicted to methamphetamine and should not have been in possession of the firearms. It is a federal crime for someone that is an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance to possess a firearm. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Distributing Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Davonte Andrews, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for distributing child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Andrews to 130 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Andrews will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On July 18, 2020, Andrews distributed approximately 11 images of child pornography over the internet via his Discord account. The Discord account contained chat messages between Andrews and another user concerning child pornography. On January 21, 2021, agents searched Andrews’s Omaha residence and located child pornography on his digital devices. There was approximately 905 images and 52 videos of child pornography depicting children between the ages of three and five years old, and 196 images and 58 videos depicting children between the ages of six and eight years old. The child pornography depicted children as young as two years old. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that MacAnthony Gordon, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gordon to 51 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gordon’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. On April 4, 2021, Omaha police were called to an apartment building for a report of shots fired. Arriving officers saw a man matching the suspect description sitting on the porch. The man stood up and entered the apartment building. A search of the area discovered a spent shotgun shell casing in the building’s parking lot near a vehicle with apparent fresh damage from a shotgun. Police secured the building and called out the occupants, one of which was Gordon. A search of one of the apartment units uncovered a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun in Gordon’s bedroom along with shotgun ammunition that matched the shell casing from the parking lot. During a post-arrest interview, Gordon denied the shooting but admitted to possessing the shotgun. Gordon has felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a defaced firearm, and domestic assault 2 nd degree. As a result of the felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/archives/ag/about-project-guardian.


title: ST. CROIX MAN SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS ON A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM CONVICTION

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

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Moises Figueroa, Jr., age 48, of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 12 months imprisonment on his conviction of a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Judge Lewis also sentenced Figueroa to 2 years of supervised release, a fine of $2,000.00, and a special assessment of $100. According to court documents, on May 26, 2021, federal law enforcement agents conducted a controlled delivery at the Frederiksted Post Office in St. Croix of two packages containing firearms. Figueroa was arrested after he collected both packages at which time federal agents seized a loaded Taurus semi-automatic pistol from Figueroa’s waistband. Figueroa was charged with illegally possessing the Taurus semi-automatic pistol knowing that he was convicted of a felony in 2007, namely Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, in People of the Virgin Islands v. Moises Figueroa, SX-06-CR-504. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case. This case was part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.


title: South Carolina Man Arrested on Felony Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: WASHINGTON, D.C. — A South Carolina man has been arrested on felony charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election. Thomas Andrew Casselman, 29, of Walhalla, South Carolina, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds or buildings, all felonies, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol building. He was arrested this morning in Walhalla and made his initial appearance in the District of South Carolina before Magistrate Judge Kevin McDonald. According to court documents, Casselman is seen in images from Jan. 6, 2021, published widely, wearing a dark grey cap with design on the front, black face mask, American flag gaiter or scarf around the neck, black jacket, and backpack while in the crowd on the west side of the Capitol Building. Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage from D.C. Metropolitan Police officers as well as open-source video footage show Casselman spraying law enforcement officers with an orange colored spray, presumed to be a chemical irritant, specifically, bear spray. A victim of the use of this chemical irritant also described the spray as bear spray. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Casselman as #363 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Indicted on Firearms Charges in Project Safe Neighborhoods Case

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The three-count Indictment, returned yesterday, named Tyrenzo Morton, 36, currently incarcerated at the Butler County Prison, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about June 29 and Sept. 2, 2021, Morton, after a prior felony conviction, possessed firearms and ammunition. Under federal law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Additionally, on or about Sept. 2, 2021, Morton possessed a firearm, namely a .223 Remington caliber, AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle having a barrel less than 16 inches in length and bearing no serial number, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Baldwin Borough Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner, Butler County Detectives, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Theft of Firearms and Assault on a Federal Officer

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Theft of Firearms and Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on March 24, 2023. David Gibbons, a/k/a DJ Gibbons, 28, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $3,795 in restitution on the theft of firearms charge. Gibbons was also sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison on the assault of a federal officer case, of which two years were ordered to run consecutively with the theft of firearms charge, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Gibbons was indicted for Theft of Firearms by a federal grand jury February of 2021 and for Assault on a Federal Officer in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 4, 2022. In September of 2020, Gibbons stole ten firearms, including a Derya Arms, 12-gauge, semi-automatic shotgun, from the True Value Hardware Store in Martin, South Dakota. Gibbons later traded several of those firearms for methamphetamine. Gibbons was arrested on the theft of firearms charge and was then held in custody at the Pennington County Jail. In September of 2021, while being held at the Pennington County Jail, Gibbons assaulted a Pennington County Jail Sheriff’s Department Correctional Officer. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Rapid City Police Department, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Gibbons was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Nathan David Hankins, age 30, of Rapid City, South Dakota, has been convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography following a court trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on March 23, 2023. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years up to of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered. Hankins was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2019. Hankins was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to a download of child pornography from Hankins’ Google account. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce executed a search warrant on Hankins’ residence and located several devices. A forensic examination of those devices found hundreds of images of child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. John Ray Heath, age 51, was indicted in March of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on March 24, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count of conviction. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge relates to Heath attempting to engage an undercover law enforcement agent, posing as a 14-year-old female, in sexual activity between January and March of 2023. The charge is merely an accusation and Heath is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama is prosecuting the case. Heath was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on March 24, 2023. Warren Hotchkiss, 42, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hotchkiss was indicted for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2022. In August of 2022, at Rapid City, Hotchkiss was found in possession of a semi-automatic rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Hotchkiss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography  and Kidnapping

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for two counts of Production of Child Pornography and two counts of kidnapping. Derek Wayne Rondeau, age 32, was indicted in January of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 27, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The Indictment alleges that on June 9, 2022, and again on June 15, 2023, Rondeau kidnapped two juvenile females and knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced them to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. Rondeau also knew and had reason to know that such depictions would be transported in interstate and foreign commerce, or mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, including by a computer. The charges are merely accusations and Rondeau is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Rondeau was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Sioux Falls Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Maurice Sitting Bear, age 48, was indicted in March of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 9, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The Indictment alleges that Sitting Bear, who had previously been convicted of a sex crime and required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to do so between April 12, 2021, and January 18, 2023. The charge is merely an accusation and Sitting Bear is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Sitting Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for May 16, 2023.


title: North Sioux City Man Sentenced for Tax Returns Charges

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a North Sioux City, South Dakota, man convicted of one count of False Income Tax Return and three counts of Willful Failure to File Tax Returns. The sentencing took place on March 27, 2023. James R. Winckler, age 60, was sentenced to three years of probation, a fine in the amount of $25,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $175. Winckler was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2021. He pleaded guilty on October 3, 2022. The conviction stemmed from Winckler’s actions while serving as the bookkeeper, daily operations manager, and president of a small cosmetics business known as Medco Lab, Inc. In 2016, Winckler willfully made and filed his individual 2012 income tax return that understated his income by approximately $450,000. He received the funds from Medco Lab, Inc., to purchase his home in Dakota Dunes. As a result of his guilty plea, Winckler was required to pay $150,312 in taxes on his unreported income. Winckler also willfully failed to file tax returns for the years 2015, 2016, and 2017. Winckler received income from Medco Lab, Inc., but failed to file tax returns until after he learned the Internal Revue Service (IRS) was investigating him. Winckler knew he was required by law to make and file income tax returns to the IRS specifically stating his gross income. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.


title: Statement from United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona on Fallen Huntsville Police Department Officer Garrett Crumby

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – “My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and fellow officers of Huntsville PD Officer Garrett Crumby who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. Officer Crumby bravely put his life on the line every day to protect the citizens of Huntsville, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are also with Huntsville PD Officer Albert Morin who was wounded and is fighting for his life.”


title: Former Celina Physician Found Guilty Of Health Care Fraud, Violations Of The Controlled Substances Act, And Obstruction Of Justice

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: NASHVILLE – A former Clay County, Tennessee physician was found guilty yesterday of 45 counts of violations relating to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), health care fraud, and obstruction of justice, announced acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski. A federal jury began deliberating Friday and returned the verdict yesterday against Gilbert Ross Ghearing 69, of Crossville, Tennessee, following a five-week trial in U.S. District Court. The jury found Ghearing guilty of 21 counts of health care fraud, 22 counts of prescribing controlled substances without legitimate medical purpose outside the usual course of professional practice, and two counts of obstruction of justice. The jury acquitted Ghearing of 18 counts of health care fraud and CSA violations. “Doctors serve as the gatekeepers to our healthcare system and the system bestows a great deal of trust in physicians to make it work,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jaworski. “I commend our law enforcement partners and our trial team for their unparalleled dedication and commitment to ensure that justice was served in a long and protracted investigation and prosecution.” According to the evidence presented at trial, Gilbert Ghearing, owned and operated a medical clinic in Celina, Tenn., located in direct proximity to four pharmacies. He also provided medical services at another location in Fentress County, Tenn. Between 2016 and 2019, Ghearing repeatedly violated the CSA by prescribing Schedule II and Schedule IV drugs, including benzodiazepines and opioids, outside the usual course of professional practice without legitimate medical purposes to people suffering from active substance use disorders, who abused the substances in combination with illicit drugs and alcohol, repeatedly overdosed, and were hospitalized. The majority of Ghearing’s patients had Medicare or TennCare insurance, Tennessee’s Medicaid program. Ghearing caused pharmacies to submit fraudulent claims to these insurance programs for controlled substance prescriptions written by him that were not medically necessary. After Ghearing was indicted in June 2019, he altered the medical records of the patients identified in the indictment. A superseding indictment in October 2022 charged Ghearing with obstruction of justice based on the alterations. Ghearing faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the CSA convictions, 20 years on the obstruction of justice, and 10 years on health care fraud convictions. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Office of Inspector General; and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The DOJ Fraud Section Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force provided valuable investigative resource assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah K. Bogni, Juliet Aldridge, and Amanda J. Klopf prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Home health care owner sent to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 63-year-old Sugar Land resident has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Joyce Agu pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2022. Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered her to prison for a total of 60 months to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional regarding Agu’s family and her charitable contributions. However, Judge Crane considered how extensive the fraudulent scheme was and the millions that were siphoned from the Medicare program. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of fraud. At the time of her plea, Agu admitted she paid others to certify her clients for home health services in order to bill Medicare. These beneficiaries did not qualify for the services and, in some cases, did not receive them. Medicare paid Agu’s companies over $3 million based on the fraudulent claims. Agu was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, FBI and Texas Attorney General’s - Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Grace Murphy prosecuted the case.


title: South Beloit Woman Found Guilty of Bail-Jumping Conspiracy

body_text: ROCKFORD — A South Beloit woman was convicted on Friday for her participation in a bail jumping conspiracy following a five-day jury trial in federal court in Rockford. According to the indictment and evidence at trial, PATRICIA WERSCHIN, aka PATRICIA FRISELLA, 56, conspired with others in June of 2016 to help her son, Adrian Peters, flee to Canada to avoid federal prosecution. In July 2015, Peters was charged with sexual exploitation of minors, a crime that carried a 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. While the case was pending, Peters was on home confinement with a $15,000 cash bond and with Werschin acting as his third-party custodian. Werschin played a critical part in the conspiracy to help her son try to evade his federal charges by fleeing the country. Instead of ensuring that her son abided by the conditions of pre-trial release, Werschin created fake identification documents for her son to use in Canada, worked with co-conspirators to recruit and pay others to drive her son to the border, and then arranged for court approval for her son to leave the house on June 28, 2016, under the pretext of a doctor’s appointment. Werschin dropped her son off at Rock Cut State Park where he was then picked up and driven to the Canadian border by a co-conspirator. Peters crossed into Canada on foot, but the coconspirator was stopped by border patrol as he pulled away from the crossing. The coconspirator confessed what he knew of the plan and Peters was apprehended in Canada the next day. Once Werschin learned that border patrol had stopped the co-conspirator, she immediately fled from her home in South Beloit. Werschin traveled through multiple states, eventually crossing into Mexico. Werschin faces a maximum potential penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The court must impose a reasonable sentence guided by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. Sentencing for Werschin is scheduled for June 16, 2023. Sentencing for Werschin’s son, Adrian Peters, who was also charged in the conspiracy and previously pled guilty, is scheduled for June 30, 2016. Peters previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 26 years’ imprisonment for the original criminal charge. The conviction was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The South Beloit Police Department, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the Canadian Border Patrol Services Agency, Illinois Secretary of State, and United States Marshal Service assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica S. Maveus, Talia M. Bucci, and Lisa Munch. AUSA Mike Love and former AUSA Scott Paccagnini provided significant assistance during the investigation.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Role in Murder for Hire

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Connecticut man was sentenced today to 192 months in prison for his role in a murder for hire scheme in which a New Jersey-based political consultant paid him and another man to kill a longtime associate, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. George Bratsenis, 74, of Monroe, Connecticut, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Bratsenis’ conspirators, Sean Caddle and Bomani Africa, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the murder scheme. Africa was sentenced on Feb. 23, 2023, to 20 years in prison. Caddle is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2023. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In April of 2014, Caddle solicited Bratsenis to commit a murder on Caddle’s behalf in exchange for thousands of dollars. Bratsenis recruited Africa, a longtime accomplice from Philadelphia, to join the plot. After Bratsenis confirmed his and Africa’s interest in the job, Caddle told Bratsenis that the target was a longtime associate who had worked for Caddle on various political campaigns. On May 22, 2014, Bratsenis and Africa traveled from out of state to the victim’s apartment in Jersey City. After entering the apartment, Bratsenis and Africa stabbed the victim to death and then set fire to the victim’s apartment. After Caddle learned that the victim had been murdered, the following day, he met Bratsenis in the parking lot of a diner in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Caddle paid Bratsenis thousands of dollars in exchange for the murder, and Bratsenis shared a portion of those proceeds with Africa. In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Bratsenis to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance. The government is represented by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Farrell, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit.


title: Maryland Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining more than $2 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Maryland man admitted that he illegally obtained more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Mohamed Kamara, 42, of Greenbelt, Maryland, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to two counts of an indictment charging him with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: From March 2020 to October 2020, Kamara and others made fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The SBA provided EIDLs collectively worth more than $750,000. Kamara received or attempted to receive funds in connection with the EIDLs. From January 2020 to September 2020, fraudulent applications were submitted to the state of New Jersey for unemployment insurance benefits using the names, dates of birth, and/or Social Security numbers of other individuals. The state approved and transferred more than $1 million, including funds to an account Kamara controlled. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 10, 2023. The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profits or gross loss suffered by the victims of his offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Jonathan Mellone in New York, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the FBI Baltimore Field Office; the Small Business Administration, and the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark. kamara.indictment.pdf


title: Catawba Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug Charges Following Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Catawba, Virginia woman, who sold a fatal dose of fentanyl in October 2021, pleaded guilty last week to a series of federal charges. Ashley Blankenship, 38, pleaded guilty last week to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. “While we have seen some progress in the fight against drug overdose deaths, fentanyl and other opioid poisoning-related injuries continue to be an issue in the Western District of Virginia,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “There are multiple tools to fight these issues, and my Office will continue utilizing all of them, including prosecution, support for recovery programs, community outreach, and other results-oriented solutions to these difficult community problems.” “Combating violent crime, illegal firearm possession and narcotics distribution within our communities is challenging, but we are prepared to face each of them head on,” ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel said. “ATF will continue leveraging our expertise as we coordinate and combine efforts with our local, state and federal partners to ensure that more illegal firearms and deadly narcotics are removed from our streets.” According to court documents, in the early morning hours of October 19, 2021, a regular user of opioids was found unresponsive by law enforcement. Following the user’s death from a fentanyl overdose, further investigation by law enforcement revealed Blankenship to be the deceased user’s source of supply. Officers made a series of controlled drug purchases from Blankenship in October and November of 2021, culminating in the execution of a search warrant at Blankenship’s residence. During that search, authorities recovered a large quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as six firearms, including two rifles. A subsequent search of her home was conducted at the time of her arrest, and additional narcotics and firearms were found. Blankenship faces a potential sentence of fifteen to seventeen years in prison pursuant to a written plea agreement with the United States. A United States District Court Judge will determine the final sentence after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines and the sentencing factors set forth by Congress. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with assistance from the Roanoke Valley Regional Drug Unit, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson is prosecuting the case.


title: Southwest Virginia Pair Sentenced to 10 Years in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Two people, who were sources of supply in a broader methamphetamine conspiracy, were sentenced last week to 10 years each in federal prison for their roles in the drug trafficking operation. Chelsey Lynn Doss, 39, of Washington County, Virginia, and William Lee Whitt, 41, of Tazewell, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, in July 2022, law enforcement arranged a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Doss based on information provided from a confidential source. When Doss and Whitt arrived at the scene, law enforcement searched their car and arrested them after finding more than 250 grams of high-purity methamphetamine, digital scales, and more than $3,500 in cash. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce prosecuted the case.


title: Essex County Woman Admits Role in $25 Million Securities Fraud Scheme Involving Blockchain Technology Company

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman today admitted her role in fraudulently inducing victims to invest over $25 million in cash and cryptocurrency, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Edith Pardo, 70, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, to an indictment charging her with one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of securities fraud in connection with a blockchain technology company. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Through CG Blockchain Inc. and BCT Inc., Pardo and her co-defendant, Boaz Manor, touted a product called ComplianceGuard, which purportedly provided hedge funds with a blockchain-based auditing tool. Before starting these entities, Manor was convicted and served a prison sentence in Canada for crimes stemming from his previous role as a hedge fund manager. While raising money for these new entities, Pardo helped Manor – who changed his appearance and used aliases – hide his true identity and criminal past from investors. Pardo acted as the face of the entities and, with Manor, told prospective investors that Pardo was independently wealthy and provided millions of dollars in seed money, when in fact, she was neither wealthy nor an investor. Pardo and Manor also falsely claimed that: Pardo was the sole owner of the entities; “Shaun MacDonald” (one of Manor’s aliases) was merely a consultant; a team of well-credentialed executives ran the entities; and multiple hedge funds were paying millions of dollars in fees to use ComplianceGuard. In reality, the entities had no real executives, collected no fees, and ComplianceGuard was barely distributed or used. In 2017, Pardo and Manor relied on many of the same misrepresentations to raise over $25 million through an initial coin offering, or ICO, for a new product called Blockchain Terminal that purportedly allowed hedge funds and financial institutions to trade and manage cryptocurrency. But after investors began to learn about Manor’s true identity and criminal past, Manor admitted to hiding this information to avoid destroying his new companies. Manor is currently a fugitive. The conspiracy and wire fraud counts in the indictment carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The securities fraud count carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2023. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment pertaining to Manor are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. pardo.indictment.pdf


title: Big Stone Gap Man Sentenced for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Big Stone Gap, Virginia man, who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia, was sentenced last week to 180 months in federal prison. Gregory Miller, 47, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, between October 1, 2021 and April 2022, Miller was the source of supply of methamphetamine for a wide-range of drug dealers in and around the Wise County, Virginia area. Miller regularly bought pounds of methamphetamine at a time from sources in West Virginia and Virginia before re-distributing it to co-conspirators for resale in Southwest Virginia. Miller sold “ice” methamphetamine, which is more than 97 percent pure. Law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Miller immediately before his arrest, and a search of his residence in Big Stone Gap revealed three firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition, even though he was a felon with multiple prior convictions at the time. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. The Southwest Virginia Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, comprised of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Norton Police Department, the Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Fentanyl-Related Overdose Death Leads to 20-Year Sentence for Drug Dealer

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A South Hill, Virginia man, who continued dealing heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl from a regional jail, was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison. Michael Watkins Hayer, 41, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in October 2022 to a two-count Information charging him with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Hayer began selling fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout Greene and Albemarle counties in 2019, as well as routinely traveling to North Carolina to purchase drugs by the “brick” for resale in Virginia. Hayer used the term “brick” to refer to a package of 50 individual doses of fentanyl. After a customer overdosed in front of him, Hayer began carrying Narcan, an opioid overdose treatment, when he sold drugs. On February 18, 2022, Hayer sold a half-brick of fentanyl to an individual who ingested the drug and later died of an overdose. Although he left Greene County to avoid suspicion after this death occurred, Hayer was stopped by the Virginia State Police while speeding in Greene County in April 2022. During the traffic stop, Virginia State Police searched Hayer’s vehicle where they discovered 95 grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Hayer is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction. While incarcerated at the Central Virginia Regional Jail from April 2022 through June 2022, Hayer continued to sell drugs by recruiting both a male relative as well as an ex-girlfriend and instructing them in how to engage in drug trafficking. Specifically, Hayer told them where to go in North Carolina to meet his drug suppliers, as well as where and who to sell drugs to in Greene County. In addition, Hayer warned both individuals of the dangerous nature of fentanyl by telling them to not touch the drug without wearing gloves and to never use fentanyl themselves. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Division made the announcement today. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Sean Welsh prosecuted the case.


title: Owner of Boston Pizzeria Chain Indicted on Additional Forced Labor Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston with forced labor charges for allegedly targeting and employing at least seven victims who lacked immigration status and forcing them to work while subjecting them to verbal and physical abuse, including repeated threats of deportation. Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 48, of Westwood, was indicted on four counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Papantoniadis has remained in federal custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023. He was previously charged with one count of forced labor. According to court documents, Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias with locations in Dorchester and Roslindale, and previous locations in Norwood, Norwell and Randolph (d/b/a Boston Pizza Company), Weymouth (d/b/a Pacini’s Italian Eatery) and Wareham, Mass. Over the course of several years, Papantoniadis allegedly targeted victims who lacked immigration status, employed them at depressed wages and demanded that they work, in most cases, six to seven days per week, at times for far more than eight hours per day and often without breaks or overtime compensation. Papantoniadis also allegedly withheld wages. Papantoniadis allegedly forced or attempted to force at least seven victims to work for him and comply with excessive workplace demands by means of violent physical abuse; threats of violence or serious harm; and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities to have them deported. Specifically, it is alleged that Papantoniadis violently attacked one of the victims several times, including kicking him in the genitals, slapping and choking the victim and causing him to lose teeth. It is further alleged that, when three other victims separately expressed intentions to quit, Papantoniadis threatened one victim by telling the victim that he knew where he lived; he attacked another victim, forcing him to run to safety in the parking lot; and filed a false police report on another victim who wanted to leave Papantoniadis’ operation. According to court documents, at least four of the victims feared that if they did not continue working for Papantoniadis, he would hurt them and/or report them to immigration authorities. It is alleged that Papantoniadis’ conduct enabled him to obtain a substantial financial benefit and an advantage over other businesses in the local pizza market. He could operate Stash’s Pizza with fewer and cheaper workers over whom he allegedly exercised significant control, all of which reduced his businesses’ labor and operating costs. The charges of forced labor and attempted forced labor each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Members of the public who have information or questions relevant to this case should call 888-221-6023, Option 5 or send an email with contact information to USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit, and Brian A. Fogerty of Rollins’ Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Opelousas Man Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl

body_text: OPELOUSAS, LA - Elijah Jones, 31 has been sentenced by United States District Court Judge David Joseph to 51 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, as a result of a conviction for violation of one (1) count of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(l) punishable by 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b)(l)(C) – Distribution of Fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. On June 25, 2021, agents working in an undercover capacity negotiated a purchase suspected heroin from Elijah Jones. Agents contacted Jones via telephone to set up the transaction at the Cajun Fire Casino & Truck Stop in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Jones asked Agents to sit in his truck with him while they talked business and completed the heroin transaction. Jones agreed to selling a half-ounce of heroin and began to weigh and package the narcotics in a clear sandwich bag. Agents were able to purchase and executed three (3) different controlled buys of suspected heroin from Elijah Jones. Jones completed one transaction by placing the narcotics in Girard Park in Lafayette, Louisiana. The suspected heroin from all three purchases were sent to the Acadiana Crime Lab for analysis. Two reports indicate that the alleged heroin was in fact fentanyl. The third report indicate the substance is a mixture of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. Elijah Jones was sentenced to 51 months custody followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000.00. This case was investigated by FBI, ATF, St. Martin Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.


title: Yakima Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced James Duane Deckard, age 25, of Yakima, Washington, to 48 months in federal prison after Deckard had pleaded guilty on November 15, 2022 to being an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances and Person Convicted of Domestic Violence in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Deckard will also serve three years of supervised release after his release from confinement. According to court documents, on December 16, 2021, Deckard was involved in a domestic dispute where Deckard pointed a firearm at his intimate partner. On December 18, 2021, officers with the Yakima Police Department attempted to stop Deckard’s vehicle. Deckard accelerated and attempted to elude law enforcement through Yakima, eventually colliding with a fire engine. Deckard then ran from the vehicle and was apprehended. Deckard’s intimate partner – who had been inside the vehicle – alerted officers that Deckard had thrown an item out of the car while driving by a park. Officers responded to Raymond Park where they located a firearm, which was later found to have Deckard’s DNA. Various rounds of ammunition were recovered from Deckard’s vehicle as well as a substantial amount of marijuana. When detained, Deckard made statements indicating that Deckard was a user of methamphetamine. Deckard had previously been convicted of a domestic violence assault against his intimate partner. After Deckard was sentenced, United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “Through our Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative, we are protecting families and preventing firearm homicides perpetrated by those who have a history of domestic violence and unlawfully possess firearms. When there is a gun in a house that has a domestic abuser, the risk of violence increases significantly. Indeed, Offenders with a history of domestic violence that possess firearms are five times more likely to kill their partners. Abusers also use firearms to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. By keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, our communities are safer and stronger.” “The combination of domestic violence, drugs and firearms is not a good strategy for success,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “Once he completes his sentence, Mr. Deckard will still be relatively young. We are hopeful that as a result of the prosecution in this case, Mr. Deckard can make the necessary changes in his life to become a positive member of the community on his release.” Chief Matthew Murray, Chief of Police for the Yakima Police Department commended the corroborative work of law enforcement to bring justice in this case. Chief Murray stated, "I applaud the work of both the ATF and U.S. Attorney in this case. They are strong partners in Yakima’s effort to combat domestic violence in our community. These prosecutions were the proactive concept of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and I believe send a strong message that acts of domestic violence will not be tolerated. This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Yakima Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis , Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. 1:22-cr-02066-MKD


title: Haverhill Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl and to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Elijah Declet, 26, pleaded guilty to the charge before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2023. Declet was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and Suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. Calls were intercepted between Declet and other gang members, who conspired to distribute cocaine and fentanyl pills, and on several occasions, Declet distributed cocaine and methamphetamine pills to a cooperating witness. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Someone Posing as DEA Agent to Defraud Victim of Gold

body_text: BOSTON – A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to his role in a conspiracy which resulted in a Massachusetts victim converting her bank account funds into gold, because she was tricked into believing that her accounts had been compromised by purported drug traffickers. Gaurang Contractor, 38, a citizen of India living in Jersey City, N.J., pleaded guilty on March 27, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2023. Contractor was previously arrested on state charges in August 2022 and later indicted by a federal grant jury in December 2022. A man posing as an agent for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who referred to himself as “Oscar White,” contacted a victim in early August 2022 and told the victim that her bank accounts had been “compromised” by drug dealers. “Oscar White” directed the victim to convert her life savings to gold. “Oscar White” provided the victim with the name of a jewelry store in Hadley, Mass. where the victim could purchase gold. “Oscar White” then directed the victim to leave the gold in her unlocked vehicle and promised to send a “court officer” to pick up the gold for safekeeping by the DEA. The victim became suspicious and contacted law enforcement. On Aug. 8, 2022, Contractor, unaware that the victim had contacted law enforcement, drove from New Jersey to Hadley, Mass, and conducted surveillance at the jewelry store. Unbeknownst to Contractor, a law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, entered the jewelry store and completed a sham transaction for two buckets worth of gold. Contractor followed the victim’s vehicle containing fake gold to a nearby parking lot. Upon arriving at the meeting location in the parking lot, Contractor removed the two buckets he believed to contain gold from the victim’s vehicle and placed them in his own car. He was subsequently arrested. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan; and Hadley Police Chief Michael A. Mason made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial Bennett and Kaitlin Brown of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.


title: Jury Convicts Ionia Man of Meth Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Ionia, Mo., man was convicted at trial today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo. Thomas W. Pitts, 35, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Pitts participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Feb. 18 to Nov. 16, 2021. On Oct. 6, 2021, a confidential informant purchased approximately 28.8 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $700. An undercover federal agent was also present at Pitts’s residence during the transaction. On Oct. 28, 2021, the confidential informant and the undercover federal agent went to Pitts’s residence again. The confidential informant purchased approximately 57.6 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $900. Both of the transactions were recorded. On Nov. 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pitts’s residence and seized ammunition, a small amount of methamphetamine, and items associated with drug distribution. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for one hour and 10 minutes before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, March 27. Under federal statutes, Pitts is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole due to his prior drug-trafficking convictions, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Clair County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Henry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.


title: Clay County Man Indicted For Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities To Obtain Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Filing A False Tax Return, And Stolen Property

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Christopher Leo Daragjati (33, Middleburg) with seven counts of wire fraud, ten counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of theft of government property over $1,000, and two counts of false representation of a Social Security number (SSN). If convicted, Daragjati faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, a consecutive minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, up to 5 years on each false SSN representation count, up to 10 years in prison on the charge of theft of government property, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Daragjati appeared in federal court yesterday. The court ordered him temporarily detained and set a detention hearing for April 3, 2023. No trial date has been set. According to the indictment, Daragjati obtained the personal identifiable information (PII), including the SSNs of multiple victims. Using the victims’ PII, Daragjati went to the Lake County Tax Collector and the Orange County Tax Collector and obtained Florida Identification cards in the identity of two victims. Using the two Florida Identification cards, he then applied for three different Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the identity of the two victims. When applying for the three PPP loans Daragjati allegedly submitted numerous fraudulent tax related documents and repeatedly made false statements when completing the Small Business Administration loan application for each of the loans. In reliance on this false information, lenders approved the loan applications and Daragjati received approximately $150,000 in PPP loan proceeds for the three approved loans. As part of the scheme, he also set up bank accounts in the identities of the victims in order to receive the PPP loan proceeds. In another fraud scheme Daragjati opened four commercial lines of credit with Sunbelt Rentals, using the PII of four victims. After being approved for the lines of commercial credit under the victims’ identities, he rented thousands of dollars of equipment. Rather than return the rented equipment, Daragjati pawned some of the items using the identities of various victims or otherwise disposed of the stolen equipment. In at least one incident, this resulted in a felony arrest warrant being issued and entered into the National Crime Information Center for a victim of identity theft. In another scheme, in January 2022, Daragjati filed a false tax return, using the identity of a victim. In reliance on the false documents and use of the stolen identity by Daragjati, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approved a tax refund in which he received a tax refund of more than $1,000 in under the assumed victim’s identity. Daragjati arranged to have the fraudulently obtained tax refund deposited directly into a bank account that was in the name of the victim but controlled by Daragjati. 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol – Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. Download Indictment


title: INTERPOL Washington Hosts International Cybersecurity Workshop

component: Interpol Washington

body_text: Today, INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes hosted INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Director Craig Jones for a cybersecurity workshop with law enforcement leaders from across the U.S. government. Participants in the workshop represented multiple agencies, each critical to our cybersecurity infrastructure. "Cybercrime is a global problem that requires a global law enforcement response,” said Director Hughes. “With this workshop, we held some of t Canva he most important, timely, and relevant discussions in policing today. By strengthening our collaboration through workshops with international partners like INTERPOL, we can bolster our ability to take on new and emerging threats as a global community and work together to create a safer world.” “We cannot underestimate the importance of partnerships,” said Director Jones. “This workshop was an excellent opportunity to understand how INTERPOL and our member countries can together counter and combat cybercrime nationally, regionally, and globally.” Throughout the workshop, the law enforcement leaders discussed the role of police agencies in preventing cybercrime, the challenges of investigating cyber criminals, and the latest trends in the cyber landscape. U.S. leaders also discussed their plans to implement the U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy 2023, while Director Jones discussed INTERPOL’s Global Cybercrime Strategy 2022-2025. The workshop was instrumental in developing collaborative partnerships through INTERPOL that can help achieve a safer and more secure digital ecosystem for all Americans. INTERPOL Washington Deputy Director Marc Zimmermann, INTERPOL Cybercrime Director Craig Jones, and INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes pose together during today's international cybersecurity workshop. A component of the U.S. Department of Justice co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—is the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.