title: North Carolina and North Dakota Police Chiefs and Federal Firearms Licensees Indicted for Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Machineguns and Other Firearms

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging five defendants with a conspiracy to illegally acquire machineguns and other regulated firearms. Charged in the indictment, which was unsealed yesterday are: Sean Reidpath Sullivan, age 38, of Gambrills, Maryland; Larry Allen Vickers, age 60, of Charlotte, North Carolina; James Christopher Tafoya, age 45, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Matthew Jeremy Hall, age 53, of Four Oaks, North Carolina; and James Sawyer, age 50, of Ray, North Dakota. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Inspector General Joseph Y. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (“DHS OIG”). According to the 26-count indictment, Hall and Sawyer were Chiefs of Police in Coats, North Carolina and Ray, North Dakota, respectively. Sullivan was the owner and operator of Trident, LLC, located in Gambrills, Maryland, and was also an Intelligence Analyst with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Sullivan and Trident were Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) and Special Occupational Taxpayers (“SOTs”), which allowed them, in certain circumstances, to possess, import, manufacture, and deal in fully automatic firearms (machineguns) and other regulated firearms. Tafoya and Vickers owned and operated firearms related businesses in New Mexico and North Carolina and were also FFLs and SOTs. The indictment alleges that, beginning in at least June 2018 through at least March 2021, the defendants conspired to acquire machineguns and/or other restricted firearms, such as short-barreled rifles, by falsely representing that the firearms would be used for demonstration to law enforcement agencies, including the Coats Police Department and the Ray Police Department. The indictment further alleges that Hall, Sawyer, and other conspirators signed law letters with no expectation that the weapons would ever be demonstrated to their respective law enforcement agencies. The defendants allegedly intended to impermissibly import into the United States and resell the machineguns and other firearms for profit or to keep for their own use and enjoyment. Sullivan allegedly submitted the false law letters to the ATF seeking to import the machineguns and other restricted weapons. Once the firearms were received, Sullivan allegedly kept some of the machineguns and other restricted weapons and transferred some of the weapons to Vickers, Tafoya, and other conspirators. In addition to the indictment, Larry Vickers pleaded guilty yesterday to participating in the conspiracy to import and obtain machineguns and other restricted firearms and admitted that he received some of the imported machineguns and other weapons. As detailed in his plea agreement, Vickers kept some of the machineguns and other restricted weapons in his personal collection and transferred other machineguns and restricted weapons to other FFLs and third parties. Vickers also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against a foreign firearms manufacturer between July 2014 and March 2021, in the Southern District of Florida. Vickers faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate federal law regulating firearms and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has not yet scheduled sentencing for Vickers. If convicted, Sullivan, Tafoya, Hall, and Sawyer face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate federal law regulating firearms and for each count of false statements related to submission of a law letter. Sullivan and Tafoya face a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count of unlawful importation of a firearm and for each count of making a false statement in records maintained by FFLs. Sullivan also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of unregistered machineguns and 10 years in federal prison for using criminal proceeds to conduct financial transactions. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sullivan and Tafoya have already had an initial appearance U.S. District Court in Baltimore and were released pending trial. Hall and Sawyer are expected to have an initial appearance at a later date. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the IRS-CI on behalf of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. Michael Cunningham and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the case and recognized Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Sean O’Dowd of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Criminal Division, respectively, for their work on the Vickers guilty plea. 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: 10 Defendants Indicted For Operating $20 Million Black Market HIV Medication Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today the unsealing of Superseding Indictments charging BORIS AMINOV, CHRISTY CORVALAN, IRINA POLVANOVA, ROMAN SHAMALOV, JONATHAN GAVRIELOF, ANTONIO PAYANO, DAVID FERNANDEZ, CRYSTAL MEDINA, JUAN HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Pop,” and ALBERT YAGUDAYEV, a/k/a “Jeff,” in connection with their participation in a years-long scheme to defraud Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies out of at least approximately $20 million. POLVANOVA, SHAMALOV, and YAGUDAYEV were arrested this morning and GAVRIELOF was arrested yesterday evening. All four will be presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott today. AMINOV, CORVALAN, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA were previously arrested in connection with an earlier indictment in the case, which is assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. PAYANO and HERNANDEZ remain at large. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants orchestrated a scheme to get rich by lying to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies and depriving vulnerable HIV patients of legitimate and safe medications. The defendants allegedly made millions of dollars through submitting fraudulent insurance claims, paying illegal kickbacks, and buying and selling black-market HIV medications. Today’s charges send a clear message that this Office will be tireless in its pursuit of those who seek to line their pockets by lying to federal agencies and preying on vulnerable members of society.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “For more than half a decade, the defendants allegedly operated a health care fraud scheme that defrauded taxpayer-funded medical programs. Black market medication frauds like this take advantage of vulnerable members of our community, exposing them to unnecessary risks. The FBI will make sure anyone attempting to illegally benefit from government health care programs is held accountable in the criminal justice system.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Health care fraud schemes that divert HIV medication harm patients who actually need the medication as well as put other patients at risk when black market medications are recirculated and dispensed by pharmacies participating in the scheme. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.” According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictments: [1] From at least in or about 2017 through at least in or about 2023, AMINOV, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, SHAMALOV, PAYANO, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA engaged in a scheme that defrauded Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies out of at least approximately $20 million through trafficking in black-market HIV medication. In doing so, they exploited at least hundreds of low-income individuals who had been prescribed HIV medication, jeopardizing the health and safety of those vulnerable patients. AMINOV and PAYANO distributed black-market HIV medications to pharmacies that were owned and operated by, among others, CORVALAN (the “Corvalan Pharmacies”), POLVANOVA (the “Polvanova Pharmacy”), and SHAMALOV (the “Shamalov Pharmacy”). After purchasing black-market medication from AMINOV and PAYANO, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, and SHAMALOV then dispensed that medication to patients of the Corvalan and Polvanova Pharmacies or otherwise distributed it to other pharmacies. FERNANDEZ and MEDINA were employees of the Corvalan Pharmacies who participated in the day-to-day operation of the scheme. As part of the scheme, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, FERNANDEZ, MEDINA, HERNANDEZ, and YAGUDAYEV also funded and paid illegal kickbacks to patients in order to recruit patients to their respective pharmacies. CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, FERNANDEZ, MEDINA, HERNANDEZ, and YAGUDAYEV regularly attempted to recruit new patients to increase the number of prescription medications for which the Pharmacies could fraudulently bill government insurance. CORVALAN, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA also paid patients to sell back their HIV medications to the Corvalan Pharmacies, thereby inducing patients to forego using the medications they were prescribed. From at least in or about 2021 through at least in or about October 2023, SHAMALOV and POLVANOVA engaged in a related scheme where they bought and then re-sold diverted black-market prescription HIV medication through online prescription drug marketplaces to other pharmacies around the country. In order to further their schemes and conceal their proceeds, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, and SHAMALOV used bank accounts associated with their respective pharmacies to funnel money to shell companies controlled by AMINOV. The defendants spent the proceeds of the scheme to purchase luxury cars, including a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Maybach with an estimated fair market value of approximately $245,000; waterfront real-estate, including two properties in the Bronx purchased for a total of approximately $2.4 million; designer clothes; and jewelry and gold. * * * AMINOV, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. CORVALAN, 41, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. POLVANOVA, 47, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. SHAMALOV, 47, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. GAVRIELOF, 28, of Woodmere, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. PAYANO, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. FERNANDEZ, 24, and MEDINA, 28, both of the Bronx, New York, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. HERNANDEZ, 63, of New York, New York, and YAGUDAYEV, 35, of Queens, New York, are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and HHS-OIG. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Jackie Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


title: COOKEVILLE MAN INDICTED FOR ROBBING TWO BANKS IN BRENTWOOD

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Antonio Peebles, 30, of Cookeville, Tennessee, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to the indictment and prior media reports, on May 24, 2023, Peebles entered the Pinnacle Bank on Franklin Road in Brentwood, Tennessee, placed a bag on the bank counter and demanded money. The bank tellers gave Peebles money from their drawers and Peebles then fled on foot. Peebles later robbed the Wilson Bank & Trust on Harpeth Drive in Brentwood, Tennessee, on June 12, 2023, in a similar manner. Peebles was arrested the same day by officers with the Brentwood Police Department. If convicted, Peebles faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Brentwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juliet Aldridge is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Former Bank VP Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison on Bank Fraud, Arson Charges

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

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A former vice president and loan officer for Community First Bank of the Heartland in Mount Vernon who committed bank fraud and multiple arsons was sentenced in federal court in Benton on Thursday to 12 years in prison. Richard Pigg, 53, previously pleaded guilty in April to six counts of bank fraud and three counts of arson. The defendant currently resides in Texas, but he lived in Mount Vernon, Illinois, at the time of the charged conduct from May 2011 to December 2016. During his hearing, the sentencing judge described Pigg as a “Jekyll and Hyde” who destroyed people’s lives with his horrific fraud. Pigg had relied on letters of support citing his good works, but the judge told Pigg that this was like a man who robs a bank, gives some of money to a homeless shelter, then burns the homeless shelter down and wants credit for donating to the homeless shelter. "For more than half a decade, Richard Pigg abused his position of trust to defraud his bank, take advantage of his customers and skim money off of inflated loans,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “When his financial schemes unraveled, he burned the houses to use insurance money in an attempt to cover the loans. For this pattern of fraud and fire that financially ruined his victims, put innocent lives at risk and injured a first responder, Richard Pigg is fully deserving of 12 years in federal prison." The defendant used his position as vice president and a loan officer to defraud more than $600,000 from CFBH to purchase investment properties and to pay personal expenses. According to court documents, Pigg convinced bank customers to buy rental properties in Centralia, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro and West Frankfort on his behalf through mortgage loans financed at CFBH. Pigg concealed his personal financial interest from CFBH while facilitating the loans. “As the sentence imposed in this case clearly indicates, the investigation and prosecution of crimes of arson remains a priority for ATF and the United States Attorney. The criminal use of fire, whether to conceal crime, intimidate, or defraud others, places lives and property at great risk and endangers those who selflessly respond, day or night or extinguish the flames,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division. As part of the scheme, Pigg assured his victims that he would secure the tenants, collect the rent and maintain the properties. In addition, without the victims’ consent, the defendant at times increased the amount financed in the mortgage loan by thousands of dollars above the purchase price and redirected the excess loan proceeds to his own accounts and to pay his own debts. In an attempt to use insurance benefits to pay off bank loans, Pigg burned multiple properties. Some properties Pigg burned more than once, such as a Centralia property that was partially damaged in January 2016 and then destroyed by fire in February 2016. Pigg also burned a four-unit rental apartment complex in West Frankfort in January 2016 soon after renewing one insurance policy and less than two weeks after taking out a second insurance policy on the property. Under Truth in Sentencing, Pigg must serve at least 85% of his sentence. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release. Agents with ATF and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter T. Reed and Kevin F. Burke prosecuted the case.


title: Corvallis meth trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MISSOULA — A Corvallis woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and carrying a gun to protect herself while distributing drugs was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Brittany Nicole Lewis, 33, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that on April 8, 2022, in Ravalli County, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Lewis was driving. In a later search of the vehicle, officers found one pound of meth. Lewis admitted that she sold meth and that the meth in the vehicle belonged to her. She also admitted that she used a firearm to protect herself while distributing drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Twenty-One Charged with Firearms, Illegal Drugs, and Conspiracy Offenses Following Multi-Agency Violent Crime Reduction Effort in Memphis, Tennessee

body_text: Federal and local law-enforcement officials announced today that 21 individuals were charged in connection with firearms-trafficking, drug-distribution, conspiracy, and other offenses as part of a targeted violent crime reduction initiative in Memphis, Tennessee. The indictments are the result of a series of coordinated arrests made following a months-long multi-agency operation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) initiated this investigation after analyzing crime and gun recovery statistics. By examining more than 5,000 data points collected from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), MPD’s Real Time Crime Center, and 911 calls referencing shots fired, analysts were able to identify areas of Memphis with the highest density of firearm-related crime. Based on that analysis and other information, ATF opened an investigation into illegal activity at several locations around Memphis and Shelby County. “The dozens of charges and arrests announced today represent what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we work hand-in-hand to take violent criminals and trigger-pullers off our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “When we harness the Justice Department’s resources and technology — especially crime-gun intelligence from ATF’s NIBIN network — we are able to identify and arrest the culprits of gun violence and safeguard our communities. Across the country, our towns and cities are safer because of the dedication and bravery of federal agents and their state and local partners, and the 21st-century crime-solving tools DOJ is able to provide.” “For months, ATF agents and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners have been investigating violent criminals who have terrorized Memphis,” said Director Steve Dettelbach of the ATF. “The results are now clear: more than 20 arrests; nearly 100 seized firearms, including guns outfitted with machine gun conversion devices; and large quantities of narcotics – including fentanyl. All done better than ever using crime gun intelligence to catch the worst of the worst. ATF commits to continue using and sharing its intelligence with partners around the country to further drive down violent crime.” “We have a serious gun violence problem in Memphis and strong law enforcement partnership is one of our most effective tools for addressing it,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “This was an extensive, well-coordinated, and sustained effort to identify and take down some of our community’s most dangerous repeat offenders, serial shooters, and firearms trafficking rings so that we protect citizens and ensure our city’s safety. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their hard work and reiterate this office’s commitment to working with them to make our streets safer.” “ATF is committed to reducing the impact of firearm related violent crime in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of ATF Nashville. “Using technology helps us to identify the high crime areas and those who criminally possess firearms. We employ every technique available to law enforcement to dismantle criminal organizations and disrupt the illegal use of firearms for criminal activity. Working with our law enforcement partners, this enforcement initiative did just that.” Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the ATF Nashville Division, U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller, Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis of the Memphis Police Department, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clint Cannon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office provided additional details relating to the initiative, as well as on larger firearms enforcement and violence-prevention efforts. Additionally, District Attorney General Steve Mulroy announced that his office obtained a court order under Tennessee law to shut down the Save a Stop 2 store as a nuisance and danger to the community. The order was based on the excessive illegal firearm and drug crimes being committed on and around the property. “This is an excellent example of effective partnerships among agencies,” said Shelby County District Attorney Steven J. Mulroy. “Thanks to the great work of the ATF and our local law enforcement, we were able to file a nuisance action to shut down a breeding ground of crime in the community which had long degraded neighborhood residents' safety and quality of life. Because of that and the work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, residents can now look forward to a safer community.” Between 2022 and 2023, law enforcement officials investigated illegal firearm and drug crimes happening in Memphis and Shelby County. Information from 911 calls involving the Save a Stop 2 property showed repeated reports of armed persons, drug overdoses, shots fired, both aggravated and simple assaults, auto thefts, fights, drug sales, and other disturbances. Many of these activities took place in the store’s public parking lot during business hours while nearby uninvolved, law-abiding citizens were engaged in their shopping or day-to-day errands. The joint investigation has led to nine indictments or complaints and 21 defendants facing federal charges. Federal agents purchased or seized 91 firearms, six of which were outfitted with machine gun conversion devices or “switches” designed to convert a firearm to a fully automatic weapon. Additionally, law enforcement purchased or seized almost two kilograms of methamphetamine, 332 grams of powder cocaine, 210 grams of powder fentanyl, almost 65 grams of crack cocaine, 2,826 fentanyl pills, and 767 MDMA/Meth pills. Some defendants were charged together, but several others were charged individually. The following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents: Marvis Harris, 49, Christopher Butts, 41, and Antoinette Ozier, 41, were indicted together on drug distribution charges. In the same indictment: Harris and Butts were charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs as well as distribution of drugs. Butts and Ozier were charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Harris was also charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions, illegal possession of machine guns, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Ozier was charged with using a premises for the purpose of manufacturing or distributing drugs. Ernell Paige, 45, was charged in an indictment with possessing drugs with intent to distribute and with distribution of drugs. Ulandus Mayes, 34, and Christopher Watts, 39, were indicted together for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and for unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions. Mayes was additionally charged with distribution of drugs and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Enrique Cardenas-Otra, 41, was charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions and for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. Xavier Ashford, 30, and Marquez Glover, 21, were both charged with distribution of drugs. Leedell Otis, 46, Ricky Brooks, 41, and Jeremiah Otis, 34 were indicted together. In the same indictment: Leedell Otis and Ricky Brooks were also charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions. In addition, Leedell Otis and Jeremiah Otis were charged with distribution of narcotics, and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Justin Bankhead, 33, was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jamar Anderson, 27, Tijerol Crawford, 33, Raymond Greenwood, 39, Broderick Harper, 26, Benjamin Jones, 28, Octavius McMullen, 32, and Larry Raiford, 58 were indicted together. In the same indictment: Anderson, Jones, Crawford, Greenwood, and McMullen were also charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions. Anderson, Jones, Raiford, and Crawford were charged with distribution of narcotics. Harper and Jones were charged with possession of a machinegun conversion device. Crawford was charged with carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Adrian Seymour, 37, was indicted for unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions, distribution of narcotics, and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. ATF led the investigation preceding the indictments with assistance from MPD, the U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, HSI, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marques Young and Michelle Parks for the Western District of Tennessee are leading the team that is prosecuting the cases. These indictments are 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jefferson County Chiropractor Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison, Ordered to Repay $16 Million

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a chiropractor from Jefferson County, Missouri to four years in prison and ordered her to repay $16.4 million lost to disability fraud, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Friday. Vivian Carbone-Hobbs, now 61, of Fenton, was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February of conspiracy to defraud the Social Security Administration, 10 counts of health care fraud and two counts of theft of money from the United States. Carbone-Hobbs and her husband, Thomas G. Hobbs, are co-owners of Power-Med Inc., a chiropractic clinic in Arnold, Missouri. The couple, some of their employees and others conspired with each other and others to fraudulently obtain disability payments for patients. In exchange for upfront fees of thousands of dollars, Carbone-Hobbs, Hobbs and others would coach patients on how to pretend to be unable to work and unable to lift objects, sit, stand and walk. Patients had to pay hundreds of dollars for annual appointments to keep qualifying for disability payments. Carbone-Hobbs was also billing insurance companies for services that were not provided. Hobbs, 65, pleaded guilty in January to a conspiracy charge and admitted conspiring to commit the crimes of health care fraud, making false statements, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud. He was sentenced in September to four years in prison and ordered to repay $4.3 million. The cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Berry, Dorothy McMurtry, Diane Klocke and Gwendolyn Carroll are prosecuting the case. Anyone who suspects fraud involving the Disability Insurance Benefit Program is asked to contact the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Hotline at: 1-800-269-0271 or https://oig.ssa.gov/report/ .


title: Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to Over 33 Years in Prison  for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to serve a total of 400 months in federal prison and pay a $10,000 fine for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Jarvin Maurice Summerall, 38, was sentenced on October 19, 2023, in U.S. District Court. According to court documents, from October 2021 through December 2021, Summerall conspired with others, including his sister, Tara Shametrice Summerall, to distribute methamphetamine. The investigation involved multiple controlled purchases and seizures that revealed the scope of the operation, which not only involved over four kilograms of methamphetamine, but seven pounds of marijuana, Lortabs, Percocets, heroin and cocaine being distributed in the Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi area. Co-defendant Tara Summerall entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 39 months in prison. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and acting Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton. The case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Restaurant

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man from Riverview, Missouri to 125 months in prison for the armed robbery of the Steak ‘N Shake where he once worked and ordered him to pay $3,715 in restitution. Jonathan Davis, 24, was found guilty at a June trial of two felonies: robbery and possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Evidence and testimony showed that on Jan. 23, 2021, at about 12:30 a.m., Davis walked to the back office of the Steak ‘N Shake at 9550 Natural Bridge Road in Berkeley and robbed the owner of cash at gunpoint. Davis had worked at the restaurant until about two months before the robbery. After the robbery, Davis went on a five-day spending spree, paying his rent, buying an iPhone, buying a diamond ring for his girlfriend, paying her cell phone bill and giving her cash. He also lost $1,000 to a scammer while trying to buy a car online. The Berkeley Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Szczucinski and Michael Hayes are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to Jail, Fined for Illegal Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A 71-year-old former nurse practitioner, who worked at L5 Medical, a chain of pain clinics with locations in the Woodlawn, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg areas, was sentenced to jailtime and fined this week in federal court. Debra Shaffer, of New Castle, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to one count of using the DEA Registration number of another while prescribing controlled substances. DEA Registration numbers are unique identifiers issued by medical providers in order to track who issues drug prescriptions. Shaffer was sentenced to five days in prison, a fine of $5,000, and one year of supervised release. According to court documents, Shaffer was an important part of a years-long scheme to illegitimately distribute Suboxone by staff providers who lacked the training, experience, and legal authority to prescribe Suboxone (buprenorphine). The illegal use of DEA Registration numbers facilitated this scheme and was designed to deceive pharmacists and the Government about the true nature of who was writing the prescriptions for controlled substances. For example, Shaffer regularly saw opioid-addicted patients at the Christiansburg clinic and wrote Suboxone prescriptions under the name of doctors who did not see the patients. Some patients continued to receive controlled substance prescriptions even after showing obvious “red flags” of drug abuse, such as failing drug tests, taking unprescribed drugs, or having drug overdoses. Shaffer also followed the advice of non-medical personnel in the course of prescribing controlled substances. One of those individuals, Charles Wilson Adams, Jr., is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for federal drug charges related to the same clinics. Charges against other individuals remain pending. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of HHS-OIG’s Philadelphia Region, Col. Gary Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentence. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan, Jason Scheff, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.


title: 2023 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Winners Announced

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA –The United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation, hosted the 40 th Anniversary of the annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon today at the Ft. Jackson NCO Club in Columbia, South Carolina. Approximately 200 state, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across the state attended the awards luncheon to honor these officers and hear from Governor Henry McMaster, the keynote speaker. The awards began in 1983 and McMaster was the first United States Attorney to co-host these awards. The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2023 awards: City – Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department County – Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office Federal – Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration State – Colonel Christopher Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state. “These individuals embody the integrity and excellence of our law enforcement community,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “I am pleased to honor each of them today as we express our gratitude for their service to their communities and the state of South Carolina.” City Recipient Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department Amy Prock is the Chief of Police for the Myrtle Beach Police Department. She has served the department since 1996 and has been assigned to several different positions all throughout the department, to include the Patrol Division, Special Operations Division, Administrative Division, and the Investigative Division. During her 27 years of service, the positions she filled have provided her the opportunity to serve the Myrtle Beach community from the waterfront, to Street Crimes, to Narcotics, to Traffic, Patrol, Detectives, Regulatory and several others. She has been a member of the Critical Incident Negotiations Team, attended the FBI’s National Academy, the Administrative Officers Management Program at NC State and many other leadership and specialty trainings in law enforcement. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University in Radford, Virginia and her Master’s Degree in Psychology is from Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. Throughout Chief Prock’s time with the department, her focus continues to be on working with the Myrtle Beach community, team development, team leadership, and implementation of technology, such as NIBIN. She is motivated by the opportunity to make a difference. Her favorite motto is “Public safety is a shared responsibility.” What she enjoys most about being the Chief of Police is making a difference within the community she serves and working together with her community and with the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the City of Myrtle Beach to accomplish this. She believes that goals can always be met by working together and communicating. County Recipient Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office Captain Eric Abdullah began his South Carolina law enforcement career in 2003 when he joined the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. Captain Abdullah has served in many roles, including Patrol Deputy, Corporal, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and SWAT Team Commander. In 2013, he was appointed Captain over the Special Operations Division and Public Information Officer. In 2022, he also assumed command of the Uniformed Patrol Division. “He has done an outstanding job throughout the years building relationships with internal and external stakeholders by working harder than anyone I know and always models the way of a law enforcement professional,” said Sheriff Michael Hunt. Lt. Tyler Roberts of Aiken County Sheriff’s Office contributes Captain Abdullah’s leadership model from one of his quotes—“Take care of your people, your people will take care of you and the mission in turn will take care of itself.” Captain Abdullah earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree from Colorado Technical University, is a graduate of 2008-2009 Leadership Aiken County, and a graduate of the 239th session of the FBI National Academy. He maintains and holds multiple instructor certifications through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and serves as a board member for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association. Captain Abdullah served 22 years in the United States Army, both active and reserves, before retiring in 2015. He also has served for 12 years as an Adjunct Instructor for the criminal justice program at Aiken Technical College. Captain Abdullah and his wife Jessica have a blended family of 4 adult children and 2 grandchildren. Federal Recipient Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration Adam Hardin has a combined 29 years of law enforcement and military experience. Prior to joining DEA, he served eight years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and in the South Carolina Army National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst assigned to the South Carolina Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force. As an intelligence analyst with the Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force, Hardin was assigned to DEA, the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and worked on several high profile OCDETF Title III wiretap investigations. In 2003, Hardin became a DEA Diversion Investigator, where he conducted investigations of individuals responsible for the diversion of controlled substances into the illicit market. He led an extensive investigation into the diversion of controlled substances by the leader and organizer of the largest pharmaceutical drug organization ever identified at that time in the upstate region of South Carolina. The investigation led to the conviction of 32 individuals. In 2008, Hardin became a DEA Special Agent assigned to the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) group. Currently, he is the lead case agent of an OCDETF international money laundering investigation, which he and his partners from HSI initiated with the Sumter County Sheriff's Department. The investigation spans the United States, Mexico, South America, and Europe. To date, it has resulted in 9 arrests and the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl and other drugs, as well as the seizure of multiple business bank accounts. “Agent Hardin is an example of the best that a law enforcement officer can and should be--capable, honorable, intelligent, driven, hard-working and completely dedicated to the mission while maintaining the highest ethical standards,” said Jason Peavy, a criminal defense attorney and former Deputy Criminal Chief at the United States Attorney’s Office. State Recipient Colonel Christopher N. Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol Colonel Christopher N. Williamson is a 37-year law enforcement veteran from Darlington, South Carolina. He began his law enforcement career as a deputy in his hometown, but over the past 35 years has ascended the ranks of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. In 2017, he became the first African American to hold the position of commander of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, where he leads nearly 1,000 sworn and civilian personnel in innovative policing efforts, utilizing technology to pinpoint enforcement areas of concern and placing a strong emphasis on employee wellness and community outreach. He played a significant role in fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities it serves, particularly during periods of civil unrest. When COVID-19 completely changed our way of life, the Highway Patrol adapted to ensure that troopers and support staff could continue to do their jobs and carry out the mission of the Highway Patrol. Colonel Williamson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Police Science from Fayetteville State University, as well as a Master’s degree in Clinical and Behavioral Counseling from Webster University. In 2021, the South Carolina General Assembly commemorated his accomplishments by designating a portion of Society Hill Road in Darlington County as “Colonel Christopher N. Williamson Road.” He and his wife Deloris have two daughters, Krissy and Daysha, two granddaughters, Kristina and Kailyn, and one grandson, Logan. ###


title: Former Phelps County Deputy Indicted on Child Sex, Pornography Charges

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former deputy sheriff from Phelps County was indicted Wednesday on charges that accuse him of soliciting and possessing child pornography and is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday. Justin Bradley Durham, 42, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of altering or destroying records. The indictment says that between roughly December 2013 and December 2014, Durham induced and enticed an underage girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct and record it. Durham possessed explicit images of the girl during those same dates, the indictment says, as well as a second girl between about Dec. 9, 2017, and July 2, 2018. The final charges relate to the accusation that Durham deleted files in his Dropbox account and destroyed his iPhone to impede an FBI investigation. A motion seeking to have Durham held in jail until trial says he offered the first victim money for explicit pictures and later paid her $200 to come to his house, where they engaged in sexual activity. Durham met the second victim when he responded to a call for police assistance, the motion says. During the investigation, additional women have come forward with allegations about Durham, including allegations involving his demands for sex or sexually explicit images after making traffic stops. Anyone with information about Dunham should call the FBI at 314-589-2500. “If a victim of police misconduct does not want to report the alleged abuse to the department where the officer works, the victim should contact the FBI directly,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Sworn officers who taint the badge are the exception and not the rule. One of the FBI’s priorities is to root out the few to protect victims and the public’s trust in law enforcement.” Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The sexual exploitation of children charge carries a penalty of at least 15 years in prison. The child pornography charges each carry a penalty of between 5 and 20 years in prison, and the altering or destroying records charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge for Attacking Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

body_text: WASHINGTON – An Ohio man pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 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 2020 presidential election. Clifford Mackrell, 22, of Wellington, Ohio, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. In his plea agreement, Mackrell admitted that he forcibly assaulted a U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 5, 2023. According to court documents, Mackrell traveled from his home in Ohio to Washington, D.C., to participate in the January 6 political rally at the Ellipse. At the rally, Mackrell wore a red shirt covered by a heavy blue-toned, striped jacket and heavy tan-colored gloves. He also carried a black backpack and donned a gas mask. Following the speeches, he marched to the Capitol. Around 2:30 p.m., Mackrell positioned himself on the front line of rioters on the west front of the U.S. Capitol building. While on the front line of rioters, he engaged with and assaulted law enforcement officers from both the USCP and the Metropolitan Police Department who were on a line attempting to hold back the mob. At 2:30 p.m., Mackrell pushed back barricades with other rioters, forcing law enforcement to abandon their line and retreat closer to the Capitol building to form a new protective line without the use of barricades. While there, between 2:28 p.m. and 2:35 p.m., Mackrell engaged in multiple assaults and unlawful conduct, which included striking and pushing officers who were engaged in and assisting officers of the United States in the performance of official duties. Specifically, Mackrell attempted to push an MPD officer, then successfully struck and pulled down the officer’s gas mask as the officer tried to help hold a line against rioters. In his plea agreement, Mackrell admitted that when he struck the officer and pulled down the officer’s gas mask, he knew the officer was engaged in the performance of official duties. In another instance, Mackrell helped push a piece of what appeared to be plywood into a line of officers, pushing them off the protective line. When the plywood fell, another rioter pushed an officer to the ground. Mackrell then physically confronted other law enforcement officers on the front line by pushing them. The FBI arrested Mackrell in Wellington on Mar. 17, 2021. 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 Northern District of Ohio. The case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Field Office, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police. In the 33 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.


title: Methamphetamine, fentanyl trafficking send Missoula man to prison for more than six years

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community after a traffic stop in which officers found drugs, a firearm and some cash was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Eric Anthony Navarro, 33, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that Navarro was involved in importing meth and fentanyl into Montana to be sold in the Missoula area using short term property rentals. On Feb. 4, law enforcement pulled over a vehicle, in which Navarro was a passenger, for a traffic stop. Navarro was taken into custody. In a later search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered meth, fentanyl pills, heroin, a firearm and $279 in cash. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula Police Department and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Federal Jury Convicts Knoxville Man Of Terrorism Charge

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On October 19, 2023, following an eight-day trial in United States District Court, a jury convicted Benjamin Carpenter, age 31, of Knoxville, Tennessee, also known as “Abu Hamza,” of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B. Carpenter faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. He will be sentenced in Knoxville, Tennessee, by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge at a later date. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Carpenter served as the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization of pro-ISIS “munasirin” (i.e., supporters), dedicated to translating, producing, and distributing ISIS propaganda throughout the world. For years, Carpenter, using his alias “Abu Hamza,” published a large body of ISIS media, including his weekly newsletter From Dabiq to Rome , a periodical that, among other things, celebrated the deaths of American soldiers, glorified suicide bombers, and called for open war against the United States and its Western allies. In 2020 and 2021, Carpenter contacted an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS’s central media bureau and provided translation services for a project intended to relaunch Al-Hayat Media Center, ISIS’s official foreign-language media arm. Unbeknownst to him, that individual was an FBI undercover employee who had infiltrated Carpenter’s group. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Department of Justice National Security Division, United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Knoxville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It was led by the Knoxville FBI Field Office and involved the assistance of FBI offices from across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle J. Wilson and Casey T. Arrowood of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Charles J. Kovats, Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section represented the United States at trial. ###


title: Florida Man Convicted of Stealing Sports Camp Tuition Funds from 303 Families

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Florida man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Boston for stealing tuition and deposits from families in Boston, and across the country, who planned to send children to sports camps in the Boston area in July and August 2019. Mehdi Belhassan, 53, of Tampa, Fla., was convicted following a six-day jury trial of two counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2024. Belhassan was arrested and charged in March 2021. Beginning in the fall of 2018, Belhassan falsely claimed that he would operate his annual MB Sports Camps at a Boston-area college. Later, Belhassan announced that the camps would occur at a Boston-area university. Based on these representations, Belhassan collected tuition and deposit payments totaling over $380,000 from at least 303 families in Massachusetts and across the United States, as well as advance payments of $191,000 from an online payment company and a commercial finance company. As part of his scheme, Belhassan provided the lender with a fraudulent contract with the college that contained the forged signature of a college administrator. “Mr. Belhassan preyed upon the trust of families, promising summer fun while plotting his own indulgence. He lured in, deceived and betrayed over 300 families – diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars not to the promised camps, but to personal pursuits like plastic surgery and extravagant vacations at Las Vegas casinos,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Today's verdict is a testament to our office’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that those who exploit trust for personal gain are held accountable.” “Mehdi Belhassan stole tens of thousands of dollars from hundreds of hard-working families across the country without a second thought, and with today’s conviction, he has been held accountable for lining his own pockets at their expense,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “During these challenging times, financial fraudsters are doing everything they can to cheat people out of their hard-earned money, while the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed.” The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 19 was: Jacci Christen Heinemann, 32, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Heinemann faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Heinemann was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-115. Edward Anthony Torres, 27, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Torres faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Torres was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-52. Appearing on Oct. 17 was: Sayra Longfox, 25, of Lodge Grass, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Longfox faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Longfox was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-102. Appearing for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on Oct. 16 was: Eric Stephen Hadnott, 44, of Billings, on charges of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hadnott faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hadnott was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-146. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 18 was: David Scott Retzer, 41, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Retzer faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Retzer was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-115. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Laredo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for False Statement During Firearm Purchase

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A U.S. District Judge in San Antonio sentenced a Laredo man yesterday to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for providing a false statement in required information kept by a firearms dealer. FBI agents arrested him in April 2023; he pleaded guilty to an indictment on June 22, 2023. According to court documents, Brandon Ray Speed, 20, provided an incorrect home address when he attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun at a sporting goods store in San Antonio on December 11, 2022. Speed’s attempted purchase was delayed due to expanded background checks for purchasers under age 21 required under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and he never completed the purchase. At sentencing, the prosecution explained that the Laredo Police Department arrested Speed in December 2022 for making terroristic threats related to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Speed had a history of using firearms to promote and amplify his social media posts glorifying the Uvalde gunman, which included a video clip of Speed driving past the memorial at Robb Elementary school, with the caption “Long Live Salvador.” The prosecution argued that Speed’s history of alien smuggling activities warranted an increased sentence and that a substantial sentence was needed because of the dangers Speed posed to the community, which included his admission that he fantasized about committing a school shooting. The FBI’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Center, in conjunction with local law enforcement’s San Antonio Behavioral Threat Assessment Group, provided key information and analysis to assist prosecutors and investigators in this case, including an assessment that Speed posed a high risk of committing acts of violence, which helped authorities to allocate resources appropriately. “This is a great example of coordinated efforts by local and federal law enforcement to intervene early and keep our community safe using the full panoply of prosecutorial options at our disposal,” said Jaime Esparza, United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas. “I thank our partners at the FBI for their commitment to the investigation in this case, which led to our prosecution and prevented the defendant from inflicting any danger in our communities.” “Brandon Speed provided false statements on an official form while trying to purchase a gun after demonstrating concerning behavior in several other areas of his life,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division. “I would like to thank the San Antonio Behavioral Threat Assessment Group, the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, and our local law enforcement partners for their exceptional work on this case.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Stephenson prosecuted the case. ###


title: Oklahoma City Woman Sentenced to Serve a Year in Federal Prison for Identity Theft

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Ordered To Pay More Than $213,500 In Restitution to Her Former Employer OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, ALEXANDRIA FISK , 45, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison for identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On May 4, 2023, Fisk was charged by Information with identity theft. According to public record, Fisk was hired to be a bookkeeper for three businesses owned by the same person. Court documents allege that on November 17, 2020, the business owner alerted authorities that checks had been issued without his consent to a company owned by Fisk. On May 10, 2023, Fisk pleaded guilty to the Information. As part of her plea, Fisk admitted to using the identity of the victim, her former employer, to forge checks for her own personal use. At the sentencing hearing on October 18, 2023, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Fisk to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Russell also ordered Fisk to pay $213,581.12 in restitution to the victim. This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Farrior prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Bowling Green Man for Domestic Violence Offense at Mammoth Cave National Park

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on October 11, 2023, charging a Bowling Green, Kentucky man with committing domestic assault. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Scott L. Larson, Regional Chief Ranger of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers made the announcement. According to the indictment, Rakan F. Elsalem, 39, was charged with one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender. On May 1, 2023, Elsalem committed a domestic assault within the Mammoth Cave National Park, a place within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. At the time Elsalem committed the domestic assault, he had two prior convictions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, assault against a spouse or intimate partner. These included convictions of assault in the fourth degree on September 22, 2020, and on January 24, 2022, in Warren District Court. Elsalem made his initial court appearance on October 19, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Elsalem faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking Offenses and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced yesterday to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking offenses and for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the U.S. Marshals Service, Western District of Kentucky, made the announcement. According to court documents, Brandon Keeling, 39, was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Keeling was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On February 21, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, he was convicted of complicity to trafficking methamphetamine, fleeing or evading police in the first degree, wanton endangerment in first degree, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On January 21, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, he was convicted of complicity to trafficking cocaine. This case was investigated by the DEA and the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert B. Bonar prosecuted the case. ###


title: Department of Justice Announces More than $2 Million in Federal Funding for Washington State Patrol DNA Capacity Enhancement

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced a Department of Justice grant award for Washington State Patrol’s Crime Laboratory Division. The grant allocates $2,245,651 to increase DNA casework and to reduce the current turnaround time for DNA processing. The Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory Division (WSPCLD) is the established public provider of forensic DNA and DNA database services in Washington State. There are 5 existing casework DNA laboratories in the WSPCLD, which provide forensic DNA casework services for the entire state of Washington. The WSPCLD also has an existing Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database laboratory, which is a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons. The expected outcomes of this grant are to increase WSPCLD’s capacity to meet the steady rise of submissions, reduce the backlog of samples needing testing, and grow the CODIS database of DNA profiles from crime scene and database samples. These activities will result in more timely investigative leads for law enforcement agencies to aid criminal investigations and increase public safety. In announcing this award, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “It is critical that we work together – with our state and local law enforcement partners – to address the growing need for DNA casework.” She continued, “This award will fund critical services to better assist with DNA processing and support my office’s mission to seek justice on behalf of all citizens in Eastern Washington. The Washington State Patrol’s crime lab has been an invaluable partner, especially in federal cases arising on Tribal land. Thanks to their incredible work, we have prosecuted a number of cases that would not have been possible without the work by WSP’s professional forensic analysts.” Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov . Information regarding the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence against Women is available at https://www.justice.gov/ovw .


title: Readout of Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim’s Address to Tribal Summit

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Office of Environmental Justice and Office of Tribal Justice convened a Federal/Tribal Regional Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this week. The event was hosted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Summit participants also included representatives from the FBI, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as Tribal nations representatives from California, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Todd Kim of ENRD addressed attendees on Tuesday over videoconference. He highlighted the U.S. government’s commitment to respect Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, further environmental justice and combat the climate crisis. “Tribes face substantial challenges, exacerbated by the ever-increasing impacts of climate change, in establishing and preserving sustainable homelands,” he said. “I feel very confident that the federal and Tribal summit participants can make real progress in identifying ways to improve our cooperation – and the outcomes we achieve – on these incredibly complex, and incredibly important, matters.” AAG Kim highlighted efforts by ENRD to adjudicate and litigate on behalf of Tribes, whose communities suffer disproportionately from pollution and other environmental justice concerns. He pointed to the Justice Department’s creation of the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), housed within ENRD, and publication of a Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, which provides guiding principles to ensure the Justice Department’s enforcement efforts are focused and coordinated to address environmental justice concerns. Last week, OEJ issued its first annual report on implementation of the Strategy. In addition to addresses by AAG Kim and others, the summit featured breakout sessions focused on environmental justice and Tribal homelands, securing Tribal water rights, Tribal communities and the climate crisis, trespass claims and jurisdictional challenges. The third day of the summit focused on criminal enforcement, including addressing the alarming number of murdered and missing indigenous persons – a terrible phenomenon which can sometimes coincide with an uptick in illegal and legal resource extraction on or near a reservation. The summit was the final of three Regional Summits planned for 2023, and followed national conversations with Tribes held in Washington, D.C., in November 2022 and Columbia, South Carolina, earlier this year. The summits are intended to deliver on the promise in the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy to work with Tribal governments and other federal agencies to “address and incorporate Tribal concerns into the Department’s enforcement work.”


title: Federal Jury Finds Shelton Man Guilty of Unlawful Possession of Assault Rifle and Ammunition in Waterbury

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found MIGUEL RIVERA, also known as “Macho,” 31, of Shelton, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. A trial before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall began on October 17 and the jury returned its verdict yesterday afternoon. According to the evidence presented during the trial, in the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, Waterbury Police officers responded to a shots-fired complaint in the area of William Street and Laurel Street in Waterbury. When officers arrived on William Street, Rivera, who was wearing a body armor vest, attempted to flee by climbing over a fence. Rivera was subsequently apprehended, and a search of the area from which he had run revealed a Romarm/Cugir, AK Type Model, 7.62 x 39mm caliber, semi-automatic rifle containing a fully-loaded 30-round magazine. Rivera also possessed one round of ammunition in his pocket. Rivera’s criminal history includes convictions for felony firearm, robbery, and burglary offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Rivera faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. It is alleged that on June 21, 2022, while he was released on bond and awaiting trial in this case, Rivera unlawfully possessed a stolen 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and two Kevlar bullet proof vests. He has been detained since July 13, 2022, and additional charges are pending in federal court. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a charge is only an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Waterbury Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patricia Stolfi Collins through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Mexican city council woman admits to trafficking nearly a million dollars in cocaine

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old Reynosa, Tamaulipas, city council woman has entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On June 10, Denisse Ahumada-Martinez drove a vehicle from Reynosa, Mexico, into the United States to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. An X-ray search of the vehicle revealed multiple anomalies believed to be narcotics concealed within the vehicle. At secondary inspection, law enforcement conducted a search of her vehicle and found approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine. The cocaine had an estimated street value of $900,000. U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentencing Jan. 31, 2024. At that time, Ahumada-Martinez faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. She has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Drug Enforcement Administration and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Alexa Parcell prosecuted the case.


title: Houston man sentenced for manipulating and trafficking 13-year-old

body_text: HOUSTON –A 28-year-old Houston resident will now spend more than two decades in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking a 7th grader, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Juwan James Davis pleaded guilty March 2. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Davis to serve 25 years in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including how Davis tried to manipulate and control the minor victim four years later by contacting her from jail and attempting to get her to drop the charges. Davis was further ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. Davis will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. “Tragically, the young victim in this case died just a few months ago at the tender age of 18. Five years ago, when she was only 13, she should have been participating in what normal middle schoolers do - soccer games, school plays and pep rallies,” said Hamdani. “Instead, Juwan James Davis sold her body for sex; something a 7 th grader should never have to endure. This sentence not only sends a message to others who prey on young children, but also gives this young victim’s family a sense of justice. It is just a shame she was not able to be in court to see it for herself.” The investigation began in February 2018 after authorities suspected Davis had trafficked a minor for sex. The victim was a 13-year-old girl. She told authorities she met Davis on Snapchat and that he wanted her to have sex for money. Davis posted ads of her wearing lingerie on Backpage to advertise her for commercial sex. The victim told investigators Davis drove her to the hotels and would wait down the street until she finished engaging in commercial sex with the customers. Once finished, the victim would contact Davis who would pick her up and take the money. The victim also reported Davis supplied her with drugs and had her branded by taking her to get a tattoo with his initials. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Davis’ phone and found communications between him and the victim in which they discuss her engaging in commercial sex and the amounts to charge for these acts. The phone contained several pictures of the victim, some of which were used in the Backpage ads. There were also pictures of the 7 th grader with a tattoo of Davis’ initials on her buttocks. Tragically, the minor victim passed away earlier this year at the age of 18. Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Kim Leo prosecuted the case. HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, HSI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties. Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.


title: Chicago Man Caught with Stolen Firearm and Marijuana Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm as a Prohibited Person

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Johnny Martell Brown, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and drug user. In a plea agreement, Brown admitted that on December 16, 2022, in Cedar Rapids, law enforcement stopped a car that he was driving. Officers searched the car and found a loaded stolen firearm and marijuana. In Brown’s underwear, officers discovered a Cheetos bag that contained marijuana. Brown admitted that he regularly smoked marijuana. He also has felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possessing a controlled substance. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Brown faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-34. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Department of Justice Announces $650,000 in Federal Funding for Mentoring Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Misuse in Yakima County

body_text: Yakima, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced a Department of Justice grant award for the Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program. This grant allocates $650,000 to expand their mentoring program and provide substance misuse awareness training. The 2021 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey indicates that Yakima County youth use alcohol and marijuana at higher rates than statewide counterparts (21% v. 18%) constituting a 61.5% increase over a three-year period. We can expect that, without preventative actions such as mentoring, substance use rates will rise further. Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program will mitigate the harmful impact of individual and family substance misuse. Pursuant to the grant award, six program objectives will be tracked: 1) Expanding and enhancing Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program with Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, 2) Developing 300 positive adult role models with a high degree of mentor competency, established through successful completion of mentor training, 3) Providing substance misuse awareness training to 300 adult mentors, 4) Initiating direct one-on-one mentoring for 300 target youth for a minimum of 39 contact hours over a 12-month minimum match period, 5) Providing 10 hours of “Keepin’ it REAL” drug-prevention training to 300 target youth, and 6) holding 18 mentee-family engagement events. In announcing this award, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Our office is committed to reducing tragic substance misuse, especially when it affects those who are most vulnerable in our district. We all are alarmed at the increased rates in substance abuse by today’s youth, and we must take action. Youth mentoring programs like this one allow federal, state, local, and Tribal community leaders an outlet to provide youth in need with information to prevent substance misuse and make Eastern Washington safer and stronger.” Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov . Information regarding the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence against Women is available at https://www.justice.gov/ovw


title: Two Hells Angels Members Sentenced To Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy And Obstruction Of Justice

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Two Hells Angels members, one from Fresno and one from Sonoma County, were sentenced to prison for four and seven years, respectively, for their participation in the activities of the criminal enterprise of the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HASC), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Judge. Jeremy Greer, 43, a former HASC member, was sentenced to a term of 84 months in prison for his violent crimes as part of the HASC racketeering conspiracy. Greer committed multiple brutal assaults, armed robbery, home invasion robbery, and witness intimidation. While on pre-trial release, Greer committed multiple violations of his release conditions, was arrested again, and was remanded to custody. Merl Hefferman, 54, a member of the Fresno Hells Angels, was sentenced to a term of 48 months in prison for obstruction of justice. Hefferman arranged the illegal cremation of the body of former HASC member Joel Silva after Silva was murdered by Fresno Hells Angels president Brian Wendt, together with HASC president Jonathan Nelson and former HASC president Russell Ott. The murder took place at the Fresno Hells Angels clubhouse, and shortly after the killing, Hefferman arranged for Silva’s body to be taken to a nearby crematory and illegally incinerated. Wendt, Nelson, and Ott were convicted by a jury of the murder in 2022, and they are in custody awaiting sentencing by Judge Chen. “The Hells Angels murdered one of their own, and Hefferman helped them try to get away with it. But for the dedicated efforts of FBI Task Force Officers and Special Agents, particularly officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, they would have succeeded. Greer and other Hells Angels followed a malicious code of conduct, encouraging the beating, maiming, and even killing of anyone who dared to cross their criminal enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “The defendants now face the consequences of their violent racketeering activities.” “Hefferman used his connection at a funeral home to order the illegal cremation of a member of his own gang as part of the Hells Angels’ efforts to cover up a murder. For eight years, the victim's family grieved without a body to mourn or certainty about what had happened to their loved one. Greer committed serious violent crimes, including armed robbery, beating, and maiming,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Tripp. “Hefferman, Greer, and other members of their criminal enterprise attempted to use fear and intimidation to get away with their crimes. I commend the witnesses for their courage. Without them, these men may not have pleaded guilty. Now, they have been brought to justice.” The sentencings bring the total number of sentenced defendants to five, out of 10 convictions—five by jury verdicts in two separate trials and five by guilty pleas. The investigation into the HASC began with Silva’s disappearance in 2014, culminating in an indictment in 2017 and a superseding indictment in 2018. Eleven members and associates of HASC were charged with racketeering conspiracy and violent crimes associated with the Hells Angels transnational outlaw motorcycle gang, including the murder of Silva, narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, illegal firearms possession, obstruction of justice, and witness intimidation. The convicted defendants include five former Presidents of three Hells Angels charters: Sonoma County, Fresno, and Salem (Boston). The first trial in 2022 centered on the murder of Silva, a former HASC member, on July 15, 2014. In the second trial, in 2023, a jury convicted Christopher Ranieri, President of the Salem charter of the Hells Angels, for his role in hatching the plan to murder Silva, as well as a second defendant, Raymond Foakes, former President of HASC, of assault with a firearm in aid of racketeering, in connection with a multi-hour beating of a former HASC member who was expelled from the enterprise. Foakes was also convicted of witness intimidation, in connection with his sexual assault of that former member’s wife while that former member was still being beaten at the HASC clubhouse and threatening her to keep silent. Ranieri and Foakes were additionally convicted of racketeering conspiracy for their agreement to conduct the affairs of the HASC through a pattern of racketeering activity. Ranieri and Foakes are in custody pending sentencing by Judge Chen. The sentences for these two defendants, as well as those of Wendt, Nelson, and Ott, will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The sentencings of Hefferman and Greer were the last for the five defendants who pleaded guilty. The sentences for those five defendants are set forth below. Defendant Date Convicted Date Sentenced Sentence Imposed Merl Hefferman December 21, 2022 October 19, 2023 48 months Jeremy Greer December 21, 2022 October 19, 2023 84 months Russell Lyles November 17, 2022 August 31, 2023 63 months Damien Cesena October 7, 2022 January 19, 2023 52 months David Diaz October 7, 2022 January 26, 2023 30 months Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Barry, Lina Peng, and Ajay Krishnamurthy handled the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Santa Rosa Police Department, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol.