title: Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owner, Manager, and Maintenance Worker of Bakersfield Rental Properties

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Javier Salazar Jr., Javier Salazar Sr., both of Bakersfield; and Ricardo Covarrubias, of Van Nuys; a maintenance worker, manager, and owner, respectively, of rental properties in Bakersfield, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges that Javier Salazar, Jr., a maintenance worker, sexually harassed a female tenant from December 2018 through March 2019 by repeatedly asking the tenant to engage in sexual acts with him, asking her to be in a relationship with him, describing the sexual acts he wished to engage in with her, and persistently commenting on her appearance. According to the complaint, on two occasions Javier Salazar Jr. touched the tenant’s body without her consent, and surreptitiously took digital photographs of framed print pictures in her home of her and her daughter. The tenant reported Salazar Jr.’s conduct to Salazar Sr., who was both the property manager and is Salazar Jr.’s father. After she reported the harassment and threatened to contact a lawyer or the police if it continued, the Salazars refused to fix a leaking gas line in her dwelling, causing her to go without heat for one month and consequently forcing her to move out. The complaint also alleges that Covarrubias, the property owner, is vicariously liable for the Salazars’ conduct because they were his agents when they engaged in sexual harassment and retaliation. “For four months this tenant refused the repeated sexual advances by the maintenance worker at her rental home, and when she reported the sexual harassment, she faced retaliation,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The actions of Salazar Jr. and the failure or refusal of Salazar Sr. and Covarrubias to act on the tenant’s behalf caused her harm and distress. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold accountable any landlord who enables or engages in sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act.” “Sexual harassment in rental housing preys on tenants who are especially vulnerable, including those who rely on their housing provider for critical maintenance services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to holding accountable any person in the housing sector who sexually harasses, assaults or retaliates against tenants, from the housing owner to the maintenance worker. A home should be a place of refuge and sanctity, not sexual assault and exploitation, and we will continue to use the Fair Housing Act to hold violators accountable.” “Preying on renters who have few housing options is abhorrent and illegal,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria McCain of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD will continue to work with DOJ to enforce the law and protect tenants.” Today’s lawsuit arose from a complaint that the former tenant filed with the HUD. After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination, and the matter was referred to the Justice Department. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victim and a court order barring future discrimination. The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the Initiative in October 2017, the Justice Department has filed 34 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment by Javier Salazar Jr., or at rental dwellings owned or managed by Ricardo Covarrubias or Javier Salazar Sr., or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, should call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov , or submit a report online . Individuals can also report sexual harassment and other forms of housing discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a HUD complaint online .


title: Danville Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Child Porn Possession

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville man, who used the online messaging application Kik to communicate and share child abuse images with an undercover law enforcement officer, was sentenced last week to 102 months in federal prison. William Allen Wolf, 46, pled guilty in November 2022 to possession with intent to view a visual depiction of a minor under 12 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, in December 2021, a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity entered a public group on Kik Messenger where users were known to regularly share information and images of child abuse, and Wolf was already a member. The undercover officer purported to have two prepubescent daughters. On December 6, 2022, Wolf initiated a Kik conversation with the undercover officer telling him that he was a member of the group because he enjoyed training children for sexual activity. Wolf then sent the undercover officer a video depicting an adult male engaged in sexual activity with a prepubescent female under 12 years of age. Wolf continued to send the undercover officer additional videos during the course of their online conversations. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Baudinet prosecuted the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Evelio Santana, 40, of Indianapolis, Indiana has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on November 15, 2021, investigators with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indiana State Police, and the FBI, were conducting surveillance on Evelio Santana who had six outstanding warrants for his arrest. Investigators watched Santana pull into the parking lot of a gas station on 38 th street in a Polaris UTV. This Polaris UTV was later discovered to have been stolen in Marion County, Indiana. IMPD officers approached Santana and attempted to place him in custody. As the officers made their presence known, Santana took off running. Eventually, officers arrested him after he fell during the foot pursuit. During a search of Santana’s person, a loaded, semi-automatic handgun fell out of his waistband. That same day, investigators searched a stolen motorhome which had been in Santana’s possession and recovered a Sig Sauer M400 rifle. The defendant admitted to knowingly possessing both firearms. Santana is prohibited from ever lawfully possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions of two counts of robbery, burglary, auto theft, and multiple thefts. “Deadly weapons in the hands of violent criminals fuel the shootings and deaths that have devastating impacts on our families,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “I commend the FBI, ISP, and IMPD for their efforts to make our communities safer and hold illegally armed criminals accountable. This sentence should send a message to everyone returning to the community after a conviction for a violent felony. We want you to be successful, contributing, and law-abiding. If you choose to pick up a gun instead, you face a serious term in federal prison.” “The message sent by this sentence is clear—if you have a prior conviction that makes possessing a firearm illegal and you choose to ignore that prohibition, you will face significant prison time,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “In partnership with other federal, state, and local law enforcement, the FBI will continue to work diligently to protect our communities from those who have no regard for the law.” “The Indiana State Police will continue to work with its law enforcement partners at all levels to help keep firearms out of the hands of those who are not legally allowed to possess them, and to hold them accountable for their unlawful actions,” said Captain Ron Galaviz of the Indiana State Police. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, IMPD and Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Santana be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: DOJ Grant Funding to Bring Multi-Faceted Training to Southwest Virginia

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Town of Marion Police Department, in conjunction with the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy, has received an $83,000 grant from the Department of Justice to bring an unprecedented training event to Southwest Virginia. The funding will make available premier police leadership and management training to over 50 law enforcement agencies throughout Southwest Virginia, a geographical region that without the grant funding would otherwise not have the ability to bring such training to the area. “These grant funds by the Department of Justice are necessary to bring this cutting-edge training to our law enforcement partners in Southwest Virginia,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “We are dedicated to cultivating the next generation of law enforcement professionals in Virginia, and to make sure they have the skills to navigate the complexities of today’s policing environment.” Specifically, the Town of Marion Police Department and Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy will bring the “Organizational Management Certificate Program” (OMCP) from the Southern Police Institute, a division of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Louisville established in 1951 whose mission is to enhance the professional development of law enforcement. The OMCP is a multi-faceted curriculum encompassing vital aspects of modern law enforcement administration including personnel development, operations, budgeting, and organizational leadership, as well as problem solving, performance management, and strategic management for 21 st century policing. Training consists of four separate courses offered in 40-hour blocks that result in the completion of a college-based certificate program. The grant funds will pay for 25 seats in each of the four courses and will be offered at no cost to the agencies represented within the Southwest Virginia Region.


title: Shelby County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently delivered sentencing in the case of a Shelby County man convicted of drug and firearm charges. Devin Wiseman , 37, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Wiseman to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, on October 18, 2021, Memphis Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop of a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze bearing fraudulent temporary tags. Officers discovered that Wiseman, who was operating the vehicle, had a revoked driver’s license. Wiseman and a female passenger admitted they were smoking marijuana in the car. In addition, officers discovered a loaded black 9mm pistol tucked underneath the passenger seat and an extended magazine loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition in the driver’s side door pocket. Wiseman admitted ownership of the firearm and was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In May 2023, a federal jury determined that Wiseman’s three prior violent felony convictions were committed on occasions different from one another. This led to an enhanced sentence for Wiseman under the Armed Career Criminal Act. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Raney Irwin and Naya Bedini, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Mark Ridley-Thomas Sentenced to 3½ Years in Prison for Corruptly Securing Benefits for Son from School via Bribery and Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison for a bribery and fraud scheme in which the longtime politician demanded benefits for his son from a university dean in exchange for Ridley-Thomas’ political support for lucrative Los Angeles County business. Ridley-Thomas, 68, of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered Ridley-Thomas to pay a $30,000 fine. At today’s hearing, Judge Fischer said Ridley-Thomas engaged in a “shakedown” and that he used his “[political] support as a bargaining chip to get benefits for his son.” Judge Fischer also noted, “There is simply no justification for monetizing a public office.” At the conclusion of a 16-day trial, a federal jury on March 30 found Ridley-Thomas guilty of one count of conspiracy, one count of bribery, one count of honest services mail fraud, and four counts of honest services wire fraud. Ridley-Thomas, whose political career spans more than 30 years, was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors when he participated in the corrupt scheme. Ridley-Thomas subsequently was elected to the Los Angeles City Council, which suspended him after a federal grand jury in October 2021 indicted him in this case, and he was permanently removed from the City Council following the guilty verdicts. “This case, together with my office’s many other prosecutions of politicians, law enforcement officers, and public officials, shows our commitment to root out corruption and hold responsible those who flout the law and abuse their positions of trust,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our community deserves and demands elected leaders who do not place personal benefit over the good of their constituents." “Mr. Ridley-Thomas was elected to serve the people of Los Angeles but instead, his deliberate actions served his own interests and those of his family member,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will continue to target the corruption that erodes trust in government so the people of Los Angeles can have faith in their elected officials.” The jury found that Ridley-Thomas engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Marilyn Louise Flynn, 84, of Los Feliz, formerly the dean of the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work and a tenured professor. In December 2017, citing health issues, Ridley-Thomas’ son abruptly resigned from the California State Assembly. At the time of his resignation, Ridley-Thomas’ son was the subject of a sexual harassment investigation in the Assembly, a fact not known by USC or the public. Behind the scenes, Ridley-Thomas orchestrated a media and legal campaign, using a public relations team to convince the public his son was ill and a legal team to indefinitely stall the Assembly’s investigation. Ridley-Thomas sought “landing spots” for his son, prosecutors said, to preserve the Ridley-Thomas family legacy and Ridley-Thomas’ own political brand in advance of a planned run for Los Angeles mayor in 2022. These “spots” included prestigious titles, advanced degrees, and paying jobs to help his son deal with mounting personal debt. Ridley-Thomas solicited Flynn’s help securing these spots for his son. He knew that Flynn needed his help obtaining county contracts, and he “monetized” his public service by using the power of his elected office as a “bargaining chip” to enrich his family and preserve his political image, prosecutors argued. During the conspiracy’s course, Flynn ultimately met Ridley-Thomas’ demands by providing his son graduate school admission to pursue a dual master’s degree, a full-tuition scholarship, a paid professorship, and a mechanism for Ridley-Thomas to funnel $100,000 of his campaign funds through the university to a non-profit operated by the son – the Policy, Research & Practice Initiative (PRPI). By funneling the payment through USC, Ridley-Thomas attempted to disguise the true source of a $100,000 payment to make it appear as though USC, not Ridley-Thomas, was the generous benefactor supporting his son and PRPI. As part of their scheme, Ridley-Thomas and Flynn defrauded USC and others by concealing their secret arrangement and lying to the university about the purpose of Ridley-Thomas’ $100,000 donation of campaign funds to USC, as well as the reason for Flynn’s request that the university make a $100,000 payment to PRPI. Had USC known about their scheme or the lies both told, USC would not have accepted Ridley-Thomas’ $100,000 donation, nor would it have approved the subsequent $100,000 payment to PRPI. In exchange for Flynn’s help funneling the $100,000 in campaign funds through USC to PRPI and his son, Ridley-Thomas supported a lucrative amendment to an existing contract between the county and USC through which the USC Telehealth Clinic provided virtual mental health services to patients referred by the county in exchange for taxpayer dollars. On the face of the contract, the amended terms offered USC more than $500,000 in revenue, although according to evidence at trial, Flynn anticipated an even greater return – potentially up to $8 million in new revenue – with Ridley-Thomas’ assistance. In addition, while soliciting benefits from Flynn, Ridley-Thomas supported other contracts involving the Social Work School, including contracts to provide services to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the county’s Probation Department. During the conspiracy, Ridley-Thomas voted on three county proposals, including the amended Telehealth contract, that Flynn had sought to shore up her school’s financial situation as it faced a multimillion-dollar budget deficit. Ridley-Thomas also worked to influence key county decisionmakers associated with these approvals and made sure Flynn knew of his efforts while he sought lucrative benefits for his son from Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty in September 2022 to one count of bribery. On July 24, Judge Fischer sentenced Flynn to three years of probation, including 18 months of home confinement, and fined her $150,000. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Greer Dotson, Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.


title: Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material after Downloading Hundreds of Images

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child sexual abuse material. According to court records, in April 2023, a Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit learned that a computer at an IP address belonging to Mark A. Burns , 60, had shared a sexually explicit image of a child under the age of 6. Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant at Burns’ residence where Burns admitted that he had downloaded child sexual abuse material. A preliminary search of his tablet revealed that it contained hundreds of videos and images of children with ages ranging from infants to young teens engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Burns was convicted in 2016 in a court of the State of Maine for possessing sexually explicit material involving a child under the age of 12. As a result of that prior conviction, Burns now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org/ or 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Elizabethtown Woman Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison for CARES Act Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – An Elizabethtown, Kentucky woman was sentenced today to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison for charges related to her submission of three fraudulent Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act applications. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Vince Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Jones of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Kelly Woods, 43, filed three fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between May 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, resulting in the theft of $1,318,955. Woods utilized the entities Philips Healthcare LLC and LB Acquisitions LLC. Woods organized LB Acquisitions LLC after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. She then exaggerated the number of employees and payroll expenses of those entities in the fraudulent applications. Following release from her 2-year and 9-month sentence, Woods was ordered to serve 3 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Woods was also ordered to pay $1,318,988 in restitution and a $15,000 fine. This case was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inspector General and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Elver and David Weiser prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866- 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ###


title: Tulare County Man Sentenced to 5.5 Years in Prison for Possessing Cocaine

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jesus Angulo, 34, of Woodlake, was sentenced to five years and six months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, a long-term investigation uncovered a scheme involving the trade of illegal drugs sourced in Mexico and California for firearms sourced in Texas. In 2021, a team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the Tulare County Surenos Street Gang. Part of the investigation focused on Angulo and his associates, who were involved in shipping illegal drugs and firearms across state lines. On Oct. 26, 2021, Angulo and his associate were stopped by law enforcement after picking up narcotics from a source of supply in Los Angeles. Officers located more than 9 kilograms of cocaine and a firearm in Angulo’s car. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Area Regencies Gun Enforcement Team, the Visalia Police Department, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol’s Special Operations Unit, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Defendant caught with 14 kilos of fentanyl and seven kilos of methamphetamine sentenced to ten years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 36-year-old citizen of Mexico was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison for trafficking large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine while armed with a handgun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Erick Guerrero-Acosta was arrested November 22, 2022, with 14 kilos of fentanyl powder and pills and seven kilos of methamphetamine. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle cited the “grave” consequences of the opioid epidemic including an estimated 70,000 overdose deaths that have been attributed to fentanyl nationwide. “At the very time Mr. Guerrero-Acosta was bringing fentanyl pills to Western Washington, more than one person each day was dying of a fentanyl overdose in King County alone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Between January 1, 2022, and October 15, 2022, 70% of 710 overdose deaths were attributable to fentanyl. Based on these percentages, pills just like the ones seized from Guerrero-Acosta killed approximately 490 people, leaving only heartache for families and loved ones.” According to records filed in the case, Guerrero-Acosta was identified by investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a significant supplier of fentanyl and methamphetamine. After conducting some controlled buys of drugs, agents moved in to arrest Guerrero-Acosta. In his vehicle they seized 14 kilos (approximately 30 pounds) of fentanyl in pill and powder form, seven kilos (15 pounds) of methamphetamine, more than $25,000 in cash and a firearm in the center console of the vehicle. In asking for a 12-year prison sentence Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner wrote to the court, “the danger created by defendant’s drug dealing was exacerbated by his unlawful possession of a firearm. The combination of drug trafficking and firearms oftentimes proves lethal, and defendant’s ready access to the firearm in the center console compartment of his car demonstrated his knowledge of the dangerous nature of the drug trade and his willingness to engage in it.” Guerrero-Acosta has prior convictions for drug trafficking in Arizona in 2007 and 2011. He has a conviction from 2015 for illegally returning to the U.S. following deportation. The case was investigated by the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.


title: Ocala Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than 18 Years In Federal Prison For Possessing A Firearm And Drugs

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Raeqwon Munnerlyn (27, Ocala) to 18 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Munnerlyn had pleaded guilty on May 5, 2023. According to documents and information presented in court, on July 12, 2022, Munnerlyn was the passenger in a vehicle that led police on a high-speed chase on U.S. 441 in Marion County. After the vehicle crashed, Munnerlyn fled on foot, and was apprehended after a short pursuit. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm. Munnerlyn also had approximately $12,000 in cash on his person. DNA and fingerprint analysis confirmed Munnerlyn had possessed both the firearm and the drugs. Munnerlyn has multiple prior state felony convictions, including robbery and attempted kidnapping. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Local Leader Of Bloods Street Gang Sentenced To Over 16 Years In Federal Prison For Drug And Firearm Offenses

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Antonio Eugene Brutton (36, Ocklawaha) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana. Brutton had pleaded guilty on February 23, 2023. According to documents and information presented in court, Brutton sold more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source on two separate occasions in 2021. On a third occasion in October 2022, law enforcement located more than 3.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, one kilogram of fentanyl, 250 grams of heroin, and approximately 5 kilograms of marijuana during a search of Brutton’s residence. Two firearms were also located within the residence as well as nearly $30,000 in cash. Brutton has multiple prior state felony convictions including the sale of cocaine. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Crockett. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Felon in Possession of a Firearm Sentenced

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: Brandon O’Neil Garrett, 46, of McDavid, Florida had been convicted of a Possession of a Forged Instrument Second Degree, Theft of Property Second Degree, and Promoting Prison Contraband when he illegally possessed .22 caliber rifle. On May 18, 2023, Garrett pled guilty to the charge. Court documents reflect that Garrett was stopped by an Alabama state trooper in Baldwin County, Alabama operating a truck on U. S. Highway 31. Garrett admitted to the trooper that there was a gun in the back seat of the truck and that he was a felon. Garrett also had several rounds of ammunition in the door pocket that fit the rifle. The firearm was manufactured outside the state of Alabama, so Garrett’s possession of the gun in Alabama affected interstate commerce. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 24 months to be followed by 3 years of supervised release after Garrett’s release from imprisonment. Garrett’s supervision includes a set of standard conditions as well as a special condition that the probation office may search his person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the other conditions of his supervision. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered the forfeiture of the firearm. Garrett was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments. The case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Local woman admits to decades-long use of stolen identity

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea to passport fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Elizabeth Ann Berbel is also known as Ana Elizabeth Gomez-Garcia, Ana Elizabeth Gomez Garcia, Ana Elizabeth Gomez, Anna Elizabeth Gomez Garcia, Anna Elizabeth Gomez, Elizabeth Berbel, Elizabeth Ann Gomez, Tina Gomez-Manns and Anna Gomez. On March 22, 2019, Berbel applied for a passport in Laredo. Part of the application required her to include the names of her parents, her place of birth and her Social Security number. However, as part of her plea, she admitted she included information that actually belonged to another person. Berbel had been using the victim’s Social Security number and other information as early as 2001. The investigation further revealed that in August 2005, law enforcement had stopped at Berbel at the Laredo Port of Entry. At that time, she was carrying multiple forms of identification, including a Social Security card with the victim’s number. Berbel admitted she was not the person on the identification documents and that she was in fact Ana Elizabeth Gomez Garcia, a citizen and national of Mexico. She also acknowledged having other identification documents hidden in her car. Berbel claimed she waited just a week or two before returning to the United States by using these other documents. Authorities were also able to locate and identify several of Berbel’s biological family members. The investigation confirmed her true identity and not the one she had been assuming by using the victim’s information. Part of Berbel’s guilty plea includes an agreement to turn over all identification documents that are in her possession. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing Dec. 4. At that time, Berbel faces up to 10 years for the passport fraud. She will also receive a mandatory two years for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Berbel has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. The Department of State conducted the investigation with assistance from the Social Security Administration and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with American Bank of Oklahoma to Resolve Lending Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced a settlement agreement today to resolve allegations that American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The affected area includes the historically Black neighborhoods that were the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This resolution is part of the department’s nationwide Combating Redlining Initiative launched by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in October 2021. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color or national origin of the residents in those communities. “Providing equal access to credit is essential in every community, but the painful history of Tulsa makes this agreement particularly poignant because the redlined areas include historically Black neighborhoods that have endured the legacy of racial violence and the continuing effects of segregation and discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will help expand investment in Black communities and communities of color in Tulsa and increase opportunities for homeownership and financial stability. Remedial provisions in the agreement will open up opportunities for building generational wealth while focusing on neighborhoods that bear the scars of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The Justice Department will continue to combat redlining and ensure equal access to credit for all Americans.” “American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in the illegal practice of redlining and failed to serve the diverse members of our Tulsa community as they attempted to purchase homes,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “These practices are often hard to identify and prosecute and I want to thank the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division for taking measures to correct these abhorrent business practices.” The complaint filed in federal court today alleges that, from 2017 through at least 2021, American Bank of Oklahoma failed to provide mortgage lending services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa metropolitan area. Specifically, the department alleges that all of American Bank of Oklahoma’s branches and loan production offices were located in majority-white neighborhoods, that the bank designated a service area that excluded all majority-Black and Hispanic-census tracts in the metropolitan area and that the bank failed to appropriately monitor and address fair lending risk. As a result, the bank’s loan officers did not serve the credit needs of Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa, and the bank’s actions reinforced and perpetuated segregated housing patterns because of race, color, or national origin. The complaint also alleges that bank employees, including executives and loan officers, sent and received emails on their work email accounts containing racial slurs and racist content. Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, American Bank of Oklahoma has agreed to invest over $1.15 million to increase credit opportunities in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa metropolitan area. The bank will invest at least $950,000 in a loan subsidy fund for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa area; $100,000 for advertising, outreach and consumer education; and $100,000 for development of community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit. The bank will also open a new community-oriented loan production office in the historically Black area of Tulsa; ensure at least two mortgage loan officers are dedicated to serving majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa; host at least six consumer financial education seminars per year, with translation and interpretation services in Spanish; and will employ a full-time director of community lending, who will oversee the continued development of lending in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa area. The department opened its investigation into American Bank of Oklahoma’s lending practices after receiving a referral from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bank cooperated with the department’s investigation and worked with the department to resolve these allegations. In October 2021, the department launched its Combating Redlining Initiative as a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since the initiative was launched, the department has announced eight redlining cases and settlements and secured $89 million in relief for communities of color that have been victims of lending discrimination across the country. More information about the department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program . Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Complaint Consent Order


title: Lincare Holdings Agrees to Pay $29 Million to Resolve Claims of Overbilling Medicare for Oxygen Equipment in Largest-Ever Health Care Fraud Settlement in Eastern Washington

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, WA – Lincare Holdings, Inc., a Florida-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of German multinational chemical corporation Linde plc, has agreed to pay $29 million and perform extensive corrective actions to resolve allegations that it fraudulently overbilled Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans for oxygen equipment, announced Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. The settlement announced today is the largest-ever health care fraud settlement in the Eastern District of Washington. Lincare provides oxygen equipment to patients with respiratory ailments such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including leasing oxygen tanks and home and portable oxygen concentrators to assist patients to breathe while in the home or traveling. Between 2012 and 2023, traditional Medicare (also known as Medicare Part B) reimbursed providers such as Lincare for the lease payments on oxygen equipment, but after three years of monthly lease payments, providers such as Lincare were required to continue to provide the oxygen equipment to the patient, but were not eligible for additional rental payments because Medicare had already reimbursed the provider for the full purchase price of the equipment. Under Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare Beneficiaries may elect to receive their Medicare benefits through a private insurance plan offered by an insurance company, known as a Medicare Advantage Plan or an “MA Plan.” MA Plans are required to provide the same coverage and benefits as traditional Medicare, but they may set their own rules for reimbursement and beneficiary co-pays. Between 2016 and 2023, many Medicare Advantage Plans adopted the same requirement that limited providers like Lincare to three years of rental payments for oxygen equipment. After 3 years of payments, Lincare and other providers were required to continue to provide the equipment for the remainder of its useful life, but were not permitted to charge rental payments to MA Plans, or charge any co-payments to beneficiaries. In the settlement announced today, Lincare admitted that it improperly billed Medicare, MA Plans, and beneficiaries for oxygen equipment rental payments and co-payments after it had already received 3 years of payments. Lincare admitted that it lacked adequate controls to ensure that MA Plans and beneficiaries were not improperly billed after 3 years of rental payments had already been received. Lincare additionally admitted that for traditional Medicare recipients, it had controls in place to prevent improper billing, but that those controls were not always effective. Finally, Lincare admitted that when Lincare employees raised concerns about Lincare’s billing practices, Lincare officials in its Regional Billing and Collections Office located in Spokane Valley, Washington, and at Lincare’s corporate headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, instructed them that Lincare would continue its billing practices. The settlement announced today resolved claims that Lincare’s conduct violated the False Claims Act. “One of the most important responsibilities we have is protecting vulnerable members of our community such as the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Elderly members of our community are among the most likely to be targeted by fraud, false billing scams, and abuse. This is one reason that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, have made combatting elder fraud and abuse a top priority. I am appalled by Lincare’s admitted past practice of putting profits before its obligations to patients and to the Medicare program, and in particular by Lincare’s admitted improper practice of wrongfully collecting co-pays from elderly beneficiaries on fixed incomes and with limited means. That said, I am heartened that, following our investigation, Lincare stepped up, accepted responsibility, and committed to make things right, not only by refunding overpayments received by Medicare, but by identifying and repaying any beneficiaries from which it improperly collected co-payments. I am also encouraged that Lincare has, as part of our settlement, entered into a five-year corporate integrity agreement to take significant corrective actions to ensure this conduct does not recur. As part of those corrective actions, Lincare has agreed to pay for and undertake an independent review of its claims and billing practices. Lincare has also designed and implemented new billing software and other reforms to ensure that Lincare bills appropriately going forward.” “By billing Medicare Advantage Plans and their beneficiaries beyond the allowed three years, Lincare threatened the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs and prevented valuable resources from reaching their intended recipients,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We are hopeful that with the implementation of a Corporate Integrity Agreement, Lincare will invest in controls to ensure that all plans are billed appropriately. HHS-OIG is committed to protecting federal health care programs from fraudulent and wasteful practices at the hands of providers.” As part of the settlement, Lincare entered into a 5-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). That Agreement requires, among other things, that Lincare implement a robust compliance and reporting program as well as a number of significant billing reforms and practices. Additionally, the Agreement requires that Lincare retain, at its expense, independent experts to review its claims and billing practices to ensure they are appropriate. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter stated that “I want to express special appreciation for the exceptional investigative and analytical work performed by HHS-OIG in this case. This was a complex case with novel issues, and this result would not have been possible without the hard work, investigative skill, and subject matter expertise of our partners with HHS-OIG. I also want to recognize the two whistleblowers who came forward and provided vital information, making this result possible. We will continue to work hand-in-glove with courageous whistleblowers, as well as HHS-OIG and our other law enforcement partners, to protect patients and the community from fraud and abuse that targets the elderly.” According to court documents, the case began in May 2021, when two whistleblowers, former employees in Lincare’s center in Libby, Montana, filed a qui tam complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. When a whistleblower, or “relator,” files a qui tam complaint, the False Claims Act requires the United States to investigate the allegations and elect whether to intervene and take over the action or to decline to intervene and allow the relator to go forward with the litigation on behalf of the United States. The relator is generally able to then share in any recovery. In this case, according to court documents, the United States intervened in the action in July 2023, and subsequently reached this settlement. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the relator will receive $5,655,000 of the total settlement amount. The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Seattle Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter , Tyler H.L. Tornabene , and Frieda K. Zimmerman of the Eastern District of Washington handled this matter on behalf of the United States. Case No: 2:21-cv-151-TOR (E.D. Wash.) 5._lincare_final_fully_executed_settlement_agreement.pdf 6._fully_executed_final_lincare_cia.pdf


title: Hyde Park Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Hyde Park woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to her role in a wide-ranging fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Erika Prado, 32 pleaded guilty on Aug. 17, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Nov. 28, 2023. In December 2022 , Prado was indicted along with three other co-conspirators. Prado pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information. According to the charging documents, beginning in or around September 2022, Prado began to work for co-defendant Quenty Ogando –initially cleaning Ogando’s Mattapan apartment and allegedly later counting and packaging fentanyl pills that had been made at the apartment using a pill press. It is alleged that the pills, which Prado packaged for shipment, were often picked up at the apartment by other individuals. On or about Nov. 22, 2022, a search of Ogando’s Mattapan apartment allegedly revealed over 20 kilograms of fentanyl pills in various colors, over 20 kilograms of loose fentanyl powder, numerous packages and mailing labels, three industrial grade pill presses as well as heroin and cocaine. Prado’s co-defendants have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Massachusetts State Police and United States Customs and Border Protection provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Zacks and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Boogaloo Movement Supporter Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A supporter of the “Boogaloo” movement was sentenced today to 12 months in prison after having pleaded guilty in April to being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition, and for making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Timothy Allen Teagan, 23, of Plymouth, Michigan, was sentenced before United States District Judge Sean F. Cox. According to court records, Teagan is a supporter of the anti-government Boogaloo movement. Members of the Boogaloo movement advocate for the violent overthrow of the government. They believe that a civil war or uprising against the government is coming to the United States, and they refer to that conflict as the “Boogaloo.” On July 17, 2022, Teagan completed a Firearms Transaction Record, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, in connection with the acquisition of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Westland, Michigan. Teagan applied for the purchase of a Glock 34, 9-millimeter pistol. On the ATF Form 4473, Teagan checked “no” to the question concerning drug use. At the time Teagan prepared the ATF Form 4473 and submitted it, he was a frequent and habitual user of marijuana and was also addicted to the drug. Teagan lied on the ATF Form 4473 because he knew that he would be legally prohibited from purchasing and possessing a firearm if he answered truthfully and admitted that he was addicted to marijuana, or a habitual user of marijuana. Teagan subsequently purchased the Glock 9-millimeter pistol on July 20, 2022. In addition, in October 2022, Teagan possessed a Diamondback Arms, Inc. DB-15 .556 caliber semi-automatic rifle and ammunition. Teagan stored the rifle and some of the ammunition in his bedroom at his father’s home located in Plymouth, Michigan. Teagan purchased the rifle in December 2019 from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Canton, Michigan. At the time of the December 2019 purchase, Teagan knew that he was a frequent and habitual user of marijuana and therefore not permitted to possess the firearm. On October 27, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Teagan’s father’s residence in Plymouth. During the search, agents recovered the DB-15 rifle, Level IV body armor, gas masks, dozens of rounds of rifle and pistol ammunition, an ACOG rifle sight, firearm magazines, and Boogaloo movement flags and patches. The Glock 9-millimeter pistol was recovered from a nearby vehicle. “Our office stands ready to aggressively prosecute those who seek to circumvent federal firearms laws intended to protect our community, stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. .” The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Stephen Skeirik, 39, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2023, Skeirik pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Feb. 27, 2020, Skeirik and another individual were observed engaging in a suspected drug transaction. When law enforcement approached Skeirik, he ran and threw a loaded Ruger .380 caliber pistol into a neighbor’s yard. During a search of his home, a stolen Ruger 9mm pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition was recovered along with tools for drug distribution, cutting agents and drugs. Due to a previous conviction for felony drug distribution, Skeirik is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Parole Board, Lawrence Police Department and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Fort Worth Shooting Suspect Sentenced to 10 Years for Gun Crime

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

body_text: A Fort Worth man who allegedly shot through the door of a local home, hitting an 82-year-old woman in the chest, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jonathan R. Howard, 35, was charged in March and pleaded guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor. According to court documents, law enforcement responded to a shooting at a home in Fort Worth at 9:40 p.m. on Feb. 23. The 82-year-old victim had already been transported to the hospital. Officers discovered cartridge casings in the backyard of Mr. Howard’s residence, which was across the alley from the victim’s property. The following day, officers searched Mr. Howard’s home and car and located three firearms: a Jimenez Arms 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 9mm pistol. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, including forgery in 2011 and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in 2019, Mr. Howard was legally barred from possessing firearms. Mr. Howard has also been charged by the state with aggravated assault in connection with the shooting. Those charges remain pending; he is considered innocent in that case until proven guilty. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted the case.


title: Troy Man Sentenced for Mail Fraud in Federal Court

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart announced the sentencing of Jesse Morgan Hinson, 36, formerly of Troy, Alabama, to 51 months in prison for mail fraud. Hinson previously pleaded guilty to the charge in April of this year. The Alabama Securities Commission provided valuable assistance in the investigation and prosecution of the case. According to court documents, over a six-month period in 2022, Hinson engaged in two episodes of fraud during which he falsely represented himself as being wealthy. He claimed to have access to real estate opportunities and stated that he needed upfront funding to pursue those ventures. In reality, Hinson had no significant assets and ultimately took the victims' money, approximately $190,000, for his own use. During the August 25, 2023, sentencing hearing, a federal judge also ordered that Hinson pay $124,028.80 in restitution to his victims. The United States Secret Service and the Alabama Securities Commission investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen K. Moulton and J. Patrick Lamb, along with Special Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew O. Schiff and Amanda Senn of the Alabama Securities Commission prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to Hold Workshops on the 2023 Draft Merger Guidelines

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will jointly host three public workshops to facilitate public dialogue on the 2023 Draft Merger Guidelines . These workshops will allow for a dynamic discussion about the Draft Guidelines to complement the written public comments now being submitted to the agencies. The first workshop will take place on Sept. 5 from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET. The half-day virtual workshop will feature two panel discussions with former enforcers, academics, economists, and practitioners regarding questions and issues on which public comment will be most useful. The agenda, list of speakers, and instructions to access the livestream will be available on the event page . Additional information about the forthcoming workshops, including the agendas and panelists, will be available on the event page as it becomes available. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FTC continue to encourage comments from the public on the Draft Guidelines, which may be submitted online now through Sept. 18, at www.regulations.gov/docket/FTC-2023-0043 . The agencies will use the public comments to evaluate and update the draft before finalizing the Draft Guidelines. The agencies protect competition through enforcement of the antitrust laws and other federal competition statutes. The Draft Guidelines describe how the agencies review mergers and acquisitions under the federal antitrust laws. Since 1968, the agencies have issued and revised Merger Guidelines to enhance transparency and promote awareness of how the agencies enforce the law with respect to mergers and acquisitions. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. If you need such an accommodation, please contact the Antitrust Division at Merger.Guidelines.2023@usdoj.gov . Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodations needed and a way to contact you if we need more information.


component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – – The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement to resolve allegations that American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The affected area includes the historically Black neighborhoods that were the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This resolution is part of the department’s nationwide Combating Redlining Initiative launched by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in October 2021. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of the residents in those communities. “Providing equal access to credit is essential in every community, but the painful history of Tulsa makes this agreement particularly poignant because the redlined areas include historically Black neighborhoods that have endured the legacy of racial violence and the continuing effects of segregation and discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will help expand investment in Black communities and communities of color in Tulsa and increase opportunities for homeownership and financial stability. Remedial provisions in the agreement will open opportunities for building generational wealth while focusing on neighborhoods that bear the scars of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The Justice Department will continue to combat redlining and ensure equal access to credit for all Americans.” “American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in the illegal practice of redlining and failed to serve the diverse members of our Tulsa community as they attempted to purchase homes,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “These practices are often hard to identify and prosecute and I want to thank the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division for taking measures to correct these abhorrent business practices.” The complaint filed in federal court today alleges that, from 2017 through at least 2021, American Bank of Oklahoma failed to provide mortgage lending services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa metropolitan area. Specifically, the department alleges that all American Bank of Oklahoma’s branches and loan production offices were located in majority-white neighborhoods, that the bank designated a service area that excluded all majority-Black and Hispanic-census tracts in the metropolitan area, and that the bank failed to appropriately monitor and address fair lending risk. As a result, the bank’s loan officers did not serve the credit needs of Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa, and the bank’s actions reinforced and perpetuated segregated housing patterns because of race, color, or national origin. The complaint also alleges that bank employees, including executives and loan officers, sent and received emails on their work email accounts containing racial slurs and racist content. Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, American Bank of Oklahoma has agreed to invest over $1.15 million to increase credit opportunities in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa metropolitan area. The bank will invest at least $950,000 in a loan subsidy fund for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa area; $100,000 for advertising, outreach, and consumer education; and $100,000 for development of community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit. The bank will also open a new community-oriented loan production office in the historically Black area of Tulsa; ensure at least two mortgage loan officers are dedicated to serving majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa; host at least six consumer financial education seminars per year, with translation and interpretation services in Spanish; and will employ a full-time director of community lending, who will oversee the continued development of lending in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa area. The department opened its investigation into American Bank of Oklahoma’s lending practices after receiving a referral from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bank cooperated with the department’s investigation and worked with the department to resolve these allegations. In October 2021, the department launched its Combating Redlining Initiative as a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since the initiative was launched, the department has announced eight redlining cases and settlements and secured $89 million in relief for communities of color that have been victims of lending discrimination across the country. More information about the department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program . Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Complaint & Exhibits Consent Order


title: Man Admits Aiding Armed Robbery in St. Louis County

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man pleaded guilty to federal charges Monday and admitted aiding in the armed robbery of a St. Louis County Boost Mobile store in 2021. Damonta Bridges, who is a convicted felon, also admitted possessing a firearm in a carjacked vehicle. Bridges, 31, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a robbery charge and a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part his plea, Bridges admitted being present at a Boost Mobile store at 12135 Bellefontaine Road on Aug. 9, 2021 when Kadijah McFadden pointed a firearm at a store employee and said, “give me everything out the drawer right now.” McFadden stole about $630 from the register. She and Bridges both stole mobile phones. Bridges also admitted that on Sept. 5, 2021, he was a passenger in a 2017 Jeep Cherokee that McFadden had carjacked at gunpoint earlier that day. McFadden was driving. After police spotted the stolen vehicle, Bridges threw a Stoeger 9m pistol out of the window. Both McFadden and Bridges were caught by police after McFadden crashed the Jeep. As part of the plea, both prosecutors and Bridges’ lawyer will recommend a sentence of 137 months in prison at his sentencing hearing, scheduled for November 28. McFadden, then 29, pleaded guilty in December to carjacking, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Walker is prosecuting the case.


title: Israeli National in U.S. on Work VISA Sentenced for Rape

body_text: TULSA Okla. – An Israeli national on a work VISA from Denver was sentenced to more than 4 years in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian County announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Yakir Yakoz Zofi, 33, to four years and six months followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Starrett further ordered Zofi to pay restitution. “Zofi is a foreign national who traveled to Bartlesville, while working in another state, and forcibly violated a member of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to thank the victim for having the strength to pursue justice in this case.” Zofi had traveled to the victim’s home on November 21, 2021, for a date. On July 8, 2022, Zofi pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault and admitted that he held the victim down and forcibly raped her. Zofi will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. After serving his sentence, Zofi faces deportation and a permanent ban from re-entry to the United States. The Bartlesville Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.


title: El Dorado County Couple Sentenced for Tax Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — El Dorado Hills couple were sentenced today for their criminal efforts to avoid paying federal income taxes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Brian Beland, 39, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and a $30,000 fine, and Denae Beland, 40, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine. After an 8-day trial, a federal jury found Brian Beland guilty of four counts: three for filing false tax returns for 2011, 2012, and 2013, and another count for corruptly impeding the ensuing tax audit. The tax returns illegally claimed both personal expenses and fabricated expenses as tax deductions. The jury also found Denae Beland guilty of corruptly impeding the tax audit. “The Belands used tax fraud to pay almost no taxes for three years on their approximately $1.1 million income,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “They purposely lied in order to fund their family’s lavish lifestyle when they should have just told the truth and paid their taxes like millions of other Americans. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who fail to comply with their federal tax obligations.” “Greedy schemes to falsify business expenses in order to evade income tax, such as those utilized by Brian Beland, are unfair to every taxpayer who obeys the law and pays their fair share. The Beland’s flaunted their ill-gotten gains with extravagant vacations, vehicles, home improvement, and other items,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “Today’s sentence affirms the IRS CI will hold individuals accountable to tax laws that they are subject to. Those who fail to do so will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Beland was a mortgage broker for Wells Fargo and then Bank of America from 2011 through 2013. He claimed business expenses in excess of $800,000 for all three years, effectively paying only a 2% tax on the more than $1.1 million he earned. Denae Beland was an attorney licensed by the California State Bar, but she was suspended after this conviction and is currently not eligible to practice law in California. When the IRS began a civil audit of their taxes, Brian and Denae Beland tried to hide their crimes by falsely claiming that personal expenses were business expenses, telling falsehoods to the civil examiner, and obstructing the IRS audit by not providing requested documents. During the audit the Belands claimed falsely that their business records had been shredded or lost. They then created false spreadsheets for the IRS that listed various personal expenses as business expenses in order to justify their fraudulent deductions, including travel to Europe, the Eiffel Tower, Hawaii, and Cancun; wine racks and a personalized wine bottle in their wine cellar; a California king bed; patio furniture; automated tiki torches; birthday party and baby shower expenses; home gym exercise flooring; and other items. In June 2016, the IRS executed a search warrant at the Belands’ house in El Dorado Hills. In addition to finding many pieces of furniture and household goods that had been claimed as business expenses, agents also found various tax records and receipts from the years in question, despite the Belands’ claims that all records and receipts had been destroyed. In some case those records and receipts were found together with correspondence from the IRS related to the very same audit they were obstructing. This case was the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Lee S. Bickley prosecuted the case.


title: Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Felony Child Abuse

body_text: Denver Lee John, Sr. , 44, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for abusing his children and stepchildren. The sentence was imposed on August 21, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. According to the evidence and court documents, defendant John physically and mentally abused his children and the children of his now ex-wife over several years. The abuse included punching, pulling hair, throwing children against the wall, throwing tools and other objects at the children, and striking a child so hard that the child could not sit for days. On one occasion, the defendant severely burned a child’s hand by holding it on a stovetop burner. On another occasion, the defendant threw a screwdriver at a child which lodged in the child’s head. Defendant John also threatened to separate a child from the family if that child told anyone what John was doing. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-00077-ABJ and 23-CR-00084-ABJ


title: Armed Hamden Drug Distributor Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LATRELL ROUNTREE, also known as “Roundtree,” 28, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation into Rountree and his associates determined that Rountree was stashing narcotics in his apartment on Mix Avenue in Hamden. On May 24, 2022, as investigators arrived to conduct a court-authorized search of the apartment, Rountree threw a backpack from the fourth floor balcony and attempted to flee by climbing over the railing of the balcony to the third floor apartment. He was apprehended outside of the apartment building in a brush line. A search of the backpack revealed approximately 106 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 12 grams of fentanyl, three loaded semi-automatic pistols, and ammunition. An additional quantity of crack was found inside the apartment. Rountree’s criminal history includes felony convictions for firearm offenses. On April 24, 2023, Rountree pleaded guilty to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Rountree, who is released on a $200,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 12. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gresham through 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. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: Fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Salvador Nolasco Romero, age 39, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on August 23, 2023, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury in Wyoming and found guilty following a jury trial in June of 2023. According to trial evidence and court documents, on April 2, 2022, a co-conspirator was driving erratically near Buffalo, Wyoming, drawing the attention of the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Pursuant to a lawful search of the SUV, troopers found 12 pounds of methamphetamine. The evidence revealed that Romero had rented the SUV in Las Vegas, provided the co-conspirator with 12 pounds of methamphetamine, and instructed the co-conspirator to transport the methamphetamine from Las Vegas to Minnesota for distribution. The trial evidence further showed that Romero had conspired with another individual in Mexico to transport the methamphetamine to Minnesota for distribution. This crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Case No. 22-00120-ABJ


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession and Sale of a Stolen Firearm

body_text: Springfield, Ill. – A Springfield, Ill., man, Dalton Smith, 29, has been sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons for three years to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and selling a stolen Colt AR-15 style rifle During the sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that the defendant, a convicted felon, sold a AR-15 he knew to be stolen for $450. The semi-automatic firearm contained a high-capacity magazine, capable of holding 30 rounds of ammunition. The AR-15 was one of a number of firearms and firearm parts stolen from a Springfield residence in January of 2023. Smith was previously convicted in North Carolina of felony breaking and entering. Smith pleaded guilty on April 25, 2023, and has been detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest on March 16, 2023. The statutory penalty for possessing a firearm as a felon is up to 15 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and $250,000 fine. The statutory penalty for knowingly possessing and selling a stolen weapon is up to 10 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.


title: Alleged Business Scammers Indicted After Nationwide Scheme to Defraud Investors, Including Elderly, of More than $30M

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging seven defendants, including the founder and former President of Noah’s Event Venue in South Jordan, Utah, with 18 counts of wire fraud. According to court documents, from January 2015 through May 2019, William J. Bowser, 60, of Hendersonville, North Carolina; Christopher J. Ashby, 49, of Salt Lake County, Utah; Scott W. Beynon, 46, of Davis County, Utah; Jordan S. Nelson, 42, of Salt Lake County, Utah; Scott L. Rutherford, 51, of Utah County, Utah; John D. Hamrick, 64, of Franconia, New Hampshire and the Vice President and Director of Edmund and Wheeler Inc., which is also named as a defendant in the indictment, conspired together to engage in a nationwide scheme to defraud investors. The victims, who were mostly retired and elderly individuals, were defrauded of more than $30,000,000 after being induced by the defendants to invest in Noah Event Centers. As alleged in the indictment, Noah Event Centers were, collectively, an unprofitable enterprise sustained only through infusions of new investor funds. The defendants did not use investor funds as promised in their marketing materials, purchase agreements and related representations. Instead, they misappropriated and diverted investor funds meant for the development and construction of new event centers to pay large commissions, Noah’s operations, prior investors, construction costs of other event centers, and rents on previously sold Noah Event Centers. As part of their alleged scheme, the defendants used the internet, telephone, email, and other means to promote, offer and sell fractional Tenant-in-Common interests in five Noah Event Centers through the use of a network of financial planners, 1031 exchange specialists, real estate brokers and other salespeople, using glossy marketing materials showing pictures of beautifully constructed buildings and promising impressive long-term financial returns. Bowser, and his co-conspirators are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearance on September 14, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant United States Attorneys Cy H. Castle, Stewart M. Young, Stephen P. Dent and Peter Kuhn for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former trooper admits to lying to FBI

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old Pharr resident has pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents during a drug investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Pablo Talavera Jr. was a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper. As part of his plea today, Talavera admitted he lied to FBI agents regarding his knowledge of his family’s involvement in drug trafficking. “Talavera lied to the FBI during a critical moment - betraying his badge and breaching the public trust,” said Hamdani. “In doing so, Pablo Talavera chose his father’s criminal organization over the people he was sworn to protect. Now, this office will hold him to account for his corruption.” In 2019, the law enforcement initiated an investigation targeting an organization responsible for the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of drugs from the Rio Grande Valley to Tennessee. Talavera’s father was the organization’s leader. The investigation revealed Talavera had used his position as a DPS trooper to assist his father by running license plates of vehicles believed to be that of law enforcement. Talavera originally denied knowledge of his father’s participation in drug trafficking. However, he ultimately admitted this fact and that he had assisted him by running the license plate checks. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez will impose sentencing on Nov. 7. At that time, Talavera faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. Talavera’s father was previously convicted of drug trafficking and is now serving a 21-year federal sentence. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Salazar is prosecuting the case. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage .


title: Jury Convicts Two Men of Murder, Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man and a Crowder, Mississippi, man were convicted by a federal jury today for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included two murders. Shawn Burkhalter, also known as “Deuce,” 34, of Kansas City, and Joshua Nesbitt, also known as “T,” 29, of Crowder, each were found guilty of two counts of murder resulting from the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of murdering a potential witness. Burkhalter and Nesbitt also each were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of robbery, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug-trafficking crime, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of being felons in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering, and one count of evidence tampering. Additionally, Burkhalter was found guilty of one count of witness and evidence tampering. Under federal statutes, Burkhalter and Nesbitt are subject to life in federal prison without parole. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Burkhalter and Nesbitt participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana from 2008 to Feb. 20, 2018. On Sept. 10, 2015, Burkhalter and Nesbitt stole cocaine from Danny Lamont Dean, and in the process of that robbery, shot and killed Dean with a Rock River Arms AR-15, 5:56-caliber semi-automatic rifle. On Oct. 4, 2015, Nesbitt and others stole marijuana from Anthony Dwayne Johnson, and in the process of that robbery, Nesbitt shot and killed Johnson with the same Rock River Arms AR-15, 5:56-caliber semi-automatic rifle, all of which was at the direction of Burkhalter. Both of those murders were committed “willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, and in the perpetration of, and attempt to perpetrate, a robbery,” as charged in the indictment. The indictment further charged that Johnson’s murder was committed as part of a conspiracy to prevent him from testifying before a federal grand jury or federal court or communicating with a federal law enforcement officer. The witness tampering conspiracy also included a murder threat against another person, identified in court documents as “Witness #1,” to cause that person to help conceal the AR-15 rifle used to murder Johnson and Dean, so that it could not be used as evidence. Conspirators attempted to hide the murder weapon from federal investigators. Burkhalter and Nesbitt robbed a Kansas City, Mo., business on Sept. 8, 2015, brandishing the same AR-15 rifle. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for six hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Co-defendants Sharika Hooker and Autry Hines, both of Kansas City, Mo.; Joslyn Lee, also known as “Bless,” and Nickayla Jones, both of Blue Springs, Mo.; Rachel Ryce of Raytown, Mo.; and Anthony Peltier, also known as “A-1,” of Lawrence, Kansas, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and David Wagner. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.


title: Canadian Man Charged with Traveling to Albany in Attempt to Meet 10-Year-Old for Sex

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alexander MacFayden, age 58, a citizen of Canada, appeared in court today on a charge of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Alfred Watson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. According to a federal complaint, MacFayden engaged in a series of online conversations earlier this year with an individual in Albany whom he believed would allow him to engage in sexual contact with a 10-year-old relative. On August 25, 2023, MacFayden drove from the Toronto area to Albany to engage in sexual contact with the minor. He was arrested in the Town of Colonie that evening, and later admitted he drove to Albany with the intent to engage in sexual contact with a minor. Today, MacFayden was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow, August 29. If convicted of the charge, MacFayden faces up to life in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. MacFayden could also be required to register as a sex offender. This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, the Rotterdam Police Department, and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Fatal Shooting of a 62-Year-Old Man

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Demarcus Barnett, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed stemming from the shooting of 62-year-old Lasanta Qumar McGill, on June 8, 2023, in the city's Westminster neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). As part of his guilty plea, Barnett admitted that after being robbed by two individuals, he chased after them and fired wildly down the sidewalk. In doing so, he struck and killed McGill, an innocent bystander. Barnett will be sentenced on October 27, 2023, by Judge Maribeth Raffinan. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: District Man Sentenced to 22.5 Years for Assault With Intent to Kill While Armed

body_text: WASHINGTON – Anthony Braxton, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 22.5 years in prison for stabbing a prior romantic partner multiple times in front of their child in November 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Braxton was found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges, following a trial in April 2023 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 4, 2017, Braxton went to the home of his former romantic partner in violation of a court ordered stay away. He then approached the woman in broad daylight and stabbed her nearly 30 times with a pair of needle nose pliers in front of their child. Braxton had been ordered by a District of Columbia Superior Court Judge, on October 16, 2017, to stay away and have no contact with the victim. Evidence showed that he violated that order over 500 times between Oct. 16, 2017, and Nov. 4, 2017. The victim received medical treatment for her stab wounds at Howard University Hospital. She ultimately required surgery to save her right hand. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the MPD. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Wolf, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Coleman and Daniel Lenerz, Pretrial Mental Health Coordinator Jennifer Mika, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Victim/Witness Advocates Shawn Slade and Tracy Owusu, and interns Jessica Wasserman, Julianne Saunders, Molly Patrick, and Kate Dougherty. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Brian Yang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.