title: El Departamento de Justicia Logra un Acuerdo de $9 Millones con la Compañía Washington Trust para Resolver Reclamos de Prácticas Discriminatorias en Rhode Island

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – La Oficina del Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Rhode Island y la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia anunciaron hoy que la Compañía Washington Trust (Washington Trust), el banco comunitario más antiguo del país, acordó pagar $9 millones para resolver las alegaciones de que participó en un patrón o práctica de exclusión financiera (“redlining” en inglés) al marcar vecindarios de mayoría hispana y raza negra en Rhode Island. “Redlining” es una práctica ilegal en la que los prestamistas evitan brindar servicios de crédito a personas que viven en comunidades de color debido a la raza, el color de piel o el origen nacional de los residentes de esas comunidades. “Todos los que persiguen el sueño americano tienen derecho a esperar ser tratados con igualdad y dignidad, independientemente de su raza, origen o código postal. Cuando a las comunidades se les niega el acceso a préstamos justos, a las familias se les niega la oportunidad de generar estabilidad y éxito financiero”, dijo el fiscal federal Zachary A. Cunha. “Me complace que, como resultado del arduo trabajo de los abogados de mi oficina y de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento, Washington Trust haya acordado tomar medidas específicas y amplias para que servicios de préstamos significativos estén disponibles para todos los habitantes de Rhode Island, independientemente de su raza u origen”. “Este acuerdo debería enviar un mensaje contundente a los bancos sobre el firme compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de combatir las practicas discriminatorias modernas y garantizar que todos los prestamistas brinden igualdad de acceso a oportunidades de préstamos hipotecarios a las comunidades de color”, dijo la Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Esta resolución brindará un alivio fundamental a las comunidades de raza negra e hispanas afectadas, permitiéndoles comprar una casa, conservarla o acceder al valor líquido de su vivienda. Poner fin a las prácticas discriminatorias y brindar ayuda a las comunidades de color afectadas por esta práctica ilegal es un paso necesario en los esfuerzos continuos para reducir la riqueza racial y las brechas en la propiedad de viviendas en todo nuestro país”. La demanda alega que, desde 2016 hasta al menos 2021, Washington Trust no proporcionó servicios de préstamos hipotecarios a vecindarios de mayoría raza negra e hispana en Rhode Island. La denuncia alega que, a pesar de su expansión en todo el estado de Rhode Island, Washington Trust nunca ha abierto uno de sus bancos en un vecindario de mayoría raza negra e hispana. La demanda alega que Washington Trust dependió de funcionarios de préstamos hipotecarios que trabajaban únicamente en áreas de mayoría raza blanca como fuente principal para generar solicitudes de préstamos, y Washington Trust no capacitó ni incentivó a sus empleados de préstamos ni realizó actividades de divulgación, marketing y publicidad de sus servicios hipotecarios para compensar su falta de bancos y presencia en áreas de mayoría raza negra e hispana. La demanda alega además que, en comparación con Washington Trust, durante el mismo período de seis años, otros bancos recibieron casi cuatro veces más solicitudes de préstamos cada año en vecindarios de mayoría raza negra e hispana en Rhode Island. La demanda también alega que, incluso cuando Washington Trust generó solicitudes de préstamos de áreas de mayoría raza negra e hispana, los propios solicitantes eran desproporcionadamente blancos. Según la orden de consentimiento propuesta, que está sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal, Washington Trust ha acordado hacer lo siguiente: Invertir al menos $7 millones en un fondo de subsidio de préstamos para aumentar el acceso a hipotecas, mejoras del hogar, refinanciamiento de viviendas y préstamos y líneas de crédito sobre el valor líquido de la vivienda para los residentes de vecindarios de mayoría raza negra e hispana en Rhode Island; Invertir $1 millón en asociaciones comunitarias para brindar servicios que aumenten el acceso al crédito hipotecario residencial para los residentes de esos vecindarios; Invertir $1 millón en publicidad, divulgación, educación financiera del consumidor y asesoramiento crediticio centrado en vecindarios de mayoría raza negra e hispana; Abrir dos sucursales nuevas en vecindarios de mayoría raza negra e hispana en Rhode Island; y garantizar que al menos dos oficiales de préstamos hipotecarios se dediquen a prestar servicios a estos vecindarios; y Emplear un Director de Préstamos Comunitarios que supervisará el desarrollo continuo de los préstamos en comunidades de color. Washington Trust también acordó completar una evaluación de las necesidades crediticias de la comunidad, para evaluar e informar sobre su programa de préstamos justos; y capacitar sus empleados sobre las obligaciones del banco según la orden de consentimiento. Washington Trust trabajó en cooperación con el Departamento para resolver y remediar las inquietudes sobre las prácticas discriminatorias que fueron identificadas y acordó resolver este asunto sin litigios impugnados. En octubre de 2021, el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland y la Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke lanzaron la Iniciativa contra la Exclusión Financiera, o “Redlining”, del Departamento de Justicia, un esfuerzo coordinado de aplicación de la ley para abordar esta forma persistente de discriminación contra las comunidades de color. Desde 2021, el departamento ha anunciado nueve casos de exclusión y ha obtenido $98 millones en ayuda para las comunidades de color que han sido víctimas de discriminación crediticia en todo el país. Puede encontrar una copia de la queja e información sobre la aplicación de préstamos justos por parte del departamento en www.justice.gov/fairhousing . Las personas pueden reportar discriminación crediticia llamando a la línea de información sobre discriminación en vivienda del Departamento de Justicia al 1-833-591-0291 o enviando un informe en línea. ### washington_trust_branch_locations.pdf


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER ALAMO, also known as “Tito,” 36, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified Alamo as a distributor of heroin and cocaine in Connecticut, New York, and elsewhere. Alamo was arrested on January 13, 2021, after a court-authorized search of his residence revealed approximately 13,000 wax folds of fentanyl, more than 300 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of cocaine, quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a .40 caliber handgun equipped with a loaded 28-round high-capacity magazine, a separate loaded 50-round “drum” magazine, assorted ammunition, a ballistic vest, and approximately $5,000 in cash. While Alamo was detained in federal custody awaiting trial, he continued to coordinate the distribution of fentanyl through his wife, Maria Maldonado, as well as Maldonado’s son, Carlos Santiago, Jr., and a drug supplier, Henry DeJesus-Morales. On June 2, 2021, a court-authorized search of Maldonado’s residence, the same residence that was search in January 2021, revealed approximately 71 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately 1,800 wax folds of fentanyl, distribution quantities of marijuana, drug packaging supplies, a loaded pistol, a loaded shotgun, and approximately $13,000 in cash. The same day, a court-authorized search of Alamo’s father’s house revealed approximately $60,000 in U.S. currency and assorted jewelry, which were seized as proceeds of drug trafficking. Alamo’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions. Alamo has been detained since his arrest. On February 7, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Maldonado, Santiago, and DeJesus-Morales pleaded guilty to related charges and were sentenced to prison terms of 24, six, and 44 months, respectively. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Armed Fentanyl And Cocaine Dealer Is Sentenced To 7.5 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – George McNeill, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to filed court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in September 2021, law enforcement learned that McNeill was a fentanyl and cocaine trafficker in the Charlotte area. Court records show that law enforcement working with a cooperating individual arranged a meeting with McNeill to buy narcotics. When McNeill arrived in his vehicle at the agreed-upon location, law enforcement moved in to detain him. McNeill sped away from the scene to evade arrest. McNeill eventually crashed his vehicle and then attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase. After McNeill was arrested, law enforcement searched his vehicle and recovered fentanyl, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $2,160 in cash. Law enforcement also found a firearm loaded with six rounds of ammunition tucked beneath the center console arm rest. Court records show that McNeill has multiple prior state convictions for drug trafficking. On April 11, 2023, McNeill pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigative efforts. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor G. Stout of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Awards $68.19 Million in Grants to Support American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced that it will award $68,196,816 through 88 grants to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to provide services and promote justice for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and trafficking. The awards are administered through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and will enhance Tribal justice systems, support an array of services for victims of these crimes, and provide training and technical assistance to service providers and Tribal governments. The awards were announced in conjunction with the 5th annual Tribal Governments Program Summit in Jacksonville, Florida. “For too long, Alaska Native and American Indian communities have endured persistent and disproportionate levels of violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants are another step in the Justice Department’s efforts to work in partnership with Tribes to deliver justice for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and trafficking, and to help make Tribal communities safer.” One National Institute of Justice study found that over 80% of American Indian and Alaska Native individuals have experienced violence in their lifetimes. This includes over 56% of women and 27% of men who have experienced sexual violence, and over 55% of women and 43% of men who have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner. “American Indian and Alaska Native individuals experience unacceptably high rates of violence, which is in many ways a direct reflection of systematic injustice and institutional failures these populations face,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Through the authority and funding in VAWA 2022, the Justice Department is strengthening our partnerships with more Tribes, supporting communities in holding individuals accountable, and focusing on solutions that center survivors.” “American Indian and Alaska Native communities know best the unique challenges they face and how best to allocate resources, strengthen prevention efforts, and provide pathways for safety, healing, and justice for survivors,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “Today’s grant announcements are a direct result of Tribes, advocates, and survivors who have bravely shared their stories, challenges, recommendations, and leadership. We look forward to continuing our strong partnerships with Tribes and strengthening the collaboration to advance these shared goals.” Today’s announced grants include: 48 grants totaling $39,958,557 under OVW’s Tribal Governments Program to support Tribes in developing strategies to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking against Indian women, support survivor safety, and develop education and prevention strategies; 20 grants totaling $7,643,760 under the Grants to Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program to encourage the development of nonprofit, nongovernmental Tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions; Seven grants totaling $6,450,000 under the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program to support projects that create, maintain, and expand services for sexual assault survivors provided by Tribes, Tribal organizations, and nonprofits within Tribal lands; Four grants totaling $6 million under the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction Grant Program for Tribal governments to provide support and technical assistance in planning and implementing changes in their criminal justice systems to exercise special criminal jurisdiction and for expenses incurred in exercising the jurisdiction. In addition, OVW will award two grants totaling $3 million under the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative; Five grants totaling $4,149,999 under OVW’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative, which funds the salary, training, travel, and supplies for Tribal prosecutors who are designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) to work directly with U.S. Attorney’s Offices in their investigation and prosecution of Indian country domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking cases; and Two grants totaling $994,500 under OVW’s National Tribal Clearinghouse on Sexual Assault (NTCSA) initiative to provide training and technical assistance on issues related to sexual assault of American Indian and Alaska Native women. OVW administers grant programs designed to develop the nation’s capacity to reduce sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking. Tribal organizations and governments interested in applying for these and other grants are encouraged to visit the OVW website for more details and application guidelines. Full Award Lists 2023 OVW STCJ-Alaska Awards 2023 OVW STCJ Awards 2023 OVW TSAUSA Awards 2023 OVW TSASP Awards 2023 OVW Tribal Government Awards 2023 OVW Tribal Coalition Awards 2023 OVW NTCSA Awards


title: United States Files Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Traceable to Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be the proceeds of a “pig-butchering” fraud scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident and involved in money laundering. Specifically, the government seeks to forfeit 412,543.555 Tether (USDT) and 100.896 Binance Coin (BNB) seized from two accounts located at Binance.com, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. Collectively, this cryptocurrency has a current estimated value of around $434,000. In early 2023, an investigation began into a pig-butchering scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. In a pig-butchering scheme, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments, before realizing they are a victim of fraud. As alleged in court documents, after targeting a Massachusetts victim and fostering an online relationship, scammers claiming to have access to profitable investment opportunities induced the victim to invest personal funds into a fake cryptocurrency investment platform. Law enforcement was able to trace cryptocurrency involved in the fraud and money laundering to two Binance accounts, where it was seized. It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct, or attempt to conduct, a financial transaction involving property which is known to represent the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, knowing that such transaction is designed to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of those proceeds of unlawful activity. The complaint alleges that the defendant cryptocurrency is traceable to proceeds of wire fraud and was involved in money laundering. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims. This is the seventh civil forfeiture action the U.S. Attorney’s Office has ever filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and pig-butchering fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Mockler of the Asset Recovery Unit. The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.


title: Man With Loaded Firearm At Charlotte Transportation Center Is Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Everett Jamal Taite, 30, of Charlotte, to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a stolen firearm at the Charlotte Transportation Center, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Brian Mein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, on October 4, 2022, law enforcement encountered Taite in a public restroom at the Charlotte Transportation Center where they observed him holding a small bag of cocaine. Court records show that when Taite was confronted by law enforcement, he attempted to put the cocaine into his backpack, failed to follow commands of the officer, resisted arrest, struck the officer in the face, and stated that he had a gun. Taite was taken into custody shortly thereafter. In Taite’s waistband, officers found a loaded .45 caliber pistol that had been reported stolen. Taite has previously been convicted in state court of conspiracy to commit common law robbery, two counts of felony breaking and entering, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On April 17, 2023, Taite pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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: Canadian Truck Driver Convicted; Faces 10 to Life for Attempt to Smuggle 50 Kilograms of Cocaine Across Border

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Canadian trucker was convicted last week by a federal jury on charges of possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 kilograms of cocaine, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations. Convicted was Subeg Singh, 30. The three-day trial was held in Detroit before U.S. District Stephen J. Murphy III. Singh has been in custody since his arrest in September 2021. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Singh tried to drive more than 50 kilograms of cocaine across the US-Canadian border in September 2021 in a commercial truck. But, he was stopped at the Ambassador Bridge by Customs and Border Protection Officers, who discovered the drugs in the trailer. “Today’s verdict sends a message to drug traffickers and couriers who compromise the security of our borders by attempting to transport narcotics across them,” stated United States Attorney Ison. “This verdict is a result of the hard work of our Customs and Border Protection Officers who intercepted the drugs, and Homeland Security Investigations who investigated the case.” “HSI relentlessly pursues drug traffickers that exploit international commerce for their illicit gains,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “By thwarting this attempt with our CBP partners, we disrupt the transportation networks that supply drugs to our local communities.” Given the type and quantity of drugs involved, Singh is facing a mandatory 10-year prison sentence, with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing is set for January 9, 2024. This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert White and Erin Ramamurthy.


title: Randolph Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Runaway Minor

body_text: BOSTON – A Randolph man has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston of sex trafficking a 15-year-old minor who ran away from home. Admilson Gomes Pires, 26, was convicted on Sept. 22, 2023 following a five-day jury trial of one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2023. Pires was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020. “Mr. Pires preyed on a vulnerable child, subjected her to unimaginable exploitation and pocketed the profits and now he will pay the price,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Sex traffickers like Mr. Pires inflict immeasurable trauma and harm. This conduct is despicable and has no place in a civilized society. This Office has created a dedicated team of prosecutors who are working tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to hold sex traffickers accountable and bring justice to the brave survivors of these crimes." “Today’s conviction is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to ensure that justice is served to predators who exploit and harm our children for their own financial gain,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “When human beings are treated as commodities, they are not only being abused physically, but emotionally and financially. We thank the brave survivor in this case who worked with us to bring Mr. Pires to justice, and the jury for holding him accountable.” According to evidence presented at trial, in February 2019, Pires met the minor victim who had run from her home in Western Massachusetts and began a sexual relationship with her. Pires groomed the minor victim and, in July 2019, began trafficking her in Boston and Norwood. He first sold the minor victim for sex to a family member of his in Dorchester and then created and posted a commercial sex advertisement online that contained explicit photographs and a video of the minor victim. Pires told the victim that she would have to engage in prostitution with strangers if she wanted to stay in a relationship with him. Pires used drugs to manipulate an adult female into agreeing to harbor the minor victim at her apartment in Norwood for sex trafficking. He then arranged for sex buyers to have sex with the minor victim in exchange for money he kept. On Aug. 1, 2019, local law enforcement located the minor victim in Norwood and returned her home. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. The charge of sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Offices; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Arlington, Boston, Fall River, Norwood, Randolph and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case.


title: California Man Charged with Trafficking Over 70,000 Fentanyl Pills from Mexico into Evansville

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Javier Moreno-Garibaldi, 37, of Salinas, California, with distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, in May of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into a-Mexico based drug trafficking organization operating in Mexicali, Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. During the investigation, law enforcement officers purchased or intercepted thousands of fentanyl pills shipped or transported by the drug traffickers into Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky. As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement officers arranged to purchase 100,000 fentanyl pills and 50 pounds of methamphetamine from a supplier based in Mexicali, Mexico. On August 31, 2023, the Mexican supplier told the undercover officer that his drug courier was leaving from Calexico, California, enroute to Evansville with 50,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $100,000. The next day the supplier stated that the courier would now be delivering 60,000 pills to an Evansville hotel for $120,000 and a $2,500 delivery fee. For the next three days, the Mexican supplier and the undercover officer exchanged messages about the arrival of the courier and how to handle counting the money and the pills. The supplier indicated that the courier would arrive at the Evansville hotel at 10:00 am on September 4, 2023. At 10:07 a.m., September 4, 2023, the Mexican supplier told the undercover officer that his courier would be driving a gray Honda, and later provided the courier’s cell phone number. At 10:30 a.m., a gray Honda SUV with California plates arrived at the hotel. At 10:31, the undercover officer called the number the supplier provided for the courier and arranged to meet the courier at the hotel. The undercover officer met the gray Honda in the hotel parking lot, and got into the front seat with the driver, later identified as Javier Moreno-Garibaldi. The undercover officer gave Moreno-Garibaldi the $2,500 delivery fee, and Moreno-Garibaldi stated that the pills were in a dog kennel box in the back seat. Moreno-Garibaldi agreed to go with the undercover officer to a safehouse to count the pills and the $120,000 owed for the drugs. Moreno-Garibaldi put the dog kennel box of pills into the undercover officer’s car and was arrested without incident. A search of the box revealed five separate bags containing a large amount of small blue pills marked “M” on one side and “30” on the other, apparent counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The field weight of the seized pills was 15.7 pounds (7.064 kilograms), or approximately 70,000 pills. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Last year, six out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized and analyzed by the DEA contained a potentially lethal dose of the drug. “Fentanyl is such a deadly drug that just one counterfeit pill can be fatal. Every death, overdose, and addition fueled by these fentanyl pills is devastating to our families, neighbors, and friends,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We know these drugs are flooding into our communities in astonishing quantities because of the Mexican cartels, aided by overseas chemical suppliers and traffickers and dealers nationwide. These criminals act with utter disregard for human life and must be held accountable. Our office will continue to work with our outstanding partners in DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department to prioritize investigation and prosecution of the members of these criminal enterprises.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department investigated this case. If convicted, Moreno-Garibaldi faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who is prosecuting this case. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Physician and two pharmacists charged for $170M fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A 13-count indictment was unsealed today charging two pharmacists and a physician for their roles in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud, kickback and money laundering scheme. A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 13-count indictment Sept. 7, which was unsealed today. According to court documents, Shalondria Simpson, 45, Houston, is a pharmacist who owned and operated two pharmacies in Houston: Advance Pharmacy and TruCare Pharmacy. Simpson’s twin sister, physician Lashondria Simpson-Camp, 45, Allen, allegedly referred prescriptions to Advance and TruCare in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. Shayla Bryant, 38, Houston, was a pharmacist and Advance and TruCare’s business manager. Between 2016 and 2022, Simpson, Simpson-Camp and Bryant allegedly conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent claims to the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (DOL-OWCP) for high reimbursing drugs that were often medically unnecessary and induced by kickbacks and bribes. DOL-OWCP administers workers’ compensation benefits on behalf of the Federal Employee’s Compensation Act (FECA), Further, Simpson, Simpson-Camp, Bryant and others allegedly conspired to pay and receive these kickbacks. Simpson and Bryan allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, often through shell entities or in cash, directly to physicians like Simpson-Camp, a clinic owner, a medical assistant and other marketers. In total, Simpson’s pharmacies allegedly submitted approximately $170 million in fraudulent claims to FECA through DOL-OWCP. To conceal the scheme and disguise its proceeds, Simpson also allegedly conspired to launder the proceeds of the criminal activity through financial transactions greater than $10,000. According to the indictment, after learning of the investigation, Simpson attempted to cover her tracks by converting criminal proceeds to cash and transferring funds among over 10 bank accounts and a cryptocurrency wallet. She also allegedly solicited others’ help in liquidating assets and concealing her ownership and control of those assets. The indictment charges Simpson, Simpson-Camp and Bryant with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Simpson is also charged with five counts of paying health care kickbacks, one of which also charges Bryant. The indictment further charges Simpson with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, Simpson, Simpson-Campq and Bryant each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks as well as 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Simpson and Bryant each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of paying health care kickbacks. Simpson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to launder money instruments and 10 years for each count of money laundering. The U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Department of Labor – OIG, FBI and Veterans Affairs – OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fyffe and Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Dillingham Man Indicted on Federal Cyberstalking, Threat Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Dillingham man with cyberstalking and threatening a Florida County Sheriff. According to court documents, Joshua Wahl, 31, allegedly threatened Michael Chitwood, the Sheriff of Volusia County, Florida. The threats started after Chitwood held a news conference denouncing individuals who distributed anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi messages. Investigators discovered an online persona linked to Wahl that posted anti-Semitic and anti-law enforcement content. The defendant’s first alleged threat was sent to Chitwood on March 31, 2023, via email. In the email, the defendant stated he was armed with lasers and explosives and included links to videos showing someone using a laser to burn a hole through a photograph of Chitwood’s face and holding explosives in front of another photograph of Chitwood. The threats continued with the defendant allegedly posting threats against Chitwood to the online platform known as “4chan” in April 2023. The posts included direct threats to kill or harm Chitwood. Wahl is charged with one count cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2261A(2), and four counts transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §875(c). The defendant will make his initial federal court appearance on a later date. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Beausang is 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: Fifth Defendant in Multi-Agency Drug Trafficking Investigation Sentenced to 120 Months for Attempting to Possess Fentanyl for Distribution

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reginald Jemison, 56, Chicago, Illinois was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 120 months in prison for attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute. Jemison pleaded guilty to this charge on June 8, 2023. In 2020, federal and state law enforcement agencies collaborated to investigate several known drug traffickers in Dane County, Wisconsin. As part of this investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) learned that an individual in Chicago, later identified as Jemison, coordinated with Andre McClinton to ship a parcel of narcotics to an apartment building in Madison, Wisconsin via the U.S. Mail. On December 7, 2020, a U.S. Postal Inspector identified the parcel, obtained a federal warrant, and searched the package. Inside, investigators found a vacuum-sealed bag that contained a white substance. The substance weighed approximately 590 grams, and the Wisconsin State Crime Lab determined it tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. DCI agents took custody of the drugs and resealed the parcel for a controlled delivery. Later on December 7, 2020, investigators delivered the parcel to the address in Madison. Approximately one minute after delivering the parcel, a silver sedan with Illinois license plates pulled up to the building. A male subject exited the front passenger seat, walked towards the building, and took the parcel. Law enforcement arrested the subject, later identified as Jeffrey Kemp, as he put the parcel into the sedan. Officers also arrested the driver of the vehicle, who agents identified as Antonio Dillard. During post-arrest interviews, Kemp and Dillard admitted that Jemison paid them to pick up the parcel and transport the drugs back to Chicago for distribution. In sentencing Jemison, Judge Peterson underscored the seriousness of Jemison’s crime. Judge Peterson specifically noted that Jemison attempted to possess a significant amount of dangerous drug that has caused thousands of overdose deaths in the United States. On May 6, 2022, Judge Peterson sentenced Jeffrey Kemp to 48 months in prison, and on April 1, 2022, Judge Peterson sentenced Antonio Dillard to 24 months in prison for their roles in attempting to possess the fentanyl with intent to distribute. Additionally, Judge Peterson sentenced Andre McClinton on March 23, 2022 to 108 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and illegally possessing a firearm. On December 9, 2021, Judge Peterson sentenced McClinton’s codefendant Michael C. Henderson to 84 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. The charge against Jemison was the result of an investigation conducted by DCI, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.


title: Federal Grand Jury in Paducah Indicts Oklahoma Man for CARES Act Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky returned an indictment on August 8, 2023, charging an Oklahoma man with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud involving the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) financial assistance program. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the United States Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) at Fort Campbell made the announcement. According to the indictment, between February 2021 and April 29, 2021, Kendarian Quentrell Dixon, 23, of Yukon, Oklahoma, conspired with unnamed persons to file a fraudulent application for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a financial assistance program established by the CARES Act. At the time, Dixon was a soldier in the United States Army stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Dixon received $20,833 from the loan, which he transferred to associates and spent on personal expenses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses who were in operation on February 15, 2020, to keep their workers on the payroll. PPP loan proceeds were required to be used by the business on certain permissible expenses. Interest and principal on PPP loans could be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on the allowable expenses within a designated period and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. Dixon made his initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Dixon faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The FBI Paducah Satellite Office and the United States Army CID at Fort Campbell are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting 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 . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: South Texan sentenced for summer smuggling of 70 in semi

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 60-year-old Mission resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for transportation of an undocumented alien, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Thomas Taylor Charlton pleaded guilty May 2. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Charlton to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding the incident that described 70 people locked in a trailer with only hatchets to exit. Before imposing the sentence, Judge Morales also heard additional evidence regarding his history which includes a conviction for aggravated battery. On July 10, 2022, Charlton arrived at the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. He claimed he was hauling chili peppers, but a K-9 alerted to the trailer. Law enforcement had to use bolt cutters to remove the lock and gain access to the trailer. They also found hatchets located in the trailer. Upon further investigation, authorities discovered 70 people illegally present in the United States concealed behind pallets of produce in the locked refrigerated trailer portion of the tractor trailer Charlton was driving. They also found a handheld walkie talkie in the trailer and cab of the tractor, both on the same frequency that would allow communication between the tractor and trailer. The key to the trailer was found in the cab. Charlton will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher and Patrick Overman prosecuted the case.


title: Former CHP Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Allen Horwath, 53, formerly of Redding, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, 10 years of supervised release, $53,000 in restitution and a $5,100 special assessment for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Horwath was serving as a California Highway Patrol officer while, in his nonworking time, he was receiving visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including children as young as three and four years old being sexually abused by adult males. While released on bond, Horwath violated the court conditions that he not use the internet or a device capable of accessing the internet. Investigators caught Horwath with a home internet subscription and an iPhone that he had used to carry out dozens of WhatsApp encrypted conversations with females, many of which were sexual in nature. Horwath’s bond was revoked following execution of a search warrant that confirmed he was violating his bond conditions. This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s Computer Crimes Investigation Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for ID Theft and Attempting to Steal Seized Cars from the FBI

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Quinten Giovanni Moody, aka Christano Rossi, 39, of Dublin, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for aggravated identity theft, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. “This defendant committed felonies involving drugs and identity theft, then doubled down by obstructing justice,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “After making hundreds of thousands of dollars distributing marijuana across the country and fraudulently claiming unemployment insurance benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, he used phony court documents in a failed attempt to get the FBI to release property seized during the federal investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to hold accountable those who engage in such brazen violations of federal criminal law.” According to court documents, between June 2017 and June 2022, Moody, co-defendant Myra Boleche Minks, 46, formerly of Roseville, and other co‑conspirators generated hundreds of thousands of dollars by transporting marijuana from California to Georgia, Nevada, Texas, and other locations. Moody and others bought marijuana in California and then transported the marijuana to distributors in other states via couriers and baggage traveling on commercial airplanes and commercial shipping services. Once the marijuana was sold, Moody and others caused the proceeds of the marijuana sales to be returned to them in California by using couriers to travel on commercial airline flights carrying cash, using shipping services to ship cash, and causing others at their direction to deposit cash into bank accounts. Moody and others also committed unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in August 2020, Moody, Minks, and co-defendant Jessica Tang, 49, of Sacramento, participated in a scheme to submit fraudulent claims of unemployment benefits through the California Employment Development Department (EDD). As part of this scheme, on Sept. 4, 2020, Moody used a Bank of America debit card in the name of an identity theft victim to make purchases at a Cartier store and Louis Vuitton store in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Quinten Moody engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in the names of identity theft victims in order to purchase luxury jewelry and further his criminal enterprise. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to holding perpetrators of UI fraud accountable for their actions. We commend the FBI and the Project Safe Neighborhoods program for leading this joint investigation,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Western Region. Moody sought to obstruct the investigation into his activities by using faked court documents. As part of the investigation, the United States applied for seizure warrants for a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1956 Chevrolet pickup that Moody purchased with the proceeds of his criminal activities. On April 15, 2022, personnel from the FBI seized the two vehicles in Georgia pursuant to the seizure warrants issued in the Eastern District of California. The vehicles were transported to the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office for storage. On May 8, 2022, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a flatbed truck from towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. The tow truck driver informed FBI security personnel that he had been directed to retrieve the vehicles from FBI’s custody. The tow truck driver gave FBI security personnel documents, including a document purporting to be an order issued by the Honorable John K. Larkins III, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Georgia. The documents purported to order the U.S. Marshal and the FBI to release the vehicles. The documents, however, were fraudulent and had been created by Moody and Minks for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining custody of the two seized vehicles. On May 21, 2022, a tow truck from a different towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. Again, the driver presented a fake federal court order purporting to authorize the release of the seized vehicles. The fraudulent federal court documents had been altered from the previous attempt. FBI personnel did not release the vehicles. Shortly before the arrival of the tow truck, a co-conspirator called personnel at the FBI’s Atlanta field office and pretended to be an FBI Special Agent. While in character, the co-conspirator attempted to contact the employees assigned to the gate outside of the field office to facilitate the tow truck gaining access to the FBI property. Charges are pending against Minks and Tang. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the Placer County Probation Department, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, the Colma Police Department, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting 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 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: Apopka Man Sentenced For Receiving And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Charles Vincent Yannaccone (52, Apopka) to 12 years and 6 months years in federal prison for receipt and possession of child sexual abuse materials. The court also ordered Yannaccone to forfeit five hard drives, a cellphone, a thumb drive, a computer tower, and a computer with a SD card, which were used to commit the offenses in this case. Yannaccone had entered a guilty plea on June 28, 2023. According to court documents, Yannaccone downloaded multiple depictions of child sexual abuse materials using a peer-to-peer file sharing platform. During the execution of a search warrant on his home, law enforcement discovered hundreds of depictions of child sexual abuse materials on Yannaccone’s electronic devices. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Mexican National Residing in Stockton Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 38, a Mexican national residing in Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Aispuro and co-defendant Frank Guzman, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Aispuro supplied heroin that Guzman sold to a confidential source and undercover agent on three occasions. Aispuro also supplied 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Guzman sold to the undercover agent on two occasions. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $42,066 in cash were seized from Aispuro’s residence. Aispuro has agreed to forfeit the $42,066 to the United States as part of his plea agreement. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin were seized from Guzman’s residence. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. Aispuro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 9, 2024. Guzman is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2023. Aispuro and Guzman each face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This 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.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Tampa Woman Of Stealing Department Of Veterans Affairs Benefits Intended To Assist Disabled Vets To Return To Employment

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Melanie Marshall (38, Tampa), a/k/a Melanie Gutermuth, guilty of theft of government funds. Marshall faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2023. Marshall had been indicted on December 19, 2018. According to evidence presented at trial, Marshall stole from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VRE) program. Marshall was eligible for the VRE program, which was designed to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find, and keep suitable employment, but lied to her VA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) to continue receiving benefits beyond what had been approved. Marshall signed an Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan with the stated objective being to complete a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health/Health Education. Marshall graduated with her Bachelor of Science in approximately December 2015. However, Marshall failed to report to her VRC that she had completed the program she was approved for – by graduating with her bachelor’s degree – and lied on multiple occasions regarding her progress toward completion of her bachelor’s degree. Marshall also provided fake degree audits to support her repeated lies to the VRC regarding her progress towards her bachelor’s degree. As a result of Marshall’s lies and misrepresentations, the VA paid for classes and issued monthly subsistence allowance payments after she had already completed her approved VRE program. The total loss to the VA was $20,986.92. “The Veteran Readiness and Employment program provides vital job training, education, and employment accommodations for our nation’s deserving veterans with service-connected disabilities. The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable those who would commit fraud against VA’s programs and services,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Social Security Administration OIG for their efforts in this joint investigation.” This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.


title: Smuggler sentenced for transporting five people in jet skis

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A South Texas man has been ordered to federal prison for smuggling aliens in two personal watercrafts, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Fernando Cerda Jr., 26, Mission, pleaded guilty July 3. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cerda to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court viewed images of how the undocumented aliens were sealed in the hollowed engine compartments of two jet skis. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the egregious manner in which the migrants were transported. On April 24, Cerda approached the Falfurrias checkpoint towing two jet skis. A K-9 soon alerted to them. Law enforcement conducted an inspection and discovered five aliens concealed inside the watercrafts. The aliens reported they feared for their lives while they were trapped in the jet skis. Cerda will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Lamont prosecuted the case.


title: Bogue Chitto Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison  for Shooting at a Law Enforcement Officer

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

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Bogue Chitto man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for shooting at a law enforcement officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to court documents, Shane Alexander Bell, Jr., 27, used a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and fired a handgun at an officer with the Choctaw Police Department. Court documents also revealed that the gunfire resulted in damage to the officer’s home located in the Bogue Chitto Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Fortunately, the officer was unharmed. The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.


title: West Virginia man sentenced for methamphetamine charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jonathon Andrew Swiger, age 35, of Belington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 172 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Swiger traveled from Marietta, Ohio, to Upshur County, West Virginia, to sell methamphetamine. A search of Swiger’s vehicle yielded methamphetamine, a gun, a black safe, and $2,997. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Cumberland County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing Destructive Device and Explosive Materials

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for possessing a destructive device and explosive materials, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Thomas Petronglo, 64, of Vineland, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of a destructive device and one count of unlawful storage of explosives. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On March 12, 2021, Petronglo was found in possession of one destructive device, a 5 ¾-inch diameter metal can, containing a quantity of an explosive mixture of potassium perchlorate and aluminum, with a fuse sticking out of the device. Petronglo also possessed multiple intact improvised explosive devices and explosive materials at his residence. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Petronglo to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Vineland Police Department, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, and the N.J. State Police for their assistance with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Bender and Joseph McFarlane of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.


title: Farrell, Pa Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Denzel Williams pled guilty to trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine base, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Williams, age 29, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Williams pled guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine base, between June 2020 and June 2021. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on January 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the conviction in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Former Clay County Softball Coach Sentenced To 20 Years For Producing And Attempting To Produce Sexually Explicit Images And Videos Of Children

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Andrew Lynn Overheul (43, Orange Park) to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production and attempted production of sexually explicit images and videos of children. Overheul had pleaded guilty on June 7, 2023. He has been detained since his arrest on April 20, 2023. According to court documents, on September 17, 2022, the parent of a 12-year-old child (“MV1”) contacted the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (“CCSO”) to report a complaint that MV1 had made about finding a cellphone recording her changing and using the shower in the bathroom at her softball coach’s house. CCSO responded that night and interviewed the parent and MV1. The parent and MV1 said that they were at Overheul’s home earlier that day for a softball team family party, and that the children had decided to have an impromptu group sleepover at Overheul’s home. Overheul told MV1 she could take a shower in the master bathroom, as another girl was using the shower in his other bathroom. MV1 spotted a phone on the bathroom counter propped up between two boxes, with the camera facing the shower. Upon closer inspection, MV1 discovered the phone was actively recording and she immediately grabbed the phone and stopped the recording. MV1 reviewed the video and discovered that it depicted her, so she deleted the video, placed the phone back on the counter, and called her parents to pick her up. MV1’s parent sent a text message to Overheul at 8:17 pm indicating they were on their way to pick up their daughter and would tell Overheul about it when they got there. At 8:44 pm, Overheul responded by text message, “Hey we talked with the girls. No one is addmitting [ sic ] to playing a joke. The others that were in that bathroom said they saw my phone charging but no other phones.” After interviewing the parents and MV1, CCSO detectives responded to Overheul’s residence early the next day and conducted a recorded interview in which Overheul acknowledged that he was the only person that used or had access and control of his cellphone. Overheul acknowledged that his phone was in the bathroom and claimed he had placed it there to charge. Agents obtained a search warrant to search Overheul’s cellphone. During the forensic review, agents found two photos of several minor females on the softball team wearing swimsuits and sitting on the floor in Overheul’s living room, dated September 17, 2022, with a time stamp of 5:36 pm. Forensics also showed that at 7:38 pm a search for “canon remote app” was conducted on Overheul’s phone, and then the Canon Camera Connect app was installed a few seconds later. This app allows a camera to remote shoot with live view imaging of the camera from a smartphone. Forensics also showed a search in the evening of September 17, 2022, in the Google Play Store on Overheul’s phone, for two applications which were downloaded. These apps can be used to delete information from a person’s phone. On November 18, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Overheul’s residence. Numerous electronic devices were seized. Agents discovered hundreds of photos and videos of minors that appeared to have been taken surreptitiously without their consent. “This individual, in a position of trust, mentorship, and oversight over children in our community, abused this position in the most heinous of ways and will be held accountable for his despicable actions,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “This is another successful Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force investigation that has stopped another dangerous predator from exploiting the vulnerability of unsuspecting children.” This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Lame Deer man admits meth trafficking role in large-scale ring based on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLNGS — A Lame Deer man admitted on Monday to distributing methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation that he received through a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation based on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Jesse Laslovich said today. Joseph John Simpson, 49, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Simpson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Simpson was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that from May 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement obtained information from multiple sources that Simpson was distributing meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and elsewhere. Simpson was affiliated with a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking operation centered on multiple properties on the Crow reservation, including one referred to as Spear Siding. Spear Siding was a source of meth for individuals, including Simpson. The government further alleged that on July 13, a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer in Lame Deer observed a pickup truck that appeared to be stolen and was driven by an individual, later identified as Simpson. The officer pulled behind the truck, but it fled. The truck was stopped, and Simpson was taken into custody. Simpson had meth, a glass pipe and $328 on his person. The officer also observed four firearms and ammunition in the truck. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on the truck and found a duffle bag containing Simpson’s tribal identification card, approximately one pound of meth, a scale caked with possible meth residue, multiple plastic baggies and $305 in cash. Officers also found a submachine gun and a lockbox containing $9,120 in cash and an additional pound of meth. Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Convicted Felon Indicted For Distribution Of Cocaine And Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Avery Jones-Neal (28, Dunedin) with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted of the narcotics offenses, Jones-Neal faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. If convicted of the firearm offense, Jones-Neal faces up a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, federal prison. According to the indictment, on July 25, 26, and 31, 2023, Jones-Neal distributed cocaine, and on August 17, 2023, Jones-Neal possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. The indictment also alleges that on July 26, 2023, Jones-Neal possessed a Walther, model Uzi, .22 caliber pistol. Jones-Neal has five prior felony including sale or delivery of cocaine on two separate occasions, possession of cocaine on two separate occasions, and sale of alprazolam. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case 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: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To 16+ Years In Prison For Medicaid Fraud

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Donald Booker, 57, of Charlotte, to 200 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program of more than $11 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Booker was also ordered to pay $11,834,506.27 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid program and to pay a $1,000 special assessment. On December 9, 2022, Booker’s co-defendant, Delores Jordan, 55, of Louisville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty for her role in the fraudulent scheme. Joining U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement are Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who oversees the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division (MID). “Medicaid is a government-funded program that provides medical services to qualified North Carolinians in need of assistance. It’s not a get-rich-quick money jar for cheats and fraudsters to dip into,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold accountable those who engage in schemes that defraud government programs and deprive important resources from those in real need.” “North Carolina’s Medicaid program is meant to help the most vulnerable people in our community. Anyone who thinks they can manipulate the system should know the FBI will work tirelessly to make sure they pay dearly,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “Individuals abusing and stealing critical funding for Medicaid programs for their own financial benefit will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eakins. “Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of IRS-CI special agents working side-by-side with other federal, state and local law enforcement officers to uncover these schemes, the perpetrators now face the consequences of their actions.” “When people steal from Medicaid, they’re breaking the law,” said Attorney General Stein. “They’re also taking from the taxpayers and people who need health care services. My office’s Medicaid Investigations Division works with our state and federal partners to hold accountable anyone committing Medicaid fraud.” According to filed court documents, evidence presented at Booker’s trial evidence, and witness testimony, Booker owned United Diagnostic Laboratories (UDL), a urine toxicology testing laboratory, and United Youth Care Services (UYCS), a company that provided mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Booker’s co-defendant, Delores Jordan, owned Legacy Housing, a housing provider. Trial evidence established that, from January 2016 to August 2019, Booker and his co-conspirators executed a conspiracy to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program by paying illegal kickbacks to Jordan and other co-conspirators in exchange for urine samples from Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries. As Jordan previously admitted in court, she and other co-conspirators recruited housing-vulnerable individuals and other Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries for housing and other programs and services. Once enrolled, the beneficiaries were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing as a condition of their participation in the program. The specimens were provided to UDL and UYCS for medically unnecessary urine drug testing. Booker and his co-conspirators paid the recruiters a kickback from UYCS’s NC Medicaid reimbursement on the drug testing. Court records show that Booker and Jordan also executed a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback and health care fraud conspiracy in order to conceal and disguise the nature and source of UYCS’s illegal kickback payments for drug testing referrals. On January 10, 2023, a federal jury convicted Booker of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, multiple violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Jordan has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. The FBI, IRS-CI, and the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Charlotte Doctor Is Found Guilty Of Making False Statements In Connection With $5 Million Durable Medical Equipment Scheme

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a Charlotte physician for her role in a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that defrauded federal benefits programs of more than $5 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sudipta Mazumder, 47, of Charlotte, was convicted of six counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters. U.S District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the trial. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General for the region including North Carolina, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, during 2019 and 2020, Mazumder was a doctor in Charlotte who worked as an independent contractor for a telemedicine company. During the relevant time frame, Dr. Mazumder signed fraudulent orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for patients insured by the Medicare and TRICARE programs. Trial evidence established that Dr. Mazumder falsely stated in those orders that she was treating the patients for the listed medical conditions and that the braces she ordered were medically necessary. According to trial evidence and the testimony of witnesses, contrary to the orders she signed, Dr. Mazumder never examined the Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries. In fact, Dr. Mazumder had little or no interaction with the beneficiaries and made no medical determination whether the devices were medically necessary or the beneficiaries needed the DME. Dr. Mazumder received from the telemedicine company unsigned orders for orthopedic braces for the beneficiaries, which she signed and returned to the telemedicine company in exchange for $20 for each purported assessment that she performed. Dr. Mazumder remains released on bond. The charge of making false statements relating to healthcare matters carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count. A sentencing date has not been set. The investigation was handled by the FBI and HHS-OIG with the assistance of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Katherine Armstrong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: New Castle Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Cocaine Base

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Forrest Gilmore pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, and to distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Gilmore, age 28, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on January 29, 2024, at 1:45 p.m. The law provides for a sentence of at least one year and up to 90 years in prison and a fine of up to $6,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the conviction in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Ravon Crockett pled guilty to committing fentanyl and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Crockett, age 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, pled guilty before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. Crockett pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between March 2020 and August 2021, and (2) distributing fentanyl and cocaine on November 16, 2020. The sentencing hearing will be scheduled to occur on a date to be determined. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Under States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.


title: Haverhill Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Elijah Declet, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight years in prison and four years of supervised release. Declet pleaded guilty on March 29, 2023. Declet was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and Suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. Calls were intercepted between Declet and other gang members, who conspired to distribute cocaine and fentanyl pills, and on several occasions, Declet distributed cocaine and methamphetamine pills to a cooperating witness. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Worcester Man Sentenced for Fraud and Identity Theft Charges Related to COVID-19 Pandemic

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today for fraudulently applying for business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and then spending the money on personal expenses. Richard Oworae, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to two years in prison and one year of supervised release. On Sept. 15, 2021, Oworae pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Between late July 2020 and late August 2020, Oworae schemed to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting applications through SBA’s website for at least three Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) totaling approximately $194,700. Oworae fraudulently applied for EIDL funding, provided false statements on the loan applications using the stolen personal identification information of another person and misappropriated the loan funds for personal use. Oworae also created fictitious companies for the purpose of fraudulently applying for EIDL funding, and spent funds obtained from that fraud on unauthorized personal expenses and to make money transfers to numerous individuals in Ghana. EIDL funds were available to eligible individuals and businesses pursuant to the CARES Act. The provisions of the CARES Act allowed for the SBA to offer EIDL funding to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The provisions of the EIDL program require that loan proceeds only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office 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: Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Couture, age 42, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to serve 144 months (12 years) in federal prison for attempting to entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity, announced 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). As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Couture admitted that, between January and February 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with an undercover officer posing as a 9-year-old child in an attempt to entice the child to engage in sexual acts with him. Couture also admitted that on February 8, 2022, he traveled to a prearranged meeting location in Oneida County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 9-year-old child. Couture was arrested by law enforcement upon arrival at the location. United States District Judge, Glenn T. Suddaby, also sentenced Couture to a 20-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment. Couture also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle 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 .