title: Two-Year Anniversary of Whole-of-Law Enforcement Approach to Combatting Illegal Firearms

body_text: WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves joined Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), to update the public on the process they put in place two years ago to review every firearms arrest in the District of Columbia, looking at data about the person arrested and data about the firearm they possessed to determine whether they should be prosecuted in U.S. District Court or in D.C. Superior Court. The office and our partners refer to this effort as, “Project Safe Neighborhood” (PSN). In the two years since this PSN process was put in place, the office has accepted 127 firearms cases for federal prosecution. Among the cases accepted as part of PSN: the average age of the defendant was 30 years old; 38% had gang or crew affiliations; 21% had a previous homicide arrest; 54% had a previous robbery arrest; 52% were suspects in previous shootings; 22% were arrested with a machine gun conversion device; 13% were arrested with a privately made firearm; These cases continue to make their way through the criminal justice system, with over 50 defendants having already been sentenced or found guilty after either a trial or a guilty plea. “The work we have done between this Project Safe Neighborhood effort and our other efforts have collectively taken hundreds of drivers of violence out of our community over the last couple years,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This group of law enforcement partners has spent a substantial amount of time identifying those driving violence within our community and developing investigations designed to hold them accountable so we can remove them from our community. Removing this many drivers of violence has an impact on community safety.” “Project Safe Neighborhoods is one of our most valued partnerships to date. The program frequently offers an immediate solution to swiftly removing prohibited possessors of firearms from our communities.” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, “If a prohibited person is encountered by ATF or one of our partnering agencies and happens to meet the agreed upon criteria, the violators will be recommended for federal prosecution.” “Echoing the words of United States Attorney Graves and my colleagues, DEA works diligently to protect the American public by conducting daily investigations and operations to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and criminals that pose a threat to our communities and endanger our citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Forget. “A key strategy to halt this violence is our collaboration with state, local, and federal partners. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an example of our collaborative approach to violence prevention, aimed at protecting the well-being of Washingtonians and beyond.” “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in the District through targeted strategies like Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul. “Seizing firearms linked to previously convicted felons allows us to promptly remove drivers of gun violence from our communities and prosecute them for their crimes.” “As our officers work hard day in and day out to remove guns from our communities, collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners is vital to making sure we can hold offenders accountable,” said MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith. “Project Safe Neighborhood is doing just that. Collectively the work of this program and many other initiatives we have with our federal partners and the US Attorney’s Office allow us to make our communities safer by removing the people that are driving gun violence and fear into our neighborhoods.”


title: Dupo School District Employee Accused of Embezzlement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Waterloo woman is facing multiple federal charges after being accused of embezzling money from 2020-2022 as an employee at Dupo Community Unit School District #196. A grand jury charged Linda J. Johnson, 57, with three counts of theft from federally funded programs. If convicted, Johnson could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or $250,000 in fines per count. “When individuals steal funds from school districts, they selfishly place themselves above the students, faculty and community as a whole,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. According to court documents, Johnson worked an administrative role in the superintendent’s office for Dupo Community Unit School District #196. In this role, Johnson oversaw the district’s activities account with funds for student athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars. The indictment charges that Johnson received control over cash and checks intended to be deposited into the district’s activities account. She would prepare bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash. The loss to the school district is estimated to be more than $100,000. “The FBI has a solemn responsibility to investigate allegations of public corruption and the abuse of power by any public servant,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Rodriguez. “We would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their assistance and proactive efforts in this investigation.” An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The FBI Springfield Field Office and the Dupo Police Department are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.


title: Leader of Catalytic Converter Crew Pleads Guilty; Final Defendant to Plead

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The leader of a regional organized theft crew who orchestrated the thefts of catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles across the region, multiple jewelry store robberies and the stealing of ATMs pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston. Rafael Davila, a/k/a “Robbin Hood,” 35, of Springfield, Mass, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit bank theft; and bank theft. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for July 30, 2024. In April 2023, Rafael Davila was arrested and charged along with six others in connection with the theft, transportation and sale of stolen catalytic converters taken from nearly 500 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 through April 2023. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement. According to court filings, there has been a precipitous decline in catalytic converter thefts reported in Massachusetts as a result of the April 2023 takedown – with less than 15 reported incidents of catalytic converter theft over the past 11 months following the arrests, in comparison to the hundreds of thefts reported during the nine-month period prior. Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem due to the high-valued precious metals they contain – some of which are more valuable than gold, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each in recent years. The theft of a vehicle's catalytic converter results in damage that renders the vehicle inoperable – both mechanically and legally under EPA regulations – until properly replaced. The crew was led by Davila, who engaged in catalytic converter thefts and burglaries on a full-time basis – committing thefts multiple nights per week for upwards of eight hours a night. Davila was responsible for the planning of and transportation to each targeted theft – using his vehicle, determining price values for stolen converters and purchasing needed materials. Davila maintained meticulous notes accounting for the locations that he and his co-conspirators had targeted and the number of catalytic converters that had been stolen, including the makes and models and when they were dropped off for sale. The thefts resulted in losses of approximately $5,000 per vehicle with certain trucks costing over $10,000 to repair. This amounts to an approximate $2 million in losses suffered by more than 300 separate victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end. The more than 300 victims included businesses and individuals across Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire, including a food pantry, automotive businesses, tradesmen, a bakery, single parents, a home healthcare provider and the elderly. Some businesses were repeatedly targeted on multiple nights. Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. Torres then sold stolen catalytic converters to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma. Rafael Davila admitted to conspiring with Torres to transact in the stolen catalytic converters. In addition to the catalytic converter thefts, Davila also admitted to conspiring to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022. This conspiracy involved the use of stolen trucks and chains to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to the vault. Rafael Davila also admitted to committing burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023, and the theft of a trailer on Dec. 14, 2022. Davila admitted to breaking into the stores by smashing the glass doors and breaking the jewelry cases and stealing the jewelry. The combined total value of the jewelry stolen during the burglaries was determined to be over $137,000, with each store facing approximately $10,000 in costs to repair the resulting damage. Rafael Davila is the seventh and final defendant charged in Operation Cut & Run to plead guilty. All six of his co-defendants have pleaded guilty - three of whom have since been sentenced, each to more than three years in prison. The three remaining defendants are awaiting sentencing. The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation of stolen property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit bank theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank theft provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the proceeds, whichever is greater. 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 United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office; and the New England State Police Information Network. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The New Hampshire Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem, Windham. The Connecticut Police Departments contributing to the investigation were South Windsor and Windsor.


title: Serial Burglar Sentenced for 27 Counts of  Second-Degree Burglary

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Scotty Wayne Harjo, 40, of Tulsa, for 27 counts of Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Harjo to serve 72 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. “Scotty Harjo targeted small businesses such as bakeries, breweries, and barber shops,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The Tulsa Police Department (TPD) spent countless hours investigating Harjo’s burglary spree. I want to thank them for their hard work and assisting federal prosecutors in securing this sentence.” According to court documents, Harjo was released from federal prison in August of 2021 after serving 60 months for drug conspiracy. Shortly after his release, Harjo broke into 27 different businesses throughout Tulsa in 2022. Harjo targeted small businesses. Harjo told Tulsa Police Officers that “he did not really care because “we” (TPD) can’t do anything about it…” Harjo is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey prosecuted the case.


title: Two Members of Jersey City Gang Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy for Roles in Murder, Shooting, and Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Jersey City gang associated with the Wilkinson neighborhood were charged by indictment with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Kenneth Harrigan, aka “Kenny,” aka “Kenny OGM,” 27, and Darion Canary, aka “Goon,” 31, both of Jersey City, New Jersey, are charged with a racketeering conspiracy that included a murder, a shooting, and narcotics distribution. Harrigan and Canary are both in federal custody on previously filed federal charges. Both had their initial appearances and arraignments on April 16, 2024, before the U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court and were detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Harrigan and Canary are both members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Wilkinson neighborhood. Since 2019, they have committed multiple acts of violence. On July 20, 2019, Harrigan, Canary, and at least one other gang member traveled to the territory of a rival gang in Jersey City and shot three victims, killing one of them. On Jan. 1, 2024, Canary, along with other gang members, attended a night club in Newark where a rival gang member was performing. At the night club, Canary brandished a firearm and shot a rival gang member before fleeing the nightclub with his fellow gang members and returning to the Wilkinson neighborhood in Jersey City. At this time, Canary was staying at a halfway house as part of his sentencing on a related federal narcotics conviction. Investigators observed and documented dozens of narcotics transactions in and around the Wilkinson neighborhood during the months-long investigation. The investigation revealed that Harrigan and Canary were two of the highest ranking members of the Wilkinson neighborhood street gang and that Harrigan was a primary supplier of narcotics to the area. In December 2021, Harrigan, Canary, and four other members and associates of the Wilkinson neighborhood street gang were charged by criminal complaint on drug trafficking offenses. Harrigan and Canary face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the racketeering conspiracy, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited investigators of the Gang Intelligence Unit of the Major Case Division of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy. This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the District of New Jersey’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. harrigancanary.indictment.pdf


title: Five Individuals Charged in Elder Fraud Scheme, Including Two In-Home Caretakers

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Five individuals have been charged in an elder fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. In March, a twelve-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charged Mykia Henderson, 32, of Moody, Cynthia H. Mixon, 50, of Fairfield, and Corey Webb, 44, of Moody, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, between December 2020 and February 2022, Mixon and Henderson, who are mother and daughter, were the caretakers for the elderly victim. Corey Webb was Henderson’s husband. During this time, the three defendants devised a scheme to defraud the victim by charging the victim’s credit cards through accounts set up by Square, Inc. and Stripe, Inc., issuing checks to themselves drawn on the victim’s bank accounts, and transferring the funds they received to their own personal bank accounts. Two additional defendants have also been charged related to this scheme. In March, Whitney Wallace, 33, of Birmingham, was charged in an information with wire fraud. According to the information, Wallace was employed as the victim’s house cleaner. Between December 2021 and March 2022, Wallace stole the victim’s credit card information and continued using the card to make purchases for personal items after she stopped working for the victim. Wallace used the fraudulently obtained credit card information to purchase items from Amazon.com, Target.com, and DoorDash in the amount of approximately $43,227.12. In January, Shakira English, 23, of Birmingham, was charged in an eleven-count indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. English was a hairdresser. She maintained a payment-processing account with Square, Inc. that she would use to charge customers’ credit or debit cards for payment. Between May 2020 and October 2021, English used her Square, Inc. account to fraudulently charge the victim’s credit cards over $130,000 and then transferred the funds into her personal bank account. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for wire fraud is 20 years in prison. The mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft is two years. The Mountain Brook Police Department and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Fruitland Man Charged with Assault and Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man is facing federal charges following allegations that he and his brother instigated a confrontation at a residence which culminated in a standoff with law enforcement officers. Walliford Tso , 35, of Fruitland, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court for an initial appearance where the Court temporarily detained him pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for April 17, 2024. The criminal complaint alleges that on March 23, 2024, Tso and his brother, Justin Tso, went to Jane Doe’s home in Fruitland, New Mexico. Justin entered the home and asked Jane Doe for a cigarette. When she told Justin that she had no cigarettes, Justin took a machete that was lying near the front door without permission and walked away. When Jane Doe’s significant other, John Doe 1, yelled after the brothers, a verbal altercation followed. After the exchange, the brothers chased John Doe into the house. As Jane Doe was locking the door behind him, the brothers kicked in the door, entered the home and assaulted John Doe. John Doe was able to get away and exited the house with Jane Doe and their small child. Jane Doe and John Doe called 911 using their cellphone. A Navajo Police Department officer arrived during the incident and detained Tso ’s brother before searching for Tso . The search led him to Tso ’s parents’ house about 200 yards away. The officer went around to the back of the house and observed Tso hiding behind a structure with a rifle in his hands. Tso raised the rifle and pointed it at the officer, who took cover and gave Tso commands to drop the weapon. Tso eventually obeyed and was taken into custody. Tso is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted of the current charges, Tso faces up to 17 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Former Marine Sentenced to 15 Years for Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A former marine was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for distribution and possession of child pornography. Jonathon Allen Frew, age 33, pled guilty on August 17, 2023. He was also assessed $10,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and $5,000 under the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. According to court documents and other information presented in court Frew was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) after Kik social media reported on five separate occasions one of its users had uploaded child pornography. Kik made the report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who forwarded the report to NCIS after learning the Kik account and IP address used to upload the images were connected to Frew who was an active-duty Marine at the time. Results from a Kik search warrant showed on one day Frew uploaded 24 images and videos of child pornography into a chat group. Pursuant to a search warrant, Frew’s home was searched, and digital devices were seized. Child pornography was located on his cellular device. In total Frew possessed approximately 250 images and 30 videos of child pornography. Frew ultimately admitted to law enforcement that he obtained child pornography and would later upload it to chat groups. Frew’s collection of images and videos included very young children, infants, and toddlers, as well as images depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the sentencing. The United States NCIS investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-CR-64-D.


title: Former Employee of Defunct New Jersey Marble and Granite Company Admits Participating in $17 Million Bank Fraud

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A former employee of a now-defunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler today admitted his role in a scheme to defraud a bank in connection with a $17 million secured line of credit, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Nitin Vats, 52, an Indian national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From March 2016 through March 2018, an owner and employees of Lotus Exim International Inc. (LEI), including Vats, conspired to obtain from the victim bank a $17 million line of credit by fraudulent means. The victim bank extended LEI the line of credit, believing it to have been secured in part by LEI’s accounts receivable. In reality, the conspirators had fabricated and inflated many of the accounts receivable, ultimately leading to LEI defaulting on the line of credit. To conceal the lack of sufficient collateral, Vats created fake email addresses on behalf of LEI’s customers so that other LEI employees could pose as those customers and answer the victim bank’s and outside auditor’s inquiries about the accounts receivable. The scheme involved numerous fraudulent accounts receivable where the outstanding balances were either inflated or entirely fabricated. The scheme caused the victim bank losses of approximately $17 million. The count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution to which Vats pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark. vats.indictment.pdf


title: Webster Groves Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of one pre-teen girl and sexually abused two other children to 35 years in prison. Aaron Pratt, 38, of Webster Groves, Missouri, pleaded guilty in January to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted that he sexually abused a girl for approximately two years when she was between the ages of 10 and 12 and recorded the abuse on his cell phone. Pratt admitted sexually abusing two other juveniles, ages 7 and 11, at their home in another state. Pratt also admitted possessing over 28,000 images and videos of other minors on various electronic devices. The Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI and the Hamilton Township (Ohio) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Texas Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum After Jury Trial

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – An Edinburg, Texas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to possess with intent distribute cocaine. Jose Humberto Gandara, 52, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to Court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, Jose Humberto Gandara was stopped in Gulfport while driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The Jetta contained almost $150,000 hidden in a concealed compartment located under the center console. Gandara initially denied any knowledge of the money. Officers then showed Gandara a pair of shoes, which they located in the hidden compartment. The officers previously cut the shoes to see if they contained a tracker. Gandara asked the officers why they cut his shoes, and when they confronted him with the fact that the shoes came from the hidden compartment, Gandara admitted to moving the money for a percentage. Gandara denied being involved with narcotics, but photographs from his phone appeared to depict bricks of cocaine. In January of 2015, Gandara bought a different 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that was subsequently stopped at the border of Mexico/Texas. While Gandara was not driving that Jetta, the driver was an individual that Gandara had previously identified as his employee. Border Patrol agents found approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment, which matched the hidden compartment in the vehicle Gandara was driving in Gulfport. Officers were also able to determine that in September of 2015, Gandara was stopped in Alabama with nearly $360,000. The money was divided into multiple bundles, each of which were wrapped in green plastic wrap and stuffed inside the front seats of the car Gandara was driving. Gandara again denied knowledge of the money, but the money found in the seats matched a bundle of money Gandara claimed from his duffle bag. Subsequent investigation revealed that the $150,000 seized from Gandara in Gulfport was payment for cocaine that was interdicted in Louisiana, while bound for Moss Point, Mississippi. The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Gandara was acting on behalf of a source of supply, located in Texas, who was importing cocaine directly from Mexico and sending it on to Moss Point, Mississippi. On January 11, 2024, after a trial, a federal jury convicted Jose Humberto Gandara of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Gandara faced a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The DEA, United States Border Patrol, Gulfport Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Alabama’s 17 th Judicial Task Force Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case . This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Derrick Lee Hodge, 35, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2023, Hodge sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Beckley hotel where Hodge was staying. Hodge admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on January 26 and January 31, 2023, in Beckley. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hodge’s Beckley hotel room. Officers seized a small bag containing cocaine, a set of digital scales with purple residue, plastic bags $347 and a Ruger Model EC9S 9mm semi-automatic handgun during the search. Hodge admitted that he was distributing drugs out of the hotel room and possessed the seized firearm. Hodge is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-139. ###


title: Three Individuals Indicted in Multistate COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – Three individuals were indicted for their roles in fraudulently obtaining approximately $5 million of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and for laundering the loan proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Eric Rivera, 42, of Norcross, Georgia, is charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and eight counts of money laundering. Adrienne Ponzo, 49, of Bear, Delaware, is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of money laundering. James Wessels, 54, of Middletown, Delaware, is charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. They were charged by complaint in July 2023. According to the indictment: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The CARES Act also authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and revenues or expenses. Businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation such as tax returns and bank statements. Rivera conspired with Wessels and others to defraud a participating lender in the PPP program. Rivera submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for two companies he controlled, which included fake bank statements and IRS tax forms. The lender approved the PPP loans and paid Rivera’s companies $285,000. Rivera also recruited individuals who owned businesses with little or no operations and introduced them to a conspirator who prepared fraudulent PPP loan applications for these companies. Most of these PPP loan applications also included fake bank statements and tax forms. After the lender approved the PPP loans, Rivera received payments of 15 percent to 50 percent of the loan proceeds, via wire transfer or check, for his role in orchestrating this scheme. Wessels created fraudulent IRS tax forms for the PPP loan applications for Rivera’s companies and for the other companies for which Rivera was paid. Wessels was paid a fee for each fraudulent tax form he created. Wessels also conspired with two individuals who received fraudulent PPP loans from the lender to structure the spending of the PPP loan proceeds to conceal that the proceeds actually were being spent on non-payroll expenses. Wessels created fake payroll checks from the companies and the business owners distributed the fake payroll checks to friends and family members, who cashed the checks and returned the majority of the cash to the business owners. The lender subsequently forgave these PPP loans based on forgiveness applications that falsely stated that most of the loan proceeds were spent on payroll expenses. Rivera also conspired with Ponzo and others to defraud the SBA. After the CARES Act was passed, Rivera recruited individuals who owned companies with little or no operations and introduced them to Ponzo, who prepared fraudulent EIDL applications for these businesses and caused them to be electronically submitted to the SBA. Ponzo prepared fraudulent bank statements and tax returns for companies that did not have them. After the SBA approved the EIDL loans, Rivera received payments of 15 to 50 percent of the loan proceeds, via wire transfer or check, for his role in orchestrating this scheme. Rivera, in turn, wired a portion of the loan proceeds to Ponzo for her role in the scheme. The counts of bank fraud conspiracy and bank fraud are each punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The counts of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The counts of money laundering are each punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the charges. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division in Camden and Jason M. Richardson, Attorney in Charge of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden. The charges and allegations contained in the charging instrument are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. riveraponzowessels.indictment.pdf


title: Former KC Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Produce Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, Mo., man who moved to Mexico and lived under another name, pleaded guilty in federal court today to attempting to produce child pornography. Wyatt Christopher Maxwell, also known as “Louis Whitaker,” 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Maxwell lived in Kansas City, Mo., at the time of the offense, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. He was arrested in Mexico following his indictment and has remained in federal custody since his arrest. According to today’s plea agreement, the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department received tips in February 2021, via the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers tipline, that Maxwell was producing child pornography with a 16-year-old resident of Overland Park. Maxwell reportedly uploaded the child pornography to various online accounts. The child victim told investigators that Maxwell had been recording sexually explicit videos of the two of them for several months. Some of the recordings were created at Maxwell’s residence and some were created in a nearby park. Law enforcement agents interviewed Maxwell on Feb. 3, 2021. He confirmed he uploaded videos to his accounts on OnlyFans and JustForFans, for which he estimated he made from $3,000 to $10,000 per month from subscribers. Maxwell admitted he created approximately 20 videos where he was engaged in some type of sex act with the child victim. Those videos were uploaded to his OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts. Investigators found 39 videos of child pornography that were downloaded on Maxwell’s cell phone, 96 videos of child pornography involving the child victim, and 24 images of child pornography involving the child victim. Investigators confirmed payments from Maxwell’s OnlyFans account totaling $49,151, and from Maxwell’s JustForFans account totaling $2,954. There were 153 videos uploaded to the JustForFans account, 16 of which depicted sexual activity involving the child victim. Under federal statutes, Maxwell is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Darnell Deberry, 39, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Deberry sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant at Deberry’s residence in Beckley. Deberry admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling fentanyl to the confidential informant on four other occasions within Raleigh County. On July 5, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Deberry’s residence and found two 9mm handguns, 9mm ammunition, $2,000 and approximately 76.5 grams of fentanyl. Deberry admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl found during the search. Deberry is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-28. ###


title: Vallejo Resident Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Navarro Mendoza has been sentenced to 120 months in prison following his conviction for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was imposed on April 12, 2024, by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge. Navarro Mendoza, 45, a resident of Vallejo, California, pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). He was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, the defendant possessed more than 1,500 images and videos of child pornography on his electronic devices, including nearly 100 files depicting sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. Additional evidence found on the defendant’s electronic devices suggested he used social media and/or messaging apps to participate in chat groups where users posted and exchanged child pornography, the government said in its sentencing submission. The government further argued in its sentencing papers that the defendant groomed and sexually abused several members of his extended family when they were 6 to 11 years old. These victims included two minors who told investigators that the defendant had rubbed their bodies, including their genitalia. In addition to sentencing Navarro Mendoza to prison, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Assistant United States Attorney Jared Buszin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Five People Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking in the Eastern Panhandle

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Five people have been sentenced for their crimes involving fentanyl distribution across the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Christopher Arthur Jones, also known as “Smooth,” of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 300 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release for racketeering enterprise (RICO) conspiracy and fentanyl distribution charges. Jones, age 39, was the leader of the organization, directing members of the enterprise to sell drugs, commit acts of violence, launder money, and commit fraud in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The business was based in Philadelphia, but Jones had drug houses in Martinsburg, West Virginia and elsewhere. Noah Izreel Neverdon, age 21, of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced to 70 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Neverdon sold fentanyl as a part of a drug operation from Baltimore to West Virginia. Dylan Moyers, age 24, of Romney, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for his role in a drug conspiracy, selling heroin and fentanyl in Hampshire and Mineral Counties. According to court documents, Moyers’ home was used as a heroin and fentanyl sales hub for the operation. Michael Nicholas Calder, also known as “Ice,” age 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 85 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine base. According to statements made in court, a traffic stop of Calder’s vehicle yielded fentanyl pills, cocaine, and eutylone. Russell Guy Fitzgerald, age 61, of Rawlings, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Fitzgerald, also known as “Rusty,” was selling fentanyl from his Maryland home and a home in Mineral County, West Virginia. Searches of both locations resulted in the seizure of fentanyl capsules, methamphetamine, cocaine, and 20 firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States. The agencies involved in the various investigations include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard. The Jones matter 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 . U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Morris County Man Admits Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Anselmo Girimonte, 53, of Wharton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Dec. 27, 2021, through Jan. 17, 2022, Girimonte distributed material containing images and video files of child sexual abuse, via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program. Law enforcement used undercover online sessions to access the P2P program and during these sessions a user shared multiple video files of adults sexually abusing prepubescent children from an internet protocol address traced to Girimonte’s residence. During a March 2, 2022, search of Girimonte’s residence, law enforcement found over 100 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused, on Girimonte’s cell phone. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 20, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Rockaway Township Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. girimonte.indictment.pdf


title: Second Jacksonville Man Arrested On Bank Fraud And Theft Of Mail Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jonathan Benavide Hidalgo (26, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, eight counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit theft of mail, and theft of mail. If convicted, Hidalgo faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 5 years for the theft of mail and conspiracy to commit theft of mail counts, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendant, Frank Anthony Acanda, defrauded. Federal law enforcement arrested Acanda on December 13, 2023. According to the indictment, Hidalgo, Acanda, and others drove around areas of Fleming Island, Jacksonville, and St. Augustine and stole large volumes of mail from residential and business mailboxes over several months. After opening the mail and stealing checks and money orders, Hidalgo, Acanda, and others acting on their behalf, deposited the items into bank accounts controlled by them and then used ATMs to immediately withdraw cash. In some instances, the co-defendants altered the stolen checks by increasing the amount of the stolen checks to maximize the amount of money they could withdraw from ATMs. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.


title: Crow Agency man admits assaulting woman on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Crow Agency man accused of punching a woman in the face admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Darek Paul Birdinground, 33, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. Birdinground faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 14. Birdinground was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that while investigating a separate, unrelated assault, the FBI learned in June 2023 of an assault that occurred on Jan. 21, 2023 in Crow Agency, on the Crow Indian Reservation. Agents with the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs learned that the victim, identified as Jane Doe, was driving a truck in Crow Agency when she saw an SUV coming up fast behind her, so she pulled over. Doe’s driver window was rolled down. Birdinground, the driver of the SUV, got out carrying a baseball bat and approached Doe. He was angry and asked Doe a question. Confused, Doe looked at a passenger and when she turned back toward Birdinground, he punched her in the left eye. Birdinground then used the baseball bat to break the windows of the truck. Doe suffered loss of vision in her eye. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Pittsburgh Convicted Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Kenneth Gaines, 33, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on February 15, 2024, Gaines, who has prior felony convictions, possessed a firearm and ammunition. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Ball and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Billings man admits to illegal possession of silencer

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

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man today admitted to a firearms crime after law enforcement located a silencer along with 14 firearms in his residence while conducting an investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, William Henry Alberts, 66, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm. Alberts faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 14. Alberts was released pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on April 25, 2023, Alberts and another man were on a motorcycle when they were pulled over for a traffic stop. The other person had abandoned a stolen four-wheeler and was taken into custody. Alberts was allowed to walk back to his property. In the meantime, law enforcement secured Alberts’ property, believing that federal fugitive was living on the property. When Alberts arrived home, he gave law enforcement permission to search his home for the fugitive. During the search, law enforcement saw a shotgun in plain view. Alberts admitted that he was convicted of a drug felony in 1992 and admitted that there were at least 10 firearms in the house. Officers executed a search warrant and found 14 firearms, methamphetamine and assorted ammunition. Officers also located a black suppressor/silencer. The silencer was not registered as required by law, and so the possession violated federal firearms laws. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department 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: Wyoming man sentenced, fined $7,500 for role in Billings commercial sex investigation, lying to investigators

body_text: BILLINGS — A Wyoming man convicted for his role in arranging for commercial sex in Billings and then lying to federal investigators was sentenced today to one year of probation and fined $7,500, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. On Feb. 20, U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters found the defendant, Mark Jay Albrecht, 66, of Gillette, Wyoming, guilty of use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering and making a false statement following a one-day bench trial. Judge Watters presided at sentencing. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on April 21, 2021, law enforcement responded to a report of possible commercial sex activity at a Billings motel. Billings police officers knocked on the door of the suspect room and announced themselves. A woman, identified as Ashley Stella, of Reno, Nevada, Jane Doe 1, who was a minor at the time, and Albrecht emerged. Albrecht was seen buttoning up his shirt as he exited the room. Albrecht initially denied to police and FBI officers that he was in the room for a sexual encounter and offered various stories about why he was there. Ultimately, Albrecht acknowledged going to the room to engage in commercial sex and using a social media website and his cell phone to arrange for commercial sex. Stella acknowledged in interviews that Albrecht was in the room for commercial sex, and that Jane Doe 1 traveled with her for the purpose of commercial sex. Following the events of April 21, 2021, law enforcement began a federal sex trafficking investigation. As part of the federal investigation, Albrecht arrived for an interview with law enforcement in May 2021 and repeatedly stated that he did not go to the motel for the purpose of commercial sex. Rather, Albrecht offered another story about why he was communicating with Stella. Albrecht never admitted he was soliciting commercial sex during his May 2021 interview, contrary to facts known by law enforcement. Stella was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conviction of transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, IRS and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Oswego County Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Tyler Ager, age 30, of Oswego County, New York, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. During his change of plea hearing in December 2023, Ager admitted that, in May 2023 and June 2023, he possessed child pornography on his phone and uploaded a child pornography file to a public website where adults chat with other adults. He also admitted that, in April 2021, he was convicted of sexual abuse in the second degree in Parish Town Court. His offense conduct in that case involved him having a 4-year-old minor touch his penis. He received a term of probation for his state offense, which he was serving when he committed the offense for which he was sentenced today. Following his 120-month term of imprisonment, Ager will also be required to register as a sex offender. This case was investigated by the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing and Intending to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Javier Bachiller, age 32, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 10 years in federal prison for his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division. As part of his previous guilty plea, Bachiller admitted that on October 19, 2023, he possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in a Syracuse garage he was renting. At the time of his arrest, Bachiller also possessed quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin that he intended to distribute to others. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Bachiller to serve a 5-year term of post-release supervision and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment. This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sherriff’s Office, and the New York State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.


title: Man Charged with Sexual Abuse on Grounds of Gateway Arch National Park

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Fairview Heights, Illinois was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday and accused of committing a sexual assault in Gateway Arch National Park. Monte Derrell Boatman, 35, was indicted on one count of sexual abuse. The indictment accuses him of committing the forcible assault on park grounds on Dec. 6, 2023, and placing the victim in fear of death, serious bodily injury or kidnapping. Boatman is in custody. The sexual abuse charge is punishable by up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the National Park Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Willimantic Man with Stealing More Than 30 Guns from Newington Gun Store

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging KWITZPATRICK DUFFANY, 36, formerly of Willimantic, with firearm and drug offenses stemming from an investigation into the theft of more than 30 firearms from a Newington gun store last year. As alleged in the indictment, on May 27, 2023, Duffany stole more than 30 firearms from Hoffman’s “Guns for the Good Guys,” a federal firearms licensee located in Newington. On that date, Duffany also possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and used a firearm in relation to that offense. It is alleged that Duffany’s criminal history includes two state convictions for burglary in the third degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. The indictment charges Duffany with theft of firearms from a licensee, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years. Duffany has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on May 31, 2023. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Newington Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Willimantic Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New Britain for its cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.


title: Man Involved in Fatal Robbery of St. Louis County Cab Driver Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man involved in the fatal shooting of a cab driver in Hazelwood, Missouri in 2022 to 17 years in prison. Coron Dees was one of four teens who robbed Dewight Price, 54, at gunpoint on April 24, 2022. All four have pleaded guilty and three await sentencing. Dees, now 20, Jeremiah Allen, 20, and Trishawn Jones, 19, each pleaded guilty to a robbery charge. Jones and Tywon Harris, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting in the commission of a murder. After leaving a party in downtown St. Louis, the four teens stopped at a gas station in the 700 block of North Tucker Boulevard. At 5:23 a.m., Harris called for a taxi. They planned to take the taxi to a fake address near Allen’s home, then run away without paying. After learning that they would have to prepay for the ride, the teens began discussing plans to rob Price. They told Price to drive to Hazelwood Central High School, thinking there would be no witnesses there at that time. When they arrived, Dees and Jones pulled out firearms and demanded cash from Price. Price begged the teens not to shoot him. After Price handed cash to Jones, he grabbed a firearm he kept in his door. Allen warned the others that Price had a gun. Price began to get out of the cab, but Harris opened his door, knocking Price to the ground. Jones saw Price’s firearm and fired once, hitting Price in the torso. The teens then ran away. Allen and Jones are scheduled to be sentenced in May and Harris’ sentencing is scheduled for July. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel is prosecuting the case.


title: Individual Charged With Sex-Trafficking of Women on Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn Known as the “Penn Track,” and Enticement Of A Minor

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY - Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Joel David Forney, also known as “Sirbar,” with three counts of sex trafficking, Mann Act transportation for purposes of commercial sex and coercion and enticement of a minor. The charges in the indictment arise from the defendant’s trafficking of women to work as prostitutes in New York, including along an open-air sex trafficking market on a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn, New York known as the Penn Track, as well as the defendant’s alleged transportation of women from New York to multiple other states, including Connecticut and Missouri, with the intent that they engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit. The charges also arise from the defendant’s alleged rape of a teenage girl in 2014. Forney was arrested this morning in Kissimmee, Florida and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the Middle District of Florida. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kristen M. Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Justice Department, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges. “As alleged, the defendant raped a minor, and preyed on vulnerable women to sell their bodies for his own profit, while subjecting them to constant acts and threats of violence,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With today’s arrest, this Office seeks to hold Forney accountable for his cruel and depraved crimes. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to eradicate the degradation of women forced into sex work at the Penn Track and elsewhere in the district.” Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the New York City Police Department/FBI Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force for their outstanding investigative work on the case. “These charges represent the darkest side of the criminal world. Not only did Joel Forney allegedly force several victims into commercial sex trafficking through repeated violence and death threats, but he also allegedly raped a female minor victim after luring her into his residence. Today’s arrest affirms the FBI’s promise to investigate those who commit such heinous crimes, and ensure they are brought to justice,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. As alleged in court filings, between at least the summer of 2016 and continuing through at least 2022, Forney trafficked women to engage in commercial sex in Brooklyn, New York and in other states through force, fraud and coercion for his financial benefit. The defendant trafficked his victims both in hotel rooms and on Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, a notorious location for commercial sex known as the Penn Track. The defendant subjected the victims to his total control and forced them to adhere to a list of rules designed to maximize his profits and minimize their resistance. When his victims disobeyed his directives, he used physical violence, and sometimes death threats, as a form of punishment. Forney allegedly began trafficking Jane Doe #1 in the summer of 2016, when he lured her to travel from her home in Wisconsin to New York City with false promises of a legitimate job offer. When Jane Doe #1 arrived, he brought her to a hotel where he raped her and threatened her with violence. He then photographed her and posted advertisements on the internet using her photo to promote commercial sex. For the next several months, the defendant trafficked Jane Doe #1, bringing her to hotels in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and other locations, where he compelled her to engage in commercial sex. The defendant retained the majority of the proceeds of her commercial sex work. If Jane Doe #1 failed to earn enough money or acted in a way that he viewed as disrespectful, he would slap, punch, or sexually assault her. He routinely threatened to kill Jane Doe #1. On one occasion, he showed Jane Doe #1 a photograph on his phone of a dismembered woman and told her that “this is what happens to bi-----s who leave their pimps.” Forney began trafficking Jane Doe #2 in October 2017 at the Penn Track and in other states where he forced her to perform commercial sex for his financial benefit. As was the case with Jane Doe #1, Forney kept the majority of the financial proceeds of Jane Doe #2’s work. Forney would beat her if she violated his rules. On one occasion, angered by Jane Doe #2’s perceived disobedience, Forney punched her in the face, breaking her front tooth. Forney trafficked a third victim, Jane Doe #3, beginning in May 2017. As with Jane Doe #2, the defendant compelled Jane Doe #3 to work in commercial sex largely on the Penn Track, and kept most of her earnings. Like all the women the defendant trafficked, Jane Doe #3 was instructed to strictly adhere to the defendant’s rules, and any acts of disobedience were met with violence and threats. In addition to sex trafficking, Forney also engaged in sexually predatory conduct directed at a minor. Specifically, in June 2014, when Forney was 31-years-old, he encountered Jane Doe #4, who was then 14 years-old, walking home in Queens. He told her she was pretty; she told him her age. After exchanging contact information, the defendant continued to communicate with the girl—regularly telling her she was beautiful—before inviting her to his home where he raped her. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Forney faces a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment. If you are a victim of trafficking—whether by Forney or someone else—and have information to provide, please contact the FBI, which is prepared to help you regardless of your immigration status, at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Elbert and Antoinette N. Rangel and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : JOEL DAVID FORNEY (also known as “Sirbar”) Age: 41 Kissimmee, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-146 (KAM)


title: Alabama Tax Preparer Sentenced for False Tax Return Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Alabama man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for conspiring to prepare and file false tax returns for clients in Jackson, Mississippi, and for preparing false returns. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Jonathan Barefoot worked at Sunbelt Tax Service in Jackson. He conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions and business profits or losses on their clients’ tax returns. Over the years, Barefoot and his co-conspirators prepared thousands of fraudulent returns, causing over $3.5 million in tax loss to the IRS. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III for the Southern District of Mississippi ordered Barefoot to serve one year of supervised release. Four of Barefoot’s co-conspirators have previously received the following sentences: Adam Earnest: 100 months in prison; Christopher Randell: 70 months in prison; James Klish: 50 months in prison; and John Wells: 15 months in prison. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Goldberg of the Justice Department's Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Zachary Cobb and Mary Frances Richardson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.


title: Dubuque Man Sentenced to More than a Decade in Prison for His Role in Shooting Outside Dubuque Bar

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Dubuque man who fired a gun near a group of people following a fight was sentenced on April 16, 2024, to more than 12 years in prison. Marvin Brantley, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 13, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Information disclosed during the plea and sentencing hearings revealed that on April 8, 2023, Brantley was involved in a fight outside a bar in Dubuque, Iowa. Brantley and a group of people were observed on surveillance video fighting with another group of people. At one point, a victim fell on the ground and Brantley stomped on him twice. The groups separated and as Brantley and his group were walking through the parking lot of a bar, Brantley pulled a gun out and fired at the group. Several people were standing outside the bar at the time. No one was hurt. Following the shooting, officers searched Brantley’s house. They found marijuana but no firearm. Brantley was arrested on related state charges. While in custody, Brantley called his sister and, talking in code, directed her to his house where he told her the firearm was hidden. Over the course of multiple calls, Brantley’s sister located the firearm. Brantley directed her to wash the gun and throw it away. Based on the phone calls, officers searched the sister’s residence. While they did find a gun, it was not the gun used in the shooting. The sister admitted that she took the gun to Chicago and left it with a family member. The sister was able to get the gun back and turned it into law enforcement. Brantley was a felon at the time of the shooting. He has seven prior adult criminal convictions, four of which involve violence or assaultive conduct. Brantley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Brantley was sentenced to 145 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-1021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Final defendant sentenced in Gloucester meth trafficking conspiracy

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court documents, as early as May 1, 2020, Jeremy John Gleason, 42, began selling meth in Gloucester. A confidential source told investigators that after Gleason went “dry” due to his source of supply being impacted by COVID, he tried to corner the meth market in Gloucester by buying “everything.” Gleason purchased large amounts of meth every two days and distributed it to co-conspirators. On April 6, 2021, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of meth in which Gleason sold 14.2 grams of meth. On April 20, 2021, Gleason sold 14.7 grams of meth during another controlled purchase. On Nov. 30, 2023, Gleason pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was accountable for distributing over 9,000 grams of meth during the conspiracy. He is the final conspirator to plead guilty and be sentenced for his role in the conspiracy. Andrew Ryan Higgins, 29, of North, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Dec. 18, 2023, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Johnathan Willard Lowney, 42, of Hayes, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Sep. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Jan. 9, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Kenneth Dale Lowney, 39, of Gloucester, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 4, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Patrick Sean McNulty, 34, of Hayes, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Dec. 20, 2023, he was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. Amanda Nicole Carter, 38, of Gloucester, pleaded guilty on Sep. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 9, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff; and Ron Montgomery, York County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Heath and Peter Osyf prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-40.


title: Felon Who Pretended to Work for the ATF to Steal Firearms Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A felon who possessed twenty firearms in May and June 2023 was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to more than eight years in federal prison. Ken Nakato, age 36, from Coralville, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 20, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Information from a plea agreement and sentencing hearing showed that on May 17, 2023, Hiawatha police officers responded to a domestic disturbance involving Nakato. Officers began to assist Nakato with removing his belongings, including several firearms, from a residence, but a criminal history check showed Nakato had a felony conviction. Nakato falsely denied being a felon. Officers seized seven firearms, including a short-barreled rifle, from the residence and Nakato’s car. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) spoke with Nakato at his residence on May 19, 2023, and Nakato admitted that he was not allowed to possess firearms. That night, Nakato texted someone else that he was officially an employee of the ATF, which would be “a clear record.” On May 23, 2023, Nakato told an acquaintance that he was working for the ATF, and he needed to seize the acquaintance’s firearms. Nakato took seven firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the acquaintance. Law enforcement subsequently seized these seven firearms from Nakato on May 24 and May 25, 2023. On June 7, 2023, Nakato convinced a family member to buy two firearms for him from a licensed firearms dealer in Coralville. He was in possession of one of those firearms on June 15, 2023, when he was pulled over by Iowa City police officers. Between May 17, 2023, and June 15, 2023, Nakato possessed at least twenty firearms. Nakato was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Nakato was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Nakato is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, the Coralville Police Department, and the Iowa City Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-0048. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Oklahoma Man Arrested for Allegedly Throwing Pipe Bomb at Satanic Temple in Salem, Mass.

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Oklahoma man was arrested and charged today for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass. Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was charged in a criminal complaint with using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. Palmer was arrested this morning and will make an initial appearance in the Western District of Oklahoma on Thursday. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents and TST’s website, TST is a “non-theistic organization” founded in 2013 and headquartered in Salem, Mass. In addition to serving as the organization’s headquarters, TST’s Salem location also functions as a public, TST-themed art gallery. At approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras outside TST captured a man walking towards TST wearing black pants, and black jacket, a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. According to the charging documents, as the man approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb—a type of improvised explosive device or “IED”—threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. Seconds later, the pipe bomb partially detonated causing minor fire and related damage to TST’s exterior. According to the charging documents, the pipe bomb appeared to have been constructed from a section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails, which were attached to the pipe with tape. The inside of the pipe was filled with a powder-like substance, preliminarily identified as smokeless gunpowder. A single human hair was allegedly located on the pipe bomb containing a DNA profile from a Caucasian male. A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed adjacent to where the pipe bomb was discovered. Among other things, the letter allegedly stated: DEAR SATANIST ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO ONE DIES. I OBEY. Surveillance footage obtained during the investigation identified a black Volvo sedan, allegedly registered to Palmer, driving erratically in the immediate vicinity of TST both before and after the incident. A photograph of Palmer, who is a Caucasian male, posted to a social media website shows him wearing a tan-colored tactical vest like the vest worn by the suspect in the TST surveillance video. Palmer also allegedly comments frequently on a social media website about religious matters and themes similar to those contained in the handwritten note found outside of TST on April 8, 2024. Finally, the charging document alleges that on April 3, 2024, Palmer purchased PVC pipe and matching PVC end cap—like the pipe and end cap used to construct the pipe bomb—from a home improvement retailer in Oklahoma. The charge of using fire or an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller, Chief of the Salem Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sherriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater (Okla.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.