title: Nevada Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay Over $1.1 Million in Restitution for Tax Fraud

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Carissa Messick, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office, announced today that Victor Kearney was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,188,645.00 in restitution. A federal jury convicted Kearney, 59, of Zephyr Cove, Nevada, for filing false tax returns on March 10, 2023. A federal grand jury indicted Kearney and his co-defendant Robert Fiser, 63, of Albuquerque, on August 29, 2019. According to the evidence at trial and other publicly available court records, from 1997 to 2013, Kearney received about $16 million in trust income as lifetime beneficiary of two testamentary trusts established after the death of his first wife, Mary Pat Abruzzo-Kearney. These trusts were shareholders in Alvarado Realty Company (“ARCO”). At first, Kearney properly reported his trust income on tax returns prepared by a certified public accountant. Then ARCO restructured into a C corporation with subchapter S status. This meant corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits now passed to shareholders for tax purposes. Since the taxes Kearney owed to the government were no longer withheld by ARCO or the trusts, Kearney did not pay them. Instead, Kearney conspired with Fiser, an attorney specializing in tax law and the preparation of federal income tax returns, to submit knowingly false tax returns from 2007 through 2011 showing little or no trust income. As a result, Kearney owes the IRS $1,188,645.00. Kearney came to the attention of the IRS in 2013 when he filed a lawsuit against his former brothers-in-laws, Benjamin and Louis Abruzzo. Kearney claimed that the Abruzzos mismanaged Mary Pat Abruzzo-Kearney’s trusts to Kearney’s financial disadvantage. During the litigation, District Judge Alan M. Malott heard evidence that prompted him to refer Kearney’s case to the IRS for further investigation. The state case was resolved in favor of the Abruzzos. Upon his release from prison, Kearney will be subject to three years of supervised release. Fiser pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022, to one count each of conspiracy and aiding and assisting in preparation of a false and fraudulent return. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case with the assistance of the Office of the U.S. Trustee also assisted. Assistant United States Attorneys Sean J. Sullivan and Kimberly A. Brawley prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Federal Court Permanently Enjoins Texas Return Preparer and Orders Disgorgement of Illicit Gains from Tax Return Preparation Fees

component: Tax Division

body_text: The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas permanently enjoined a Dallas-area tax return preparer today from preparing federal tax returns for others and from owning, operating or franchising any tax return preparation business, among other related prohibitions. The court also ordered the tax return preparer, Ashley Diondria Fisher, to pay almost $200,000 to the United States in ill-gotten tax preparation fees. Fisher consented to entry of the permanent injunction and disgorgement order against her. The complaint alleged that Fisher operated a tax preparation business under the brand names Integrity Tax Services and Integrity Tax Returns, which filed tax returns claiming false business income or losses on Form 1040 Schedule C, false household help income and fabricated education credits. The complaint also alleged that the IRS previously suspended nine of Fisher’s Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs), which the IRS assigns to firms that have applied for and meet the requirements to file tax returns electronically. After the IRS suspended nine of Fisher’s EFINs, she allegedly used her aunt’s identity to apply for and use EFINs in her aunt’s name, and subsequently used EFINs in the names of others. According to the IRS, anyone who is paid to prepare or assists in preparing federal tax returns is legally required to have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) and paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on returns. Not signing a return, commonly known as “ghost preparation,” is often a red flag that a preparer is attempting to avoid detection by the IRS. The complaint alleged Fisher operated as a ghost preparer. The IRS estimates the harm caused by Fisher exceeds $3 million for tax years 2014 through 2019 alone. The district court previously entered a preliminary injunction barring Fisher from preparing returns for others and has now made that disallowance permanent in today’s order. The terms of agreed order require that Fisher send notice of the injunction to each customer for whom she prepared federal tax returns and post a copy of the injunction in places where she conducts business, including social media accounts and websites. Fisher also agreed to disgorge $195,468.59 in illicitly received tax preparation fees to the United States. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Attorneys from the Tax Division handled the case. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS warns taxpayers to avoid ghost preparers and lists other improper acts that tax preparers engage in to take advantage of their unsuspecting customers. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Permanent Injunction - Fisher - Entered.pdf


title: Canadian resident sentenced to 3+ years in prison for more than $1 million fraud on COVID relief programs

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 45-year-old Nigerian citizen who defrauded U.S. COVID relief programs from his home in Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 42 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali, was arrested in February 2023, in Frankfurt, Germany, as he traveled back to Canada from Nigeria. Ambali was detained in Germany and was extradited to the U.S. last August. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan said, “It is clear that this involved a long series of serious fraudulent conduct.” “Mr. Ambali used the stolen identities of more than 630 American workers to fraudulently claim more than $1 million in pandemic unemployment benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The fraud created hardship for those who legitimately needed benefits and found someone had already filed a claim. This conduct, in the early days of COVID relief efforts, caused further disruption for thousands of people as Washington State stopped paying any claims for a time, while it tried to screen-out the fraud.” According to records filed in the case, Ambali and codefendant Fatiu Ismaila Lawal, 45, used the stolen identities of thousands of workers to submit over 1,700 claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to over 25 different states, including Washington State. In total, the claims sought approximately $25 million, but the conspirators obtained approximately $2.4 million, primarily from pandemic unemployment benefits. As part of his plea agreement Ambali agreed to make restitution of $1,035,107. The co-conspirators allegedly submitted claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to New York, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, California, Washington and some 19 other states. Using 13 Google accounts, they filed some 900 claims. The co-conspirators also allegedly established four internet domain names that they then used for fraud – creating some 800 different email addresses that were used for fraud. Additionally, between 2018 and 2021, Ambali used stolen personal information of eight U.S. citizens to try to claim tax refunds totaling more than $40,000. The IRS detected the fraud and did not pay the refunds. Ambali also attempted to use the stolen American identities for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA caught most of the fraud and paid only $2,500. Ambali and his co-conspirators had the proceeds of their fraud sent to cash cards or to “money mules” who transferred the funds according to instructions given by the co-conspirators. They also allegedly used stolen identities to open bank accounts and have the money deposited directly into those accounts for their use. In her memo asking for a five-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang noted that Ambali’s web search history indicates he continued his fraudulent scheme for nearly three years. “Amabli first searched for (the Employment Security) website on or about May 5, 2020, two days before his first fraudulent submission to ESD, and he most recently visited the page on February 20, 2023, the day before he was arrested and last had access to his devices. In other words, it is possible that Ambali—who had never even stepped foot in the United States much less worked in Washington State—was defrauding ESD until the day before his arrest last year.” Judge Bryan imposed five years of supervised release to follow prison. One condition is that he not enter the U.S. without permission from the Department of Homeland Security. Co-defendant Fatiu Ismaila Lawal was arrested in Canada in February 2023 and is pending extradition. The National Unemployment Fraud Task Force provided a lead on this case to the investigative team in Western Washington. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Also contributing to the investigation were Washington State Employment Security Division (ESD), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang of the Western District of Washington. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs is assisting. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Convicted sex offender sentenced for child pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man with two previous convictions for sexual offenses involving minors was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography. According to court documents, on Feb. 12, 2022, a person contacted Newport News Police to report sexually inappropriate messages between a minor and Eric Alan Starling, 45, on Snapchat. On March 8, 2022, an FBI task force officer contacted a probation officer and confirmed Starling’s identity and his status as a registered sex offender. A search of Starling’s Snapchat account confirmed that Starling was engaging in sexually inappropriate chats in which he openly admitted to being a sex offender and discussing with the minor how this could be a problem given their relative ages. Starling also had conversations with an underage individual that included talking about having sex with that individual and sending sexually inappropriate photos of himself. On June 28, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed on Starling’s residence. Nine electronic devices were seized. After being caught, Starling admitted that he was in possession of “all kinds” of pornography. Forensic analysis of his devices showed images of child sex abuse material. Starling was convicted on state charges in Virginia in 2006 and 2009. In 2006, Starling was found guilty of using a computer to solicit a minor. In 2009, Starling was found guilty of aggravated sexual battery of a child, taking indecent liberties with children, and sexually explicit material with a minor. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Heath and Lisa McKeel prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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 www.justice.gov/psc . 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-52.


title: Providence Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen U.S. Mail, Violating the Terms of Federal Supervised Release

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man found to be in possession of nearly $200,000 in stolen and fraudulent checks while serving a term of federal supervised release for an unrelated bank fraud conviction was sentenced today to eighteen months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. On February 2, 2023, during his arrest on an unrelated state narcotics charge, Edmilson Rodrigues, 25, was found by Providence Police Detectives to be in possession of ninety-one legitimate checks totaling approximately $170,758.26 and eight fraudulent checks totaling approximately $22,838.01. Also seized was blank check-paper stock used for creating fraudulent checks and a printer. The United States Postal Inspection Service determined that the legitimate checks seized from Rodrigues’ residence had been mailed out by various businesses but were never received by the intended recipients. Combined with the fraudulent checks, the intended loss totals $193,596.27. At the time of his arrest on an unrelated state drug charge in February 2023, Rodrigues was serving a term of federal supervised release that followed a sentence of twenty-four months of incarceration imposed by a federal judge in September 2020, as a result of his conviction on bank fraud charges. Rodrigues pleaded guilty in federal court on November 14, 2023, to a charge of possession of stolen mail. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to eighteen months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. The Court ordered that Rodrigues serve the first three months of federal supervised release at a halfway house. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ly T. Chin The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Providence Police Department. ###


title: Muskogee Resident Sentenced To Life For Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert William Rainford, age 51, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Rainford also received a consecutive sentence of 10 years for using a firearm to commit the offense. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office. On May 5, 2023, Rainford was found guilty at trial by a federal jury. According to investigators, on December 12, 2021, Rainford intentionally shot his neighbor multiple times in the head and torso, killing him. Law enforcement officers responding to the 911 emergency call encountered a bloodied Rainford, who directed them where to find the weapon. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Rainford was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Gross and Ryan Bondura represented the United States.


title: Memphis Resident Sentenced For Conspiracy To Commit Federal Firearm Offenses

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andria Victoria Dowdy, age 22, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for conspiring to violate federal firearms offenses, including unlawful possession of a silencer and unlawful possession of non-serialized firearm. The charges arose from investigations by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On June 1, 2023, Andria Victoria Dowdy and co-defendants Jemarcus Maquel Williams and Anfernee Deshon Sherrod each entered guilty pleas to one count of Conspiracy to violate federal firearms offenses. According to investigators, the trio conspired to obtain firearms in the State of Oklahoma. On December 29, 2021, Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop on I-40 in Sequoyah County. Law enforcement ultimately discovered Dowdy, Williams, and Sherrod in possession of six firearms with large capacity magazines and an unserialized silencer. On February 21, 2024, Williams and Sherrod were sentenced to 60 months in prison for their role in the offenses. The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over Dowdy’s sentencing hearing in Muskogee. Dowdy was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve her non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Buffalo man going to prison for 13 years on fentanyl conviction

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Maurice London, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 156 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that in April 2021, law enforcement began investigating London’s drug trafficking activities. Between April 29 and May 24, 2022, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of cocaine and fentanyl from London. On June 2, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at London’s residence. During the search they recovered approximately $13,416 cash, drug paraphernalia, suspected Suboxone strips, 5.6 grams of THC, five cell phones, suspected marijuana, 144 grams of fentanyl, 30 grams of crack cocaine, 6 grams of methamphetamine, and 72 grams of lidocaine. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, III, New York Field Division. # # # #


title: Silk Road Drug Trafficker Charged with Laundering Drug Proceeds through Cryptocurrency

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today against Matthew Gillum, 40, formerly of Loomis, charging him with engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Gillum was convicted in the Eastern District of California in 2014 with a federal drug trafficking offense. Gillum used the Silk Road website to solicit drug orders and receive payment in Bitcoin. After Gillum completed service of his 108-month prison sentence, he subsequently attempted to launder the drug trafficking proceeds through the legitimate financial system. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Gillum faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money laundered. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Rochester man who lured child to hotel for sex arrested, charged with enticement

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jonathan Woody, 30, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with enticement of a minor, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2024, Woody engaged in sexually explicit online and text communications with a 13-year-old minor victim that he met online. On January 2, 2024, Woody paid to transport the child to a hotel in Greece, NY, where he rented a room. While at the hotel, Woody provided alcohol and marijuana, and engaged in sexual acts with the minor victim. When the minor victim’s family realized that the child was missing from home, 911 was called to initiate a missing person investigation. The minor victim returned home on their own, at which time law enforcement learned of Woody’s interactions with the minor victim. Subsequent investigation led to the identification and arrest of Woody. The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was detained. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Pierce Brosnan fined for foot travel in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Pierce Brosnan, 70, of Malibu, California, was fined $500, and required to pay a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Fund, a $30 court processing fee, and a $10 special assessment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Mar. 14, in Mammoth, Wyoming. Mr. Brosnan pleaded guilty to foot travel in a thermal area. According to court documents, on or about Nov. 1, 2023, Brosnan uploaded pictures to his Instagram page of himself standing on a Yellowstone National Park thermal feature at Mammoth Hot Springs. There are signs posted in the area that warn visitors of the dangers of thermal features and state that visitors must remain on the designated boardwalks and trails. The United States Attorney’s Office asked the court to sentence Brosnan to 2 years’ probation and the maximum fine of $5,000. The National Park Service (NPS) reminds Yellowstone visitors that the ground in thermal areas is fragile and thin, and scalding water is just below the surface. Therefore, trespassing on thermal features is dangerous and can harm delicate natural resources within the park. Additionally, the park was established primarily to protect these hydrothermal areas. NPS encourages visitors to exercise extreme caution around thermal features by staying on boardwalks and trails. NPS also urges people to protect themselves and the fragile environment by taking the Yellowstone Pledge: act responsibly and safely and set a good example for others. If you see someone, in person or online, whose behavior might hurt them, others, or the park, tell a ranger. If you’re in the park, dial 911. Learn about safety in Yellowstone. For additional information related to Yellowstone National Park, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 307-344-2015 or yell_public_affairs@nps.gov . This crime was investigated by the National Park Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Arranging Large Shipments of Methamphetamine from California

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A California man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Downeast Maine. According to court records, between May 2022 and March 2023, Alex Hanna , 30, coordinated shipments of methamphetamine from a source in California to multiple individuals who distributed it in Downeast Maine. Hanna found others willing to either have USPS deliveries of methamphetamine shipped to their address or find other addresses where the packages could be delivered. Hanna, along with his conspirators, trafficked the methamphetamine in Maine. In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, Hanna also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering. He conspired with others in Maine to send money and proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine to his source in California using various money services, including Walmart2Walmart, Cash App, and Venmo. Hanna used coconspirators’ identifications and accounts to send the money in an effort to conceal and disguise his involvement in these transactions. Hanna faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison on the drug conspiracy charge and a maximum fine of $10 million. For the money laundering conspiracy charge, Hanna faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI, Ellsworth Police Department, Holden Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. ###


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Robbery

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darrin Renay Kimble, a/k/a Darrin Latroy Kimble, a/k/a Darrin Renay Teague, age 58, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Kimble admitted that on February 21, 2021, he took a television from the person and presence of the victim by force, violence, and intimidation. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Coweta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Kimble will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for International Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A leader of the Lorenzana drug trafficking organization was sentenced last week to 33 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $27 million for charges related to international drug trafficking. According to court documents, beginning in or about 2008 and continuing to at least 2019, Marta Julia Lorenzana-Cordon, 47, from Zacapa, Guatemala, was a leader of the Lorenzana drug trafficking organization, one of the largest and most influential drug cartels in Guatemala, which was comprised primarily of family members. The organization transports tonnage quantities of cocaine from Colombia into Guatemala, where the cocaine is inventoried and stored on properties owned by the organization throughout Guatemala. Once processed, the organization works with the Sinaloa Cartel, among other organizations, to traffic cocaine into Mexico, through Central America, and eventually, into the United States. Lorenzana-Cordon was extradited in December 2021 to the United States from Guatemala. She pleaded guilty on May 2, 2023, to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that it would be unlawfully imported to the United States. Between 1996 continuing through 2019, the organization coordinated the transportation, storage, and distribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Central America and Mexico, for eventual distribution into the United States. Lorenzana-Cordon’s siblings, Eliu Elixander Lorenzana-Cordon , 53, and Waldemar Lorenzana-Cordon , 59, were convicted in March 2019 on international narcotics trafficking charges in the District of Columbia and sentenced to life in prison. Lorenzana-Cordon’s father, Waldemar Lorenzana-Lima Sr. , who has since passed away, pleaded guilty in August 2014 to international narcotics trafficking charges in the District of Columbia and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement. This investigation is part of “Operation Slipknot,” which is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The DEA’s 959/Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA Guatemala City Country Office. The Justice Department thanks the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for their support and contributions to the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants. The department appreciates the assistance provided by the government of Guatemala. Trial Attorneys Imani Hutty and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.


title: Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than Two Decades in Federal Prison for the Sexual Exploitation of Minors

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced today in federal court for producing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Chad Lawlor, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 25 years in prison and 30 years of supervised release. Lawlor pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor on November 13, 2023. “The defendant is a recidivist sex offender that continued to prey upon and exploit children long after his previous conviction for hands-on sex offenses against a minor,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence ensures that the public will be safe from the defendant for more than two decades. We will never be able to undo the immeasurable harm Lawlor caused his survivors, but I hope today’s lengthy sentence provides the survivors some measure of comfort and justice that they deeply deserve.” “Lawlor, already a convicted sex offender, manipulated young children into engaging in sexually explicit conduct in a private video chat which he recorded. He was the ringleader of an online group devoted to the sharing of images and videos that immortalized the abuse of innocent kids for the members’ own sick gratification. Today’s sentence takes him off the street,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “We stand with the families of those Lawlor preyed on and hope today’s sentence can bring some closure as they begin to move forward.” "NH ICAC is honored and privileged to work with so many dedicated law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys,” said Lieutenant Eric Kinsman, Commander of the New Hampshire ICAC Task Force. “It's this type of professional and collaborative relationship that brings cases like this to a successful conclusion and helps the victims of these heinous crimes take one step closer to the peace and happiness they deserve." “Anyone who chooses to engage in the sexual exploitation of children possess a significant threat to society,” said Chief Kevin Rourke of the Nashua Police Department. “The Nashua Police Department is committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those individuals to the fullest extent of the law.” Lawlor was identified during an online undercover investigation as being the administrator of an online chat group that was devoted to the exchange of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Lawlor used the chat group to both send and receive images of CSAM with other users. Lawlor is a registered sex offender based on a 2005 Massachusetts conviction for indecent assault and battery on a person over 14. Pursuant to a search warrant in April 2021, federal agents seized and examined two cell phones belonging to Lawlor, one of which contained numerous videos Lawlor created while engaged in online video chats with minors. During the video chats, Lawlor directed the minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Lawlor used the screen recording function of his cell phone to create videos of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from the video chats. Lawlor pled guilty to charges relating to four identified minors ranging in age from 8 to 13 years old. Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for His Role in a Straw Purchasing Conspiracy and Illegal Possession of Firearms

body_text: CONCORD – A convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring with straw purchasers to buy him firearms, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Mario Marques, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Joseph Laplante to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On December 4, 2023, Marques pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements during the acquisition of firearms, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. “The defendant as a felon was prohibited from possessing guns. Yet, he was undeterred by the law in his criminal pursuit as he recruited others to purchase guns for him,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The firearms Marques illegally possessed and sold were recovered during investigations of drug trafficking and shooting crimes. His customers included juveniles, gang members, and criminals. As evident from today’s sentence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to target those that perpetuate violence in our communities.” "Far too often, the firearms that law enforcement officers seize during the commission of violent crimes, originate from straw purchasers,” said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Boston Field Division. “In order to combat gun violence, we need to attack it at its source, which is straw purchasing. Mr. Marques' sentence ensures our entire community that they are a bit safer knowing he will be serving time in prison for his crimes. This is a great outcome, thank you to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” Between September 30 and November 20, 2021, Marques solicited straw purchasers to obtain firearms for him from multiple federally licensed firearms dealers in New Hampshire. Marques is a convicted felon and is legally prohibited from purchasing firearms himself. In obtaining the firearms, Marques selected the guns in advance for the straw purchasers to buy for him. On several occasions, Marques accompanied a straw purchaser to a firearms dealership, where the straw purchaser lied on the forms required to purchase the guns by saying he was buying the guns for himself, when he was really buying them for Marques. Among other guns, Marques possessed a Springfield Armory Model XD .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol purchased in New Hampshire during the course of the conspiracy. Law enforcement officers recovered the Springfield Armory pistol on June 3, 2022 during investigation of a separate crime in Brockton, Massachusetts. Marques sold this firearm, as well as other firearms that straw purchasers bought for him, to other individuals, including gang members, who used the guns in connection with crimes. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Former Bethel Park Police Lieutenant Sentenced for Transporting Illegal Alien Within the United States

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on March 13, 2024, to three years of probation, a $2,000 fine, and 50 hours of community service following his conviction of transporting an illegal alien within the United States, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Blake Thomas Babin, 60. According to information presented to the Court in connection with Babin’s guilty plea, from October 20, 2022, through December 30, 2022, Babin—at the time, a lieutenant with the Bethel Park Police Department—provided funding to an 18-year-old Venezuelan female living in Colombia for her transportation from Colombia to the border between Mexico and the United States, so that she could cross illegally into the United States. After two unsuccessful attempts, the female was able to get through the border somewhere near El Paso, Texas, where Babin was waiting to transport her to Phoenix and then to Pittsburgh. Babin admitted that he met the female in Colombia, where she was working as a prostitute. Text exchanges between the two, obtained during the investigation, revealed, in part, that Babin helped smuggle the female into the United States and then transported her knowing that she illegally entered the country because he “loved her” and wanted her to help him “keep his house.” “Blake Babin betrayed his sworn oath to uphold the law when he paid for a Venezuelan teenager’s transportation to the United States border, knowing that she would then attempt to enter the country illegally so that they could carry on a romantic relationship,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “When police officers violate federal criminal law, this office will work in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold them accountable.” Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, assisted by the Amtrak Police Department’s Pittsburgh Field Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Babin.


title: Southgate Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Exploiting Teen Girl

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - A Southgate resident was sentenced to 15 years for sexually exploiting a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit field office. Nopphadon Ninsawat, 32, was convicted on November 28, 2023, following a 4-day jury trial before United States District Judge David M. Lawson. Ninsawat met the 15-year-old victim on Snapchat. After they communicated for some time, the victim’s mother discovered the communications, contacted the defendant, and told him that her daughter was 15-years old. The defendant agreed not to have further contact with her. Instead, the defendant resumed requesting that the child produce sexually explicit images, even though she indicated that she no longer wanted to do so. The defendant persisted, and the victim eventually produced numerous images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. “This sentence will hopefully bring some closure to the victim of this defendant’s offenses and serve as warning to those who would seek to exploit the children of this District.” stated United States Attorney. “The communities we serve can sleep easier knowing that predators like Ninsawat are off our streets,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. "HSI along with our partners will continue to aggressively investigate and root out child exploitation wherever it may be.” The crime was originally investigated by the Gibraltar Police Department, who then enlisted the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tara Hindelang and Christopher Rawsthorne.


title: Financial analyst pleads guilty to $1.3M embezzlement scheme

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his part in embezzling over $1.3 million from his employer. According to court documents, beginning in 2019, Luis Lee, 38, was the Senior Financial Analyst for a health services provider headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The company operates counseling and therapy programs, a foster care program, and programs focused on autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lee was promoted to Treasury Manager in October 2022. As Senior Financial Analyst and Treasury Manager, Lee was responsible for monitoring the company’s bank accounts and payment processing, ensuring quality standards with third-party vendors, conducting risk and cash flow forecasting, and working with internal and external auditors, among other responsibilities. In March 2020, Lee and a co-conspirator, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company, set up a fake vendor called JKemp Consulting LLC, and Lee opened a business checking account for JKemp. The CFO drafted a fraudulent engagement letter purporting to reflect an agreement between JKemp and the company to pay JKemp $100,000 per month in exchange for “various strategic and consulting services.” Beginning on March 26, 2020, the CFO drafted and submitted 12 fraudulent JKemp invoices for a total of $1,140,000, all of which his employees processed for payment in accordance with his instructions. Lee processed payments for some of the invoices, which he knew were fraudulent. Lee and the CFO divided the proceeds between themselves. Lee and the CFO also bilked the company for $177,962 through a scheme to take advantage of a tuition reimbursement benefit. The company allowed employees to seek reimbursement for certain approved educational expenses for a maximum reimbursement of $5,250 per year. Between November 2020 and December 2022, the CFO drafted false documentation showing Lee’s purported enrollment in Hofstra University’s Master of Business Administration program. Though Lee was never enrolled in the program, Lee and the CFO caused the company to process the maximum reimbursement in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In November 2022, a final fraudulent reimbursement of $162,212 was processed. Finally, in April 2022, the CFO directed an employee in his department to “pay out [Lee’s] entire vacation balance on the next payroll.” The employee processed the payment as directed, paying Lee approximately $6,000. The company’s policies authorized neither the directive to pay out Lee’s unused vacation hours nor Lee’s receipt of the funds. In total, the conspirators misappropriated approximately $1,323,962 from the company. Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Day and Thomas A. Garnett are prosecuting 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. 3: 24-cr-30.


title: Two Cocaine Traffickers Are Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Charlotte-based members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) were sentenced to prison today for trafficking large quantities of cocaine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. Carlos Hernandez Landeiro, 33, and Holly Christine Furlough, 31, both of Charlotte, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. A third co-defendant, Dante Rashaun Ramseur, 44, of Hickory, North Carolina, was previously sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement conducting an investigation into drug trafficking networks in Catawba County determined that Ramseur was distributing significant quantities of cocaine in the Hickory area. Investigators further determined that the cocaine was supplied to Ramseur by Landeiro and Furlough. On February 13, 2023, Landeiro and Furlough attempted to deliver cocaine to Ramseur, which he then intended to sell to an undercover officer. Later that day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Landeiro and Furlough’s residence. During the search, law enforcement seized 26 kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia to include a vacuum sealer, a money counter, and more than $120,000 in cash drug proceeds. Court records show that the defendants’ residence where the cocaine was seized is next door to a Charlotte high school. In September 2023, Landeiro and Furlough pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine near a school. They are currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes the DEA, the FBI, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. 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 . Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Beckley Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lorenzo B. Herbert, 34, of Beckley, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence near Beckley. Officers found quantities of fentanyl, a substance containing methamphetamine and $8,245. Herbert admitted that he was mixing and preparing fentanyl for distribution in the residence’s kitchen at the time the search warrant was executed. Herbert further admitted that the cash represented proceeds of previous drug trafficking activity. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), FBI Chicago, and the Chicago Police Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. 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. 5:22-cr-193. ###


title: New Baltimore Pharmacist Sentenced To Over 8 Years In Prison For Filling Fake Prescriptions

body_text: DETROIT –A New Baltimore resident was sentenced yesterday to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison following her convictions fo 26 drug-related crimes, including unlawful distribution of controlled substances and conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription drug-controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Joining Ison in the announcement were Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Hasna Bashir Iwas, 62, the owner and operator of Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan was sentenced by United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson following a jury trial. The convictions resulted from defendant’s operation of Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park during 2013-2018. The defendant regularly filled many prescriptions issued by a local doctor, Otis Crawford. Dr. Crawford was charged with unlawfully writing controlled substance prescriptions and pleaded guilty, but died before his sentencing. Pharmacist Iwas was held criminally responsible for distributing over 300,000 dosage units of controlled substances. The drugs had an estimated street value of $1.8 to $3.3 million. She personally received gross income of $781,546 from the illegal distribution of pills from her pharmacy. As part of her sentence, she was ordered to forfeit $781,546, which represents the proceeds of her drug dealing. “My office will continue to devote resources to prosecuting healthcare professionals such as this defendant, who use their trusted roles as healthcare providers to deal drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Detroit Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne F. Pratt, while forfeiture litigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gjon Juncaj.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches Settlement with Chandler Nail Salon to End Disability Discrimination

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2024-030_Canvas Nails & Spa LLC

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with an Arizona nail salon to resolve allegations that the salon discriminates against individuals with mobility impairments in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino announced today. Under the settlement, Canvas Nails & Spa LLC, of Chandler, agrees to adopt and post in a conspicuous place a non-discrimination policy, to train current and future employees on the requirements of Title III of the ADA, and to pay $500 in damages to the individual complainant in this matter. Title III prohibits disability discrimination in places of public accommodation, like nail salons. The settlement resolves allegations that Canvas Nails & Spa LLC discriminated against persons with mobility impairments by refusing equal services to those using a wheelchair. The Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts under the ADA seek equal opportunity and dignity in all aspects of life, including access to public accommodations such as nail salons. This settlement agreement is the seventh agreement that the Department of Justice has reached with a nail salon through its U.S. Attorney Program for ADA Enforcement, and the second in the District of Arizona. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov . Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination in Arizona may file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAAZ.CivRightsCompl@usdoj.gov or (602) 528-7299. In 2022, U.S. Attorney Restaino created an Affirmative Civil Rights Section within the Phoenix Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office with the sole focus on enforcing federal civil rights laws, including the ADA, with the goal of protecting and upholding the civil rights of all Arizonans. The Affirmative Civil Rights Section handled this matter. Canvas Nails & Spa Settlement Agreement RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-030_Canvas Nails & Spa LLC # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Malden Food Market Settles Allegations of Food Safety Law Violations

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A retail food market in Malden – operating under a consent decree for previous violations of federal law relating to the sale and transport of misbranded and uninspected meat food and poultry products – has entered into a settlement agreement with the government to resolve allegations that it violated the law for the third time in four years. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Kim Long Market Malden, LLC and its managers, Chien Hong Pham, Thomas Pham and Tien Manh Pham, will voluntarily close the business, pay civil penalties and restrict their future employment in the food retail business. In 2019, the defendants entered into a consent decree with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and admitted that they had purchased, offered for sale and sold meat food products that were not inspected by USDA and were misbranded in violation of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA). In addition, the defendants admitted that they failed to maintain appropriate business records concerning those meat products. The defendants also agreed to pay civil penalties and be subject to other restrictions if they violated the FMIA again. Since entering into the consent decree, the defendants have violated the FMIA twice –in 2020 and again in January 2023 – by selling and offering to sell 217 pounds of uninspected and misbranded meat food products to retail customers. The settlement agreement, which resolves the January 2023 allegations, requires the defendants immediately pay $65,000 in civil penalties and holds in abeyance an obligation to pay an additional $262,000 in civil penalties if the defendants close Kim Long Market; Chien Hong Pham and Thomas Pham agree to not work in the retail food business again; and Tien Manh Pham agrees to not own or manage a food retail business and report his employment with any food retail business for a period of five years. “Consumers should be able to trust that their food is produced and sold under safe and sanitary conditions,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This settlement agreement protects the public and holds the defendants accountable for their repeated failures to comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act.” “The work our personnel do every day is critical to protecting public health,” said Administrator Paul Kiecker of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. “We do not tolerate repeated violations of the laws and regulations in place to protect American families.” Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and USDA FSIS Administrator Kiecker made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.


title: Hyattsville Man Pleads Guilty to Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine and to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Garrison Thomas, age 41, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”). According to his guilty plea, on December 27, 2022, Thomas was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by PGPD officers for having expired Virginia registration tags. As officers approached the vehicle, they detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and asked the driver and Thomas to exit the vehicle. Thomas was asked to put his hands on top of the car and as an officer attempted to pat him down a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Thomas shed his coat and ran from the scene, followed by PGPD officers. Another office picked up Thomas’ coat and recovered a 9mm pistol loaded with approximately 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition from the coat. Thomas was apprehended and arrested. In the car, law enforcement located a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle and a digital scale with suspected cocaine residue. A search of Thomas recovered approximately $328 in cash, approximately 1.138 grams of para-fluorofentanyl; an open plastic bag corner containing approximately 4.840 grams of crack cocaine; two knotted plastic bag corners containing approximately 2.906 grams of powder cocaine, and approximately .545 grams of loose powder and crack cocaine. Thomas admitted that the firearm, ammunition, magazine and cash constituted proceeds of his drug trafficking activity, or were used or intended to be used, to facilitate Thomas’s drug offense. Further, Thomas knew that he had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Thomas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawn M. Ellison and Kelly O. Hayes, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI Beckley

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Dana Stewart, 30, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 30, 2022, Stewart struck another inmate with a handcrafted weapon, a lock attached to a sock. FCI Beckley staff witnessed the incident and recovered the weapon afterward. Stewart admitted to possessing a prohibited item that was designed and intended to be used as a weapon. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted 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-55. ###


title: Annapolis Drug Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Orlando Ray Coleman, Sr., age 44, of Millersville, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; and Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson. According to his guilty plea, in November 2019, law enforcement received information about several drug trafficking organizations operating in and around the Annapolis, Maryland area and identified Orland Ray Coleman, Sr. as a drug trafficker operating in the Annapolis and Baltimore metropolitan areas and who was believed to be responsible for distributing drugs to other drug trafficking organizations in the Annapolis area. Additional investigation revealed that Clarence Coby was a source of supply to Coleman, specifically providing Coleman and other Annapolis-areas drug traffickers with fentanyl and cocaine. In mid-May 2021, several search warrants were executed on houses associated with Coleman. From Coleman’s house in Millersville, investigators recovered approximately $39,280 from a safe in the main bedroom. At a house in Glen Burnie, Maryland, believed to be his stash location, investigators recovered a total of approximately 256 grams of fentanyl, approximately 192 grams of cocaine, approximately 43 grams of crack cocaine, and approximately 453 grams of heroin, and paraphernalia to include numerous gel caps with residue, and two scales with residue, among other items. Additionally, from the bedroom closet law enforcement recovered a rifle, one magazine with 6 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, one 7.62 x 39 round magazine with 32 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, and a full box of loose ammunition in a grey box from a suitcase and a second rifle was recovered from another suitcase in the closet. Coleman admitted that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, and that the firearms, magazines, and ammunition constituted proceeds of Coleman’s drug trafficking activity or were used, or intended to be used, to facilitate Coleman’s drug trafficking activity. On November 28, 2023, Clarence Coby, age 48, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA-led High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Howard County Police Departments, the Laurel City Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department; the FBI Annapolis Safe Streets Task Force; the Anne Arundel County Police Department; and the Annapolis Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Chippewa Falls Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Possessing Firearms as a Felon

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Brandon Herman, 42, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 11 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon. Herman pleaded guilty to these charges on December 5, 2023. On May 25, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s rural residence in the Town of Lafayette in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, where they found numerous handguns and a rifle. Herman is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his previous felony convictions for possessing, manufacturing, and delivering controlled substances and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. During the search of Herman’s residence, law enforcement also found $19,438 in U.S. currency, more than 7 kilograms of marijuana, and more than 1 kilogram of methamphetamine inside a safe. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted Herman’s dramatic disregard for the law and substantial criminal history. Judge Peterson told Herman that he posed an ongoing danger to the community because he continued to commit dangerous drug and gun crimes. The charges against Herman were the result of an investigation conducted by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, West Central Drug Task Force, St. Paul (Minnesota) Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Former Pearl Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A former police officer with the Pearl, Mississippi Police Department, pleaded guilty today to one count of acting under color of law to deprive a person of his civil rights. According to court documents and information presented in court, Michael Christian Green, 26, while on duty as a certified law enforcement officer with the Pearl Police Department, forced an arrestee in custody to lick urine from the floor of a holding cell within the police department. Green pleaded guilty to Deprivation of Civil Rights Under Color of Law in violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 242. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison. A federal magistrate judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Jackson Division of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff is prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know has been the victim of abuse by a law enforcement officer, call the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI, email tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Jackson Field Office at 601-948-5000


title: Sudbury Bookkeeper Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fraud Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A former bookkeeper for a Lexington interior design firm was sentenced today to two years in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud charges in connection with embezzling more than $180,000 from her former employer. Christina Iannelli, 51, of Sudbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Iannelli was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $185,120. In December 2023, Iannelli pleaded guilty to seven counts of bank fraud. Iannelli was an independent contractor for an interior design firm based in Lexington. Beginning in or about October 2018, Iannelli prepared dozens of fraudulent invoices with inflated totals derived from inaccurate math, and then issued herself checks for the inflated amounts due from the firm’s checking account. Additionally, beginning in or about July 2019, Iannelli issued herself dozens of additional unauthorized checks. In both instances, Iannelli used a signature stamp in the name of the firm’s owner to issue the fraudulent checks. To conceal the fraudulent payments, Iannelli made false entries in the firm’s accounting records. In total, Iannelli embezzled more than $30,000 through inflated compensation checks and more than $150,000 through additional unauthorized checks. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lexington Police Chief Michael McLean made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Sudbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Drug, Gun Crimes

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a man who was caught with fentanyl, methamphetamine and two fully automatic handguns to 65 months in prison. Courtlend Green was spotted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives with the Mobile Reserve Unit on Jan. 3, 2023, driving into the parking lot of a supermarket in the 8300 block of North Broadway where he was known to sell drugs. Because of his history of fleeing from police, officers deployed tire deflation devices in front of Green’s Honda Crosstour before activating their lights and trying to approach Green’s car. Green sped away before crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of North Broadway and Gimblin Road. Green got out and ran before officers caught and arrested him. Green’s Honda contained two Glock handguns that were equipped with illegal “switches,” or auto sears, that converted them into fully automatic weapons. One was stolen and had a drum magazine. The other had an extended magazine. Green, who is a convicted felon and therefore barred from the possession of firearms, admitted both possessing the firearms and buying the Glock switches for them. Officers also found about 64 grams of meth and at least 18 grams of fentanyl. Green, 27, pleaded guilty in December to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In June of 2022, Green pleaded guilty in St. Louis Circuit Court to involuntary manslaughter related to a shootout a short distance from the supermarket, according to a detention motion filed in the federal case. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis Man Admits Home Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Thursday admitted using his brother’s identity to fraudulently obtain about $31,700 from the Missouri Medicaid Program. Christopher J. Spencer, 46, waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to five counts of making false statements relating to health care benefits. Spencer admitted making false statements from June 2018 to February 2022 in connection with claims for Medicaid-reimbursed personal care assistance services. Spencer previously received those services, which can include housekeeping, meals, bathing, grooming and transportation, from his brother, who lived with Spencer. At that time, his brother was reimbursed for the services by the Missouri Medicaid Program and its vendors via a debit card. After his brother moved out in 2018, Spencer continued to submit, on a near daily basis, time sheets and Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) records falsely claiming that his brother was providing care for him. Spencer also submitted enrollment paperwork to the Medicaid vendor listing his brother as his personal care attendant and containing his brother’s forged signature. In reality, Spencer’s brother never provided services to Spencer after June 2018. Spencer retained the debit card used by the Missouri Medicaid Program and its vendors to reimburse his brother and spent the fraudulently-obtained payments deposited onto the card. Between June 2018 and February 2022, Spencer fraudulently received about $31,700 on the debit card that he used for personal expenses such as bills, rent, groceries, shopping and hotels. He also used his brother’s name and personal information to obtain loans or advances on reimbursement payments from the Medicaid vendor. “Through his scheme to defraud the Medicaid program, the defendant stole taxpayer funds meant to pay for legitimate services for eligible beneficiaries,” said Linda Hanley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will hold accountable those who exploit federal health care system for personal gain.” Spencer is scheduled to be sentenced August 4. Each false statement charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. Spencer will also be ordered to repay the money. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Two Madison Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that two Madison men have been sentenced in connection with fentanyl trafficking. Tysean J. Pollard, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 24 months for distributing fentanyl. Pollard pleaded guilty to this charge on December 20, 2023. In June 2023, the Madison Police Department conducted two undercover buys of fentanyl pills involving Pollard. During the two controlled buys, Pollard assisted with selling an undercover officer fentanyl pills weighing 52.8 grams and 50.7 grams. At Pollard’s sentencing, Judge Peterson noted his youthful age and the minor role he played in distributing fentanyl. In a related case, Judge Peterson sentenced Steven P. Dixon, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, on March 12, 2024, to 122 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Dixon pleaded guilty to these charges on December 18, 2023. The prison sentence will be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. From late April to early June 2023, Madison Police Department conducted five undercover buys of fentanyl pills from Dixon. During the last buy, which also involved Pollard, Dixon sold an undercover officer 500 fentanyl pills weighing a total of 50.7 grams. Officers arrested him on June 28, 2023. Contemporaneously with his arrest, officers searched Dixon’s bags and found fentanyl pills weighing a total of 911.2 grams, 2 digital scales, drug packaging material, and 8 unfired 9mm cartridges. At Dixon’s sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that fentanyl presented a serious public health concern and that Dixon had contributed to that concern with his large-scale drug dealing. Judge Peterson acknowledged that Dixon was not a king pin but found that he was more than a street-level dealer and that he had benefited financially from his dealing. Judge Peterson also noted that the defendant had a history of violence and of resisting arrest, including in this case. The charges against Pollard and Dixon were the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Madison Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.


title: Seventeen Defendants Charged in Connection with Cocaine Trafficking Operation Originating in Puerto Rico

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Seventeen individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The defendants were charged in two Indictments that were unsealed today and allege that, between September 2022 and March 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania, specifically in the New Castle area, as well as in Youngstown, Ohio. As alleged in the Indictments, members of the two charged groups would transport, either by person or mail, drugs from Puerto Rico to Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere to distribute those drugs as part of an ongoing illicit business enterprise. Two of the defendants, Daniel Feliciano and Markus Hobel, allegedly possessed firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking. Another defendant, Jamie Klinesmith, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute a significant quantity of methamphetamine. A complete list of the defendants, charges, and maximum penalties is included at the bottom of this release. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant. “Today’s indictments represent an important step toward dismantling a multi-state drug trafficking operation that brought significant quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Western Pennsylvania and our neighbors in Ohio,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to work collaboratively to keep our communities safe from drug traffickers and, in particular, those who choose to carry firearms in connection with their drug dealing.” “Joint investigations that involve federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together as part of the HIDTA and OCDETF programs are what lead to successful cases and significant indictments, as is the case here,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “These individuals are accused of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and firearms from outside the continental United States, specifically Puerto Rico, to right here in Western Pennsylvania. I commend the efforts of all the agencies involved.” Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation resulting in the Indictments in this case, with significant assistance from the New Castle Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture. Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. List of Defendants Feliciano Indictment: Name Age Place of Residence Charges Maximum Penalty Daniel Feliciano 47 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine on various dates 20 years’ imprisonment Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime Life imprisonment Luciano Bratini Rivera 36 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine on various dates 20 years’ imprisonment Antonio Bernacett Rodriguez 39 Barceloneta, Puerto Rico Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering Five years’ imprisonment Jean Sanchez Tulla 37 Florida, Puerto Rico Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering Five years’ imprisonment Ruben Noel Sanchez 28 Youngstown, Ohio Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Jamie Klinesmith 39 Ellwood City, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine Life imprisonment Amanda Kelosky 37 Ellwood City, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Thomas James Myers 45 Ellwood City, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Roberto Muniz Sanchez 45 Rochester, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Rubel Sanchez 21 Youngstown, Ohio Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Markus Hobel 34 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine 20 years’ imprisonment Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime Life imprisonment Dorothy Myers 41 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine 20 years’ imprisonment Lindsay Ostrom 37 Ellwood City, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine 20 years’ imprisonment Glenn Samuels 32 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine 20 years’ imprisonment Tulla Torres Indictment: Name Age Place of Residence Charges Maximum Penalty Kevin Tulla Torres 28 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine Life imprisonment Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine 20 years’ imprisonment Luis Rivera Otero 37 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment Franchely Shymko Vazquez 31 New Castle, PA Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 40 years’ imprisonment


title: Former Kentucky Federal Corrections Lieutenant Sentenced for Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate and Writing False Reports

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) lieutenant, Ryan O. Elliott, 47, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to assaulting one inmate and writing a false report about the assault of a second inmate in an unrelated incident. Two other former corrections officers at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Kentucky – Samuel Patrick, 41, and Clinton Pauley, 42 – previously pleaded guilty to related offenses and were sentenced to 36 and 40 months in prison, respectively. Another prison official, former Lieutenant Kevin Pearce, 39, was convicted of related offenses after a six-day trial and was sentenced to 66 months in prison. “While he was a lieutenant in a federal prison, this defendant violently assaulted an inmate and then worked with other officers to cover up the assault of a second inmate,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Supervisors should lead by example — not abuse their authority by using excessive force against inmates entrusted to their care and by helping colleagues conceal misconduct. The Justice Department will vigorously pursue law enforcement officers at the local, state or federal level who commit, condone or enable violations of constitutional rights.” “Not only did Elliot have a profound responsibility to protect people in his custody and care, he had an even greater one — to ensure that those under his supervision also protected them,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “He fell well short on both counts. Instead of honoring his obligations, he acquiesced in the abuse by his subordinates and then tried to cover it up. He now faces the consequences of this betrayal of the public trust placed in him.” “Rather than perform his supervisory responsibilities and ensure that FBOP staff complied with the law, former Lieutenant Elliot joined with other FBOP staff to assault an inmate and to lie about a separate FBOP staff assault of an inmate,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. Hannah of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Midwest Region. “Today’s sentencing sends an important message to FBOP supervisors that they will be held to account for such egregious acts.” “Our commitment to protecting citizens’ civil rights does not end at the gates of a prison. There is simply no place in our justice system for law enforcement officers, especially supervisors, who are willing to assault those under their protection and then cover up their misdeeds,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “Our society trusts law enforcement to provide equal protection for the incarcerated. Breaching that trust has consequences, and FBI Louisville and its partners will work to hold those accountable who choose to abuse the power afforded them.” According to court documents and evidence introduced at the trial of Pearce, Elliott, who at that time held the rank of lieutenant, joined Pauley and other officers in assaulting one inmate and, in a separate incident, wrote false reports about the assault of another inmate. On March 26, 2021, Elliott was present when an inmate was taken to a room with no cameras following a non-violent violation of prison rules. When another officer began to assault the inmate, Elliott assisted by tackling the inmate to the ground and punching him in the body. Elliott continued to assault the inmate, and Pauley joined. On or about April 30, 2021, Elliott was asked by Pearce to help cover up an assault against another inmate who had been beaten by Pauley and Patrick. Elliott, who had not been present for that assault, agreed to help Pearce cover up the assault by writing a false report claiming that he had been there and had seen no assault. DOJ-OIG and the FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Thomas Johnson and Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the case.


title: Moldovan National Sentenced To Federal Prison For Operating Websites Involved In The Illicit Sale Of Compromised Computer Credentials

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. Senior District Judge James Moody, Jr. has sentenced Sandu Boris Diaconu (31, Moldova) to 42 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit access device and computer fraud and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. Diaconu pleaded guilty on December 1, 2023. According to court documents, Diaconu developed, published online, and conspired with others to manage the operations of the E-Root Marketplace, a series of websites that operated for years and was used to sell access to compromised computers worldwide, including servers belonging to companies and individuals in the United States. The E-Root Marketplace operated across a widely distributed network and took steps to hide the identities of its administrators, buyers, and sellers. Buyers could search for compromised computer credentials on E-Root, such as usernames and passwords that would allow buyers to access remote computers for purposes of stealing private information or manipulating the contents of the remote computer. Buyers could search for credentials by desired criteria, such as price, geographic location, internet service provider, and operating system. The Marketplace also used Perfect Money, an online payment system, in order to help conceal buyers’ payments, and it offered its illicit cryptocurrency exchange service for the purpose of converting Bitcoin to Perfect Money and vice-versa. This exchange was also seized. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, authorities believe that more than 350,000 credentials were listed for sale on the Marketplace. The victims span the globe and all industries, as well as at least one local government agency in Tampa. Many victims were subject to ransomware attacks, and some of the stolen credentials listed on the Marketplace were linked to stolen identity tax fraud schemes. Diaconu was arrested while attempting to leave the United Kingdom in May 2021, at the request of the United States, and extradited to the United States on October 13, 2023. This U.S. investigation was led by the IRS – Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C) and the FBI – Tampa Division. Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS – Criminal Investigation (Tampa Field Office), the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, IRS-CI and FBI International Operations at Mission UK, the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, and the U.S. Marshals Service (Tampa Field Office). The criminal investigation was overseen at various stages of the prosecution by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Adam J. Duso. Asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.