title: Former officer imprisoned for smuggling cocaine

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Raymondville resident has been sentenced for trafficking drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury deliberated for two hours before convicting Juan Posas Jr. June 27 of trafficking cocaine and conspiracy to do so. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Posas to serve 162 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At sentencing the Government pointed out Juan Posas knew the consequences of the actions he was taking. Posas is a former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. At trial, the jury heard that on June 6, 2022, Posas traveled from Raymondville to a Home Depot in Weslaco where he met with Alexis Soria-Soria, 25, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States. Soria then transferred a box containing approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine into Posas’ truck. At trial, the jury heard recordings of phone conversations in which Posas helped plan the drug smuggling attempt. However, the defense attempted to convince the jury that Soria approached him in the parking lot and simply asked if he wanted free fruits, then placed a box of fruits in his car. He said he never checked the box to see what was inside. The jury did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged. Posas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jongwoo Chung and Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Daryl Williams was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Williams, age 24 of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon ordered Williams to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Williams pled guilty last year to (1) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 6, 2018; and (2) to possession of another firearm in furtherance of another drug trafficking crime on May 29, 2018. Williams was on bond for the May 6 crime when he committed the May 29 crime. Williams possessed the firearms to further his fentanyl and heroin trafficking. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Greentree Police Department, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Linesville Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearm Laws

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Linesville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Suzanne Ray King, 48, 15520 Hindman Road, Linesville, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in and around August 2021, King possessed three firearms while being a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm. In addition, one of the firearms was an illegal, unregistered sawed off shotgun. Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for January 9, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the court continued King on bond. Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of King.


title: Adair County Resident Sentenced For Discharging Firearm During Violent Crime

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 Kaleb Thomas Linville, age 24, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On May 10, 2022, Linville pleaded guilty to brandishing and discharging a firearm during a robbery. According to investigators, Linville robbed an area fisherman in the early hours of March 4, 2022. During the robbery, Linville brandished a semi-automatic rifle at the fisherman, ordered him into the water, fired a round, struck him with the rifle butt, stole his phone, wallet, and car keys, then drove off in the victim's car. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “You wake up bright and early to go fishing and meet the likes of Mr. Linville; it’s not the big fish story anyone should have to tell. Mr. Linville’s behavior was violent and aggressive; two adjectives that don’t go well with firearm possession. Because of his thoughtless actions, he gets to spend 10 years in federal prison,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “I would like to thank our partners at Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office for helping to put a stop to Mr. Linville’s violence.” “This office is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who disrupt the safety and security of our communities, especially when defendants use firearms to perpetrate their crimes,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Linville will remain in 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 Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at sentencing.


title: Marshalltown Woman and Des Moines Man sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: DES MOINES, IA – On April 14, 2023, a Marshalltown woman, Elizabeth Andrade, 31, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, and on July 10, 2023, a Des Moines man, Adam Michael Browning, 38, was sentenced to 180 months in prison, for their respective roles in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Both were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; Browning also plead guilty to carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. As early as July 2021, through April 2022, Andrade conspired with Browning to distribute methamphetamine in the Des Moines, Iowa, area. As part of that conspiracy, Andrade acted as a broker or middleman and introduced Browning to methamphetamine sources in Marshalltown, Des Moines, and Mexico. Andrade sent drug proceeds via wire transfer to Browning’s sources in Mexico. Browning sold methamphetamine to several customers and throughout the conspiracy he possessed several firearms. Their conspiracy involved over 20 pounds of methamphetamine. Following their prison terms, Andrade and Browning each must complete five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (MINE) Task Force Des Moines Resident Office; Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.


title: Pharmacist Convicted for Conspiring to Unlawfully Dispense Over 100,000 Opioid Pills

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Houston convicted a Texas pharmacist yesterday for her role in a pill-mill pharmacy that unlawfully dispensed over 100,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2014 to January 2018, Deanna Winfield-Gates, 54, of Houston, was a relief pharmacist at Health Fit Pharmacy (Health Fit), a cash-only, pill-mill pharmacy. Health Fit dispensed controlled substances to drug traffickers in exchange for hundreds of dollars, often based on prescriptions that were fraudulent and issued in the names of physicians whose identities were stolen. Winfield-Gates filled large volumes of cookie-cutter prescriptions for the opioids hydrocodone 10-325mg and oxycodone 30mg and for carisoprodol, alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine, often in combination, knowing these controlled substances were likely to be diverted or abused. The jury convicted Winfield-Gates of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Winfield-Gates was the last-remaining defendant charged in this case. Three co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Field Division made the announcement. The DEA investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Pharmacist convicted for conspiring to unlawfully dispense over 100,000 opioid pills

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A federal jury in Houston has convicted a Texas pharmacist for her role in a pill-mill pharmacy that unlawfully dispensed over 100,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2014 to January 2018, Deanna Winfield-Gates, 54, Houston, was a relief pharmacist at Health Fit Pharmacy (Health Fit), a cash-only, pill-mill pharmacy. Health Fit dispensed controlled substances to drug traffickers in exchange for hundreds of dollars, often based on prescriptions that were fraudulent and issued in the names of physicians whose identities were stolen. Winfield-Gates filled large volumes of cookie-cutter prescriptions for the opioids hydrocodone 10-325mg and oxycodone 30mg and for carisoprodol, alprazolam and promethazine with codeine, often in combination, knowing these controlled substances were likely to be diverted or abused. The jury convicted Winfield-Gates yesterday of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. She is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 11, 2024. At that time, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Winfield-Gates was the last-remaining defendant charged in this case. Three others previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: WILSON COUNTY MAN SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON ON CHILD EXPLOITATION CHARGES

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Edward Alan Kuiper, 39, of Watertown, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for the attempted production, production, and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. That term of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In 2020, the defendant repeatedly victimized two girls under the age of 12. He placed a hidden camera in a bathroom and took videos of both girls using the bathroom. He also took sexually explicit videos of the girls. The defendant kept those videos on his phone, along with over 8,000 images and 1,500 other videos that constituted child pornography. A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in 2021 on two counts of attempted production of child pornography, four counts of production of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On November 28, 2022, he pled guilty to all seven counts in the indictment. “Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will not pose a risk to children for at least the next three decades,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “We are grateful for the excellent work done in this case by our partners at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.” “The sentencing of this predator validates HSI’s commitment to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit the innocence of our children,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “We must remain vigilant as digital technology makes it easier for criminals to engage in this type of deviant behavior. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to target those who prey upon the vulnerability of our children.” The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Levine prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . # # # # #


title: Three Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Drugs

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of three cases in the Lake Charles Division. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the following defendants yesterday: Casey Soldier , 27, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the unlawful shipment, transfer, receipt, or possession of firearm by a convicted felon. This charge stems from the discovery of 16 firearms, 3,350 rounds of various ammunition, and a dual drum magazine, all found in Soldier’s residence during the execution of a search warrant. In addition, law enforcement officers found and seized approximately 53 pounds of marijuana, 171 pounds of THC candy and edibles, 3.9 pounds of THC wax and oils, $25,284 in cash, and other documents from Soldier’s residence. During a search of Soldier’s truck which was parked outside of the residence, agents found an additional Glock 17, 9mm pistol. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that the firearms all traveled in interstate commerce and operated as firearms. Soldier was a convicted felon and knew he was prohibited from having any firearm or ammunition in his possession. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 22, 2023. The case was investigated by the ATF and the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force in Calcasieu Parish and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen. Dexter Oniel Mayes , 36, of Eunice, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Mayes pleaded guilty on May 9, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This charge stems from a traffic stop which was conducted on Mayes’ vehicle for a switched plates violation on May 18, 2019, as he was traveling from Houston to Louisiana. As officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the odor of marijuana and both Mayes and his passenger were detained while officers searched the vehicle. Inside the trunk were 12 ziploc bags containing suspected methamphetamine which weighed approximately 25 pounds. The narcotics were sent to the DEA Laboratory for analysis and were confirmed to contain methamphetamine with a total weight of 11,867 grams. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Eunice Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog. In another case, Harris J. Boudreaux , 43, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On November 27, 2022, a U.S. Probation Officer made an unannounced contact visit at Boudreaux’s residence in Calcasieu Parish to monitor his compliance with his conditions of probation and to verify his residence. During the inspection, the Probation Officer observed a Glock 45 firearm in plain view on the coffee table in the living room. The Probation Officer secured the firearm and contacted 9-1-1 to have Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrive to arrest Boudreaux. He admitted to the Probation Officer that the firearm belonged to him. Boudreaux pleaded guilty on June 21, 2023, and admitted that he possessed the firearm knowing that he was prohibited from doing so because he was a convicted felon. The case was investigated by the ATF, U.S. Probation Office, and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy. # # #


title: New Orleans Woman Pleads  Guilty to Theft of More  Than $88,000 in Government Funds

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – ALINE JAMES, a/k/a “Aline Foster” (“JAMES”) , age 51, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday to Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. By pleading guilty, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set the sentencing hearing in this matter for December 13, 2023. According to the indictment, beginning in or around September 2012, and continuing until in or around December 2020, JAMES collected approximately $88,298.00 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds to which she was not entitled. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announces $1.4M Grant to the Crime Victims Reparation Commission of New Mexico

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that, in commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Department of Justice awarded a $1,464,308.00 grant to the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission as part of VAWA’s signature program, STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program. The program awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors and the development of programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable. “Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers.” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.” “The bravery of survivors makes justice possible,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “They report crimes at tremendous personal risk, they flee the safety of shelter and familiarity, and they courageously testify against their abusers in open court. And, in doing so, they protect others from the violence of their abusers. As a community, we owe these women support outside of the courtroom. With this grant, the Department of Justice lives up to our promise to center the experiences of survivors, keep them safe, and help them heal.” "The New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission is grateful for the continued support from the Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for the STOP (Services, Training Officers, and Prosecutors) formula grant funding on the 29th anniversary of the enactment,” said Frank Zubia, Director of the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission. “The 15% financing increase of $1,464,308. is vital as most states prepare for the impending VOCA cuts. This funding promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improving the criminal justice system's response by creating community partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, victim advocates, and service organizations to enhance victim safety for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking." OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw. ### 23-222


title: Monroe County Man Charged with Attempted Online Enticement and Attempted Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging a Monroe County man with attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted production of child pornography. The Indictment alleges that Kenneth Lesser, age 49, a resident of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexual conduct. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Lesser attempted to cause the production of child pornography. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Allentown Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant. # # #


title: Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Manny Bautista-Arias, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Oct. 26, 2023. Bautista-Arias was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023. Bautista-Arias was removed from the United States in September 2017 after being convicted of possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell in New Hampshire. Sometime after his removal, Bautista-Arias unlawfully returned to the United States. In November 2018, Bautista-Arias was removed from the United States again following an illegal reentry conviction in the Northern District of Georgia. Bautista-Arias unlawfully reentered the United States for a second time and in November 2022, he was arrested in Quincy for trafficking cocaine, possession to distribute methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act. He was subsequently transferred into the custody of immigration authorities in June 2023. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Woman Pleads  Guilty to Bank Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Yesterday, CATHY LYNN HAMILTON , age 63, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to bank robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. HAMILTON faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to court records, on Friday May 5, 2023, HAMILTON entered a Chase Bank in New Orleans, approached a bank teller and presented a note announcing the robbery and demanding money. The bank teller complied, giving HAMILTON $500.00 in United States currency. United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, will sentence HAMILTON on November 15, 2023. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty in $7 Million COVID-19 Testing Fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: An Irving man pleaded guilty today to submitting fraudulent insurance claims for COVID-19 testing, resulting in a more than $7 million loss to insurers, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Terrance Barnard, 40, was indicted in December. He pleaded guilty today to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft and Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Identity Theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez. According to plea papers, Mr. Barnard admitted that he and his coconspirators accessed private patient information – including names, dates of birth, and insurance subscriber numbers – through various clinics where Barnard worked as a contract lab technician. Mr. Barnard admitted that on some occasions, he took photographs of patient information and stored the images on “burner” phones, and on other occasions, he and a coconspirator accessed the clinics’ confidential electronic medical records to obtain large amounts of patient information at once. They then used the patient information to submit claims to insurance providers – including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, and Molina Health Care – for COVID-19 testing that was never performed. (The patients had not requested COVID-19 testing, nor were they aware their information was being used to submit claims.) Mr. Barnard admitted that the “labs” at which the coconspirators claimed the testing occurred, including TC Diagnostics, ME Diagnostics, and PHR Diagnostics, were, in fact, shell entities that never operated as labs. Collectively, these three entities submitted approximately $30 million in claims and were paid more than $7 million in reimbursements for fake testing. Mr. Barnard now faces up to seven years in federal prison. According to the terms of his plea agreement, he has agreed to a $7.29 million forfeiture money judgment and will forfeit a number of items seized during the investigation, including $2.5 million in funds from numerous bank accounts, two residences, six vehicles, and six luxury watches. Also charged in the scheme are Connie Jo Clampitt, 52, William Paul Gray, 50, and Don Hogg, 37. Clampitt, Hogg and Gray have each pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in November 2023. The Dallas Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Dallas Office of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit's Fort Worth Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha is handling the forfeiture. For more information about the Justice Department’s response to wrongdoing connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus .


title: Virginia man convicted of exporting heavy equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions laws

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – A federal jury has convicted Jalal Hajavi of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (“ITSR”), smuggling goods from the United States, unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods from the U.S. to Iran without a license, and unlawfully engaging in transactions and dealings based on his participation in a scheme to unlawfully export heavy equipment from the U.S. to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates. “Hajavi chose to leverage his Florida business to illegally export materials to Iran rather than to lawfully contribute to the U.S. economy,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The U.S. trade sanctions against Iran exist to help keep our country and citizens safe. Those who seek to profit by evading these prohibitions will be held accountable.” “Falsifying export documents in an attempt to obfuscate the transshipment of U.S. commodities through the United Arab Emirates to Iran is a serious violation of U.S. export laws, and will be vigorously investigated,” said John Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Export Enforcement’s Miami Field Office. “By disrupting illicit procurement networks, we continue to deny U.S. dual-use commodities to countries such as Iran that threaten U.S. national security interests.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Hajavi, through his company JSH Heavy Equipment, LLC, conspired with an individual in Iran to export U.S. heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). Hajavi orchestrated the scheme by locating heavy equipment for sale, such as bobcats and wheel loaders, and sending information about the equipment to his co-conspirator in Iran. Hajavi purchased the items from U.S. sellers and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to the U.A.E. Hajavi falsely claimed that the items were destined for his U.A.E. customers, which typically were general trading companies located in free trade zones in the U.A.E. But in truth, Hajavi intended for his Iranian co-conspirator to transship those items from the U.A.E. to Iran in circumvention of the U.S. export licensing requirement. Utilizing this scheme, Hajavi purchased an Ingersoll Rand blasthole drill from a U.S. company. The drill is a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are usually then filled with controlled charges. In a sham transaction, Hajavi sold the drill to a U.A.E. company that, in turn, provided the drill to Hajavi’s Iranian co-conspirator, who shipped the tool to Iran. In addition to evading OFAC licensing requirements, Hajavi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirator by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (“AES”), a U.S. government database containing information about exports from the United States. Hajavi hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the U.S. to the U.A.E. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Hajavi lied to the freight forwarder by claiming that the U.A.E. company was the ultimate consignee and that the ultimate delivery destination was the U.A.E. In fact, Hajavi’s co-conspirator in Iran was the true recipient and Iran was the ultimate delivery destination. Sentencing for Jalal Hajavi, 59, of Sterling, Virginia, is scheduled for December 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Florida Man Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.5 Million in Unemployment Benefits and EIDL Loans

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man admitted that he illegally obtained more than $1.5 million in government benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Michael Blanc, 34, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on to an information charging him with wire fraud. “This defendant admitted taking advantage of government programs that were specifically designed to provide needed financial assistance to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Combatting pandemic fraud in all of its forms is a top priority for this office and our law enforcement partners. Together, we will continue to root out those who have exploited the suffering of others to line their own pockets, and bring them to justice.” According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It expanded states’ ability to provide assistance to many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. The CARES Act also enabled the Small Business Association (SBA) to offer funding through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Blanc and others applied for unemployment insurance benefits in others’ names without their knowledge or consent and provided false information to induce state workforce agencies to approve those applications. He and others applied for EIDLs in others’ names without their knowledge or consent and provided false information in the applications to induce the SBA to approve the loan applications. Blanc and others obtained more than $1.5 million through their fraudulent scheme. The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Blanc or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, in New York, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge is Scott Moffit, Cybercrime Investigations Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the FBI, Miami Division, and the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development for their assistance. The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark. blanc.information.pdf


title: Manager of Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Ring Indicted on Racketeering and Related Charges Along With Two of the Organization’s Enforcers

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A 31-count superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn adding three defendants, Yuan Yuan Chen, also known as “Xiao Pang,” Yichu Chen and Johnnie Kim, as well as 10 additional assaults in-aid-of racketeering to the pending charges against co-defendants Rong Rong Xu, also known as “Eleanor,” Siyang Chen, Siyu Chen, also known as “Ban Ban,” Carlos Cury, also known as “Red,” Bo Jiang, Meizhen Song, also known as “Die Die,” and Jilong Yu. The charges relate to the defendants’ alleged participation in a Queens-based criminal organization that engaged in sex trafficking, beatings, and robberies of dozens of women across the United States. The three newly indicted defendants were arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Yuan Yuan Chen (“Yuan Yuan”) is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, interstate prostitution conspiracy, and assault in-aid-of racketeering, among other crimes, and Yichu Chen (“Yichu”) and Johnnie Kim are variously charged with Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. The superseding indictment also adds charges against Cury, Xu, Siyang Chen, and Jiang. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the superseding indictment and arrests. “As alleged, the defendants preyed on vulnerable women for sex trafficking, brutally assaulting them to enforce loyalty to the criminal enterprise. Human beings are not property and deserve to be free from violence and coerced sexual activity,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This case is another example of our Office’s longstanding commitment to bringing to justice sex trafficking organizations that exploit and seek to dehumanize victims for financial gain.” Mr. Peace praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. This investigation was aided by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, as well as the Oklahoma City and Manchester field offices of United States Homeland Security Investigations and United States Immigration & Customs Enforcement. In addition, local police departments across the United States have provided invaluable assistance, including the Beaverton (Oregon) Police Department, Michigan State Police, Missouri Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) Police Department, Omaha (Nebraska) Police Department, Overland Park (Kansas) Police Department, Portland (Oregon) Police Department, Southfield (Michigan) Police Department, and Troy (Michigan) Police Department. “These defendants allegedly engaged in the heinous crime of forced labor and chose to brutally exploit their fellow human beings for profit,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to pursue justice on behalf of victims of human trafficking and prosecuting perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.” “The crimes outlined in today’s indictment are among the most heinous we confront,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “The NYPD and our law enforcement partners share an unwavering commitment to protect survivors of sex trafficking, and to ensure that anyone seeking to profit through the abuse and exploitation of others is brought to justice. I thank and commend for their sustained dedication everyone involved in investigating and prosecuting this important case.” As set forth in court filings, between April 2019 and September 2021, the defendants allegedly participated in or performed work on behalf of an organization that ran a nationwide prostitution business, trafficked women and directed and carried out violent attacks on women throughout the United States to protect its turf and deter commercial sex workers from working for rival organizations or independently. In carrying out these attacks, several defendants’ zip-tied the victims’ hands, stuffed or covered their mouths to silence them, and then viciously beat them with hammers, wrenches, baseball bats, rolling pins and other blunt objects, leaving the victims bloody, terrified, and, in many cases, seriously injured. Yuan Yuan engaged in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and managed the Organization’s interstate prostitution business. She, along with her co-defendants, sought to keep women working for the Organization through force, fraud or coercion. For example, Yuan Yuan required women to provide passports, or copies of passports, to the Organization and then would later remind them of such information when warning them not to cross the “boss.” The Organization also sought to protect their business’s territory through violence, and Yuan Yuan played a pivotal role in devising a scheme to circulate video recordings of assaults among large groups or sex workers to deter them from working independently or for rivals. Yuan Yuan personally recruited sex workers for the Organization, took commissions from each of their jobs, identified rival businesses for purposes of planning targeted assaults of their employees, and kept the Organization’s own employees engaged in sex work by instilling fear in them. As alleged, Yichu Chen and Johnnie Kim were enforcers employed by the Organization to carry out attacks on commercial sex workers. Yichu and Kim directly participated in the violent assaults of two victims on September 15, 2020 and April 21, 2021, respectively. A co-conspirator in a contemporaneous electronic communication described Yichu’s beating of the restrained victim on September 15, 2020 as “super severe.” As for Kim, he, along with co-defendant Cury, stomped all over the body of a victim on April 22, 2021 and kicked her hard and repeatedly to the point that she lost consciousness. The superseding indictment also charges 10 additional assaults-in-aid-of-racketeering and adds defendants to previously charged counts. WeChat messages reveal the planning of assaults by the defendants on behalf of the Organization, and describe details of the violence that occurred during the assaults. In some cases, videos of the attacks were circulated between the defendants to demonstrate to more senior members of the Organization that the beatings were sufficiently severe. Some videos depict victims struggling while they are bound, bleeding and being beaten with hammers, baseball bats and rolling pins, among other weapons. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Yuan Yuan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment. Yichu and Kim each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment on Hobbs Act robbery charges. Two defendants charged in the original indictment, Raymond Jiarun Yan, also known as “Raymond Yan” and “Mike,” and Zerong Tang, pleaded guilty earlier this month and are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the office’s Organized Crime and Gangs and Civil Rights Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Galeotti, Kayla C. Bensing, Sophia M. Suarez and Genny Ngai are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist Anna November. The FBI’s New York Joint Asian Criminal Enterprise Task Force believes this enterprise may be responsible for the assaults of even more commercial sex workers throughout the country. If you are a victim or have information to provide, there are several ways to contact the FBI: send a tip online at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. They have people ready to work with you in your native language, regardless of your immigration status. Please select English when prompted and ask the operator for a translator by stating your language of choice. Online tips may be submitted in any language. In an emergency, always call 911 for the police. The Defendants : RONG RONG XU (also known as “Eleanor”) Age: 31 Queens, New York SIYANG CHEN Age: 34 Queens, New York SIYU CHEN (also known as “Ban Ban”) Age: 26 Queens, New York YUAN YUAN CHEN (also known as “Xiao Pang”) Age: 30 Queens, New York YICHU CHEN Age: 21 Queens, New York CARLOS CURY Age: 43 Queens, New York BO JIANG Age: 28 Queens, New York JOHNNIE KIM Age: 53 Queens, New York MEIZHEN SONG (also known as “Die Die”) Age: 25 Dallas, Texas JILONG YU Age: 25 Dallas, Texas


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts "United Against Hate" Outreach Event

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY– This week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, hosted its first “United Against Hate” Community Outreach Event, bringing together law enforcement and Louisville’s Faith Community to discuss effective strategies to prevent, report, and respond to hate crimes and incidents. “United Against Hate” is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate. “We are excited to bring this initiative to the Western District and thankful to our law enforcement partners and community faith leaders for uniting with us to combat hate and protect civil rights, especially in our faith communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett. The event, held Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Louisville Public Library Main Branch, featured presentations from Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisville Metro Police Department on identifying hate crimes and incidents, the importance of reporting, and strategies to protect places of worship. “Combating hate crimes and bias incidents is one of the top priorities of the Department of Justice and our office,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “People in the Western District, and across the country, deserve to live without fear of being attacked or harassed because of where they are from, what they look like, whom they love, how they worship, or what they believe.” As part of its United Against Hate Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to engage with diverse communities across the Western District to further education and prevention efforts and encourage reporting of hate crimes, bias incidents, and discrimination to local and federal authorities. By convening community forums and providing education about civil rights statutes and incident reporting mechanisms, we will build relationships and root out hate in the district. If you believe you are the victim of a hate crime or that you witnessed a hate crime, immediately report the crime to your state or local police by dialing 9-1-1, then quickly report the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You can report to the FBI online at tips.FBI.gov or by phone by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). If you believe a bias incident or act of discrimination may not involve a hate crime, you should still report such incident to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov or by contacting the Civil Rights Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. ###


title: Wedgefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Fentanyl Charges

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Martez Mandel Coleman, 44, of Wedgefield, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of marijuana. Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of October 10, 2022, a deputy with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Mercedes. When the deputy approached the vehicle, he smelled marijuana and saw a baggy of what he believed to be illegal narcotics on the center console. Coleman was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the car. Coleman admitted to having marijuana and a gun in the car. Deputies recovered a loaded 9mm handgun and several baggies of fentanyl and marijuana. A drug analysis later showed that it was approximately 126 grams of fentanyl and approximately 47 grams of marijuana. The investigation revealed the gun as having been previously reported as stolen in Florence. Federal law prohibits Coleman from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his 2001 federal convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute/distribution of crack cocaine; murder in relation to felony drug offense; and using/carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, causing death of a person through use of firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 on the gun charge and a mandatory minimum of 10 years with a maximum of life, along with a fine of $8,000,000, on the drug charge. He also faces a term of supervision of at least 8 years. Coleman was on federal supervised release at the time of the October 2022 incident and faces up to two additional years in prison for violating the terms of supervision. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Coleman after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case. ###


title: MS-13 Gang Leader Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 28 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, including murder, related to his participation in the La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. According to court documents, from at least August 2018 through July 2021, Brayan Alexander Torres, aka Spooky, 29, of Adelphi, was the “First Word” or leader of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (WLS), an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi. MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of individuals from El Salvador or their descendants, with members operating throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. On Aug. 8, 2020, Torres and other WLS members, including Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, 26, of Adelphi, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to another MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived. Sanchez and the other WLS member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4. When Victim 4 fell to the ground, Sanchez pistol-whipped him and stabbed him with a knife. Then Torres stabbed Victim 4 with a screwdriver. Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body, which law enforcement later recovered with a bullet wound to the head. On June 5, 2020, Torres conspired with other MS-13 members to kidnap and kill a female member of the rival 18th Street gang. Torres and Rivas Rodriguez ordered subordinate members of the gang to gather at a house with firearms in preparation for the murder, while another MS-13 associate was at a separate location the intended victim, identified as Victim 5. The group of MS-13 subordinates gathered with guns as Torres and Rodriguez had directed, and were preparing for murder when police arrived and interrupted the plan. Torres also directed the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that victims made payments because WLS members had threatened to kill or injure them by flashing guns or baseball bats. Torres participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds obtained through its extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador. Torres also accepted a delivery of rent payments that a WLS member had collected from three brothels, with the intent to use the funds to promote MS-13’s illegal activities, including extortion. Previously, Sanchez; Hernan Yanes-Rivera , 22, of Adelphi; and Rivas Rodriguez were sentenced to 28 years, 22 years, and 16 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department made the announcement. The FBI, HSI, and Prince George’s County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Montgomery County Police Department. Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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 Forces (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. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.


title: Washington man lands prison time for attempting to coerce minor for sexual activity in undercover investigation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — Kenton Alan Shaull, a 59-year-old Washington man who traveled to Missoula expecting to meet a child for sex, was sentenced today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy sentenced Shaull to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in April 2023 after he had been arrested in an undercover investigation. The government alleged in court documents and in statements in court that from January to May 2022, Shaull used his cellular phone to communicate on an internet-based social media service with a profile he believed belonged to a child, identified as “E,” who was under the age of 14. Shaull reaffirmed multiple times his belief that “E” was a child under the age of 14. Shaull also expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with “E” and sent several sexually explicit videos of himself. Shaull further expressed his desire to meet “E” in person for sexual activity and traveled to Missoula on May 14, 2022 to meet with “E” at a pre-determined location, where law enforcement officers arrested him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigated 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 .


title: Maryland MS-13 Gang Leader Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murder

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, of Adelphi, Maryland, yesterday to 28 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy, including murder, related to his participation in the Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (“WLS”) clique of the MS-13 gang, which operated primarily in Adelphi, Maryland. Torres was the clique’s leader or “First Word.” Judge Xinis also ordered that Torres pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 4’s estate. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region, and are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rivals. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. On August 8, 2020, Torres and other WLS members, including Franklyn Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to another MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived. Sanchez and the other WLS member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, who fell to the ground. Sanchez then pistol-whipped Victim 4 and stabbed him with a knife. Torres then stabbed Victim 4 with a screwdriver. Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including co-defendant Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body, which law enforcement later recovered with a bullet wound to the head. On June 5, 2020, Torres conspired with other MS-13 members to kidnap and kill a female member of the rival 18 th Street gang. Torres and Rivas Rodriguez ordered subordinate members of the gang to gather at a house with firearms in preparation for the murder, while another MS-13 associate was at a separate location with Victim 5. The group of MS-13 subordinates gathered with guns and were preparing to follow their orders when police arrived on scene and interrupted the plan. Torres also directed the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS. Finally, Torres participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds obtained through its extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador. For example, Torres accepted a delivery of rent payments that had just been collected from three brothels by a WLS member, with the intent to use the funds to promote MS-13’s illegal activities, including extortion. Co-defendants Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Delinquente,” age 26; Hernan Yanes-Rivera, a/k/a “Recio,” age 22, both of Adelphi, Maryland; and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland were sentenced to 28 years, 22 years, and 16 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. 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 Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Montgomery County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the federal 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/community-outreach and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn . # # #


title: Two Louisville Gang Members Charged with Federal Firearms Offenses

body_text: Louisville, KY – Two Louisville gang members were charged with federal firearms offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. Virgil Jackson, age 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, is charged with possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Jackson was charged by federal complaint, is in state custody, and will be brought to federal custody at a later date. Jackson is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On May 19, 2023, in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Jackson was convicted of receiving stolen property – vehicle – over $300 and unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree in case number 22-CR-001243. On May 19, 2023, in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Jackson was convicted of complicity to engaging in organized crime – criminal syndicate, complicity to receiving stolen property $10,000 or more, and complicity to criminal mischief in the first degree in case number 21-CR-001433-005. On May 5, 2023, in Oldham County Circuit Court, Jackson was placed on diversion for complicity to receiving stolen property $1,000 < $10,000, fleeing or evading police in the first degree (on foot), two counts of complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree, and unlawful transaction with minor in the second degree in case number 21-CR-00124. Dacorey Hodges, age 19, also of Louisville, formerly of California, is charged with possessing a firearm while being a fugitive from justice. Hodges is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he has an active felony arrest warrant for burglary in Orange County, California, that was issued on August 1, 2023, in case number 19DL0480. Hodges was charged by a federal complaint and was arrested this week. He made his initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. A detention hearing is currently scheduled for September 18, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. According to the complaint, Jackson is a member of the Jack Gang and Hodges is a member of Cali to Victory, a subset of the Victory Park Crips gang. Both gangs have been identified by law enforcement as violent street gangs operating in Louisville, Kentucky. The complaint alleges that on September 4, 2023, at approximately 2:23 a.m., a drive-by shooting occurred at the Waffle House located at 2805 Fern Valley Road in Louisville, Kentucky. A female victim received a gunshot wound to the foot during the shooting. Investigators were able to review video recordings from the Waffle House surveillance cameras and identified Jackson and Hodges as two of the individuals who fired weapons. On September 12, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of LMPD, executed federal search warrants at Hodges’ and Jackson’s residences. At Jackson’s residence, law enforcement recovered one firearm with an extended magazine. At Hodges’ residence, law enforcement recovered three firearms along with assorted types of ammunition. If convicted, both defendants face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Alicia Gomez are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds Evansville Man Guilty of Dealing Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in the Overdose of a 28-Year-Old Kentucky Woman

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: EVANSVILLE- A federal jury has found Johntavis Matlock, 31, of Evansville, Indiana, guilty of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. The jury found Matlock not guilty of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on December 11, 2020, Kentucky law enforcement officers responded to the overdose of 28-year-old, Lindsey Wiley in her Kentucky residence. On February 28, 2021, EMS and local law enforcement responded to another overdose at the same residence. This time, they found Wiley deceased. The cause of death was determined to be an overdose caused by fentanyl intoxication. An examination of Wiley’s cell phone revealed that Wiley frequently purchased controlled substances from the defendant, Johntavis Matlock. From June of 2020 through February of 2021, Matlock coordinated with Wiley to sell her both heroin and fentanyl out of his home in Evansville, Indiana. On the day of Wiley’s first overdose, at 7:05pm, Wiley texted Matlock that she was at Matlock’s residence to pick up drugs. At 10:27pm, Wiley texted “I overdosed and died, had an ambulance called and everything, be careful with that s**t,” to which Matlock responded “Damn please don’t over do it. I don’t wanna have that on my conscience. I’ve lost to many people to this stuff. Wtf were you thinking.” Following the first overdose on December 11, Matlock continued supplying Wiley with substances. “The tragic death in this case highlights the tremendous danger posed by trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids. The defendant continued to seek profits pushing these poisons with utter disregard for human life—even after Ms. Wiley had already overdosed once,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Substance use disorder is a devastating disease that international drug cartels and local dealers greedily exploit. Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors, the DEA, EPD, ISP, and local Sheriff’s Offices, no more families will lose a loved one because of this defendant while he is serving his sentence in federal prison.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, Indiana State Police, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Evansville Police Department, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force investigated this case. U.S. District Court Judge, Matthew P. Brookman presided over the trial and will sentence Matlock at a later date. Matlock faces 20 years to life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kristian Mukoski and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. 6 out of 10 illegal fentanyl tablets sold on U.S. streets now contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. ###


title: Trafficker of 3D-Printed “Glock Switches” and “Auto-Sears” Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Federal Prison

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

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Micah Moore, 31, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on July 18, 2022, investigators with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant at Micah Moore’s residence in Indianapolis. In the dining room area, police recovered two machinegun conversion devices, also known as “Glock Switches.” Police also recovered three black auto-sears that were created to function as machinegun conversion devices if installed on a semiautomatic rifle. Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell in almost all cases. In a recorded interview with investigators, Moore stated that that he was making and selling switches and auto sears using a 3D printer. Moore also stated that he was reselling firearms that he bought from people off the street. Court documents and evidence presented at sentencing further showed that, in addition to manufacturing machinegun conversion devices and selling firearms, Moore was also manufacturing counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl. “Criminals who put illegal machineguns onto our streets add fuel to the fire of gun violence already devastating far too many of our families,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Possession and sale of these extremely dangerous devices is a serious crime which can result in years in federal prison. Our office will continue to work with the ATF, IMPD, and all our partners in law enforcement to get illegal machineguns out of our communities and hold gun traffickers accountable.” “The proliferation of machine gun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to the firearms violence in our community,” stated Daryl McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “These devices, because they fire more quickly and are more difficult to control, greatly increase the danger to innocent bystanders and law enforcement. ATF will continue to work with our partners to take these devices off the streets.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge, Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Moore be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $750 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Putnam Valley Husband And Wife Indicted For Operating A Prostitution Business At Multiple Massage Parlors In New York

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Kevin McConville, the Sheriff of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging HONG RU LIN, a/k/a “Bruce,” and KENA ZHAO, a/k/a “Angela,” with violating the Travel Act and conspiring to do so in connection with their use of facilities of interstate commerce to operate a prostitution business at multiple massage parlors in Putnam, Westchester, New York, and Queens County. LIN and ZHAO were arrested this morning and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Hong Ru Lin and Kena Zhao operated an extensive prostitution business, using massage parlors as cover for their illegal activities. Today’s Indictment makes clear that my Office will continue to pursue those who operate illicit businesses, especially when they do so behind the closed doors of supposedly legitimate establishments.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “This indictment puts an end to an alleged extensive commercial sex enterprise that exploited countless women and repeatedly violated U.S. laws. Let these charges be a message to anyone who seeks to exploit women for monetary gain, the FBI is committed to protecting victims, and will always bring their predators to justice.” Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville said: “We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to keep these types of crime out of Putnam County.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] Between at least September 2020 and the present, LIN and ZHAO operated a prostitution business out of multiple massage parlors that they owned in Putnam, Westchester, New York, and Queens County. LIN and ZHAO managed a roster of women who worked at the massage parlors and performed sexual acts for the customers of LIN and ZHAO. LIN and ZHAO communicated by cellphone and private chatroom to manage and operate their prostitution business. Among other things, LIN and ZHAO used cellphones to communicate with potential customers, assign particular employees to customers, monitor the income of their prostitution business, and set performance goals for the women who worked in the massage parlors. In addition, on at least one occasion, ZHAO personally participated in a massage during which a sexual act was offered to a customer. * * * HONG RU LIN, 50, and KENA ZHAO, 45, both of Putnam Valley, New York, are charged with violating the Travel Act and conspiring to violate the Travel Act. Each of these counts carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The statutory maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the Town of Carmel Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, and the Yonkers Police Department for their assistance in this matter. Mr. Williams noted that the investigation is ongoing. If you feel you may be a victim of or have information related to the conduct in this case, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or at tips.fbi.gov . The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Keenan and Ryan W. Allison are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Henderson County Methamphetamine Distributor Is Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Brandon Lee Nalley, 48, of Hendersonville, N.C., to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to filed documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between July 2021 and December 2021, federal, state, and local law enforcement conducting an investigation into methamphetamine trafficking networks in western North Carolina identified Nalley as a supplier of methamphetamine in Henderson County. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement utilized a confidential source to arrange multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine from Nalley. On December 22, 2021, deputies with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of Nalley’s vehicle. Over the course of the stop, the deputies found a duffel bag inside the vehicle that contained methamphetamine, a loaded handgun with an extended magazine, and an additional magazine loaded with seven rounds of hollow point ammunition. On April 26, 2023, Nalley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited an investigation led by the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and thanked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Swain County Sheriff's Office, the Waynesville Police Department, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, the Canton Police Department, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Maggie Valley Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their investigative efforts. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hess, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.


title: Pennsylvania Man Arrested, Charged With Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christian Arroyo Collazo, 27, of New Castle, PA, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with engaging in the firearms business without a license, unlawful shipment and transportation of firearms, and firearms trafficking. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Collazo was identified as an individual associated with multiple Jamestown, NY, drug traffickers/users during an investigation into methamphetamine and heroin trafficking in Jamestown by the DEA and Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force. Between November 2021, and May 2022, investigators traced three firearms recovered in Jamestown to Collazo, who purchased the firearms at Duke's FFL, and Nesbit Guns, both located in New Castle, PA. Two of the firearms were recovered during the arrests of two other federal defendants. Subsequent investigation determined that Collazo utilized Facebook and Facebook Messenger to conduct firearm related conversations and effectuate his firearms trafficking activities. During these conversations, Collazo would send photos of firearms to potential buyers. Collazo made an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is being prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson. 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. # # # #