title: Martinsville Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Meth and Cocaine

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Martinsville, Virginia man, who possessed crystal ice methamphetamine and cocaine valued at more than $35,000, was sentenced this week to 10 years in federal prison. Octavius Myron Johnson, 39, was convicted following a jury trial in October 2023 of one count of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, in addition to one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, in early 2023, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Johnson’s drug trafficking activities in the Glade Spring area of Washington County. Their investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Johnson’s Martinsville residence where over a half-pound of crystal ice methamphetamine and over 80 grams of cocaine were recovered. Cash totaling $3,800 and other items related to drug trafficking were also seized. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, made the announcement. The investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, with assistance from numerous agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsville Police Department, the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly McGann prosecuted the case.


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent  to Distribute over 37 Grams of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Jackson, Mississippi – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 37 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Ronald Glenn Cobbs, Jr. a/k/a Lil’ Ron a/k/a Reverend Bankroll, 39, possessed over 37 grams of methamphetamine at his business located in North Mart Plaza in Jackson. Cobbs is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, Ridgeland Police Department, and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton is prosecuting the case.


title: Former National Guard Task Force Member Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession that Came to Light During an Investigation into Leaks of Sensitive Operational Info

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Ruby Celly Uribe, 34, of Antelope, charging her with illegal possession of a machine gun and a short-barreled rifle, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Uribe was assigned to the logistics shop at the California National Guard Headquarters in Mather and was a member of the Counterdrug Task Force (CDTF). The CDTF supports local, tribal, and federal law enforcement entities in the interdiction of drug trafficking organizations. While assigned to this unit, Uribe leaked information about upcoming drug raids to a person she knew to be involved with drug dealing. Text messages recovered from Uribe’s phone revealed she shared sensitive information about upcoming operations, including the date and location and the number of military vehicles and aircraft involved. A federal search warrant of Uribe’s residence resulted in the discovery of a short-barreled rifle. The firearm had been modified to fire in full-automatic mode as a machine gun. In addition, it was a privately made firearm with no serial number, commonly referred to as a ghost gun. A search of Uribe’s cellphone revealed that she was also engaged in trafficking other non‑serialized, short-barreled machine guns. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the California Military Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Uribe faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Second Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud  and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ronald Gardner, 51, and his co-conspirator, Anthony Craig Myrick, 45, both of Jackson, opened an account at BankPlus in another person’s name in September 2022. Gardner and Myrick deposited several counterfeit United States Treasury checks in the account at various BankPlus branches in the Jackson metro area and withdrew the cash before the checks were determined to be counterfeit. Gardner admitted to manufacturing the counterfeit Treasury checks and creating a false identification card using another person’s name and identity. Ronald Gardner and Anthony Myrick were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Mississippi on August 22, 2023. Myrick pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2024. Gardner is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024. Both defendants face a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement. The U.S. Secret Service and Rankin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Jury Finds White Earth Man Guilty of Production of Child Pornography on the Red Lake Reservation

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – A federal jury found a White Earth man guilty of production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the evidence presented at trial, in December 2020, Ryan Edward Thompson, 34, a.k.a. “Ryan Edward Wayne Townsend,” knowingly used a minor in sexually explicit activity to produce pornography images. Using her school-issued laptop to message the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the 13-year-old victim disclosed that the defendant, whom she had recently moved in with, began sleeping in her room at night and sexually abusing her. Law enforcement responded and later discovered photographs of a sexual nature had been taken with the victim’s own cell phone. Following a three-day trial before Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court, Thompson was found guilty yesterday on two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Red Lake Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the White Earth Nation Indian Child Welfare Services, the Red Lake Nation Victim Services, Fosston Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. 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. If you need suicide or mental health crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chat to connect with a trained crisis specialist. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary S. Riverso and Laura M. Provinzino tried this case.


title: United States Attorney’s Office releases 2023 Community Report

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider today announced the release of the 2023 Community Report of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota (USAO-ND). The Report summarizes the office’s efforts over the course of fiscal year 2023 in the courtroom and in communities throughout the district. “Whether it is protecting children, combatting dangerous drugs, or enforcing federal laws that ensure fair treatment of North Dakotans, the attorneys and staff of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota are committed to upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” Schneider said. “I could not be prouder of their efforts. As new challenges arise in the months ahead, we will continue to improve upon our work to better serve our law enforcement partners and communities.” According to Department of Justice statistics, USAO-ND was number one among small districts in defendants per Assistant United States Attorney and number four out of 94 districts nationally in this category. Even with this robust caseload, the office secured a conviction rate of over 93% in 2023. Additionally, 96% of the office’s criminal appeals were decided in favor of the United States last year. The report discusses key prosecutions to target the drivers of violent crime, promote public safety in Indian country, protect children, combat dangerous drugs, fight fraud, and keep people safe along the northern border. The critical work of the office’s Civil Division, which includes protecting taxpayers by representing the United States in complex litigation and enforcing federal civil rights statutes, is also highlighted. The full report is available Here . ######


title: Two Individuals Charged in Trafficking Illicit Iranian Oil Using U.S. Financial System to Fund Terrorist Group in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Two foreign nationals are charged in a scheme to export Iranian petroleum to China and use the proceeds to benefit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) , a designated terrorist organization. Shaoyun Wang, 54, of China, and Mahmood Rashid Amur Al Habsi, 39, of Oman, are charged in a 12-count indictment unsealed today, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the Minneapolis Field Office, and HSI Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Also unsealed today was a warrant for a related seizure of approximately $8.5 million. Wang and Al Habsi are charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, conspiring to commit money laundering, and money laundering stemming from an alleged scheme to export Iranian petroleum to Chinese government-owned refineries. The indictment alleges that Wang and Al Habsi, together with their co-conspirators, illegally used the U.S. financial system to facilitate the sale of over a hundred million dollars’ worth of oil to benefit the IRGC-QF, Iran’s primary conduit for providing lethal support to terrorist organizations abroad. “The only way that Iran can illegally sell oil is if people and business organizations outside Iran help it to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The indictment unsealed today demonstrates that the U.S. government will seek to hold accountable those who knowingly help Iran sell oil illegally —wherever in the world they are located.” “Shaoyun Wang and Mahmood Rashid Amur Al Habsi defrauded the U.S. financial system to facilitate hundreds of millions of dollars in oil sales in order to support terrorists,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “Their actions aided a foreign terrorist organization, which uses such proceeds to fund their malicious activities abroad, including actions against U.S. military personnel. HSI Washington, D.C. will continue our efforts to dismantle such networks that support the heinous actions of Iran and their Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” “Those who choose to conspire with terrorist organizations will face the full force of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI remains committed to disrupting financial networks that fund and support terrorism. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent the exploitation of legitimate industries for unlawful purposes, protecting global security and stability." According to the indictment, between December 2019 and July 2021, Wang, Al Habsi, and unnamed co-conspirators negotiated and completed sales of sanctioned oil from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the People’s Republic of China utilizing the services and funds of U.S. persons and financial institutions, without prior authorization or a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. They allegedly obtained the oil from Iran using surreptitious means, which included AIS spoofing and engaging in multiple transfers between tankers. The alleged scheme relied on the use of the U.S. financial system and was facilitated by Turkish, Omani, and U.S. persons and entities, all in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. The indictment further alleges that Wang and Al Habsi used fraudulent documents to mask that the oil originated from Iran, used electronic communications to arrange the sales, utilized shell corporations to launder the proceeds through the U.S. financial system, and misled U.S. financial institutions about the source of the money generated by the transactions. In addition, the scheme allegedly used U.S. companies as a “trust” to hold the profits for the IRGC-QF. The indictment also alleges that Al Habsi, acting through one of his companies, procured a $16.5 million loan in June 2020 from U.S. financial companies to purchase an oil tanker, later named M/T Oman Pride. Beginning in July 2020, M/T Oman Pride transferred Iranian oil to third-party vessels for sale to Chinese government-owned refineries and companies in China. Wang allegedly used a U.S. front company, a U.S. facilitator, and U.S. financial institutions to facilitate the sale of Iranian oil to China. Wang, who served as a director of a Chinese oil refinery, was also the chair of a U.S. company in Las Vegas, Nevada, and general manager of the U.S. company’s Hong Kong-based parent company, which allegedly acted as a front for oil transactions. Wang allegedly engaged with senior IRGC officials to affect the purchases. The alleged scheme resulted in millions of dollars’ worth of transactions that were processed by U.S. banks and facilitated by U.S. persons. This case is being investigated by the HSI Washington D.C. and FBI Minneapolis field offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Seifert, Maeghan Mikorski, Rajbir Datta, and Prava Palacharla, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Chris Magnani of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the United States Department of Justice. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Georgia Woman Accused of Defrauding St. Charles County Widower

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman accused of defrauding a 74-year-old widower in a St. Charles County, Missouri nursing home has turned herself in to authorities in Georgia. Shanita Gray, 51, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Dec. 6, 2023, with ten counts of wire fraud, one count of use of a counterfeit access device and four counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment was unsealed Friday. The indictment accuses Gray of using the personal information of the widower and a fraudulently obtained financial power of attorney to access the credit and debit cards and financial accounts of the alleged victim, identified in court documents as “D.H.” Gray notified the administrators of D.H.'s nursing home that she was seeking emergency guardianship of him, the indictment says, and concealed the existence of D.H.'s half-sister. She told D.H.’s son that she would manage his financial affairs. Gray searched D.H.'s Berkley, Missouri home to locate personal identifying information, identify his financial accounts, take possession of his debit and credit cards and obtain samples of his handwriting, the indictment says. When D.H. refused to sign a power of attorney authorizing her to manage his financial affairs, Gray added his name to a form in which she sought a court appointment to be guardian and conservator that had already been notarized, it says. She obtained online access to his financial accounts, added herself as a beneficiary, changed his contact information on financial accounts to her Georgia address and emailed the bogus power of attorney document to financial institutions, the indictment alleges. The indictment says Gray obtained more than $300,000 by selling shares in D.H.’s investment accounts, transferring funds out of his bank accounts, drawing checks for her benefit and the benefit of others, conducting electronic funds transfers to pay her bills and redirecting D.H.'s pension and retirement checks to her personal and business bank accounts. The wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The counterfeit access device charge carries a maximum prison term of 10 years and the aggravated identity theft carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to all other charges. Each charge also carries the possibility of a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, restitution would be mandatory. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland Tax Preparer Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Maryland tax return preparer was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for preparing false tax returns. According to court documents and statements made in court, Adis Smith, of Chula Vista, California, and formerly of Baltimore, prepared and filed false income tax returns for his clients to fraudulently lower the taxes they owed or to generate refunds from the IRS to which they were not entitled. Smith typically reported fictitious or inflated business losses and itemized deductions. To conceal his fraud from the IRS, Smith prepared and filed each client’s tax return as a “ghost preparer,” reporting it had been self-prepared by the client rather than by Smith. In total, Smith prepared over 1,000 false tax returns and caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $4,729,311. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher for the District of Maryland ordered Smith to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $4,729,311 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Matthew Cofer and Sarah Ranney of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Delaney for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.


title: Pomona Hospital Agrees to Pay More Than $2 Million after Self-Reporting Overbilling of Medi-Cal for Prescription Medications

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center has agreed to pay nearly $2.1 million to resolve allegations that it overbilled Medi-Cal for prescription medication purchased and reimbursed under a federal drug pricing program, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement agreement finalized on Wednesday is the result of voluntary disclosures Pomona Valley made in 2021 and 2023. After an internal audit, Pomona Valley determined that it overbilled the United States and California, which jointly fund Medi-Cal, a government-funded program that provides health coverage for low-income individuals in California. According to the settlement agreement, from December 2016 through September 2021, Pomona Valley improperly charged higher “usual and customary” costs, rather than lower “actual acquisition costs,” as required under the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient medication to eligible health care organizations at significantly reduced prices. The overbilling allegedly resulted from Pomona Valley billing for its usual costs following a federal court’s temporary stay of the implementation of the California law requiring 340B providers to bill Medi-Cal at actual acquisition cost rates. But once the court lifted the temporary ban, Pomona Valley failed to implement actual acquisition cost pricing. Pomona Valley ultimately overbilled the United States and California approximately $1.4 million. Pomona Valley has agreed to pay the United States $873,730 and California $1,225,954 to resolve the allegations, bringing the total settlement amount to nearly $2.1 million. After making its voluntary disclosure, Pomona Valley cooperated with the investigation by federal and state authorities. The settlement was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorney Jack D. Ross and auditor Gabriel Lam of the Civil Fraud Section, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Inspector General and the California Department of Justice. The settled claims are allegations only, and Pomona Valley has not admitted any wrongdoing.


title: Former MoviePass Executive Found Guilty of Embezzling from Employer and Parent Company to Repay Coachella Festival Debt

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former executive at cinema subscription service MoviePass Inc. has been found guilty by a jury of embezzling at least $260,000 from MoviePass and its parent company to repay money he borrowed to produce an event at the Coachella music festival, the Justice Department announced today. Khalid Itum, 43, of Hollywood, was found guilty Thursday afternoon of two counts of wire fraud. The jury in the case acquitted Itum of two counts of money laundering. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, Itum was a MoviePass executive from November 2017 until March 2019. MoviePass was a New York-based company that charged subscribers a flat monthly fee in exchange for credits they could spend on movie tickets from any theater in MoviePass’s network of participating cinemas. In August 2017, Helios & Matheson Analytics (HMNY), a New York-based data analytics company, acquired MoviePass. In the spring of 2017, Itum registered Kaleidoscope Productions LLC, a Los Angeles-based company that provided production and marketing services. That year, Itum, through Kaleidoscope, organized a promotional event at the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio. Neither MoviePass nor HMNY participated in the Coachella event. Itum borrowed money from two individuals to help fund Kaleidoscope’s costs at Coachella. To repay the borrowed money, Itum later submitted sham invoices to HMNY for expenses and services purportedly rendered by Kaleidoscope. Itum caused HMNY and MoviePass employees to wire money from MoviePass and HMNY accounts to a Kaleidoscope bank account to pay the sham invoices. Itum concealed his scheme by lying to HMNY’s finance department that Kaleidoscope had been used to pay legitimate MoviePass expenses from the 2018 Coachella festival and provide other consulting services. Itum caused HMNY and MoviePass a total loss of at least $260,000. United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips scheduled an April 29 sentencing hearing, at which time Itum will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count. The FBI’s New York Field Office investigated this matter. The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys David Y. Pi and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section handled the trial in this matter.


title: District Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Brutal Stabbing of Defenseless D.C. Resident in Southeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joshua Dorsey, 29, a D.C. resident, was sentenced today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to 96 months of incarceration, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, and Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Pamela A. Smith. Dorsey was convicted of one count of aggravated assault while armed following his guilty plea on November 17, 2023, before the Honorable Anthony J. Epstein. According to the government’s evidence, on September 26, 2023, the defendant approached the victim near the intersection of MLK Jr. Avenue Southeast and Good Hope Road Southeast and immediately began striking the victim with his fists. The defendant then took out a knife and began stabbing the victim eight to nine times in the chest and back, causing the victim to suffer from a collapsed lung. The defendant also stabbed the victim in the right eye. It is unclear whether the victim will ever be able to see again. Following the completion of his term of incarceration, the defendant will serve five years of supervised release. On March 1, 2024, the defendant will be sentenced in a separate case in Superior Court following his convictions of second-degree cruelty and attempted strangulation. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith acknowledged the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorney Omeed A. Assefi, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Jefferson Parish Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that FLOYD ROBERTSON , 27, from Jefferson Parish, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 10 years imprisonment , 8 years of supervised release, and a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of a substance containing both heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(C). According to court documents, on three separate occasions between February and June 2021, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from ROBERTSON . During the transactions, ROBERTSON distributed more than fifty (50) grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nolan D. Paige, Chief of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Three Men Charged With Running Hawala Scheme Responsible For Illicitly Moving More Than $65 Million Between The United States And The Middle East

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”); and Christopher A. Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging MOHANAD AL-ZUBAIDI, SHAKER SALEH MOHAMMED HAUTER, and ABDULKADER NOORI HAMZA with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business that was responsible for illicitly moving more than $65 million between the United States and countries in the Middle East, including Yemen, Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. AL-ZUBAIDI was arrested yesterday morning at his home in New Jersey and presented yesterday afternoon in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. HAUTER was arrested last night at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, attempting to board a flight to Turkey, and will be presented today before Judge Lehrburger. HAMZA is currently at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This indictment demonstrates our continued efforts to target and disrupt alleged illicit financial networks that are used every day to criminally transfer proceeds across international borders. Our commitment remains to exposing these unlawful networks and to prosecute those who operate them to the fullest extent of the law.” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “These three men are charged with moving more than $65 million in illegal proceeds to the Middle East. Hawala networks are known to facilitate money laundering and fund criminal organizations abroad, and our investigations look to shut down these networks and stop the flow of dirty money. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money to protect the United States from these threats, and we are resolute in building criminal cases against these illicit organizations.” USPIS Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen said: “This announcement demonstrates the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to stopping anyone from using our products in furtherance of an organized criminal scheme. As alleged, these defendants went through great lengths to circumvent and deceive financial institutions for personal enrichment while using U.S. Postal Service Money Orders to engage in international illicit financial transactions. Postal Inspectors will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt networks perpetrating financial crimes and bring all responsible parties to justice.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] Between in or about 2018 through at least in or about 2022, MOHANAD AL-ZUBAIDI, SHAKER SALEH MOHAMMED HAUTER, and ABDULKADER NOORI HAMZA operated an unlicensed money transfer business that was responsible for illicitly moving more than $65 million between the United States and countries in the Middle East. AL-ZUBAIDI, HAUTER, and HAMZA facilitated hundreds of illicit money transfers, with each transfer ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For the illicit transactions they completed, HAUTER, AL-ZUBAIDI, and HAMZA typically earned a commission of between one and six percent of the total amount transferred. To facilitate these illicit transfers, AL-ZUBAIDI, HAUTER, and HAMZA worked with other members of an international network of money brokers to transfer money through an informal money transmitting system known as “hawala,” which is frequently used by money launderers and other criminals to transfer criminal proceeds abroad. In furtherance of this scheme, AL-ZUBAIDI purported to operate at least four companies based in Texas or New Jersey: Itaqwen, LLC, Mirage Energies Inc., Mirage Auto Group Inc., and Mirage Life Style Inc. In order to open bank accounts and transfer funds through those accounts, AL-ZUBAIDI falsely represented to banks and other financial institutions at which he opened financial accounts for Mirage Energies Inc., Mirage Auto Group Inc., and Mirage Life Style Inc. (together, the “Mirage Companies”) that he used the Mirage Companies to operate an international trading and investment business or to sell cars. In truth and in fact, and as AL-ZUBAIDI knew, he was not operating a legitimate automobile business (or any other legitimate business) but was operating an unlicensed money transfer business. Throughout the period charged in the Indictment, individuals, companies, and other illicit money brokers based outside of the United States contacted AL-ZUBAIDI directly — or through other money brokers like HAUTER — to enlist AL-ZUBAIDI to transfer money to others on their behalf in exchange for a fee. HAMZA, the father of AL-ZUBAIDI, worked directly with AL-ZUBAIDI to operate their unlicensed money transfer business. For example, HAMZA picked up cash from other members of the scheme (including HAUTER) at various locations, including in the Bronx, New York. Then, HAMZA delivered that cash to AL-ZUBAIDI directly or used it to purchase money orders that HAMZA later deposited into bank accounts in the name of the Mirage Companies, which were used to complete illicit money transfers. HAUTER ran his own unlicensed money transfer business based in the Bronx, New York, and served as an intermediary money broker for AL-ZUBAIDI and HAMZA. HAUTER regularly coordinated unlicensed money transfers for AL-ZUBAIDI and HAMZA by directing customers to them or by enlisting them to complete transactions for HAUTER’s own customers. In addition, HAUTER regularly connected AL-ZUBAIDI with other money brokers based outside of the United States to facilitate additional illicit money transfers. Like AL-ZUBAIDI, HAUTER typically received a commission for each illicit transaction he completed. * * * MOHANAD AL-ZUBAIDI, 36, of Piscataway, New Jersey; SHAKER SALEH MOHAMMED HAUTER, 51, of the Bronx, New York; and ABDULKADER NOORI HAMZA, 62, of Piscataway, New Jersey, were charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. AL-ZUBAIDI was also charged with bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI and USPIS. Mr. Williams also recognized the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. King and Amanda C. Weingarten 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: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Narcotics and Firearm Offenses

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DEJUAN WILLIAMS , age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to 262 months incarceration after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of a Superseding Bill of Information. Judge Lemelle also ordered that WILLIAMS be placed on supervised release for three (3) years following release from imprisonment, and to pay a mandatory $400 special assessment fee. Count 1 charged WILLIAMS with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count 2 charged WILLIAMS with possession with the intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 3 charged WILLIAMS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 4 charged WILLIAMS with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court records, on November 22, 2020, WILLIAMS was seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle being driven by his wife in New Orleans. While in the vehicle, WILLIAMS was in knowing possession of a Glock Model 23, 40 caliber pistol. At some point, a gray sedan drove behind their vehicle and opened fire. WILLIAMS exited their vehicle and fled while still in possession of the pistol. Eventually, WILLIAMS reached Elysian Fields Avenue and attempted to hide the pistol underneath some greenery but members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) recovered the pistol later that day. On January 27, 2020, a NOPD detective attempted to locate and arrest WILLIAMS for his possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, as described above. The NOPD detective eventually located WILLIAMS and, while attempting to arrest him, a struggle ensued. During the struggle and subsequent arrest, the detective saw a firearm sling on WILLIAMS ’s person. Inside the sling was a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol, with a live round in the chamber, seven (7) bullets in the attached magazine, a bag of heroin, two bags of crack cocaine, and $458.00 of U.S. currency. WILLIAMS later admitted that the firearm was in the sling, that he possessed both the sling and firearm, that he had cocaine and heroin on his person, that he possessed both the heroin and cocaine, with the intent to distribute them in future drug sales, and that the $458 came from selling heroin and cocaine. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Louisiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Slidell Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RODERICK WILLIAMS , age 27, of Slidell, was sentenced on January 31, 2024 by the Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to sixty (60) months imprisonment to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers stopped a vehicle being driven by WILLIAMS . Thereafter, officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and located a Glock Model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in the trunk. This handgun was loaded, with one bullet in the chamber and carried an extended, twenty-five (25) round magazine. On April 28, 2023, investigators conducted video surveillance of the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Werner Drive. Officers noted an unknown black male hold a firearm as he entered a convenience store. NOPD officers were notified, entered the store and as they approached WILLIAMS, he attempted to conceal the firearm in his waistband. After noticing the outline of a firearm in WILLIAMS’s waistband, officers searched him and seized a Glock Model 26, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun. WILLIAMS had previously been convicted of felonies that prohibited him from possessing firearms. 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 was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Louisville Teacher Charged with Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY –A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued today charging a Louisville school teacher with distributing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse and distributing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court records, in December 2023 and January 2024, Jordan A. Fautz, 39, while employed as a 7th and 8th grade religion teacher at St. Stephen Martyr Catholic School in Louisville, Kentucky, distributed child sexual abuse materials to a law enforcement officer working online undercover. Certain of these materials had been manipulated by morphing or photoshopping original child sexual abuse materials with other, non-explicit images of minors. For example, in one such instance, the nude image of a minor victim depicted her face transposed by means of photoshop or morphing technology onto a different nude female’s body, effectively generating child sexual abuse material. Fautz will be scheduled to make his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted on the charges in the complaint, Fautz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and maximum potential penalties of 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness is prosecuting the case. The FBI Louisville Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims of Jordan Fautz. If you or your minor dependent(s) have information about Fautz, please contact the FBI at SSMtips@fbi.gov. Your responses are voluntary but may be useful in the federal investigation in identifying you or your child as a potential victim. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” 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: U.S. Attorney Announces Terrorism And Sanctions-Evasion Charges Against Leaders Of A Billion-Dollar Oil Laundering Network Orchestrated By Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

body_text: Leaders Within Iran’s IRGC, a Designated Terrorist Organization, Partnered with Iranian Officials and a Turkish Energy Group to Launder and Sell Iranian Oil to Government-Affiliated Buyers in China, Russia, and Syria, to Finance Iran’s Terror-Supporting Qods Force In a Related Action, the U.S. Attorney Announces the Seizure of $108 Million Used as Part of the Scheme to Fund the IRGC’s Qods Force Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; Lisa O. Monaco, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States; Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, announced today the unsealing of terrorism, sanctions-evasion, fraud, and money laundering charges against seven key figures in an oil-laundering network orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and its Qods Force. The defendants include a senior Qods Force official, the son of a former Qods Force Commander and Iranian Minister of Petroleum, an Iranian shipping official, and an agent of the Qods Force, together with three Turkish nationals who operate an energy conglomerate that acted as a Qods Force front company. The defendants, BEHNAM SHAHRIYARI, a/k/a “Seyed Aliakbar Mirvakili,” a/k/a “Husain,” a/k/a “Huseyini Hamid,” a/k/a “Seyed Hamid Reza Shahcheraghi”; MORTEZA ROSTAM GHASEMI; MOHAMMADREZA ALIAKBARI, a/k/a “Captain Aliakbari,” a/k/a “Abu Emad”; MOHAMMAD SADEGH KARIMIAN; SITKI AYAN; BAHADDIN AYAN; and KASIM OZTAS are charged in a five-count Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court. The defendants remain at large. In addition to the unsealing of the charges contained in the Indictment, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York also announced the seizure of $108 million that IRGC front companies attempted to launder through correspondent transaction accounts at U.S. financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme to fund the Qods Force’s malign activities through the illicit sale of Iranian oil, which are subject to forfeiture to the United States. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, the IRGC and its Qods Force have been instrumental in the Iranian regime’s violent suppression of political dissent, targeting of Iranian dissidents living abroad, and support of international terrorism — including groups like Hamas, Hizballah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Today’s charges show how, as alleged, the IRGC’s Qods force built a sprawling international network of front companies to launder sanctioned Iranian oil using lies, forgery, and threats of violence. This alleged scheme to finance the Qods Force succeeds through the complicity of wealthy businessmen in countries like Turkey who are eager to turn a corrupt profit from supporting terror groups. The Qods Force oil-laundering network allegedly delivered millions of barrels of Iranian oil to government-affiliated buyers in Russia, China, and Syria, and transferred billions of dollars through the U.S. financial system. This Office has long served at the forefront of law enforcement efforts to fight terrorism and terror finance and to protect the integrity of the U.S. banking system. I commend the tireless and outstanding efforts of our law enforcement partners in unraveling and disrupting the IRGC’s scheme.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Iran utilizes the proceeds of its black-market oil sales to fund its criminal activities, including its support of the IRGC, Hamas, Hizballah, and other Iranian aligned terrorist groups. The Justice Department is targeting this funding source by seizing over $108 million and 500,000 barrels of fuel that would otherwise have enabled Iran to further its destabilizing activities that threaten our national security. In addition to disrupting Iran’s unlawful funding streams, the Justice Department has also charged nine individuals for their roles in supporting Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. The Justice Department will continue to use every authority we have to cut off the illegal financing and enabling of Iran’s malicious activities, which have become even more evident in recent months.” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: “While Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Qods Force are the regime’s terrorist strongarms, oil is its lifeblood. Today’s enforcement actions show that the Justice Department is committed to using every tool – from criminal prosecutions to the lawful seizures of Iranian oil and oil profits – to shut down Iran’s pipeline of petroleum and profits. The charges and seizures announced today strike at the core of the global oil smuggling network that Iran has built to fund its regime of terror and repression and deny the regime millions of dollars in proceeds to further its nefarious agenda.” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “Iran presents a constant threat to the United States – trying to murder Americans right here within our borders, conducting a cyber-attack on a children’s hospital, supporting terrorists around the world, and more. All of Iran’s crimes cost money. And the FBI will remain committed to enforcing U.S. sanctions that keep money out of its coffers.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “Today’s cases are part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to cut off the flow of black-market Iranian oil that funds the regime’s malign activity, threatening the United States and our interests around the world. We remain focused on holding accountable those involved in these smuggling schemes, from the officials who oversee the laundering operations, to the network of shadowy businesses that enable them, to the brokers who help facilitate these unlawful transactions.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “The Government of Iran has repeatedly shown itself willing to engage in complex schemes to evade U.S. sanctions, which are imposed to protect America's national security interests. These seven individuals allegedly led an audacious effort to fund the Qods Force through the sale of sanctioned Iranian oil to our adversaries. Today's charges serve as a warning to anyone willing to ignore and evade sanctions that the FBI will use all the tools at our disposal to rigorously defend our nation.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment: [1] Overview of the Scheme Following the imposition of U.S. sanctions against Iran’s petroleum sector in 2018, the Government of Iran’s ability to finance itself through sales of crude oil and petroleum products — Iran’s most important economic sector — was severely diminished. In response, the IRGC Qods Force built a large-scale oil laundering network to give Iran’s government-owned National Iranian Oil Company (“NIOC”) illicit access to global markets to sell crude oil and petroleum products and to use the proceeds to finance the Qods Force. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence organization under the authority of the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the IRGC’s Qods Force is the Government of Iran’s primary arm for carrying out its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups — including Hamas, Hizballah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Taliban — and insurgent forces in Iraq and Yemen, including Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis. In the years since sanctions were imposed, the Qods Force partnered with individuals and companies located in Turkey, Lebanon, Russia, Oman, Greece, India, the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”), Cyprus, and elsewhere to conceal the Iranian origin of the oil — including through the use of falsified government records, contracts, and other documents, and by manipulating oil tanker location and identification information — and to then launder the proceeds of the sales through layered transactions, bulk cash smuggling, and trade-based money laundering using agricultural commodities. Through this oil-laundering scheme, the Qods Force arranged the delivery of millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to government-owned and -affiliated buyers in Syria, Russia, and China. Participants in the scheme caused billions of dollars to be illegally transferred through the U.S. banking system. To sell NIOC crude oil to the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the network used an intermediary company in Lebanon to conceal the Government of Iran’s involvement in the oil sales and a ship management company based in India to buy, lease, and manage oil tankers to use in the scheme. The oil tanker fleet was supervised by ALIAKBARI, and the key agreements between the Government of Iran and its foreign partners were authorized and approved by Qods Force Commander Rostam Ghasemi, who previously served as Iran’s Minister of Oil, Minister of Transportation and Urban Development, and the Iranian chair of the Iranian-Syrian Economic Relations Development Committee. To sell NIOC crude oil to government-affiliated buyers in China, the network used the ASB Group of companies in Turkey, owned by SITKI AYAN, as well as intermediary companies in Oman, Greece, and elsewhere. Commander Ghasemi again authorized and approved key agreements between the Government of Iran and its foreign partners and resolved financial disputes that arose among the participants in the scheme. Companies in the ASB Group acted as intermediaries in the oil sales to conceal the Government of Iran’s role and the Iranian origin of the oil and leased oil tankers that were operated by co-conspirators. SITKI AYAN’s son and senior ASB Group officer, BAHADDIN AYAN, assisted SITKI AYAN in the scheme and caused millions of dollars of wire transfers through the U.S. banking system for the leasing and operation of oil tankers. OZTAS, who was a manager of the ASB Group of companies, also assisted SITKI AYAN in carrying out the scheme and finalizing agreements with ASB Group’s partners. SHAHRIYARI, a senior Qods Force official; KARIMIAN, who acts as an agent of the Qods Force in oil laundering transactions; and ALIAKBARI participated in negotiations among the participants and monitored the progress of the oil sales, oil shipments, and the Qods Force’s receipt of the oil proceeds. To sell NIOC crude oil to government-affiliated buyers in Russia, the network again used the ASB Group of companies, along with other companies in the UAE, Cyprus, Russia, and Turkey. SHAHRIYARI and KARIMIAN organized a complex web of companies, with SITKI AYAN’s ASB Group of companies at the center, to launder NIOC oil and the proceeds through layered transactions with a Cypriot company and to launder the oil sales through bulk cash smuggling and trade-based money laundering involving Russian agricultural products. Commander Ghasemi and his co-conspirators, including KARIMIAN, controlled the proceeds of the oil sales, which were collected in Russia and transferred through cash couriers, SITKI AYAN’s companies, or the Iranian Embassy in Moscow. One of the key Qods Force front companies involved in the scheme was China Oil and Petroleum Company (“China Oil and Petroleum”), which, despite its name, was controlled from Iran by Commander Ghasemi and his associates, including KARIMIAN. China Oil and Petroleum acted as an intermediary in sales of NIOC oil, including deals involving SITKI AYAN’s ASB Group of companies, in order to facilitate the ultimate delivery to government-affiliated buyers in China. Between at least 2019 and the present, China Oil and Petroleum has been involved in the transfer of more than $2 billion through the U.S. financial system in furtherance of the scheme to finance the IRGC’s Qods Force. The Defendants BEHNAM SHAHRIYARI, a/k/a “Seyed Aliakbar Mirvakili,” a/k/a “Husain,” a/k/a “Huseyini Hamid,” a/k/a “Seyed Hamid Reza Shahcheraghi,” 58, an Iranian national, is a publicly identified IRGC Qods Force senior official. In 2011, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated SHAHRIYARI as a Specially Designated National (“SDN”) under national security controls related to global terrorism for acting on behalf of an IRGC-linked shipping company that provided material support, including weapons, to Hizballah on behalf of the IRGC. MORTEZA ROSTAM GHASEMI, 32, an Iranian national, is the son of IRGC Qods Force Commander Ghasemi. In 2019, GHASEMI was designated by OFAC as an SDN under national security controls related to global terrorism. MOHAMMADREZA ALIAKBARI, a/k/a “Captain Aliakbari,” a/k/a “Abu Emad,” 56, an Iranian national, is a senior officer with Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company, which acts on behalf of the Government of Iran. In 2019, ALIAKBARI was designated by OFAC as an SDN under national security controls related to global terrorism, including his alleged role as an interlocutor between the IRGC Qods Force and vessel managers to help the Qods Force evade sanctions. MOHAMMAD SADEGH KARIMIAN, 36, an Iranian national, acts as an agent of the IRGC Qods Force. KARIMIAN was designated in 2022 by OFAC as an SDN under national security controls relating to global terrorism and plays a principal role in overseeing the creation and use of intermediary companies to act on behalf of the IRGC and in organizing and supervising deals for the sale and transportation of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. SITKI AYAN, 61, a Turkish national, has a long history of partnering with Iranian state-owned oil and gas companies. AYAN is the chairman of the ASB Group of companies, which includes Som Petrol Ticaret A.S., Baslam Petrol Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., and Baslam Nakliyat Ve Dis Ticaret, Ltd. Sirketi, all of which have been designated by OFAC as SDNs along with AYAN in December 2022 under national security controls related to global terrorism. BAHADDIN AYAN, 35, a Turkish national, is the son of SITKI AYAN and a vice president of the ASB Group of companies. In December 2022, BAHADDIN AYAN was designated by OFAC as an SDN under national security controls related to global terrorism. KASIM OZTAS, 41, a Turkish national, has been managing director of the ASB Group of companies. In December 2022, KASIM OZTAS was designated by OFAC as an SDN under national security controls related to global terrorism. * * * The Indictment unsealed today charges each of the defendants with: (i) conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (ii) conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Governments of Iran and Syria, global terrorists and proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (iii) conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; (iv) conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (v) conspiring to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be imposed by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Field Office Counterintelligence Division. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Counterterrorism Section for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, David W. Denton, Jr., and Nicholas S. Bradley are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Benjamin Hawk, Beaudre Barnes, and Christopher Magnani of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorneys Joshua Champagne and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section. The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, 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: USAO works with local law enforcement to stop fentanyl & meth trafficking

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman was sentenced to 57 months in prison for trafficking drugs. According to court documents, Andrea Brooke Kendall, 43, of Wichita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In January 2022, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was working undercover arranged to purchase meth from Kendall. She sold the deputy two ounces of meth and 100 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers observed the transaction then followed Kendall to another location where her vehicle was searched. Deputies found 12.25 grams of heroin, nearly a pound a meth, as well as methadone, amphetamine, Pregabalin, and fentanyl pills. Co-defendant Aaron Roberson, 39, of Wichita was a passenger in Kendall’s vehicle at the time of another traffic stop. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 22 months in prison. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett prosecuted the case. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Pandemic Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County man on Friday admitted fraudulently applying for pandemic loans totaling more than $33,000. Corvell Wraggs Jr., 34, of Norwood Court, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud. He admitted fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan on April 11, 2021, falsely claiming that he operated a sole proprietorship in 2020 that generated gross income of $74,000. He claimed he would use the money for payroll to retain workers and other business expenses. He then applied for a second draw loan, claiming that his gross receipts had dropped more than 25 percent. In all, Wraggs fraudulently obtained $33,832. Wraggs is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8. The wire fraud charges are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Charles Bernard Long (43, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. Long faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on May 20 and June 1, 2023, undercover investigators downloaded child sexual abuse images through a file sharing program from a device using the internet protocol address at Long’s residence. On August 10, 2023, FBI investigators executed a search warrant at Long’s residence and seized his digital media devices. A forensic review of those devices found approximately 260 files of child sexual abuse material, some depicting children as young as six years old. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Federal judge convicts Butler County man of narcotics crime punishable by 10 years to life in prison

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A federal judge has convicted a Fairfield, Ohio, man of participating in a narcotics conspiracy that is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. The verdict against Eric Jason Clark, 41, was announced yesterday afternoon following a bench trial on Jan. 29 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. According to court documents and trial testimony, Clark and others conspired to possess with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and 400 or more grams of fentanyl. In May 2021, DEA agents began investigating Clark after receiving information that he was interested in purchasing 10 kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles for $33,000 per kilogram. During conversations related to drug sales in June and July 2021, Clark said he wanted to “stick to that white girl, the Christina Aguilera,” meaning cocaine, because law enforcement “want to fight that war on drugs with people passing away from [fentanyl].” But if the “price was right,” Clark said he’d buy fentanyl too, so long as it was “top notch.” Clark carried multiple cell phones at a time and said he disposed of his phones and numbers as quickly as every two days. He said he always kept $300,000 cash in his car. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clark was engaging in large-scale narcotics purchases in the Cincinnati area. Clark was ultimately arrested in August 2021. At the time of his arrest, officers discovered five kilograms of cocaine and more than $200,000 of cash in his vehicle, as well as five more kilograms of cocaine and more than three kilograms of fentanyl at his luxury stash house apartment. At the time, Clark was on supervised release following a prior federal drug conviction. In 2008, he was sentenced in a case in the Southern District of Ohio to 180 months in prison. Clark will be sentenced by the Court at a future hearing. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentence and sentencing of the defendant will be determined based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the verdict. Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy and Assistant United States Attorney David P. Dornette are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Winter Springs Man Charged With Distribution, Receipt, And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Mark Sotnick (46, Winter Springs) with distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Sotnick faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison for the distribution and receipt charges, and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the possession charge. According to the indictment, Sotnick received child sexual abuse material on September 12, 2021, distributed child sexual abuse material on August 19, 2022, and possessed child sexual abuse material on January 4, 2024. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Kissimmee Woman Sentenced To Prison For Passport Fraud, Identity Theft, And Food Stamp Fraud

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Nilda Medina-Veguilla (38, Kissimmee) to 31 months in federal prison for making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government property. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $39,088, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Medina-Veguilla entered a guilty plea on September 7, 2023. According to court documents, Medina-Veguilla is a U.S. citizen who was born in Puerto Rico. In 2005, she was charged with counterfeiting and illegal appropriation by Puerto Rican authorities. In 2008, a warrant was issued for her arrest. That same year, Medina-Veguilla moved to the continental U.S. and obtained an identification card and then a Florida driver license in the name of identity theft victim “N.T.D.” Medina-Veguilla held herself out as N.T.D. for approximately 15 years, using N.T.D.’s identity when getting married and divorced, for criminal arrests, for employment and tax purposes, to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and to obtain a U.S. passport. On February 23, 2021, Medina-Veguilla applied for a U.S. passport at the South Creek Post Office in Orlando. On that application, she used N.T.D.’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number. For proof of citizenship and identity, Medina-Veguilla submitted a copy of N.T.D.’s Puerto Rico birth certificate and a Florida driver license which she had fraudulently obtained. On numerous occasions between 2013 and 2022, Medina-Veguilla applied for SNAP benefits using addresses in the Middle District of Florida. She completed online applications with information about her financial status and family situation and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of N.T.D. in the applications. As a result of her illegal activities, Medina-Veguilla obtained and used $$39,088 in SNAP benefits. The SNAP is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture that was authorized by Congress to help low-income individuals and families by providing monthly benefits with which to buy food. These benefits were formerly called “food stamps.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.


title: Violent Machinegun-Wielding Drug Trafficker from North Shore Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A leader of one of the largest and most violent criminal street gangs in the country was sentenced yesterday for leading a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy across the North Shore and into Maine. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendant participated in six shootings as well as acquired over 40 firearms and multiple “selector switches” for himself and fellow gang members. The defendant was also held accountable for his role in a seventh shooting that resulted in a murder. Armani Minier-Tejada, a/k/a “Shotz,” a/k/a “Gustavo,” 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 40 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2023 , Minier-Tejada was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, cocaine and other controlled substances; one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to, and possess a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime; and one count of use and carrying, brandishing and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime. The investigation began in 2020 in direct response to an increasing number of shootings in communities north of Boston committed by street gangs whose violence is fueled by drug distribution. Minier-Tejada was a member and leader of a street gang known as the Tiny Rascal Gangsters (TRG), one of the largest and most violent criminal street gangs in the country that operates on a decentralized structure via local groups or “sets.” TRG is involved in street-level distribution of powdered cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine and members are known for their involvement in gun violence. Minier-Tejada and his co-conspirators, including members of the Lynn set of TRG, participated in a long-running conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Boston, the North Shore and the Bangor, Maine area. Minier-Tejada served as the supplier for multiple large-scale drug dealers in Maine and, in total, he and his co-conspirators were responsible for trafficking more than 10 kilograms each of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine from Massachusetts into Maine. Minier-Tejada and his co-conspirators produced numerous videos and images in which they were depicted brandishing and holding firearms, including multiple machine guns – that is, pistols equipped with “selector switches” rendering them capable of fully automatic fire. Additionally, the drug conspiracy of which Minier-Tejada was a leader acquired over 40 firearms and multiple “selector switches” for use by TRG members during the drug trafficking conspiracy. “Selector switches,” are aftermarket parts that convert a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun, capable of fully automatic fire. At sentencing, the government established that in 2019 and 2020, Minier-Tejada and co-conspirators, including TRG gang members, Marcus Carlisle, a/k/a “Reckless,” and Jaiir Coleman, a/k/a “JC,” committed six shootings in Boston and surrounding communities in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. At trial, the government introduced evidence concerning one of the shootings, taking place in Cambridge in July 2020, which was in response to a video being live-streamed from a parking lot accusing Minier-Tejada and Coleman of cooperating with law enforcement. Minier-Tejada and Coleman travelled to the streaming location with two firearms – including a machine gun – and together fired at least 30 rounds into a large crowd of people gathered in the parking lot. At sentencing, Minier-Tejada was also held responsible for a seventh shooting that took place in Lynn, during the course of the drug conspiracy in July 2020, that was committed by fellow TRG members. This seventh shooting resulted in the death of one victim and injuries to four others. In April 2023, Carlisle and Berberena were convicted in Essex County Superior Court of First-Degree Murder and multiple counts of Armed Assault with Intent to Murder for the July 4, 2020, shooting. Both were sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole, to be followed by a total of 40 years in prison consecutive to the life sentence. The case against Carlisle and Berberena was prosecuted by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Minier-Tejeda is the 18th federal defendant to be sentenced in this case. Over the past three years, the investigation has resulted in the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of multiple drug traffickers and violent offenders in the greater Boston area, including: Vincent Caruso , a/k/a “Fatz,” who was sentenced to 250 months in federal prison; his mother Laurie Caruso and co-conspirator Ernest Johnson , a/k/a “Yo Pesci,” who were sentenced to 108 and 78 months in federal prison, respectively; Malden-based drug trafficker and participant in a shooting of a vehicle that contained a young child, Phillips Charles , a/k/a “Phon C,” who was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison; TRG leader David Oth , a/k/a “Baby Bouncer,” who was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison; and Ahsan Arty , a/k/a “Hass,” a member of a violent drug and gun conspiracy was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. Coleman pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in February 2022 , and is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Boston on Feb. 8, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow; and Rick Desjardins, Director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Maine State Police; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; Essex and Hancock (Maine) County Sheriff’s Department; and the Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Salem, Somerville, Bangor (Maine), Portland (Maine) and Westbrook (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: United States Unseals Civil Forfeiture Complaint for Seizure of Iranian Oil

body_text: WASHINGTON – A civil forfeiture complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia, alleging that more than 500,000 barrels of Iranian fuel oil valued at over $25 million previously onboard the Oil Tanker “Abyss” is forfeitable under the terrorism financing statutes as property of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The document alleges a scheme to facilitate the shipment and sale of Iranian fuel oil for the benefit of the IRGC and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). The IRGC and its facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the oil as Iraqi, including manipulating the vessel’s automatic identification system reporting and presenting falsified documents. “The complaint unsealed today is the latest in a series of actions our Office has taken to seize and to forfeit oil that Iran has attempted to illegally sell,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “Forfeiture actions like this one disrupt Iran’s efforts to illegally sell oil. The proceeds from these illegal sales are the lifeblood of the Iranian’s efforts to sew war and terror around the globe, disrupting these sales is critical to our national security.” “Today’s civil forfeiture action exemplifies our unwavering dedication to advancing our shared goal of protecting the homeland from terrorist organizations attempting to circumvent U.S. sanctions,” said Erin Keegan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New York. “HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to utilizing its full authority to disrupt the efforts of hostile countries seeking to profit from illicit oil sales used to support terrorism and the proliferation and delivery of weapons of mass destruction. Today’s action underscores our message that HSI and our partners will not stand by idly as Iran and the terrorist groups it supports use unlawful means to threaten our national security.” "Today’s civil forfeiture demonstrates our commitment to protecting the U.S. from organizations seeking to evade U.S. sanctions," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI remains dedicated to working with our partners to protect the sanctity of our financial infrastructure and disrupt the attempts of hostile regimes to generate profits from oil sales used to support terrorism." The civil forfeiture action further alleges that the fuel oil constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has provided material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses. This enforcement action is the most recent in a series of efforts made by the Justice Department to combat the illicit trafficking of Iranian oil in violation of U.S. law. On September 8, 2023, the Department announced a seizure of oil onboard the tanker Suez Rajan, a criminal plea by its ownership company, and a deferred prosecution agreement by its operating company, all arising out of the tanker’s transport of illicit Iranian oil. The oil was sold for $74 million and the proceeds of the sale are now subject to the civil forfeiture process. These recent actions build on prior enforcement cases the Department of Justice has brought in the District of Columbia related to seizures of illicit Iranian oil since 2019. For example, on July 1, 2020, the Department filed a civil asset forfeiture complaint against all the petroleum seized onboard the four oil tankers, the Bella, Bering, Pandi, and Luna, which were carrying Iranian petroleum to Venezuela. The petroleum onboard these four tankers was sold for approximately $45 million. Similarly, on February 2, 2021, the Department of Justice filed a civil asset forfeiture against all petroleum seized onboard the oil tanker Achilleas, which was transporting NIOC petroleum. The petroleum on the Achilleas was sold for approximately $111 million. During October and November 2021, the Department of Justice filed a civil asset forfeiture complaint against all the petroleum seized onboard the tankers Arina and Nostos, which was of Iranian origin. The petroleum onboard was sold for approximately $51 million. All the above matters were handled by the Threat Finance Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. These oil seizure actions are in addition to multiple seizures and criminal forfeiture actions for funds associated with the transfer of illicit Iranian oil and the laundering of U.S. dollar payments. All told, these actions have deprived Iran of more than 5,300,000 barrels of petroleum products and $294 million attributable to IRGC. Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. The FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York are investigating the Abyss case related to Iranian fuel oil, and other cases were investigated by these offices as well as the HSI Washington, D.C. and Colorado Springs offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, Brian Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Erika Oblea for the District of Columbia are litigating the case related to Iranian fuel oil aboard the Abyss, with support from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. They received assistance from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in this matter. A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.


title: Valdosta Man with Lengthy Criminal Past Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Guns

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. –A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a lengthy criminal history in the community was sentenced to prison this week for illegally possessing firearms as he led police on a high-speed chase in an effort to escape arrest. Kendrick Terrell Pryor, 41, was sentenced to serve 165 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Feb. 1, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Pryor is not eligible for parole. “The defendant reached speeds of 120 miles per hour and drove through a residential section of Valdosta without regard for the safety of others as he attempted to outrun law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Felons who consistently demonstrate a total disregard for the law and are found in possession of deadly weapons will find their cases getting federal attention. Our office is working alongside local, state and federal law enforcement to hold repeat offenders accountable.” “Convicted felons cannot possess guns and will face serious consequences for having them,” said Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This sentencing ensures that Kendrick Pryor is held accountable for his crime and is removed from the community for a long time, where he will not be able to harm others.” “We are thankful for the collaboration between our office and our federal partners to help remove dangerous repeat offenders with guns off the streets,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. According to facts presented in court, deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office attempted to pull Pryor over for suspected impaired driving in Valdosta, Georgia, on July 3, 2022. Pryor refused to pull over and a pursuit ensued. Pryor drove his car at speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour—including through a residential section—and ran stop signs and red lights in an attempt to escape the deputy. Law enforcement was forced to perform a successful PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) Maneuver to stop the car, and Pryor was taken into custody. Inside Pryor’s car, officers found a .22 caliber firearm on the driver’s floorboard; a 9mm handgun on the passenger’s floorboard; a 50-round drum magazine for a 9mm firearm; and a quantity of methamphetamine, oxycodone pills and cocaine. Pryor has at least six drug possession and distribution felony convictions in Lowndes County Superior Court as well as one conviction for theft by taking. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 by bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. 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 was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Conehatta Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison  for Sexual Contact with a Child

body_text: Jackson, Miss. –A Conehatta man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for having sexual contact with a child in the Conehatta Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. According to court documents, Dayleon Phillips, Sr., 35, admitted to having sexual contact with a child less than 12 years of age while in the Conehatta Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebekah Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: North Little Rock Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Stolen Mail and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—A North Little Rock man was sentenced to 95 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Thursday, United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr., also sentenced James Diante Miller, 28, to 60 months’ incarceration for possession of stolen mail. Judge Moody ordered Miller to serve his sentences concurrently and also ordered him to serve three years supervised release. On July 18, 2022, law enforcement officials conducted surveillance of the blue collection box located in front of the Westside Post Office located at 11415 Huron Lane, Little Rock, Arkansas. In the early morning hours, two individuals, later identified as Kobe Powell and Miller, arrived at the Westside Post Office in a black Ford Crown Victoria. Law enforcement observed Powell open the postal collection box. Law enforcement officers attempted to make contact, however Powell and Miller fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed and eventually crashed into a residence. After the crash, Powell and Miller fled from the vehicle and were arrested by law enforcement. After Miller was arrested, a Glock firearm was found in his possession. Powell, who was not found to be in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment on September 20, 2023, for possessing stolen mail and a counterfeit check. A two-count Superseding Information was filed on September 21, 2023, charging Miller with possession of stolen mail and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On that same day, Miller pleaded guilty to the charges in the Superseding Information. Judge Moody also ordered Miller to pay $1,650.00 in restitution. The maximum sentence faced by the defendant for possession of stolen mail was five years and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, it was 15 years. The defendant also faced a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, Little Rock Police Department, and Arkansas State Police. # # # This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @EDARNEWS


title: Stockton Man Indicted for Cocaine Distribution and Firearm Possession

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Phillip Maurice Allen, 49, of Stockton, charging him with distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 2023, a confidential source, working at the direction of law enforcement, purchased approximately half a kilogram of cocaine from Allen. On Dec. 4, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant executed at Allen’s automobile repair business in Manteca and found 3 kilograms of cocaine vacuum sealed into individual 1-kilogram bricks, as well as a digital scale, Ziploc bags, a money counter, and a vacuum sealing machine. Agents also found in the office two handguns, a Glock 31 and a Diamondback Arms 9 mm, and over 1,200 rounds of ammunition. Allen is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly is prosecuting the case. If convicted of distribution of cocaine, Allen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine, Allen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Allen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $12,352,268 In Criminal And Civil Actions And $1,610,245 In Asset Forfeiture Actions In Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced today that the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $12,352,268 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $3,130,283 was collected in criminal actions and $9,221,985 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee , working with partner agencies, collected $1,610,245 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee , working with partner agencies, collected $11,345 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023 for victim compensation. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. ###