title: Florida conspirators sentenced to nearly five years in prison each for evading over $42 million in duties when illegally importing and selling plywood

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Florida husband and wife, Noel and Kelsy Hernandez Quintana were both sentenced yesterday to 57 months in prison for illegally importing and selling between $25 million and $65 million worth of plywood products in violation of the Lacey Act and customs laws. Their employee, Marta Angelbello, was also sentenced. In addition to their prison sentences, the Quintanas were ordered to pay, jointly and severally, $42,417,318.50 in forfeitures, as well as $1,630,324.46 in storage costs incurred by the government when the Quintanas declined to abandon illegal wood seized by the government, thus forcing the government to maintain the wood in storage pending resolution of the case. The Quintanas were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their prison sentences, during which time they are prohibited in engaging in businesses regarding importing or exporting in products specifically protected under the Lacey Act. Angelbello was sentenced to three years of probation to include 90 days in home detention and was ordered to pay a fine of $3,000. “The enforcement of customs laws serves an integral part of U.S. foreign policy and trade policy,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “In this case, the defendants undermined U.S. policy by evading legally mandated customs duties on plywood manufactured in China using Russian timber. Moreover, by doing so, the defendants covered up their criminal scheme to violate federal environmental law, while also unjustly enriching themselves. This case shows the importance of prosecuting customs and environmental offenses.” “Illegal timber trafficking has serious environmental effects. Also, accurate plant import declarations protect domestic producers from dumping by foreign countries and detect potential over-harvesting and trade in timber from high-risk sources,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This case clearly illustrates the ties between natural resource crime and customs laws, and is the result of excellent investigative work by customs officers, import specialists and Homeland Security Investigations.” “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to pursuing individuals or entities that attempt to defraud the government of millions of dollars, violate U.S. Customs laws and undermine a fair marketplace for businesses,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of the Homeland Security (HSI) Miami Field Office. “These types of criminal activities only serve to negatively impact the U.S. economy and we will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to combat this illicit activity.” According to court filings, the Quintanas and Angelbello together engaged in a sophisticated scheme to evade antidumping and countervailing duties owed on hardwood plywood products made in China by falsely declaring the species, country of origin or country of harvest of the wood from which the plywood was made. At times they caused containers of plywood to be shipped from China to Malaysia or Sri Lanka, for example, where the wood was taken out of the original containers and put into a second set of containers to conceal the Chinese origin of the product. The Quintanas incorporated seven companies in the United States – naming relatives or friends as corporate officers and agents – and used these shell companies to import hundreds of shipments of plywood products into the United States between February 2016 and December 2020. The Quintanas also incorporated a financial shell company through which they accepted payments from purchasers for the plywood they imported in violation of law, including the Lacey Act and customs laws. When importing plant products, the Lacey Act requires filing a declaration which contains, among other things, the plant’s scientific name and its country of harvest. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to transport or sell a plant product knowing it or the plant it was made from was transported in violation of any plant-related law. Customs laws prohibit false statements in any import declaration without reasonable cause to believe the truth of such statement. It is also illegal to import merchandise contrary to law, including the Lacey Act. According to the Quintana’s October plea agreement, softwood plywood – regardless of country of export – carried a general duty of 8%, with a few duty-free exceptions, such as if the outer ply was made from Parana pine. Antidumping and countervailing duties of more than 200% applied to hardwood plywood manufactured in China after approximately April 2017. Before April 2017, the Quintana’s importing shell companies imported containers of plywood into the United States and almost exclusively declared them to be hardwood plywood imported from China. But after April 2017, the companies evaded applicable duties by falsely declaring their hardwood plywood imports from China to be either the product of another country or to be made with a species of wood not subject to duties. For example, a declaration from July 2018 said plywood in three containers was manufactured in Russia. But the containers were manufactured and loaded in Qingdao, China, and transported to Port Everglades, Florida, through the Panama Canal, without ever stopping in Russia. After federal authorities stopped such a shipment through Panama, the Quintanas used a different tactic to evade duties by shipping Chinese-produced hardwood plywood to Malaysia and transferring the wood to new containers to be shipped onward to the United States. This change of containers was intended to better conceal that the plywood originated from China. The Quintana also falsely declared some shipments of softwood plywood to be duty-free Parana pine, which allowed them to evade the 8% general duty on these imports. Additional court filings reflect that, after being alerted to the possibility of prosecution for their illegal acts, the Quintanas fled the United States initially to Panama and then to Montenegro where they were the subject of extradition proceedings. The couple pleaded guilty to conspiring to import hardwood plywood in violation of the Lacey Act and customs laws and conspiring to sell the illegally imported plywood. Noel Quintana also pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling and one count of importing plant products without filing a declaration including the scientific name and name of the country from which the plants were taken. Kelsy Quintana also pleaded guilty to two counts of importing plant products without filing a declaration including the scientific name and name of the country where the plant was harvested. HSI investigated the case with support from Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Animal and Plant Health Investigation Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and attorneys from the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


title: Three Members Of Northern California Drug Trafficking Groups Convicted At Trial

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury has convicted three defendants—Luis Torres Garcia, Evan Martinez Diaz, and Timothy Peoples—of multiple drug trafficking offenses following an eight-day trial, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. The jury convicted the defendants on all counts, rendering its verdict on February 14, 2024, after deliberating for two hours. The verdict followed a trial before the Hon. Richard Seeborg, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California. The evidence at trial included calls intercepted between April 2018 and February 2019 as part of a federal wiretap investigation into two drug suppliers in the East Bay. The intercepted calls established, among other things, that both suppliers received drugs from sources in Mexico. At trial, the government also presented evidence of several significant drug seizures including: 8.8 pounds of fentanyl and heroin in May 2018, valued at as much as $1.1 million, according to uncontested evidence at trial; 18 pounds of methamphetamine in August 2018; and 20 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine in February 2019. The evidence at trial also established that law enforcement seized more than $300,000 in drug-related cash over the course of the investigation. Torres Garcia, 38, of Rio Dell, California, was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A). The evidence at trial showed that Torres Garcia was a Humboldt County drug trafficker, who used the nickname “Guero.” Torres Garcia received methamphetamine shipments on credit from a Fairfield, California-based drug supplier. On August 8, 2018, the Fairfield supplier attempted to send about 18 pounds of methamphetamine—valued at $158,000—to Torres Garcia in Humboldt County. DEA agents and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the drug courier and seized the drugs during a vehicle stop on Highway 101 near Healdsburg, California. In February 2019, the DEA tracked Torres Garcia to a meeting in Windsor, California, where Torres Garcia delivered about $13,800 in cash to a courier for his drug supplier. Although he was present throughout the trial and listened to closing arguments, Torres Garcia absconded before the jury handed down its verdict; he is now a fugitive. Martinez Diaz, 31, of Bay Point, California, was charged with three counts—conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B); possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B); and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). The evidence at trial established, among other things, that on February 9, 2019, Martinez Diaz was transporting about 20 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine through a residential neighborhood in Antioch, California, when he realized he was being followed by law enforcement—which knew about the drugs through intercepted calls. Martinez Diaz began driving erratically, briefly evading law enforcement and directing a co-conspirator to discard the drugs he was carrying in the bushes on a residential street. A short time later law enforcement located the drugs, which evidence at trial established had street retail values of $177,860 (methamphetamine) and $40,000 (cocaine). After Martinez Diaz was stopped by police and released with a traffic citation, he was intercepted on a call telling his supplier that he had seen law enforcement and discarded the drugs to avoid arrest. Peoples, 44, of Antioch, California, was arrested after law enforcement officers found cocaine in his home, and charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)–(C). Evidence presented at trial showed that Peoples was a regular customer of an Antioch-based cocaine wholesaler from whom he bought some 10.5 pounds of cocaine for more than $120,000 in a 90-day period. Peoples used the codeword “babies” to refer to ounce quantities of cocaine. The evidence at trial established that Peoples then sold cocaine to his own customers in smaller quantities and used his proceeds to buy expensive cars. Judge Seeborg scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 11, 2024. Torres Garcia faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Martinez Diaz and Peoples each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for every count on which they were convicted. However, the defendants’ sentences will be imposed only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Pastor and Joseph Tartakovsky prosecuted the case with the assistance of Erick Machado. This prosecution is the result of an investigation led by the DEA Oakland Resident Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the police departments in Fairfield, Antioch, Concord, and Oakland; the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office; and the California Highway Patrol.


title: Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Passenger on Cruise Ship

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty today to assaulting a fellow passenger with a dangerous weapon, resulting in serious bodily injury, on a cruise ship last year. According to court documents, Michael Truman, 39, assaulted a passenger aboard the Carnival “Magic” Cruise Ship on October 20, 2023. The cruise ship was off the coast of Nantucket in open waters. Truman was loudly disrupting a theater show aboard the cruise ship when he was asked twice by a fellow passenger to quiet down. After Truman refused, the passenger began to leave the area to request assistance from a cruise ship employee. Truman then smashed a cocktail glass into the victim’s face, got on top of the victim, and began striking him further. The broken glass caused significant lacerations to the victim’s face, requiring more than a dozen stitches. Truman is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Mozzi and Clayton LaForge are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-144.


title: Turtle Creek Resident Indicted on 20 Counts of Sexually Exploiting Minors

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The 20-count Indictment named Robert Bookshar, 46, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on multiple occasions from in and around August 2022 until in and around May 2023, Bookshar attempted to and did use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two different minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The Indictment further charges that, on multiple occasions from in and around September 2021 until in and around February 2023, Bookshar attempted to and did receive images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit content, and that, on or about June 29, 2023, Bookshar knowingly possessed images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 440 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Bookshar is detained pending trial. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Fayette County Auto Dealer Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on February 14, 2024, for conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Joshua DeWitt, 38, to ten months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release. DeWitt was also ordered to pay restitution in the total amount of $60,022.50. According to information provided to the Court, DeWitt was the owner of RC Auto, a used car dealership in Fayette County. Along with his co-conspirator Terrence Newmeyer, DeWitt filed a series of fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loans, including on behalf of customers, telling some that they were applying for funds that could be used to purchase a vehicle from the dealership. DeWitt and Newmeyer used the fraudulently obtained pandemic benefits for themselves and the dealership, by—among other things—accepting them as payment for vehicles and services sold. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Schwab stated that the fraud conspiracy lasted for many months and involved repeated instances of criminal activity. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, Pennsylvania State Police, and Fayette County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of DeWitt. Newmeyer’s sentencing hearing currently is scheduled for March 5, 2024.


title: Three Temple Gang Members Convicted of RICO, Hobbs Act Violations

body_text: WACO, Texas – A federal jury in Waco convicted three Temple men on all counts for crimes committed in violation of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and the Hobbs Act. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Atorius Marquis Williams aka Lil Man, 23, Demonta Daniels aka Tado aka Tato, 24, and Trashawn Lamar Alexander aka Mad Max, 29, were members and associates of a criminal organization referred to as Killas With Aggression (KWA), an organization engaged in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by, among other things, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to rob persons engaged in the distribution of controlled substances. Williams, Daniels and Alexander conspired to commit four murders, multiple violent assaults, extortion, drug trafficking and armed robberies in furtherance of the criminal enterprise. Specifically, the indictment alleges four overt acts to include murder—one committed by Williams on Sept. 30, 2017, in Belton; the second, committed by Williams and Alexander on Dec. 10, 2017, in Temple; the third, committed by Williams and Daniels on Jan. 16, 2018, in Temple; and the fourth, committed by Williams, Daniels and Alexander on Jan. 31, 2018, in Temple. Additionally, the defendants conspired to affect commerce by robbery, committing acts of physical violence and threatening to commit acts of physical violence to steal controlled substances and proceeds from persons engaged in illegal drug distribution. Williams, Daniels and Alexander were also convicted of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, namely robbery. Alexander was convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Seven other codefendants in the case have already been sentenced following guilty pleas. Dominic Johnson was sentenced in January 2023 to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; Desmond Wilkerson was sentenced in September 2023 to 71 months in prison for racketeering conspiracy; James Roy Whitfield Jr was sentenced on February 13 to 102 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting; Jason Mayse was sentenced on February 13 to 40 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; Jyaraciel Whitfield was sentenced in September 2023 to 144 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting; Christopher Meyers was sentenced in August 2022 to 144 months in prison for racketeering conspiracy; and Reginald Williams was sentenced in September 2023 to 96 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, Temple Police Department, Belton Police Department, Bell County Organized Crime Unit, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Cameron Police Department, and Hearne Police Department are investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Killeen Police Department and Bell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Blanton and Siddharth Dadhich are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First Degree Murder While Armed in 2020 Shooting on Southern Avenue

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, a jury sitting in Superior Court found Terrell Poe, 37, of Washington, D.C., guilty of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm, in the September 2020 shooting death of Christopher Washington. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at 2:24 p.m. in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, Christopher Washington, 30, of Washington, D.C., was waiting at the bus stop on Southern Avenue, SE when Poe pulled up in a stolen white pickup truck, got out of the truck with an assault rifle, and shot him to death. Just minutes earlier, in a local church parking lot, Poe had switched from his girlfriend’s car into the stolen pickup truck and gone looking for Mr. Washington. Poe passed Mr. Washington as he walked up Indian Head Highway in Maryland, then turned around and followed Mr. Washington, apparently losing sight of him, and then finding him again at the bus stop. After the murder, Poe returned to the church parking lot, dropped off the stolen truck and drove off in his girlfriend’s car. Poe was arrested on October 5, 2020. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Roman and Wes Faulkner.


title: Oklahoma Pharmacy Pays $140,000 to Settle Civil Penalty Claims Stemming from Allegations of Recordkeeping Violations

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – OU Medicine Inc. d/b/a OU Health (“OU Health”), paid $140,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations it violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (“Act”) and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. OU Health has owned and operated the OU Health Pharmacy – OU Health Physicians Building (“Pharmacy”) located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, since July 16, 2022. The Pharmacy provides controlled substances to patients and in the past provided controlled substances to physician clinics within the OU Health system. Recordkeeping is a vital part of managing controlled substances. Complete and accurate records help avoid diversions and losses of controlled drugs. The regulations implementing the Act require a registrant seeking to purchase Schedule II controlled substances to fill out the purchaser portion of a DEA Form-222, specify the descriptions and amounts of Schedule II substances being ordered, and provide the annotated form to the seller. The seller then must complete its portion of the DEA Form-222 at delivery, ensuring the substance identifications and quantities match those ordered. Failure to comply can result in civil monetary penalties. The United States alleges that from November 16, 2020, through August 1, 2022, the Pharmacy accepted blank-signed DEA Form-222s from purchasers in violation of federal regulations. The Pharmacy, not the purchaser, entered on the forms the descriptions and amounts of Schedule II substances being ordered. To resolve these allegations, OU Health agreed to pay $140,000 to the United States. In reaching this settlement, OU Health did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Amanda R. Johnson prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis County Woman Admits Helping Her Son Fake a Disability

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted helping her son fake a mental disability for more than 13 years so he could receive government benefits. Zella Rives, 57, of Edmundson, admitted in a plea agreement and in court that she submitted a report to the Social Security Administration in 2010 on behalf of her son, Gino Rives, that bolstered his false claims of disability. She was appointed representative payee for her son because the agency believed he was incapable of managing his money. Zella Rives fraudulently confirmed his eligibility in 2019, concealing his ownership of multiple houses and vehicles, his ability to earn income and his relationship with his girlfriend, her plea agreement says. Between May 11, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2023, the Social Security Administration electronically transmitted more than $91,000 in benefits to Rives on her son’s behalf. Rives pleaded guilty to five counts of theft of government funds and one count of making a false statement. She is scheduled to be sentenced June 18. The charge of making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, and the theft of government funds charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the same fine. Gino Rives, 36, of Edmundson, has pleaded guilty in two separate cases, admitting both the disability fraud and his financial exploitation of two elderly women. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: Man Arrested After Standoff Left Three Officers Shot

body_text: WASHINGTON – Stephen Claude Rattigan, also known as Julius James, 48, of Washington, D.C., has been charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, assault on a police officer while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence following the shooting of three Metropolitan Police Department officers and an hours-long standoff in Southeast DC. He is also being charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Rattigan made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond today, where he was ordered held without bond pending a preliminary hearing on February 29, 2024 before Judge Maribeth Raffinan. According to court documents, on February 14, 2024, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to Rattigan’s residence in the 5000 block of Hanna Place Southeast to execute an arrest warrant because of a complaint of animal cruelty. That warrant stemmed from an incident in April 2023 in which Rattigan was captured by a security camera beating one of his dogs several times in the face. On January 12, 2024, an Animal Control Investigator visited the residence to address the issue of the number of animals on the property and the need for a permit. Previously on January 8, 2024, a Humane Society Officer visited Rattigan’s residence to address the issue of inhumane living conditions for the animals based on complaints received. On the day of arrest, law enforcement officers approached Rattigan’s residence and identified themselves as police officers, in an attempt to arrest Rattigan on the outstanding arrest warrant. Upon law enforcement’s entry into the home, Rattigan opened fire, shooting and striking several officers. Rattigan barricaded himself inside the residence for more than 12 hours until he was taken into custody later in the day. After the arrest, authorities removed 31 dogs from his home. The law enforcement officers who were struck are all currently in stable condition. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Goldstein. A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Cuban national convicted of trafficking aliens in rotten produce

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury in Corpus Christi has returned a guilty verdict against a 38-year-old man for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before convicting Illeysel Carcasses following a two-day trial that included 10 witnesses. On Nov. 13, 2023, Carcasses drove a refrigerated box truck to the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the rear of the truck. During a search, authorities discovered five undocumented individuals concealed inside the back of the vehicle hidden amongst pallets of rotten produce. The jury heard how the individuals were locked inside with no way of escaping. Carcasses denied having keys to open the rear of the vehicle. However, authorities had discovered the keys in the truck’s cab. Evidence also showed that his cell phone was present at the location where the undocumented individuals were loaded into the vehicle. The defense attempted to convince the jury that Carcasses was unaware the undocumented individuals were concealed in his truck. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 8. At that time, Carcasses faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Carcasses was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Joseph Griffith are prosecuting the case.


title: Blackstone Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Former Employer, Identity Theft and Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Blackstone man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to defrauding his former employer– a company that operates a national chain of second-hand retail stores – by using others’ identities and repeatedly falsifying working hours for employees and taking all the wages for himself. He also admitted to evading taxes on the income derived from the fraud scheme. Anthony Prizio, 48, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud, one count of tax evasion and one count of unauthorized use of another’s identity. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2024. Prizio was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. From January 2019 until July 2021, Prizio served as manager of the company’s Worcester store location. In this position, Prizio had access to the store’s timekeeping system for employees’ working hours, human resources portal and un-activated payroll paycards issued to certain employees for wages. Prizio used his position as store manager to repeatedly falsifying working hours for employees, including employees who no longer worked there. He would then take some or all of the wages for his own use on personal expenditures, including his home’s utility expenses, vehicle registration fees and veterinary services. As part of the scheme, Prizio caused payroll debit cards to be issued in others’ names, which he then took for himself. Additionally, Prizio took steps to conceal his fraud by misrepresenting the productivity of the Worcester store to make it appear that the store processed more items, as well as by entering false paid sick and bereavement for employees to fraudulently cause payment for fictitious hours without adversely affecting the productivity measurement of the store. Prizio failed to pay taxes on any of the income derived from this fraudulent scheme. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross loss involved. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of unlawful use of another’s identity as charge in this case provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Utah Woman Accused of Assaulting Multiple Federal Officers is Indicted

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment Feb. 14, 2024, charging a Salt Lake County woman with federal crimes after she allegedly assaulted multiple U.S. Marshals, while resisting arrest. According to court documents, Melissa Lynn Trotter, 24, of Sandy, Utah, allegedly assaulted multiple federal law enforcement officers on February 7, 2024, during the arrest of a wanted fugitive. That evening, Deputy United States Marshals and Task Force Officers of the District of Utah’s Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (VFAST) attempted to arrest a fugitive outside a CVS located in West Valley City, Utah. Trotter was in a vehicle with the fugitive when the fugitive exited the vehicle and entered the CVS. When the fugitive returned to the vehicle, officers surrounded it with their vehicles. While blocking the vehicle, officers activated their red and blue flashing emergency law enforcement lights, and some officers exited their vehicles and identified themselves as U.S. Marshals. Despite law enforcements calls to Trotter to turn the vehicle off and drop the keys outside the window, she refused to comply. As alleged in court documents, Trotter placed the vehicle in reverse and forcibly tried to back out of the parking space. Trotter assaulted two federal officers by ramming the officers’ vehicle as they attempted to block her exit. Trotter then drove over a parking barrier and on the CVS parking lot customer sidewalk as she attempted to escape through a vacant stall. Trotter then rammed head-on into the front passenger side of another federal law enforcement vehicle, that had blocked that parking stall. A third Deputy U.S. Marshal positioned his vehicle to block Trotter from escaping. Subsequently Trotter stopped the vehicle and she and the fugitive were taken into custody. Trotter is charged with three counts of assault upon a federal officer involving the use of a deadly weapon. Her initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2024, at 11:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Sundwall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.


title: Company and Owners Plead Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 15, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Brothers Robert and Filip Sulc, along with their company Bio-Edge Inc., pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting they discharged methanol-contaminated wastewater to the sewers at their San Diego-based facility in violation of the Clean Water Act in June of 2023. Bio-Edge, a company located on Nancy Ridge Drive in San Diego, produced polymeric additives. The company used methanol, both as part of its manufacturing process and to clean glassware. In violation of both federal pretreatment standards and Bio-Edge’s permit with the City of San Diego, Robert Sulc instructed Bio-Edge employees to collect their methanol-contaminated wastewater, treat it with salt to prevent drain clogs, dilute it with water, and dump the wastewater down the drain into the municipal sewage system. According to the plea agreements, federal pretreatment standards (40 CFR 403.5(b)(1)) and the permit prohibit the discharge of wastewater that includes pollutants that create a fire or explosion hazard in municipal sewer systems, such as methanol. The federal pretreatment standards (40 CFR 403.6(d)) and the permit further prohibit the use of dilution as a substitute for approved treatment in order to achieve compliance. Robert Sulc and Bio-Edge, Inc. each pleaded guilty to felony violations of the Clean Water Act. Filip Sulc pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act, admitting he acted negligently with respect to the same wastewater discharge. “Environmental regulations don’t just keep San Diego beautiful; they keep us safe.” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We have one planet, and the United States Attorney’s Office will do everything in our power to protect it.” “The deliberate and routine discharge of a toxic and ignitable chemical into the city of San Diego’s sewer system by Bio-edge, Robert Sulc, and Filip Sulc, posed a risk to the community and the company’s employees,” said Kimberly Bahney, Acting EPA-CID Special Agent in Charge. “Criminal neglect and disregard for Clean Water Act requirements are vigorously prosecuted to ensure protection of human health and the environment.” Sentencing is scheduled to occur on May 6, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Marilyn L. Huff This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl Brooker and Melanie Pierson. DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-00242 Count 1 Robert Sulc Age: 46 San Diego, CA Bio-Edge, Incorporated Count 2 Filip Sulc Age: 48 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 1: Violation of a Federal Pretreatment Standard – Title 33, U.S.C., Section 1317(d)/1319(c)(2)(A) Count 1: Maximum penalty as to Robert Sulc: Three years in prison and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 per day of violation. Count 1: Maximum penalty as to Bio-Edge Inc.: Five years of probation and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 per day of violation. Count 2: Violation of a Federal Pretreatment Standard – Title 33, U.S.C., Section 1317(d)/1319(c)(1)(A) Count 2: Maximum penalty: One year in prison and a fine of not less than $2,500 nor more than $25,000 per day of violation. AGENCY U.S. Environmental Protection Agency


title: Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to $5 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 15, 2024 SAN DIEGO –Eduard Buse and Florentina Sima pleaded guilty in federal court today to fraud and money laundering charges, admitting they participated in a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic. Buse and Sima were indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023 along with 12 others. The indictment alleged that the fraud scheme involved helping hundreds of undeserving applicants apply for benefits using fraudulent documents. In their respective plea agreements, Buse and Sima admitted the fraud resulted in almost $5.2 million in bogus claims paid by the state of California. “These covid relief funds were meant to provide critical financial relief during the pandemic. Instead, the money was used to buy luxury cars and jewelry,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We will not only continue to prosecute those who diverted money intended to serve as a lifeline, but we will pursue every avenue to recover and return that money to public use.” “The Covid-19 pandemic placed an enormous financial strain on millions of Americans; however, some individuals decided to use other people’s pain as an opportunity for financial gain,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Our pursuit of justice for those affected by fraud during the pandemic will not stop until each and every person who took advantage of individuals during this critical time is prosecuted for defrauding the U.S. government and innocent people.” “The defendants’ abuse of programs designed to help people in need during and in the wake of the Covid pandemic is particularly despicable,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Even worse, they took money intended to help people keep their heads above water and showered themselves with luxury items. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to rooting out this sort of evil by following the money to bring people like these defendants to justice.” According to Buse’s plea agreement, he not only collected $28,350 in undue EDD benefits for himself but also facilitated payouts of $244,050 to 14 co-conspirators, including Sima. Buse then sent $128,902.99 and Sima sent $58,881.53 of fraud proceeds to their associates in Romania through money service businesses. Buse admitted that he purchased a 2020 BMW X6 for $105,044 in Glendale, California, with proceeds from the fraud and shipped it from San Diego to Romania on April 28, 2023. On November 13, 2023, Romanian authorities served search warrants on addresses affiliated with Buse at the request of the United States. They seized the BMW with California license plates along with approximately $9,476.50 in U.S. currency; a Rolex Yacht Master II and a rose gold luxury men’s watch purchased for $15,550 U.S. dollars; a Rolex Sky Dweller watch; a Breitling 1884 men’s watch; and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date women’s watch. As part of their plea agreements, Buse and Sima agreed to forfeit the BMW, cash and luxury watches, along with all other property seized in connection with the case. Buse also agreed to forfeit $128,902.99 and agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $244,050 to the State of California Employment Development Department. Sima agreed to forfeit $58,881.53 and pay the same amount in restitution to the State of California Employment Development Department. Buse and Sima are scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Adeline Schulberg and Valerie Chu. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23CR2090-LAB Eduard Buse Age: 30 Transient, Romanian Florentina Sima Age: 29 Transient, Romanian SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 18, U.S.C. § 1349 — Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Title 18, U.S.C. § 1343 — Wire Fraud Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, $1 million fine Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(B)(i) — Laundering of Monetary Instruments Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the transportation, transmission, or transfer, whichever is greater AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Police Department Economic Crimes Unit IRS Criminal Investigation California Employment Development Department Investigative Division U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General U.S. Department of Homeland Security *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Airline Passenger Sentenced After Taking a Straight Edge Razor on a Plane

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Merrill Darrell Fackrell, 42, of Syracuse, Utah, was sentenced today to time served of over one year imprisonment, and three years’ supervised release by a U.S. District Court Judge as a result of a guilty plea. Fackrell admitted to taking a straight edge razor on a JetBlue flight in 2022. According to court documents, Fackrell admitted that on November 21, 2022, during a JetBlue flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York en route to Salt Lake City Airport in Utah, he had taken a wood-handled straight edge razor with a one-to-two-inch blade on board the flight. In the statement in advance of plea, Fackrell further admitted that during the flight, he was seated next to a passenger and that he consumed several alcoholic beverages. Later in the flight, Fackrell told the passenger to pause the movie the passenger was watching, placed his hand in front of the screen, took the straight edge razor out of his carry-on bag and placed it inches from the passenger’s throat/neck. The passenger escaped, but Fackrell grabbed the passenger’s shoulder and attempted to stop the passenger. Another passenger observed the incident and convinced Fackrell to put the straight edge razor down. The passenger then took the razor off the seat and passed it off to be secured. See 2022 press release . “Carrying a dangerous weapon on an aircraft is a serious offense. No one should be put in harm’s way by another passenger during a flight,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “In the interest of passenger safety, individuals who carry a dangerous weapon on an aircraft will be prosecuted.” An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Florida Business Owners Sentenced in Durable Medical Equipment Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Brett Weiner and Valerie Desalvo have been sentenced on conspiracy charges for their role in buying and selling fraudulent doctors’ orders used to obtain over $1.5 million in fraudulent payments from Medicare. “Thieves take advantage of telemedicine and use it as a platform to orchestrate their criminal schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to prosecuting those who exploit our most vulnerable citizens and bilk the health care system in the name of personal greed.” “Fraudulent schemes, such as what Weiner and DeSalvo participated in, corrupt medical decision making, drive up the cost of health care, and hurt every taxpayer in this country,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hopefully this lengthy sentence will send the message that the FBI makes it a priority to end people from abusing government funded programs like Medicaid.” “Health care providers who cause the submission of Medicare claims for medically unnecessary equipment pose a significant risk to these programs and the patients who rely on them,” stated Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG works diligently with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who, to satisfy their own greed, exploit federal health care programs.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Brett Weiner and Valerie Desalvo owned and operated Laboratory Marketing Services, LLC (“LMS”), a business in Boca Raton, Florida. LMS was in the business of, among other things, receiving kickback payments in exchange for patient “leads,” consisting of billable Medicare beneficiaries. Weiner and Desalvo received bribes from DME companies such as Medihealth Medical Solutions, LLC, located in Amory, Mississippi, and Liberty Medical DME, LLC, in Atlanta, Georgia, in exchange for the leads, which included, among other information, each Medicare beneficiary’s name, Medicare number, diagnoses, pain level, and primary care physician. Through LMS, Weiner and Desalvo also bought and sold signed physicians’ orders from Nagaindra Srivastav and his company B2B Apps Solutions, LLC, in Tampa, Florida, which they sold to DME companies. A substantial portion of the doctors’ orders that Weiner and Desalvo purchased from Srivastav and B2B contained signatures or purported approvals of physicians or other health care providers whose names and professional identifying information were used without their true authorization and prior knowledge. In total, Weiner and Desalvo, through LMS, caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare in the approximate amount of over $1,500,000, which generated approximately $715,000 in payment, for medical braces, including back, knee, and ankle braces, that were procured through the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. Brett Weiner, 61, of Boca Raton, Florida, and Valerie Desalvo, 58, of Boca Raton Florida, were each sentenced to three years, one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Weiner and Desalvo were also ordered to pay $715,435.03 in restitution. The following defendants were previously sentenced as part of the same conspiracy: Nagaindra Srivastav, 59, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to serve nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $48,150,692.49 in restitution; and Brian Tisdale, 46, of Amory, Mississippi, was sentenced to serve three years, six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,675,093.80 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O’Neal prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Armed cocaine and fentanyl dealer sentenced to 14 years prison and forfeits money, jewelry, guns, and car

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Darnell Manning a/k/a D-Man, 40, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 170 months in prison U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Manning was also ordered to forfeit $91,899.00 in cash, jewelry appraised at approximately $246,000, a 2022 Infiniti QX55 SUV, two firearms and ammunition. In addition, Manning paid $50,000 cash to the government in lieu of forfeiting his residence in Greece, NY. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between March 2021, and March 29, 2023, Manning conspired with others to sell fentanyl and cocaine in the Rochester area. On March 9, 2023, investigators searched numerous locations in Rochester maintained by Manning and utilized for distributing narcotics. During the searches, they seized approximately 2.6 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 123 grams of crack cocaine, 803 fentanyl tablets, two loaded firearms, ammunition, $87,290 in cash, jewelry with an appraised value of $246,000, and drug paraphernalia. On March 29, 2023, Manning was arrested at a residence in Niagara Falls, NY, at which time investigators also seized $4,620 in cash, marijuana, and multiple cell phones. 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 . The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division. # # # #


title: Operator of Durable Medical Equipment Companies Sentenced in Healthcare Kickback Scheme

body_text: ATLANTA – Simon Orobor has been sentenced for conspiring to pay healthcare kickbacks payments for unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), resulting in more than $20 million in claims to, and $13 million in payments from, Medicare. “Telemedicine kickback schemes victimize elderly Medicare beneficiaries when they are most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office will continue to work closely with our federal partners to identify these deceitful practices, and to prosecute the criminals who employ these schemes at the expense of our citizens who rely on the Medicare program.” “The FBI is determined to protect all tax paying citizens who are affected by these kickback schemes, especially those who need government assistance for their health care needs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentencing is a step in the right direction to support our overall goal of stopping deceitful medical operators who steal and put tremendous pressure on our federally subsidized health care programs.” “This sentence sends a strong message that HHS-OIG will thoroughly investigate those who exploit Medicare patients and pay illegal kickbacks to prescribe medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for illegitimate financial gain. Our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare and other federal healthcare programs remains unwavering,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”). According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between at least June 2016 and February 2019, Simon Orobor owned and operated Devotion Medical Supply, Inc. (“Devotion”) and Durable Medical Supply, Inc. (“Durable”), which provided durable medical equipment such as knee, back, shoulder, and wrist braces. Orobor, though another entity called Digital Interventions, LLC, obtained access to thousands of Medicare beneficiaries by paying, on a weekly basis, kickbacks to Individual 1 and Company 1 in exchange for signed doctors’ orders for these braces. As part of the conspiracy, Medicare beneficiaries were contacted by call centers located in India, the Philippines, and elsewhere, which often obtained patient consent and sales through fraudulent means. Orobor and Individual 1 disguised the nature and source of these kickbacks by designating the payments as marketing, entering into sham contracts, and generating or causing the generation of fraudulent invoices. In total, Orobor, through Devotion and Durable, used the doctors’ orders obtained through kickbacks to submit claims to Medicare in the approximate amount of $20,555,772 and received Medicare reimbursement in the approximate amount of $13,360,721.89. Simon Orobor, 60, of Houston, Texas was sentenced to 30 months of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Orobor was also ordered to pay $13,360,721.89 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O'Neal prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: CALIFORNIA MAN CHARGED WITH THREATS TO KILL POSTAL WORKERS

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Simon Peters, 41, of Valley Center, CA, was charged after repeatedly making threats to kill postal workers in St. Thomas. Peters is expected to appear before a federal magistrate judge in California on February 15, 2024, after with he will appear in St. Thomas for prosecution. According to court documents, on January 27, 2024, a United States Postal Service employee received a telephone call from Peters at the Ottley Post Office located in St. Thomas. Peters was angry that his package addressed to the Kirwan Terrace Housing Community had not been delivered. During the call, Peters told the postal employee to “Make sure the fat boy know we’re watching him and next time we’re going to kill him behind the building”. Peters further threatened that if “any more packages from California go missing, you will see what happen to the co-workers, one by one.” Peters provided the tracking number for his missing package which had been intercepted and seized by Customs and Border Protection. An inspection of the package reveals that it contained marijuana. On January 29, 2024, Peters again contacted the Ottley Post Office and asked to speak with the Kirwan Terrace delivery driver. Peters stated that he had people driving around looking for the postal employee to kill him. This case is being investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Natasha L. Baker. United States Attorney reminds the pubic that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MAN SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR ON ILLEGALLY REENTERY CONVICTION

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Cristian Lopez-Moncion, 42, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy to one year of incarceration on his conviction of Illegal Reentry into the United States of a Removed Alien after pleading guilty on October 6, 2023. According to court documents, on February 23, 2023, Lopez-Moncion was seen in the vicinity of Emile Griffith Ballpark in St. Thomas by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer who was familiar with Lopez-Moncion and was aware of that he had been deported from the United States in 2019. Further investigation confirmed that the individual in question was, in fact, Lopez-Moncion. After his arrest on May 4, 2023, Lopez-Moncion admitted that he had been deported from the United States. The case was investigated by United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations and Department of Homeland Security Enforcement and Removal and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.


title: TWO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MEN SENTENCED IN 619 COCAINE KILOGRAMS CASE

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Fernandito Michel-Gomez, age 56, and Dennito Montero-Felix, age 48, both from the Dominican Republic, were sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 57 months incarceration, two years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment on their convictions of Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, on April 12, 2023, while on routine patrol, a Maritime Patrol Aircraft located a go-fast vessel with three occupants and multiple packages on board. The go-fast vessel was traveling at 71 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic. The United States Coast Guard Cutter “Forward” intercepted the vessel. Neither occupant claimed to be the master nor claim nationality for the vessel. The vessel did not display any flag or other markings and was traveling in international waters. The vessel was therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. A total of 23 bales totaling 619 kilograms of cocaine were later seized from the vessel. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Daniel H. Huston. 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: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for Theft from a Residence and a Church in DC

body_text: WASHINGTON –Sterling McLaughlin, 30, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on October 20, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Sterling is to be arraigned on February 22, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on October 20, 2023, and January 3, 2024, Sterling took packages from two locations in the Capitol Hill area, one from a residential home and the other from church. Sterling was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department. Sterling has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 24 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chorong Song. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Elderly Ontario Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Idaho

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Efren Avilez-Lopez, 81, and Maria Medina-Zeveda, 70, husband and wife, and both Mexican nationals illegally living in Ontario, Oregon, were sentenced for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. On February 12, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Avilez-Lopez to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On February 13, 2024, Chief Judge Nye sentenced Medina-Zeveda to 37 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda were ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Both will be deported after completing their sentences. According to court records, on April 15, 2023, Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda sold an undercover officer five pounds of methamphetamine in a Nampa store parking lot. On April 25, 2023, they both sold an undercover officer 20 pounds of methamphetamine in a Nampa store parking lot. Then on May 12, 2023, Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda drove from Ontario to Los Angeles, to pick up a large load of methamphetamine. On their way home, they were stopped by law enforcement in Owyhee County, where it was discovered they were transporting four family members, including a minor child. A dog, which was trained and certified to detect the odor of illegal drugs, alerted on the vehicle and when officers searched the vehicle, they located twenty-one pounds of methamphetamine in the floorboards. “These defendants were a driving force behind a significant drug trafficking organization that, thanks to law enforcement, has been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “While it is not common for us to find drug traffickers at this stage of life, make no mistake: these defendants earned their sentences. We will continue to do our part to ensure that justice is applied fairly and equitably to all, regardless of age or background.” “The drug threat can come from anywhere and is not restricted to any age or demographic, as this case dramatically illustrates,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Whether these criminals are old or young, the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners will relentlessly pursue those who poison our communities with methamphetamine or other dangerous drugs.” “Strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement is key to bringing successful conclusions to cases like this,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. “We are proud of the teamwork being done across jurisdictions to combat drug crime.” “I am proud of our continued partnership and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, which ultimately led to this successful operation,” said Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram. “This case highlights the incredible working relationships among our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in and around the Treasure Valley,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “It also shows that the illicit drug trade — inherently operated by Transcontinental Criminal Organizations like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels — knows no bounds. These individuals are not what the average person would think of when they hear the term drug dealer. This was a couple in their 70s and 80s who bought and sold extremely high quantities of methamphetamine, endangering countless lives, including those of their own family.” “By working together, law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions continue joining forces to combat illicit drugs in our communities. Embodying the principles of "Esto Perpetua," our collaborative efforts relentlessly strive to dismantle the networks responsible for distributing drugs throughout Idaho. We are not only upholding the law but safeguarding the well-being of our citizens,” said Idaho State Police Major Russ Wheatley. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Probation and Parole, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Caldwell Police Department, the City-County Narcotics Unit, the Idaho State Police, the Oregon State Police, the Ontario Police Department, the Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office, and the High Desert Drug Task Force in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to each of the law enforcement agencies for their efforts on this case who achieved justice through their hard work. The High Desert Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Justice Department Finds Nebraska School District Discriminates Against Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) in Lincoln, Nebraska, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying some deaf and hard of hearing students an equal opportunity to attend their neighborhood schools. “Denying students with disabilities the right to attend their neighborhood school based on a blanket policy is discriminatory and runs afoul of our nation’s civil rights laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will defend children’s rights to equal educational opportunities in schools, including the right to attend school along with their siblings, friends and members of their community.” Following a comprehensive investigation, the department found that, when LPS believes that a student needs American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, LPS requires the student to attend a cluster school serving deaf and hard of hearing students. In applying this policy, LPS does not consider the individualized needs of deaf and hard of hearing students, denies them an equal opportunity to participate in neighborhood school and high school choice programs and fails to provide effective communication to some deaf and hard of hearing students. LPS’s reliance on the cluster school requirement has harmed students who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, one student spends up to 90 additional minutes commuting to the cluster school each day. Another student was placed into a cluster program her senior year in high school upon temporarily losing her hearing, even though she does not understand ASL. LPS’s cluster school requirement also harms the impacted students’ parents who incur transportation costs taking their children to the distant cluster schools. The department provided its findings and minimum remedial measures necessary in a letter to the school district and asks the school district to change its policies and procedures, designate an ADA coordinator, train staff and pay compensatory damages. View the letter of findings here . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or (TTY 833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint . Remote video URL


title: Lakeland Man Sentenced To 28 Years For 13 Armed Robberies

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Scott Carpenter, Jr. (46, Lakeland) to 28 years in federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Carpenter to forfeit three firearms and 122 rounds of ammunition, which are traceable to his offenses. Carpenter also must pay $22,220.52 in restitution to victims, which represents the proceeds of his offenses. Carpenter entered a guilty plea on November 14, 2023. According to court documents, between August 2018 and August 2021, Carpenter committed at least 13 commercial armed robberies victimizing businesses in Lakeland, Auburndale, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Brandon, Zephyrhills, Gibsonton, and Temple Terrace. All but one of the robberies victimized Dollar Tree store employees and followed the same pattern. Carpenter dressed in all black and waited for the targeted Dollar Tree store to close for the night. Then, as the store employee carrying the day’s proceeds either walked to his/her car in the store parking lot, or after the store employee drove to a nearby bank and prepared to drop the proceeds into night deposit box, Carpenter jumped out, accosted the store employee, brandished a gun, threatened the store employee, and demanded that the employee surrender the money. Law enforcement officers subsequently searched Carpenter’s home and truck where they found guns and clothing that he had used during the robberies. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Twenty-Five Charged in Indictment Targeting  Philadelphia Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty-five people have been charged in a case targeting a Philadelphia-based organization that was supplying large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to North Central West Virginia. United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced the unsealing of an indictment and the arrests of individuals in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, and West Virginia on drug trafficking charges. According to court documents, Rodney Johnson, age 46, of Philadelphia, was the leader of a group that was supplying significant quantities of illicit drugs to Monongalia County. The organization’s members utilized apartments in Morgantown in which to reside and store their drugs. “The indictment and subsequent arrests have led to the dismantling of a sophisticated operation that was causing large quantities of dangerous drugs to be distributed in our region,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “The work of our agents and prosecutors in this matter has made our communities safer and shows the reach that we have when it comes to the disruption of drug trafficking.” “I want to highlight the collective efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to dismantle a criminal enterprise who was intent on flooding our communities with this poison,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “An investigation of this size requires partnership and teamwork. The result of this operation is a testament to the power of partnership and the FBI’s commitment to curb violence in our communities.” Law enforcement arrested 22 people in a coordinated effort across the four states. Investigators are still searching for: Rodney Johnson, age 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ryan Shaw, age 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rasheab Bradsher, age 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department. 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 . An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. List of defendants: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/defendants-charged-us-v-johnson-et-al


title: Jury Convicts Telemarketing Company Owner/CEO and Another Executive of Federal Fraud Charges for Health Insurance Policy Scheme

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-week trial, members of a jury in southern Illinois returned guilty verdicts on multiple federal fraud charges against the owner/CEO and a former executive of a health insurance telemarketing company based in south Florida. The jury convicted Steven Dorfman, 39, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and John A. Sand, 49, also of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and eight counts of wire fraud. “The defendants used a south Florida business known as Simple Health to fraudulently sell relatively worthless policies to unsuspecting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Using a deceptive sales script, Dorfman and Sand caused Simple Health’s salespersons to deceive thousands of people, convincing them that the policies they were purchasing would function like major medical insurance. This brazen fraud had disastrous effects for many of the victims, leaving them with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills that were not covered by the policies they purchased. I applaud the St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Peter Reed for their work to expose this illegitimate operation and secure justice for the victims.” Dorfman was the owner and CEO of Simple Health, which was previously known as Health Benefits One. Sand served as the company’s vice president of sales. According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Simple Health employees were trained to use deceptive sales tactics to scam people into purchasing limited indemnity insurance plans. These plans provide relatively low amounts of coverage for medical expenses. When the policies’ low caps were reached, the consumers were then responsible for paying 100% of their medical expenses above those caps. “Simple Health’s sale of bogus policies created financial devastation for consumers who were already suffering physically from major medical issues,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “The guilty verdicts in this case put an end to a $190 million business model based on fraud.” The scripts designed and implemented by Dorfman and Sand caused Simple Health’s salespersons to mislead consumers about the amount of coverage provided by the policies. For example, the scripts stated that “the whole idea of this plan is to make your out-of-pocket expenses as low as possible” and “when all is said and done, you’ll end up owing pennies on the dollar.” Evidence at trial also established that Simple Health’s commissioned salespersons frequently told additional, off-script lies to the consumers to get them to buy them to buy the policies, with little or no effort by Dorfman and Sand to stop this conduct. Using the deceptive scripts and the blatant lies of their salespersons, Simple Health sold these limited indemnity policies to more than 400,000 unsuspecting victims across the country from May 2012 through November 2018. This fraudulent conduct generated more than $190 million in revenue for Simple Health. The company sold more than 1,400 of these limited indemnity policies to individuals from all 38 counties in the Southern District of Illinois. Because the scheme was conducted via telemarketing and victimized ten or more individuals over the age of 55, the maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is 30 years, pursuant to the SCAMS Act. Each mail and wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. In addition, the defendants can be ordered to pay full restitution to the victims. Dorfman’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on May 21, 2024. Sand will be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on May 22, 2024. Candida L. Girouard, 47, of Valrico, Florida, was also named in the indictment. She served as chief compliance officer for Simple Health and pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on Nov. 30, 2023. Girouard’s sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2024. All three of the sentencings will take place at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. The St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Peter Reed are handling the prosecution. The investigation began with a referral from the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago. The FTC filed a complaint for civil injunctive relief in October 2018. The FTC’s action put an end to the fraud and a court-appointed receiver was appointed to take over Simple Health’s business operations.


title: Justice Department Releases Update to Equity Action Plan

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the release of its 2023 Equity Action Plan (Plan), which is part of the Department’s broader efforts to implement President Biden’s Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government . The update to the Justice Department’s Equity Action Plan was finalized in December 2023 and will help guide the Department’s equity strategies in Fiscal Year 2024. The Plan memorializes the Department’s commitment to aiding all people – including historically marginalized and underserved communities – in accessing the Department’s programs and resources, navigating complex legal and regulatory hurdles to vindicate their rights, understanding the breadth of the Department’s work, and meaningfully engaging with Justice Department decision-makers. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that our programs and services reach every community that needs them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The five strategies in this Plan seek to advance the Department’s broader mission to uphold the rule of law, keep people safe, and protect civil rights by working to remove the barriers that prevent vulnerable communities from accessing critical resources.” For Fiscal Year 2024, the Justice Department has committed to advance the following five equity strategies: Removing barriers to access to grant funding and resources for organizations led by and that primarily serve historically marginalized and underserved communities that have faced societal and systemic barriers in accessing and receiving Federal resources, as well as to communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. Supporting corrections and reentry programs that seek to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals (including those from historically marginalized and underserved communities and those disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization) including by improving healthcare coverage and continuity of care supports, reducing barriers to obtaining government-issued identification, addressing burdens associated with inability to pay fines and fees, and improving community supervision models to decrease incidence of revocation for technical violations. Promoting an inclusive, diverse, and expert law enforcement workforce to strengthen public trust and improve public safety outcomes by removing barriers to representation within Federal, State, Tribal, local, and territorial law enforcement agencies for underrepresented communities. Improving the response of law enforcement and criminal justice personnel to crimes that disproportionately affect women, girls, transgender individuals, and gender non-conforming people (including gender-based violence and sex trafficking) by providing and/or supporting: targeted training on how to investigate and prosecute these crimes; training and resources on trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, care, and services available to victims; and resources and support for building relationships with and increasing access to services and assistance for historically marginalized and underserved communities. Ensuring that underserved communities (including people with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities, among others) are aware of and able to access legal services to address environmental crime, pollution, climate change, and other environmental hazards and have help navigating the legal and regulatory landscape necessary to secure access to clean water, air, and other natural resources. These equity strategies seek to adhere to the mandates set forth in Executive Order 14091 and build upon the five equity priorities outlined in the Justice Department’s 2022 Equity Action Plan . As this critical work evolves updates will be posted on www.justice.gov/equity . You can learn more about the Biden-Harris Administration’s equity agenda and related initiatives at www.whitehouse.gov/equity and review all other Federal Equity Action Plans at www.performance.gov/equity .


title: El Departamento de Justicia publica una actualización del Plan de Acción de Equidad

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy la publicación de su Plan de Acción de Equidad 2023 (el Plan), que forma parte de los esfuerzos más amplios del Departamento destinados a implementar la Orden Ejecutiva del Presidente Biden sobre Avanzar Más la Equidad Racial y el Apoyo para Comunidades Desatendidas en Todo el Gobierno Federal . La actualización del Plan de Acción de Equidad del Departamento de Justicia se finalizó en diciembre de 2023 y ayudará a guiar las estrategias de equidad del Departamento en el año fiscal 2024. El Plan conmemora el compromiso del Departamento con ayudar a todas las personas, incluidas las comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas, a acceder a los programas y recursos del Departamento, salvar complejos obstáculos legales y regulatorios para reivindicar sus derechos, comprender la amplitud del trabajo del Departamento y comprometerse de manera significativa con los responsables de la toma de decisiones del Departamento de Justicia. “El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a garantizar que nuestros programas y servicios estén al alcance de todas las comunidades que los necesiten”, manifestó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “Las cinco estrategias de este Plan se proponen adelantar la misión más amplia del Departamento de hacer valer el estado de derecho, mantener al pueblo seguro y proteger los derechos civiles, al laborar para eliminar las barreras que impiden que las comunidades vulnerables accedan a recursos críticos”. Para el año fiscal 2024, el Departamento de Justicia se ha comprometido a avanzar en las siguientes cinco estrategias de equidad: Eliminar las barreras en cuanto al acceso al financiamiento de subvenciones y recursos para organizaciones dirigidas por y que prestan servicios a comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas que han enfrentado barreras sociales y sistémicas a fin de acceder y recibir recursos federales, así como para las comunidades afectadas de manera desproporcionada por la delincuencia, la violencia y la victimización. Apoyar los programas correccionales y de reinserción destinados a reducir la reincidencia y mejorar los resultados para las personas involucradas en el sistema judicial (incluidas las de comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas y aquellos que se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada por la delincuencia, la violencia y la victimización), incluso mejorando la cobertura de atención médica y los apoyos de continuidad de la atención, reduciendo las barreras para obtener una identificación emitida por el gobierno, abordando las cargas asociadas con la incapacidad de pagar multas y tarifas, y mejorar los modelos de supervisión comunitaria para disminuir la incidencia de revocaciones por infracciones técnicas. Promover una fuerza laboral que sea inclusiva, diversa y experta en la aplicación de la ley para fortalecer la confianza pública y mejorar los resultados de seguridad pública al eliminar las barreras de representación dentro de las agencias del orden público federales, estatales, tribales, locales y territoriales para las comunidades subrepresentadas. Mejorar la respuesta del personal encargado del orden público y de la justicia penal frente a los delitos que afectan de manera desproporcionada a las mujeres, las niñas, las personas transgénero y las personas no conformes con el género (incluida la violencia de género y el tráfico sexual) proporcionando y/o apoyando: capacitación específica sobre cómo investigar y enjuiciar estos delitos; capacitación y recursos sobre enfoques, atención y servicios con sensibilidad a los efectos del trauma y culturalmente receptivos disponibles para las víctimas; así como recursos y apoyo para establecer relaciones y aumentar el acceso a los servicios y la asistencia para las comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas. Garantizar que las comunidades desatendidas (incluidas las personas con dominio limitado del inglés y las personas con discapacidades, entre otras) estén informadas sobre y puedan acceder a los servicios legales para abordar los delitos ambientales, la contaminación, el cambio climático y otros peligros ambientales, y que reciban ayuda para navegar por el panorama legal y reglamentario necesario a fin de garantizar el acceso al agua y aire limpios, y otros recursos naturales. Estas estrategias de equidad procuran acatar los mandatos establecidos en la Orden Ejecutiva 14091 y se basan en las cinco prioridades de equidad descritas en el Plan de Acción de Equidad 2022 del Departamento de Justicia. A medida que evolucione este trabajo crucial, se publicarán actualizaciones en https://www.justice.gov/equity. Se puede obtener más información sobre la agenda de equidad de la Administración Biden-Harris y las iniciativas relacionadas en www.whitehouse.gov/equity y revisar todos los demás Planes Federales de Acción de Equidad en www.performance.gov/equity .


title: 법무부가 공평성 실행 계획에 대한 업데이트를 발표

body_text: 법무부는 오늘 연방 정부를 통한 인종 형평성 증진 및 소외된 지역사회에 대한 지원 강화 에 대해 바이든 대통령의 행정 명령을 실행하기 위한 보다 광범위한 노력의 일환으로 오늘 2023 공평성 실행 계획(계획)을 발표했습니다. 법무부의 공평성 실행 계획에 대한 업데이트는 2023년 12월에 완료되었으며, 2024 회계연도에 법무부의 형평성 전략을 이끄는 데 도움이 될 것입니다. 계획은 전통적으로 소외되고 서비스가 부족한 지역사회를 포함한 모든 사람이 법무부의 프로그램 및 자원에 접근하고 그들의 권리를 주장하기 위해 복잡한 법률 및 규제 장애물을 헤쳐 나가 자신의 권리를 옹호하고, 법무부의 업무 범위를 이해하며 법무부 의사 결정권자들과 의미 있게 소통할 수 있도록 지원하겠다는 법무부의 헌신을 기념하는 것입니다. "법무부는 우리의 프로그램과 서비스가 이를 필요로 하는 모든 지역사회에 도달할 수 있도록 최선을 다하고 있습니다."라고 메릭 B. 갈랜드 법무장관은 말합니다. "이 계획의 다섯 가지 전략은 취약한 지역사회가 중요한 자원에 접근하는 것을 방해하는 장벽을 제거하기 위해 노력함으로써 법치를 수호하고, 사람들을 안전하게 지키며, 민권을 보호하려는 법무부의 광범위한 사명을 발전시키려고 합니다." 법무부는 2024년 회계연도부터 다음 다섯 가지 공평성 전략 추진에 전념하기로 했습니다: 연방 자원의 접근 및 수령에 있어서 사회적, 제도적 장벽에 직면한 역사적으로 소외되고 소외된 지역사회와 범죄, 폭력 및 피해로 인해 불균형적으로 영향을 받는 지역사회를 이끌고 주로 봉사하는 단체들에 대한 보조금 지원 및 자원에 대한 접근 장벽을 제거합니다. 재범을 줄이고 사법 관련자들(역사적으로 소외되고 취약한 지역사회 및 범죄, 폭력 및 피해로 인해 불균형적으로 영향을 받는 이들)을 위한 결과 개선을 추구하기 위해 의료보험 보장 및 의료 지원의 연속성 개선, 정부 발급 신분증을 얻기 위한 장벽 줄이기, 벌금 및 수수료 지급 불능과 관련된 부담 해결하기 및 기술적 위반 사항에 대한 취소 발생률을 줄이기 위한 지역사회 감독 전형 개선하기를 포함한 교정 및 재진입 프로그램을 지원합니다. 소외된 지역사회를 위한 연방, 주, 부족, 지역 및 자치 지역 법 집행 기관 내에서 대표성에 대한 장벽을 제거함으로써 대중의 신뢰를 강화하고 공공 안전 결과를 개선하기 위해 포용적이고 다양하며 전문적인 법 집행 인력을 육성합니다. 여성, 소녀, 성전환자 및 성별 불일치자(성별 기반 폭력 및 성매매를 포함한)에게 불균형적인 영향을 끼치는 범죄에 대한 법 집행 및 형사 사법 인력의 대응을 개선하기 위해 이러한 범죄를 수사하고 기소하는 방법을 대상으로 한 교육; 피해자가 이용할 수 있는 정신적 외상에 대한 정보와 문화적으로 민감한 접근 방식, 돌봄 및 서비스에 대한 교육 및 자원; 그리고 역사적으로 소외되고 취약한 사람들과의 관계를 구축하고 서비스 및 도움에 대한 접근을 늘리는 것과 함께 자원과 지원을 제공 및 또는 지원합니다. 소외된 지역사회가 (그중에서도 영어 실력이 부족한 사람들과 장애인들을 포함해) 환경 범죄, 오염, 기후변화 및 기타 환경적 위험을 해결하기 위한 법률 서비스에 대해 인식하며 접근할 수 있고, 깨끗한 물, 공기 및 기타 천연자원에 대한 접근을 확보하는 데 필요한 법률 및 규제 환경을 탐색하는 데 도움을 받도록 보장합니다. 이러한 공평성 전략은 행정 명령 제14091호에 명시된 의무를 준수하기 위해 노력하고 법무부의 2022 공평성 실행 계획 에 요약된 다섯 가지 공평성 우선순위를 기반으로 구축합니다. 이 중요한 작업이 진행됨에 따라https://www.justice.gov/equity에 업데이트가 게시됩니다. 바이든 해리스 행정부의 공평성 의제와 관련된 계획들은 www.whitehouse.gov/equity 에서 더 자세히 알 수 있고 www.performance.gov/equity 에서 모든 기타 연방 공평성 실행 계획을 확인할 수 있습니다.