title: St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man who produced pornographic images of three child victims and shared them online was sentenced in federal court today for producing and possessing child pornography. Tyler B. Wirth, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 23 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wirth to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration, and ordered him to pay $14,381 in victim restitution. Wirth will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On Jan. 17, 2023, Wirth pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Wirth admitted that he produced pornographic images of three children, which he distributed to multiple users on the Kik application during his sexual conversations with them. Wirth admitted that he communicated extensively with others over the Kik application in July and August 2020 about his desire to sexually abuse children. Wirth produced child pornography to distribute to other users within these Kik chats, taking pornographic photos of three child victims. He also discussed with numerous Kik users his desire to sexually abuse the child victims, and repeatedly asked for guidance from other Kik users on how he should go about sexually abusing them. Wirth received hundreds of images and videos of child pornography from other Kik users, and distributed numerous other images and videos of child pornography from his possession of child pornography, which included over a thousand images and videos of child pornography. Wirth entered chat rooms on Kik, which provided a forum for users to discuss the sexual exploitation of minors, as well as trade and shares images and videos of child pornography. He fully participated in these chat rooms and then engaged in private communications with other like-minded individuals where he discussed his desires to sexually exploit children. He routinely asked for advice on how to go about sexually abusing minors, and whether those other Kik users had any tips for how he could do so. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wirth’s residence on Aug. 10, 2020. Officers seized Wirth’s electronic media and cell phone. Wirth possessed hundreds of other videos and images of child pornography on his cell phone. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Borgnino. It was investigated by the FBI. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Texas Woman Sentenced to 80 Months For Money Laundering and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — A San Antonio woman, Shimea Maret McDonald, 25, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,690,870.81. According to her plea agreement, McDonald conspired with Nana Kwabena Amuah to launder the proceeds obtained from business email compromise scams. Specifically, their coconspirators targeted business or municipal entities, which had ongoing financial relationships with other vendors who were owed current or future payments by the entities. Then, these coconspirators impersonated the vendors in email communications with the targeted entities and requested wire payments to a new bank account. McDonald opened these bank accounts, using fake identity cards in the names of real people and the names of fake companies she established with secretaries of state. McDonald would then attempt to withdraw the funds in a variety of payment methods, to quickly move the funds elsewhere at the direction of Amuah, retaining a sizeable cut for herself. Also, in her plea, McDonald admitted that she laundered money arising out of a business email compromise scam targeting the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (the “City”) in August of 2022. In the course of this scheme, coconspirators impersonated a nonprofit organization having business with the City through email and convinced a City official to wire funds owed to the nonprofit organization, to a bank account at Truist Bank in the name of Gretson Company LLC. The City wired a total of $3,905,837.05 to the Gretson Company LLC bank account at Truist Bank. Prior to the August 2022 wire transfer, McDonald, using the identity of K.N., had requested eight counter checks from Truist Bank, which would be funded from wires fraudulently received from the City. Then, when the money was placed in the Gretson Company account at Truist Bank, McDonald assigned payees and amounts to the counter checks and forged the signature K.N., and attempted to deposit a portion of these funds herself, while sending the remaining counter checks to other members of the conspiracy. Ultimately, Truist Bank and the City were able to recover all the funds that were transmitted. In total, court records show that 70 businesses and individuals fell victim to the business email compromise scheme conducted by this conspiracy, with 40 of those victims suffering financial losses they have yet to recover. An additional 24 victims had their identities stolen by McDonald. McDonald’s co-defendant, Nana Kwabena Amuah, was sentenced in November 2023 to 86 months in prison and was ordered to pay $4,695,442.81 in restitution. Under federal law, McDonald must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence; and upon their release, both McDonald and Amuah will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentences. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI and Lexington Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf. -END-


title: Cincinnati Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Carlos Edward Thurman, Jr., 40, was sentenced on Thursday, to 210 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. According to court documents, from May 1, 2020 through June 2, 2021, Thurman conspired with his co-defendants, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Law enforcement made several controlled purchases from Thurman and his co-defendants and found two firearms and more than $17,000 in cash from residences connected to Thurman. Thurman had previously been convicted in July 2016 of Trafficking in Heroin in Hamilton County, Ohio. Under federal law, Thurman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Thurman’s co-defendants, Mario Renard Baker, 44, Edward Allen Mashburn Jr., 49, Maurice Lamont Raysor, 45, Romeo Jawan Richardson, 33, and Antoine Martez Williams, 38, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. — END —


title: Little Rock Felon Who Possessed Firearm Sentenced To Ten Years In Federal Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Chadwick Umfleet, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 10 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Wednesday by United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker. Umfleet, 40, of Jacksonville, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 26, 2022. That conviction was based on a May 26, 2021, traffic stop by officers of the Jacksonville Police Department in which Umfleet was discovered with marijuana, methamphetamine, and a stolen Taurus 9mm handgun. At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Baker heard arguments regarding Umfleet’s three prior felony firearm convictions and six prior felony drug convictions, including Umfleet’s 2012 federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Baker sentenced Umfleet to the maximum potential penalty for the current firearm offense - 10 years imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the Jacksonville Police Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @EDARNEWS


title: Bulgarian National Arrested for Assaulting ICE Deportation Officer

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bulgarian national was arrested for assaulting a U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Vasil Petrov, 40, of Bulgaria, is charged by complaint with one count of assaulting a federal officer. Petrov appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Dec. 27, 2023, Petrov was in the lawful custody of ICE officers at an ICE facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, pending removal from the United States. While being processed for removal, Petrov, without provocation, struck the victim deportation officer in the chin with a closed fist. As a result of Petrov’s assault, the victim deportation officer sustained bodily injury, including a laceration on his chin. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 24-004 ### Defense counsel: David Holman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark petrov.complaint.pdf


title: January 2024 Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January 2024 Federal Grand Jury A. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Christian Douglas Cook. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Cook, 24, transient and a citizen of Choctaw Nation is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm in Dec. 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-005 Johnathan Robert Havlick. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Havlick, 23, Sapulpa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with discharging a firearm and killing Aaron Bendele in Dec. 2023. The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Kate Brandon are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-003 Nelson Alexis Torres Leon; Roberto Quiroz Lopez; Jose Isla-Chavez; Gerardo Martinez, Jr. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute (superseding). Leon, 23, Lopez, 49, Isla-Chavez, 29, Mexican nationals, and Martinez, 23 from Oklahoma City, are each charged with drug conspiracy. Leon is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin. Lopez is charged with possessing and distributing heroin. Isla-Chavez is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl. Leon, Isla-Chavez, and Lopez are also charged with maintaining a residence for distributing fentanyl and/or heroin. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel-lyn A. McCormick and Mandy M. Mackenzie and are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-380 Benita Lorenzo Nicolas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Nicolas, 45, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2017, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-001 Shelly Annette Mcelroy; Gary Don Mcelroy. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Tampering with a Record, Document, and Other Object. (superseding) Shelly McElroy, 52, and Gary McElroy, 54 of Tulsa are charged with drug conspiracy from Sep. 2023 through Oct. 2023. They are also charged with possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute in Oct. 2023. Shelley McElroy was also charged with attempting to tamper with and erase the contents of a cellular phone seized as evidence in Oct. 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-348 Lance Douglas Roark. Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country (superseding). Roark, 43, of Bluejacket and a member of the Delaware Tribe is charged with knowingly engaging in sexual contact with the intent to commit aggravated sexual abuse with a child under 12 years old. The FBI and Rogers County Sherriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Chantelle Dial are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-262 Yair De Jesus Trejo-Mendoza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Trejo-Mendoza, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2015, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-002


title: Tohatchi Man Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Donavan Henry was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with restitution to the Crime Victim’s Reparations Commission for funeral expenses, and additional restitution to his living victim and to his deceased victim’s next of kin. Henry, 40, of Tohatchi, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country on July 14, 2023. According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, Henry was driving east on Route 134 in Sheep Springs, New Mexico, with two passengers when he lost control of his vehicle. The car went off the two-lane road and flipped when it hit a boulder. All three occupants were ejected. A Navajo Police officer arrived to find Henry underneath the vehicle and his two passengers lying on the ground near the vehicle. Henry was airlifted to San Juan Regional Medical Center. The front-seat passenger, John Doe 1, also a member of the Navajo Nation, was placed in an ambulance bound for Northern Navajo Medical Center. The back-seat passenger, John Doe 2, was placed in an ambulance going to Gallup Indian Medical Center. John Doe 1 died of his injuries while in the back of the ambulance before it left the scene. Henry’s blood-alcohol content, which was drawn at the hospital following the wreck, was .16. Upon his release, Henry will be subject to mandatory alcohol treatment and three years of supervised release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-9


title: Fugitive Leonard Francis Back in San Diego; Appears in Federal Court

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 4, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Leonard Glenn Francis, the infamous fugitive who presided over a massive decade-long conspiracy involving scores of U.S. Navy officials, tens of millions of dollars in fraud and millions of dollars in bribes and gifts, appeared in federal court today for the first time since he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and absconded from house arrest in San Diego in September 2022. At the hearing, the government asked U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino to set a new sentencing date immediately to avoid delays, but the judge postponed a decision based on a request by Francis’ legal team to withdraw from the case in the aftermath of his disappearance. The judge set a status hearing for February 8, 2024, at 9 a.m. Francis, who fled the United States before he could be sentenced, was returned to the United States from Venezuela as part of a prisoner swap on December 20, 2023. From Venezuela, he arrived in the Southern District of Florida and appeared in federal court the next day in Miami, where he was ordered removed to the Southern District of California. Francis arrived in San Diego on January 3. Francis, the owner and chief executive of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which provided services to U.S. Navy ships in ports in the Asia-Pacific region, pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud charges in 2015. As a result of the federal investigation, more than 30 U.S. Navy officials and associates pleaded guilty. “Leonard Francis is no longer on the run. He is on the hook,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Mr. Francis never should have fled the United States while he was waiting to be sentenced. In fact, he was ordered by a federal judge not to do so. Now that he is back in San Diego, Mr. Francis will be held fully accountable for his crimes.” DEFENDANTS Case Number 13-CR- 4287 Leonard Glenn Francis Age: 59 Singapore SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Maximum penalty five years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater; Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201. Maximum 15 years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution. Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of in violation of 18 U.S.C. sec. 371. Maximum penalty five years in prison $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Defense Criminal Investigative Service Naval Criminal Investigative Service Defense Contract Audit Agency


title: ChristianaCare Pays $42.5 Million To Resolve Health Care Fraud Allegations

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that ChristianaCare has paid $42.5 million to resolve allegations of health care fraud arising under the federal False Claims Act and the Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act. ChristianaCare operates three hospitals and numerous other healthcare facilities in northern Delaware and the surrounding area. The settlement amount has been allocated between the United States and the State of Delaware based on the value of the underlying healthcare claims. In a complaint filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in 2017, ChristianaCare’s former chief compliance officer alleged that ChristianaCare had provided illegal remuneration to non-employee neonatologists and surgeons in the form of services from ancillary support providers (including nurse practitioners, hospitalists, and physician assistants) to inpatients at ChristianaCare hospitals. The lawsuit alleged that the services of the ancillary support providers impermissibly sought to induce those neonatologists and surgeons to refer their patients to ChristianaCare hospitals and created financial relationships between the non-employee providers and ChristianaCare. As a result, the complaint alleged, ChristianaCare’s claims to government-funded healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for the care it provided to the referred patients during their hospitalization violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the physician self-referral law, also known as the Stark Law. In 2020, after the conduct at issue in this case, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued additional guidance, clarifying the billing and patient-referral rules surrounding services provided by hospitals during inpatient stays. “The prohibitions on kickbacks and self-referrals in federal healthcare programs are designed to ensure that the medical decisions of healthcare providers are driven by what is in the best interest of patient care, not provider profit,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “That is true regardless of who provides the care, whether it is a solo practitioner or the largest healthcare system. My office will continue to vigorously enforce these prohibitions so that Delawareans can receive the care that is appropriate to their medical needs.” A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action, under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the local U.S. Attorney. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides the whistleblower with a share of the government’s recovery. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan J. Steinberg represented the United States in this matter. Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit are on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cv-419-RGA.


title: South Texas dealer admits to selling fentanyl to teenager resulting in death

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 22-year old resident of Laredo has admitted to providing fentanyl to a 15-year-old, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jose Antonio Carlos III aka Jose Carlos entered a guilty plea to distributing fentanyl resulting in death. On May 17, 2023, authorities responded to an overdose call at a home in Laredo. Once on scene, they found the victim laying in his bed unresponsive and holding a rolled-up dollar bill with a white powder on it. The white powder later tested positive for fentanyl. A toxicology report and autopsy confirmed the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. The investigation revealed text messages which showed the victim wanting to buy “pase” from Carlos. “Pase” was code for cocaine. Carlos indicated the price and provided an address off Longoria Loop. On the evening of May 16, 2023, an individual drove the victim to that address. There, a person later identified as Carlos handed the victim a small baggie with a white powder inside it. The driver then dropped off the victim at his home, a home he shared with his aunt. The next morning, the victim’s aunt heard her nephew’s phone ringing. She thought the victim overslept, so she knocked on his door but heard no response. She then tried to open the door to the victim’s bedroom but was unable to, so she climbed in through one of the bedroom windows. Once inside the room, she noticed her nephew laying face down on the bed. When she touched him, his body was stiff and cold. Law enforcement responded to the residence and pronounced the victim dead on-scene. As part of his guilty plea, Carlos admitted to selling “pase” to the victim. He also acknowledged sending a text to the victim May 17, 2023, asking “What’s up was it good or no[?].” “Carlos’ decision to sell illicit drugs caused the death of a 15-year-old child,” said Hamdani. “Tragically, this case illustrates that no person - regardless of age - is safe from fentanyl’s deadly grip. As long as drug dealers decide to ply their illicit trade, aunts, uncles, fathers and mothers everywhere will continue to discover the cold, lifeless bodies of the children they love and now have lost.” U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Carlos faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. He could also be ordered to pay up to a $1 million fine. Carlos will remain in custody pending that hearing. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Medical Examiner. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez are prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Richard Jason Mountford, formerly of Monterey County, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file false claims against the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting tax fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Fraudulent tax preparation schemes utilizing false and inflated deductions cost the government millions of dollars each year.” “Mr. Mountford defrauded the U.S. government and every American taxpayer through this selfish scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Our CI special agents are the best in the world at following the money to find evidence for conviction, a lesson Mr. Mountford learned the hard way.” According to court documents, from 2016 to 2020, Mountford conspired with another individual to submit false individual income tax returns seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Mountford and his co-conspirator filed income tax returns in their own names, as well as in the names of two other unwitting individuals, that falsely reported they were employed by a company, received wages from that company, and had federal taxes withheld from those wages, fraudulently claiming a refund was due. Most of the returns filed as part of the scheme also falsely reported alimony payments in an effort to increase the refund amount. Based on these fraudulent returns, the IRS issued $873,723 in unwarranted refunds to the co-conspirators. Mountford deposited $757,075 of these fraud proceeds into his own bank accounts and subsequently purchased nearly $360,000 worth of new cars. He also distributed to his co-conspirator about $170,000 in cash and gold bars for his role in the scheme. This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case. Mountford is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on April 11, 2024. Mountford faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Long Island-Based Bloods Gang Members Indicted on Racketeering and Murder Charges

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A 32-two-count superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging three Bloods gang members, Dwayne Murray, Kendrick Seymore and Lavalle Wilson, with racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder, various firearms charges and narcotics related offenses. Additionally, Murray is charged with the June 2020 murder of Wayne Cherry in Baywood, New York, and Seymore is charged with the July 23, 2021 murders of Nyasia Knox, Diamond Schick and Richard Castano in Farmingville, New York. The defendants are presently in custody and will be arraigned on the superseding indictment at a later date. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Raymond A. Tierney, District Attorney, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO), James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Tommy Kalogiros, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Office (ATF), announced the superseding indictment. “Today’s superseding indictment speaks loudly to this Office’s commitment to making our communities safer by holding ruthless gang members accountable for the murders, gun violence and narcotics trafficking they allegedly carried out on behalf of the Bloods,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I commend our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their tireless work dismantling gangs operating on Long Island.” Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department for their unwavering dedication to eradicating gang violence on Long Island. “My office is committed to eradicating violent gangs and bringing prosecutions on both the state and federal level where appropriate. Joint prosecutions in serious cases with our federal partners better protects Suffolk County residents. I thank United States Attorney Peace, the FBI, and the ATF, for working together with my office and the Suffolk County Police Department to successfully collaborate on this significant prosecution,” stated Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney. “These indictments demonstrate the collective commitment and investigative efforts between ATF NY and law enforcement partners, utilizing Crime Gun Intelligence to connect the dots between the many incidents of violence. Brazen acts of violence will never become acceptable to us. ATF NY is determined to root out the drivers of the deadly cycle of violence in our communities. We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our partners and appreciate the efforts of the ATF NY Long Island Field Office, FBI, Suffolk County Police Department and EDNY,” stated ATF Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Kalogiros. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants engaged in numerous acts of violence on the gang’s behalf, including robberies, home invasions, and vicious shootings and murders. Specifically, according to the superseding indictment and statements made in court proceedings, on the evening of June 12, 2020, Murray fatally shot Cherry in the head in the backyard of a vacant home in Baywood. His body was found two days later. Additionally, on July 23, 2021, Seymore and an accomplice, both of whom were armed with guns, entered Richard Castano’s apartment in Farmingville to rob him. During the course of the robbery, Seymore shot and killed Castano, as well Diamond Schick and Nyasia Knox, who were also in the apartment. A one-year old child was in the apartment at the time of the triple murder, but was left physically unharmed. The defendants also used their membership in the Bloods street gang to distribute large quantities of narcotics in Suffolk County. In order to protect their supply of narcotics, and secure their ability to distribute the narcotics, the defendants possessed multiple firearms. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum of life in prison. Murray and Seymore face the possibility of the death penalty. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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 government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and Andrew P. Wenzel and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Donald N. Barclay and Dena C. Rizopoulos are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants DWAYNE MURRAY (also known as “Wayno”) Age: 33 Coram, New York KENDRICK SEYMORE (also known as “KR”) Age: 22 Coram, New York LAVALLE WILSON (also known as “Val,” Skip,” “Flip” and “Wes”) Age: 30 Shirley, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-401 (JMA)


title: Tucson Man Fined and Ordered to Pay $180,000 in Restitution for Molino II Fire

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael J. Sobcynski, 64, of Tucson, was ordered last week by United States Magistrate Judge Michael A. Ambri to pay a fine and $180,000 in restitution to the United States Forest Service for his role in the fire dubbed as the “Molino II Fire.” Sobcynski pleaded guilty to Use of Incendiary Ammunition. On April 30, 2023, Sobcynski was target shooting in the Molino Basin target shooting area of the Coronado National Forest. His shotgun was loaded with incendiary rounds, which ignited multiple small fires and ultimately caused a wildfire that burned within the Coronado National Forest. Fire suppression costs exceeded $200,000. Investigators from the United States Forest Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 23-mj-09176-MAA RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-001_Sobcynski # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Escape from Custody

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Escape from Custody. The sentencing took place on January 3, 2024. Dillon Bagola, age 31, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from custody he will have to serve five years of supervised release relating to his prior federal sexual assault conviction. Bagola was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023. The conviction stemmed from an incident on July 25, 2023, when Bagola, who was residing at the Community Alternatives of the Black Hills, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to finish a federal sentence, escaped from that facility. His whereabouts were unknown until he was apprehended on August 4, 2023, in Lower Brule. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Crown Point Woman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison And Ordered to Repay Restitution

body_text: HAMMOND – Lorraine Duchscher, 50 years old, of Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to three counts of wire fraud. Duchscher was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $490,958.35 in restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, between March 2017 and December 2019, Duchscher worked as an office manager for a company in Crown Point. In this capacity, she had unsupervised access to the company’s bank account, financial records and payroll information. For almost three years, Duchscher made regular adjustments to her paychecks and gave herself additional pay to which she was not entitled. She also wrote over 100 unauthorized business checks to herself and another employee, which were cashed at local banks and currency exchanges. Over the course of the scheme, Duchscher defrauded the company out of $490,958.35; money she used to fund her lavish lifestyle which included the purchase of airline tickets, rental cars, vacation home rentals, entertainment, and cosmetic procedures, among other things. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chang and Steven J. Lupa.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 3, 2024. Jeremiah Iron Moccasin, age 39, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and forfeiture of the firearm. Iron Moccasin was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023. The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 24, 2023, when Iron Moccasin was placed under arrest on a tribal warrant with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Once at the jail, Iron Moccasin and his backpack were searched. Officers recovered a small baggie of methamphetamine, two syringes with methamphetamine, and an Arminius HW7, GmbH .22 revolver. Iron Moccasin admitted to being a methamphetamine user for the last several years. This makes him a prohibited person. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Iron Moccasin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Kevieun D. Lewis, 35 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to deliver fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Lewis was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on March 29, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Lewis’s residence after controlled buys of fentanyl were conducted. During the search, officers found numerous baggies containing fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, and marijuana. Officers also located digital scales, a firearm, ammunition, and a substantial amount of U.S. currency. Lewis has six prior adult felony convictions. This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from Fort Wayne Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory, and the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is 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: Lame Deer woman sentenced to prison for trafficking methamphetamine

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman who admitted to selling methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation as part of larger drug trafficking activity on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Adrienne Dawn LaForge, 35, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in August 2022, law enforcement purchased meth from LaForge at a house in Lame Deer. An indictment accused LaForge of trafficking meth from about January 2022 through October 2022 on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow reservations. LaForge was affiliated with another Northern Cheyenne Reservation dealer, who also was trafficking on Crow, and others who were charged as a result of an investigation into a large drug trafficking conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Immigration Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Frederick Sayre Anderson, 63, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to concealing, harboring, and shielding an alien from detection. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2010, Anderson signed and submitted Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancée, to the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Anderson admitted that he filed the petition to obtain a 90-day fiancée K-1 nonimmigrant visa so a foreign national could re-enter the United States. The foreign national was granted the visa, which required her and Anderson to marry within 90 days. She arrived in the U.S. on January 8, 2011. Anderson picked her up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and transported her to Parkersburg, West Virginia, the following day. The foreign national lived and worked at Anderson’s place of business until May 7, 2021. Anderson admitted that the foreign national did not receive compensation for the work she performed at his place of business. Anderson further admitted that he did not marry her, and her K-1 visa expired on April 8, 2011, making her ongoing presence in the U.S. unlawful. In May 2021, federal immigration agents visited Anderson’s place of business on at least three occasions. Anderson admitted that he took steps to prevent government officials from detecting the foreign national. Anderson instructed her to hide behind the business during one of those occasions. Anderson then lied to the federal agents during that visit, falsely alleging that she did not live inside the business, that she had left months prior, and that he did not know where she was. Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. “Mr. Anderson’s criminal conduct facilitated the exploitation of an individual for more than a decade,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “While human trafficking is not charged in this case, it underscores the importance of learning how to identify, prevent and respond to coerced labor and other forms of human trafficking.” Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Resources including facts and myths regarding human trafficking are available at https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-187. ###


title: Maine Man Sentenced for Role in Northern New England Fentanyl Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Maine man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a fentanyl trafficking operation that spanned across northern New England. Douglas Morris, 33, of Bangor, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 12.5 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In August 2023, Morris pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of p-Fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Morris was indicted by a federal grand jury along with five co-defendants in March 2022 . According to court documents, in June 2021, Morris picked up nearly two kilograms of p-Fluorofentanyl – a dangerous fentanyl analogue – intended for distribution in Maine, allegedly from co-defendant Ivan Rodriguez Osorio in a hotel parking lot in Amesbury, Mass. Morris’ vehicle was subsequently stopped by law enforcement and the narcotics were seized. The fentanyl analogue was packaged in 161 10-gram cylinders commonly called “fingers.” These fingers are a common form of drug packaging for resale to other distributors. Morris had allegedly made three prior drug purchases from Rodriguez Osorio, buying approximately 500 grams of fentanyl each time. Less than two weeks later, in July 2021, Morris picked up nearly two kilograms of fentanyl, allegedly from Rodriguez Osorio, in the same hotel parking lot in Amesbury, Mass. Morris’ vehicle was again stopped by law enforcement and the narcotics were seized. According to court documents, Morris has multiple prior convictions for drug trafficking offenses. In July 2009 Morris was arrested federally and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. While on federal pretrial release, he was again arrested and charged by state authorities with trafficking oxycodone. Morris was eventually convicted of both offenses and sentenced to 88 months in prison in the federal case and two years (served concurrently) in the state case. However, upon his release, Morris violated the terms of his supervised release numerous times and was revoked twice. His supervised release ended in 2019. Morris is the second defendant to be sentenced in the case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Lauren A. Graber of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Six Individuals Charged in Twin Cities Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Six individuals have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between August 2022 and December 2023, Cornell Montez Chandler, Jr., 24, Robiel Lee Williams, 23, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 30, Stardasha Christina Davenport-Mounger, 24, Fo’Tre Devine White, 26, and Shardai Rayshell Allen, 24, conspired to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota. Several defendants traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills. All six defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. White is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of possession of a machinegun. All defendants made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oregon Man Sentenced to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison After Traveling to Oklahoma to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, CLAYTON CLEMENT STUBBS , 25, of Oregon, was sentenced to serve 360 months in federal prison for interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 17, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Stubbs, charging him with interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor. “The despicable behavior of this defendant, coupled with his repeated attempts to continue to abuse a minor, are clear indicators that swift, decisive action was necessary for the public’s safety,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester. “I applaud the work by Homeland Security Investigations in aggressively pursuing this child predator and bringing him to justice.” “This lengthy sentence is proof that the predatory behavior of sexually exploiting children will not go unpunished,” said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division HSI Dallas. “As result of a tip from the HSI Cyber Crimes Center and exemplary work by HSI special agents and federal prosecutors, this defendant is behind bars, preventing him from ever harming a child again.” According to public record, in May 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) became aware of images showing what appeared to be an adult male sexually abusing an underage female. Through an investigation, an agent with HSI was able to identify the child. The victim told authorities the adult male in the explicit images was Stubbs, and that Stubbs traveled to Oklahoma from Oregon in 2020 to engage in the illegal behavior. Flight records confirmed to authorities that Stubbs did travel to Oklahoma in October of 2020. The victim further alleged that despite blocking Stubbs from their social media accounts following the 2020 crime, Stubbs found the victim online again and had been attempting to contact them. On November 3, 2022, Stubbs pleaded guilty and admitted to traveling to Oklahoma with the intent of engaging in a sexual act with a minor. At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Stubbs to serve 360 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, followed by supervised release for life. Judge DeGiusti also ordered Stubbs to pay $10,000 in restitution. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the egregious conduct of the defendant. This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case. This case is the result of an investigation by the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force. Members of the Task Force in the Western District of Oklahoma include Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City Police Department, and Comanche County Police Department. The Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force is part of the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Houston, Texas, Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Money Laundering Laws

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal money laundering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Oluseyi Jeremiah Olagoke Adebayo, 48, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering from June 2022 through October 2022 before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that a company located in the Western District of Pennsylvania was the victim of a business email compromise that resulted in the fraudulent transfer of over $420,000 into a bank account that Adebayo opened with a false name and a fraudulent Solomon Islands passport. To obfuscate the source of the fraudulent funds, Adebayo incorporated shell companies with false names and opened bank accounts for those shell companies also with false names. He then transferred portions of the fraudulent funds obtained from the victim company into those bank accounts from which he conducted additional transfers and issued bank checks. Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years, a fine not to exceed $500,000, 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. Adebayo remains detained pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Adebayo.


component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file false claims against the United States. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 to 2020, Richard Jason Mountford conspired with another individual to submit false individual income tax returns seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Mountford and his co-conspirator filed income tax returns in their own names, as well as in the names of two other unwitting individuals, that falsely reported they were employed by a company, received wages from that company, and had federal taxes withheld from those wages, fraudulently claiming a refund was due. Most of the returns filed as part of the scheme also falsely reported alimony payments to increase the refund amount. Based on these fraudulent returns, the IRS issued $873,723.53 in unwarranted refunds to the co-conspirators. Mountford deposited $757,075.53 of these fraud proceeds into his own bank accounts and subsequently purchased nearly $360,000 worth of new cars. He also distributed to his co-conspirator about $170,000 in cash and gold bars for his role in the scheme. Mountford is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Troy L. Nunley for the Eastern District of Califonia on April 11, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Judge Nunley will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for his Involvement in the Distribution of Fentanyl and Heroin that Resulted in Death

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA — A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to seven (7) years of imprisonment, followed by five (5) years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Devontay Montaze Green, age 29. According to information presented to the court, on the morning of Oct. 31, 2018, K.K. was found dead in the basement of an Alison Park, PA, residence. Paramedics and the McCandless Police Department responded to the residence. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate K.K., and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The McCandless Police Department recovered drug use paraphernalia and ripped, empty stamp bags marked “Hurricane Harvey” in red ink and “Burger King” in blue ink near his body. Law enforcement also recovered K.K.’s cellular phone and provided all evidence to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Opioid Task Force. The investigation confirmed that Green distributed the controlled substances that caused K.K.’s death. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stressed that fentanyl has had a devastating impact on the community and expressed her condolences to K.K.’s family. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Opioid Task Force and the McCandless Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Green.


title: Sharon Resident Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Alphonse Johnson was sentenced to 108 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Johnson, age 41, formerly of Sharon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Johnson previously pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine, between June 2020 and June 2021; and (2) possessing with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine on April 20, 2021. Judge Bissoon also ordered Johnson to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the convictions and sentence in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Brownsville Resident Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 51 months’ imprisonment, 10 years of supervised release, and has been ordered to pay $28,000.00 in restitution on his conviction of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Karl D. Lutes (52) of Brownsville, PA. According to information presented to the court at the time of Lutes’s guilty plea, Lutes had been sharing images over the Internet which depicted the sexual exploitation of minors. He was identified through an investigation undertaken by agents of Homeland Security Investigations. On February 11, 2020, agents executed a search warrant at Lutes’s residence and found him in possession of hundreds of videos and still images in computer graphics files depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom had not yet attained the age of 12 years. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that a sentence that included 51 months in prison served to protect the public, to provide for just punishment, and to afford Lutes with needed rehabilitation. Judge Bisson further highlighted that the submitted Victim Impact Statements provided a view of the real harm to children stemming from crimes involving their sexual exploitation. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lutes. 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 .


title: Butler Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Stolen, Loaded Firearm

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Butler, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total term of 66 months (5 ½ years) in prison, followed by three (3) years of supervised release, in connection with his possession of a stolen, loaded firearm and for committing that offense while serving a period of supervised release on his prior federal drug-trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Charles Perkins, age 29. According to information presented to the court, on February 1, 2023, the Butler County Anti-Drug Task Force obtained a search warrant for Perkins and an apartment associated with him. Upon approaching Perkins outside the residence, he ran from law enforcement and threw a loaded handgun. Perkins fell and was arrested. An examination of the handgun revealed that it had been reported stolen. Judge Conti previously sentenced Perkins to 15 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his last federal offense, possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and crack. He was serving his supervised release at the time he committed the firearm offense. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti revoked Perkins’ federal supervised release and sentenced him to six (6) months in prison for his prior drug offense, to be served consecutively to the five-year term of imprisonment for the new firearm offense. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Butler County Anti-Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Perkins.


title: East Longmeadow Man Sentenced for Marijuana Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – An East Longmeadow man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for marijuana trafficking. John Americo Pereira, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six months in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2023, Pereira pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. In January 2018, an investigation began into Pereira, and others, for trafficking marijuana. During a search of Pereira’s home in February 2019, approximately $688,000 in drug proceeds and more than 269 pounds (122 kilograms) of marijuana packaged in one-pound bags were found. Also found at Pereia’s residence were several smaller or partially filled packages and containers of marijuana, marijuana cigarettes and a large amount of marijuana edibles, including 876 chocolate bars. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office and the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section of the Department of Justice prosecuted the case.


title: "Rainbow" Fentanyl and Illegal Firearm Land Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for 78 Months

body_text: Fentanyl was Mailed to Metro Post Office and Picked Up by Defendant OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, CRISTOBAL CALDERON , 28, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for drug conspiracy and for being a drug user in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Fentanyl is destroying lives every day, devastating families and communities,” said U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “My office is committed to protect the public from further harm by aggressively pursuing those who dispense this deadly poison. I commend the Postal Inspection Service and DEA for their tireless commitment to fight this fentanyl epidemic.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our partnership with the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Oklahoma, who held Calderon responsible for his dangerous activity,” said Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Fort Worth Division. “The Postal Service has no interest in being the unwitting accomplice to anyone using the U.S. Mail to distribute illegal drugs. Our Contraband Interdiction and Investigations program focuses on ensuring these dangerous and deadly synthetic opioids stay out of neighborhoods across America. These crimes are a priority for Postal Inspectors and demonstrate the importance of our mission that includes the safeguarding of the Postal Service, its customers, and preventing the illegal use of the U.S. Mail.” “As we continue to lose lives by this fentanyl epidemic, know that any pill, regardless of color, shape, or size that you purchase on the street must be treated as if it were potentially deadly illicit fentanyl,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas, which oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Mr. Calderon is being held accountable for the poison that found its way into our community by his hand. Whether it is one pill of fentanyl or 1,000, the DEA will never cease its efforts to rid these drugs from the streets of Oklahoma.” On February 14, 2023, Calderon was charged by Superseding Information with drug conspiracy and being a drug user in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on November 3, 2022, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted a package believed to contain a controlled substance. USPIS authorities searched the package and located more than 2 kilograms worth of counterfeit Oxycodone pills, which later tested positive for fentanyl. The complaint describes the pills as being “rainbow fentanyl.” The Drug Enforcement Administration has advised that “rainbow fentanyl” is dyed into a variety of bright colors to avoid detection and to make the highly addictive drug more appealing to young people. Days after the onset of the investigation, public record reflects that an individual called a U.S. Post Office in Oklahoma City to inquire on the above-mentioned package. On November 8, 2022. Calderon picked-up the package and was arrested shortly thereafter at an Oklahoma City motel. At the time of his arrest, authorities located a firearm in Calderon’s waistband. On April 4, 2023, Calderon pleaded guilty and admitted to (1) possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute the substance and (2) possessing a handgun while being a user of illegal drugs. At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Calderon to serve 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted the especially dangerous nature of fentanyl. Calderon has been in federal custody since November 14, 2022. This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea Pratt and Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Indiana Man Of Distribution And Transportation Of Child Pornography And Making Notice Of Visual Depictions Of Minors Engaging In Sexually Explicit Conduct

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville has convicted Brandon Keith Hardy, 44, of Bremen, Indiana, of distribution and transportation of child pornography, and making notice of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. “Hardy’s conviction reflects the important work we do every day to keep children safe and prosecute those who seek to harm them. Child predators using anonymous online networks and encryption walls to exploit children and evade justice will not deter our mission,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Protecting children from predators that seek to exploit them is one of the most important missions for HSI,” Special Agent in Charge Martinez. “We are fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute these individuals for their heinous crimes.” According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, law enforcement determined that an individual later identified as Hardy was using chatrooms on the dark web to traffic child sexual abuse material and to solicit sexual activity with a minor. Trial evidence established that over the course of the investigation Hardy used the dark web and an encrypted text messaging platform to share dark web links to child pornography with undercover law enforcement. Evidence presented at trial also established that Hardy possessed a collection of child pornography on his phone, expressed his interest in engaging in sexual activity with a child, and said he had sexually abused other children. Hardy is currently in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set. The charge of transportation of child pornography and distribution of child pornography each carry a minimum statutory sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The notice of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Queens Couple Pleads Guilty to $380,000 COVID Unemployment Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Taylor, age 33, and Patricia Clarke, age 27, both of Jamaica, New York, pled guilty today to mail and wire fraud conspiracy. Taylor also pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and New York State Inspector General (NYSIG) Lucy Lang. Taylor and Clarke each admitted that they used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). They used the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of at least 20 individuals to submit claims to NYSDOL. Based on those false claims, NYSDOL wired funds to accounts controlled by Taylor, Clarke, or both; and NYSDOL directed bank cards to be mailed to the addresses provided by Taylor and Clarke. In total, NYSDOL paid $381,815 on the claims submitted by Taylor and Clarke under the stolen identities. The conspiracy conviction carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up 3 to years. For Taylor, the aggravated identity theft conviction carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison that must run consecutively to the prison term imposed on the conspiracy conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Taylor and Clarke agreed to pay $381,815 in restitution to NYSDOL. In addition, Taylor agreed to forfeit $315,723 and Clarke agreed to forfeit $66,092. USDOL-OIG, HSI, USPIS and NYSIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.


title: California Man Indicted for Shipping Methamphetamine to the Capital Region and Selling Fentanyl

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK –Michael Laudicina, age 46, of Santa Cruz, California, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with distributing a controlled substance. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division; and Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo made the announcement. The indictment alleges that Laudicina shipped at least 50 grams of methamphetamine to New York on three occasions, once each in July 2022, August 2022 and November 2022. On a fourth occasion, in August 2022, Laudicina sold fentanyl. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed against Laudicina carry a term of imprisonment at least 10 years and up to life; a fine of up to $10 million; and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Laudicina was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and ordered detained pending a trial before Senior United States District Judge Gary L Sharpe. The DEA and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Reiner and Ashlyn Miranda are prosecuting the case.


title: Onslow Drug Dealer Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who committed drug trafficking offenses while on federal supervised release for a prior gun conviction was sentenced on January 4, 2024, to 168 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Ryan Marshall Thomas Streets, age 44, from Poway, California, received the prison term after a July 10, 2023 guilty plea to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Streets, who resided in Onslow, Iowa, distributed large quantities of methamphetamine on two occasions in January of 2023 in Maquoketa, Iowa, while he was on federal supervised release for a prior gun offense. In March 2023, Streets’ supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to two-years in custody for violating the conditions of his supervised release. Streets was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Streets was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Streets is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clinton County Sherriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Police. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR- 1011. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron Recognizes the Contributions of Law Enforcement Partners and the Teamwork that Helped to Reduce Violent Crime in 2023

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – At a press conference earlier today, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, thanked federal, state and local law enforcement partners in the fight against violent crime in Maryland. The teamwork, community-based partnerships, and strategic law enforcement initiatives helped make a difference in reducing homicides in Baltimore in 2023 by more than 20% percent. Partners at today’s press conference included: U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron; ATF Director Steven Dettelbach; ATF Special Agent in Charge Toni Crosby; State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Ivan Bates; Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley; and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget; Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge James Harris; Acting U.S. Marshal Mathew Silverman Executive Director Errol Etting of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Intelligence and Investigative Division; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. “Going forward we will continue investigating and prosecuting large RICO cases, like Triple C, but we will also continue to employ strategic and preventative law enforcement measures—especially by using any legal means necessary to remove those who illegally possess or use guns in our communities,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “This past year's almost 20% reduction in Baltimore homicides and 9% reduction in non-fatal shootings is a significant step forward in improving the quality of life for the citizens of this city. Every life saved from senseless acts of gun violence is worth celebrating. But we can't forget that every single life lost to this epidemic is a needless tragedy,” said ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. “Through strong partnerships and utilizing crime gun intelligence, ATF is able to focus law enforcement priorities not on entire communities, but instead on strategically identifying the trigger pullers who are terrorizing those communities. My message for 2024? We are not done by a long shot. ATF is committed to protecting the rights of Baltimoreans to live in peace. Law abiding folks should not live in fear of falling victim to senseless gun violence tragedies that continue to plague our most vulnerable communities.” “Together, we have achieved significant strides in reducing violent crime throughout the year 2023, and while just one life lost to violence in Baltimore is one too many, we remain optimistic about the collective progress made. The collaborative spirit, tireless dedication, and innovative approaches demonstrated by our prosecutors, investigators, and law enforcement colleagues have played a pivotal role in creating safer communities for the residents of Baltimore,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “We have collectively contributed to decreasing violent crime rates through strategic initiatives, community engagement, and diligent prosecution efforts. Our success in this endeavor is a testament to the collaborative strength of our justice system. It reflects the unity and determination that defines us as a community and highlights our shared commitment to public safety and a safer Baltimore for all.” As one example of holding violent gang members accountable at today’s press conference U.S. Attorney Barron highlighted the case of U.S. v. Correy Cawthorn , where Cawthorn, a member of the violent Baltimore street gang the “Cruddy Conniving Crutballs,” otherwise known as the “Triple C” gang, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison. Cawthorn admitted that he was part of a racketeering conspiracy and participated in three murders, an attempted murder and drug trafficking on behalf of the gang. This investigation led to the guilty pleas of 34 members and associates of Triple C, including Cawthorn. It was investigated by ATF and the Baltimore Police Department as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, using leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. “Crime gun intelligence allows ATF and our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and incarcerate the most violent and prolific offenders operating in Baltimore. The 35-year sentence for Triple C gang member Correy Cawthorn today and the guilty plea of Black Guerilla Family gang member Wayne Prince yesterday are just two examples of what this investigative approach can do in the hands of law enforcement like our relentless Special Agents and Task Force Officers,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “While we take this moment to acknowledge the progress of this past year, we must also remember that any murder or act of violence prevents people from having the sense of security in their own neighborhood that they deserve. ATF Baltimore Field Division is looking forward to another year of serving the citizens of Maryland, creating safer communities so they can thrive.” “Drugs are directly related to crime through the effects they have on the user’s behavior and by generating violence and other illegal activities including firearms related incidents and homicides. Through DEA’s Operation Overdrive initiative, we have mapped the most dangerous and ruthless drug trafficking organizations that operate in the DMV and have directed our resources towards dismantling and prosecuting these organizations. Our collaborative efforts have led to the seizure of record numbers of illegal drugs to include fentanyl and firearms, as well as many impactful prosecutions and convictions. DEA’s primary focus remains combating drug related violence and fentanyl poisoning in our neighborhoods,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in charge of DEA Washington Division. “Every day the FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners in Baltimore and the rest of Maryland to identify and combat violent crime and other threats facing our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI'S Baltimore Field Office. “In 2024 and the years to come, we will remain laser focused on partnering together to make our communities safer places for all of us.” “Through a combination of comprehensive strategies, partnerships, and community engagement, we have made substantial progress in curbing the frequency of gun-related violence in Baltimore,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of HSI Baltimore. “We have fostered relationships among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, as well as our prosecutors. We coordinate efforts, share intelligence, and leverage resources in a unified approach to combat illegal gun trafficking, apprehend violent offenders, and hold perpetrators of gun violence accountable. Our efforts throughout our Maryland communities has resulted in a reduction of homicides in Baltimore, by 19% while non-fatal shootings are down almost 9%. While we celebrate this success, we recognize that our work is far from over. We are committed to sustaining and expanding our efforts to further reduce violent gun crime in and around Baltimore in 2024." “This past year, the United States Marshals Service has helped our federal, state, and local partners apprehend over 1,300 violent fugitives,” stated Mathew Silverman, Acting United States Marshal for the District of Maryland. “The public can rest assured that we will do everything within our lawful authority to continue to support our partners and help make the State of Maryland a safer place.” U.S. Attorney Barron also thanked our community partners, such as ROCA Baltimore, whose mission is focused on violent crime prevention and intervention initiatives and highlighted a joint public service announcement , U.S. Attorney Office coordinated community walks, and resource fairs for returning citizens. The law enforcement officials at today’s press conference renewed their commitment to community building in order to build trust and to prevent violent crime. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Darien Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Arron W. Dupler, 34, Darien, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Dupler’s federal sentence will run consecutive to two undischarged state sentences. He pleaded guilty to the federal charge on November 1, 2023. Law enforcement began investigating Dupler after receiving information that he was posting pictures of guns on Facebook and offering the guns for sale. On March 4, 2022, Dupler sold an undercover police officer a Ruger LCP .380 handgun. Dupler showed the officer pictures of additional guns that he had previously sold and said he could get more. Dupler is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of two felony convictions from 2007 and 2018. At sentencing, Judge Conley said that the most disturbing part of Dupler’s offense was his comment to the undercover officer that the gun had “no bodies” on it, and that only five rounds had been fired from the gun. Judge Conley noted that these attributes would make the gun harder to trace, should it be used in criminal activity. The charge against Dupler was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Janesville Police Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.


title: Nevada Owner Of Three Mexican Restaurants Sentenced To Prison For Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Nevada restaurant owner was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for skimming $5 million dollars in cash sales and filing false federal income tax returns with an overall tax loss of $1.6 million dollars over a five-year period. According to court documents, Raul Gil, 64, owned and operated three Casa Don Juan restaurants in Las Vegas. From 2014 through 2018, Gil instructed his manager/internal bookkeeper to create false sales numbers for his restaurants that underreported cash sales at the restaurants by approximately $5.1 million. Then, Gil provided the false sales records to an outside tax return preparer who prepared his federal income tax returns. In July 2018, during an audit, Gil instructed his accountant to provide to the IRS false profit and loss statements that matched the figures reported on the tax returns. Gil also directed his bookkeeper to provide to the IRS false daily cash and sales reports purportedly printed from the restaurants’ point-of-sale systems. During interviews with the IRS, Gil falsely stated to the revenue agent conducting the audit, and later to IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents, that the falsified daily cash reports and point-of-sale records were accurate. In total, Gil caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.6 million. In addition to the prison sentence, United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon ordered Gil to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,228,943.65 in restitution. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, and IRS CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick made the announcement. The case was investigated by the IRS CI. Trial Attorney Thomas Flynn of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case. ###


title: Cumberland Woman Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling Funds From St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Karen Johnson, 55, Cumberland, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in prison for wire fraud, to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 1, 2023. Between 2014 and 2019, Johnson stole over $200,000 from the St. Croix Chippewa Housing Authority, an agency of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. This agency is responsible for providing and maintaining housing for low-income tribal members. The Housing Authority receives in excess of $1 million each year in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Johnson, who had worked for the Housing Authority since 1995, used her position to write checks for personal expenses. This included a scheme to defraud in which she generated and approved false invoices billing the Housing Authority for work purportedly done by a contractor. Johnson then wrote checks drawn on Housing Authority funds, forged the contractor’s signature, and deposited the checks into her own bank account. At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Johnson’s conduct was serious because she took advantage of her position within the Housing Authority and deprived other tribal members of financial support. Judge Conley stated a custodial sentence was also warranted due to the length of time Johnson stole funds from the Housing Authority. The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.