title: Federal Jury Convicts Imran Alrai in Connection with a Financial Scheme to Steal Approximately $6.7 Million from the United Way

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – After a 2-week trial, a Windham man was convicted by a federal petit jury, for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with his ownership of an information technology (IT) company that contracted with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (United Way) while being employed by United Way, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Imran Alrai, 50, was convicted of 12 counts of wire fraud and 6 counts of money laundering. United States District Court Judge Joseph Laplante ordered Alrai detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for January 17, 2025. “The jury’s swift verdicts in this case underscore the overwhelming evidence presented at trial of Mr. Alrai’s guilt,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Over the past two weeks, prosecutors skillfully untangled the web of the defendant’s deceit, highlighting for the jury how he used his position of trust to rig and maintain a major contract with United Way in favor of a company he owned and controlled. The United Way lost millions to the defendant – we hope the jury’s verdicts in this case is a step forward for their community.” “Imran Alrai abused his position of trust with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley to steal millions of dollars to which he knew he wasn’t entitled, money that was intended to help the less fortunate in our area. Instead, he used it to pay off his house, and increase his personal wealth,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI is grateful for the jury’s swift verdict, and we will not hesitate to investigate and bring to justice anyone engaged in such egregious financial fraud.” Between 2012 and June 2018, Alrai, an IT professional at the United Way, obtained approximately $6.7 million in payments for IT services supposedly provided to United Way by an independent outside contractor, DigitalNet Technology Solutions, Inc. Alrai misrepresented material facts about DigitalNet and fraudulently concealed that he owned and controlled DigitalNet. In early 2013, Alrai rigged the bidding process for a major contract to provide managed IT services at the United Way so that DigitalNet was chosen. Alrai then gave fake references and false information about DigitalNet to United Way. For the next five years, while serving as United Way’s Vice President for IT Services, Alrai steered additional IT work to DigitalNet, so that his company soon became United Way’s second-largest outside vendor, receiving more than $1 million annually. Alrai concealed his connection with DigitalNet from his colleagues. He routinely sent emails with attached invoices from a fictitious person to himself at United Way. After the fraud came to light, in June 2018, officials at the United Way confronted Alrai and terminated him. Federal agents executed search and seizure warrants and seized incriminating documents and data from Alrai’s home office in Windham, as well as approximately $2.2 million in fraud proceeds in bank and investment accounts. During the scheme, Alrai wired $1.2 million in fraud proceeds to a DigitalNet bank account in Lahore, Pakistan. According to expert testimony at the trial, United Way lost at least $3.5 million as a result of DigitalNet’s excessive billing, duplicate billing, and billing for services not delivered. Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Internal Revenue Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles L. Rombeau and John J. Kennedy are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Air Force Member Indicted for 2019 Sexual Assault at Air Base in the United Kingdom

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former U.S. Air Force member was charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida with sexually assaulting another service member at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom, in May 2019. The indictment charges James Loubeau, 36, of Miami, with one count of sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact. Loubeau made his initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. According to the indictment, on May 4, 2019, Loubeau sexually assaulted the victim at Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Loubeau was later discharged from the Air Force in March 2020. The charges were brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which establishes U.S. jurisdiction over certain offenses committed abroad by, among others, persons who served with the armed forces but who are no longer subject to military prosecution. If convicted, Loubeau faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Michael Koellner of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI); and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI’s Miami Field Office made the announcement. The Air Force OSI and FBI are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arielle Klepach for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Virginia Contractor Settles False Claims Act Liability for Failing to Secure Medicare Beneficiary Data

component: Civil Division

body_text: ASRC Federal Data Solutions LLC (AFDS), headquartered in Reston, Virginia, has agreed to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with a government contract related to its storage of unsecured personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries. Under the resolution, AFDS will pay $306,722. It will also waive any rights to reimbursement for remediating a data breach involving the information, including at least $877,578 in costs it incurred notifying beneficiaries and providing credit monitoring. AFDS promptly notified the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the data breach, worked with CMS to address the impact of the breach, cooperated with the Justice Department’s investigation and took other remedial measures. “Government contractors that handle personal information must take required steps to safeguard that information from cyberattacks,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will vigilantly pursue contractors that fail to comply with required cybersecurity protocols, while at the same time extending cooperation credit where warranted for self-disclosure, cooperation and remediation.” AFDS provided certain Medicare support services under a contract with CMS. The settlement resolves allegations that from March 10, 2021, through Oct. 8, 2022, AFDS and a subcontractor stored screenshots from CMS systems containing personally identifiable information and potentially personal health information of Medicare beneficiaries on the subcontractor’s server without individually encrypting the files to protect them against exposure in the event of a breach. The subcontractor’s server employed disk-level encryption that protected files from unauthorized access but not from access using authorized credentials. The subcontractor’s server was breached by a third party in October 2022 and the unencrypted screenshots were allegedly compromised during that breach. The United States alleged that the storing of screenshots on the subcontractor’s server violated AFDS’ contractual cybersecurity requirements, and that AFDS knowingly billed CMS in violation of these requirements. “Safeguarding patients’ sensitive personal information is of paramount importance,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Niemczak of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates the commitment by HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners to use every available tool to protect the health care data of all Americans and to investigate allegations of fraud, waste and abuse against the public and taxpayer-funded health care programs.” On Oct. 6, 2021, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative , which aims to hold accountable entities or individuals that put U.S information or systems at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents and breaches. Information on how to report cyber fraud can be found here . The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and HHS-OIG. Senior Trial Counsel Jonathan H. Gold of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Acting U.S. Attorney Alerts Public to Charity Scams in Wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch issued a public safety alert advising the public to be vigilant to hurricane relief fraud in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. “These serious weather events are tragic, and I appreciate the public’s interest in helping others during these difficult times,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I do, however, want people to be vigilant when donating and to be aware that criminals often try to exploit tragedy for personal gain.” On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Region and quickly caused major devastation there and across states including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. On October 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. In the wake of previous national disasters, fraudsters have targeted victims of the storm along with citizens across the country who want to do what they can to help people affected by the storm. These criminals send fraudulent communications through email or social media and create deceptive websites designed to solicit contributions. The public should exercise diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene. Solicitations can originate from phone calls, texts, social media, e-mail, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, and other similar methods. Before donating to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene, people should adhere to certain guidelines, including: • Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf. • Do not be pressured into making contributions, as reputable charities do not use such tactics. • Do not respond to any unsolicited communications (e.g., emails and texts), and never click links contained within those messages because they may be targeting your personal information, to include bank and credit card account information, and other identifiers such as dates of birth and social security numbers. • Rather than clicking on a purported link to a charity, verify its legitimacy by utilizing various internet-based resources that may assist in confirming whether the organization is a valid charity. • Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities. • Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals. • Know that legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services, and their website will normally end in .org rather than .com. • Be cautious of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to deter, investigate, and prosecute fraud in the wake of disasters. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Complaints of fraud may be reported online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. Complaints may also be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: Nationwide Telecommunications Provider and its CEO Plead Guilty to Massively Defrauding Federal Government Programs Meant to Aid the Needy

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI –Issa Asad, 51, of Southwest Ranches, Fla., and Q Link Wireless LLC, of Dania Beach, Fla., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud and commit offenses against the United States in connection with a years-long scheme to steal over $100 million from a celebrated federal program providing discounted phone service to people in need. Asad, Q Link’s CEO, also pleaded guilty to laundering money from a separate scheme to defraud a different federal program meant to aid individuals and businesses hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic. Asad and Q Link each pleaded guilty to Count 1 of an Information, which charges them with conspiring to commit wire fraud and to steal government money, and also with conspiring to defraud the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Asad pleaded guilty as well to Count 2 of the Information, which charges him with money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Both defendants also pleaded guilty to the Information’s forfeiture allegations. U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II accepted the guilty pleas and set the Defendants’ sentencing hearings for Jan. 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. Asad’s plea agreement contains a joint recommendation that he serve the statutory maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment on Count 1. The statutory maximum sentence on Count 2 is 10 years’ imprisonment. Asad’s exact sentence will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Asad and Q Link also agreed to pay jointly $109,637,057 in restitution to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) no later than the time of their sentencing hearings. Asad separately agreed to pay $1,758,339.25 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and to a forfeiture judgment against him of at least $17,484,118.00. “Issa Asad and his company, Q Link Wireless, purposefully defrauded two critical federal programs helping individuals and businesses suffering financial hardship, unlawfully taking hundreds of millions of dollars for their own use and profit, while obstructing the United States’ ability to help people who, unlike the Defendants, needed it,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The plea agreements in this case impose extraordinary and unprecedented financial penalties, as they should. They also reflect our Office’s commitment to ensuring that individuals who orchestrate business scams are punished personally, not just corporations. That Asad cheated two different programs meant to help people in need makes this prosecution even more imperative. We will continue to investigate and prosecute vigorously all types of fraud, whether perpetrated by individuals or businesses, and seek justice for victims of these scams.” “Brazen fraud schemes that prey on vulnerable populations and target federal telephone and broadband subsidy programs, designed to ensure that low-income consumers can access critical telecommunications services, demand the most serious punishments like the ones included in today’s plea agreement,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “This result was made possible by dedicated investigators and our investment in a robust data analytics capability. The FCC OIG is committed to using all of our resources, and working with our outstanding law enforcement partners, to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse the FCC’s public subsidy programs and to protect all those who rely on them to stay connected.” “Stealing over $100 million for programs meant to support people in times of need is a crime against the entire nation.” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division. “Asad and Q Link’s guilty pleas send a clear message: those who cheat the government for personal gain will be held accountable.” “This is precisely the type of conduct IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners are committed to deterring,” said Kareem Carter, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. “These crimes are far from victimless, as they financially harm taxpayers and erode public trust in our government. I want to extend my gratitude to our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of federal relief programs and ensuring that the system works for those it was designed to help.” “SIGPR is proud to have played a significant role teaming with its law enforcement partners in exposing Q Link Wireless LLC and CEO Issa Asad for operating schemes to defraud the FCC and the SBA’s federal program meant to aid individuals and businesses hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to using some of the proceeds outside the U.S.,” said Brian Miller, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR). According to court records, the cases arose out of the Defendants’ scheme to defraud the FCC’s Lifeline program. Lifeline makes basic communications services more affordable for low-income consumers. It provides subscribers a deep discount on qualifying monthly cellphone service, broadband Internet service, or bundled voice-broadband packages purchased from participating telecommunications providers. The discount helps ensure that low-income consumers can afford 21st century connectivity services and the access they provide to jobs, healthcare, and educational resources. During their guilty pleas today, the Defendants agreed that they purposefully conspired to defraud this program. Specifically, beginning as early as 2012 and continuing through at least 2021, Q Link, directed by Asad, its CEO, cheated the Lifeline program by making repeated false claims for reimbursement, taking and retaining Lifeline funds that it was not entitled to receive, providing false information about its Lifeline customers, and deceiving the FCC about its compliance with program rules. Asad directed these illegal activities and conspired with others to commit the fraud. Among other things, according to court records, the Defendants engaged in multiple tricks designed to mislead the FCC about how many people were actually using Q Link’s Lifeline phones, and to prevent customers who did not want the phones from ending their relationship with Q Link (which would have prevented Q Link from billing the program for them). The Defendants manufactured non-existent cellphone activity and engaged in coercive marketing techniques to get people to remain Q Link customers. On one occasion, for example, the Defendants devised the following automated script to be played for Q Link customers: “Hello, your Medicaid, Food Stamp and Lifeline benefits are about to get cancelled. To avoid cancelation of these benefits, press 1 now to indicate that you wish to remain enrolled in these government programs. Press 2 if you wish to speak to a representative about your government benefits. To opt out of any future calls, press 3.” The Defendants used this false and threatening script to coerce customers into accepting Lifeline services. In another recorded call in which a similar script was deployed, a customer who called to cancel due to a non-working cellphone asked the Q Link customer service representative “do you want me to throw it in the garbage?” The representative responded instead: “Just make sure you continue to use the device at least once every 30 days.” Upon learning that the FCC was investigating their Lifeline billing, the Defendants created and provided false records to the FCC to conceal the scam and to continue collecting reimbursement. As part of this plan, the Defendants, with the help of others, simply manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. At no point did Q Link amend past Lifeline claims for customers who were not using their cellphones or return any of the Lifeline payments. The plea agreements state that a reasonable estimate of the total actual loss to the FCC that resulted from the conduct of the Defendants and their co-conspirators was $109,637,057. As part of his plea, Asad admitted that he personally received approximately $15 million from Q Link as a result of the fraud. Meanwhile, Asad defrauded another federal government program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), by making false statements about Q Link’s business. Congress created the PPP program during the Covid-19 pandemic to authorize forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. Asad, in Q Link’s name, executed a fraudulent scheme to obtain, and keep, PPP proceeds. To further the scheme, he made false statements about Q Link’s business, including a false claim that Q Link’s Lifeline reimbursements substantially decreased as a result of the pandemic. According to court records, Asad spent the proceeds of this PPP loan on the construction of a new home. Over $140,000 in PPP funds were used to make donations to a local university, purchase items at a jewelry store and to pay Asad’s property taxes on his residence. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also assisted with this matter. As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery investigated the COVID-19 fraud related to this case with its other law enforcement partners. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Young, Dan Bernstein, and John Shipley are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Pastor and Sara Klco are handling asset forfeiture. Present or former Q Link subscribers who seek more information may follow this link at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/united-states-v-issa-asad . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20363. ###


title: O’Fallon, Missouri Man Admits Child Sex Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from O’Fallon, Missouri on Tuesday admitted engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussing child sex with another 15-year-old victim. Andrew Haller, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to all of the charges he faced: two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Haller admitted separately meeting two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram. The 15-year-old California victim told the FBI that Haller introduced the topic of “daddy dom,” and told her he was also sexually abusing another teen. Haller listed rules for the victim, including that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar at all times, and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim. After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified the other victim. She told the FBI that she sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction. They met in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also discussed with her his desire to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse. Haller possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material, and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says. Haller is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2025. The coercion charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and the child pornography charges each carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes has agreed as part of the plea to ask for no more than 25 years in prison. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Civil Rights Charges for Committing Sex Trafficking of Victims Addicted to Opioids and Cocaine and Other Offenses

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. According to court documents, Marvin Pompilus, 39, of Stoughton, conspired to use force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel three adult victims to engage in commercial sex acts in the Randolph, Massachusetts, area between October 2021 and October 2022. He also conspired to compel another other adult victim to engage in commercial sex acts in September 2022. In addition, Pompilus pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute in September 2022. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in November 2023 . He has remained in federal custody. According to court documents, Pompilus knew that the victims abused opioids and cocaine, and he specifically targeted the victims because of this vulnerability. For example, Pompilus promised the victims cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in exchange for engaging in commercial sex, with all the profits of the sex acts going directly to Pompilus. Pompilus also possessed distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl when Randolph Police Department conducted a car stop in September 2022 and found these drugs inside the crotch of his pants. Court documents also demonstrate that Pompilus was previously convicted in Suffolk Superior Court in February 2018 of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. Pompilus was sentenced to six years in state prison and he was released in October 2021. Within days of his release, Pompilus began the sex trafficking conspiracy to which he pleaded guilty today. “This defendant callously picked up right where he left off when he was released from state prison, believing that he could profit by peddling drugs and misery to people suffering with substance abuse issues,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted victims who were struggling with addiction to opioids and cocaine, coerced them into sex trafficking and cruelly exploited them because of their vulnerability. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute human traffickers who exploit for their own personal gain the most vulnerable members of society, such as those experiencing substance abuse disorders.” “Marvin Pompilus targeted and brutalized his victims, and this was promptly after he was released from jail following his conviction on similar state charges,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “These crimes are a violation of human dignity and human rights. Our office, along with our federal, state and local partners, are dedicating substantial resources to both protecting victims of trafficking and holding defendants accountable by prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. This is especially true for repeat offenders like Mr. Pompilus.” “Marvin Pompilus admitted today that as soon as he got out of state prison for sex trafficking, he started doing it again, targeting and exploiting four vulnerable women using violence and threats to force them to engage in commercial sex,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “What he did is unconscionable, and the harm he’s inflicted on these women is immeasurable. The FBI will do everything in its power to protect trafficking victims from further harm and see the predators who so viciously abuse them brought to justice.” A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025. According to the plea agreement, Pompilus faces a minimum penalty of 12 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Boston Field Office, Massachusetts State Police and Randolph Police Department investigated the case. Massachusetts State Police Troopers Ashleigh Moore and John Hagerty are especially commended for identifying Pompilus and detecting his trafficking scheme during a routine car stop in the summer of 2021. Chief of the Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit Liz Riley-Cunniffe for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Department of Justice awards more than $2 million to local non-profits to provide services to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime and the Office on Violence Against Women has awarded more than $2 million to various non-profits to elevate their success in supporting survivors of human trafficking and victims of intimate violence and stalking. “These federal resources recognize the good work being done in Western Washington to assist vulnerable victims of domestic violence or human trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “By providing housing assistance to these survivors, these non-profits help to break the cycle of domestic violence and human trafficking.” YouthCare, a Seattle-based non-profit has been awarded over $730,000 to their new project titled “YouthCare’s Family Engagement Services for Minor Survivors of Human Trafficking”. This project aims to provide a multitude of services to young victims including connections to therapists on-site, providing bi-weekly case management, and referrals for supportive services such as substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, medical care, and housing assistance. YouthCare will also collaborate with local partners such as King County’s Juvenile Court Services and other non-profits. Our Sisters’ House , a Tacoma-based non-profit was awarded $475,000 to their Culturally Specific Services Program, which aims to enhance the accessibility of resources to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This increased accessibility entails enhancing culturally relevant and linguistically specific resources to victims and exposed children within these affected communities. This award will also fund domestic violence prevention efforts through the program with support groups, a teen dating violence prevention program, crisis intervention, court support, and referrals. Silent Taskforce of Seattle was also awarded $475,000 to support the maintenance and replication of existing community-based programs providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Silent Taskforce will also be providing culturally specific resources addressing the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims. This award will also fund domestic violence prevention efforts through non-traditional healing methods such as meditation, photography, music, painting, and poetry, as well as financial assistance, crisis intervention, educational support, and referrals for further support. Lifewire , a Bellevue-based non-profit was awarded $500,000 to support their efforts to provide housing assistance and supportive services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Through private landlord housing units, Lifewire will collaborate with partners to provide a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to traditional housing needs to survivors and their families. They also provide services such as rental and utility assistance, case management, safety planning, legal advocacy, support groups, mental health therapy, financial empowerment, educational support, connections to community-based resources and housing advocacy.


title: Pediatric Physician Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, pediatric physician pleaded guilty in federal court today to using concealed video cameras to secretly record 13 child victims for the purpose of producing child pornography over a three-year period from Oct. 4, 2020, to Oct. 28, 2023. Aalbers also admitted that he was in possession of child pornography. Brian Michael Aalbers, 50, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to 13 counts of attempting to produce child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Kan., remains in federal custody without bond. Concerns were received by both the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office regarding the potential victimization of patients of Aalbers’s pediatric practice. During the investigation, it was determined there was no evidence to indicate any current or former patients were victimized by Aalbers. To protect and maintain the privacy of Aalbers’s victims, no additional information regarding the victims will be released. According to today’s plea agreement, Kansas City, Mo., police officers investigated a report regarding concealed video cameras that had been found on Oct. 28, 2023. A witness later contacted officers to report that Aalbers was sending suicidal text messages. Lenexa, Kan., police officers located Aalbers and transported him to a local hospital to obtain voluntary mental health treatment. The hospital took possession of two laptop computers, two iPad tablets, and a cell phone that were inside a backpack Aalbers brought with him when he entered the facility. Investigators obtained search warrants for those devices, as well as other cameras and electronic devices owned by Aalbers. Investigators found more than 50,000 video files associated with the hidden video cameras used by Aalbers, including more than 1,000 videos that contained pornographic depictions of the 13 child victims. Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Aalbers’s iCloud account, which contained 1,000 additional images and 163 additional videos of child pornography, which included videos of the identified child victims that had been produced by Aalbers. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Aalbers are jointly requesting a sentence of at least 20 years, but no more than 30 years, in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Merriam, Kan., Police Department, and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas. 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."


body_text: MIAMI — A former U.S. Air Force member was charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida with sexually assaulting another service member at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom, in May 2019. The indictment charges James Loubeau, 36, of Miami, with one count of sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact. Loubeau made his initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. According to the indictment, on May 4, 2019, Loubeau sexually assaulted the victim at Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Loubeau was later discharged from the Air Force in March 2020. The charges were brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which establishes U.S. jurisdiction over certain offenses committed abroad by, among others, persons who served with the armed forces but who are no longer subject to military prosecution. If convicted, Loubeau faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael Koellner of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI); and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI’s Miami Field Office made the announcement. The Air Force OSI and FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arielle Klepach for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — Jamar Johnson, 30, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2019, a shooting occurred at the ARCO station at Fresno and C Streets in Fresno. During the incident, Johnson drove his silver Mercedes in the ARCO lot and fired a handgun at another vehicle. After the Johnson left the area, a cellphone belonging to Johnson was found in the parking lot where the Mercedes had been parked along with .45 caliber shell casings. The judge noted a number of factors supporting the sentence, including this being Johnson’s third firearms-related conviction, each of the firearms-related convictions involving Johnson discharging a firearm, Johnson’s history of violating the terms of his supervision, and continued risky behavior that put the community in danger. At the time of this offense, Johnson was on federal supervised release for a federal conviction for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He violated the terms of his supervised release on that conviction within 71 days of commencing supervision. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on October 11, 2024, CHEVON GRANT, 27, of Hartford, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal firearm charge stemming from a gang-related shootout. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2022, after an unidentified shooter, who is suspected of being a member of a rival gang, opened fire at individuals who were standing in a parking lot outside of a memorial gathering at a party venue on Main Street in Hartford, surveillance cameras at the location recorded at least nine individuals drawing firearms, some of whom returned fire. Shot Spotter technology recorded approximately 50 shots fired within approximately 90 seconds in and around the location, and law enforcement recovered at least 31 shell casings from the scene. Grant was present at the memorial gathering and was recorded on surveillance videos brandishing a handgun. Following the shooting, Hartford Police obtained a warrant for Grant’s arrest in relation to the April 18 shootout. At the time, Grant was also subject to two additional state arrest warrants for other alleged offenses. On May 7, 2022, officers encountered Grant in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle, retrieved a loaded Ruger P90 .45 firearm from beneath the driver’s seat, and took Grant into custody. Grant’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for January 9, at which time Grant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Grant is detained in state custody, and state charges against him are pending. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and John T. Pierpont, Jr. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Hartford State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this matter. 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: North Carolina Woman Sentenced for Making False Statements

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Greensboro, North Carolina, woman convicted of False Statement. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2024. Dr. Erin Lynn Hower, age 39, was sentenced to time served, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $22,832.00 in restitution. Hower was indicted on two counts of False Statement by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024. Between January and February of 2018, Hower was employed as an urgent care locum tenens pediatrician in a pediatric clinic in North Carolina, where she held a medical license. During that time, Hower saw a male patient twice in January and once in February. Thereafter, Hower engaged in a sexual relationship with the male patient. After the sexual relationship was discovered, the North Carolina Medical Board began an investigation into Hower’s sexual relationship with the patient, as well as other complaints that had been made against her. Hower was made aware of the North Carolina Medical Board’s investigation and knew that one of the allegations being investigated was the sexual relationship with a patient. In July of 2020, while the North Carolina Medical Board investigation was underway, Hower applied for a pediatric position with Indian Health Service (“IHS") in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. As part of the application, Hower completed a credentialing application, which was sent to and reviewed by several individuals, including the Acting Chief Executive Officer for IHS. The application contained several questions that Hower was required to answer, including whether there were any disciplinary actions or investigations against her by any state licensure board. Hower failed to disclose that the disciplinary action or investigation by the North Carolina Medical Board involved sexual misconduct allegations. Based on her false responses in her application, Hower was hired to work as a pediatrician at IHS in Pine Ridge and began in August of 2020. At no time during her employment did Hower disclose that she was under investigation by the North Carolina Medical Board for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient. While Hower was employed at IHS, the North Carolina Medical Board completed its investigation and concluded Hower’s sexual relationship with a patient constituted unprofessional conduct. On January 4, 2021, the North Carolina Medical Board ordered Hower’s medical license to be indefinitely suspended. Thereafter, Hower continued to work at IHS for several weeks despite her medical license being suspended. “We trust pediatricians with the most vulnerable among us—our children,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “When pediatricians betray that trust by concealing allegations of sexual misconduct, they not only endanger the lives of those in their care, but they undermine the very foundation of medical ethics. It is therefore imperative that such actions are met with accountability. I am grateful to our partners at HHS-OIG and my colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for holding this defendant to account in federal court.” “This physician sentenced in this case lied to conceal the fact that she was under investigation for sexual misconduct allegations when applying for a position in the Indian Health Service, thus jeopardizing patient safety through her dishonesty,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of federal health care programs to ensure that patients are provided quality care by appropriately licensed providers.” This case was investigated by Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.


title: Drug trafficking mom imprisoned for smuggling meth across border

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old Dallas woman has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Alma Delia Rios pleaded guilty March 22, 2022. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Rios to serve a total of 145 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that Rios imported narcotics from Mexico on behalf of Dallas drug traffickers. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Rios’ use of her minor daughter as a means to disguise the trip as a typical family vacation when is was a drug deal. In October 2021, Rios attempted entry from Mexico into the United States via the Hidalgo Port of Entry. A K-9 alerted to narcotics in her vehicle’s gas tank and door panels. A subsequent search revealed approximately 12 kilograms of crystal meth in the door panels and approximately 28 kilos of liquid meth in the gas tank. Law enforcement determined Rios drove her minor daughter along with several friends from Dallas to a hotel in Reynosa, Mexico. Rios then knowingly provided her vehicle to Mexican drug traffickers who hid the narcotics in the vehicle. Just a few months prior, in June 2021, Rios made the same trip and successfully entered the port of entry undetected with narcotics hidden in the same vehicle. Rios was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Domestic Violence Charge

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2024. Kristopher Kerbaugh, Sr., 36, was sentenced to a total of two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Kerbaugh was indicted for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner by a federal grand jury in May of 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2024. The conviction stems from Kerbaugh stabbing the victim, his wife of ten years. Kerbaugh, who at the time was intoxicated, became angry with the victim while accusing her of infidelity and stabbed her three times with a pocketknife. He also beat her. After stabbing her, he attempted to cover her wounds with duct tape. A third party called the police, and the victim was airlifted to the hospital for treatment of her injuries. In sentencing Kerbaugh, District Judge Schreier stated this was one of the more serious assaults she had seen between a husband and wife. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Kerbaugh was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Local man convicted of recording himself while engaging in sexual intercourse with minor

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old McAllen resident has entered guilty pleas to enticement of a minor and production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Christian Hanks recorded himself with a minor victim in December 2023. The investigation also revealed Hanks had engaged in conversation with another minor victim in the Western District of Louisiana to entice her to engage in sexual conduct with him. The investigation revealed he also engaged in sexual intercourse with the second minor victim. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez will impose sentencing Jan. 15, 2025. At that time, Hanks faces up to 30 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography and up to life for enticing the second minor victim. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Homeland Security Investigations in Texas and Louisiana conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cahal P. McColgan and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Pasco Man Who Attempted to Meet a 13-Year-Old for Sex at Richland Hotel Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington – On October 15, 2024, Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Julio Cesar Anaya, age 45, of Pasco, Washington, to 84 months in federal prison on child exploitation charges. Chief District Judge Bastian also imposed a lifetime of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in March of 2022, a Kennewick detective working with the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC) working in an undercover capacity as a 13-year-old girl, posted an ad on a website that is a well-known platform for sexual encounters. Anaya responded to the ad and began communicating with the detective, believing the detective to be a 13-year-old girl. Over the next three weeks, Anaya repeatedly discussed engaging in sexual intercourse with the child and requested that the child send him child pornography—that is, naked pictures of herself. Anaya also attempted to persuade the person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl to come to his house in Pasco. In one particularly deliberate act, he even offered to pay for her Uber. Ultimately, Anaya said he planned to rent a hotel room in Richland near her home to facilitate a meeting with the girl. On April 11, 2023, Anaya booked a hotel room in Richland, told the purported child the hotel location and instructed her when to arrive. He also shared his detailed plans to engage in sex with the child. On April 12, 2023, Anaya arrived at the hotel and checked in. A few moments later he was placed under arrest by detectives with the Richland Police Department. Anaya was carrying two cell phones and two bags when he was arrested. A search warrant for his bags revealed that he had brought with him massage oil, condoms, erectile dysfunction medication, lubricant, and hand sanitizer. In Anaya’s primary phone, he had communications with the purported 13-year-old; in his other phone he had saved more than 300 images of child pornography involving minor children – including infants and toddlers. “Mr. Anaya booked a hotel room in Richland and made detailed plans to meet a person he believed was a 13-year-old child for illicit sex. Further investigation revealed Mr. Anaya was in possession of dozens of videos and images showing the sexual exploitation of young children,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I’m grateful for the important and difficult work that detectives on the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force do everyday to prevent horrific victimization of children, remove dangerous offenders from our community, and protect the most vulnerable among us.” “It is incredibly fortunate that this child predator’s attempt at victimizing a person whom he believed to be a teenage girl was thwarted by our law enforcement partnerships,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “The devasting impact of online predators cannot be overstated. This sentence sends a strong message that abusing children will not be tolerated, whether it is downloading and possessing child pornography, trying to meet children for sex, or any other form of child exploitation.” 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force, consisting of Homeland Security Investigations and the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland. 4:23-cr-06023-SAB


title: California drug supplier receives life for role in fentanyl overdose death of Fairbanks man

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A California drug supplier was sentenced today to life in prison for his connection to the fatal fentanyl overdose of a Fairbanks man in October 2020. Junior Gafatasi Tulali, 48, was convicted by a federal jury of distributing fentanyl resulting in death with an enhanced statutory penalty on April 19, 2024. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, around Oct. 13, 2020, Tulali agreed to sell 500 Oxycodone M30 pills to a Florida resident who agreed to distribute the pills in Fairbanks, where they could be sold for a higher price than Outside. The pills were shipped in a parcel from California and arrived in Fairbanks on Oct. 17. Inside the parcel were at least 480 counterfeit Oxycodone M30 pills containing a mixture of acetaminophen and an unknown amount of fentanyl. The individual who retrieved the shipment distributed the counterfeit pills to several other dealers in the area. On Oct. 26, the victim purchased two pills from the shipment. Sometime between the evening of Oct. 26 and Oct. 28, the victim used the pills he obtained and was found dead in his home on Oct. 28. Medical examiners determined cause of death was acute toxic effects of fentanyl, which was contained in the pills that originated from Tulali. Evidence presented at trial connected two additional non-fatal fentanyl overdoses to Tulali’s shipment of counterfeit pills. Both of the dealers in Fairbanks who were involved in selling the fentanyl pills to the victim were convicted for their role in the offence in 2022. “In 2023, Alaska had the highest overdose death rate in the nation. Fentanyl poisoning is devastating our state, largely due to drug suppliers like Mr. Tulali, who gamble with human lives every time they sell a counterfeit pill,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative and prosecutorial work done in this case, we traced the pills that tragically killed the victim back to the source and held three people accountable for the irreparable damage they caused. My office is committed to collaborating with law enforcement at all levels to keep fentanyl out of our communities and prosecute those who jeopardize that mission.” “Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Tulali are willing to risk the lives of their customers in order to make money peddling drugs,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence today shows that these actions have grave consequences, a lesson Mr. Tulali will spend many years learning.” “This case is a great example of how far our officers are ready to go to make sure we provide justice for victims in our community. We take our job of protecting Fairbanks seriously and will continue to hold criminals responsible when they threaten the safety of our residents,” said Fairbanks Police Chief Ron Dupee. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Fairbanks Police Department, North Pole Police Department and Alaska State Troopers, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office, investigated the case as part of the Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Carly Vosacek and Alana Weber prosecuted the case. ###


title: New Orleans Men Guilty of  Conspiracy, Distribution of  Fentanyl and Machinegun Possession

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSEPH MILLER (“MILLER”) , age 21, and KENNETH TURNER (“TURNER”), age 37, residents of New Orleans, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk on October 2 and October 9, 2024, respectively. MILLER pled to five counts of distributing various quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). MILLER also pled to possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). TURNER pled to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). According to court documents, MILLER made five distributions of fentanyl and methamphetamine to undercover agents and a confidential informant with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”). TURNER conspired with MILLER to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, the fentanyl and methamphetamine MILLER sold to ATF agents and, furthered the conspiracy, by supplying the drugs to MILLER to sell. MILLER also negotiated with an ATF undercover agent to sell a privately made semi-automatic pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, that turned this firearm into a fully automatic machinegun. The firearm was recovered by ATF agents during a search of MILLER ’s residence. As to his convictions for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, MILLER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 40 years in prison, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release as to each count. As to his conviction for possession of a machinegun, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. For his conspiracy conviction, TURNER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 40 years in prison, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. Each individual count against MILLER and TURNER also mandates payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Houston man guilty in $160M Medicare fraud scheme

body_text: HOUSTON - A 59-year-old man has been convicted of all 15 counts as charged for heading a massive Medicare fraud scheme involving the fraudulent billing of expensive topical creams, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for less than five hours before convicting Mohamad Mokbel following a 10-day trial. From 2014 through 2021, Mohamad Mokbel led a company called 4M Pharmaceuticals which operated 14 pharmacies with straw owners. The jury heard evidence that Mokbel illegally purchased thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, including their identification number, personal health and physician information. Mokbel targeted elderly diabetic patients who are dependent on diabetic testing supplies to manage their blood sugar levels. Mokbel paid $16 to $40 per Medicare beneficiary. To maximize reimbursements and without regard for medical necessity, Mokbel then directed 4M employees to use the Medicare beneficiaries’ patient data to run insurance claims to determine if Medicare or other insurance plans would cover and reimburse at a high rate for the topical creams, Omega-3 pills and other medications that Mokbel intended to sell through 4M pharmacies. At Mokbel’s direction, 4M employees would then fax pre-filled prescription requests to the patients’ doctors appearing to be for diabetic testing supplies with topical creams added at the bottom. They also included false representations that the patient was requesting a 4M Pharmacy fill their medications. In reality, Mokbel had previously purchased the patient’s personal information, the patient had not selected a 4M Pharmacy and the patient was often unaware the request was being made on their behalf. Many doctors apparently took the representations in the fax at face value and did sign and send back the prefilled prescription requests to 4M. Mokbel’s call center in Houston and later in Egypt then contacted the patients and made false and misleading statements about the topical cream and their doctor’s order. Mokbel’s pharmacies then shipped out numerous topical creams, often on auto-refill, and excessively billed Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance plans. Mokbel made over $200 million as a result of the scheme. From 2015 through 2020, Mokbel also corruptly gave a series of bribe payments, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 and totaling over $188,000 an employee of a pharmacy benefits manager - OptumRx - in exchange for favorable treatment for 4M pharmacies. They were credentialed and recredentialed with OptumRx which allowed them to enter into retail network agreements with OptumRx, participate in the Medicare Part D program and submit claims for prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries. Mokbel also received information and advice about responding to audits and preventing and/or delaying OptumRX termination of many 4M pharmacies. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal accepted the verdict and set sentencing for Jan. 7, 2025. At that time, Mokbel faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and health care fraud, 10 years for each of five counts of health care fraud, each of six counts of money laundering and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds as well as five years for conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and conspiracy to commit bribery. He could also be ordered to pay up to a total of $4 million in fines and possible restitution in excess of $160 million. Previously released on bond, Mokbel was taken into custody pending sentencing. The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration and the Texas Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Leigh Olson and Adam Laurence Goldman are prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Ammunition

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced on October 10, 2024, that WILLIE SYLVESTER (“SYLVESTER”) , a/k/a “Wooso,” age 29, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). SYLVESTER faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. According to court records, on April 16, 2020, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies were sent to the 1500 block of Westwood Drive in connection with a shooting at that location. Deputies located the victim, SYLVESTER , in a canal bank suffering from gunshots wounds to the hand and thigh. Crime scene technicians collected thirty-seven (37) nine-millimeter casings, as well as a copper jacket, some located near SYLVESTER . Testing determined that the casings were shot from two different weapons. Between April and September of 2020, JPSO continued to investigate SYLVESTER for his involvement in the April 2020 shooting. Additionally, between April and September of 2020, investigators observed SYLVESTER post several social media messages with weapons and acknowledging an exchange of gunfire with another subject. SYLVESTER also specifically acknowledged in a separate message that he fired a gun during this shooting before being shot in the hand. Federal law prohibits convicted felons, such as SYLVESTER , from possessing ammunition. In 2013, SYLVESTER was convicted of a felony in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and again, on November 6, 2014, SYLVESTER was convicted in Louisiana’s 24th Judicial District Court. SYLVESTER knew he had been convicted of these felonies at the time that he possessed the ammunition. Chief United States District Judge, Nannette Jolivette Brown, will sentence SYLVESTER on January 16, 2025. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.


title: San Diego Man Admits to Sexual Exploitation of 14-Year-Old Girl

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Eric Jin of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he persuaded a 14-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself, including an image of her leg where she had carved the defendant’s name into her skin with a knife at his direction. Jin was indicted on May 15, 2024. He pleaded guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in connection with his online communications with the girl. For example, according to his plea agreement, Jin demanded that she take sexually graphic pictures of herself without clothing in December 2022 and again in February 2023. The girl did as Jin directed and sent him the photos. It was on the February date that he ordered her to carve his first name into her skin and send him a photo. Jin also admitted to sending the victim images of other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. “This defendant repeatedly victimized, exploited, and literally scarred a child,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This horrific crime serves as a reminder to keep a very close eye on who kids are talking to online.” “While all crimes we investigate are deplorable, the sexual exploitation of children is an especially flagitious violation,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Let Eric Jin’s guilty plea be a clear message that the FBI and its partners will aggressively pursue people who intend to exploit children in such a despicable manner.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Katie Grammenidis. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2025. DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1071-JO Eric Jin Age: 30 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2251(a) and (e) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Greenup County Man Sentenced  for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A Flatwoods, Ky., man, Skyler Allen Mullins, 23, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 35 years in prison, for attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on May 4, 2022, law enforcement discovered that Mullins was using a social media application to exchange sexually explicit images of children. Law enforcement interviewed Mullins and he admitted to attempting to create videos of himself sexually assaulting a minor known to him. Mullins also admitted using social media platforms to exchange materials and links to images and video of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In total, Mullins possessed over 600 images or videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Under federal law, Mullins 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 30 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 . — END —


title: Greenup County Man Sentenced  for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A South Shore, Ky., man, Austin Hardin, 29, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 84 months in prison, for receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to his plea agreement, on August 3, 2023, law enforcement received information that Hardin had been engaged in sexual chatting with a person purporting to be a minor. When questioned about the situation, Hardin admitted to chatting with the person, but stated he believed the profile to be fake. Hardin also admitted that he had sexually explicit images of minors on his phone and proceeded to show law enforcement that he had a secret folder that contained multiple explicit images of minors that he had received using various social media and messaging applications. In total, over 600 images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were located on Hardin’s cellphone. Under federal law, Hardin 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 20 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Kenneth Hudson, City of Russell Police Department; and Sheriff Matt Smith, Greenup County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI, City of Russell Police Department, and Greenup County Sheriff’s Office. Forensic examination of Hardin’s electronic devices was conducted by the Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 . — END —


title: Media Advisory – U.S. Attorney to Announce Charges Against 16 Individuals Related to Hells Angels’ Racketeering Enterprise in Raleigh and Fayetteville

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, along with several federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce indictments and arrests related to an alleged Hells Angels’ racketeering enterprise in Raleigh and Fayetteville. WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601 WHEN: Wednesday, October 16th at 2:00 p.m. Media: please arrive by 1:30 for set up .


title: Statement of United States Attorney Clare E. Connors Regarding November 2024 General Election

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Michael Nammar will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Nammar has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Hawaii, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said United States Attorney Connors. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Connors stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Nammar will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 808-541-2850.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 808-566-4300. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Connors said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Waukee Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Investment Scheme

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced on October 11, 2024, to nine years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, William Jack Berg, 52, defrauded approximately 17 victims by purporting to be a financial advisor in central Iowa, St. Louis, Missouri, and elsewhere. Over an eight-year period, Berg deceived victims to invest in companies he created and controlled: W. Holdings of Iowa and Excel Performance Management. To further his fraud, Berg provided his victims with fictitious investment agreements, account statements, and created a website for one of the purported investment companies. Berg spent the victim’s money for his own personal expenses. Once alerted to his federal indictment, Berg attempted to destroy documents and left the state. After completing his term of imprisonment, Berg will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Berg was also ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Kerndt prosecuted the case. This investigation was part of the Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources, and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov .


title: Audubon County Woman Sentenced to Federal Felony Charge after Straw Purchasing Firearm for Her Felon Boyfriend

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Exira, Iowa woman was sentenced on October 10, 2024 for a federal felony charge of straw purchasing a firearm. According to public court documents, Leslie Nicole Moton, also known as Leslie Caniglia, 24, purchased a firearm in August 2023 for her significant other, Rey Moton, 23, of Elk Horn. Leslie Moton knew Rey Moton was a felon at the time she purchased the handgun for him and falsely represented at the time of the purchase that she was acquiring the firearm for herself. Less than a week later, Rey Moton possessed the handgun in Atlantic, Iowa and used it during a burglary. Rey Moton was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. In March 2024, Rey Moton was sentenced to a 63-month prison term, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Leslie Moton received a five-year term of probation. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Atlantic Police Department. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.


title: ARRESTED: Fourth and Fifth Suspects in Connection with Dozens of ATM Robberies and Auto Thefts Around the DMV Area

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, federal law enforcement arrested the fourth and fifth defendants charged in connection with a series of burglaries and robberies of commercial businesses, ATMs, and vehicles in the D.C. and Maryland area. Jonathan Winston, 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Jeffery Felder, 37, of Bowie, Maryland, were arrested this morning in Georgia by the U.S. Marshals Service. They are charged along with Stefon Janey, 32, of Accokeek, Maryland; Thomas Hughes, 37, of Cheverly, Maryland; Jenarro Hewett, 33 of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, with interference with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as Hobbs Act Robbery) and conspiracy. They are believed to be responsible for more than 75 robberies between August 2023 and June 2024. The arrest and indictment were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Baltimore Field Office and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). “As alleged in the indictment, this crew conspired to commit roughly 40 brazen robberies where they used ‘Jaws of Life’ and similar tools to peel open ATM machines inside stores and outside banks,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Even though the defendants destroyed surveillance footage and took other steps to cover their tracks, our prosecutors and law enforcement officers worked tirelessly to identify the members of this crew who terrorized our region. With all the defendants now arrested, we can work equally hard to hold them accountable for their crimes.” “Undoubtedly, Prince George’s County is safer with these defendants locked up where they can no longer terrorize local businesses and their employees. Their crimes were aggressive, reckless and dangerous. Now they will face the consequences for each of those crimes,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DelBagno. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always work together to make our communities safer and bring violent criminals to justice.” According to the indictment and other court documents, the defendants would: target commercial businesses with ATM machines, enter the business wearing masks and gloves, and would utilize tools common to fire/rescue, such as “Jaws of Life” to pry open or cut open the doors of the store and the ATMs. The suspects sometimes carried firearms, utilized stolen vehicles, communicated via handheld radios, and destroyed surveillance. Prior to each robbery, the co-conspirators would meet in vehicles at a predetermined location. At these “meet-up” locations, the co-conspirators would transfer to a different car to carry out the robberies. They carried out multiple robberies over the course of a single evening and would often communicate with each other using handheld radios. After arriving at a store, the defendants would divide up, with one conspirator remaining in the car as the getaway driver, pry open the outer door, and then at least one of the defendants would subdue the store employees, sometimes directing them to enclosed areas of the store. At least one defendant would attempt to destroy the store’s surveillance and network equipment. At least one defendant would utilize a “Jaws of Life” style tool to open the ATM and remove the cash cassettes. They would flee the store and escape in the robbery vehicle. Between August 2023 and June 2024, the indictment charges these defendants with robbing or attempting to rob at least 75 ATM machines, laundering at least some of the proceeds at casinos, and related offenses. Law enforcement arrested Hughes, Hewett, and Janey on July 24, 2024 and, as a result of the arrests and searches, agents and officers recovered 12 firearms, more than $80,000 in cash, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and thousands of dollars’ worth of high-end clothing and merchandise. During the arrests of Felder and Winston on October 15, 2024, law enforcement recovered three additional firearms among other evidence. This is an ongoing investigation being handled by the MPD Carjacking Task Force and FBI-Baltimore with assistance from local law enforcement, including Howard County Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Tepfer and Kyle McWaters. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: First Feeding Our Future Defendant Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – The first defendant in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme to be sentenced received 144 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Ismail was also ordered to pay $47,920,514 in restitution. On June 7, 2024, following a six-week trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel, a Mohamed Jama Ismail, 51, of Savage, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of money laundering. Ismail was an owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Based on their fraudulent claims, Ismail and his co-defendants received more than $40 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As proven at trial, Ismail and his co-defendants obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. Ismail and his co-defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The convicted defendants created and submitted false documentation. They submitted fraudulent meal count sheets purporting to document the number of children and meals served at each site and false invoices purporting to document the purchase of food to be served to children at the sites. Ismail and his co-defendants also submitted fake attendance rosters purporting to list the names and ages of the children receiving meals at the sites each day. These rosters were fabricated and created using fake names. Ismail was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. When handing down the sentence, Judge Brasel commented that “The taxpayers in Minnesota are rightfully outraged by the brazenness and the scope of [Ismail’s] crime. The evidence at trial was frankly breathtaking.” Judge Brasel also emphasized that during a disaster, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, “many of us were taught to look for the helpers . . . when the world was at its most vulnerable [Ismail] decided not to be a helper, but to be a thief.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Daniel W. Bobier tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Sallisaw Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Ammunition Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devon Ray Gillispie, age 33, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The Information alleged that on January 31, 2022, Gillispie, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, possessed forty-two rounds of ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sallisaw Police Department. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Gillispie will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: LeFlore County Resident Sentenced For Federal Drug Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael John Jones, age 41, of Talihina, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The charges arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On February 6, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Jones driving on a suspended license while travelling northbound on Highway 63 west of Talihina. A subsequent search revealed Jones to be in possession of multiple plastic baggies containing over 124 grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jones will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.