title: Justice Department Commemorates 30th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the Justice Department hosted hundreds of survivors, advocates, victim services professionals, community leaders, government officials, and partners from the criminal and civil justice systems in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Building to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The event, which featured remarks from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer and was broadcast live on the Department’s website, included a series of panel discussions focused on the impact of VAWA in addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in the last 30 years. During the event, Attorney General Garland announced the designation of an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department – through its U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions – will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices continue coordination with their local stakeholders. This effort will build on the $690 million in grant funding under VAWA programs that the Department announced earlier this week. “Three decades ago, VAWA transformed our national response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking,” said Attorney General Garland . “Its enactment sent a message: gender-based and intimate-partner violence is not just a private matter, not just a local matter, but a national crisis — one that our country was no longer willing to tolerate. As we take stock of the progress that VAWA has advanced, the Department of Justice remains committed to using every tool at our disposal to end these forms of violence and support survivors.” First enacted in 1994, VAWA was the first comprehensive federal law focused on preventing and addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. When it was first passed, VAWA initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, as well as support victim services to address crimes historically treated as private matters. As Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, it enhanced its policies and expanded grant funding streams in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. OVW has issued more than $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA in its lifetime As part of its observance of VAWA’s anniversary, the Department released this week a series of resources designed to bolster the coordinated community response to effectively responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The resources include updated guidance to support health care providers and other professionals, including criminal justice practitioners and victim advocates, when responding to the immediate needs of sexual assault patients. The Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) published the third edition of the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations (SAFE Protocol) for adults and adolescents. The protocol provides detailed guidelines for responding to the immediate needs of sexual assault patients. The protocol was authorized by VAWA’s 2000 reauthorization and first published in 2004. The protocol has the same emphasis and values as the previous versions, but it is updated to reflect current technology, science, and standards of practice. For this revision, OVW solicited input from experts in relevant disciplines, including physicians, forensic nurses, prosecutors, law enforcement, victim advocates, civil attorneys, forensic scientists, and experts in culturally specific and underserved populations. “As a young staffer on the Senate Judiciary Committee thirty years ago, I was privileged to play a small part in the passage of the original Violence Against Women Act, which profoundly changed how our country protects survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco . “Today, with the largest funding level ever, VAWA’s programs are providing more access to services for survivors, more resources to help law enforcement respond, and more capacity to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. On this milestone anniversary, the legacy of the Violence Against Women Act lives in the courage, stories, and voices of victims and survivors who made the original law possible. And it’s in the future work by all of us to shape a safer world for women everywhere.” OVW also published a new report, Answering the Call: Thirty Years of the Violence Against Women Act , that chronicles the impact of VAWA grant funding. It uses research findings, numbers, archival material, and grantees’ and survivors’ own words to present snapshots of the ways VAWA transforms communities’ efforts to support survivors, hold offenders accountable, and work collaboratively to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. “Thanks to VAWA and its expansion over the last 30 years, we’ve pursued additional pathways to justice, acknowledging that access to justice looks different for each survivor,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Mizer . “I’m proud to say that this year OVW launched three new grant solicitations to implement the new restorative practices pilot program included in the 2022 VAWA reauthorization, including funding for pilot sites, national training and technical assistance, and a robust evaluation program. OVW will be awarding more than $29 million to support restorative practice programs that will expand access to justice for survivors.” In addition to the OVW resources released today, the Department joined the Departments of Agriculture, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development to issue an interagency statement that affirms VAWA’s housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking as well as other individuals, such as those who assist survivors. “A coordinated community response is just as important at the federal level as it is within a community,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo . “Too often, an individual facing violence feels forced to remain at home with their abuser because they don’t have anywhere else to go. By providing housing security, we can help support survivors and give them a pathway to safety. We’re grateful to our federal partners as we work together toward our common goal of ending gender-based violence and providing safety, security, and justice.” OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw .


title: Miami Jury Finds Convicted Child Molester Guilty  of Naturalization Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Sept. 11. a federal jury found Orlando Chavez, 43, a convicted child molester, guilty of naturalization fraud and using a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate. According to testimony and evidence presented during the two-day trial, Chavez was born in Cuba. On July 14, 2017, he submitted an Application for Naturalization to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). On his application, and under penalty of perjury, Chavez falsely responded “No” to two questions: “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following: Forcing or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual conduct or relations?”; and “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense of which you were not arrested?” On April 19, 2018, Chavez was interviewed by a USCIS officer and provided the same responses to the same questions while under oath and penalty of perjury. In a ceremony on April 30, 2018, Chavez took the Oath of Allegiance and was naturalized as a United States citizen. On May 19, 2018, Chavez used his fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate as proof of United States citizenship to apply for a passport from the U.S. Department of State. In Oct. 2019, Chavez was convicted of two counts of child abuse for conduct against a minor victim under 12 years of age between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2014. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison, five years of probation and was ordered to attend a sex offender treatment program. Chavez was not arrested for these offenses until after he was naturalized. U.S. District Judge Roy Altman is scheduled to sentence Chavez on Jan. 8, after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In addition to any sentence imposed, Chavez’s citizenship will be automatically revoked. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Field Office Director Garrett Ripa of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and District Director Brett R. Rinehart of the USCIS Miami and Caribbean District made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Shaw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yisel Valdes for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. The case was presented by ICE’s ERO division in Miami as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing national initiative designed to identify and prosecute child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . 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-20035. ###


title: Beckley Man Sentenced to More than 13 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leon Eugene Smith Jr., 43, of Beckley, was sentenced today to 13 years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a fentanyl and violating his supervised release According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2023, Smith sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in the Lenark area of Raleigh County. Smith admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on three occasions between December 19, 2023, and January 3, 2024, all in the Lenark area. On January 8, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. Officers found fentanyl, marijuana, a pill bottle containing oxycodone, a pill bottle containing black tar heroin, three cell phones, a security system, $1,170 and scales, money counters, vacuum sealers, and other items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also found six long guns, two pistols, a 50-round drum magazine, a 30-round drum magazine, two 30-round rifle magazines and assorted ammunition. Smith admitted to possessing the firearms, magazines and ammunition and further admitted that the drug paraphernalia items were used in the distribution of fentanyl. At the time of this offense, Smith was serving a term of federal supervised release for a prior conviction. Today’s prison sentence includes 10 months for committing a crime while on supervised release. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-22.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with local partners to reduce domestic violence

body_text: AUGUSTA, Ga.: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department – through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions – will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. “We work in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent violence, particularly gun violence and domestic violence,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “A key part of this effort includes keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from possessing them, including those with records of domestic abuse.” Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. Augusta has been designated as a community partner in the Southern District of Georgia. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Complete List of Jurisdictions as of Sept. 13, 2024: Montgomery County, Alabama Jefferson County, Alabama Little Rock, Arkansas Washington County, Arkansas Fresno, California San Diego, California Hartford, Connecticut Ward 7, District of Columbia Jacksonville, Florida Alachua County, Florida Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida Macon-Bibb County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Augusta, Georgia City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Ada County, Idaho Danville, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Madison County, Illinois Gary, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Des Moines, Iowa Linn County, Iowa Garden City, Kansas Fayette County, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Orleans Parish, Louisiana Rapides Parish, Louisiana Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine Baltimore City, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Saginaw, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Greenville, Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Greene County, Missouri Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana Northeast Omaha, Nebraska Las Vegas, Nevada Strafford County, New Hampshire Bernalillo County, New Mexico Borough of Brooklyn, New York Onondaga County, New York Borough and County of the Bronx, New York Monroe County, New York Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina Forsyth County, North Carolina Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina Grand Forks, North Dakota Toledo, Ohio Muskogee County, Oklahoma Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma Portland, Oregon Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County, Pennsylvania San Juan, Puerto Rico Pawtucket, Rhode Island Greenville County, South Carol Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota City of Chattanooga, Tennessee Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee Gregg County, Texas Amarillo, Texas Houston, Texas San Antonio, Texas Salt Lake County, Utah South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Chittenden County, Vermont Spokane County, Washington King County, Washington Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia Kanawha County, West Virginia Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dane County, Wisconsin Fremont County, Wyoming


title: North Carolina Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Counterfeit Currency Conspiracy

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Crystal Wilks, 24, of Lenoir, North Carolina, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $800 in restitution for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Harris admitted to her role in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Wilks and co-defendants Xavier Sanders and Jamarcus Harris traveled with another individual from North Carolina to West Virginia. Wilks admitted that they passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville. Wilks and her co-conspirators rented a room that evening at a Summersville hotel, where they attempted to create new counterfeit United States currency. Wilks admitted that their counterfeiting process involved bleaching $1 bills, scanning a genuine $100 bill, and printing the scanned image on the bleached bills. Harris, 33, of Lenoir, North Carolina, was sentenced on February 2, 2024, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $800 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Sanders, 25, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on November 9, 2023, to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and sentenced on April 26, 2024, to three years of probation after serving five months in jail . United States Attorney Will Thompson made today’s announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Andrew D. Isabell and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54.


component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. “Our federal prosecutors will team with the King County Prosecutors Office to review all firearms cases arising from domestic violence incidents to determine if federal prosecution is appropriate,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This partnership with King County recognizes that it takes all of us to reduce gun violence in our community.” “Public safety is my top priority, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is committed to tackling gender-based and domestic violence,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. “We are proud of the work the Regional Domestic Violence Firearm Enforcement Unit, a partnership with the City of Seattle, has done over the last several years to address gun violence in domestic violence relationships. We look forward to partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on strategies and solutions. It is more important than ever that my office and our law enforcement partners collaborate on our shared goal of keeping our communities safe, decreasing recidivism, and having clear accountability for criminal acts.” “We’re continuing our efforts to ensure that intimate partner firearm violence is addressed in a proactive manner, and we continue to work to deter domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms, investigating those who choose to do so illegally,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Each of our field offices has a Violence Against Woman Act coordinator, as maintaining the safety of our families and communities is the cornerstone of ATF’s mission in partnership with our U.S. Attorney offices.” Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. In Washington State Spokane County and King County are the two jurisdictions currently designated to prioritize prosecuting intimate partner firearm violence. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.


title: Raleigh County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ashley Nicole Luster, 29, of Sophia, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 13, 2022, Luster sold approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Beckley apartment complex while aided and abetted by co-defendant Angelo Johnson. Luster admitted that she handed the controlled substances over after Johnson took the money. Johnson, 29, of Beckley, was sentenced on December 8, 2023 to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-13.


title: Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Davon Jamir Linder, 24, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2023, Linder sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Linder admitted to the transaction. Linder was also found in possession of 800 grams of methamphetamine when a search warrant was executed at his house. He was on parole supervision at the time the offenses occurred. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-171.


title: Peridot Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Killing Her Husband

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Terri Lynn Victor, 43, of Peridot, was sentenced on August 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 180 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Victor is a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. In the late-night hours of July 6, 2022, and into the early morning hours of July 7, 2022, Victor stabbed her husband in the chest, ultimately killing him. Victor pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter on February 14, 2024. The investigation in this case was conducted by the San Carlos Apache Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dimitra Sampson and Vinnie Lichvar, District of Arizona, Phoenix. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01129-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-122_Victor # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Two Missouri Felons Sentenced on Gun Charges

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two convicted felons who were caught with firearms and homemade silencers have been sentenced to prison. U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced Steven Matthew Dinzebach, 35, of Franklin County, Missouri to 72 months in prison. He will be on supervised release for three years after his release from prison. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced Bryan Daniel Flynn, 44, of Ballwin, to 75 months in prison. He will be on supervised release for two years after his release from prison. Flynn pleaded guilty in April to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught with 30 firearms, despite being a convicted felon who is barred from possessing guns. He also had homemade silencers, ballistic vests, stolen property and drugs. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives conducted a court-approved search of Flynn’s home in Ballwin on July 25, 2023, after learning that he was participating in a stolen property ring, his plea agreement says. Detectives found 4.48 grams of cocaine, .44 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine, 10 Diazepam tablets, one Alprazolam tablet and 300 grams of psilocybin. Flynn admitted being in possession of a Ford F250 stolen from Ranken Technical College, which was stored on his property near Troy, Missouri. Detectives found 27 firearms there, as well as homemade silencers, three large containers of firearm accessories, two large containers of ammunition, five ballistic vests and stolen property. Flynn’s cell phone led detectives to two storage units in Festus, Missouri that contained two more guns and ammunition. His boat, which was stored in a marina in St. Charles, contained another silencer, a drum magazine loaded with .22-caliber rounds and a large amount of ammunition. On Aug. 7, 2023, Flynn’s assistant turned a 7.65mm Walther firearm into law enforcement, saying Flynn had asked her to hide it at a “cabin” in Ballwin. Dinzebach pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of one of more firearms in May. He admitted being caught by investigators with a .22-caliber handgun equipped with a homemade silencer, a .380-caliber handgun and a large amount of ammunition. He also admitted selling firearms to Flynn after first doubling their purchase price. Dinzebach told investigators that he purchased guns from a website where people conducted private firearms sales. Two of the firearms seized from Flynn were traced to Dinzebach’s wife as the purchaser. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie Schneider prosecuted the cases. "Instead of learning from their past, they chose to continue a life of crime and put our community at risk of potential gun violence,” said Bernard G. Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City Field Division. "Today’s sentencing demonstrates the outstanding partnership between ATF and the St. Louis Police Department as well as the commitment we share to work together in keeping firearms out of the hands of felons so that our streets are safer for everyone.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced For Possession Of Ammunition And Possession Of Substances With Intent To Distribute

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Honorable Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Boie Barry, age 32, of Hyattsville, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers were patrolling Hyattsville, Maryland in September of 2022, when they observed a vehicle parked in a handicap space without a handicap placard. Officers approached the vehicle, smelled and saw marijuana in the vehicle’s center console, and directed Barry, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat, to step out. As Barry stepped out, an officer saw a bulge in Barry’s front left pocket. The officer repeatedly directed Barry to keep his hands up, and when Barry eventually raised his hands, the officer saw a firearm in his waistband. Barry tried to flee but was stopped by other officers. Officers recovered a 9mm privately manufactured firearm bearing no apparent serial number, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” which was equipped with a laser sight and fully automatic switch and loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition. The switch allowed the firearm to fire in fully automatic mode, making it a machinegun. Officers also found bags in Barry’s front left pocket containing various controlled substances, including cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, para-fluorofentanyl and fentanyl. They also found $1,565.75 on Barry’s person that were proceeds from his drug trafficking. 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. U.S. Attorney Barron commended ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Patrick Kibbe, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanay Mitchell, who prosecuted the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office To Work With Local Partners To Reduce Domestic Violence

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. In making the announcement, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland explained, “Today, I designated an initial set of 78 communities across the country, with more to follow, where we will surge Department resources to combat firearm violence against intimate partners and children.” In the Eastern District of Tennessee, the City of Chattanooga was designated. “The cooperation and partnership between federal and state law enforcement in Chattanooga has always been strong,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee. “Our office supports the Department of Justice’s designation of Chattanooga as a community where federal prosecutors and agents will continue to work beside our local counterparts and community stakeholders to further target the most violent individuals, including violent domestic abusers. In collaboration with our state and local partners, we will continue to hold armed domestic violence offenders accountable.” “ATF recognizes the role firearms play in violent crimes and, more specifically, domestic violence.” ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson stated. “We at ATF are committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and will continue to work with our partners to remove convicted domestic abusers who possess firearms from our communities.” Locally, the United States Attorney’s Office regularly assists with the prosecution of violent individuals who illegally possess firearms. Federal prosecutors routinely collaborate with Chattanooga-area assistant district attorneys general to evaluate strategies to maximize the effective prosecution of firearms crime in both state and federal court. Prosecutors estimate at least 50 percent of those individuals identified for federal prosecution for these offenses have a previous domestic violence arrest or conviction. Designated areas across the country include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue to coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024: Montgomery County, Alabama Jefferson County, Alabama Little Rock, Arkansas Washington County, Arkansas Fresno, California San Diego, California Hartford, Connecticut Ward 7, District of Columbia Jacksonville, Florida Alachua County, Florida Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida Macon-Bibb County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Augusta, Georgia City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Ada County, Idaho Danville, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Madison County, Illinois Gary, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Des Moines, Iowa Linn County, Iowa Garden City, Kansas Fayette County, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Orleans Parish, Louisiana Rapides Parish, Louisiana Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine Baltimore City, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Saginaw, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Greenville, Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Greene County, Missouri Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana Northeast Omaha, Nebraska Las Vegas, Nevada Strafford County, New Hampshire Bernalillo County, New Mexico Borough of Brooklyn, New York Onondaga County, New York Borough and County of the Bronx, New York Monroe County, New York Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina Forsyth County, North Carolina Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina Grand Forks, North Dakota Toledo, Ohio Muskogee County, Oklahoma Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma Portland, Oregon Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County, Pennsylvania San Juan, Puerto Rico Pawtucket, Rhode Island Greenville County, South Carolina Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota City of Chattanooga, Tennessee Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee Gregg County, Texas Amarillo, Texas Houston, Texas San Antonio, Texas Salt Lake County, Utah South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Chittenden County, Vermont Spokane County, Washington King County, Washington Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia Kanawha County, West Virginia Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dane County, Wisconsin Fremont County, Wyoming ###


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A felon who possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison. Malachi Patton Handley, age 23, of Cedar Rapids, received the sentence after a January 30, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Handley admitted that, between December 2022 and March 2023, he possessed an SCCY pistol after having been convicted of three felonies. Handley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Handley was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 23-57. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: CUDAHY MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT ON GUN AND DRUG CHARGES

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced on September 12, 2024, Michael J. Yumang (age: 39), of Cudahy, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. After a bench trial in June 2024 before United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller, Yumang was convicted of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Evidence introduced during the trial showed that Yumang used the United States Postal Service to receive substantial quantities of methamphetamine at his home in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Yumang also kept a firearm at his residence to protect his contraband and drug proceeds. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Stadtmueller emphasized that Yumang was “very, very fortunate to be alive,” given his involvement with drugs and firearms. Judge Stadtmueller also found that Yumang had perjured himself during his trial, such that Yumang had obstructed justice and was subject to a sentencing enhancement. “Today’s sentence makes clear that under federal law, individuals who deal in highly addictive and devastating controlled substances – especially those who do so while armed – will face lengthy prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “We are committed to working with all of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to hold individuals who endanger the community fully accountable for their actions.” “Yumang’s criminal activity was of great local concern to the City of Cudahy Police Department”, said Cudahy Police Chief Thomas Poellot, “By working collaboratively with investigators, police officers were aware of information that caused them to investigate further while handling a traffic-related matter, which furthered this investigation.” The Cudahy Police Department greatly benefits by our ongoing partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Attorney’s office.” This matter was investigated by the Cudahy Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Halopka-Ivery, William Berens, and Kevin Knight. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: New Hampshire Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for His Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced today in federal court in Boston. During the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled. Eric Daneault, 48, of Manchester, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to eight years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On Feb. 16, 2024, Daneault pleaded guilty to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The superseding indictment also charged 10 other defendants with controlled substance offenses, firearm offenses and money laundering offenses. In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, investigators identified Reshat Alkayisi as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker who distributed multi-pound quantities to multiple co-conspirators throughout the New England area. Daneault was identified as one of Alkayisi’s methamphetamine distributors. In May 2021, Alkayisi distributed approximately over 5.3 kilograms of methamphetamine to Daneault. Daneault is the fourth defendant to be sentenced. All other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Brookline Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Embezzling More Than $650,000 From Medical Practice

body_text: BOSTON – A former office manager of a Brookline medical practice was sentenced today for embezzling over $650,000 from the practice over several years. Kathleen Libby, 40, of Brookline, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 21 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Libby was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $658,271. In May 2024, Libby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Libby stole from the medical practice in a variety of ways, including by transferring funds from the practice to a personal PayPal account she established named “Medline Surgical Supplies.” In doing so, Libby created the false impression that transfers from the medical practice to the PayPal account were expenses the medical practice had incurred for supplies. In addition, Libby used the medical practice’s bank account to make payments toward purchases she had made at a variety of retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Bloomingdales, Best Buy, Target and travel-related websites. Libby also placed two of her relatives on the medical practice’s payroll and used its credit cards for her own personal benefit. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: FEDERAL AUTHORITIES WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MILWAUKEE

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced today that Milwaukee is among an initial set of 78 communities that Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA). As announced by the Attorney General, the United States Department of Justice - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms under federal law. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with all of our dedicated and talented law enforcement and community partners to continue to reduce domestic violence and hold offenders accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “Including Milwaukee in today’s designation demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to use all available federal tools to make all of our communities as safe as possible.” “This important announcement will strengthen our partnerships between law enforcement and communities to assist victims of domestic violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “ATF prioritizes investigations of prohibited persons who illegally possess firearms and look forward to the United States Attorney's leadership to prosecute these important cases.” Communities have been designated by Attorney General Garland in close coordination with community stakeholders. The designated jurisdictions span 47 states and include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute domestic violence offenders who unlawfully possess firearms. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Indictment Charges Stamford Man with PCP Distribution, Firearm Possession Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a three-count indictment charging JAMAINE JONES, 34, of Stamford, with PCP distribution and firearm possession offenses. The indictment was returned on August 21, 2024. Jones, who had been detained since state custody since his arrest by Stamford Police on February 9, 2024, appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The indictment alleges that on February 9, 2024, Jones possessed with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP), and possessed a loaded Beretta 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The indictment further alleges that Jones’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug, robbery, and assault 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. The indictment charges Jones with possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of 15 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is 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 . OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Former Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Drugs into Virginia Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and launder drug proceeds with co-conspirators in Massachusetts and Virginia. Kenneth J. Owen, 24, of Charlotte Court House, Va., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine and two counts of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2024. In December 2019 and January 2020, Owen conspired with Sathtra Em, a Lowell resident, and Michael Mao, an inmate at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Va., to smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine in the form of Suboxone and generic Suboxone sublingual films into the prison. At the time, Owen was working as a correctional officer at Buckingham. As part of the conspiracy, Em mailed the drugs to Owen’s residence and paid him $1,600 in bribes to deliver the drugs and other contraband to Mao in the prison. Mao then sold the smuggled drugs to other inmates at Buckingham and Em collected the drug debts on behalf of Mao in the same Cash App accounts she used to pay the bribes to Owen. Owen used a Cash App account with the name “Carlos” to receive the bribes from Em, and he cashed out the funds to his bank account within minutes of receiving them. Em and Mao previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On Aug. 14, 2024, Em was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mao is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2024. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the amount of the property involved, whichever is greater. Both charges also include forfeiture of assets traceable to or involved in the distribution and laundering offenses. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Amhrein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office and IRS Announce Sentencing of Albuquerque Man for Tax Evasion Scheme

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 40 months in prison for devising and operating a tax evasion scheme and ordered to pay over $5.5 million in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, in January 2005, David Wellington and Stacy Underwood founded National Business Services, LLC in New Mexico, specializing in creating LLCs for clients seeking to "beat the IRS" by evading taxes. Wellington focused on marketing and client development, while Underwood managed corporate filings and bank accounts. The company obtained Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) for clients and opened bank accounts under Underwood's sole signature authority. From 2005 to 2015, they created 192 LLCs and opened 114 bank accounts, with approximately $41.7 million deposited into accounts under Underwood’s control, representing concealed income. One notable client, Jerry Shrock, had three LLCs formed by National Business Services while undergoing an IRS audit. Despite the audit, Shrock transferred his home into one of the LLCs to shield it from the government. Between 2011 and 2015, he deposited nearly $4.9 million into a bank account opened for one of his LLCs, concealing over $4.3 million in income without ever filing tax returns. Stacy Underwood pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and remains on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Under the terms of her agreement, Underwood faces up to 5 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release. Jerry Shrock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $1,542,769.70 in taxes, interest, and penalties. Upon his release from prison, Wellington will be subject to three years of supervised release and is prohibited from ever running any business advising clients or dealing with the IRS. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Carissa Messick, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, made the announcement today. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO WORK WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell applauded Attorney General Garland as well as the Oglala Sioux Tribe for agreeing to participate in this program. “Intimate partner violence involving guns presents a grave danger to victims trapped in violent relationships. Once domestic violence abusers take to firearms, the threat to their victims increases exponentially. Through this program, we will add new focus and commitment to our federal, tribal, and state investigative and prosecutive response. History has shown that, particularly with this type of crime, law enforcement collaboration and strong community partnerships provide the best means of stemming this violence and punishing those who perpetrate it.” “ We are proud to stand alongside our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this focused initiative,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis S. Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “A firearm in the hands of domestic abuser is a very real threat to those trapped in these unfortunate situations. We highly encourage those who may find themselves, or may know of a person, affected by domestic violence where a firearm is involved to reach out to authorities. No one should have to live their life in constant fear, and we’re here to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate these cases.” Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.


title: Two drug traffickers sentenced to lengthy prison terms in case arising from investigation of Aryan Family prison gang

body_text: Tacoma – Two men indicted in March 2023 as part of a drug distribution organization associated with an Aryan prison gang were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for drug and gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ronaldo McComb, 59, of Ridgefield, Washington, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Isaac Cervantes, 32 of Phoenix was sentenced to 9 years in prison. At the sentencing hearing for Cervantes, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “We are talking about massive quantities of controlled substances. This is not some street-level dealer…. The amount of societal harm from these substances is almost immeasurable.” Discussing the firearms involved in the offense, Judge Estudillo said, “these are not small-time firearms, and obviously they’re there to protect the drug trade, and people suffer from the violence involved in this.” McComb pleaded guilty in June 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. McComb acknowledged multiple recorded phone calls with coconspirators in which he discussed his drug trafficking activities involving distributing multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and creating a distribution network of fentanyl pills up to Alaska. He further admitted to possessing large quantities of heroin and a 9mm handgun that law enforcement seized from the trunk of his vehicle following a traffic stop in February 2022. Law enforcement eventually arrested him on March 22, 2023. On that date, authorities found methamphetamine, heroin, three firearms, and large quantities of cash and gold bars in McComb’s Kalama residence. As part of the plea, McComb stipulated to the forfeiture of that cash and gold as proceeds of his drug trafficking. McComb was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his felony convictions for assault and robbery in Clark County and another assault conviction in Cowlitz County. Cervantes was arrested in Phoenix at the time of the drug takedown. Cervantes assisted the drug traffickers by transporting fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs to Washington from Arizona. He also worked at the stash house where the crew pressed powdered fentanyl into pills. On July 1, 2021, Cervantes was stopped in Oregon with 50,000 counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills in a vehicle belonging to one of the leaders of the drug distribution cell. In November and December 2022, Cervantes was associated with the “stash house” in Shelton, Washington, where law enforcement later seized 64 kilograms of fentanyl pills—some 640,000 pills. Also at the stash house they found more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of fentanyl powder. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement seized two pill presses, 23 firearms, a silencer and more than $81,000 in cash. Cervantes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in February 2024. In making their sentencing recommendations, prosecutors pointed out that fentanyl laced pills can be deadly, writing to the court “…first-time users of fentanyl, are sometimes unaware that the counterfeit oxycodone pills they are taking contain fentanyl, their lives are put at risk with every use of these dangerous substances. This has resulted in an unprecedented epidemic of overdose deaths in the United States, and an unrelenting increase in overdose deaths in Washington state…. the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control, estimates that, despite a small decrease in overdose deaths nationwide, Washington had an increase in overdose deaths of over 27% in the year ending December 2023.” The investigation of the drug trafficking ring resulted in the seizure of 245 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 830,000 fentanyl pills and an additional 26 pounds of fentanyl pills and powder, more than six pounds of heroin, 225 firearms and more than $668,000 in cash. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon and Max Shiner.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Sept. 11 was: Airian Mariah Russette, 30, of Havre and Box Elder, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction and use of a firearm in commission of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Russette faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the false statement charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of use of firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Russette was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement, Havre Police Department, and Hill County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-46. Appearing on Sept. 10 was: Tommy Michael VanHoose, 66, of Great Falls, on charges of submitting a false tax return. If convicted of the most serious crime, VanHoose faces a maximum of three years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. VanHoose was released pending further proceedings. The IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-60. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Sept. 12 was: Bradley James Turcotte, 35, of Ronan, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Turcotte faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Turcotte was detained pending further proceedings. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-11. Appearing on Sept. 11 was: Damien Michael Duffey, 31, of Butte, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Duffey faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Duffey was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Butte-Silver Bow Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-26. Cheryl Ester Eslami, 44, of Kalispell, on charges of conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Eslami faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Eslami was detained pending further proceedings. PACER case reference. 24-47. Appearing for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on Sept. 11 was: Joey Lee Forward, 34, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Forward faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Forward was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-55. Appearing on Sept. 5 was: Taylor Gale Penny, 35, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Penny faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Penny was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-51. Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Sept. 3 was: Dalton David Murray, 26, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Murray faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Murray was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-123. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Armed Bank Robber from Maryland Sentenced to 77 Months

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ronald Lamont Jenkins, 36, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 77 months in prison for the June 2022 armed robbery of a TD Bank in Northeast Washington D.C. and ordered to pay $8,345.00 in restitution to TD Bank. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Jenkins pleaded guilty on May 12, 2024, to a one count indictment charging him with bank robbery before Judge Randolph D. Moss in the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, Judge Moss ordered Jenkins to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, FBI agents and MPD officers responded on June 13, 2022, to the TD Bank branch on the 900 block of Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, D.C. Upon arrival, FBI agents met with the victim teller at the bank. The teller told agents that soon after the branch’s security guard went on break, an unknown man entered the bank, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, neon yellow/green gloves, and brown boots. The man approached the counter and ordered the teller “open the drawer.” The teller did not realize what the man had said at first. The man repeated “open the drawer.” As the teller looked up, the man lifted his shirt to display the handle of a handgun located in his waistband. The teller opened the register. The man reached over the counter and grabbed more than $8,000. As he fled, he dropped several of the stolen bills in the bank’s vestibule. FBI agents canvassed the area and reviewed commercial and residential surveillance video. The video showed the bank robber traveling on foot northbound in the alley east of 10th Street, Northeast. Agents discovered a blue left-foot water shoe along a fence line adjacent to a residential yard on the 2400 block of 10th Street, Northeast. During their search, agents recovered a pair of neon yellow gloves, a black Calvin Klein hooded sweatshirt, a pair of brown Nike size 8.5 men’s shoes, gray “Champion” sweatpants, a black mask, and two plastic grocery-style bags, one of which contained a $100 bill with fingerprints. The agents noted that the clothing was “soaked in sweat,” which was consistent with that day’s temperature of 91 degrees with a heat index as high as 97 degrees. FBI agents tracked the suspect’s movements from a nearby liquor store to the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station in Prince Georges, County. Based on the evidence recovered, agents deduced he likely lived in Maryland. The FBI reviewed law enforcement reports from other robberies in the DMV, specifically those involving the modus operandi of wearing two sets of clothes to commit the robbery and removing the outer clothes shortly after to make a getaway. Agents learned of the knife-point robbery on August 5, 2021, at a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store in Bowie, Maryland. In that robbery’s immediate aftermath, Bowie City police officers received a call of a suspicious male running through residential backyards near the Lowe’s. Soon after, a man was seen walking out of the wood line behind the caller’s residence. Officers stopped Ronald Lamont Jenkins, whose clothes were wet. Prince George’s County K9 Officers searched of the immediate area. The K9 led officers directly from Jenkins into the wood line where they recovered a $20 bill, a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants with green zipper pockets, and black shoes with white soles. The clothes matched those worn by the suspect in the robbery of the Lowe’s. Investigators recovered DNA samples from the clothing. Later analysis showed the DNA on the clothing matched DNA recovered from items discarded after the bank robbery. The FBI arrested Jenkins on November 14, 2023. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, and the police department of Prince George’s County, Md. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and James Nelson of the Federal Major Crimes section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 23cr377


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office to Work with Local Partners to Reduce Domestic Violence

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. In the District of Columbia, the following jurisdictions have been designated: Ward 7, District of Columbia The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024: Montgomery County, Alabama Jefferson County, Alabama Little Rock, Arkansas Washington County, Arkansas Fresno, California San Diego, California Hartford, Connecticut Ward 7, District of Columbia Jacksonville, Florida Alachua County, Florida Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida Macon-Bibb County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Augusta, Georgia City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Ada County, Idaho Danville, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Madison County, Illinois Gary, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Des Moines, Iowa Linn County, Iowa Garden City, Kansas Fayette County, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Orleans Parish, Louisiana Rapides Parish, Louisiana Western Main Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine Baltimore City, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Saginaw, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Greenville, Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Greene County, Missouri Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana Northeast Omaha, Nebraska Las Vegas, Nevada Strafford County, New Hampshire Bernalillo County, New Mexico Borough of Brooklyn, New York Onondaga County, New York Borough and County of the Bronx, New York Monroe County, New York Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina Forsyth County, North Carolina Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina Grand Forks, North Dakota Toledo, Ohio Muskogee County, Oklahoma Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma Portland, Oregon Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County, Pennsylvania San Juan, Puerto Rico Pawtucket, Rhode Island Greenville County, South Carolina Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota City of Chattanooga, Tennessee Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee Gregg County, Texas Amarillo, Texas Houston, Texas San Antonio, Texas Salt Lake County, Utah South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Chittenden County, Vermont Spokane County, Washington King County, Washington Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia Kanawha County, West Virginia Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dane County, Wisconsin Fremont County, Wyoming


title: Cody Andrew Seals Sentenced To Thirty Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking And Attempted Murder Of Law Enforcement Officers

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On September 13, 2024, Cody Andrew Seals, 27, currently of Luttrell, Tennessee, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. On April 16, 2024, pursuant to a filed plea agreement, Seals pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(b)(1)(A); discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and the attempted murder of two Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers who were assisting federal law enforcement agents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114. According to filed court documents, federal law enforcement agents and task force officers were investigating a Mexican drug trafficking cartel that was distributing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine into the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere. On January 9, 2020, law enforcement officials conducting surveillance observed Seals driving up to a hotel to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. Law enforcement followed Seals and requested assistance from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (“THP”) to stop Seal’s vehicle. As two THP Troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Seals’ pick up on Highway 27 north of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Seals fled at a high rate of speed and fired a handgun at the Troopers. After a chase lasting several minutes, THP Troopers were able to force Seals’ truck to a stop on the highway. Seals got out of his truck and began rapidly firing a rifle at both THP Troopers, striking one of the Troopers in the leg. The Troopers returned fire, striking Seals non-fatally. Seals stopped shooting and was arrested. A subsequent search of Seal’s truck resulted in the seizure of 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 500 grams of heroin, and several firearms. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud made the announcement. Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the indictment and subsequent conviction of Seals include Homeland Security Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee’s 9th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Quencer represented the United States. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Meriden Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MIGUEL ACEVEDO, 41 of Meriden, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to cocaine trafficking offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 7, 2021, Meriden Police arrested Acevedo on state crack cocaine distribution and firearm possession charges. On that date investigators seized from Acevedo approximately 390 grams of cocaine and $281,000 in cash. In December 2022, while he was released on bond in his state case, investigators made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Acevedo. Acevedo was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on February 14, 2023. On that date, a search of his residence on South Avenue in Meriden and his business on West Main Street in Meriden revealed approximately 40 grams of cocaine and more than $3,000 in cash. At the time of his arrest, investigators also seized two vehicles owned by Acevedo, an SUV and a minivan. A search of the minivan revealed a hidden trap that contained six kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded firearm. After his arrest, Acevedo was released on a $60,000 appearance bond, cosigned by three sureties. Within 24 hours of his release, Acevedo was observed meeting with several visitors at his home and receiving a paper bag from one visitor who was a known drug associate. Acevedo has been detained since March 1, 2023, when his bond was revoked. On July 25, 2023, U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley granted the government’s motion to forfeit Acevedo’s appearance bond. Acevedo pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. The state charges against Acevedo stemming from his June 2021 arrest are pending. The cash that was seized in June 2021 was previously forfeited. Acevedo’s criminal history includes a 2008 federal narcotics trafficking conviction for which he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Meriden Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Twelve Defendants Sentenced for Violent Home Invasion Robberies to Steal Cryptocurrency

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced to 47 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a scheme involving a series of home invasion robberies targeting cryptocurrency. Between Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, a total of 12 men have been sentenced for their role in the scheme. According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial, Remy Ra St Felix, 25, of West Palm Beach, and his co-conspirators stole over $3.5 million from victims through SIM swapping and violent home invasions in which they held victims at gunpoint, assaulted them, and bound them with plastic cable ties. St Felix was convicted on June 25 by a federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, after a six-day trial. In addition to his sentence of incarceration, St Felix was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning in late 2020, St Felix’s co-conspirator, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, 23, of West Palm Beach, and foreign co-conspirators stole cryptocurrency from victims’ accounts at exchanges. They obtained access to the accounts by gaining control of the victims’ phone numbers through SIM swapping. In 2022, Seemungal and his co-conspirators devised the home invasion scheme and recruited St Felix and others to assist with the invasions. St Felix later became the leader of the home invasion crew. In September 2022, St Felix and members of the crew committed violent home invasions in Delray Beach and Homestead, Florida. In Delray Beach, the victims were held at gunpoint in their home. In Homestead, a man and his family were held at gunpoint in their home, and then the man was abducted, held hostage, and beaten, before the man was found by law enforcement 120 miles from his home. Later in 2022, St Felix and his crew targeted a Little Elm, Texas, man and made several trips to attempt the robbery. In December 2022, Seemungal and a Houston-based crew comprised of Deangelo Lee Contreras, 21, Tristian Rene Gamez, 21, Victor Gonzalez, 27, Jesus Salazar, 24, Cristian Valdez, 21, and Jesus Gerardo Valdez, Jr., 27, all of Houston, Texas, committed the home invasion. The Little Elm man and members of his family were held at gunpoint and restrained in their home for over three hours, during which time members of the crew tortured the man and his mother. The perpetrators stole approximately $150,000.00 in cash, two Rolex watches, and a valuable necklace and pendant. In April 2023, St Felix and Elmer Ruben Castro, 23, of West Palm Beach, invaded the home of a wife and a husband in Durham, North Carolina. Prior to the invasion, St Felix’s co-conspirators obtained unauthorized access to the couple’s email account and conducted multiple days of surveillance on their home. During the invasion, the men violently assaulted the couple, threatened them with guns, and restrained them with plastic cable ties. They forced the man to provide access to his computer and cryptocurrency exchange account. Seemungal then remotely accessed the computer and stole over $150,000.00 worth of cryptocurrency. Conspirators laundered the funds through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies, as well as “instant exchanges” and decentralized finance platforms that did not conduct know-your-customer checks. In July 2023, St Felix traveled from Florida to Long Island, New York, to commit a home invasion of a family of five. Before St Felix could do so, however, he was arrested. At the time of his arrest, St Felix was in possession of two firearms and plastic cable ties. Throughout the conspiracy, the conspirators communicated via an encrypted messaging application to plan their crimes. They identified targets and discussed how to gain entry to homes, the tools required to carry out the crimes, the technical aspects of cryptocurrency, and the patterns of life of their targets. They also circulated pictures of their targets and their targets’ homes. In addition to the home invasions described above, conspirators used the encrypted messaging application to plan additional home invasion robberies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Orlando, Florida; and Georgia. Seemungal and the foreign co-conspirators financed the purchase of rental cars, hotel rooms, and firearms by co-conspirators Haisel Daily, 22, of West Palm Beach, and Ruben Matias Nicolopulos Silva, 22, of Lake Worth, Florida, to use during the robberies. Seemungal was also sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $4,038,479.39 in restitution. Seemungal pleaded guilty on December 19, 2023, for his role in the scheme to steal cryptocurrency by hacking victims’ cryptocurrency accounts as well as the home invasion and robbery scheme. On Feb. 6, Castro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1. On May 29 and 30, nine of St Felix’s and Seemungal’s co-conspirators pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and were sentenced as follows: Jose Alfredo Avila, 27, of West Palm Beach, was sentenced on Sept. 11, to 20 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $365,100.00 in restitution. Contreras was sentenced on Sept. 5, to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Daily was sentenced on Sept. 5, to 25 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution. Gonzalez was sentenced on Sept. 6, to 12 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Nathan Noel Quintana, 24, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced on Sept. 6, to 16 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $365,100.00 in restitution. Silva was sentenced on Sept. 5, to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $524,153.39 in restitution. Cristian Valdez was sentenced on Sept. 6, to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Jesus Valdez was sentenced on Sept. 6, to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Jesus Manuel Santiago, III, 23, of West Palm Beach, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1. Also, on May 29 and 30, Salazar and Gamez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce through robbery. Salazar was sentenced on Sept. 5, to five years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Gamez was sentenced on Sept. 11, to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,800.00 in restitution. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices. The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) is partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in prosecuting the case. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and CCIPS Trial Attorney Brian Mund are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, and Eastern District of Texas provided valuable assistance. NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within CCIPS, NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, obfuscation services, and infrastructure providers. NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.