title: Company President, Two Rhode Island Trucking Companies Sentenced in Federal Court for Conspiring to Violate the Clean Air Act

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – The owner and President of a North Kingstown-based trucking company and his two corporations were sentenced in federal court in Providence, RI, today for conspiring together with trucking and diesel vehicle sales and service companies throughout the United States and with a foreign national to violate the Clean Air Act by selling and providing a software program that tampered with on-board vehicle computers in order to alter or bypass key features in emission control systems. United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that, having previously pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, United States District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy today ordered Michael J. Collins to serve a term of three years of probation; to perform 100 hours of community service; pay a fine $50,000; and to create a compliance and ethics program and to notify his employees and stockholders of said program. Additionally, District Court Judge McElroy placed each of Collins’ corporations on probation for three years and ordered each corporation provide a payment of $125,000 to the Rhode Island Environmental Recovery Fund. Under the federal Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established standards that limit the emission of air pollutants from various types of vehicle engines. To meet those standards, vehicle manufacturers design and install certain hardware components as part of the systems that manage and treat engine exhaust to reduce multiple types of pollution. For nearly five years, beginning in September 2014, Michael J. Collins, his North Kingstown company M&D Transportation, Inc.; his now-defunct computer company Diesel Tune-Ups of RI, Inc.; various trucking and diesel vehicle sales and repair companies throughout the United States; and a foreign national all conspired to alter or disable certain functions of the Electronic Control Modules (ECM) and On Board Diagnostic (OBD) monitoring systems of heavy-duty diesel vehicles such as semi-trucks or “big rigs.” These alterations are referred to in the industry as “tunes.” At the time of Collins’ guilty plea in April, United States Attorney Cunha commented, “Our environmental laws are here to protect the clean air that every Rhode Islander deserves to breathe. When companies choose to ignore those laws and put profit over their legal duties, and spew diesel soot and contaminants across Rhode Island and New England in the process, this Office will hold them to account.” Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge for EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division for New England added, “Tampering with diesel vehicles by installing defeat devices increases emissions of smog and soot, both of which contribute to serious health problems that often disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities. Placing profit over public health in Rhode Island has clear accountability.” Collins previously admitted to the court that for nearly five years, beginning in September 2014, he and his North Kingstown company M&D Transportation, Inc.; his now-defunct computer company Diesel Tune-Ups of RI, Inc.; various trucking and diesel vehicle sales and repair companies throughout the United States; and a foreign national all conspired to alter or disable certain functions of the Electronic Control Modules (ECM) and On Board Diagnostic (OBD) monitoring systems of heavy-duty diesel vehicles such as semi-trucks or “big rigs.” These alterations are referred to in the industry as “tunes.” Collins admitted that in exchange for a fee, the foreign national would download tuning software through a laptop computer provided by Collins and his companies, that was then connected to each vehicle. Through a remote connection, the “tunes” were downloaded onto each vehicle’s Electronic Control Module or computer to reprogram the vehicle’s monitoring systems. The vehicle’s monitoring systems were manipulated so that they would not detect malfunctions in the emission control components, thereby allowing vehicles to operate without proper emission controls. As a result, “tuned” vehicles could run with increased horsepower and torque, which can reduce maintenance and repair costs, but which results in significant increases in pollutant emissions. The tuning business was marketed on Facebook. Interested companies were directed to contact a Rhode Island telephone number associated with Collins, M & D, and Diesel Tune-Ups. Customers paid Collins’ companies between $1,700 and $3,650 for each vehicle “tuned.” Collins and his companies wired a portion of the funds to their foreign co-conspirator and retained a portion of the funds for themselves. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division - Boston Area Office. ###


title: Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on December 8, 2023, ORLIAN CABRERA-JOA , age 31, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). If convicted, CABRERA-JOA faces a minimum term of ten (10) years up to a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Texas Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ELIAS SALAS , age 19, from Edinburgh, Texas, was sentenced on December 12, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 108 months incarceration after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. Judge Vitter ordered that SALAS be placed on supervised release for five (5) years following release from imprisonment and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to the indictment, in March of 2023, SALAS knowingly conspired and agreed with others to pick up a bag he knew contained over 9 kilograms of pure methamphetamine in Dallas, Texas, and then work with others to transport the bag of narcotics from Texas to Kenner, Louisiana. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Pharmacy Burglary Conspirators Arraigned Tuesday in Federal Court

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK— Eighteen individuals from Texas who are accused of stealing more than $1.5 million worth of narcotics from numerous pharmacies in Arkansas were arrested in Houston on November 28, 2023, following an indictment returned in the Eastern District of Arkansas. Seven defendants appeared on charges Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Patricia S. Harris, and the remaining defendants are set to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Edie R. Ervin in Little Rock on January 16, 2024. The indictment charges conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Schedule II through V controlled substances, as well as pharmacy burglary, conspiracy to commit pharmacy burglary, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Keith Brown, 34, of Houston, Texas, and 17 others were named in this indictment related to “Operation #Richoffmeds.” From February 2022 to November 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration Little Rock District Office (DEA LRDO) identified more than 20 pharmacy burglaries and thefts of pharmaceutical narcotics in Arkansas. In each of the burglaries, the suspects used similar methods of entry and tools, as well as matching clothing and unique footwear. The stolen pharmaceuticals—including oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine cough syrup—were transported to Houston, Texas, where they were sold illicitly. Intelligence developed by the DEA LRDO and the Houston Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team identified the drug trafficking organization as being comprised of documented local gang members from the 5th Ward area in Houston, Texas. The current case is similar in kind and scope to a previous case indicted in the Eastern District of Arkansas in 2016, in which 24 members of a local Houston 5th Ward gang, ‘The Trill Fam’, were prosecuted for multi-state pharmacy burglaries and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. During the present investigation, over 96,000 tablets of Schedule II controlled substances were stolen. The street value of all controlled substances stolen by the organization in the Arkansas burglaries is valued at close to $1.6 million. Investigators also seized six firearms, approximately $79,000 in U.S. currency, and custom jewelry retailing approximately $330,000. “These defendants broke into pharmacies across Arkansas to steal narcotics that they then peddled on the streets,” stated Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “This case exemplifies the hard work put in by federal, state, and local agencies working together to infiltrate and dismantle violent gangs whose main mission is for profit and the destruction of communities. Our office is committed to prosecuting these defendants, and others like them, to the fullest extent of the law.” “As alleged, these defendants went to extreme lengths to steal prescription drugs from a multitude of victim pharmacies,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. “The criminal enterprise sought to profit off the people of Arkansas by diverting nearly 100,000 dosages away from those with legitimate medical needs. These defendants were likely driven by money, but the cost to public health and safety is priceless. DEA is committed to investigating the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and ensuring all Americans can access needed medications.” The defendants arrested include Brown, Antoinen Hampton, 37, Donald Spencer, 34, Marcus Hargrove, 31, Reginald Jackson, 32, Vernon Baloney, Jr., 33, Edwin Burks, 50, Nicklaus Franklin, 31, Louis Johnson, III, 24, Nathan Kibble, 40, Joshua Delaney, 43, Fernando Riascos, Jr., 36, Alexis Garner, 31, Daron Livingston, 32, Jaiden Fowler, 23, Joshua Griffin, 21, Cierra Jackson, 30, and Jasmane Lincoln, 34, all from the greater Houston, Texas area. The maximum sentence for the drug charges is not more than 20 years in federal prison. Investigators with the DEA LRDO worked in conjunction with the following law enforcement partners: DEA New Orleans Division (Little Rock District Office, Fayetteville Resident Office, Shreveport Resident Office, Mobile Resident Office), DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Houston Division (Houston TDS Group, Galveston Resident Office), DEA Omaha Division, DEA Rocky Mountain Division (Salt Lake City District Office, Cheyenne Resident Office), DEA Atlanta Division (Columbia District Office), DEA Miami Division (Pensacola District Office), FBI Little Rock Field Office, FBI Cast Team, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, League City Police Department (Dickinson, TX), Houston Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team, Houston Police Department CID, and Arkansas State Police. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment contains only allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @EDARNEWS


title: Felon Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Possession Of Stolen Firearms

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident with prior felony convictions pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful possession of two stolen firearms after fleeing from law enforcement. According to court documents, Domineaq Marchell Wilson, also known as “Tension,” 24, unlawfully possessed a loaded Browning Black Label .380 semiautomatic pistol and a loaded Glock G42 semiautomatic pistol. On August 2, 2023, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer approached Wilson and three others in a parking area behind an apartment building. The officer saw that the ignition of two motorcycles had been torn out, but at least one of the motorcycles was running without a key. The officer spotted the Browning Black Label .380 semiautomatic pistol protruding from Wilson’s waistband. Wilson admitted that he grabbed the grip of the gun and ran from the officer. During the pursuit, the loaded firearm fell to the ground and Wilson threw his backpack that contained the loaded Glock G42 firearm to the ground. He was taken into custody. Wilson admitted that the Browning Black Label .380 semiautomatic pistol had been stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Overton, Nev., on July 25, 2023; and the Glock G42 semiautomatic pistol had been stolen from a private citizen in Henderson, Nev. At the time, Wilson was on state supervision in two separate felony convictions in Nevada. Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Sentencing is set for March 6, 2024, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. Wilson faces the maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. This case was investigated by the ATF and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Anyone with information about the unlawful purchase of firearms can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email ATFTips@atf.gov or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/ . ###


title: Venezuelan National Carlos Orense Azocar Convicted After Trial On Drug Trafficking And Weapons Charges

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against CARLOS ORENSE AZOCAR yesterday on all three counts in the Indictment, which contained cocaine-importation and weapons charges. The defendant was found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For more than a decade, Carlos Orense Azocar worked with some of the largest narcotics traffickers in the world to send tons of cocaine to the United States. He partnered with corrupt high-ranking government and military officials in Venezuela and employed an arsenal of high-powered weapons to protect his cocaine distribution organization. For years, Orense Azocar shipped mountains of poison to this country and made millions of dollars in drug money. But no more. A jury in this district has unanimously held Orense Azocar responsible for his crimes, and now he will face a possible life sentence behind bars.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Orense Azocar and his drug trafficking organization used every means available, including high-powered weaponry, government corruption, and bribery, to safeguard his expansive operation and traffic hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States. Today’s verdict is another example of the dangerous and vital work DEA does every day across the globe and our relentless pursuit of justice for those responsible for causing harm to the American people.” As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial: Beginning in or about 2003, ORENSE AZOCAR and his drug trafficking organization distributed tons of cocaine destined for importation into the United States. ORENSE AZOCAR helped transport, receive, and distribute loads of cocaine ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilograms from Venezuela to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere, using air and maritime routes. ORENSE AZOCAR operated fincas , or ranches, in Venezuela, where he stored his cocaine in underground tanks, stored hundreds of deadly weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition, and which had clandestine landing strips from which he dispatched airplanes loaded with cocaine. ORENSE AZOCAR also loaded cocaine on “go-fast” boats that sped from the Venezuelan coastline to intermediate delivery points in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic and close to Puerto Rico. To aid in his cocaine distribution, ORENSE AZOCAR worked with and paid bribes to high-ranking officials throughout the Venezuelan government, including military generals and army officials, national police commissioners, and high-ranking officials in the Venezuelan intelligence agencies. ORENSE AZOCAR’s corrupt Venezuelan government connections secured access to military-grade weaponry, protection from military and law enforcement raids, safe passage for ORENSE AZOCAR’s cocaine convoys through checkpoints, and fraudulent airplane transponder codes to permit ORENSE AZOCAR’s cocaine-laden aircraft to freely depart Venezuela en route to Central America and Mexico. ORENSE AZOCAR similarly partnered with armed guerilla forces operating in Colombia and Venezuela to source cocaine and secure safe passage for his cocaine shipments. ORENSE AZOCAR distributed hundreds of tons of cocaine and made tens of millions of dollars through his narcotics trafficking. To protect and expand his cocaine trafficking organization, ORENSE AZOCAR employed high-powered weaponry. He had armed security teams that guarded his finca ; traveled in armored vehicles with armed security; and used armed security, military forces, and police to protect his convoys of cocaine. Among other weapons, ORENSE AZOCAR employed automatic rifles, submachine guns, handguns modified to operate as machine guns, and a 50-caliber mounted machine gun. * * * ORENSE AZOCAR, 68, of Venezuela, was convicted on three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machine guns during, and possessing machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and maximum potential sentence of life in prison; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machine guns during, and to possess machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“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. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, OCDETF New York Strike Force, and SDNY Digital Forensics Unit, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Michael D. Lockard, and Kevin Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist William Sirmon.


title: Tuscaloosa Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Tuscaloosa man was sentenced to 84 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, Jamaris Jontuan Hogan, 36, was arrested by Moundville Police Department officers on March 1, 2022, for an outstanding domestic-violence warrant. When officers encountered Hogan at an apartment complex in Moundville, he had just stepped out of his still running car, locked it, and walked away from it as police approached. Officers smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from the car and searched it, finding a loaded and stolen .380 caliber pistol, 198 grams of marijuana, clear plastic baggies, a digital scale, and a glass jar containing marijuana residue. Hogan admitted that he had a gun in the car. At the time he possessed the gun, Hogan was on parole for eight prior felony convictions in Oakland County, Michigan, including offenses involving illegal possession of firearms, drug distribution, and theft. Hogan’s prior felony convictions rendered his possession of firearms illegal under federal law. In addition to the 84-month prison sentence, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Hogan to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Hogan to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moundville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Statement on Supreme Court’s Order Granting Certiorari to Review the Fifth Circuit Decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine

component: Office of the Associate Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta following the Supreme Court’s order granting certiorari to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine: “We are glad that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this important case. While the litigation continues, the stay the Court entered earlier this year means that mifepristone will remain available under the conditions approved by the FDA based on its expert scientific judgment. The Justice Department will not cease its efforts to defend the FDA’s authorities and expertise in this area.”


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison For Possessing A Firearm Linked To Two Orlando Shootings

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Cristian Burgos (25, Kissimmee) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Burgos to forfeit a Glock firearm, an Anderson Manufacturing firearm and associated ammunition, which are traceable to the offense. Burgos had pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023. According to court documents, on January 29, 2023, officers from the Orlando Police Department located a vehicle that had been carjacked. They conducted a stop of the vehicle and the driver, Burgos, began to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Burgos after a short chase. They recovered a Glock firearm, an Anderson Manufacturing rifle, and ammunition from inside the vehicle. Laboratory testing of the rifle identified it as having been used to commit two shootings in Orlando in October 2022. At the time of this offense, Burgos had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of four counts of robbery with a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Burgos is facing six counts of attempted murder and two counts of shooting into a building in state court in Florida related to the two shootings that occurred in October 2022. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff. 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: Colombian Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Carlos Alejandro Coneo-Contreras (51, Colombia) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Coneo-Contreras had pleaded guilty on September 25, 2023. According to court documents, Coneo-Contreras was a logistical coordinator for a Colombian drug trafficking organization based in Cartagena, Colombia. In July 2017, Coneo-Contreras acquired a sailing vessel in Cartagena, which was to set sail with cocaine to San Andrés Island, Colombia, an island approximately 100 miles east of Nicaragua. Once the cocaine-laden vessel reached San Andrés Island, the cocaine was to be transported to Central America and then smuggled into the United States. In addition to obtaining the vessel, Coneo-Contreras purchased food, fuel, and navigation equipment for the mariners to use while on their journey to San Andrés Island. The Colombian Navy interdicted the sailing vessel, which had 164 kilograms of cocaine on board. In June 2018, Coneo-Contreras again acquired a sailing vessel in Cartagena to transport cocaine to San Andrés Island. The Colombian Navy interdicted that vessel, this time with 452 kilograms of cocaine on board. Again, the ultimate destination for the cocaine was the United States. This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The Colombian Navy and Colombian National Police also provided valuable assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 33 Months for “Ticket Switching” Scam

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Madison man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for wire fraud and attempted wire fraud. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Aaron Hoster , 51, to 33 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $57,593.19 in restitution. Hoster pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023. According to court records, from June 2021 to April 2023, Hoster removed UPC labels from low-cost items and applied them to higher-priced items which he then purchased. Hoster defrauded multiple Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement stores in Maine, cheating the retailers out of more than $51,000. In one instance, Hoster purchased a $439 cordless finish nailer kit, paying just $19.98 by scanning a price code for trimmer line. In another example, he scanned a code for an $11.36 chrome-plated plastic tailpiece despite purchasing a powered drain cleaner valued at $429. In all, Hoster, who has 29 prior criminal convictions, committed 160 thefts using his “ticket switching” scam. Most of the thefts occurred in Maine, and additional thefts took place in Maryland and Pennsylvania. In sentencing Hoster, Judge Woodcock stated, “The defendant had a full-time job of stealing for two years. You are causing the price of all goods to rise because people like you take what they haven’t paid for. There were plenty of times you could have stopped but didn’t because it was easy money.” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case. ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts Charlotte Man Of All Charges For Sex Trafficking A Minor

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte convicted Tawaan Batten today of sex trafficking a minor, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Batten, 33, of Charlotte, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, and one count of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the three-day trial. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. "Batten took advantage of a vulnerable 15-year-old girl who turned to him out of desperation and exploited her in the worst way – for profit," said U.S. Attorney King. "My Office will not allow our children to be traded as commodities and sold for sex. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes, hold offenders accountable, and more importantly identify, rescue, and support victims." “It is difficult to fathom that someone would sell a child for sex. But that is exactly what Batten did and now he faces a possible life sentence for his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “The FBI works tirelessly to hold accountable those who carry out crimes against children, and we devote significant resources to help sex trafficking victims recover from the trauma they suffer.” According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, from July 2021, through December 2021, Batten engaged in a conspiracy to sex traffic a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina and South Carolina. Trial evidence established that Batten, who was at times assisted by Kristi Heather King, 33, of Locust, North Carolina, posted advertisements of the minor victim on commercial sex websites, arranged the minor victim’s sexual encounters with customers, and booked hotel rooms where the encounters took place. Trial evidence further established that Batten kept almost all of the money the victim earned from these commercial sexual encounters. Batten used various physical and psychological ways to control the minor victim, including branding the minor victim with tattoos. Batten remains in federal custody. At sentencing, he faces a maximum penalty of up to life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. On November 9, 2023, King pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sex traffic the minor victim and is currently awaiting sentencing. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and thanked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Spaugh and Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. If you are the victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the FBI, local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. To submit a tip to the NHTRC online please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking .


title: Billings man sentenced to prison for stealing firearms in pawn shop burglary

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

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to stealing six firearms after breaking into a pawn shop in Billings was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Eric Frederick Welch, Jr, 22, pleaded guilty in August to an indictment charging him with theft from a federal firearms licensee and possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $3,025 in restitution. In court documents, the government alleged that in the early morning hours of June 12, Welch broke into Yellowstone Pawn and stole six firearms. Welch had been released on conditions on state charges just over a month earlier, and he used a truck he had stolen two days before to conduct the pawn shop burglary. Welch fled from law enforcement and threw one of the stolen firearms before being arrested. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Greenbelt Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison on Drug and Firearms Charges, Including Illegal Possession of a Machinegun

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Donald Fortune, Jr., age 19, of Greenbelt, Maryland, today to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for federal charges of illegal possession of a machinegun, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”). According to his guilty plea, law enforcement began investigating Fortune in April 2022 for suspected firearms and drug trafficking offenses. As part of the investigation, PGPD detectives monitored public posts from Fortune’s social media account where he displayed firearms and advertised drugs for sale. Based on their investigation, including the social media posts, a search warrant was obtained for Fortune’s apartment. On June 2, 2022, law enforcement was conducting surveillance outside Fortune’s apartment building in preparation for executing the warrant. In the late morning, Fortune exited the building and approached a silver Honda Civic. Fortune removed a large bag of blue pills, suspected to be oxycodone, from a Gucci satchel that he was wearing and engaged in a suspected hand-to-hand drug transaction with the driver of the Civic. Fortune then placed the pills back in the Gucci satchel and returned to his apartment. According to court documents, a short time later, Fortune, still wearing the Gucci satchel, left the apartment building with a woman. They both got into a rideshare and the vehicle drove away. PGPD police conducted a traffic stop of the ride-share vehicle a short time later and observed Fortune reach down toward his feet. Officers asked Fortune, who was still wearing the Gucci satchel, to step out of the vehicle and officers observed a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the floorboard where Fortune had been seated. The gun, which had an obliterated serial number, was loaded with one round in the chamber and 21 rounds in an extended magazine and was equipped with a full auto selector switch on the rear of the handgun slide, making it a machinegun under federal law. A search of the Gucci satchel recovered a large bag containing 282 30mg blue pills, later found to be counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Officers also recovered $790 in cash from Fortune. Fortune was arrested and charged in Prince George’s County. He was released on June 14, 2022, pending trial. Fortune admitted that he continued to sell drugs and possess firearms after his release, including coordinating a drug deal around a court appearance. Fortune switched to using a second social media account in mid-July 2022, believed by investigators to be an effort to evade law enforcement. Investigators began monitoring this account. Fortune continued to advertise pills for sale and display firearms, despite being on pretrial release. For example, on July 26, 2022, investigators observed a public-facing live video that was streaming from Fortune’s second social media account, which showed Fortune smoking a suspected marijuana cigarette, flashing two prescription bottles, and holding an AR-style pistol. Fortune then turned the camera around to show a table display of at least six firearms, including two AR-style pistols, one handgun with an extended magazine, and one handgun with a suspected full-automatic switch, with cash fanned out in front of the firearms. As detailed in the plea agreement, on the evening of July 26, 2022, PGPD officers were on patrol in the 6400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in District Heights, Maryland and saw Fortune smoking marijuana on the sidewalk in front of a residence. As the officer was parking his car in the parking lot, he saw Fortune walk behind a pick-up truck, crouch down, and throw an item on the ground before walking away. Believing Fortune had discarded a firearm or contraband, the officer got out of his unmarked police cruiser to speak with Fortune, who continued to walk away. As the officer got closer, Fortune began running and was apprehended a short distance away. Another officer arrived and stayed by the location where Fortune had been seen throwing something. A search of the area recovered a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber semi-automatic AR-15 style pistol with no serial number, also known as a “ghost gun.” The gun was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber. Officers searched Fortune and recovered two pill bottles containing 16 real or counterfeit oxycodone pills. The pills were tested and eight were found to contain approximately 5mg of oxycodone each and the rest were found to be counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI’s Cross Border Task Force and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Kibbe and Joshua A. Rosenthal, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Alleged Member of ‘Memphis Mob’ Street Gang Sentenced to 18 Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Memphis man to more than 18 years in federal prison for his involvement in an armed drug trafficking operation. Jacquez “Mob Kilo” Reverand , 25, of Memphis was sentenced to 217 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and discharging a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Reverand to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. According to information presented at trial, while looking into drug trafficking activity by members of the Memphis Mob, investigators identified a North Memphis home from which narcotics were being sold. On March 4, 2019, someone allegedly stole narcotics from the house which led to shots being fired. A Memphis police officer responded and witnessed someone with a gunshot wound to the head running away from the house. Surveillance video from the house showed the defendant and another person firing into a vehicle occupied by five people including a minor child. One person was injured from the shooting but survived. Reverand fled prior to police arrival. In addition, the surveillance video showed Memphis Mob members distributing narcotics from the North Memphis house daily until the shooting, after which the group relocated operations. In July 2022, Reverand was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to use or carry a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and discharge of a firearm during an in relation to a drug trafficking crime. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Allen and Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Syndicato De Nuevo Mexico Associate of Murdering Federal Witness, Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, announced today that a federal jury returned eight guilty verdicts against Robert “Fat Head” Padilla after half a day of deliberation. The jury convicted Padilla on one count each of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (murder), retaliating against a witness, killing while engaged in drug trafficking, using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, discharging said firearms and causing death, witness tampering, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute buprenorphine, and possession of contraband in prison. Judge James O. Browning presided. A federal grand jury issued a Third Superseding Indictment accusing Padilla and his co-conspirator Gary Coca of eight felony offenses on April 19, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, from about Sept. 17, 2018, to Sept. 10, 2019, Padilla engaged in trafficking cocaine, cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl. On July 22, 2019, Padilla killed L.L., a former federal witness in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in retaliation for the victim providing information to law enforcement. Then, on Nov. 25, 2020, Padilla allegedly used physical force against P.G. in an attempt to influence, delay and prevent P.G. from communicating to law enforcement information relating to drug trafficking and the murder of L.L. Finally, on Sept. 6, 2022, Padilla possessed with the intent to distribute more than 329 strips of suboxone while incarcerated at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe. “Witnesses are the eyes and ears of the justice system. They are the embodiment of the fact that justice belongs to all of us, and we all play a role in keeping our communities safe.,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “But some think that they can use violence to silence justice. Attacking a witness is more than an assault on a person, it is an assault on the values that hold our society together. But no one person is bigger than us together. Local, state, and federal law enforcement will find and convict those who threaten citizens who stood up for our community.” “Mr. Padilla was under the mistaken impression he and his crew could run their criminal enterprise and flaunt their illegal activities in the face of the law without fear of consequence.,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. “Today’s conviction is the 12th gang-related homicide charged under the federal RICO or VICAR statutes and sends a strong and clear message to others – illegal drug trafficking, witness intimidation and violence will not be tolerated anywhere in New Mexico. The FBI’s partnerships in this case were vital to a successful investigation, and the willingness of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively prosecute this group was important to putting others involved in similar criminal activities on notice that there is zero tolerance for their unlawful actions.” “This case is yet another example of how drug trafficking and violent crime go hand in hand,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “The men and women of the DEA will stop at nothing to relentlessly pursue these criminals. We will continue to work day and night with laser focus to bring them to justice.” Padilla will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Padilla faces a mandatory term of life in prison. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the DEA’s Albuquerque District Office, New Mexico State Police, New Mexico Corrections Department, Las Vegas Police Department and Department of Public Safety’s State Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting this case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. View Third Superseding Indictment here # # # 23-284


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland - U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Samuel Charles Hardeman, age 55, of Easton, Maryland, to 18 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. Hardeman had a previous federal conviction in a 2002 case in the Northern District of Georgia for use of a computer to entice a child to engage in sexual activity, for which he was sentenced to 174 months in prison. Judge Russell ordered that, upon his release from prison, Hardeman must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Talbot County Sheriff Joseph Gamble. According to his guilty plea, from December 11, 2022 through December 26, 2022, Hardeman engaged in conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) who purported to have a 10-year-old daughter. During the conversations, Hardeman expressed how he wanted to have sex with the 10-year-old, sent a video containing child pornography to the UC, and made plans to drive to New York, where the UC purportedly lived, to have sex with the 10-year-old. Hardeman communicated with the UC by phone, including a video call, text, and using encrypted messaging platforms. All of this occurred while Hardeman was on the sex offender registration for a previous federal sex offense conviction. During a call on December 26, 2022, Hardeman expressed hesitation about traveling to New York to visit the UC and her daughter. The UC did not hear from Hardeman after that time. On March 14, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at Hardeman’s residence and several electronic devices were seized. A forensic examination of one of the phones revealed the encrypted messaging account which Hardeman used to communicate with the UC, a text message thread between Hardeman and the UC, photos sent to Hardeman by the UC at Hardeman’s request, the photos and videos that Hardeman sent to the UC, and dozens of images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Forensic examinations of several other devices and Hardeman’s Cloud storage account recovered additional images of child sex abuse material, including bestiality. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Spencer Todd and Paul E. Budlow, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Fake doctor imprisoned for sexual exploitation of minors

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for producing child pornography of several minor female victims, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Nam Vu Bui pleaded guilty Aug. 21. Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Bui to 330 months in prison. At the hearing, the court heard from two of the victims, after which they were recognized for their bravery in recounting the events and the trauma it caused and continues to cause them. Bui was further ordered to pay $19,680 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Bui will also be required to register as a sex offender. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Rosenthal stated that what he did was evil, further noting that child sexual assaults, like those he committed, should be called what they are, rape. “The bravery shown by the victims in this case is to be commended,” said Hamdani. “They spoke up against evil, rose above the years of abuse perpetrated on them and have given true meaning to the word survivor. It is my hope that more victims, hearing about these brave young women, will speak out against their abusers. It is the first step in bringing these child sexual predators to justice.” Bui first came to the attention of law enforcement in Vermont for pretending to be a medical student conducting cancer research. As part of that “research,” he convinced his girlfriend’s friends to allow him to perform gynecological exams on them in their dorm rooms. One of the victims got suspicious when he asked her to wear a blindfold. She peeked under it and realized he was trying to record what he was doing without her consent. The ensuing investigation revealed Bui was from Houston and had infiltrated his girlfriend’s family and other Vietnamese immigrants as a tutor for their female minor children. During the tutoring sessions, he sexually molested the minor victims and recorded them doing acts such as performing oral sex on him. Bui also deceived the victims and caused them to create child pornography of themselves for him. He created email accounts pretending to be attorneys at fictitious law firms, friends of the victims and working as a vigilante combatting a child pornography ring supposedly made up of law enforcement officers. Authorities later conducted a search at the residence he shared with his mother in Houston. Forensic analysis of the seized items in the home revealed Bui produced images of three minor victims and others. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Middlebury College Department of Public Safety and Vermont FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Federal Jury Finds Muncie Man Guilty of Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Joseph Haskins, 38 of Muncie, guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on August 16, 2021, as part of a narcotics investigation into Haskins, detectives with the Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at Haskins’ home, where he resided with his mother and two children. During a search of Haskins’ bedroom, agents recovered a gallon Ziploc bag containing nearly a pound of methamphetamine, three additional bags of methamphetamine, two digital scales, and over $12,000 cash, a majority of which was found stuffed inside a teddy bear. In addition, prosecutors presented evidence from Haskins’ cell phone, including text messages between Haskins and buyers discussing drug deals, as well as recorded calls from jail in which Haskins admitted to his crimes. Haskins has prior felony convictions for dealing cocaine or narcotic drug, possession of cocaine, battery, intimidation, and criminal recklessness and was on home detention for three pending state cases at the time of his arrest. The FBI and the Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force investigated this case. Judge James P. Hanlon presided over the trial and will sentence Haskins at a later date. Haskins faces 10 years to life in federal prison as well as a criminal fine up to $10 million. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsay Karwoski and Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Southwest Georgia Men Sentenced in Gang-Related Drug Trafficking Case

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – Two members of the Gangster Disciples street gang who are career offenders were sentenced to prison resulting from a GBI-led investigation into armed drug trafficking. Jason Patterson, 44, of Americus, Georgia, and Quintavious Miller, 28, of Ellaville, Georgia, were sentenced as career offenders by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Dec. 12. Patterson was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Miller was sentenced to 60 months in prison, both terms of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Both defendants pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine on Aug. 2. The defendants are not eligible for parole. “Gang-related armed drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Americus, Ellaville or any place in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Cases like this one illustrate the strong collaboration between law enforcement to bring those causing the most criminal disruption to justice and work ceaselessly for safer communities for all.” “Drug and gang-related crimes cause severe damage to Georgia communities. This case exemplifies the hard work of the GBI’s Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office and our local and federal law enforcement partners,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful result of this investigation should let career gang members know that DEA will use all of its resources to destroy their violent drug distribution networks,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “ATF and our partners are committed to pursuing and prosecuting the most troublesome criminal offenders to protect the communities we serve,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This case is a great example of what can be accomplished when local, state and federal agencies work together to address crime in our community,” said Americus Police Department Chief Mark Scott. According to court documents, during an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and other criminal activities in the Americus region, GBI investigators, working alongside DEA, purchased quantities of cocaine powder and crack cocaine from the defendants using a confidential informant and an undercover agent beginning in May 2021 through August 2021. Both defendants are members of the Gangster Disciples. On Aug. 11, 2021, GBI executed search warrants at four locations belonging to the defendants in Americus (Sumter County, Georgia) and Ellaville (Schley County, Georgia). At Patterson’s residence at 210 Tom Hall Circle in Americus, agents found more than $30,000 cash on Patterson and under his bed; a firearm reported stolen from Lee County, Georgia; marijuana; a digital scale and packaging materials commonly used to illegally distribute drugs; and multiple cell phones that both Patterson and Miller used to communicate. At Miller’s apartment and trailer located in Ellaville, agents found quantities of cocaine base; marijuana; cash; and a Gangster Disciple flyer. Patterson has multiple prior felony convictions in Sumter County, Georgia, Superior Court and Miller has at least two prior felony convictions in Schley County, Georgia, Superior Court. The case was investigated by GBI, DEA, ATF, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Americus Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: New Charges In Case Related To Two-Year-Old Child In Lansing Who Died After Accidental Discharge Of Gun

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Child’s death reflects larger crisis: gun violence has now become the #1 cause of death among children and teenagers GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a grand jury has returned an indictment charging Avis Damone Coward with being a felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, and tampering with evidence. Coward was previously charged in a complaint that alleged that an accidental discharge of Coward’s gun led to a two-year-old child’s death. Two other Lansing residents were also charged in the indictment. Emma Huver, 26, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Gina Schieberl, 26, is charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. A copy of the indictment is attached. “For the first time ever, gun violence is the leading cause of death for kids in America,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Nothing more horribly illustrates this crisis than the death of an innocent two-year-old child. The cure demands an all-hands approach and my office will play its part by ensuring accountability for those who put children in harm’s way.” As alleged, on October 24, 2023, Avis Coward got out of a car at a Lansing gas station and went inside, leaving a two-year-old child and his mother, Ms. Huver, in the car. Surveillance video showed that a minute later, a bullet hole appeared in the car window. The mother got out of the car holding her child, who had blood on his face from a gunshot wound. As she did so, Coward’s gun fell out of the car. Huver handed the child to Coward, who then passed the child to a third person who took the victim into the gas station and attempted to control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived. Coward returned to the car, picked up the gun off the ground, and put it back in the car. The surveillance video also showed Coward use his hand to break out the front passenger window, which had the bullet hole. Coward then drove away. The child later died from his injuries. The tampering charges concern attempts by Defendant Coward and Schieberl to hide or destroy evidence in this case, including the car, which was later found burned-out and abandoned in a field in Lansing, and a .45 caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic pistol, the barrel of which was found disassembled and hidden in the wall of a house in Lansing. “The allegations in this case represent the most horrific side of gun ownership and the tragic unintended consequences associated with poor choices. Avis Coward is prohibited from lawfully possessing a firearm. He chose to possess an illegal firearm and to leave a loaded firearm unsecured in a vehicle with a toddler in it,” said Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “In the aftermath, as alleged, Avis Coward chose to tamper with evidence in an attempt to avoid blame in this dreadful situation.” “We are thankful for the support of U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his office against the gun crime that has had a grip on the Lansing area for too long,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee . “Our community deserves better, and with partnerships like this, we are moving in the right direction to combat the gun issues faced every day in this city, state, and country.” “Gun violence is a national crisis and the leading cause of death of our children so it’s best to have strong law enforcement partnerships to address this crisis and protect our children,” said Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney John J. Dewane . “Locally and nationally, we have far too many senseless, preventable deaths because of children having access to firearms. No child should ever have access to a loaded firearm. No child should ever be in danger of being shot under any circumstances. My office, in collaboration with U. S. Attorney’s Office, will hold offenders accountable when children are victims of gun violence.” “Gun violence is a public health concern,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, State of Michigan Chief Medical Executive . “Many of the strategies that have been used to impact motor vehicle accidents and tobacco use—including education and community outreach—can be applied to community violence prevention. Let’s work together to keep Michigan children and families safe.” Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages 1-19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here ). While gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. For example, a recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association , shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian). This week, in conjunction with the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Summit, the Department released a Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap , which outlines ten actionable steps to help reduce gun violence and identifies federal resources to support these efforts. This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Drug and Gun Offenses, Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDEN HUERTAS, 42, formerly of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 75 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction. According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2020, law enforcement made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Huertas. Huertas was arrested on February 26, 2020, after a search of his vehicle revealed quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy, and a subsequent search of his residence revealed additional quantities of crack and heroin, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a loaded 9mm Taurus PT-92C semi-automatic handgun, and additional rounds of ammunition. Huertas has a criminal history that spans 25 years and includes state convictions for drug, weapon, robbery, burglary and larceny offenses, and federal convictions in 2015 for possession of firearm by a felon, and in 2019 for escape from custody. Huertas was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest in January 2020. On April 26, 2021, Huertas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession a firearm by a felon. In April 2022, Huertas’ sentencing was continued to allow him to continue drug and mental health treatment, and it was subsequently again continued after Huertas was admitted to Support Court. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 19, 2023, Huertas is suspected of being involved in a homicide of a 20-year-old man in South Carolina. On July 10, 2023, law enforcement investigating attempted burglaries in Danbury on July 8 and in Southington on July 9 traced a vehicle used in the burglaries to a hotel in Danbury. It is alleged that investigators located Huertas and another individual within a room identified as belonging to the operators of the vehicle. As officers attempted to take the two men into custody, they both ran. Huertas’ associate began fighting with officers, resulting in two of the officers being transported to the hospital for injuries. Huertas and his associate were apprehended a short time later. A search of the hotel room revealed two firearms, including an assault-type rifle and a pistol. Huertas has been detained in Connecticut state custody since July 10. State charges against him in South Carolina and Connecticut are pending. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police, and Bridgeport Police Department, with the assistance of the Danbury Police Department and the Horry County (S.C.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Clark.


title: Police Detective and Former School Resource Officer Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Material Charges

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an 18-count indictment against Daniel Paul Shealy, 35, of Rock Hill, charging distribution of child sexual abuse materials (12 counts) and receipt of child sexual abuse materials (6 counts). The indictment alleges that Shealy was a certified law enforcement officer in the state of South Carolina, and that during that time he held the rank of Detective in a police department’s Criminal Investigative Division and that he served as a School Resource Officer assigned to a local public school. The indictment also alleges that Shealy created and operated an account on a social media platform and that he used a cellular device recovered from his department-issued patrol car, both to distribute and receive child sex abuse materials. The indictment alleges Shealy distributed 13 child sex abuse videos and that he received six child sex abuse videos, all between June 2 and Sept. 17, 2023, and that the videos were between five seconds in length and one minute and 43 seconds in length. Each count charged carries a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Shealy also faces up to lifetime federal supervision following any other penalty, registration as a sex offender, and monetary penalties. Shealy waived his right to a bond and was ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges. He has the right to ask for a bond at a later time. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Honduran Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison  for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Honduran man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. According to court documents, Tommy Pineda-Guevara, 20, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop on September 1, 2022. Pineda-Guevara is a citizen and national of Honduras. Under federal law, aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement. The Mississippi Highway Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.


title: District Woman Indicted for Defrauding the D.C. Medicaid Program

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON — Bridgette White-Chase, 61, of the District of Columbia, was arraigned today on a 20-count indictment with felony fraud and first-degree theft related to claims submitted to the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The indictment was returned by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on December 6, 2023. According to court documents, White-Chase operated Chase Counseling and Consulting Services LLC, and was licensed by D.C. Department of Health to provide professional counseling services. Between September 2020 and continuing through January 2023, White-Chase submitted claims to the D.C. Medicaid program for psychiatric services allegedly provided to District Medicaid beneficiaries. The indictment alleges that through these schemes, White-Chase caused the D.C. Medicaid program to pay over $263,000 for services she did not render and overpayment for services she did allegedly provide. White-Chase was arrested and arraigned today, and subsequently released pending trial. She is scheduled to appear before the Honorable Erik P. Christian on January 9, 2024. In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas acknowledged the work of those who are investigating and prosecuting the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). They commended the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuela Charles, on detail from the D.C. OIG MFCU, who is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Former Chicago-Area Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A former Illinois woman was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for willfully preparing false tax returns on behalf of her clients. According to court documents and statements made in court, Erica Early, formerly of Robins and Richton Park, Illinois, operated a tax preparation business for clients located in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, and often charged $1,000 to prepare basic, uncomplicated tax returns. Early falsely inflated her clients’ income to maximize the Earned Income Tax Credit and falsely claimed education-related credits on their behalf. Early, who was a U.S. Postal Service employee during some of the time she was engaged in preparing the false returns, also falsified her own tax returns, claiming education credits she knew she was not eligible to receive. Early concealed her scheme by preparing clients’ returns as a “ghost preparer,” marking them as self-prepared instead of identifying herself as the paid preparer. Initially, Early directed her fees and client refunds to her personal bank account that was then closed by the bank after detecting fraudulent activity. Early then began requiring her clients to obtain prepaid debit cards in their names that Early would use to deposit her clients’ refunds as well as receive her preparation fee, avoiding the use of traditional banks. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Early to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $515,990 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Catholic Priest Sentenced to Federal Prison on Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Father James W. Jackson, 68, a former Rhode Island priest assigned to St. Mary’s Church in Providence, was sentenced today to six years in federal prison, having previously admitted to a federal judge that that he downloaded and stored thousands of files of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. According to documents filed with the court, in September 2021, an East Providence Detective assigned to the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force identified an IP address assigned to the rectory at St. Mary’s Church that was being utilized to share files of child sexual abuse material. A court-authorized search of a computer and digital device located in a church rectory bedroom utilized by Father Jackson was found to contain images and videos of child sexual abuse, including multiple images involving prepubescent females, and some of which involved acts of bestiality and sadomasochism. A forensic audit of the devices subsequently identified over 12,000 images and 1,300 videos of child pornography. The defendant, charged by way of a federal criminal complaint and arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence on November 3, 2021, was later released while awaiting trial to the custody of his sister, who resides in Kansas. In June 2022, members of the Kansas ICAC identified an IP address at the residence in Kansas where Father Jackson was staying that was being utilized to download child pornography. Acting on a court-authorized search warrant, members of the Kansas ICAC seized a portable computer and an external hard drive from Jackson’s bedroom; an analysis of the storage device revealed evidence that numerous files with names indicative of child sexual abuse material had been deleted. Father Jackson was returned to Rhode Island and ordered detained while awaiting trial on federal charges filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island. He pleaded guilty on June 8, 2023, to a charge of receipt of child pornography. Jackson was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to seventy-two months of incarceration to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. In addition, pursuant to federal law, the Court imposed special assessments of $17,000 (The Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018), and $5,000 (The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015). In addition, the Court indicated it will order restitution to specific victims in approximately thirty days. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC and Homeland Security Investigations. U.S. Attorney Cunha expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Overland Park, Kansas Police Department and the Kansas ICAC. ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Unlawful Return after Removal and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Mexican man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for unlawful return to the United States after removal, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. According to court documents, on March 23, 2023, the Pearl Police Department received a report of an intoxicated man with a gun at a Pearl apartment complex. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and located Antonio Andrade-Hernandez, 36, with a gun pointed at his own head. Law enforcement officers were able to get Andrade-Hernandez to surrender peacefully. A records check revealed that Andrade-Hernandez was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States. Additionally, since Andrade-Hernandez is a Mexican national illegally in the United States, it is contrary to federal law for him to possess any firearm. On April 4, 2023, Andrade-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury. He subsequently pled guilty to unlawful return after removal and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Pearl Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.


title: Harrison County man sentenced to 10 years for fentanyl and firearms charges

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Edward Maxwell, age 44, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking and unlawful firearm possession. According to court documents and statements made in court, Maxwell was selling fentanyl from his home. Investigators searched the property and found fentanyl and a pistol. Maxwell has prior felony convictions which prevents him from having firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Four Men Sentenced To Federal Prison For Sim-Swapping Scheme Based In Orlando

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Coury Robert Badnell (38, Oakland, FL) to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Dalton previously sentenced Anthony Roberto Hutchinson (26, Orlando), Deandre Devante Levy (26, Orlando), and Jordan Brian Burgos (26, Orlando) to terms of imprisonment of 24 months, 15 months, and 8 months respectively for their participation in the same conspiracy. Each had previously pleaded guilty. According to court documents, the individuals engaged in a SIM-swapping scheme through which they stole more than $509,475 in cryptocurrency proceeds from unsuspecting victims. “SIM swapping” is a fraud scheme where an individual’s wireless service is taken over by a perpetrator, who has the end goal of gaining access to that individual’s email accounts and financial accounts. The objective for this conspiracy and fraud scheme was to target individuals who maintained cryptocurrency. During the course of the conspiracy, Badnell was employed as a manager at the office of a major wireless communications provider in the Orlando. He used his insider access at this business to bypass the provider’s security protocols. This allowed the conspirators the ability to swap the SIM cards of cellphones that they controlled with the SIM cards assigned to victims’ cellphones. As a result, the conspirators were then able to access and drain the victims’ cryptocurrency accounts. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey A. Bratt and Ranganath Manthripragada.


title: Former Correctional Officer Receives 42 Months in Prison for Smuggling Drugs into Oahu Community Correctional Center

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Richard Ascencio, 52, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 42 months in prison and two years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Ascencio pled guilty to the charges on September 21, 2022. According to information provided to the Court, Ascencio worked as a correctional officer at the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) from 2000 until his arrest in 2020 for these charges. Ascencio agreed to smuggle methamphetamine into OCCC and provide it to an inmate in exchange for cash payments. Pursuant to this criminal agreement, Ascencio obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators outside OCCC, hid the methamphetamine in his backpack, and then used his position as a correctional officer to attempt to bypass security measures and smuggle the methamphetamine into OCCC. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department, revealed that Ascencio was attempting to smuggle methamphetamine into OCCC on February 12, 2020. When Ascencio reported for duty at OCCC that day, investigators located 11 packets of methamphetamine hidden in Ascencio’s backpack. “Rather than protect the community from the scourge of methamphetamine, as Ascencio was charged with doing as a correctional officer, he instead perpetuated the devastating cycle of addiction among inmates and endangered the welfare of his co-workers,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Our office will continue to prosecute this kind of corruption, as it degrades trust in government and endangers our community.” “The FBI will not tolerate those who are in a position of trust to violate that trust by bringing illegal drugs into our correctional facilities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “This act unfortunately undermines the efforts of other correctional officers who serve with the utmost integrity in their position. Yesterday’s sentence holds Ascencio accountable for the blatant disregard of the laws he swore to uphold.” Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Hudspeth prosecuted the case.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 144 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Approximately 90,000 Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Pilar Angel Leon-Beltran, 44, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 144 months in prison. Leon-Beltran pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on March 22, 2023. Leon-Beltran also admitted to being in violation of a condition of his supervised release from a previous federal conviction. In April of 2022, Leon-Beltran traveled with three co-conspirators from Tucson to the Phoenix metropolitan area. Leon-Beltran and his co-conspirators were subsequently stopped by federal agents and Arizona DPS Troopers in Scottsdale during an undercover operation. Approximately 90,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl were discovered in their possession. Leon-Beltran had a loaded firearm in his possession while he was transporting the fentanyl-laced pills. Co-conspirator Enrique Flores-Diaz pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and was sentenced to 78 months in prison on February 3, 2023. Co-conspirator Denisse Calderon-Razura pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and was sentenced to 15 months in prison on June 28, 2023. Co-conspirator Laura Elena Hambrick has pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2024. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Operation. The OCDETF Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1094-JGZ-JR RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-197_Leon-Beltran # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Lead Defendant Sentenced To Over 11 Years In Prison For Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – An Arizona resident was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Mateo Vailon-Ramirez, aka Juan De Dios Yuen Felix, 38, conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and launder monetary proceeds in Las Vegas. As part of the conspiracy, customers living in Las Vegas would place orders for methamphetamine with Vailon-Ramirez who lived in Arizona. Vailon-Ramirez would dispatch couriers to deliver the methamphetamine to these customers. In November 2020, during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Las Vegas that was utilized by Vailon-Ramirez as a stash house, law enforcement recovered approximately 6.59 kilograms of methamphetamine. Vailon-Ramirez further admitted that he directed couriers to deliver the money from the sale of the drugs to Claudia Perez-Contreras who worked at a money service business in Las Vegas. He directed Perez-Contreras to wire the cash proceeds to individuals in Mexico. Vailon-Ramirez pleaded guilty in July 2023 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance-Methamphetamine and money laundering conspiracy. Six co-conspirators have been sentenced or await sentencing: Jasmin Arredondo pleaded guilty and sentencing is set for January 18, 2024; Maria Baltazar pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release; Miguel Felix-Valdez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; Rey Munoz-Ambrocio pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 84 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; Claudia Perez-Contreras pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in prison and two years of supervised release; and Francisco Tostado pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Co-conspirator Wanda Soliai is currently in RISE Court and co-conspirator Christina Vasquez has successfully completed RISE Court. RISE (Recovery, Inspiration, Support & Excellence) is a pre-adjudication court-led initiative involving a comprehensive substance abuse use disorder program. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams of the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement. The case was investigated by the DEA and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith prosecuted 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community — which may include the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances — please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA Tip Line at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip . ###


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Boston, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Victor Cuevas Romero, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely, fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2024. The defendant was originally charged on June 6, 2023. On May 19, 2023, at law enforcement’s direction, a cooperating source called a number that law enforcement knew to be operated by a drug trafficking organization and placed an order for fentanyl. The individual who answered the phone, who was not the defendant, directed the confidential source to an address on Belmont Street in Manchester to make the drug transaction. The confidential source went to the address, and shortly thereafter, the defendant drove there and picked up the cooperating source in his car. Inside his car, the defendant provided the cooperating source with fentanyl in exchange for $100. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###