title: Former California Police Officer Charged with Sexually Assaulting Multiple Women While on Duty

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Fresno, California, returned a superseding indictment charging former Sanger, California, Police Department officer DeShawn Torrence with deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law for sexually assaulting four women with whom he interacted during the course of his duties. Torrence was previously indicted in July 2022. At that time, he was charged with engaging in various forms of nonconsensual sexual conduct, ranging from directing a victim to remove her clothing without a legitimate law enforcement purpose to forcing his victims to engage in sex acts, all while serving as a police officer. The superseding indictment adds a charge involving an additional victim. According to the indictment, Torrence sexually assaulted the additional victim after locking her in his patrol vehicle and driving her to an isolated location. Five of the counts charged in the superseding indictment carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. One count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The remaining counts each carry a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Sacramento Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lansing Man Sentenced In Federal Gun Case

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that 48-year-old Lansing resident, Tom Allen Manuel, was sentenced to 57 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On December 19, 2023, Manuel was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm knowing it had an obliterated serial number. Manuel pled guilty to the first charge on February 6, 2024. “Mr. Manuel has a 30-year record of violent criminal behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “He has blatantly disregarded the law and repeatedly committed crimes while serving his sentence for past offenses. The people of Lansing deserve protection from such conduct, and my office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe from violent offenders.” The grand jury charged Manuel with carrying a loaded pistol on October 27, 2023. At the time, he was a convicted felon. Manuel had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for violating bond on a pending armed robbery charge in Lansing Circuit Court. The District Court imposed a longer sentence than usual because Manuel has a 30-year criminal record for violent crime and the Court was concerned that he remained a danger to the community. “Accountability matters. Tom Manuel is a convicted serial violent offender who knowingly possessed an illegal firearm.” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “Mr. Manuel is going to have a lot of free time to reflect on his consistent track record of illegal activity. Our community is a safer place today with Mr. Manuel off the streets.” This case was prosecuted by Assistant United Sates Attorney Timothy VerHey, and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Lansing Police Department. ###


title: Former Sanger Police Officer Charged with Additional Civil Rights Violation Involving Sexual Assault

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, CALIF — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging former Sanger police officer J. Deshawn Torrence, 40, of Corcoran, with an additional count of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law for sexually assaulting a woman with whom he interacted during the course of his duties. Torrence was previously indicted in July 2022. At that time, he was charged with engaging in various forms of nonconsensual sexual conduct, ranging from directing a victim to remove her clothing without a legitimate law enforcement purpose to forcing his victims to engage in sex acts, all while serving as a police officer. The superseding indictment adds a charge involving an additional victim. According to the indictment, Torrence sexually assaulted the additional victim after locking her in his patrol vehicle and driving her to an isolated location. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar and Special Litigation Counsel Michael Songer of the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Torrence faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counts of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury, including sexual abuse. He faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted of deprivation of rights under color of law, and he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of deprivation of rights under the color of law resulting in bodily injury. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Guilty Verdict for District Man on Aggravated Assault Charges

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tyrone Johnson, 43, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday by a Superior Court jury of aggravated assault while armed and related charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict followed a two-week trial before Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo. The jury also found Johnson guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during each of those crimes of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of an unregistered firearm. Judge Demeo scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at around 5:40 a.m. on August 30, 2022, Johnson entered Starburst Plaza, located at the intersection of Benning Road NE and Bladensburg Road NE, and asked the victim if he could buy a cigarette from him. The victim did not have any cigarettes and told Johnson “no.” Johnson then told the victim to, “Give it up,” before taking out a handgun. Johnson then fired multiple times at the victim at close range, hitting him in his midsection. Johnson then ran into a nearby apartment complex. Police later identified Johnson through review of video surveillance, GPS records, and ballistics evidence that linked Johnson to this shooting and one committed one week before this offense. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. This case was prosecuted at trial by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Matthew Goldstein.


title: Galvion To Pay $2,495,000 To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Galvion, Ltd. (Galvion) has agreed to pay $2,495,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act through the knowing sale of non-conforming parts to the United States Department of Defense. Galvion is headquartered in Montreal, Canada with three production facilities located in the United States, including one in Newport, Vermont. Galvion manufactures protective head systems for use by law enforcement and military personnel, including the United States military. Among the company’s products is the modular suspension system (MSS), a helmet insert. Through prime vendors, the company sold MSS products to the United States under the Defense Logistics Agency’s Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistic Support (SOE TLS) Program, which requires that textiles be sourced from the United States in accordance with the Berry Amendment. The government’s investigation revealed that between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2019, the company used a non-domestic source of pads in the MSS products sold through the SOE TLS program, as well as a foreign source of nets and harnesses for some orders. Galvion has acknowledged that employees with oversight of material sourcing, product operations, and/or product sales during this period were aware that certain components in these orders needed to be sourced from the United States and that non-compliant components nevertheless were used. The government alleges that these acts violated the False Claims Act, a civil fraud statute that prohibits the knowing submission of false claims to the government. “Fraud by government contractors and subcontractors is a serious issue and can erode the integrity of government programs,” said United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest. “By selling improperly sourced products to the military, the company placed profits over compliance with clear regulations. This settlement demonstrates that the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to root out fraud among companies who do business with the government.” “The introduction of non-compliant materials into the military supply chain poses a significant risk to our nation’s service members,” stated Brian J. Solecki, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice, to ensure that individuals and companies who engage in fraudulent activity, at the expense of the Department of Defense, are held accountable for their actions.” “This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of Army CID, and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” stated Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly, of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office. During the period in question, the MSS was a product of Revision Military Ltd (Revision); in September 2019, Revision’s owner sold the company and certain product lines but retained the protective head system business, which thereafter operated as Galvion. To resolve the claims against it, Galvion has agreed to pay to the United States a total of $2,495,000. This amount reflects Galvion’s acceptance of responsibility, cooperation with the government investigation, and compliance measures Galvion implemented after 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Almquist Lively handled this matter for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. Investigative support was provided by the United States Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. This investigation stemmed from a complaint made to the DLA Hotline related to the origin of materials used in the company’s MSS products. The government encourages individuals with information on potential fraud to report it, as complaints and hotline tips often play a key role in holding companies accountable. To report fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement impacting DLA, contact the DLA Hotline by completing the online form at https://www.dla.mil/Inspector-General/Hotline-Form/ . You can also report concerns to OIGHotline@dla.mil or call 1-800-411-9127. Requests for confidentiality will be honored to the full extent allowed by law. The settlement agreement between the United States and Galvion is available at this link: Galvion Settlement Agreement .


title: North Carolina man who groped teen on flight to Seattle sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A- 70-year-0ld Andrews, North Carolina man was sentenced Wednesday to 6 months in custody and 12 months of supervised release following prison, for an assault on board an aircraft flying from Atlanta to Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jack Allen Roberson was arrested at Sea-Tac airport in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty to simple assault in March 2024. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King noted the offense was egregious as passengers are captive when seated next to someone on a plane, and children are especially vulnerable in these circumstances. Judge King recognized the conduct was traumatizing for the victim and commended the teen's bravery in coming forward and participating in the criminal justice process. According to records filed in the case, Roberson was seated next to the 15-year-old victim who was traveling with her guardian. While Roberson appeared to be sleeping, he slipped his hand onto the victim’s thigh and ran his hand up under her skirt and towards her genitals. The victim reported the unwanted touching to her guardian, who contacted the flight attendant. Roberson was moved to a different seat. Law enforcement was contacted and met the plane on arrival. Roberson was arrested and taken to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. In asking for the prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi wrote to the court, “Airline assaults are a plague on our modern, highly mobile society. The Western District of Washington in particular, likely in part due to Seattle’s location and relationship with the greater international air travel network, has experienced a significant increase of the number of airline assault reports as of late… In the immediate aftermath of the assault, Roberson’s groping left the victim shocked and afraid…. Despite the trauma of being assaulted by a complete stranger, she found the courage to report what happened – to stand up for herself and declare that what Roberson did to her was not acceptable and should not go unpunished.” The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Port of Seattle Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi.


title: Laurel Man Sentenced To 37 Months In Federal Prison For Conspiring To Illegally Ship Stolen Cars To West Africa

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Rodley Balthazar, age 30, a Haitian citizen residing in Laurel, Maryland, to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit transportation of stolen motor vehicles and receipt and possession of stolen motor vehicles. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Port of Baltimore Director Adam Rottman of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Colonel Joseph F. Scott. According to his plea agreement, between approximately September 2019 and June 2022, Balthazar worked with others to fraudulently rent vehicles from Hertz, Avis, and other car rental companies at locations in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, and elsewhere. Balthazar was able to rent these cars using false identifications and credit cards. The vehicles would then be transported to Maryland where they would be loaded onto large cargo shipping containers and taken to the Port of Baltimore. Then, using false declaration forms and other paperwork to conceal the containers’ contents, the containers with rental vehicles inside would be exported to West Africa via cargo ship where the vehicles could be sold. Law enforcement is aware of more than 40 vehicles that Balthazar and his co-conspirators either exported or attempted to export to West Africa. Co-conspirator Jonathan Davis, age 39, of Laurel, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of stolen vehicles and was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison. A third co-conspirator, Abdul Karim Turay Jr. has pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the HSI Border Enforcement Security Task Force and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Timothy F. Hagan 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Charges Announced In Connection With April 2023 Mass Poisoning In Kalamazoo County

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced multiple drug charges against James Smith, aka “Yola,” of Kalamazoo County in connection with an April 2023 mass poisoning event in Kalamazoo County. That event resulted in at least 6 deaths linked to fentanyl. “What Kalamazoo experienced in April 2023 is a snapshot of the crisis we confront across America: more deaths than ever, driven by fentanyl, and snatching the lives of even first-time users with no idea they’re consuming this deadly poison,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “While we’ll never prosecute our way out of this crisis, today marks an important first step toward justice. This investigation is ongoing, and I encourage anyone with information to come forward. Now is the time.” This past Tuesday, June 4, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a multi-count indictment, which is attached to this press release. The indictment charges Smith with 8 counts. Count 1 charges Smith with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Death. In particular, the indictment alleges that Mr. Smith conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and that the use of the fentanyl resulted in the death of D.M., one of the individuals who died during the April 2023 mass poisoning event in Kalamazoo County. This crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. Counts 3-9 charge Smith with Distribution of Cocaine, each count representing a separate distribution event that allegedly occurred between August 10, 2023, and February 6, 2024. These crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, Count 2 charges Patrick Martin with Use of a Communication Facility to Commit a Drug Felony. In particular, the indictment alleges that on April 12, 2023, in Kalamazoo County, Patrick Martin used a cell phone to facilitate Count 1, that is the drug distribution that resulted in the death of D.M. This crime carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in federal prison. Smith was arrested yesterday, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, and had his initial appearance in federal court in Grand Rapids that same day. Mr. Smith is currently being detained and his arraignment, detention hearing, and initial pretrial conference is scheduled for Monday, June 10, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. Mr. Martin will have his arraignment and initial pretrial conference on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 11 a.m. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information related to the April 2023 mass poisoning event in Kalamazoo County is encouraged to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety through the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET) at 269-337-8880. You may also submit an anonymous tip through the Kalamazoo Silent Observer tip line at 269-343-2100, the “P3Tips” app, or online at www.KalamazooSilentObserver.com . “We are pleased that we were able to work with our federal partners in this investigation and that we were able to bring forward charges and make an arrest for those who were responsible for that tragic day in our community,” said Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief David Boysen . “The actions of a few had life changing results for many. This investigation and arrest re-affirm my unwavering commitment to protecting our community from the dangers of drug trafficking. We hope that this arrest will result in more information being brought forward to assist with this ongoing investigation.” “Fatal drug poisonings caused by deadly drugs like fentanyl are a significant threat across the United States,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene . “Today’s enforcement actions demonstrate our resolve to bring those responsible for this erosion and destruction of our communities to justice. This investigation is a clear demonstration of the strength of partnerships throughout the region and our commitment to protecting west Michigan from the scourge of illicit drugs.” According to the Centers for Disease Control (see here ), in 2023 at least 107,543 people died from drug poisoning across the United States, which is near the all-time high of 111,029 deaths in 2022. In Michigan, at least 2,931 people died from drug poisoning in 2023. Approximately 75% of the 2023 drug poisoning deaths across the United States were due to fentanyl. The following services are available for people experiencing addiction, or their friends and loved ones: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, www.samhsa.gov/find-support/in-crisis . Cope Network (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties), 269-580-8290, www.copenetwork.org . The Grand Rapids Red Project (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Kent and Muskegon Counties), 616-456-9063 (Kent County), 231-563-6865 (Muskegon County), www.redproject.org . The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a webpage that identifies county-by-county services. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Portage Department of Public Safety, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police. 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: Brooklyn, New York Man Arrested for Fentanyl Trafficking in Burlington

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Kajuan Woods, 35, of Brooklyn, New York has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute in Burlington, Vermont in January 2024. Woods was arrested in connection with this complaint on June 4, 2024. Woods’s initial appearance in court is scheduled for June 6, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in Burlington. According to court records, on January 19, 2024, Woods was one of six individuals located inside 195 St. Paul Street, Apartment A, Burlington, where law enforcement executed a search warrant as part of a drug trafficking investigation. Woods was wearing a satchel at the time, and within the satchel was nearly ten grams of fentanyl, including some fentanyl containing xylazine, drug packaging materials, and over $1,100 in U.S. currency. Within the apartment, law enforcement found seven handguns, three of which had previously been reported stolen. In the apartment over 22 grams of pure methamphetamine, over 48 grams of cocaine base, and approximately 17 grams of fentanyl were found. Then, in the early morning hours of May 12, 2024, officers from the South Burlington Police Department encountered Woods and a woman apparently passed out in a running vehicle. Woods provided a false name to officers. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed over 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a partially loaded 9-millimeter Glock magazine, a stolen Apple MacBook Pro, and over $2,400 of stolen clothing. On June 4, 2024, after responding to reports of a male threatening a woman with a firearm on Pearl Street, Burlington Police Department officers located Woods and a woman in a vehicle and attempted to detain them. Woods was momentarily compliant, then ran from police, leading them on a foot chase through multiple backyards. After Woods was apprehended, officers learned his identity and arrested him pursuant to an active federal arrest warrant. A search of Woods’s person revealed over 34 grams of suspected cocaine and a bullet in his pocket. Within the vehicle that Woods had been driving, officers found a fanny pack on the floorboard of the driver’s seat that contained a Glock 17 Gen4 9-millimeter pistol, suspected cocaine base, ten wax folds of suspected fentanyl, and empty wax folds. Also, over $3,200 in U.S. currency was located in the vehicle. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Woods is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Woods faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the current charge in the complaint. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts and hard work of the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and also thanked the South Burlington Police Department. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cate. Woods is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: California Man Found Guilty of Sending Threatening Emails to FBI that Included Threats to Bomb Its L.A. Field Office

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: A federal jury convicted a California man for sending threatening emails to the FBI, including ones in which he threatened to bomb the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and referenced the notorious “Unabomber.” Mark William Anten, 52, of Sun Valley, was found guilty of two counts of threats by interstate communication. He has been in federal custody since December 2023. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, from July 2023 to December 2023, Anten sent a series of increasingly threatening communications to the FBI, culminating in two threats to bomb the FBI field office in Westwood. "This verdict should make clear that the Justice Department has no tolerance for threats of violence against the FBI,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The men and women of the FBI are courageous public servants who do their work with integrity and skill, and we will stop at nothing to hold accountable those who threaten them with violence." “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep our community safe and therefore deserve our thanks and respect,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Those who threaten the FBI and other law enforcement officers ignore the daily sacrifices these officers make to protect us and undermine the rule of law. We will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners.” These emails included repeated references to Theodore John Kaczynski, also known as “The Unabomber,” whose 20-year bombing campaign killed three people and injured nearly two dozen more. Kaczynski was convicted of federal crimes, spent the bulk of his prison sentence in the Supermax federal prison in Colorado and died in a different federal prison last year. On Nov. 20, 2023, two FBI task force officers interviewed Anten in front of his residence. During the interview, Anten admitted to sending the previous communications and the officers admonished him to stop contacting agents, the affidavit states. Despite the admonition, Anten’s conduct escalated. On Dec. 5, 2023, Anten sent to FBI agents an email in which he wrote, “I AM THE UNABOMBER” and “I WILL UNABOMB THE LOS ANGELES FBI HQ.” The next day, Anten wrote to FBI agents, “I can go on a mass murder spree. In fact it would be very explainable by your actions.” He concluded the email with, “[y]ou ain’t getting away with this one,” and signed the email, “SuperMax or Death.” Anten also sent FBI agents an email, which attached a photograph depicting the results of an internet search for “how to make a dirty bomb.” Later that day, Anten visited the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and later emailed agents that he visited their building and would continue to do so. Surveillance footage confirmed Anten’s presence there. Anten was convicted of two counts of threats by interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 13 and faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare and Kedar S. Bhatia for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.


title: Tennessee man admits fentanyl distribution that led to death of Great Falls man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Tennessee man accused of mailing fentanyl pills to a Great Falls couple that led to the overdose death of the husband admitted to a trafficking crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Malice Clark, Jr., aka Greg Clark, aka “Greed”, 57, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Clark faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 17. Clark was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that from at least February 2021 to April 2022, Clark repeatedly mailed small quantities of fentanyl from his home in Tennessee to the victim, John Doe, and his wife in Great Falls. Clark and Doe were friends and Doe would send Clark money in exchange for user amounts of fentanyl. Doe usually sent the money to Clark through a mobile cash transfer app, and Clark would send Doe a receipt and U.S. Postal Service tracking number for the package that contained fentanyl. On April 5, 2022, Doe and his wife received a package of fentanyl in the mail from Clark. That evening, both Doe and his wife took some of the fentanyl. At about 2:20 a.m. on April 6, 2022, Doe’s wife called 911 and reported that Doe had overdosed. Doe was found unresponsive and pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that Doe’s death was caused by acute fentanyl intoxication. Law enforcement collected pills that were determined to be fentanyl from Doe’s home, Doe’s wife admitted they had obtained the pills from Clark through the mail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case. The Great Falls Police Department, Memphis (Tennessee) Police Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Medical Examiner Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: St. Albans Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy A. Ward, 42, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to eight years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ward and his wife, Sarah J. Ward, distributed methamphetamine or aided and abetted each other to distribute methamphetamine to confidential informants on seven occasions in Kanawha County from October 2, 2023, through December 6, 2023. The Wards received money for several of these transactions. For two of the transactions, Timothy J. Ward directed a confidential informant to shoplift items in exchange for methamphetamine. The transactions included the sale of a half-ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a St. Albans bar on October 2, 2023. Timothy A. Ward also sold a firearm with an obliterated serial number at the couple’s St. Albans residence on December 7, 2023 to a confidential informant who had purchased methamphetamine from him on prior occasions. Timothy A. Ward knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for being a person prohibited from possessing a firearm on September 8, 2020 in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. Timothy A. Ward has a long criminal history with 24 prior convictions, including for such other offenses as domestic battery, grand larceny, daytime burglary, breaking and entering, fleeing, escape, and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Sarah J. Ward, 40, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine on February 15, 2024, and awaits sentencing. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-201. ###


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 35 Years In Federal Prison For Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Jessie Michael Collins will spend 35 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. On January 23, 2024, Collins, 32, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Collins to a lifetime of supervised released. Collins, who had a pending state charge for possession of child pornography, was indicted on April 5, 2023, on two counts of distribution of child pornography. The maximum penalty Collins faced was not less than five years and not more than 20 years in prison on each count and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation revealed that Collins used an online chat application to talk to others about sexually exploiting children. Through this online chat application, Collins would engage in conversations about sexually abusing children. He also would receive, view, and share sexually explicit photographs of children with other members in the group. At one point, Collins stated to an undercover agent that he had sexually abused a 12-year-old and, “Lol a 12yo ever since her I’ve wanted younger I know I can’t just go pick one up as hot as that would be[.]” The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant. # # # 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): @USAO_EDAR


title: Summers County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Nelson Gill, 32, of Hinton, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 6, 2023, Gill was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement in St. Albans. Gill admitted to possessing a loaded Taurus Model PT111 9mm pistol found by officers during a search of the vehicle. The pistol was later found to have been stolen. Officers also found a loaded Remington Model 870 12-gauge shotgun on the vehicle’s rear passenger seat floor and approximately 3 grams of methamphetamine on Gill’s person following his arrest after the traffic stop. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gill knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for grand larceny in Summers County Circuit Court on August 11, 2017. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-75. ###


title: Commercial fisherman pleads guilty to falsifying fishing records and taking an endangered sperm whale

component: USAO - Alaska


title: Four Men Charged With Carjacking And Kidnapping Resulting In Death Of A South Florida Woman

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Jordanish Torres Garcia (28, Orlando), Kevin Ocasio Justiniano (27, Orlando), Giovany Crespo Hernandez (27, Orlando), and Dereck Alexis Rodriguez Bonilla (21, Orlando),with carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing the death of K.A. If convicted on all counts, Torres Garcia, Ocasio Justiniano, Crespo Hernandez, and Rodriguez Bonilla face a minimum mandatory of life imprisonment or the death penalty. According to the indictment, on April 11, 2024, Torres Garcia, Ocasio Justiniano, Crespo Hernandez, and Rodriguez Bonilla aided and abetted each other and others to carjack and kidnap K.A, resulting in the death of K.A. While committing the carjacking, Torres Garcia, Ocasio Justiniano, Crespo Hernandez, and Rodriguez Bonilla aided and abetted each other in the use of a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking causing the death of K.A. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, St. Cloud Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Marshal Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie McNeff and Dana Hill. 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. Video statement from U.S. Attorney Handberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEz8M45kGqE


title: Seminole County Couple Charged With Firearm And Drug Offenses

body_text: Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez (27, Orlando) and Monicasabel Romero Soto (28, Orlando) with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted on all counts, Crespo Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted on all counts, Romero Soto faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Crespo Hernandez and Romero Soto that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition which are alleged to have facilitated the offenses. According to the indictment, on April 17, 2024, Crespo Hernandez and Romero Soto possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug offense. On April 17, 2024, Romero Soto possessed with intent of distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Apopka Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Cloud Police Department, and United States Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie McNeff and Dana Hill. 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. Video statement from U.S. Attorney Handberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEz8M45kGqE


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Armed Carjacking in St. Louis

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing a violent carjacking in St. Louis last year. Ahdaejay Britton, 19, of Bel-Ridge, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking and one count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. At about 1:30 p.m. on May 8, the victim parked his Mazda 3 in a garage in the 3800 block of Lindell Boulevard. Britton admitted that he and a juvenile accomplice saw the man parking, then followed him down a stairwell, grabbed him from behind and pulled him down to the ground. While pointing a gun at the victim, Britton demanded the keys to the car, then stole the victim’s wallet and cell phone before following his accomplice to the Mazda. Police located the car in the 10000 block of New Halls Ferry Road and spotted the juvenile in the driver’s seat. Britton was in a nearby business. Officers found the victim’s phone and a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol in the Mazda. Britton later admitted to police that he’d committed the carjacking and robbery at gunpoint. Britton is scheduled to be sentenced November 14. The carjacking charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, consecutive to all other charges, and a maximum of life in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin 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.


title: Little Rock Man Who Illegally Possessed Firearm Sentenced to Over 16 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Christopher Charles Mathis, a multi-convicted felon, will spend more than sixteen years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. On February 13, 2024, Mathis, 43, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Today, Judge Moody sentenced Mathis to 195 months in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by three years of supervised released. Mathis, a felon with multiple violent felony convictions, was indicted on May 3, 2023, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Classified as an armed career criminal, Mathis’ sentence was based on the offense as well as his documented violent criminal history. The maximum penalty Mathis faced was not less than 15 years to life in prison, no more than five years on supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system. On July 22, 2022, officers from the Little Rock Police Department responded to an apartment complex in the 5000 block of West 65th Street in Little Rock, after receiving a 911 call about a man openly carrying a firearm. Upon arrival, officers spoke with witnesses who identified Mathis as the person carrying the firearm. A witness stated that Mathis did not live at the apartment complex, had previously made threats toward him, and was banned from the complex. Mathis was located on the property and taken into custody. A maintenance man located the firearm behind nearby dumpsters on the property, and witnesses confirmed that it was the same firearm they observed Mathis carrying. Mathis has prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm as well as prior convictions for residential burglary, domestic battery of a pregnant woman, terroristic threatening, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Little Rock Police Department. # # # 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): @USAO_EDAR


title: St. Tammany Parish Man Sentenced for Selling 1000 Fentanyl Pills to Undercover Agent

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ALSKIIN MILLICAN (“MILLICAN”) , age 21, of Madisonville, La., was sentenced on June 4, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. MILLICAN was sentenced to thirty-three (33) months imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, MILLICAN conspired with others to sell fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana. As a part of the investigation, on September 15, 2023, MILLICAN sold 1000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent in Mandeville, Louisiana. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHELDON THOMSON, 36, last residing in Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possessing child sex abuse images and videos. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2007, Thomson, who now identifies as female, was convicted in state court of sexual assault in the first degree, involving sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 13, and of risk of injury to a child. She was released from prison in November 2015 and began serving a term of probation. In May 2022, Thomson’s state probation officer seized multiple cellphones, a tablet, and a storage card from Thomson, her vehicle, and her residence. Analysis of the seized devices revealed more than 100 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children. On October 31, 2023, Thomson pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. The penalties in this matter were enhanced based on Thomson’s prior convictions for sexual assault in the first degree and risk of injury to a minor. Thomson is being sentenced tomorrow in state court for violating his probation. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the State of Connecticut Office of Adult Probation, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Serve Four Additional Years in Federal Prison after Assaulting a Federal Corrections Officer

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – REYES LUIS HOLGUIN , 31, of Phoenix, Arizona, has been sentenced to serve an additional 48 months in federal prison for assaulting a federal corrections officer, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, in August 2023, Holguin was an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, when he entered a federal corrections officer’s office without permission. Holguin slammed the door shut and told the officer, “You are not leaving the office.” Holguin then assaulted the officer before quickly being subdued by the same officer. The officer sustained minor injuries. As a result of this incident, on November 7, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Holguin with assault on a federal officer involving physical contact. On February 1, 2024, Holguin pleaded guilty, and admitted to physically assaulting the federal corrections officer. At the sentencing hearing on June 5, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Holguin to serve 48 months in federal prison to be served after his existing sentence—a 10-year sentence for distribution of fentanyl in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona—followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the serious nature of Holguin’s assault on the officer, his criminal history, and the need to deter Holguin and other federal inmates from engaging in similar conduct. This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Sex offender sentenced for conspiring to livestream sexual abuse of children overseas

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for conspiring with a child sex trafficker in the Philippines to livestream the sexual abuse of numerous children on the Internet. According to court documents, between at least April 2017 and November 2020, Michael Anthony Baxter, 50, and the child sex trafficker conspired to use children, some as young as three years old, to produce more than 30 livestreaming webcam shows depicting the sexual abuse of the children. Baxter and his co-conspirator used an Internet application to arrange the time and location of the livestream, preview the children who would appear in the livestream, discuss the sexual acts the children would perform, and direct the sexual acts in real time via text chat. Baxter paid the child sex trafficker through a third-party website to sexually abuse the young children while he watched via livestream. Baxter’s co-conspirator was arrested in the Philippines in February 2021 for human trafficking offenses. After that arrest, Baxter continued to engage with other suspected child sex traffickers. In December 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Baxter’s residence, where they found him actively engaged in a chat on the same Internet application with another suspected child sex trafficker. Records obtained from the Internet application showed that Baxter had purchased livestreams of the other user’s 7- and 10-year-old daughters engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition to the children victimized through the livestreams, Baxter also possessed hundreds of files on his computers depicting child sexual abuse. Baxter is a registered sex offender, having been convicted in Prince William County Circuit Court in 2009 for possession of child pornography. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-8.


title: Three Men Indicted for Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy as Part of “Operation Gridlock”

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against three men, Wendell Moton, 33, of Fresno, Donnie Hicks, 33, of Visalia, and McCael Marshall, 34, of Visalia, charging them with conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking and possession of a firearm by a felon, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Moton, Hicks, and Marshall arranged to sell a machine gun to an undercover agent via the internet, and then were stopped by investigators on the way to the sale. Moton additionally was found with an additional firearm when he fled from police on another date. This case is a product of “Operation Gridlock,” a long-term investigation into a network of violent criminal street gangs by Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is being prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms From Alabama to Massachusetts

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for illegally transporting dozens of firearms from Alabama into Massachusetts. Jahquel Pringle, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Pringle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms; two counts of illegal transportation or receipt in state of residency of firearm purchased or acquired outside of state of residency; and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pringle was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with co-defendants Brandon Moore, Jarmori Brown and Kobe Smith. Pringle, Brown, Moore and Smith conspired to obtain at least 24 firearms from Alabama, where Moore lived, and then transport them to Boston. In two separate trips in July and August 2020, Pringle traveled from Boston to Alabama on a commercial bus to pick up the firearms from Moore and then transported the firearms, concealed within luggage, back to Boston by bus. At least seven of the firearms have been recovered from the streets of Boston and surrounding communities. Pringle was captured on video firing one of the firearms in Alabama. Pringle is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction. In July 2023 , Brown was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Moore’s case was transferred to the Middle District of Alabama where he has since pleaded guilty. Smith pleaded guilty in March 2024 and will be sentenced on June 12, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. This case was prosecuted by the Major Crimes Unit. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Daughter who stole more than $700,000 from elderly mother in Lewistown while serving as caregiver sentenced to four and one-half years in prison

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A woman who forged checks to steal more than $700,000 from her elderly mother in Lewistown while purporting to serve as her caregiver was sentenced today to four and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Roxanna Rae Lewis-Stella, 60, of Billings, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered Lewis-Stella to pay $725,145 restitution. “It shocks the conscience that after a lifetime of love from her mother, Lewis-Stella, when her vulnerable mom needed her most, stole so much of her money that her mom had to sell her home to move into an assisted living facility. Every case involving elder fraud and abuse is repulsive, but it is particularly odious when it is done by a family member. Whether the perpetrator is a family member or stranger, we will continue intensifying our efforts to fight elder fraud and abuse to protect the generations who came before us,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. The government alleged that from November 2021 to July 2023, Lewis-Stella, under the guise of serving as caregiver for her mother, forged approximately 70 of her mother’s checks to steal her fortune. In one instance, Lewis-Stella attempted to cash a forged check for $500,000. Lewis-Stella also reused checks by altering numbers and depositing them twice. To conceal her crimes, Lewis-Stella called the banks and impersonated her mother and intercepted mailed bank statements before her mother could see them. In addition, Lewis-Stella stole and pawned a 100-ounce silver bar from her mother, used her father’s credit cards after his death to accumulate $14,000 in charges for her personal expenses and stole and forged a $12,505 life insurance check written to her husband’s son. Lewis-Stella used the money for clothes, travel, entertainment, restaurants, online shopping, cosmetic procedures and tattoos. In addition, the government alleged that Lewis-Stella’s mother was a vulnerable victim because of her advanced age and because she relied almost entirely on her daughter for care. After the thefts were discovered, Lewis-Stella’s mother was forced to sell her home and move into an assisted living facility. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karla E. Painter and Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fergus County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Adult Protective Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Felon Who Threatened Gas Station Employees with Gun Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon who threatened employees of a St. Louis, Missouri gas station with a gun to 100 months in prison. Richard Skinner, 45, pleaded guilty in December to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught by police with a semi-automatic pistol on March 27, 2023, after a dispute with employees of a gas station in the 1100 block of South Kingshighway Boulevard in St. Louis. The employees told police Skinner threatened them with the gun during a confrontation. They restrained him after a struggle. Skinner has prior convictions that include a cocaine conspiracy charge, forgery and robbery, a sentencing memo says. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke 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.


title: Albuquerque Man Convicted of Federal Firearm Offenses

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque was convicted by a federal jury, after less than 30 minutes of deliberation, of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between February and June 2022, Mike Tomasaour sold an undercover detective with the Albuquerque Police Department methamphetamine and fentanyl. Most of the transactions took place at the Court John Motel in Northwest Albuquerque. On June 28, 2022, DEA agents planned a larger buy from Tomasaour at the motel and then executed a search warrant on the motel room. Agents planned to buy five pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills. Prior to the buy, agents set up surveillance on the motel. While waiting for the agreed upon time, agents observed Robert Grado enter Tomasaour ’s motel room with a purple bag. Shortly thereafter, Tomasaour texted the agent that the "groceries” were ready. Agents moved in to make the arrests and execute a search. A search of Tomasaour's motel room yielded a loaded firearm, which was stolen, 92.6 grams of methamphetamine, 101 grams of fentanyl, and $760 in cash. During the search, Tomasaour threw the purple bag out the motel room window. The bag contained 2316.4 grams of meth and 278.5 grams of fentanyl. A search of Grado's vehicle yielded 2 additional guns, 65 grams of fentanyl pills, and 149.5 grams of meth. The Court ordered that Tomasaour remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Tomasaour faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and up to a term of life followed by a minimum of 5 years of supervised release. Grado pled guilty to conspiracy, aiding and abetting, possession with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon on May 9, 2024. At sentencing, Grado faces not less than 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Albuquerque Police Department jointly investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaymie L. Roybal and Louis Mattei prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Perryton ISD Coach Charged For Enticing 15-Year-Old Student

body_text: A Perrytown ISD coach has been charged following an alleged sexual relationship with his 15-year-old student, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Cole Underwood, 29, was charged via criminal complaint with enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lee Ann Reno on Thursday afternoon. According to the complaint, Perryton ISD’s superintendent reached out to law enforcement on May 7 to report a possible inappropriate relationship between Mr. Underwood and a female student. According to the superintendent, surveillance video allegedly showed Mr. Underwood meeting with the girl alone after hours, despite being given a specific directive not to be alone with her. Agents reviewed the footage and observed Mr. Underwood propping an exterior door open and then shutting off lights. Approximately 15 minutes later, the girl entered the darkened building through the propped door and walked into Mr. Underwood’s office. In interviews with law enforcement, the child said Mr. Underwood had sex with her in his office more than a dozen times between February and May. She said that after she added him as a contact on Snapchat, he established a personal friendship with her, and even invited her to his office to confide in him. She said that Mr. Underwood began messaging her in a flirtatious and sexual manner in December, and eventually used Snapchat to arrange sexual encounters. A search of the girl’s cell phone revealed multiple late-night conversations – some lasting more than six hours – between her and Mr. Underwood, who allegedly occasionally referred to the child as “wifey” and told her he loved her. A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Underwood is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Amarillo Resident Agency and the Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the full cooperation of the Perryton Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced To 20 Years For Possessing Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathan Rex Upton, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The charges arose from investigations by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Secret Service. On November 1, 2023, Upton pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on October 20, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Upton’s McAlester home. Agents seized multiple computer hard drives. A subsequent search of the drives revealed over 16,000 images depicting child sexual abuse. The Honorable Judge Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Upton will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources” . We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) website at www.cybertipline.com . If you prefer to speak to someone directly, you can contact NCMEC’s Call Center at 1-800-843-5678, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or HSI at 1-877-4-HSI TIP (1-877-447-4847).


title: Nigerian National Sentenced for Romance Scheme

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Nigerian National was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $524,000 in restitution and a money judgment in the amount of $868,295 for his role in a hybrid romance scam and business email compromise scheme. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, the scheme began in July 2015 when a co-conspirator initiated a romance scam with a 56-year-old widow in New Mexico using the alias "Sean Bartlett." The co-conspirator convinced the victim that he was an engineer working on lucrative oil contracts and promised to marry the victim but instructed her to send him money for supposed business expenses. On September 13, 2015, Uchenna Nlemchi opened a personal bank account at Amegy Bank in his own name. Sixteen days later, Nlemchi opened a fraudulent business bank account at the same bank in the name of the non-existent "Jay Auto & Machine Parts," listing himself as the sole owner. Following the co-conspirator’s instructions over the next few months, the victim made several transfers into accounts controlled by Nlemchi totaling over $375,000 from her retirement savings and a home equity loan. This included wiring $45,000 on October 7th to another person's account, before sending $35,000 directly to the "Jay Auto & Machine Parts" account on October 9th, the same day the other person wired $44,000 into that account. On October 22nd, the victim transferred $125,346 from her and her late husband's IRA accounts into Nlemchi’s "Jay Auto & Machine Parts" bank account. Then on December 7th, she took out a $170,000 home equity loan and immediately transferred the full amount to that account. Separately in late 2015, a German citizen attempting to purchase a Miami condo received fraudulent wire instructions after a hacker compromised her attorney's email. The German victim then wired money intended for the condo purchase to the New Mexico victim’s account. A co-conspirator then instructed the New Mexico victim to forward over $200,000 of those funds to Nlemchi ’s accounts. Nlemchi rapidly withdrew and transferred globally over $868,000 that was deposited into the "Jay Auto & Machine Parts" account from the New Mexico victim and other fraud proceeds. Nlemchi abandoned the fraudulent accounts on February 29, 2016, as bank investigators closed in. At the time, Nlemchi was in the United States on a student visa and attended Texas Southern University. He was arrested in Houston, Texas in 2017 and released on electronic monitoring in the third-party custody of his wife and ordered to surrender his passport. Nlemchi escaped from his monitoring system and fled to Mexico, then to Brazil, then back to his home in Nigeria. Nlemchi was an international fugitive for more than five years until his arrest in Hungary in 2023. Nlemchi pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in February 2024. After completing his term of imprisonment, Nlemchi will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release and will be subject to deportation proceedings. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Albuquerque Division of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department during the extradition process. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Former Takeda Employee Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $2.3 Million Embezzlement Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A former senior level employee in the technology operations group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) pleaded guilty yesterday to engaging in a scheme to defraud the company of at least $2.3 million. Priya Bhambi, 40, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Bhambi and an alleged co-conspirator, who did not work at the company, were charged in an indictment filed on March 23, 2023. Between approximately January 2022 and October 2022, Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud Takeda of at least $2.3 million in payments for purported consulting services by submitting fabricated invoices on behalf of a sham consulting company. In February 2022, the co-conspirator, in coordination with Bhambi, allegedly incorporated Evoluzione Consulting LLC (Evoluzione). Later, Bhambi created a website for Evoluzione with false information, including fabricated blog posts, to make it appear that Evoluzione was a legitimate consulting business. After incorporating Evoluzione, Bhambi, allegedly in coordination with the co-conspirator, submitted a statement of work to Takeda and caused Takeda to sign a master services agreement with Evoluzione and issue a purchase order to Evoluzione for consulting services with a total cost of $3.542 million. Then, between March and May of 2022, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator fabricated and submitted to Takeda five separate invoices for services that Evoluzione had not performed, each in the amount of $460,000. When questioned by Takeda employees, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator made false representations regarding the services purportedly provided by Evoluzione. Takeda paid all five of the invoices to business accounts allegedly opened by the alleged co-conspirator in the name of Evoluzione. In total, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator defrauded Takeda of $2.3 million in payments to Evoluzione for services not provided. Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Model E; purchase a diamond engagement ring; make a down payment on a $1.875 million condominium in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood; and place a deposit on a wedding venue. In connection with the charges, the Court issued seizure warrants for the Mercedes, over $1 million in fraud proceeds from accounts the defendants controlled, $49,985 from the wedding venue deposit and issued a restraining order to preserve the Seaport condominium for forfeiture. The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud carry a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Takeda has provided valuable assistance and cooperation with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture of aspects of the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Texas Man Faces Federal Charges After Traveling to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor He Met Online

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Presidio, Texas man is facing federal charges today after he traveled to Oregon to engage in sexual conduct with a minor he met online. Steven Worth Ellis, 60, has been charged by criminal complaint with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, attempting to sexually exploit a child, and coercing and enticing a minor. According to court documents, in late May 2024, the Oregon Department of Human Services received a tip alleging that Ellis was engaged in an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child. It was reported that Ellis had met the child on Reddit, a popular online forum, and engaged in frequent, sexually explicit communication with the child for at least a month. It was further alleged that Ellis told the child he wanted to marry her and made plans to travel from his home in Texas to Oregon to “come get her.” Further investigation revealed that Ellis did intend to travel to Oregon to meet the child and had an active vacation rental reservation for a residence located near the child’s home. Investigators began tracking Ellis’s movements and soon observed him leaving Texas and traveling in a northwest direction toward Oregon. Investigators intercepted and arrested Ellis today in The Dalles, Oregon, and he made his initial appearance in federal court in Portland before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org . 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Public Official Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy  to Commit Wire and Honest Services Fraud

body_text: WASHINGTON – Bridgette Crowell, a former public official who managed government contracts at the District of Columbia’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) and, before that, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), pleaded guilty today for participating in a scheme in which she reaped benefits from steering lucrative government contracts to her co-conspirators' private companies. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Inspector General Kevin B. Muhlendorf of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General, and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the D.C. Office of the Inspector General. Crowell, 39, of Laurel , Maryland, pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal Information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire and honest services fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2024. In a related case, Obinna Ogbu, 52, of Silver Spring, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and honest services fraud for his conduct as an employee at WMATA and his actions with Crowell at OCP. In another matter, Ifediora Oli, 41, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was previously charged with conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “The defendants have admitted to a corrupt scheme where government contracts were steered to companies that unlawfully paid government officials in connection with the contracts,” said US Attorney Graves. “Such corruption of our government agencies will not be tolerated. We commend the diligent work of our investigative partners who helped uncover a multiyear conspiracy to defraud WMATA, the District of Columbia, and the District’s citizens.” “Crowell misused her position to steer lucrative contracts to private companies, and in return, she received cash payments and a new car,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott. “The FBI Washington Field Office, in coordination with our federal and district partners, worked tirelessly to unmask this scheme, and we will continue to investigate allegations of criminal activity that degrade community trust in our public servants." “These guilty pleas highlight WMATA OIG’s commitment to investigating procurement fraud impacting WMATA activities,” said Acting Inspector General Muhlendorf. “The OIG will continue to work with our investigative partners to pursue those who violate the public’s trust for personal gain.” “These judicial outcomes highlight the unfortunate fact that taxpayers become the victim when government employees and contractors collude to enrich themselves unjustly,” said Inspector General Lucas. “The DC OIG and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our shared commitment to hold accountable those who seek to deprive District residents of the benefits of their tax dollars.” According to court documents, Crowell began working at the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) in 2019 as a contracting specialist. Before that, she worked at WMATA as a contract administrator. Crowell first met her co-conspirators when working at WMATA. Ogbu was a WMATA employee. Oli was an employee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but separately held himself out as the Principal of Highbury Global Group, Inc. (Highbury). By 2021, Crowell understood that her co-conspirators had orchestrated a bribery scheme in which Ogbu received things of value for misusing his position at WMATA and steering WMATA-related business opportunities to Oli and Highbury. While at OCP, Crowell agreed to steer government contracts to Highbury and another company created by Ogbu, The Nupath Company (Nupath), in exchange for things of value. Crowell misused her official position at OCP by, among other things: alerting her co-conspirators to upcoming solicitations; providing them with non-public information about the solicitations, including information regarding contract pricing; helping Highbury and Nupath secure government contracts; and taking multiple steps to conceal her personal connections to Highbury and Nupath. Crowell’s misconduct led to Highbury obtaining a $630,000 contract with the District to provide the District’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) with COVID-19 Testing Supplies; Nupath receiving a $27,000 contract to provide the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with certain equipment; and Nupath being awarded a nearly $850,000 contract to provide MPD with assistance carrying out pre-employment suitability background investigations for officer candidates. For her official actions and participation in the fraudulent schemes, Crowell received things of value from her co-conspirators, including as much as $10,000 cash per month, a new car, and assistance with closing costs for a new home. As part of his guilty plea, Ogbu admitted that his misconduct began in 2018 and ultimately resulted in Highbury and Nupath receiving roughly $2 million in funds originating from WMATA and District contracts. The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with the WMATA Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Visser of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr262


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Recovers $3.6 Million in Restitution for Financial Crime Victims

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has returned over $3.6 million in restitution to the victims of fraud perpetrated by Joseph Nicholas Gagliano. Gagliano, an Arizona resident, was sentenced in October 2013 to 30 months in prison following his conviction on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. U.S. v. Joseph Nicholas Gagliano , CR 12-00364-PHX-GMS. Gagliano obtained Small Business Administration (SBA)-backed loans and loan modifications by providing false information on the loan documents about his identity, assets, and liabilities. Gagliano defaulted on the loans, resulting in substantial losses to the lenders and the SBA. As part of his sentence, the court ordered Gagliano to pay over $3.6 million in restitution. After identifying Gagliano’s commercial dealings and assets, the U.S. Attorney’s Office pursued enforcement using its statutory judgment collection tools. Due to those efforts, Gagliano agreed to a payment agreement and the Office collected Gagliano’s restitution obligation in full. As a result, Gagliano’s crime victims, including the taxpayer supported SBA, have received full compensation for the harm caused by Gagliano’s scheme. This debt was collected by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Program (“FLP”). The FLP is responsible for collecting criminal monetary penalties, including fines and restitution, owed to federal crime victims. The FLP works to identify debtors’ assets and income and uses both federal and state law remedies to enforce collection from debtors’ non-exempt property. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Creta, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the financial litigation. CASE NUMBER: CR 12-00364-PHX-GMS RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-072-Gagliano # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Man who traveled from Florida to Western New York to have sex with a minor arrested on multiple child pornography charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jose Francisco Cardoso Tehovnik, 21, of Orlando, Florida, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with enticement of a minor, and production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of life. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin M. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in February 2024, Tehovnik began communicating with a minor female (victim) in the Western District of New York on the social media application Instagram, before moving the conversation to Snapchat. During these conversations, Tehovnik and the victim exchanged naked images, which included child pornography of the victim, and Tehovnik made plans to travel to the Western District of New York. In April 2024, Tehovnik flew from Florida to New York to engage in sexual activity with the victim, before returning to Florida. On June 4, 2024, Tehovnik came back to the Western District of New York, picked up the victim, and traveled to New Jersey, where law enforcement located him with the victim. Tehovnik was arrested and taken into custody. Tehovnik made an initial appearance this morning in the District of New Jersey and will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Nicholas Ligammari. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking a 16-Year-Old Girl

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 6, 2024 SAN DIEGO – Deondre Demetris Porter of Victorville, California was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking a 16-year-old girl who was physically assaulted and ejected from a moving car during an escape attempt. Porter was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023 along with codefendant Aaliyah White. Porter pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. The victim had been recruited by Porter just three days prior to the assault, which occurred on Easter Sunday in April 2023. In that short time span, Porter trafficked the minor victim, transporting her from Victorville to San Bernardino and then to San Diego. In San Diego, Porter required the minor to engage in commercial sex in hotel rooms and also walk Roosevelt Avenue in National City to elicit commercial sex buyers. White assisted Porter in monitoring the minor victim’s commercial sex activity. On April 9, 2023, the San Diego Police Department received a 911 call and reports from witnesses that a girl had been thrown from a vehicle, half-dressed, and beaten up. As a result of her injuries, the minor victim was immediately transported to a hospital where she was treated and interviewed by officers from the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. The victim immediately identified Porter and White as her attackers and sex-traffickers. The investigation determined that the vehicle in which the victim was beaten, stripped of some of her clothing and ultimately, ejected from, belonged to Porter. Further investigation discovered commercial sex ads posted by Porter advertising the minor victim, as an adult, for commercial sex on the websites Private Delights and MegaPersonals. After communicating with commercial sex buyers responding to the advertisements regarding the minor victim, Porter directed the victim to have sex with the buyers in San Diego. Hotel surveillance video also confirmed Porter’s trafficking of the minor victim. “This child was exploited, assaulted and ejected from a moving car, and yet she still found the courage to speak out against her assailants,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Her bravery, combined with the work of an exceptional team of agents and prosecutors, brought this defendant to justice.” “This lengthy sentence is a testament of HSI’s commitment to identifying a callus predator and rescuing a child victim from continued abuse,” said Christopher Davis, acting special agent in charge. “Along with our partner agencies, HSI will continue to devote resources to combat human trafficking.” “The law enforcement community in San Diego remains dedicated to the rescue of sex trafficking survivors, as well as the aggressive prosecution for those responsible for these crimes,” said San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit. “This case is the culmination of tireless work by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office. This survivor suffered life-long damages at the hands of the accused. We must never forget the impact upon the vulnerable in these kinds of cases. The San Diego Police Department will continue to dedicate the necessary resources in our pursuit of justice and public safety.” Co-defendant Aaliyah White is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2024. If you are living or working under threat of violence or extortion, or you suspect someone else may be, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline: CALL: (888) 373-7888 or TEXT BeFree or 233733. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek Ko and Lyndzie M. Carter. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-cr-0955-AGS Deondre Demetris Porter Age: 26 Victorville, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Sex Trafficking of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1591(a) and (b)(1) Maximum penalty: Up to life in prison and $250,000 fine; Ten-year mandatory minimum sentence AGENCY San Diego Police Department San Diego County Probation Department Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force California Department of Justice